a smaller history of greece-第22部分

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e　whole　of　Peloponnesus；　except　Argos　and　Achaia；　together　with　the　Megarians；　Boeotians；　Phocians；　Opuntian　Locrians；　Ambraciots；　Leucadians；　and　Anactorians。　　The　allies　of　Athens；　with　the　exception　of　the　Thessalians；　Acarnanians；　Messenians　at　Naupactus；　and　Plataeans；　were　all　insular；　and　consisted　of　the　Chians；　Lesbians；　Corcyraeans；　and　Zacynthians；　and　shortly　afterwards　of　the　Cephallenians；　To　these　must　be　added　her　tributary　towns　on　the　coast　of　Thrace　and　Asia　Minor；　together　with　all　the　islands　north　of　Crete；　except　Melos　and　Thera。

The　Peloponnesians　commenced　the　war　by　an　invasion　of　Attica；　with　a　large　army；　under　the　command　of　the　Spartan　King　Archidamus　（B。C。　431）。　　Pericles　had　instructed　the　inhabitants　of　Attica　to　secure　themselves　and　their　property　within　the　walls　of　Athens。　　They　obeyed　his　injunctions　with　reluctance；　for　the　Attic　population　had　from　the　earliest　times　been　strongly　attached　to　a　rural　life。　　But　the　circumstances　admitted　of　no　alternative。　　Archidamus　advanced　as　far　as　Acharnae；　a　flourishing　Attic　borough　situated　only　about　seven　miles　from　Athens。　　Here　he　encamped　on　a　rising　ground　within　sight　of　the　metropolis；　and　began　to　lay　waste　the　country　around；　expecting　probably　by　that　means　to　provoke　the　Athenians　to　battle。　　But　in　this　he　was　disappointed。　　Notwithstanding　the　murmurs　and　clamours　of　the　citizens　Pericles　remained　firm；　and　steadily　refused　to　venture　an　engagement　in　the　open　held。　　The　Peloponnesians　retired　from　Attica　after　still　further　ravaging　the　country；　and　the　Athenians　retaliated　by　making　descents　upon　various　parts　of　the　coasts　of　Peloponnesus；　and　ravaging　the　territory　of　Megara。

Such　were　the　results　of　the　first　campaign。　　From　the　method　in　which　the　war　was　conducted　it　had　become　pretty　evident　that　it　would　prove　of　long　duration；　and　the　Athenians　now　proceeded　to　provide　for　this　contingency。　　It　was　agreed　that　a　reserve　fund　of　1000　talents　should　be　set　apart；　which　was　not　to　be　touched　in　any　other　case　than　an　attack　upon　Athens　by　sea。　　Any　citizen　who　proposed　to　make　a　different　use　of　the　fund　incurred　thereby　the　punishment　of　death。　　With　the　same　view　it　was　resolved　to　reserve　every　year　100　of　their　best　triremes；　fully　manned　and　equipped。

Towards　the　winter　Pericles　delivered；　from　a　lofty　platform　erected　in　the　Ceramicus；　the　funeral　oration　of　those　who　had　fallen　in　the　war。　　This　speech；　or　at　all　events　the　substance　of　it；　has　been　preserved　by　Thucydides；　who　may　possibly　have　heard　it　pronounced。　　It　is　a　valuable　monument　of　eloquence　and　patriotism；　and　particularly　interesting　for　the　sketch　which　it　contains　of　Athenian　manners　as　well　as　of　the　Athenian　constitution。

