the history-第42部分

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so　done；　he　was　bound　to　sail　in　his　ship　to　the　Canobic　mouth；　or　were　that　impossible　owing　to　contrary　winds；　he　must　take　his　wares　by　boat　all　round　the　Delta；　and　so　bring　them　to　Naucratis；　which　had　an　exclusive　privilege。　　　　　It　happened　in　the　reign　of　Amasis　that　the　temple　of　Delphi　had　been　accidentally　burnt；　and　the　Amphictyons　had　contracted　to　have　it　rebuilt　for　three　hundred　talents；　of　which　sum　one…fourth　was　to　be　furnished　by　the　Delphians。　Under　these　circumstances　the　Delphians　went　from　city　to　city　begging　contributions；　and　among　their　other　wanderings　came　to　Egypt　and　asked　for　help。　From　few　other　places　did　they　obtain　so　much…　Amasis　gave　them　a　thousand　talents　of　alum；　and　the　Greek　settlers　twenty　minae。　　　　　A　league　was　concluded　by　Amasis　with　the　Cyrenaeans；　by　which　Cyrene　and　Egypt　became　close　friends　and　allies。　He　likewise　took　a　wife　from　that　city；　either　as　a　sign　of　his　friendly　feeling；　or　because　he　had　a　fancy　to　marry　a　Greek　woman。　However　this　may　be；　certain　it　is　that　he　espoused　a　lady　of　Cyrene；　by　name　Ladice；　daughter；　some　say；　of　Battus　or　Arcesilaus；　the　king…　others；　of　Critobulus；　one　of　the　chief　citizens。　When　the　time　came　to　complete　the　contract；　Amasis　was　struck　with　weakness。　Astonished　hereat…　for　he　was　not　wont　to　be　so　afflicted…　the　king　thus　addressed　his　bride：　〃Woman；　thou　hast　certainly　bewitched　me…　now　therefore　be　sure　thou　shalt　perish　more　miserably　than　ever　woman　perished　yet。〃　Ladice　protested　her　innocence；　but　in　vain；　Amasis　was　not　softened。　Hereupon　she　made　a　vow　internally；　that　if　he　recovered　within　the　day　（for　no　longer　time　was　allowed　her）；　she　would　present　a　statue　to　the　temple　of　Venus　at　Cyrene。　Immediately　she　obtained　her　wish；　and　the　king's　weakness　disappeared。　Amasis　loved　her　greatly　ever　after；　and　Ladice　performed　her　vow。　The　statue　which　she　caused　to　be　made；　and　sent　to　Cyrene　continued　there　to　my　day；　standing　with　its　face　looking　outwards　from　the　city。　Ladice　herself；　when　Cambyses　conquered　Egypt；　suffered　no　wrong；　for　Cambyses；　on　learning　of　her　who　she　was；　sent　her　back　unharmed　to　her　country。　　　　　Besides　the　marks　of　favour　already　mentioned；　Amasis　also　enriched　with　offerings　many　of　the　Greek　temples。　He　sent　to　Cyrene　a　statue　of　Minerva　covered　with　plates　of　gold；　and　a　painted　likeness　of　himself。　To　the　Minerva　of　Lindus　he　gave　two　statues　in　stone；　and　a　linen　corslet　well　worth　inspection。　To　the　Samian　Juno　he　presented　two　statues　of　himself；　made　in　wood；　which　stood　in　the　great　temple　to　my　day；　behind　the　doors。　Samos　was　honoured　with　these　gifts　on　account　of　the　bond　of　friendship　subsisting　between　Amasis　and　Polycrates；　the　son　of　Aeaces：　Lindus；　for　no　such　reason；　but　because　of　the　tradition　that　the　daughters　of　Danaus　touched　there　in　their　flight　from　the　sons　of　Aegyptus；　and　built　the　temple　of　Minerva。　Such　were　the　offerings　of　Amasis。　He　likewise　took　Cyprus；　which　no　man　had　ever　done　before；　and　compelled　it　to　pay　him　a　tribute。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　The　Third　Book；　Entitled　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THALIA

