Plutarch
46-119 A.C.E - Wrote in Greek
The Comparison of
Sertorius with Eumenes
Written 75 A.C.E.
Translated by John Dryden
The Comparison of
Sertorius with Eumenes
By Plutarch
These are the most remarkable passages that are come to our knowledge concerning
Eumenes and Sertorius. In comparing their lives, we may observe that this
was common to them both; that being aliens, strangers, and banished men,
they came to be commanders of powerful forces, and had the leading of numerous
and warlike armies, made up of divers nations. This was peculiar to Sertorius,
that the chief command was, by his whole party, freely yielded to him,
as to the person of the greatest merit and renown, whereas Eumenes had
many who contested the office with him, and only by his actions obtained
the superiority. They followed the one honestly, out of desire to be commanded
by him; they submitted themselves to the other for their own security,
because they could not command themselves. The one, being a Roman, was
the general of the Spaniards and Lusitanians, who for many years had been
under the subjection of Rome; and the other, a Chersonesian, who was chief
commander of the Macedonians, who were the great conquerors of mankind,
and were at that time subduing the world. Sertorius, being already in high
esteem for his former services in the wars and his abilities in the senate,
was advanced to the dignity of a general; whereas Eumenes obtained this
honour from the office of a writer, or secretary, in which he had been
despised. Nor did he only at first rise from inferior opportunities, but
afterwards, also, met with greater impediments in the progress of his authority,
and that not only from those who publicly resisted him, but from many others
that privately conspired against him. It was much otherwise with Sertorius,
not one of whose party publicly opposed him, only late in life, and secretly,
a few of his acquaintance entered into a conspiracy against him. Sertorius
put an end to his dangers as often as he was victorious in the field, whereas
the victories of Eumenes were the beginning of his perils, through the
malice of those that envied him.
Their deeds in war were equal and parallel, but their general inclinations
different. Eumenes naturally loved war and contention, but Sertorius esteemed
peace and tranquillity; when Eumenes might have lived in safety, with honour,
if he would have quietly retired out of their way, he persisted in a dangerous
contest with the greatest of the Macedonian leaders; but Sertorius, who
was unwilling to trouble himself with any public disturbances, was forced,
for the safety of his person, to make war against those who would not suffer
him to live in peace. If Eumenes could have contented himself with the
second place, Antigonus, freed from his competition for the first, would
have used him well, and shown him favour, whereas Pompey's friends would
never permit Sertorius so much as to live in quiet. The one made war of
his own accord, out of a desire for command; and the other was constrained
to accept of command to defend himself from war that was made against him.
Eumenes was certainly a true lover of war, for he preferred his covetous
ambition before his own security; but Sertorius was truly warlike, who
procured his own safety by the success of his arms.
As to the manner of their deaths, it happened to one without the
least thought or surmise of it; but to the other when he suspected it daily;
which in the first argues an equitable temper, and a noble mind, not to
distrust his friends; but in the other it showed some infirmity of spirit,
for Eumenes intended to fly and was taken. The death of Sertorius dishonoured
not his life; he suffered that from his companions which none of his enemies
were ever able to perform. The other, not being able to deliver himself
before his imprisonment, being willing also to live in captivity, did neither
prevent nor expect his fate with honour or bravery; for by meanly supplicating
and petitioning, he made his enemy, that pretended only to have power over
his body, to be lord and master of his body and mind.
THE END
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