anabasis-第17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！


　have　taken　false　oaths　and　broken　the　truce；　contrary　to　their　solemn　word。　This　being　so；　it　is　but　natural　that　the　gods　should　be　opposed　to　our　enemies；　but　with　ourselves　allied；　the　gods；　who　are　able　to　make　the　great　ones　quickly　small；　and　out　of　sore　perplexity　can　save　the　little　ones　with　ease；　what　time　it　pleases　them。　In　the　next　place；　let　me　recall　to　your　minds　the　dangers　of　our　own　forefathers；　that　you　may　see　and　　11　know　that　bravery　is　your　heirloom；　and　that　by　the　aid　of　the　gods　brave　men　are　rescued　even　out　of　the　midst　of　sorest　straits。　So　was　it　when　the　Persians　came；　and　their　attendant　hosts＇3＇；　with　a　very　great　armament；　to　wipe　out　Athens　from　the　face　of　the　earththe　men　of　Athens　had　the　heart　to　withstand　them　and　conquered　them。　Then　they　vowed　to　Artemis　that　for　every　man　they　slew　of　the　enemy；　they　would　sacrifice　to　the　goddess　goats　so　many；　and　when　they　could　not　find　sufficient　for　the　slain；　they　resolved　to　offer　yearly　five　hundred；　and　to　this　day　they　perform　that　sacrifice。　And　at　a　somewhat　later　date；　when　Xerxes　assembled　his　countless　hosts　and　marched　upon　Hellas；　then＇4＇　too　our　fathers　conquered　the　forefathers　of　our　foes　by　land　and　by　sea。

＇1＇　So　it　is　said　of　the　Russian　General　Skobelef；　that　he　had　a　　　　　strange　custom　of　going　into　battle　in　his　cleanest　uniform；　　　　　perfurmed；　and　wearing　a　diamond…hilted　sword；　〃in　order　that；〃　as　　　　　he　said；　〃he　might　die　in　his　best　attire。〃

＇2＇　For　this　ancient　omen　see　〃Odyssey；〃　xvii。　541：　〃Even　as　she　　　　　spake；　and　Telemachus　sneezed　loudly；　and　around　the　roof　rung　　　　　wondrously。　And　Penelope　laughed。〃　。　。　。　〃Dost　thou　not　mark　how　　　　　my　son　has　sneezed　a　blessing　on　all　my　words？〃

＇3＇　See　Herod。　vi。　114；　the　allusion　is　to　the　invasion　of　Greeze　by　　　　　Datis　and　Artaphernes；　and　to　their　defeat　at　Marathon；　B。C。　490。　　　　　〃Heredotus　estimates　the　number　of　those　who　fell　on　the　Persian　　　　　side　at　6400　men：　the　number　of　Athenian　dead　is　accurately　known；　　　　　since　all　were　collected　for　the　last　solemn　obsequiesthey　were　　　　　192。〃Grote；　〃Hist。　of　Greece；〃　vol。　v。　p。　475。

＇4＇　Then　=　at　Salamis；　B。C。　480；　and　at　Plataea　and　Mycale；　B。C。　479；　　　　　on　the　same　day。

〃And　proofs　of　these　things　are　yet　to　be　seen　in　trophies；　but　the　greatest　witness　of　all　is　the　freedom　of　our　citiesthe　liberty　of　that　land　in　which　you　were　born　and　bred。　For　you　call　no　man　master　or　lord；　you　bow　your　heads　to　none　save　to　the　gods　alone。　Such　were　your　forefathers；　and　their　sons　are　ye。　Think　not　I　am　going　to　say　that　you　put　to　shame　in　any　way　your　ancestryfar　from　it。　Not　many　days　since；　you　too　were　drawn　up　in　battle　face　to　face　with　these　true　descendants　of　their　ancestors；　and　by　the　help　of　heaven　you　conquered　them；　though　they　many　times　outnumbered　you。　At　that　time；　it　was　to　win　a　throne　for　Cyrus　that　you　showed　your　bravery；　to…day；　when　the　struggle　is　for　your　own　salvation；　what　is　more　natural　than　that　you　should　show　yourselves　braver　and　more　zealous　still。　Nay；　it　is　very　meet　and　right　that　you　should　be　more　undaunted　still　to…day　to　face　the　foe。　The　other　day；　though　you　had　not　tested　them；　and　before　your　eyes　lay　their　immeasurable　host；　you　had　the　heart　to　go　against　them　with　the　spirit　of　your　fathers。　To…day　you　have　made　　　　　　16　trial　of　them；　and　knowing　that；　however　many　times　your　number；　they　do　not　care　to　await　your　onset；　what　concern　have　you　now　to　be　afraid　of　them？

