cleomenes-第3部分

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the　young　men　being　for　the　most　part　at　their　exercises；　and　the
old　men　giving　them　lessons；　or；　at　leisure　times；　diverting
themselves　with　their　native　jests；　and　quick　Laconian　answers；　the
good　results　of　which　we　have　noticed　in　the　life　of　Lycurgus。
　　He　himself　instructed　all　by　his　example；　he　was　a　living　pattern　of
temperance　before　every　man's　eyes；　and　his　course　of　living　was
neither　more　stately；　nor　more　expensive；　nor　in　any　way　more
pretentious；　than　that　of　his　people。　And　this　was　a　considerable
advantage　to　him　in　his　designs　on　Greece。　For　men　when　they　waited
upon　other　kings　did　not　so　much　admire　their　wealth；　costly
furniture；　and　numerous　attendance；　as　they　hated　their　pride　and
state；　their　difficulty　of　access；　and　imperious　answers　to　their
addresses。　But　when　they　came　to　Cleomenes；　who　was　both　really　a　king
and　bore　that　title；　and　saw　no　purple；　no　robes　of　state　upon　him；　no
couches　and　litters　about　him　for　his　ease；　and　that　he　did　not
receive　requests　and　return　answers　after　a　long　delay　and　difficulty；
through　a　number　of　messengers　and　door…keepers；　or　by　memorials；
but　that　he　rose　and　came　forward　in　any　dress　he　might　happen　to　be
wearing；　to　meet　those　that　came　to　wait　upon　him；　stayed；　talked
freely　and　affably　with　all　that　had　business；　they　were　extremely
taken；　and　won　to　his　service；　and　professed　that　he　alone　was　the
true　son　of　Hercules。　His　common　every…day's　meal　was　in　an　ordinary
room；　very　sparing；　and　after　the　Laconic　manner；　and　when　he
entertained　ambassadors；　or　strangers；　two　more　couches　were　added；
and　a　little　better　dinner　provided　by　his　servants；　but　no
savouring　sauces　or　sweetmeats；　only　the　dishes　were　larger；　and　the
wine　more　plentiful。　For　he　reproved　one　of　his　friends　for
entertaining　some　strangers　with　nothing　but　barley　bread　and　black
broth；　such　diet　as　they　usually　had　in　their　phiditia；　saying　that
upon　such　occasions；　and　when　they　entertained　strangers；　it　was　not
well　to　be　too　exact　Laconians。　After　the　table　was　removed；　a　stand
was　brought　in　with　a　brass　vessel　full　of　wine；　two　silver　bowls；
which　held　about　a　pint　apiece；　a　few　silver　cups；　of　which　he　that
pleased　might　drink；　but　wine　was　not　urged　on　any　of　the　guests。
There　was　no　music；　nor　was　any　required；　for　he　entertained　the
company　himself；　sometimes　asking　questions；　sometimes　telling
stories；　and　his　conversation　was　neither　too　grave　or　disagreeably
serious；　nor　yet　in　any　way　rude　or　ungraceful　in　its　pleasantry。
For　he　thought　those　ways　of　entrapping　men　by　gifts　and　presents；
which　other　kings　use；　dishonest　and　artificial；　and　it　seemed　to
him　to　be　the　most　noble　method；　and　most　suitable　to　a　king；　to　win
the　affections　of　those　that　came　near　him；　by　personal　intercourse
and　agreeable　conversation；　since　between　a　friend　and　a　mercenary　the
only　distinction　is；　that　we　gain　the　one　by　one's　character　and
conversation；　the　other　by　one's　money。
　　The　Mantineans　were　the　first　that　requested　his　aid；　and　when　he
entered　their　city　by　night；　they　aided　him　to　expel　the　Achaean
garrison；　and　put　themselves　under　his　protection。　He　restored　them
their　polity　and　laws；　and　the　same　day　marched　to　Tegea；　and　a　little
while　after；　fetching　a　compass　through　Arcadia；　he　made　a　descent
upon　Pherae；　in　Achaea；　intending　to　force　Aratus　to　a　battle；　or
