cleomenes-第7部分

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disorder；　required　and　invited　his　assistance；　he　desired　leave　to
depart　only　with　his　friends；　but　could　not　obtain　that；　the　king
not　so　much　as　hearing　his　petition；　being　shut　up　amongst　his
women；　and　wasting　his　hours　in　bacchanalian　rites　and　drinking
parties。　But　Sosibius；　the　chief　minister　and　counsellor　of　state；
thought　that　Cleomenes；　being　detained　against　his　will；　would　grow
ungovernable　and　dangerous；　and　yet　that　it　was　not　safe　to　let　him
go；　being　an　aspiring；　daring　man；　and　well　acquainted　with　the
diseases　and　weakness　of　the　kingdom。　For　neither　could　presents　and
gifts　conciliate　or　content　him；　but　even　as　Apis；　while　living　in　all
possible　plenty　and　apparent　delight；　yet　desires　to　live　as　nature
would　provide　for　him；　to　range　at　liberty；　and　bound　about　the
fields；　and　can　scarce　endure　to　be　under　the　priests'　keeping；　so
he　could　not　brook　their　courtship　and　soft　entertainment；　but　sat
like　Achilles…

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃and　languished　far；
　　　　　　　　　Desiring　battle　and　the　shout　of　war。〃

　　His　affairs　standing　in　this　condition；　Nicagoras；　the　Messenian；
came　to　Alexandria；　a　man　that　deeply　hated　Cleomenes；　yet　pretended
to　be　his　friend；　for　he　had　formerly　sold　Cleomenes　a　fair　estate；
but　never　received　the　money　because　Cleomenes　was　either　unable　as　it
may　be；　or　else；　by　reason　of　his　engagement　in　the　wars　and　other
distractions；　had　no　opportunity　to　pay　him。　Cleomenes；　seeing　him
landing；　for　he　was　then　walking　upon　the　quay；　kindly　saluted　him；
and　asked　what　business　brought　him　to　Egypt。　Nicagoras　returned　his
compliment；　and　told　him　that　he　came　to　bring　some　excellent
war…horses　to　the　king。　And　Cleomenes；　with　a　smile；　subjoined；　〃I
could　wish　you　had　rather　brought　young　boys　and　music…girls；　for
those　now　are　the　king's　chief　occupation。〃　Nicagoras　at　the　moment
smiled　at　the　conceit；　but　a　few　days　after；　he　put　Cleomenes　in
mind　of　the　estate　that　he　had　bought　of　him；　and　desired　his　money；
protesting　that　he　would　not　have　troubled　him；　if　his　merchandise　had
turned　out　as　profitable　as　he　had　thought　it　would。　Cleomenes
replied；　that　he　had　nothing　left　of　all　that　had　been　given　him。　At
which　answer；　Nicagoras；　being　nettled；　told　Sosibius　Cleomenes's
scoff　upon　the　king。　He　was　delighted　to　receive　the　information；
but　desiring　to　have　some　greater　reason　to　excite　the　king　against
Cleomenes；　persuaded　Nicagoras　to　leave　a　letter　written　against
Cleomenes；　importing　that　he　had　a　design；　if　he　could　have　gotten
ships　and　soldiers；　to　surprise　Cyrene。　Nicagoras　wrote　such　a　letter；
and　left　Egypt。　Four　days　after；　Sosibius　brought　the　letter　to
Ptolemy；　pretending　it　was　just　then　delivered　him；　and　excited　the
young　man's　fear　and　anger；　upon　which　it　was　agreed　that　Cleomenes
should　be　invited　into　a　large　house；　and　treated　as　formerly；　but　not
suffered　to　go　out　again。
　　This　usage　was　grievous　to　Cleomenes；　and　another　incident　that
occurred　made　him　feel　his　hopes　to　be　yet　more　entirely　overcast。
Ptolemy；　the　son　of　Chrysermas；　a　favourite　of　the　king's；　had
always　shown　civility　to　Cleomenes；　there　was　a　considerable
intimacy　between　them；　and　they　had　been　used　to　talk　freely
together　about　the　state。　He；　upon　Cleomenes's　desire；　came　to　him；
and　spoke　to　him　in　fair　terms；　softening　down　his　suspicions　and
