agesilaus-第7部分

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＇9＇　Cf。　Tacitus's　phrase　concerning　Titus；　〃deliciae　humani　generis。〃























VII







To　describe　his　patriotism＇1＇　point　by　point　in　detail　were　a　tedious



story；　since；　as　I　suppose；　there　is　not　one　of　his　several



achievements　but　must　finally　resolve　itself　into　that。　For；　to　put　it



briefly；　we　all　know　well　that　where　Agesilaus　expected　in　any　way　to



benefit　his　country　there　was　no　toil　he　shrank　from；　no　danger　he



avoided；　no　money　he　stinted；　no　excuse　whether　of　age　or　body　he



admitted；　but　deemed　it　ever　the　true　function　of　a　good　king＇2＇　to



shower　blessings　to　the　utmost　on　the　subjects　of　his　rule。







＇1＇　Lit。　〃love　for　his　own　city。〃







＇2＇　Or；　〃regarded　it　as　the　cardinal　virtue　of　a　real　prince。〃　See



　　　　〃Mem。〃　III。　ii。　3。







And　for　my　part　I　hold　it　as　chief　among　the　magnificent　benefits　so



conferred　by　him　upon　his　country　that；　being　the　most　powerful　member



of　the　state；　he　made　no　secret　of　his　absolute　submission　to　the



laws；＇3＇　since　what　lesser　man；　seeing　the　king's　obedience；　would



take＇4＇　on　himself　to　disobey？　Who；　in　discontentment　at　his　own　poor



lot；　would　venture　on　revolution；　knowing　that　the　king　himself　could



condescend　to　constitutional　control？　And　that；　too；　a　king　who　bore



himself　towards　political　opponents　with　a　paternal　mildness。＇5＇　If　he



rebuked　them　sharply　for　their　misdemeanours；　he　none　the　less



honoured　their　high　endeavours；　and　proved　himself　a　present　help　to



them　in　time　of　trouble。＇6＇　No　citizen　could　be　his　personal　foe；　of



that　he　was　assured。　His　desire　was　to　commend　them　one　and　all　alike；



counting　the　common　salvation　of　all　a　gain；　and　reckoning　it　as　a



loss　if　even　a　mean　man　perished。　For　thus　he　reasoned；　nor　made　a



secret　of　the　conclusion　he　had　come　to：　so　long　as　her　citizens



continued　tranquilly　adherent　to　the　laws　the　happiness　of　Sparta　was



secure。＇7＇　And　for　the　rest　Sparta　would　once　again　be　strong　on　that



day　when　the　states　of　Hellas　should　learn　wisdom。







＇3＇　Or；　〃he　was　at　the　same　time　the　most　obvious　in　his　allegiance　to



　　　　the　laws。〃







＇4＇　Lit。　〃would　have　taken　on　himself　。　。　。　would　have　ventured　on



　　　　revolution。〃







＇5＇　Lit。　〃as　a　father　to　his　children。〃







＇6＇　Or；　〃and　was　ready　to　stand　by　their　side　in　time　of　trouble。〃







＇7＇　Or；　〃For　this　was　the　clear　tenor　of　his　thought；　that　by　tranquil



　　　　continuance　within　the　laws　the　citizens　of　Sparta　might　secure



　　　　her　happiness。　And　as　to　power；　Sparta；　etc。〃　See　〃Mem。〃　II。　vi。



　　　　27。







And　if；　by　admission；　it　is　noble　for　every　Hellene　to　be　a　lover　of



his　fellow…Hellenes；　yet　we　must　fare　far　afield　to　find　another



instance　of　a　general　who；　expecting　to　sack　some　city；　would　have



refused　to　seize　the　prize；　or　who　regarded　victory　in　a　war　waged



against　fellow…Hellenes　as　a　species　of　calamity。　Yet　this　man　when　a



message　was　brought　him　concerning　the　battle　at　Corinth；＇8＇　in　which



but　eight　Lacedaemonians　had　fallen；　but　of　their　opponents　ten



thousand　nearly；　showed　no　sign　of　exultation；　but　sighed；　saying；