In　the　following　year　（B。C。　430）　the　Peloponnesians；　under　Archidamus；　renewed　their　invasion　of　Attica。　　At　the　same　time　the　Athenians　were　attacked　by　a　more　insidious　and　a　more　formidable　enemy。　　The　plague　broke　out　in　the　crowded　city。　This　terrible　disorder；　which　was　supposed　to　have　originated　in　AEthiopia；　had　already　desolated　Asia　and　many　of　the　countries　around　the　Mediterranean。　　A　great　proportion　of　those　who　were　seized　perished　in　from　seven　to　nine　days。　　It　frequently　attacked　the　mental　faculties；　and　left　even　those　who　recovered　from　it　so　entirely　deprived　of　memory　that　they　could　recognise　neither　themselves　nor　others。　　The　disorder　being　new；　the　physicians　could　find　no　remedy　in　the　resources　of　their　art。　Despair　now　began　to　take　possession　of　the　Athenians。　　Some　suspected　that　the　Peloponnesians　had　poisoned　the　wells；　others　attributed　the　pestilence　to　the　anger　of　Apollo。　　A　dreadful　state　of　moral　dissolution　followed。　　The　sick　were　seized　with　unconquerable　despondency；　whilst　a　great　part　of　the　population　who　had　hitherto　escaped　the　disorder；　expecting　soon　to　be　attacked　in　turn；　abandoned　themselves　to　all　manner　of　excess；　debauchery；　and　crime。　　The　numbers　carried　off　by　the　pestilence　can　hardly　be　estimated　at　less　than　a　fourth　of　the　whole　population；

Oppressed　at　once　by　war　and　pestilence；　their　lands　desolated；　their　homes　filled　with　mourning；　it　is　not　surprising　that　the　Athenians　were　seized　with　rage　and　despair；　or　that　they　vented　their　anger　on　Pericles；　whom　they　deemed　the　author　of　their　misfortunes。　　But　that　statesman　still　adhered　to　his　plans　with　unshaken　firmness。　　Though　the　Lacedaemonians　were　in　Attica；　though　the　plague　had　already　seized　on　Athens；　he　was　vigorously　pushing　his　schemes　of　offensive　operations。　　A　foreign　expedition　might　not　only　divert　the　popular　mind　but　would　prove　beneficial　by　relieving　the　crowded　city　of　part　of　its　population；　and　accordingly　a　fleet　was　fitted　out；　of　which　Pericles　himself　took　the　command；　and　which　committed　devastations　upon　various　parts　of　the　Peloponnesian　coast。　　But；　upon　returning　from　this　expedition；　Pericles　found　the　public　feeling　more　exasperated　than　before。　　Envoys　had　even　been　despatched　to　Sparta　to　sue　for　peace；　but　had　been　dismissed　without　a　hearing；　a　disappointment　which　had　rendered　the　populace　still　more　furious。　　Pericles　now　found　it　necessary　to　call　a　public　assembly　in　order　to　vindicate　his　conduct；　and　to　encourage　the　desponding　citizens　to　persevere。　　But　though　he　succeeded　in　persuading　them　to　prosecute　the　war　with　vigour；　they　still　continued　to　nourish　their　feelings　of　hatred　against　the　great　statesman。　　His　political　enemies；　of　whom　Cleon　was　the　chief；　took　advantage　of　this　state　of　the　public　mind　to　bring　against　him　a　charge　of　peculation。　　The　main　object　of　this　accusation　was　to　incapacitate　him　for　the　office　of　Strategus；　or　general。　　＇The　Strategi；　or　Generals；　were　ten　in　number；　elected　annually；　and　were　intrusted　not　only　with　the　command　on　military　expeditions；　but　with　the　superintendence　of　all　warlike　preparations；　and　with　the　regulation　of　all　matters　in　any　way　connected　with　the　war　department　of　the　state。＇　　He　was　brought　before　the　dicastery　on　this　charge；　and　sentenced　to　pay　a　considerable　fine；　but　eventually　a　strong　reaction　occurred　in　his　favour。　　He　was　re…elected　general；　and　apparently　regained　all　the　influence　he　had　ever　possessed。

But　he　was　not　destined　long　to　enjoy　this　return　of　popularity。　His　life　was　now　closing　in；　and　its　end　was　clouded　by　a　long　train　of　domestic　misfortunes。　　The　epidemic　deprived　him　not　only　of　many　personal　and　political　friends；　but　also　of　several　near　relations；　amongst　whom　were　his　sister　and　his　two　legitimate　sons　Xanthippus　and　Paralus。　　The　death　of　the　latter　was　a　severe　blow　to　him。　　During　the　funeral　ceremonies；　as　he　placed　a　garland　on　the　body　of　this　his　favourite　son；　he　was　completely　overpowered　by　his　feelings　and　wept　aloud。　　His　ancient　house　was　now　left　without　an　heir。　　By　Aspasia；　however；　he　had　an　illegitimate　son　who　bore　his　own　name；　and　whom　the　Athenians　now　legitimised　and　thus　alleviated；　as　far　as　lay　in　their　power；　the　misfortunes　of　their　great　leader。