bring　him　into　disrepute　for　refusing　to　engage；　and　suffer　him　to
waste　the　country。　Hyperbatas　at　that　time　was　general；　but　Aratus　had
all　the　power　amongst　the　Achaeans；　marching　forth　with　their　whole
strength；　and　encamping　in　Dymae；　near　the　Hecatombaeum；　Cleomenes
came　up；　and　thinking　it　not　advisable　to　pitch　between　Dymae；　a
city　of　the　enemies；　and　the　camp　of　the　Achaeans；　he　boldly　dared　the
Achaeans；　and　forced　them　to　a　battle；　and　routing　their　phalanx；　slew
a　great　many　in　the　fight；　and　took　many　prisoners；　and　thence
marching　to　Langon；　and　driving　out　the　Achaean　garrison；　he
restored　the　city　to　the　Eleans。
　　The　affair　of　the　Achaeans　being　in　this　unfortunate　condition；
Aratus；　who　was　wont　to　take　the　office　every　other　year；　refused
the　command；　though　they　entreated　and　urged　him　to　accept　it。　And
this　was　ill…done；　when　the　storm　was　high；　to　put　the　power　out　of
his　own　hands；　and　set　another　to　the　helm。　Cleomenes　at　first
proposed　fair　and　easy　conditions　by　his　ambassadors　to　the
Achaeans；　but　afterwards　he　sent　others；　and　required　the　chief
command　to　be　settled　upon　him；　in　other　matters　offering　to　agree
to　reasonable　terms；　and　to　restore　their　captives　and　their
country。　The　Achaeans　were　willing　to　come　to　an　agreement　upon
those　terms；　and　invited　Cleomenes　to　Lerna；　where　an　assembly　was
to　be　held；　but　it　happened　that　Cleomenes；　hastily　marching　on；　and
drinking　water　at　a　wrong　time；　brought　up　a　quantity　of　blood　and
lost　his　voice；　therefore　being　unable　to　continue　his　journey；　he
sent　the　chiefest　of　the　captives　to　the　Achaeans；　and；　putting　off
the　meeting　for　some　time；　retired　to　Lacedaemon。
　　This　ruined　the　affairs　of　Greece；　which　was　just　beginning　in
some　sort　to　recover　from　its　disasters；　and　to　show　some　capability
of　delivering　itself　from　the　insolence　and　rapacity　of　the
Macedonians。　For　Aratus　（whether　fearing　or　distrusting　Cleomenes；
or　envying　his　unlooked…for　success；　or　thinking　it　a　disgrace　for　him
who　had　commanded　thirty…three　years　to　have　a　young　man　succeed　to
all　his　glory　and　his　power；　and　be　head　of　that　government　which　he
had　been　raising　and　settling　so　many　years）；　first　endeavoured　to
keep　the　Achaeans　from　closing　with　Cleomenes；　but　when　they　would　not
hearken　to　him；　for　Cleomenes'　daring　spirit；　and　thinking　the
Lacedaemonians'　proposals　to　be　very　reasonable；　who　designed　only
to　reduce　Peloponnesus　to　its　own　model；　upon　this　he　took　his　last
refuge　in　an　action　which　was　unbecoming　any　of　the　Greeks；　most
dishonourable　to　him；　and　most　unworthy　his　former　bravery　and
exploits。　For　he　called　Antigonus　into　Greece　and　filled
Peloponnesus　with　Macedonians；　whom　he　himself；　when　a　youth；　having
beaten　their　garrison　out　of　the　castle　of　Corinth；　had　driven　from
the　same　country。　And　there　had　been　constant　suspicion　and　variance
between　him　and　all　the　kings；　and　of　Antigonus；　in　particular；　he　has
said　a　thousand　dishonourable　things　in　the　commentaries　he　has　left
behind　him。　And　though　he　declares　himself　how　he　suffered
considerable　losses；　and　underwent　great　dangers；　that　he　might　free
Athens　from　the　garrison　of　the　Macedonians；　yet；　afterwards；　he
brought　the　very　same　men　armed　into　his　own　country；　and　his　own
house；　even　to　the　women's　apartment。　He　would　not　endure　that　one
of　the　family　of　Hercules；　and　king　of　Sparta；　and　one　that　reformed
