罗马帝国消亡史经典英文版 (3).docxVIP

PAGE

经典英文巨著、宝贵学习参考资料

经典英文巨著、宝贵学习参考资料

Part3.ThecampofaRomanlegionpresentedtheappearanceofafortifiedcity.^60

Assoonasthespacewasmarkedout,thepioneerscarefullylevelledtheground,andremovedeveryimpedimentthatmightinterruptitsperfectregularity.Itsformwasanexactquadrangle;andwemaycalculate,thatasquareofaboutsevenhundredyardswassufficientfortheencampmentoftwentythousandRomans;thoughasimilarnumberofourowntroopswouldexposetotheenemyafrontofmorethantreblethatextent.Inthemidstofthecamp,thepraetorium,orgeneralsquarters,roseabovetheothers;thecavalry,theinfantry,andtheauxiliariesoccupiedtheirrespectivestations;thestreetswerebroadandperfectlystraight,andavacantspaceoftwohundredfeetwasleftonallsidesbetweenthetentsandtherampart.Therampartitselfwasusuallytwelvefeethigh,armedwithalineofstrongandintricatepalisades,anddefendedbyaditchoftwelvefeetindepthaswellasinbreadth.Thisimportantlaborwasperformedbythehandsofthelegionariesthemselves;towhomtheuseofthespadeandthepickaxewasnolessfamiliarthanthatoftheswordorpilum.Activevalormayoftenbethepresentofnature;butsuchpatientdiligencecanbethefruitonlyofhabitanddiscipline.^61

[Footnote60:Vegetiusfinisheshissecondbook,andthedescriptionofthelegion,withthefollowingemphaticwords:-Universaquaeixquoquebelligenerenecessariaessecreduntur,secumJegiodebetubiqueportare,utinquovislocofixeritcastra,armaamfaciatcivitatem.]

[Footnote61:FortheRomanCastrametation,seePolybius,l.vi.withLipsiusdeMilitiaRomana,Joseph.deBell.Jud.l.iii.c.5.Vegetius,i.21-25,iii.9,andMemoiresdeGuichard,tom.i.c.1.]

Wheneverthetrumpetgavethesignalofdeparture,thecampwasalmostinstantlybrokeup,andthetroopsfellintotheirrankswithoutdelayorconfusion.Besidestheirarms,wh