After　this　period　it　was　with　difficulty　that　Pericles　was　persuaded　by　his　friends　to　take　any　active　part　in　public　affairs；　nor　did　he　survive　more　than　a　twelvemonth。　　An　attack　of　the　prevailing　epidemic　was　succeeded　by　a　low　and　lingering　fever；　which　undermined　both　his　strength　of　body　and　vigour　of　intellect。　　As　Pericles　lay　apparently　unconscious　on　his　death…　bed；　the　friends　who　stood　around　it　were　engaged　in　recalling　his　exploits。　　The　dying　man　interrupted　them　by　remarking：　〃What　you　praise　in　me　is　partly　the　result　of　good　fortune；　and　at　all　events　common　to　me　with　many　other　commanders。　　What　I　chiefly　pride　myself　upon　you　have　not　noticedno　Athenian　ever　wore　mourning　through　me。〃

The　enormous　influence　which　Pericles　exercised　for　so　long　a　period　over　an　ingenious　but　fickle　people　like　the　Athenians；　is　an　unquestionable　proof　of　his　intellectual　superiority。　　This　hold　on　the　public　affection　is　to　be　attributed　to　a　great　extent　to　his　extraordinary　eloquence。　　Cicero　regards　him　as　the　first　example　of　an　almost　perfect　orator；　at　once　delighting　the　Athenians　with　his　copiousness　and　grace；　and　overawing　them　by　the　force　and　cogency　of　his　diction　and　arguments。　　He　seems；　indeed；　to　have　singularly　combined　the　power　of　persuasion　with　that　more　rapid　and　abrupt　style　of　oratory　which　takes　an　audience　by　storm　and　defies　all　resistance。　　As　the　accomplished　man　of　genius　and　the　liberal　patron　of　literature　and　art；　Pericles　is　worthy　of　the　highest　admiration。　　By　these　qualities　he　has　justly　given　name　to　the　most　brilliant　intellectual　epoch　that　the　world　has　ever　seen。　　But　on　this　point　we　have　already　touched；　and　shall　have　occasion　to　refer　hereafter　in　the　sketch　of　Grecian　literature。

In　the　third　year　of　the　war　（B。C。　429）　Archidamus　directed　his　whole　force　against　the　ill…fated　town　of　Plataea。　　The　siege　that　ensued　is　one　of　the　most　memorable　in　the　annals　of　Grecian　warfare。　　Plataea　was　but　a　small　city；　and　its　garrison　consisted　of　only　400　citizens　and　80　Athenians；　together　with　110　women　to　manage　their　household　affairs。　　Yet　this　small　force　set　at　defiance　the　whole　army　of　the　Peloponnesians。　　The　latter；　being　repulsed　in　all　their　attempts　to　take　the　place　by　storm；　resolved　to　turn　the　siege　into　a　blockade；　and　reduce　the　city　by　famine。　　The　Plataeans　endured　a　blockade　of　two　years；　during　which　the　Athenians　attempted　nothing　for　their　relief。　In　the　second　year；　however；　about　half　the　garrison　effected　their　escape；　but　the　rest　were　obliged　to　surrender　shortly　afterwards　（B。C。　427）。　　The　whole　garrison；　consisting　of　200　Plataeans　and　25　Athenians；　were　now　arraigned　before　five　judges　sent　from　Sparta。　　Their　indictment　was　framed　in　a　way　which　precluded　the　possibility　of　escape。　　They　were　simply　asked　〃Whether；　during　the　present　war；　they　had　rendered　any　assistance　to　the　Lacedaemonians　and　their　allies？〃　　Each　man　was　called　up　separately　before　the　judgment…seat；　and　the　same　question　having　been　put　to　him　and　of　course　answered　in　the　negative；　he　was　immediately　led　away　to　execution。　　The　town　of　Plataea　was　transferred　to　the　Thebans；　who　a　few　months　afterwards　levelled　all　the　private　buildings　to