phocion-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!
everywhere; that they conceived there could not be any pride; cruelty;
or anger arising in the heart of man; which would not at the mere
sight of him be subdued into something of reverence and admiration。
But the result; as it happened; was the very opposite; Antipater
showed such a want of feeling; and such a dislike of goodness。 He
saluted every one else; but would not so much as notice Xenocrates。
Xenocrates; they tell us; observed upon it; that Antipater; when
meditating such cruelty to Athens; did well to be ashamed of seeing
him。 When he began to speak; he would not hear him; but broke in and
rudely interrupted him; until at last he was obliged to be silent。 But
when Phocion had declared the purport of their embassy; he replied
shortly; that he would make peace with the Athenians on these
conditions; and no others; that Demosthenes and Hyperides should be
delivered up to him; that they should retain their ancient form of
government; the franchise being determined by a property
qualification; that they should receive a garrison into Munychia;
and pay a certain sum of the cost of the war。 As things stood; these
terms were judged tolerable by the rest of the ambassadors; Xenocrates
only said; that if Antipater considered the Athenians slaves; he was
treating them fairly; but if free; severely。 Phocion pressed him
only to spare them the garrison; and used many arguments and
entreaties。 Antipater replied; 〃Phocion; we are ready to do you any
favour; which will not bring ruin both on ourselves and on you。〃
Others report it differently; that Antipater asked Phocion;
supposing he remitted the garrison to the Athenians; would he;
Phocion; stand surety for the city's observing the terms and
attempting no revolution? And when he hesitated; and did not at once
reply; Callimedon; the Carabus; a hot partisan and professed enemy
of free states; cried out; 〃And if he should talk so idly;
Antipater; will you be so much abused as to believe him and not
carry out your own purpose?〃 So the Athenians received the garrison;
and Menyllus for the governor; a fair…dealing man; and one of
Phocion's acquaintance。
But the proceeding seemed sufficiently imperious and arbitrary;
indeed rather a spiteful and insulting ostentation of power; than that
the possession of the fortress would be of any great importance。 The
resentment felt upon it was heightened by the time it happened in; for
the garrison was brought in on the twentieth of the month of
Boedromion。 Just at the time of the great festival; when they carry
forth Iacchus with solemn pomp from the city to Eleusis; so that the
solemnity being disturbed; many began to call to mind instances;
both ancient and modern; of divine interventions and intimations。
For in old time; upon the occasions of their happiest successes; the
presence of the shapes and voices of the mystic ceremonies had been
vouchsafed to them; striking terror and amazement into their
enemies; but now; at the very season of their celebration; the gods
themselves stood witnesses of the saddest oppressions of Greece; the
most holy time being profaned; and their greatest jubilee made the
unlucky date of their most extreme calamity。 Not many years before;
they had a warning from the oracle at Dodona; that they should
carefully guard the summits of Diana; lest haply strangers should
seize them。 And about this very time; when they dyed the ribbons and
garlands with which they adorn the couches and cars of the procession;
instead of a purple; they received only a faint yellow colour; and
to make the omen yet greater; all the things that were dyed for common
use; took the natural colour。 While a candidate for initiation was
washing a young pig in the haven of Cantharus; a shark seized him; bit
off his lower parts up to the belly; and devoured them; by which the
god gave them manifestly to understand; that having lost the lower
town and sea…coast; they should keep only the upper city。
Menyllus was sufficient security that the garrison should behave
itself inoffensively。 But those who were now excluded from the
franchise by property amounted to more than twelve thousand; so that
both those that remained in the city thought themselves oppressed
and shamefully used; and those who on this account left their homes
and went away into Thrace; where Antipater offered them a town and
some territory to inhabit; regarded themselves only as a colony of
slaves and exiles。 And when to this was added the deaths of
Demosthenes at Calauria; and of Hyperides at Clonae; as we have
elsewhere related; the citizens began to think with regret of Philip
and Alexander; and almost to wish the return of those times。 And as;
after Antigonus was slain; when those that had taken him off were
afflicting and oppressing the people; a countryman in Phrygia; digging
in the fields; was asked what he was doing; 〃I am;〃 said he;
fetching a deep sigh; 〃searching for Antigonus;〃 so said many that
remembered those days; and the contests they had with those kings;
whose anger; however great; was yet generous and placable; whereas
