There were two men named Metellus, father and son. The father held a command under Antony at the battle of Actium and was taken prisoner, but not recognized. The son fought on the side of Octavian and held a command under him at the same battle. When Octavian was classifying the prisoners at Samos the son was sitting with him. The old man was led forward covered with hair, misery, and dirt, and completely metamorphosed by them. When his name was called by the herald in the array of prisoners the son sprang from his seat, and, with difficulty recognizing his father, embraced him with a cry of anguish. Then restraining his lamentation he said to Octavian, "He was your enemyr.He had earned your punishment,
Metellusという同じ名の父子がいた。父の方はActiumの戦いでAntonyの下、指揮を取って捕虜となったが、それが誰なのか分かっていなかった。息子の方はOctavian側について戦い同じ戦いでOctavianの下で指揮を取っていた。父の方の年老いた男が髪ｎ覆われ、みすぼらしく汚い格好で全く姿を変えられて連れて来られた。捕虜の列の中から、男の名前が伝令官によって呼ばれると、息子は椅子から飛び上がって何とか父だと見分け、苦悶の叫びを上げながら父を抱擁した。そして嘆き悲しみを抑えてOctavianに言った。「父は殿下の敵でした。殿下より罰を受け、
I your reward. I ask you either to spare my father on my account, or to kill me at the same time on his account." There was much emotion on all sides, and Octavian spared Metellus, although he had been bitterly hostile to himself and had scorned many offers made to him to desert Antony.Marcus was one of the lieutenants of Brutus and was proscribed for that reason. When Brutus was defeated he was captured. He pretended to be a slave and was bought by Barbula. The latter, perceiving that he was skilful, placed him over his fellow-slaves and gave him charge of his private disbursements. As he was clever in all respects and superior in intelligence to the condition of a slave,
私は褒美を受けております。私に免じて父を勘弁してくださるか、さもなくば父の代わりに私の命をお取りください。」皆、深い感動に包まれた。この父はかつてOctavianに大きな敵意を抱きAntonyの軍から脱走するように多くの申し出をしたがそれに取り合わなかったのだが、OctavianはMetellusを許した。MarcusはBrutusの補佐官で、Brutusが戦いに負けた時、捕虜となった。Marcusは奴隷に身をやつし、Barbulaによって連れてこられた。BarbulaはMarcusの優れた能力に気がつくと、彼を奴隷の指導役につけ、金を支払った。Marcusが奴隷にしては、あらゆる面で賢く優れた知性をもっていたため、
his master had suspicions and encouraged him to hope that if he would confess that he was one of the proscribed he (Barbula) would procure his pardon. He denied stoutly, and gave himself a feigned name and family and former masters. Barbula brought him to Rome, expecting that if he were proscribed he would show reluctance to come, but he followed all the same. One of Barbula's friends, who met him at the gates, saw Marcus standing by his side in the character of a slave, and privately told Barbula who he was, and he obtained from Octavian, through the intercession of Agrippa, the erasure of the name of Marcus from the proscription.The latter became a friend of Octavian,
主人はいぶかしく思い、もしMarcusが追放者の1人だと白状するなら私(Barbula) があなたが許されるよう取り計らってあげようと望みを持たせた。Marcusはそれをきっぱりと断り、偽りの名前と家族と前の主人達の名前を挙げた。BarbulaはMarcusが追放者ならローマに行くのを嫌がるはずだと思い、Marcusをローマに連れていったが、彼は全く動じる様子もなくそれに従った。Barbulaの友人でBarbulaに門でであった者が、Marcusが奴隷の格好をしてBarbulaの傍に立っているのを見て、Barbulaに彼の身元と、Agrippaの仲裁によりMarcusの名の追放者のリストから削除の許可をOctavianから受けていることを教えた。彼はOctavianの友人となり、
and some time later served as his lieutenant against Antony at the battle of Actium. Barbula was then serving with Antony, and the fortune of both of them was reversed. For when Antony was vanquished Barbula was taken prisoner and he pretended to be a slave, and Marcus bought him pretending not to know him. Then he laid the whole matter before Octavian and asked that he might compensate Barbula with a like service, and his request was granted.This similarity of good fortune attended these two in after times, for they both held the chief magistracy in the city the same year. Balbinus took refuge with Pompeius and was restored with him, and became consul not long afterward.
その後Actiumの戦いでAntonyに対抗してOctavianの補佐官として仕えた。Barbulaは当時Antonyに仕えており、2人の運命は逆転した。Antonyが降伏した時、Barbulaは捕虜となり奴隷に見せかけ、MarcusはBarbulaを知らないふりをして彼を買った。そしてOctavianの前で事のいきさつを詳しく語り、Barbulaに同じような仕事をさせて罪を相殺するようOctavianに願い出た。Octavianは願いを聞き届けた。そしてその後この2人に同様に幸運が訪れた。同年、2人ともローマの司令長官の地位に就いた。BalbinusはPompeiusに避難し、彼と共に回復した。それからまもなく執政官となった。
