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小说: cleomenes 字数: 每页4000字

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vines; hedges; and ditches; and being forced to break his ranks; began
to retire in disorder。 Cleomenes; observing the advantage; commanded
the Tarentines and Cretans to engage him; by whom; after a brave
defence; he was routed and slain。 The Lacedaemonians; thus encouraged;
fell with a great shout upon the Achaeans; and routed their whole
army。 Of the slain; who were very many; the rest Cleomenes delivered
up; when the enemy petitioned for them; but the body of Lydiadas he
commanded to be brought to him; and then putting on it a purple
robe; and a crown upon its head; sent a convoy with it to the gates of
Megalopolis。 This is that Lydiadas who resigned his power as tyrant;
restored liberty to the citizens; and joined the city to the Achaean
interest。
  Cleomenes; being very much elated by this success; and persuaded
that if matters were wholly at his disposal he should soon be too hard
for the Achaeans; persuaded Magistonus; his mother's husband; that
it was expedient for the state to shake off the power of the ephors;
and to put all their wealth into one common stock for the whole
body; thus Sparta; being restored to its old equality; might aspire
again to the command of all Greece。 Megistonas liked the design; and
engaged two or three more of his friends。 About that time; one of
the ephors; sleeping in Pasiphaes temple; dreamed a very surprising
dream; for he thought he saw the four chairs removed out of the
place where the ephors used to sit and do the business of their
office; and one only set there; and whilst he wondered; he heard a
voice out of the temple; saying; 〃This is best for Sparta。〃 The person
telling Cleomenes this dream; he was a little troubled at first;
fearing that he used this as a trick to sift him; upon some
suspicion of his design; but when he was satisfied that the relator
spoke truth; he took heart again。 And carrying with him those whom
he thought would be most against his project; he took Heraea and
Alsaea two towns in league with the Achaeans; furnished Orchomenus
with provisions; encamped before Mantinea; and with long marches up
and down so harassed the Lacedaemonians that many of them at their own
request were left behind in Arcadia; while he with the mercenaries
went on toward Sparta; and by the way communicated his design to those
whom he thought fitted for his purpose; and marched slowly; that he
might catch the ephors at supper。
  When he was come near the city; he sent Euryclidas to the public
table; where the ephors supped; under pretence of carrying some
message from him from the army; Therycion; Phoebis; and two of those
who had been bred up with Cleomenes; whom they call mothaces; followed
with a few soldiers; and whilst Euryclidas was delivering his
message to the ephors; they ran upon them with their drawn swords
and slew them。 The first of them; Agylaeus; on receiving the blow;
fell; and lay as dead; but in a little time quietly raising himself;
and drawing himself out of the room; he crept; without being
discovered; into a little building which was dedicated to Fear; and
which always used to be shut; but then by chance was open; and being
got in; he shut the door; and lay close。 The other four were killed;
and above ten more that came to their assistance; to those that were
quiet they did no harm; stopped none that fled from the city and
spared Agylaeus when he came out of the temple the next day。
  The Lacedaemonians have not only sacred places dedicated to Fear;
but also to Death; Laughter; and the like Passions。 Now they worship
Fear; not as they do supernatural powers which they dread; esteeming
it hurtful; but thinking their polity is chiefly kept up by fear。
Therefore the ephors; Aristotle is my author; when they entered upon
their government; made proclamation to the people; that they should
shave their mustaches and be obedient to the laws; that the laws might
not be hard upon them; making; I suppose; this trivial injunction to
accustom their youth to obedience even in the smallest matters。 And
the ancients; I think; did not imagine bravery to be plain
fearlessness; but a cautious fear of blame and disgrace。 For those
that show most timidity towards the laws are most bold against their
enemies; and those are least afraid of any danger who are most
afraid of a just reproach。 Therefore it was well said that…

