cleomenes-第1部分

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　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　CLEOMENES
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　263…219　B。C。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　by　Plutarch

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　translated　by　John　Dryden




　　THUS　fell　Agis。　His　brother　Archidamus　was　too　quick　for　Leonidas；
and　saved　himself　by　a　timely　retreat。　But　his　wife；　then　mother　of
a　young　child；　he　forced　from　her　own　house；　and　compelled　Agiatis；
for　that　was　her　name；　to　marry　his　son　Cleomenes；　though　at　that　time
too　young　for　a　wife；　because　he　was　unwilling　that　any　one　else
should　have　her；　being　heiress　to　her　father　Gylippus's　great
estate；　in　person　the　most　youthful　and　beautiful　woman　in　all
Greece　and　well…conducted　in　her　habits　of　life。　And　therefore；　they
say；　she　did　all　she　could　that　she　might　not　be　compelled　to　this　new
marriage。　But　being　thus　united　to　Cleomenes；　she　indeed　hated
Leonidas；　but　to　the　youth　showed　herself　a　kind　and　obliging　wife。
He；　as　soon　as　they　came　together；　began　to　love　her　very　much；　and
the　constant　kindness　that　she　still　retained　for　the　memory　of　Agis
brought　somewhat　of　the　like　feeling　in　the　young　man　for　him；　so　that
he　would　often　inquire　of　her　concerning　what　had　passed；　and
attentively　listen　to　the　story　of　Agis's　purpose　and　design。　Now
Cleomenes　had　a　generous　and　great　soul；　he　was　as　temperate　and
moderate　in　his　pleasures　as　Agis；　but　not　so　scrupulous；　circumspect；
and　gentle。　There　was　something　of　heat　and　passion　always　goading　him
on；　and　an　impetuosity　and　violence　in　his　eagerness　to　pursue
anything　which　he　thought　good　and　just。　To　have　men　obey　him　of　their
own　free…will；　he　conceived　to　be　the　best　discipline；　but　likewise；
to　subdue　resistance；　and　force　them　to　the　better　course　was；　in
his　opinion；　commendable　and　brave。
　　This　disposition　made　him　dislike　the　management　of　the　city。　The
citizens　lay　dissolved　in　supine　idleness　and　pleasures；　the　king
let　everything　take　its　own　way；　thankful　if　nobody　gave　him　any
disturbance；　nor　called　him　away　from　the　enjoyment　of　his　wealth
and　luxury。　The　public　interest　was　neglected；　and　each　man　intent
upon　his　private　gain。　It　was　dangerous；　now　Agis　was　killed；　so
much　as　to　name　such　a　thing　as　the　exercising　and　training　of　their
youth：　and　to　speak　of　the　ancient　temperance；　endurance；　and
equality；　was　a　sort　of　treason　against　the　state。　It　is　said　also
that　Cleomenes；　whilst　a　boy；　studied　philosophy　under　Sphaerus；　the
Borystenite；　who　crossed　over　to　Sparta；　and　spent　some　time　and
trouble　in　instructing　the　youth。　Sphaerus　was　one　of　the　first　of
Zeno　the　Citiean's　scholars；　and　it　is　likely　enough　that　he　admired
the　manly　temper　of　Cleomenes　and　inflamed　his　generous　ambition。
The　ancient　Leonidas；　as　story　tells；　being　asked　what　manner　of
poet　he　thought　Tyrtaeus；　replied；　〃Good　to　whet　young　men's　courage；〃
for　being　filled　with　a　divine　fury　by　his　poems；　they　rushed　into　any
danger。　And　so　the　Stoic　philosophy　is　a　dangerous　incentive　to　strong
and　fiery　dispositions；　but　where　it　combines　with　a　grave　and
gentle　temper；　is　most　successful　in　leading　it　to　its　proper　good。
　　Upon　the　death　of　his　father　Leonidas；　he　succeeded；　and　observing
the　citizens　of　all　sorts　to　be　debauched；　the　rich　neglecting　the
