the history-第131部分

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iving　by　a　most　nefarious　traffic。　Whenever　he　could　get　any　boys　of　unusual　beauty；　he　made　them　eunuchs；　and；　carrying　them　to　Sardis　or　Ephesus；　sold　them　for　large　sums　of　money。　For　the　barbarians　value　eunuchs　more　than　others；　since　they　regard　them　as　more　trustworthy。　Many　were　the　slaves　that　Panionius；　who　made　his　living　by　the　practice；　had　thus　treated；　and　among　them　was　this　Hermotimus　of　whom　I　have　here　made　mention。　However；　he　was　not　without　his　share　of　good　fortune；　for　after　a　while　he　was　sent　from　Sardis；　together　with　other　gifts；　as　a　present　to　the　king。　Nor　was　it　long　before　he　came　to　be　esteemed　by　Xerxes　more　highly　than　all　his　eunuchs。　　　　　When　the　king　was　on　his　way　to　Athens　with　the　Persian　army；　and　abode　for　a　time　at　Sardis；　Hermotimus　happened　to　make　a　journey　upon　business　into　Mysia；　and　there；　in　a　district　which　is　called　Atarneus；　but　belongs　to　Chios；　he　chanced　to　fall　in　with　Panionius。　Recognising　him　at　once；　he　entered　into　a　long　and　friendly　talk　with　him；　wherein　he　counted　up　the　numerous　blessings　he　enjoyed　through　his　means；　and　promised　him　all　manner　of　favours　in　return；　if　he　would　bring　his　household　to　Sardis　and　live　there。　Panionius　was　overjoyed；　and；　accepting　the　offer　made　him；　came　presently；　and　brought　with　him　his　wife　and　children。　Then　Hermotimus；　when　he　had　got　Panionius　and　all　his　family　into　his　power；　addressed　him　in　these　words：…　　　　　〃Thou　man；　who　gettest　a　living　by　viler　deeds　than　any　one　else　in　the　whole　world；　what　wrong　to　thee　or　thine　had　I　or　any　of　mine　done；　that　thou　shouldst　have　made　me　the　nothing　that　I　now　am？　Ah！　surely　thou　thoughtest　that　the　gods　took　no　note　of　thy　crimes。　But　they　in　their　justice　have　delivered　thee；　the　doer　of　unrighteousness；　into　my　hands；　and　now　thou　canst　not　complain　of　the　vengeance　which　I　am　resolved　to　take　on　thee。〃　　　　　After　these　reproaches；　Hermotimus　commanded　the　four　sons　of　Panionius　to　be　brought；　and　forced　the　father　to　make　them　eunuchs　with　his　own　hand。　Unable　to　resist；　he　did　as　Hermotimus　required；　and　then　his　sons　were　made　to　treat　him　in　the　self…same　way。　So　in　this　way　there　came　to　Panionius　requital　at　the　hands　of　Hermotimus。　　　　　Xerxes；　after　charging　Artemisia　to　convey　his　sons　safe　to　Ephesus；　sent　for　Mardonius；　and　bade　him　choose　from　all　his　army　such　men　as　he　wished；　and　see　that　he　made　his　achievements　answer　to　his　promises。　During　this　day　he　did　no　more；　but　no　sooner　was　night　come；　than　he　issued　his　orders；　and　at　once　the　captains　of　the　ships　left　Phalerum；　and　bore　away　for　the　Hellespont；　each　making　all　the　speed　he　could；　and　hasting　to　guard　the　bridges　against　the　king's　return。　On　their　way；　as　they　sailed　by　Zoster；　where　certain　narrow　points　of　land　project　into　the　sea；　they　took　the　cliffs　for　vessels；　and　fled　far　away　in　alarm。　Discovering　their　mistake；　however；　after　a　time；　they　joined　company　once　more；　and　proceeded　upon　their　voyage。　　　　　Next　day　the　Greeks；　seeing　the　land　force　of　the　barbarians　encamped　in　the　same　place；　thought　that　their　ships　must　still　be　lying　at　Phalerum；　and；　expecting　another　attack　from　that　quarter；　made　preparations　to　defend　themselves。　Soon　however　news　came　that　the　ships　were　all　departed　and　gone　away；　whereupon　it　was　instantly　resolved　to　make　sail　in　pursuit。　