Greece -- Biography -- Early works to 1800; Rome -- Biography -- Early works to 1800
XLIII. There fell no fewer than three thousand; and there were carried
to the tents five thousand wounded, and among them Gallus, who was
pierced with five arrows in front. Gallus did not recover from his
wounds; but Antonius, going about, visited the rest of the wounded, and
he encouraged them with tears in his eyes and deep sympathy. The men,
cheerfully grasping his right hand, begged him to go and take care of
his health and not to trouble himself about them, calling him Imperator,
and saying that they were all secure if he was only safe. For altogether
it seems that no Imperator of that age got together an army more
distinguished by courage or endurance or strength; but the respect
towards the commander himself, and the obedience combined with
affection, and the circumstance that all alike, those of good
reputation, those of bad, commanders, private soldiers, preferred honour
and favour from Antonius to their own lives and safety, left nothing
even for the ancient Romans to surpass, and of this there were several
reasons, as we have said before; noble birth, powerful eloquence,
simplicity, generosity and munificence, affability in his pleasures and
conversation. On that occasion, by the pains that he took and his
sympathy with the wounded, and by sharing with them whatever they
wanted, he made the sick and wounded more full of alacrity than those
who were whole.
XLIV. However the victory so elated the enemy, who were already worn out
and exhausted, and they despised the Romans so much that they even
passed the night[415] close to the camp, expecting that they should soon
plunder the deserted tents and the baggage of the Romans skulking away.
At daybreak the enemy crowded upon them in still greater numbers, and
there are said to have been not fewer than forty thousand horsemen, as
the king had sent even those who were always placed around himself, as
to certain and secure success; for the king himself was never present in
any battle. But Antonius, wishing to harangue the soldiers, asked for a
dark garment that he might appear more piteous. But as his friends
opposed him, he came forward in the purple dress of a general and
addressed the troops, praising those who had been victorious, and
upbraiding those who had fled. The former exhorted him to be of good
cheer, and the others making their apology offered themselves to him
either to be decimated or to be punished in any other way; only they
prayed him to cease being troubled and grieved. Hereupon, raising his
hands, he prayed to the gods, that if any reverse of fortune should
follow on account of his former prosperity, it might come upon him, but
that they would give safety and victory to the rest of the army.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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