excusing　the　king's　conduct。　But　as　he　went　out　again；　not　knowing
that　Cleomenes　followed　him　to　the　door；　he　severely　reprimanded　the
keepers　for　their　carelessness　in　looking　after　〃so　great　and　so
furious　a　wild　beast。〃　This　Cleomenes　himself　heard；　and　retiring
before　Ptolemy　perceived　it；　told　his　friends　what　had　been　said。　Upon
this　they　cast　off　all　former　hopes　and　determined　for　violent
proceedings；　resolving　to　be　revenged　on　Ptolemy　for　his　base　and
unjust　dealing；　to　have　satisfaction　for　the　affronts；　to　die　as　it
became　Spartans；　and　not　stay　till；　like　fatted　sacrifices；　they
were　butchered。　For　it　was　both　grievous　and　dishonourable　for
Cleomenes；　who　had　scorned　to　come　to　terms　with　Antigonus；　a　brave
warrior；　and　a　man　of　action；　to　wait　an　effeminate　king's　leisure；
till　he　should　lay　aside　his　timbrel　and　end　his　dance；　and　then
kill　him。
　　These　courses　being　resolved　on；　and　Ptolemy　happening　at　the　same
time　to　make　a　progress　to　Canopus；　they　first　spread　abroad　a
report　that　his　freedom　was　ordered　by　the　king；　and；　it　being　the
custom　for　the　king　to　send　presents　and　an　entertainment　to　those
whom　he　would　free；　Cleomenes's　friends　made　that　provision；　and
sent　it　into　the　prison；　thus　imposing　upon　the　keepers；　who　thought
it　had　been　sent　by　the　king。　For　he　sacrificed；　and　gave　them　large
portions；　and　with　a　garland　upon　his　head；　feasted　and　made　merry
with　his　friends。　It　is　said　that　he　began　the　action　sooner　than　he
designed；　having　understood　that　a　servant　who　was　privy　to　the　plot
had　gone　out　to　visit　a　mistress　that　he　loved。　This　made　him　afraid
of　a　discovery；　and　therefore；　as　soon　as　it　was　full　noon；　and　all
the　keepers　sleeping　off　their　wine；　he　put　on　his　coat；　and　opening
his　seam　to　bare　his　right　shoulder；　with　his　drawn　sword　in　his　hand；
he　issued　forth；　together　with　his　friends　provided　in　the　same
manner；　making　thirteen　in　all。　One　of　them；　by　name　Hippitas；　was
lame；　and　followed　the　first　onset　very　well；　but　when　he　presently
perceived　that　they　were　more　slow　in　their　advances　for　his　sake；
he　desired　them　to　run　him　through　and　not　ruin　their　enterprise　by
staying　for　a　useless；　unprofitable　man。　By　chance　an　Alexandrian
was　then　riding　by　the　door；　him　they　threw　off；　and　setting
Hippitas　on　horseback；　ran　through　the　streets；　and　proclaimed　liberty
to　the　people。　But　they；　it　seems；　had　courage　enough　to　praise　and
admire　Cleomenes's　daring；　but　not　one　had　the　heart　to　follow　and
assist　him。　Three　of　them　fell　on　Ptolemy；　the　son　of　Chrysermas；　as
he　was　coming　out　of　the　palace；　and　killed　him。　Another　Ptolemy；
the　officer　in　charge　of　the　city；　advancing　against　them　in　a
chariot；　they　set　upon；　dispersed　his　guards　and　attendants；　and
pulling　him　out　of　the　chariot；　killed　him　upon　the　place。　Then　they
made　toward　the　castle；　designing　to　break　open　the　prison；　release
those　who　were　confined；　and　avail　themselves　of　their　numbers；　but
the　keepers　were　too　quick　for　them；　and　secured　the　passages。　Being
baffled　in　this　attempt；　Cleomenes　with　his　company　roamed　about　the
city；　none　joining　with　him；　but　all　retreating　from　and　flying　his
approach。　Therefore；　despairing　of　success；　and　saying　to　his　friends；
that　it　was　no　wonder　that　women　ruled　over　men　that　were　afraid　of
liberty；　he　bade　them　all　die　as　bravely　as　became　his　followers　and
their　own　past　actions。　This　said；　Hippitas　was　first；　as　he