Antipater; with the counterfeit humility of appearing like a private
man; in the meanness of his dress and his homely fare; merely belied
his real love of that arbitrary power; which he exercised; as a
cruel master and despot; to distress those under his command。 Yet
Phocion had interest with him to recall many from banishment by his
intercession; and prevailed also for those who were driven out; that
they might not; like others; be hurried beyond Taenarus; and the
mountains of Ceraunia; but remain in Greece; and plant themselves in
Peloponnesus; of which number was Agnonides; the sycophant。 He was
no less studious to manage the affairs within the city with equity and
moderation; preferring constantly those that were men of worth and
good education to the magistracies; and recommending the busy and
turbulent talkers; to whom it was a mortal blow to be excluded from
office and public debating; to learn to stay at home; and be content
to till their land。 And observing that Xenocrates paid his alien…tax
as a foreigner; he offered him the freedom of the city; which he
refused; saying he could not accept a franchise which he had been sent
as an ambassador to deprecate。
Menyllus wished to give Phocion a considerable present of money;
who; thanking him; said; neither was Menyllus greater than
Alexander; nor his own occasions more urgent to receive it now; than
when he refused it from him。 And on his pressing him to permit his son
Phocus to receive it; he replied; 〃If my son returns to a right
mind; his patrimony is sufficient; if not; all supplies will be
insufficient。〃 But to Antipater he answered more sharply; who would
have him engaged in something dishonourable。 〃Antipater;〃 said he;
〃cannot have me both as his friend and his flatterer。〃 And; indeed;
Antipater was wont to say he had two friends at Athens; Phocion and
Demades; the one would never suffer him to gratify him at all; the
other would never be satisfied。 Phocion might well think that
poverty a virtue; in which; after having so often been general of
the Athenians; and admitted to the friendship of potentates and
princes; he had now grown old。 Demades; meantime; delighted in
lavishing his wealth even in positive transgressions of the law。 For
there having been an order that no foreigner should be hired to
dance in any chorus on the penalty of a fine of one thousand
drachmas on the exhibitor; he had the vanity to exhibit an entire
chorus of a hundred foreigners; and paid down the penalty of a
thousand drachmas a head upon the stage itself。 Marrying his son
Demeas; he told him with the like vanity; 〃My son; when I married your
mother; it was done so privately it was not known to the next
neighbours; but kings and princes give presents at your nuptials。〃
The garrison in Munychia continued to be felt as a great
grievance; and the Athenians did not cease to be importunate upon
Phocion; to prevail with Antipater for its removal; but whether he
despaired of effecting it; or perhaps observed the people to be more
orderly; and public matters more reasonably conducted by the awe
that was thus created; he constantly declined the office; and
contented himself with obtaining from Antipater the postponement for
the present of the payment of the sum of money in which the city was
fined。 So the people; leaving him off applied themselves to Demades;
who readily undertook the employment; and took along with him his
son also into Macedonia; and some superior power; as it seems; so
ordering it; he came just at that nick of time when Antipater was
already seized with his sickness; and Cassander; taking upon himself
the command; had found a letter of Demades's; formerly written by
him to Antigonus in Asia recommending him to come and possess
himself of the empire of Greece and Macedon; now hanging; he said (a
scoff at Antipater); 〃by an old and rotten thread。〃 So when
Cassander saw him come; he seized him; and first brought out the
son。 and killed him so close before his face that the blood ran all
over his clothes and person; and then; after bitterly taunting and
upbraiding him with his ingratitude and treachery; despatched him
himself。
Antipater being dead; after nominating Polysperchon general…in…chief
and Cassander commander of the cavalry; Cassander at once set up for
himself; and immediately despatched Nicanor to Menyllus; to succeed
him in the command of the garrison; commanding him to possess
himself of Munychia before the news of Antipater's death should be
heard; which being done; and some days after the Athenians hearing the
report of it; Phocion was taxed as privy to it before; and censured
heavily for dissembling it; out of friendship for Nicanor。 But he
slighted their talk; and making it his duty to visit and confer
continually with Nicanor; he succeeded in procuring his good…will
and kindness for the Athenians; and induced him even to put himself to
trouble and expense to seek popularity with them; by undertaking the
office of presiding at the games。
In the meantime Polysperchon; who was intrusted with the charge of
the king; to countermine Cassander; sent a le