public　good；　and　intent　on　their　private　gain　and　pleasure；　and　the
poor　distressed　in　their　own　homes；　and　therefore　without　either
spirit　for　war　or　ambition　to　be　trained　up　as　Spartans；　that　he　had
only　the　name　of　king；　and　the　ephors　all　the　power；　he　was　resolved
to　change　the　posture　of　affairs。　He　had　a　friend　whose　name　was
Xenares；　his　lover　（such　an　affection　the　Spartans　express　by　the
term；　being　inspired；　or　imbreathed　with）；　him　he　sounded；　and　of
him　he　would　commonly　inquire　what　manner　of　king　Agis　was；　by　what
means　and　by　what　assistance　he　began　and　pursued　his　designs。
Xenares；　at　first；　willingly　complied　with　his　request；　and　told　him
the　whole　story；　with　all　the　particular　circumstances　of　the　actions。
But　when　he　observed　Cleomenes　to　be　extremely　affected　at　the
relation；　and　more　than　ordinarily　taken　with　Agis's　new　model　of
the　government；　and　begging　a　repetition　of　the　story；　he　at　first
severely　chid　him；　told　him　he　was　frantic；　and　at　last　left　off　all
sort　of　familiarity　and　intercourse；　yet　he　never　told　any　man　the
cause　of　their　disagreement；　but　would　only　say；　Cleomenes　knew　very
well。　Cleomenes；　finding　Xenares　averse　to　his　designs；　and　thinking
all　others　to　be　of　the　same　disposition；　consulted　with　none；　but
contrived　the　whole　business　by　himself。　And　considering　that　it　would
be　easier　to　bring　about　an　alteration　when　the　city　was　at　war　than
when　in　peace；　he　engaged　the　commonwealth　in　a　quarrel　with　the
Achaeans；　who　had　given　them　fair　occasions　to　complain。　For　Aratus；　a
man　of　the　greatest　power　amongst　all　the　Achaeans；　designed　from
the　very　beginning　to　bring　all　the　Peloponnesians　into　one　common
body。　And　to　effect　this　was　the　one　object　of　all　his　many
commanderships　and　his　long　political　course；　as　he　thought　this　the
only　means　to　make　them　a　match　for　their　foreign　enemies。　Pretty
nearly　all　the　rest　agreed　to　his　proposals；　only　the
Lacedaemonians；　the　Eleans；　and　as　many　of　the　Arcadians　as　inclined
to　the　Spartan　interest；　remained　unpersuaded。　And　so　as　soon　as
Leonidas　was　dead；　he　began　to　attack　the　Arcadians；　and　wasted
those　especially　that　bordered　on　Achaea；　by　this　means　designing　to
try　the　inclinations　of　the　Spartans；　and　despising　Cleomenes　as　a
youth；　and　of　no　experience　in　affairs　of　state　or　war。　Upon　this；　the
ephors　sent　Cleomenes　to　surprise　the　Athenaeum；　near　Belbina；　which
is　a　pass　commanding　an　entrance　into　Laconia；　and　was　then　the
subject　of　litigation　with　the　Megalopolitans。　Cleomenes　possessed
himself　of　the　place；　and　fortified　it；　at　which　action　Aratus
showed　no　public　resentment；　but　marched　by　night　to　surprise　Tegea
and　Orchomenus。　The　design　failed；　for　those　that　were　to　betray　the
cities　into　his　hands　turned　afraid；　so　Aratus　retreated；　imagining
that　his　design　had　been　undiscovered。　But　Cleomenes　wrote　a　sarcastic
letter　to　him；　and　desired　to　know　as　from　a　friend；　whither　he
intended　to　march　at　night；　and　Aratus　answering；　that　having　heard　of
his　design　to　fortify　Belbina；　he　meant　to　march　thither　to　oppose
him；　Cleomenes　rejoined　that　he　did　not　dispute　it；　but　begged　to　be
informed；　if　he　might　be　allowed　to　ask　the　question；　why　he　carried
those　torches　and　ladders　with　him。
　　Aratus　laughing　at　the　jest；　and　asking　what　manner　of　youth　this
was；　Damocrates；　a　Spartan　exile；　replied；　〃If　you　have　any　designs
upon　the　Lacedaemonians；　begin　before　this　young　eagle's　talons　are