〃Alas　for　Hellas！　since　those　who　now　lie　in　their　graves；　were　able；



had　they　lived；　to　conquer　the　hosts　of　Asia。〃＇9＇　Again；　when　some



Corinthian　exiles　informed　him　that　their　city　was　ripe　for　surrender；



and　showed　him　the　engines　by　which　they　were　confident　they　would



take　the　walls；　he　refused　to　make　the　assault；　saying　that　Hellene



cities　ought　not　to　be　reduced　to　slavery；　but　brought　back　to　a



better　mind；＇10＇　and　added；　〃For　if　we　lop　off　our　offending　members；



haply　we　may　deprive　ourselves　of　the　means　to　master　the　barbarians。〃







＇8＇　B。C。　394。　See　〃Hell。〃　IV。　ii。　9…23；　Diod。　xiv。　83；　Grote；　〃H。　G。〃



　　　　ix。　429。







＇9＇　Lit。　〃all　the　barbarians。〃







＇10＇　See　〃Econ。〃　i。　23。







Again；　if　it　is　a　sacred　duty　to　hate　the　Persian；　who　of　old　set　out



on　a　campaign　to　enslave　Hellas；　the　Persian；　who　to…day　makes



alliance　with　these　（no　matter　to　him　which　the　party；　provided　it



will　help　him　to　work　the　greater　mischief＇11＇）；　or　gives　presents　to



those　（who　will　take　them　and　do　the　greatest　harm　to　his　foes　the



Hellenes）；　or　else　concocts　a　peace　that　shall　presently　involve　us　in



internecine　war；　as　he　anticipates：but　why　dwell　on　facts　so　patent？



I　ask；　did　ever　Hellene　before　Agesilaus　so　enter　heart　and　soul



upon　his　duty；　whether　it　were　to　help　some　tribe　to　throw　off　the



Persian　yoke；　or　to　save　from　destruction　a　revolted　district；　or　if



nothing　else；　at　any　rate　to　saddle　the　Persian　with　such　troubles　of



his　own　that　he　should　cease　to　trouble　Hellas？　An　ardent　hater　of



Persia　surely　was　he；　who；　when　his　own　country　was　at　war　with



Hellenes；　did　not　neglect　the　common　good　of　Hellas；　but　set　sail　to



wreak　what　harm　he　might　upon　the　barbarians。＇12＇







＇11＇　Or；　〃the　worse　the　mischief　he　can　work；　the　better　the　side。〃







＇12＇　See　Isocr。　〃Ep。〃　ix。　〃To　Archidamus；〃　S。　11…14。



















VIII







To　turn　to　another　side；　that　grace　of　manner　which　was　his；　claims



more　than　passing　recognition。　Here　was　a　man　to　whom　honour　was



vouchsafed　and　power　present；　and　who；　to　crown　all　else；　held　in　his



hands　the　sceptre　of　sovereigntya　kingship　not　plotted　against；　but



respected　and　beloved。　Yet　there　was　no　trace　of　arrogance　to　be　seen



in　him；　but　of　tender　affection　and　courteous　service　to　his　friends



proof　in　abundance　without　seeking。　Witness　the　zest　with　which　he



shared　in　the　round　of　lovers'　talk；＇1＇　the　zeal　with　which　he　threw



himself　into　the　serious　concerns＇2＇　of　friends。　By　dint　of　a　hopeful



and　cheery　disposition　and　unflagging　gaiety　of　heart　he　attracted　to



his　side　a　throng　of　visitors；　who　came；　not　simply　for　the



transaction　of　some　private　interest；　but　rather　to　pass　away　the　day



in　pleasant　sort。　Though　little　apt　himself　to　use　high…swelling



words；　it　did　not　annoy　him　to　hear　others　sounding　their　own　praises；



which　he　regarded　as　a　harmless　weakness；　the　pledge　at　least　of　high



endeavour＇3＇　in　the　future。







＇1＇　See　〃Hell。〃　V。　iii。　20；　〃Cyrop。〃　I。　iv。　27；　〃Econ。〃　ii。　7；　Plut。



　　　　〃Ages。〃　ii。；　xx。；　Lyc。　xx。







＇2＇　Or；　〃he　would　discuss　graver　matters；　according　to　the　humour　of