〃Nor　let　any　one　suppose　that　herein　is　a　point　of　weakness；　in　that　Cyrus's　troops；　who　before　were　drawn　up　by　your　side；　have　now　deserted　us；　for　they　are　even　worse　cowards　still　than　those　we　worsted。　At　any　rate　they　have　deserted　us；　and　sought　refuge　with　them。　Leaders　of　the　forlorn　hope　of　flightfar　better　is　it　to　have　them　brigaded　with　the　enemy　than　shoulder　to　shoulder　in　our　ranks。　But　if　any　of　you　is　out　of　heart　to　think　that　we　have　no　cavalry；　while　the　enemy　have　many　squadrons　to　command；　lay　to　heart　this　doctrine；　that　ten　thousand　horse　only　equal　ten　thousand　men　upon　their　backs；　neither　less　nor　more。　Did　any　one　ever　die　in　battle　from　the　bite　or　kick　of　a　horse？　It　is　the　men；　the　real　swordsmen；　who　do　whatever　is　done　in　battles。　In　fact　we；　on　our　stout　shanks；　are　better　mounted　than　those　cavalry　fellows；　there　they　hang　on　to　their　horses'　necks　in　mortal　dread；　not　only　of　us；　but　of　falling　off；　while　we；　well　planted　upon　earth；　can　deal　far　heavier　blows　to　our　assailants；　and　aim　more　steadily　at　who　we　will。　There　is　one　point；　I　admit；　in　which　their　cavalry　have　the　whip…hand　of　us；　it　is　safer　for　them　than　it　is　for　us　to　run　away。

〃May　be；　however；　you　are　in　good　heart　about　the　fighting；　but　annoyed　to　think　that　Tissaphernes　will　not　guide　us　any　more；　and　that　the　king　will　not　furnish　us　with　a　market　any　longer。　Now；　consider；　is　it　better　for　us　to　have　a　guide　like　Tissaphernes；　whom　we　know　to　be　plotting　against　us；　or　to　take　our　chance　of　the　stray　people　whom　we　catch　and　compel　to　guide　us；　who　will　know　that　any　mistake　made　in　leading　us　will　be　a　sad　mistake　for　their　own　lives？　Again；　is　it　better　to　be　buying　provisions　in　a　market　of　their　providing；　in　scant　measure　and　at　high　prices；　without　even　the　money　to　pay　for　them　any　longer；　or；　by　right　of　conquest；　to　help　ourselves；　applying　such　measure　as　suits　our　fancy　best？

〃Or　again；　perhaps　you　admit　tht　our　present　position　is　not　without　its　advantages；　but　you　feel　sure　that　the　rivers　are　a　difficulty；　and　think　that　you　were　never　more　taken　in　than　when　you　crossed　　　　　　　22　them；　if　so；　consider　whether；　after　all；　this　is　not　perhaps　the　most　foolish　thing　which　the　barbarians　have　done。　No　river　is　impassable　throughout；　whatever　difficulties　it　may　present　at　some　distance　from　its　source；　you　need　only　make　your　way　up　to　the　springhead；　and　there　you　may　cross　it　without　wetting　more　than　your　ankles。　But；　granted　that　the　rivers　do　bar　our　passage；　and　that　guides　are　not　forthcoming；　what　care　we？　We　need　feel　no　alarm　for　all　that。　We　have　heard　of　the　Mysians；　a　people　whom　we　certainly　cannot　admit　to　be　better　than　ourselves；　and　yet　they　inhabit　numbers　of　large　and　prosperous　cities　in　the　king's　own　country　without　asking　leave。　The　Pisidians　are　an　equally　good　instance；　or　the　Lycaonians。　We　have　seen　with　our　own　eyes　how　they　fare：　seizing　fortresses　down　in　the　plains；　and　reaping　the　fruits　of　these　men's　territory。　As　to　us；　I　go　so　far　as　to　assert；　we　ought　never　to　have　let　it　be　seen　that　we　were　bent　on　getting　home：　at　any　rate；　not　so　soon；　we　should　have　begun　stocking　and　furnishing　ourselves；　as　if　we　fully　meant　to　settle　down　for　life　somewhere　or　other　hereabouts。　I　am　sure　that　the　king　would　be　thrice　glad　to　give　the　Mysians　as　many　guides　as　they　like；　or　as　many　hostages　as　they　care　to　demand；　in　return　for　a　safe　conduct　out　of　his　country；　he　would　make　carriage　roads　for　them；　and　if　they　preferred　to　take　their　departure　in　coaches　and　four；　he　would　not　say　them　nay。　So　too；　I　am　sure；　he　would　be　only　too　glad　to　accommodate　us　in　the　same　way；　if　he　saw　us　preparing　to　settle　down　here。　But；　perhaps；　it　is　just　as　well　that　we　did　not　stop；　for　I　fear；　if　once　we　learn　to　live　in　idleness　and　to　batten　in　luxury　and　dalliance　with　these　tall　and　handsome　Median　and　Persian　women　and　maidens；　we　shall　be　like　the　Lotus…eaters＇5＇；　and　forget　the　road　home　altogether。

