cleomenes-第4部分

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taking　the　quarter　of　the　town　called　Aspis；　which　lies　above　the
theatre；　well　fortified；　and　hard　to　be　approached；　he　so　terrified
them　that　none　offered　to　resist；　but　they　agreed　to　accept　a
garrison；　to　give　twenty　citizens　for　hostages；　and　to　assist　the
Lacedaemonians；　and　that　he　should　have　the　chief　command。
　　This　action　considerably　increased　his　reputation　and　his　power；　for
the　ancient　Spartan　kings；　though　they　in　many　ways　endeavoured　to
effect　it；　could　never　bring　Argos　to　be　permanently　theirs。　And
Pyrrhus；　the　most　experienced　captain；　though　he　entered　the　city　by
force；　could　not　keep　possession；　but　was　slain　himself；　with　a
considerable　part　of　his　army。　Therefore　they　admired　the　despatch　and
contrivance　of　Cleomenes；　and　those　that　before　derided　him；　for
imitating；　as　they　said；　Solon　and　Lycurgus；　in　releasing　the　people
from　their　debts；　and　in　equalizing　the　property　of　the　citizens；　were
now　fain　to　admit　that　this　was　the　cause　of　the　change　in　the
Spartans。　For　before　they　were　very　low　in　the　world；　and　so　unable　to
secure　their　own；　that　the　Aetolians；　invading　Laconia　brought　away
fifty　thousand　slaves；　so　that　one　of　the　elder　Spartans　is　reported
to　have　said；　that　they　had　done　Laconia　a　kindness　by　unburdening　it；
and　yet　a　little　while　after；　by　merely　recurring　once　again　to
their　native　customs；　and　re…entering　the　track　of　the　ancient
discipline；　they　were　able　to　give；　as　though　it　had　been　under　the
eyes　and　conduct　of　Lycurgus　himself；　the　most　signal　instances　of
courage　and　obedience；　raising　Sparta　to　her　ancient　place　as　the
commanding　state　of　Greece；　and　recovering　all　Peloponnesus。
　　When　Argos　was　captured；　and　Cleonae　and　Phlius　came　over；　as　they
did　at　once；　to　Cleomenes；　Aratus　was　at　Corinth；　searching　after　some
who　were　reported　to　favour　the　Spartan　interest。　The　news；　being
brought　to　him；　disturbed　him　very　much；　for　he　perceived　the　city
inclining　to　Cleomenes；　and　willing　to　be　rid　of　the　Achaeans。
Therefore　he　summoned　the　citizens　to　meet　in　the　Council　Hall；　and
slipping　away　without　being　observed　to　the　gate；　he　mounted　his　horse
that　had　been　brought　for　him　thither；　and　fled　to　Sicyon。　And　the
Corinthians　made　such　haste　to　Cleomenes　at　Argos；　that；　as　Aratus
says；　striving　who　should　be　first　there；　they　spoiled　all　their
horses；　he　adds　that　Cleomenes　was　very　angry　with　the　Corinthians　for
letting　him　escape；　and　that　Megistonas　came　from　Cleomenes　to　him；
desiring　him　to　deliver　up　the　castle　at　Corinth；　which　was　then
garrisoned　by　the　Achaeans；　and　offered　him　a　considerable　sum　of
money；　and　that　he　answered　that　matters　were　not　now　in　his　power；
but　he　in　theirs。　Thus　Aratus　himself　writes。　But　Cleomenes；
marching　from　Argos；　and　taking　in　the　Troezenians；　Epidaurians；　and
Hermioneans；　came　to　Corinth；　and　blocked　up　the　castle；　which　the
Achaeans　would　not　surrender；　and　sending　for　Aratus's　friends　and
stewards；　committed　his　house　and　estate　to　their　care　and　management；
and　sent　Tritymallus；　the　Messenian；　to　him　a　second　time；　desiring
that　the　castle　might　be　equally　garrisoned　by　the　Spartans　and
Achaeans；　and　promising　to　Aratus　himself　double　the　pension　that　he
received　from　King　Ptolemy。　But　Aratus；　refusing　the　conditions；　and
sending　his　own　son　with　the　other　hostages　to　Antigonus；　and