They　went　as　far　as　Andros；　but；　seeing　nothing　of　the　Persian　fleet；　they　stopped　at　that　place；　and　held　a　council　of　war。　At　this　council　Themistocles　advised　that　the　Greeks　should　follow　on　through　the　islands；　still　pressing　the　pursuit；　and　making　all　haste　to　the　Hellespont；　there　to　break　down　the　bridges。　Eurybiades；　however；　delivered　a　contrary　opinion。　〃If；〃　he　said；　〃the　Greeks　should　break　down　the　bridges；　it　would　be　the　worst　thing　that　could　possibly　happen　for　Greece。　The　Persian；　supposing　that　his　retreat　were　cut　off；　and　he　compelled　to　remain　in　Europe；　would　be　sure　never　to　give　them　any　peace。　Inaction　on　his　part　would　ruin　all　his　affairs；　and　leave　him　no　chance　of　ever　getting　back　to　Asia…　nay；　would　even　cause　his　army　to　perish　by　famine：　whereas；　if　he　bestirred　himself；　and　acted　vigorously；　it　was　likely　that　the　whole　of　Europe　would　in　course　of　time　become　subject　to　him；　since；　by　degrees；　the　various　towns　and　tribes　would　either　fall　before　his　arms；　or　else　agree　to　terms　of　submission；　and　in　this　way；　his　troops　would　find　food　sufficient　for　them；　since　each　year　the　Greek　harvest　would　be　theirs。　As　it　was；　the　Persian；　because　he　had　lost　the　sea…fight；　intended　evidently　to　remain　no　longer　in　Europe。　The　Greeks　ought　to　let　him　depart；　and　when　he　was　gone　from　among　them；　and　had　returned　into　his　own　country；　then　would　be　the　time　for　them　to　contend　with　him　for　the　possession　of　that。〃　　　　　The　other　captains　of　the　Peloponnesians　declared　themselves　of　the　same　mind。　　　　　Whereupon　Themistocles；　finding　that　the　majority　was　against　him；　and　that　he　could　not　persuade　them　to　push　on　to　the　Hellespont；　changed　round；　and　addressing　himself　to　the　Athenians；　who　of　all　the　allies　were　the　most　nettled　at　the　enemy's　escape；　and　who　eagerly　desired；　if　the　other　Greeks　would　not　stir；　to　sail　on　by　themselves　to　the　Hellespont　and　break　the　bridges；　spake　as　follows：…　　　　　〃I　have　often　myself　witnessed　occasions；　and　I　have　heard　of　many　more　from　others；　where　men　who　had　been　conquered　by　an　enemy；　having　been　driven　quite　to　desperation；　have　renewed　the　fight；　and　retrieved　their　former　disasters。　We　have　now　had　the　great　good　luck　to　save　both　ourselves　and　all　Greece　by　the　repulse　of　this　vast　cloud　of　men；　let　us　then　be　content　and　not　press　them　too　hard；　now　that　they　have　begun　to　fly。　Be　sure　we　have　not　done　this　by　our　own　might。　It　is　the　work　of　gods　and　heroes；　who　were　jealous　that　one　man　should　be　king　at　once　of　Europe　and　of　Asia…　more　especially　a　man　like　this；　unholy　and　presumptuous…　a　man　who　esteems　alike　things　sacred　and　things　profane；　who　has　cast　down　and　burnt　the　very　images　of　the　gods　themselves；　who　even　caused　the　sea　to　be　scourged　with　rods　and　commanded　fetters　to　be　thrown　into　it。　At　present　all　is　well　with　us…　let　us　then　abide　in　Greece；　and　look　to　ourselves　and　to　our　families。　The　barbarian　is　clean　gone…　we　have　driven　him　off…　let　each　now　repair　his　own　house；　and　sow　his　land　diligently。　In　the　spring　we　will　take　ship　and　sail　to　the　Hellespont　and　to　Ionia！〃　All　this　Themistocles　said　in　the　hope　of　establishing　a　claim　upon　the　king；　for　he　wanted　to　have　a　safe　retreat　in　case　any　mischance　should　befall　him　at　Athens…　which　indeed　came　to　pass　afterwards。　　　　　At　present；　however；　he　dissembled；　and　the　Athenians　were　persuaded　by　his　words。　For　they　were　ready　now　to　do　whatever　he　advised；　since　they　had　always　esteemed　him　a　wise　man；　and　he　had　lately　proved　himself　most　truly　wise　and　well…judging。　