the　polity　of　his　country；　as　it　were；　from　a　disordered　harmony；
and　returned　it　to　the　plain　Doric　measure　and　rule　of　life　of
Lycurgus；　should　be　styled　head　of　the　Tritaeans　and　Sicyonians；　and
whilst　he　fled　the　barley…cake　and　coarse　coat；　and；　which　were　his
chief　accusations　against　Cleomenes；　the　extirpation　of　wealth　and
reformation　of　poverty；　he　basely　subjected　himself；　together　with
Achaea；　to　the　diadem　and　purple；　to　the　imperious　commands　of　the
Macedonians　and　their　satraps。　That　he　might　not　seem　to　be　under
Cleomenes；　he　offered　sacrifices；　called　Antigonea；　in　honour　of
Antigonus；　and　sang　paeans　himself；　with　a　garland　on　his　head；　to　the
praise　of　a　wasted；　consumptive　Macedonian。　I　write　this　not　out　of
any　design　to　disgrace　Aratus；　for　in　many　things　he　showed　himself
a　true　lover　of　Greece；　and　a　great　man；　but　out　of　pity　to　the
weakness　of　human　nature；　which；　in　characters　like　this；　so　worthy
and　in　so　many　ways　disposed　to　virtue；　cannot　maintain　its　honours
unblemished　by　some　envious　fault。
　　The　Achaeans　meeting　again　in　assembly　at　Argas；　and　Cleomenes
having　come　from　Tegea；　there　were　great　hopes　that　all　differences
would　be　composed。　But　Aratus；　Antigonus　and　he　having　already
agreed　upon　the　chief　articles　of　their　league；　fearing　that　Cleomenes
would　carry　all　before　him；　and　either　win　or　force　the　multitude　to
comply　with　his　commands；　proposed　that；　having　three　hundred　hostages
put　into　his　hands；　he　should　come　alone　into　the　town；　or　bring　his
army　to　the　place　of　exercise；　called　the　Cyllarabium；　outside　the
city；　and　treat　there。
　　Cleomenes；　hearing　this；　said　that　he　was　unjustly　dealt　with；　for
they　ought　to　have　told　him　so　plainly　at　first；　and　not　now　he　was
come　even　to　their　doors；　show　their　jealousy　and　deny　him
admission。　And　writing　a　letter　to　the　Achaeans　about　the　same
subject；　the　greatest　part　of　which　was　an　accusation　of　Aratus；　while
Aratus；　on　the　other　side；　spoke　violently　against　him　to　the
assembly；　he　hastily　dislodged；　and　sent　a　trumpeter　to　denounce　war
against　the　Achaeans；　not　to　Argos；　but　to　Aegium；　as　Aratus　writes；
that　he　might　not　give　them　notice　enough　to　make　provision　for
their　defence。　There　had　also　been　a　movement　among　the　Achaeans
themselves；　and　the　cities　were　eager　for　revolt；　the　common　people
expecting　a　division　of　the　land；　and　a　release　from　their　debts；
and　the　chief　men　being　in　many　places　ill…disposed　to　Aratus；　and
some　of　them　angry　and　indignant　with　him　for　having　brought　the
Macedonians　into　Peloponnesus。　Encouraged　by　these
misunderstandings；　Cleomenes　invaded　Achaea；　and　first　took　Pellene　by
surprise；　and　beat　out　the　Achaean　garrison；　and　afterwards　brought
over　Pheneus　and　Pentelleum　to　his　side。　Now　the　Achaeans；
suspecting　some　treacherous　designs　at　Corinth　and　Sicyon；　sent
their　horse　and　mercenaries　out　of　Argos；　to　have　an　eye　upon　those
cities；　and　they　themselves　went　to　Argos　to　celebrate　the　Nemean
games。　Cleomenes；　advertised　of　this　march；　and　hoping；　as　it
afterwards　fell　out；　that　upon　an　unexpected　advance　to　the　city；
now　busied　in　the　solemnity　of　the　games；　and　thronged　with　numerous
spectators；　he　should　raise　a　considerable　terror　and　confusion
amongst　them　by　night；　marched　with　his　army　to　the　walls；　and
taking　the　quarter　of　the　town　called　Aspis；　which　lies　above　the
theatre；　well　fortified；　and　hard　to　be　appr