cleomenes-第6部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


citizens　showing　an　extraordinary　courage；　and　his　mercenaries　bravery
enough；　he　was　overborne　by　the　different　way　of　fighting；　and　the
weight　of　the　heavy…armed　phalanx。　Phylarchus　also　affirms　that　the
treachery　of　some　about　him　was　the　chief　cause　of　Cleomenes's　ruin。
　　For　Antigonus　gave　orders　that　the　Illyrians　and　Acarnanians
should　march　round　by　a　secret　way；　and　encompass　the　other　wing；
which　Euclidas；　Cleomenes's　brother；　commanded；　and　then　drew　out
the　rest　of　his　forces　to　the　battle。　And　Cleomenes；　from　a　convenient
rising；　viewing　his　order；　and　not　seeing　any　of　the　Illyrians　and
Acarnanians；　began　to　suspect　that　Antigonus　had　sent　them　upon　some
such　design；　and　calling　for　Damoteles；　who　was　at　the　head　of　those
specially　appointed　to　such　ambush　duty；　he　bade　him　carefully　to　look
after　and　discover　the　enemy's　designs　upon　his　rear。　But　Damoteles；
for　some　say　Antigonus　had　bribed　him；　telling　him　that　he　should
not　be　solicitous　about　that　matter；　for　all　was　well　enough；　but　mind
and　fight　those　that　met　him　in　the　front；　he　was　satisfied；　and
advanced　against　Antigonus；　and　by　the　vigorous　charge　of　his
Spartans；　made　the　Macedonian　phalanx　give　ground；　and　pressed　upon
them　with　great　advantage　about　half　a　mile；　but　then　making　a
stand；　and　seeing　the　danger　which　the　surrounding　wing；　commanded
by　his　brother　Euclidas；　was　in；　he　cried　out；　〃Thou　art　lost；　dear
brother；　thou　art　lost；　thou　brave　example　to　our　Spartan　youth　and
theme　of　our　matron's　songs。〃　And　Euclidas's　wing　being　cut　in　pieces；
and　the　conquerors　from　that　part　falling　upon　him；　he　perceived　his
soldiers　to　be　disordered；　and　unable　to　maintain　the　fight；　and
therefore　provided　for　his　own　safety。　There　fell；　we　are　told；　in　the
battle；　besides　many　of　the　mercenary　soldiers；　all　the　Spartans；
six　thousand　in　number；　except　two　hundred。
　　When　Cleomenes　came　into　the　city；　he　advised　those　citizens　that　he
met　to　receive　Antigonus；　and　as　for　himself；　he　said；　which　should
appear　most　advantageous　to　Sparta；　whether　his　life　or　death；　that　he
would　choose。　Seeing　the　women　running　out　to　those　that　had　fled　with
him；　taking　their　arms；　and　bringing　drink　to　them；　he　entered　into
his　own　house；　and　his　servant；　who　was　a　freeborn　woman；　taken　from
Megalopolis　after　his　wife's　death；　offering；　as　usual；　to　do　the
service　he　needed　on　returning　from　war；　though　he　was　very　thirsty；
he　refused　to　drink；　and　though　very　weary　to　sit　down；　but　in　his
corselet　as　he　was；　he　laid　his　arm　sideway　against　a　pillar；　and
leaning　his　forehead　upon　his　elbow；　he　rested　his　body　a　little
while；　and　ran　over　in　his　thoughts　all　the　courses　he　could　take；　and
then　with　his　friends　set　out　at　once　for　Gythium；　where；　finding
ships　which　had　been　got　ready　for　this　very　purpose；　they　embarked。
Antigonus；　taking　the　city；　treated　the　Lacedaemonians　courteously；
and　in　no　way　off　any　insult　or　offence　to　the　dignity　of　Sparta；
but　permitting　them　to　enjoy　their　own　laws　and　polity；　and
sacrificing　to　the　gods；　dislodged　the　third　day。　For　he　heard　that
there　was　a　great　war　in　Macedonia；　and　that　the　country　was
devastated　by　the　barbarians。　Besides；　his　malady　had　now　thoroughly
settled　into　a　consumption　and　continual　catarrh。　Yet　he　still　kept
up；　and　managed　to　return　and　deliver　his　country；　and　meet　there　a