＇5＇　See　〃Odyssey；〃　ix。　94；　〃ever　feeding　on　the　Lotus　and　forgetful　of　　　　　returning。〃

〃It　seems　to　me　that　it　is　only　right；　in　the　first　instance；　to　make　an　effort　to　return　to　Hellas　and　to　revisit　our　hearths　and　homes；　if　only　to　prove　to　other　Hellenes　that　it　is　their　own　faults　if　they　are　poor　and　needy＇6＇；　seeing　it　is　in　their　power　to　give　to　those　　　　　26　now　living　a　pauper　life　at　home　a　free　passage　hither；　and　convert　them　into　well…to…do　burghers　at　once。　Now；　sirs；　is　it　not　clear　that　all　these　good　things　belong　to　whoever　has　strength　to　hold　them？

＇6＇　Here　seems　to　be　the　germunless；　indeed；　the　thought　had　been　　　　　conceived　abovehere　at　any　rate　the　first　conscious　expression　　　　　of　the　colonisation　scheme；　of　which　we　shall　hear　more　below；　in　　　　　reference　to　Cotyora；　the　Phasis；　Calpe。　It　appears　again　fifty　　　　　years　later　in　the　author's　pamphlet　〃On　Revenues；〃　chapters　i。　　　　　and　vi。　For　the　special　evils　of　the　fourth　century　B。C。；　and　the　　　　　growth　of　pauperism　between　B。C。　401　and　338；　see　Jebb；　〃Attic　　　　　Orators；〃　vol　i。　p。　17。

〃Let　us　look　another　matter　in　the　face。　How　are　we　to　march　most　safely？　or　where　blows　are　needed；　how　are　we　to　fight　to　the　best　advantage？　That　is　the　question。

〃The　first　thing　which　I　recommend　is　to　burn　the　wagons　we　have　got；　so　that　we　may　be　free　to　march　wherever　the　army　needs；　and　not；　practically；　make　our　baggage　train　our　general。　And；　next；　we　should　throw　our　tents　into　the　bonfire　also：　for　these　again　are　only　a　trouble　to　carry；　and　do　not　contribute　one　grain　of　good　either　for　fighting　or　getting　provisions。　Further；　let　us　get　rid　of　all　superfluous　baggage；　save　only　what　we　require　for　the　sake　of　war；　or　meat　and　drink；　so　that　as　many　of　us　as　possible　may　be　under　arms；　and　as　few　as　possible　doing　porterage。　I　need　not　remind　you　that；　in　case　of　defeat；　the　owners'　goods　are　not　their　own；　but　if　we　master　our　foes；　we　will　make　them　our　baggage　bearers。

〃It　only　rests　for　me　to　name　the　one　thing　which　I　look　upon　as　the　greatest　of　all。　You　see；　the　enemy　did　not　dare　to　bring　war　to　bear　upon　us　until　they　had　first　seized　our　generals；　they　felt　that　whilst　our　rulers　were　there；　and　we　obeyed　them；　they　were　no　match　for　us　in　war；　but　having　got　hold　of　them；　they　fully　expected　that　the　consequent　confusion　and　anarchy　would　prove　fatal　to　us。　What　follows？　This：　Officers　and　leaders　ought　to　be　more　vigilant　ever　than　their　predecessors；　subordinates　still　more　orderly　and　obedient　to　those　in　command　now　than　even　they　were　to　those　who　are　gone。　And　you　should　pass　a　resolution　that；　in　case　of　insubordination；　any　one　　31　who　stands　by　is　to　aid　the　officer　in　chastising　the　offender。　So　the　enemy　will　be　mightily　deceived；　for　on　this　day　they　will