        〃A reverence still attends on fear;〃

and by Homer;…

        〃Feared you shall be; dear father; and revered;〃

and again;…

        〃In silence fearing those that bore the sway;〃

for the generality of men are most ready to reverence those whom
they fear。 And; therefore; the Lacedaemonians placed the temple of
Fear by the Syssitium of the ephors; having raised that magistracy
to almost royal authority。
  The next day; Cleomenes proscribed eighty of the citizens whom he
thought necessary to banish; and removed all the seats of the
ephors; except one; in which he himself designed to sit and give
audience; and calling the citizens together he made an apology for his
proceedings; saying; that by Lycurgus; the counsel of Elders was
joined to the kings; and that that of government had continued a
long time; and no other sort of magistrates had been wanted。 But
afterwards; in the long war with the Messenians; when the kings;
having to command the army; found no time to administer justice;
they chose some of their friends; and left them to determine the suits
of the citizens in their stead。 These were called ephors; and at first
behaved themselves as servants to the kings; but afterwards; by
degrees; they appropriated the power to themselves; and erected a
distinct magistracy。 An evidence of the truth of this was the custom
still observed by the kings; who; when the ephors send for them;
refuse; upon the first and the second summons; to go; but upon the
third rise up and attend them。 And Asteropus; the first that raised
the ephors to that height of power; lived a great many years after
their institution。 So long; therefore; he continued; as they contained
themselves within their own proper sphere; it had been better to
bear with them than to make a disturbance。 But that an upstart
introduced power should so far subvert the ancient form of
government as to banish some kings; murder others; without hearing
their defence; and threaten those who desired to see the best and most
divine constitution restored in Sparta; was not to be borne。
Therefore; if it had been possible for him without bloodshed to free
Lacedaemon from those foreign plagues; luxury; sumptuosity; debts; and
usury; and from those yet more ancient evils; poverty and riches; he
should have thought himself the happiest king in the world; to have
succeeded; like an expert physician; in curing the diseases of his
country without pain。 But now; in this necessity; Lycurgus's example
favoured his proceedings; who being neither king nor magistrate; but a
private man; and aiming at the kingdom; came armed into the
market…place; so that King Charillus fled in alarm to the altar。 He;
being a good man; and a lover of his country; readily concurred in
Lycurgus's designs; and admitted the revolution in the state。 But;
by his own actions; Lycurgus had nevertheless borne witness that it
was difficult to change the government without force and fear; in
the use of which he himself; he said; had been so moderate as to do no
more than put out of the way those who opposed themselves to
Sparta's happiness and safety。 For the rest of the nation; he told
them; the whole land was now their common property; debtors should
be cleared of their debts; and examination made of those who were
not citizens; that the bravest men might thus be made free Spartans;
and give aid in arms to save the city; and 〃we;〃 he said; 〃may no
longer see Laconia; for want of men to defend it; wasted by the
Aetolians and Illyrians。〃
  Then he himself first; with his step…father; Megistonas; and his
friends; gave up all their wealth into one public stock; and all the
other citizens followed the example。 The land was divided; and every
one that he had banished had a share assigned him; for he promised
to restore all as soon as things were settled and in quiet。 And
completing the number of citizens out of the best and most promising
of the country people; he raised a body of four thousand men; and
instead of a spear; taught them to use a sarissa; with both hands; and
to carry their shields by a band; and not by a handle; as before。
After this he began to consult about the education of the youth; and
the Discipline; as they call it; most of the particulars of which
Sphaerus; being then at Sparta; assisted in arranging; and in a
short time the schools of exercise and the common tables recovered
their ancient decency and order; a few out of necessity; but the
most voluntarily; returning to that generous and Laconic way of
living。 And; that the name of monarch might give them no jealousy;
he made Euclidas; his brother; partner in the throne; and that was the
only time that Sparta had two kings of the same family。
  Then; understanding that the Achaeans and Aratus imagined that
this change had disturbed and shaken his affairs; and that he would
not venture out of Sparta and leave the city now unsettled in the
midst of so great an alteration; he thought it great and serviceable
to his designs to show his enemies the zeal and forwardness of his
troops。 And; therefore; making an incursion into the territories of
Megalopolis; he wasted the country far and wide; and collected
considerable booty。 And at last; taking a company of actors as they
were travelling from Messene; and building a theatre in the enemy's
country; and offering a prize of forty mince in value; he sat
spectator a whole day; not that he either desired or needed such
amusement; but wishing to show his disregard for his enemies; and by a
display of his contempt; to prove the extent of his superiority to
them。 For his alone; of all the Greek or royal armies; had no
stage…players; no jugglers; no dancing or singing women attending it
but was free from all sorts of looseness; wantonness; and festivity;
the young men being for the most part at their exercises; and th

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