most　glorious　death；　in　a　great　defeat　and　vast　slaughter　of　the
barbarians。　As　Phylarchus　says；　and　as　is　probable　in　itself；　he　broke
a　blood…vessel　by　shouting　in　the　battle　itself。　In　the　schools　we
used　to　be　told　that；　after　the　victory　was　won；　he　cried　out　for　joy；
〃O　glorious　day！〃　and　presently　bringing　up　a　quantity　of　blood；
fell　into　a　fever；　which　never　left　him　till　his　death。　And　thus
much　concerning　Antigonus。
　　Cleomenes；　sailing　from　Cythera；　touched　at　another　island　called；
Aegialia；　whence　as　he　was　about　to　depart　for　Cyrene；　one　of　his
friends；　Therycion　by　name；　a　man　of　a　noble　spirit　in　all
enterprises；　and　bold　and　lofty　in　his　talk；　came　privately　to　him；
and　said　thus：　〃Sir；　death　in　battle；　which　is　the　most　glorious；　we
have　let　go；　though　all　heard　us　say　that　Antigonus　should　never　tread
over　the　King　of　Sparta；　unless　dead。　And　now　that　course　which　is
next　in　honour　and　virtue　is　presented　to　us。　Whither　do　we　madly
sail；　flying　the　evil　which　is　near；　to　seek　that　which　is　at　a
distance？　For　if　it　is　not　dishonourable　for　the　race　of　Hercules　to
serve　the　successors　of　Philip　and　Alexander；　we　shall　save　a　long
voyage　by　delivering　ourselves　up　to　Antigonus；　who；　probably；　is　as
much　better　than　Ptolemy；　as　the　Macedonians　are　better　than　the
Egyptians；　but　if　we　think　it　mean　to　submit　to　those　whose　arms
have　conquered　us；　why　should　we　choose　him　for　our　master；　by　whom　we
have　not　yet　been　beaten？　Is　it　to　acknowledge　two　superiors　instead
of　one；　whilst　we　run　away　from　Antigonus；　and　flatter　Ptolemy？　Or；　is
it　for　your　mother's　sake　that　you　retreat　to　Egypt？　It　will　indeed　be
a　very　fine　and　very　desirable　sight　for　her　to　show　her　son　to
Ptolemy's　women；　now　changed　from　a　prince　into　an　exile　and　a
slave。　Are　we　not　still　masters　of　our　own　swords？　And　whilst　we
have　Laconia　in　view；　shall　we　not　here　free　ourselves　from　this
disgraceful　misery；　and　clear　ourselves　to　those　who　at　Sellasia
died　for　the　honour　and　defence　of　Sparta？　Or；　shall　we　sit　lazily
in　Egypt；　inquiring　what　news　from　Sparta；　and　whom　Antigonus　hath
been　pleased　to　make　governor　of　Lacedaemon？〃　Thus　spoke　Therycion；
and　this　was　Cleomenes's　reply：　〃By　seeking　death；　you　coward；　the
most　easy　and　most　ready　refuge；　you　fancy　that　you　shall　appear
courageous　and　brave；　though　this　flight　is　baser　than　the　former。
Better　men　than　we　have　given　way　to　their　enemies；　having　been
betrayed　by　fortune；　or　oppressed　by　multitude；　but　he　that　gives
way　under　labour　or　distresses；　under　the　ill…opinions　or　reports　of
men；　yields　the　victory　to　his　own　effeminacy。　For　a　voluntary　death
ought　not　to　be　chosen　as　a　relief　from　action　but　as　an　exemplary
action　itself；　and　it　is　base　either　to　live　or　to　die　only　to
ourselves。　That　death　to　which　you　now　invite　us；　is　proposed　only
as　a　release　from　our　present　miseries；　but　carries　nothing　of
nobleness　or　profit　in　it。　And　I　think　it　becomes　both　me　and　you
not　to　despair　of　our　country；　but　when　there　are　no　hopes　of　that
left；　those　that　have　an　inclination　may　quickly　die。〃　To　this
Therycion　returned　no　answer；　but　as　soon　as　he　had　an　opportunity
of　leaving　Cleomenes's　company；　went　aside　on　the　seashore；　and　ran
himself　through。
　　But　Cleomenes　sailed　from　Aegialia；　landed　in　Libya；　and；　being
honourably　conducted　through　the　king's　country；　came　to　Alexandria。