persuading　the　Achaeans　to　make　a　decree　for　delivering　the　castle
into　Antigonus's　hands；　upon　this　Cleomenes　invaded　the　territory　of
the　Sicyonians；　and　by　a　decree　of　the　Corinthians；　accepted
Aratus's　estate　as　a　gift。
　　In　the　meantime　Antigonus；　with　a　great　army；　was　passing　Geranea；
and　Cleomenes；　thinking　it　more　advisable　to　fortify　and　garrison；　not
the　isthmus；　but　the　mountains　called　Onea；　and　by　a　war　of　posts
and　positions　to　weary　the　Macedonians；　rather　than　to　venture　a　set
battle　with　the　highly　disciplined　phalanx；　put　his　design　into
execution；　and　very　much　distressed　Antigonus。　For　he　had　not
brought　victuals　sufficient　for　his　army；　nor　was　it　easy　to　force　a
way　through　whilst　Cleomenes　guarded　the　pass。　He　attempted　by　night
to　pass　through　Lechaeum；　but　failed　and　lost　some　men；　so　that
Cleomenes　and　his　army　were　mightily　encouraged；　and　so　flushed　with
the　victory；　that　they　went　merrily　to　supper；　and　Antigonus　was
very　much　dejected；　being　driven；　by　the　necessity　he　was　in；　to
most　unpromising　attempts。　He　was　proposing　to　march　to　the　promontory
of　Heraeum；　and　thence　transport　his　army　in　boats　to　Sicyon；　which
would　take　up　a　great　deal　of　time；　and　require　much　preparation　and
means。　But　when　it　was　now　evening；　some　of　Aratus's　friends　came　from
Argos　by　sea；　and　invited　him　to　return；　for　the　Argives　would
revolt　from　Cleomenes。　Aristoteles　was　the　man　that　wrought　the
revolt；　and　he　had　no　hard　task　to　persuade　the　common　people；　for
they　were　all　angry　with　Cleomenes　for　not　releasing　them　from　their
debts　as　they　expected。　Accordingly；　obtaining　fifteen　hundred　of
Antigonus's　soldiers；　Aratus　sailed　to　Epidaurus；　but　Aristoteles；　not
staying　for　his　coming；　drew　out　the　citizens；　and　fought　against
the　garrison　of　the　castle；　and　Timoxenus；　with　the　Achaeans　from
Sicyon；　came　to　his　assistance。
　　Cleomenes　heard　the　news　about　the　second　watch　of　the　night；　and
sending　for　Megistonas；　angrily　commanded　him　to　go　and　set　things
right　at　Argos。　Megistonas　had　passed　his　word　for　the　Argives'
loyalty；　and　had　persuaded　him　not　to　banish　the　suspected。　Therefore；
despatching　him　with　two　thousand　soldiers；　he　himself　kept　watch　upon
Antigonus；　and　encouraged　the　Corinthians；　pretending　that　there　was
no　great　matter　in　the　commotions　at　Argos；　but　only　a　little
disturbance　raised　by　a　few　inconsiderable　persons。　But　when
Megistonas；　entering　Argos；　was　slain；　and　the　garrison　could　scarce
hold　out；　and　frequent　messengers　came　to　Cleomenes　for　succours；　he
fearing　lest　the　enemy；　having　taken　Argos；　should　shut　up　the
passes　and　securely　waste　Laconia；　and　besiege　Sparta　itself；　which　he
had　left　without　forces；　dislodged　from　Corinth；　and　immediately
lost　that　city；　for　Antigonus　entered　it　and　garrisoned　the　town。　He
turned　aside　from　his　direct　march；　and　assaulting　the　walls　of　Argos；
endeavoured　to　carry　it　by　a　sudden　attack；　and　then；　having　collected
his　forces　from　their　march；　breaking　into　the　Aspis；　he　joined　the
garrison；　which　still　held　out　against　the　Achaeans；　some　parts　of　the
city　he　scaled　and　took；　and　his　Cretan　archers　cleared　the　streets。
But　when　he　saw　Antigonus　with　his　phalanx　descending　from　the
mountains　into　the　plain；　and　the　horse　on　all　sides　entering　the
city；　he　thought　it　impossible　to　maintain　his　post；　and；　gathering
together　all　his　men；　came　safely　down　and　made　his　retreat　under
