Читать книгу Yale Classics (Vol. 2) - Луций Анней Сенека - Страница 488

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Pausing a little after this speech, he ordered the trumpets to sound to battle; and led down his forces in their ranks to the plain.41 Then sending away all the horses, by making the danger of all equal, he himself, on foot, drew up his army in order of battle, according to its number and the nature of the place. For as there lay a plain on his left, bounded by the mountains, and a steep rock on his right, he placed eight cohorts in his front, and the rest he posted in closer order to support them.

From among these he drew out the choicest centurions, the honorary veterans, and the bravest and best armed of the common soldiers, and placed them in the front. He appointed Manlius to command the right, and a native of Fæsulæ42 the left; he himself, with his freedmen, and such troops as he had raised in the colonies, stood by the eagle;43 the same which Marius was said to have had in his army in the Cimbrian war.

On the other side, Antonius, being seized by the gout, was unable to be present at the engagement, and gave the command to Marcus Petreius, his lieutenant-general.

He posted the veteran cohorts, which he had raised on this occasion, in the front; and the rest of his army behind them as a body of reserve. He himself rode from rank to rank, and addressing himself to his men by their names, entreated and conjured them “to remember that they were now to engage against unarmed robbers in defence of their gods, their country, their children, and their property.” As he was an old soldier, having served in the army upwards of thirty years, as tribune, præfect, lieutenant-general, or prætor, and that with distinguished renown, he knew most of the soldiers and their gallant actions; and by calling these to remembrance, he roused their courage.