grown。〃　Presently　after　this；　Cleomenes；　encamping　in　Arcadia　with　a
few　horse　and　three　hundred　foot；　received　orders　from　the　ephors；　who
feared　to　engage　in　the　war；　commanding　him　to　return　home；　but　when
upon　his　retreat　Aratus　took　Caphyae；　they　commissioned　him　again。
In　this　expedition　he　took　Methydrium；　and　overran　the　country　of
the　Argives；　and　the　Achaeans；　to　oppose　him；　came　out　with　an　army　of
twenty　thousand　foot　and　one　thousand　horse；　under　the　command　of
Aristomachus。　Cleomenes　faced　them　at　Pallantium；　and　offered
battle；　but　Aratus；　being　cowed　by　his　bravery；　would　not　suffer　the
general　to　engage；　but　retreated　amidst　the　reproaches　of　the　Achaeans
and　the　derision　and　scorn　of　the　Spartans；　who　were　not　above　five
thousand。　Cleomenes；　encouraged　by　this　success；　began　to　speak　boldly
among　the　citizens；　and　reminding　them　of　a　sentence　of　one　of　their
ancient　kings；　said；　it　was　in　vain　now　that　the　Spartans　asked　not
how　many　their　enemies　were；　but　where　they　were。　After　this；　marching
to　the　assistance　of　the　Eleans；　whom　the　Achaeans　were　attacking；
falling　upon　the　enemy　in　their　retreat　near　the　Lycaeum；　he　put　their
whole　army　to　flight；　taking　a　great　number　of　captives；　and　leaving
many　dead　upon　the　place；　so　that　it　was　commonly　reported　amongst　the
Greeks　that　Aratus　was　slain。　But　Aratus；　making　the　best　advantage　of
the　opportunity；　immediately　after　the　defeat　marched　to　Mantinea；　and
before　anybody　suspected　it；　took　the　city；　and　put　a　garrison　into
it。　Upon　this；　the　Lacedaemonians　being　quite　discouraged；　and
opposing　Cleomenes's　designs　of　carrying　on　the　war；　he　now　exerted
himself　to　have　Archidamus；　the　brother　of　Agis；　sent　for　from
Messene；　as　he；　of　the　other　family；　had　a　right　to　the　kingdom；　and
besides；　Cleomenes　thought　that　the　power　of　the　ephors　would　be
reduced；　when　the　kingly　state　was　thus　filled　up；　and　raised　to　its
proper　position。　But　those　that　were　concerned　in　the　murder　of
Agis；　perceiving　the　design；　and　fearing　that　upon　Archidamus's　return
that　they　should　be　called　to　an　account；　received　him　on　his　coming
privately　into　town；　and　joined　in　bringing　him　home；　and　presently
after　murdered　him。　Whether　Cleomenes　was　against　it；　as　Phylarchus
thinks；　or　whether　he　was　persuaded　by　his　friends；　or　let　him　fall
into　their　hands；　is　uncertain；　however；　they　were　most　blamed；　as
having　forced　his　consent。
　　He；　still　resolving　to　new　model　the　state；　bribed　the　ephors　to
send　him　out　to　war；　and　won　the　affections　of　many　others　by　means　of
his　mother　Cratesiclea；　who　spared　no　cost　and　was　very　zealous　to
promote　her　son's　ambition；　and　though　of　herself　she　had　no
inclination　to　marry；　yet　for　his　sake　she　accepted；　as　her　husband；
one　of　the　chiefest　citizens　for　wealth　and　power。　Cleomenes；　marching
forth　with　the　army　now　under　his　command；　took　Leuctra；　a　place
belonging　to　Megalopolis；　and　the　Achaeans　quickly　coming　up　to　resist
him　with　a　good　body　of　men　commanded　by　Aratus；　in　a　battle　under　the
very　walls　of　the　city；　some　part　of　his　army　was　routed。　But
whereas　Aratus　had　commanded　the　Achaeans　not　to　pass　a　deep
watercourse；　and　thus　put　a　stop　to　the　pursuit；　Lydiadas；　the
Megalopolitan；　fretting　at　the　orders；　and　encouraging　the　horse　which
he　led；　and　following　the　routed　enemy；　got　into　a　place　full　of
vines；　hedges；　and　ditches；　and　being　forced　to　break　his　ranks；　began
to　retire　in　disorder。　Cleomenes；　observing