Sertorius And His Hind
Categories: GHOST STORIES FROM LOCAL RECORDS, FOLK LORE AND LEGENDScary Books: The Haunters & The Haunted
: NORTH'S "Plutarch"
So soone as Sertorius arriued from Africa, he straight leauied men of
warre, and with them subdued the people of Spaine fronting upon his
marches, of which the more part did willingly submit themselues, upon
the bruit that ran of him to be merciful and courteous, and a valiant
man besides in present danger. Furthermore, he lacked no fine deuises
and subtilties to win their goodwills: as among others, the policy, and
de
who meeting by chance one day with a hind in his way that had newly
calued, flying from the hunters, he let the damme go, not being able to
take her; and running after her calfe tooke it, which was a young hind,
and of a strange haire, for she was all milk-white. It chanced so, that
Sertorius was at that time in those parts. So, this poore man presented
Sertorius with his young hind, which he gladly receiued, and which with
time he made so tame, that she would come to him when he called her, and
follow him whereeuer he went, being nothing the wilder for the daily
sight of such a number of armed souldiers together as they were, nor yet
afraid of the noise and tumult of the campe. Insomuch as Sertorius by
little and little made it a miracle, making the simple barbarous people
beleeue that it was a gift that Diana had sent him, by the which she
made him understand of many and sundrie things to come: knowing well
inough of himselfe, that the barbarous people were men easily deceiued,
and quickly caught by any subtill superstition, besides that by art also
he brought them to beleeue it as a thing verie true. For when he had any
secret intelligence giuen him, that the enemies would inuade some part
of the countries and prouinces subject vnto him, or that they had taken
any of his forts from him by any intelligence or sudden attempt, he
straight told them that his hind spake to him as he slept, and had
warned him both to arme his men, and put himselfe in strength. In like
manner if he had heard any newes that one of his lieutenants had wonne a
battell, or that he had any aduantage of his enemies, he would hide the
messenger, and bring his hind abroad with a garland and coller of
nosegayes: and then say, it was a token of some good newes comming
towards him, perswading them withall to be of good cheare; and so did
sacrifice to the gods, to giue them thankes for the good tidings he
should heare before it were long. Thus by putting this superstition into
their heades, he made them the more tractable and obedient to his will,
in so much as they thought they were not now gouerned any more by a
stranger wiser than themselues, but were steadfastly perswaded that they
were rather led by some certaine god.----
Now was Sertorius very heauie, that no man could tell him what was
become of his white hind: for thereby all his subtilltie and finenesse
to keepe the barbarous people in obedience was taken away, and then
specially when they stood in need of most comfort. But by good hap,
certaine of his souldiers that had lost themselves in the night, met
with the hind in their way, and knowing her by her colour, tooke her and
brought her backe againe. Sertorius hearing of her, promised them a good
reward, so that they would tell no liuing creature that they brought her
againe, and thereupon made her to be secretly kept. Then within a few
dayes after, he came abroad among them, and with a pleasant countenance
told the noble men and chiefe captaines of these barbarous people, how
the gods had reuealed it to him in his dreame, that he should shortly
haue a maruellous good thing happen to him: and with these words sate
downe in his chaire to giue audience. Whereupon they that kept the hind
not farre from thence, did secretly let her go. The hind being loose,
when she had spied Sertorius, ranne straight to his chaire with great
joy, and put her head betwixt his legges, and layed her mouth in his
right hand, as she before was wont to do. Sertorius also made very much
of her, and of purpose appeared maruellous glad, shewing much tender
affection to the hind, as it seemed the water stood in his eyes for joy.
The barbarous people that stood there by and beheld the same, at the
first were much amazed therewith, but afterwards when they had better
bethought themselues, for ioy they clapped their hands together, and
waited upon Sertorius to his lodging with great and ioyfull shouts,
saying, and steadfastly beleeuing, that he was a heavenly creature, and
beloued of the gods.
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