Accordingly；　they　came　in　to　his　views；　whereupon　he　lost　no　time　in　sending　messengers；　on　board　a　light　bark；　to　the　king；　choosing　for　this　purpose　men　whom　he　could　trust　to　keep　his　instructions　secret；　even　although　they　should　be　put　to　every　kind　of　torture。　Among　them　was　the　house…slave　Sicinnus；　the　same　whom　he　had　made　use　of　previously。　When　the　men　reached　Attica；　all　the　others　stayed　with　the　boat；　but　Sicinnus　went　up　to　the　king；　and　spake　to　him　as　follows：…　　　　　〃I　am　sent　to　thee　by　Themistocles；　the　son　of　Neocles；　who　is　the　leader　of　the　Athenians；　and　the　wisest　and　bravest　man　of　all　the　allies；　to　bear　thee　this　message：　'Themistocles　the　Athenian；　anxious　to　render　thee　a　service；　has　restrained　the　Greeks；　who　were　impatient　to　pursue　thy　ships；　and　to　break　up　the　bridges　at　the　Hellespont。　Now；　therefore；　return　home　at　thy　leisure。'〃　　　　　The　messengers；　when　they　had　performed　their　errand；　sailed　back　to　the　fleet。　　　　　And　the　Greeks；　having　resolved　that　they　would　neither　proceed　further　in　pursuit　of　the　barbarians；　nor　push　forward　to　the　Hellespont　and　destroy　the　passage；　laid　siege　to　Andros；　intending　to　take　the　town　by　storm。　For　Themistocles　had　required　the　Andrians　to　pay　down　a　sum　of　money；　and　they　had　refused；　being　the　first　of　all　the　islanders　who　did　so。　To　his　declaration；　〃that　the　money　must　needs　be　paid；　as　the　Athenians　had　brought　with　him　two　mighty　gods…　Persuasion　and　Necessity；〃　they　made　reply；　that　〃Athens　might　well　be　a　great　and　glorious　city；　since　she　was　blest　with　such　excellent　gods；　but　they　were　wretchedly　poor；　stinted　for　land；　and　cursed　with　two　unprofitable　gods；　who　always　dwelt　with　them　and　would　never　quit　their　island…　to　wit；　Poverty　and　Helplessness。　These　were　the　gods　of　the　Andrians；　and　therefore　they　would　not　pay　the　money。　For　the　power　of　Athens　could　not　possibly　be　stronger　than　their　inability。〃　This　reply；　coupled　with　the　refusal　to　pay　the　sum　required；　caused　their　city　to　be　besieged　by　the　Greeks。　　　　　Meanwhile　Themistocles；　who　never　ceased　his　pursuit　of　gain；　sent　threatening　messages　to　the　other　islanders　with　demands　for　different　sums；　employing　the　same　messengers　and　the　same　words　as　he　had　used　towards　the　Andrians。　〃If；〃　he　said；　〃they　did　not　send　him　the　amount　required；　he　would　bring　the　Greek　fleet　upon　them；　and　besiege　them　till　he　took　their　cities。〃　By　these　means　he　collected　large　sums　from　the　Carystians　and　the　Parians；　who；　when　they　heard　that　Andros　was　already　besieged；　and　that　Themistocles　was　the　best　esteemed　of　all　the　captains；　sent　the　money　through　fear。　Whether　any　of　the　other　islanders　did　the　like；　I　cannot　say　for　certain；　but　I　think　some　did　besides　those　I　have　mentioned。　However；　the　Carystians；　though　they　complied；　were　not　spared　any　the　more；　but　Themistocles　was　softened　by　the　Parians'　gift；　and　therefore　they　received　no　visit　from　the　army。　In　this　way　it　was　that　Themistocles；　during　his　stay　at　Andros；　obtained　money　from　the　islanders；　unbeknown　to　the　other　captains。　　　　　King　Xerxes　and　his　army　waited　but　a　few　days　after　the　sea…fight；　and　then　withdrew　into　Boeotia　by　the　road　which　they　had　followed　on　their　advance。　It　was　the　wish　of　Mardonius　to　escort　the　king　a　part　of　the　way；　and　as　the　time　of　year　was　no　longer　suitable　for　carrying　on　war；　he　thought　it　bes