the　walls；　having　in　so　short　a　time　possessed　himself　of　great　power；
and　in　one　journey；　so　to　say；　having　made　himself　master　of　all
Peloponnesus；　and　now　lost　all　again　in　as　short　a　time。　For　some　of
his　allies　at　once　withdrew　and　forsook　him；　and　others　not　long　after
put　their　cities　under　Antigonus's　protection。　His　hopes　thus
defeated；　as　he　was　leading　back　the　relics　of　his　forces；
messengers　from　Lacedaemon　met　him　in　the　evening　at　Tegea；　and
brought　him　news　of　as　great　a　misfortune　as　that　which　he　had
lately　suffered；　and　this　was　the　death　of　his　wife；　to　whom　he　was　so
attached　and　thought　so　much　of　her　that　even　in　his　most　successful
expeditions；　when　he　was　most　prosperous；　he　could　not　refrain；　but
would　every　now　and　then　come　home　to　Sparta；　to　visit　Agiatis。
　　This　news　afflicted　him　extremely；　and　he　grieved；　as　a　young　man
would　do；　for　the　loss　of　a　very　beautiful　and　excellent　wife；　yet
he　did　not　let　his　passion　disgrace　him　or　impair　the　greatness　of　his
mind；　but　keeping　his　usual　voice；　his　countenance；　and　his　habit；
he　gave　necessary　orders　to　his　captains；　and　took　the　precautions
required　for　the　safety　of　Tegea。　Next　morning　he　came　to　Sparta；
and　having　at　home；　with　his　mother　and　children；　bewailed　the　loss；
and　finished　his　mourning；　he　at　once　devoted　himself　to　the　public
affairs　of　the　state。
　　Now　Ptolemy；　the　king　of　Egypt；　promised　him　assistance；　but
demanded　his　mother　and　children　for　hostages。　This；　for　some
considerable　time；　he　was　ashamed　to　discover　to　his　mother；　and
though　he　often　went　to　her　on　purpose；　and　was　just　upon　the
discourse；　yet　he　still　refrained；　and　kept　it　to　himself；　so　that　she
began　to　suspect；　and　asked　his　friends；　whether　Cleomenes　had
something　to　say　to　her；　which　he　was　afraid　to　speak。　At　last；
Cleomenes　venturing　to　tell　her；　she　laughed　aloud；　and　said；　〃Was
this　the　thing　that　you　had　so　often　a　mind　to　tell　me；　and　were
afraid？　Make　haste　and　put　me　on　ship…board；　and　send　this　carcass
where　it　may　be　most　serviceable　to　Sparta；　before　age　destroys　it
unprofitably　here。〃　Therefore；　all　things　being　provided　for　the
voyage；　they　went　by　land　to　Taenarus；　and　the　army　waited　on　them。
Cratesiclea；　when　she　was　ready　to　go　on　board；　took　Cleomenes　aside
into　Neptune's　temple　and　embracing　him；　who　was　much　dejected　and
extremely　discomposed；　she　said；　〃Go　to；　King　of　Sparta；　when　we
come　forth　at　the　door；　let　none　see　us　weep；　or　show　any　passion　that
is　unworthy　of　Sparta；　for　that　alone　is　in　our　own　power；　as　for
success　or　disappointment；　those　wait　on　us　as　the　deity　decrees。〃
Having　thus　said　and　composed　her　countenance；　she　went　to　the　ship
with　her　little　grandson；　and　bade　the　pilot　put　at　once　out　to　sea。
When　she　came　to　Egypt；　and　understood　that　Ptolemy　entertained
proposals　and　overtures　of　peace　from　Antigonus；　and　that　Cleomenes；
though　the　Achaeans　invited　and　urged　him　to　an　agreement；　was　afraid；
for　her　sake；　to　come　to　any；　without　Ptolemy's　consent；　she　wrote
to　him；　advising　him　to　do　that　which　was　most　becoming　and　most
profitable　for　Sparta；　and　not；　for　the　sake　of　an　old　woman　and　a
little　child；　stand　always　in　fear　of　Ptolemy。　This　character　she
maintained　in　her　misfortunes。
　　Antigonus；　having　taken　Tegea；　and　plundered　Orchomenus　and
Mantinea；　Cleomenes　was　shut　up　within　the　narrow　bounds　of　Laconia；
and　making　such　of　the　helots　as　could