　　　　his　friends。〃







＇3＇　Or；　〃of　courageous　conduct；〃　〃noble　manhood。〃







But　that　he　was　capable　of　lofty　sentiment　and　at　the　right　season



must　not　be　overlooked。　Thus　when　a　letter　reached　him　from　the　king



（I　speak　of　that　which　was　brought　by　the　Persian　agent　in　company



with　Calleas＇4＇　of　Lacedaemon；　proposing　terms　of　hospitality　and



friendship　with　the　Persian　monarch）；　he　disdained　to　accept　it；



telling　the　bearer　to　take　back　to　the　king　this　answer：　〃He　need　not



be　at　pains　to　send　him　letters　in　private；　but　if　he　could　prove



himself　a　friend　to　Lacedaemon　and　the　well…wisher　of　Hellas　he　should



have　no　cause　to　blame　the　ardour　of　his　friendship；〃　but　added；　〃if



your　king　be　detected　plotting；　let　him　not　think　to　find　a　friend　in



me。　No；　not　if　he　sends　me　a　thousand　letters。〃　For　my　part；　then；　I



hold　it　praiseworthy　that；　by　comparison　with　pleasing　his　fellow…



Hellenes；　Agesilaus　scorned　such　friendship。　And　this；　too；　among　his



tenets　I　find　admirable：　the　truer　title　to　self…congratulation



belonged　not　to　the　millionaire；　the　master　of　many　legions；　but　to



him　rather；　who；　being　himself　a　better　man；　commanded　the　allegience



of　better　followers。







＇4＇　See　〃Hell。〃　IV。　i。　15；　Plut。　〃Apophth。　Lac。〃　p。　777；　Grote；　〃H。



　　　　G。〃　x。　402。







And　this；　in　proof　of　mental　forecast；　I　must　needs　praise　in　him。



Holding　to　the　belief　that　the　more　satraps　there　were　who　revolted



from　the　king　the　surer　the　gain　to　Hellas；　he　did　not　suffer　himself



to　be　seduced；　either　by　gifts　or　by　the　mightiness　in　his　power；　to



be　drawn　into　bonds　of　friendship　with　the　king；　but　took　precaution



rather　not　to　abuse　their　confidence　who　were　willing　to　revolt。







And　lastly；　as　beyond　all　controversy　admirable；　note　this　contrast：



First；　the　Persian；　who；　believing　that　in　the　multitude　of　his　riches



he　had　power　to　lay　all　things　under　his　feet；　would　fain　have　swept



into　his　coffers　all　the　gold　and　all　the　silver　of　mankind：　for　him；



and　him　alone；　the　costliest　and　most　precious　things　of　earth。　And



then　this　other；　who　contrariwise　so　furnished　his　establishment　as　to



be　totally　independent　of　every　adventitious　aid。＇5＇　And　if　any　one



doubts　the　statement；　let　him　look　and　see　with　what　manner　of



dwelling…place　he　was　contented；　let　him　view　the　palace　doors：　these



are　the　selfsame　doors；　he　might　well　imagine；　which　Aristodemus；＇6＇



the　great…great…grandson　of　Heracles；　took　and　set　up　in　the　days　of



the　return。　Let　him　endeavour　to　view　the　furniture　inside；　there　he



will　perceive　how　the　king　feasted　on　high　holy　days；　and　he　will　hear



how　the　king's　own　daughter　was　wont　to　drive　to　Amyclae　in　a　public



basket…carriage。＇7＇　Thus　it　was　that　by　the　adjustment　of　expenditure



to　income　he　was　never　driven　to　the　commission　of　any　unjust　deed　for



money's　sake。　And　yet　if　it　be　a　fine　thing　to　hold　a　fortress



impregnable　to　attck；　I　count　it　a　greater　glory　that　a　man　should



hold　the　fortress　of　his　soul　inviolable　against　the　assaults　of



riches；　pleasures；　fears。







＇5＇　Or；　〃of　all　such　external　needs