When　he　was　first　brought　to　Ptolemy；　no　more　than　common　civilities
and　usual　attentions　were　paid　him；　but　when；　upon　trial；　he　found　him
a　man　of　deep　sense　and　great　reason；　and　that　his　plain　Laconic　way
of　conversation　carried　with　it　a　noble　and　becoming　grace；　that　he
did　nothing　unbecoming　his　birth；　nor　bent　under　fortune；　and　was
evidently　a　more　faithful　counsellor　than　those　who　made　it　their
business　to　please　and　flatter；　he　was　ashamed；　and　repented　that　be
had　neglected　so　great　a　man；　and　suffered　Antigonus　to　get　so　much
power　and　reputation　by　ruining　him。　He　now　offered　him　many　marks
of　respect　and　kindness；　and　gave　him　hopes　that　he　would　furnish
him　with　ships　and　money　to　return　to　Greece；　and　would　reinstate
him　in　his　kingdom。　He　granted　him　a　yearly　pension　of　four…and…twenty
talents；　a　little　part　of　which　sum　supplied　his　and　his　friends'
thrifty　temperance；　and　the　rest　was　employed　in　doing　good　offices
to；　and　in　relieving　the　necessities　of；　the　refugees　that　had　fled
from　Greece；　and　retired　into　Egypt。
　　But　the　elder　Ptolemy　dying　before　Cleomenes's　affairs　had
received　a　full　dispatch；　and　the　successor　being　a　loose；　voluptuous；
and　effeminate　prince；　under　the　power　of　his　pleasures　and　his　women；
his　business　was　neglected。　For　the　king　was　so　besotted　with　his
women　and　his　wine；　that　the　employments　of　his　most　busy　and
serious　hours　consisted　at　the　utmost　in　celebrating　religious
feasts　in　his　palace；　carrying　a　timbrel；　and　taking　part　in　the　show；
while　the　greatest　affairs　of　state　were　managed　by　Agathoclea；　the
king's　mistress；　her　mother；　and　the　pimp　Oenanthes。　At　the　first；
indeed；　they　seemed　to　stand　in　need　of　Cleomenes；　for　Ptolemy；
being　afraid　of　his　brother　Magas；　who　by　his　mother's　means　had　a
great　interest　among　the　soldiers；　gave　Cleomenes　a　place　in　his
secret　councils；　and　acquainted　him　with　the　design　of　taking　off
his　brother。　He；　though　all　were　for　it；　declared　his　opinion　to　the
contrary；　saying。　〃The　king；　if　it　were　possible；　should　have　more
brothers　for　the　better　security　and　stability　of　his　affairs。〃　And
Sosibius；　the　greatest　favourite；　replying　that　they　were　not　secure
of　the　mercenaries　whilst　Magas　was　alive；　Cleomenes　returned；　that　he
need　not　trouble　himself　about　that　matter；　for　amongst　the
mercenaries　there　were　above　three　thousand　Peloponnesians；　who　were
his　fast　friends；　and　whom　he　could　command　at　any　time　with　a　nod。
This　discourse　made　Cleomenes　for　the　present　to　be　looked　upon　as　a
man　of　great　influence　and　assured　fidelity；　but　afterwards；　Ptolemy's
weakness　increasing　his　fear；　and　he；　as　it　usually　happens；　where
there　is　no　judgment　and　wisdom；　placing　his　security　in　general
distrust　and　suspicion；　it　rendered　Cleomenes　suspected　to　the
courtiers；　as　having　too　much　interest　with　the　mercenaries；　and
many　had　this　saying　in　their　mouths；　that　he　was　a　lion　amidst　a
flock　of　sheep。　For；　in　fact；　such　he　seemed　to　be　in　the　court；
quietly　watching　and　keeping　his　eye　upon　all　that　went　on。
　　He　therefore　gave　up　all　thought　of　asking　for　ships　and　soldiers
from　the　king。　But　receiving　news　that　Antigonus　was　dead；　that　the
Achaeans　were　engaged　in　a　war　with　the　Aetolians；　and　that　the
affairs　of　Peloponnesus；　being　now　in　very　great　distraction　and
disorder；　required　and　invited　his　assistance；　he　desired　leave　to
depart　only　with　his　friends；　but　could　not　obtain　that；　the　king
not