desired；　run　through　by　one　of　the　younger　men；　and　then　each　of
them　readily　and　resolutely　fell　upon　his　own　sword；　except　Fanteus；
the　same　who　first　surprised　Megalopolis。　This　man；　being　of　a　very
handsome　person；　and　a　great　lover　of　the　Spartan　discipline；　the　king
had　made　his　dearest　friend；　and　he　now　bade　him；　when　he　had　seen　him
and　the　rest　fallen；　die　by　their　example。　Fanteus　walked　over　them　as
they　lay；　and　pricked　every　one　with　his　dagger；　to　try　whether　any
was　alive；　when　he　pricked　Cleomenes　in　the　ankle；　and　saw　him　turn
upon　his　back；　he　kissed　him；　sat　down　by　him；　and　when　he　was　quite
dead；　covered　up　the　body；　and　then　killed　himself　over　it。
　　Thus　fell　Cleomenes；　after　the　life　which　we　have　narrated；　having
been　King　of　Sparta　sixteen　years。　The　news　of　their　fall　being　noised
through　the　city；　Cratesiclea；　though　a　woman　of　a　great　spirit；　could
not　bear　up　against　the　weight　of　this　affliction；　but　embracing
Cleomenes's　children　broke　out　into　lamentations。　But　the　eldest
boy；　none　suspecting　such　a　spirit　in　a　child；　threw　himself
headlong　from　the　top　of　the　house。　He　was　bruised　very　much；　but
not　killed　by　the　fall；　and　was　taken　up　crying；　and　expressing　his
resentment　for　not　being　permitted　to　destroy　himself。　Ptolemy；　as
soon　as　an　account　of　the　action　was　brought　him；　gave　order　that
Cleomenes's　body　should　be　flayed　and　hung　up；　and　that　his
children；　mother；　and　the　women　that　were　with　her；　should　be
killed。　Amongst　these　was　Panteus's　wife；　a　beautiful　and
noble…looking　woman；　who　had　been　but　lately　married；　and　suffered
these　disasters　in　the　height　of　her　love。　Her　parents　would　not
have　her　embark　with　Panteus　so　shortly　after　they　were　married；
though　she　eagerly　desired　it；　but　shut　her　up；　and　kept　her
forcibly　at　home。　But　a　few　days　after　she　procured　a　horse　and　a
little　money；　and　escaping　by　night；　made　speed　to　Taenarus；　where　she
embarked　for　Egypt；　came　to　her　husband；　and　with　him　cheerfully
endured　to　live　in　a　foreign　country。　She　gave　her　hand　to
Cratesiclea；　as　she　was　going　with　the　soldiers　to　execution　held　up
her　robe；　and　begged　her　to　be　courageous；　who　of　herself　was　not　in
the　least　afraid　of　death；　and　desired　nothing　else　but　only　to　be
killed　before　the　children。　When　they　were　come　to　the　place　of
execution；　the　children　were　first　killed　before　Cratesiclea's　eyes；
and　afterwards　she　herself；　with　only　these　words　in　her　mouth；　〃O
children；　whither　are　you　gone？〃　But　Panteus's　wife；　fastening　her
dress　close　about　her；　and　being　a　strong　woman；　in　silence　and
perfect　composure；　looked　after　every　one　that　was　slain；　and　laid
them　decently　out　as　far　as　circumstances　would　permit；　and　after
all　were　killed；　rearraying　her　dress；　and　drawing　her　clothes　close
about　her；　suffering　none　to　come　near　or　be　an　eye…witness　of　her
fall；　besides　the　executioner；　she　courageously　submitted　to　the
stroke；　and　wanted　nobody　to　look　after　her　or　wind　her　up　after　she
was　dead。　Thus　in　her　death　the　modesty　of　her　mind　appeared；　and
set　that　guard　upon　her　body　which　she　always　kept　when　alive。　And
she；　in　the　declining　age　of　the　Spartans；　showed　that　women　were　no
unequal　rivals　of　the　men；　and　was　an　instance　of　a　courage　superior
to　the　affronts　of　fortune。
　　A　few　days　after；　those　that　watched　the　hanging　body　of
Cleomenes；　saw　a　large　snake　winding　about　his　head；　and　covering