　　　　The　above…mentioned　Amasis　was　the　Egyptian　king　against　whom　Cambyses；　son　of　Cyrus；　made　his　expedition；　and　with　him　went　an　army　composed　of　the　many　nations　under　his　rule；　among　them　being　included　both　Ionic　and　Aeolic　Greeks。　The　reason　of　the　invasion　was　the　following。　Cambyses；　by　the　advice　of　a　certain　Egyptian；　who　was　angry　with　Amasis　for　having　torn　him　from　his　wife　and　children　and　given　him　over　to　the　Persians；　had　sent　a　herald　to　Amasis　to　ask　his　daughter　in　marriage。　His　adviser　was　a　physician；　whom　Amasis；　when　Cyrus　had　requested　that　he　would　send　him　the　most　skilful　of　all　the　Egyptian　eye…doctors；　singled　out　as　the　best　from　the　whole　number。　Therefore　the　Egyptian　bore　Amasis　a　grudge；　and　his　reason　for　urging　Cambyses　to　ask　the　hand　of　the　king's　daughter　was；　that　if　he　complied；　it　might　cause　him　annoyance；　if　he　refused；　it　might　make　Cambyses　his　enemy。　When　the　message　came；　Amasis；　who　much　dreaded　the　power　of　the　Persians；　was　greatly　perplexed　whether　to　give　his　daughter　or　no；　for　that　Cambyses　did　not　intend　to　make　her　his　wife；　but　would　only　receive　her　as　his　concubine；　he　knew　for　certain。　He　therefore　cast　the　matter　in　his　mind；　and　finally　resolved　what　he　would　do。　There　was　a　daughter　of　the　late　king　Apries；　named　Nitetis；　a　tall　and　beautiful　woman；　the　last　survivor　of　that　royal　house。　Amasis　took　this　woman；　and　decking　her　out　with　gold　and　costly　garments；　sent　her　to　Persia　as　if　she　had　been　his　own　child。　Some　time　afterwards；　Cambyses；　as　he　gave　her　an　embrace；　happened　to　call　her　by　her　father's　name；　whereupon　she　said　to　him；　〃I　see；　O　king；　thou　knowest　not　how　thou　has　been　cheated　by　Amasis；　who　took　me；　and；　tricking　me　out　with　gauds；　sent　me　to　thee　as　his　own　daughter。　But　I　am　in　truth　the　child　of　Apries；　who　was　his　lord　and　master；　until　he　rebelled　against　him；　together　with　the　rest　of　the　Egyptians；　and　put　him　to　death。〃　It　was　this　speech；　and　the　cause　of　quarrel　it　disclosed；　which　roused　the　anger　of　Cambyses；　son　of　Cyrus；　and　brought　his　arms　upon　Egypt。　Such　is　the　Persian　story。　　　　　The　Egyptians；　however；　claim　Cambyses　as　belonging　to　them；　declaring　that　he　was　the　son　of　this　Nitetis。　It　was　Cyrus；　they　say；　and　not　Cambyses；　who　sent　to　Amasis　for　his　daughter。　But　here　they　mis…state　the　truth。　Acquainted　as　they　are　beyond　all　other　men　with　the　laws　and　customs　of　the　Persians；　they　cannot　but　be　well　aware；　first；　that　it　is　not　the　Persian　wont　to　allow　a　bastard　to　reign　when　there　is　a　legitimate　heir；　and　next；　that　Cambyses　was　the　son　of　Cassandane；　the　daughter　of　Pharnaspes；　an　Achaemenian；　and　not　of　this　Egyptian。　But　the　fact　is　that　they　pervert　history　in　order　to　claim　relationship　with　the　house　of　Cyrus。　Such　is　the　truth　of　this　matter。　　　　　I　have　also　heard　another　account；　which　I　do　not　at　all　believe：　that　a　Persian　lady　came　to　visit　the　wives　of　Cyrus；　and　seeing　how　tall　and　beautiful　were　the　children　of　Cassandane；　then　standing　by；　broke　out　into　loud　praise　of　them；　and　admired　them　exceedingly。　But　Cassandane；　wife　of　Cyrus；　answered；　〃Though　such　the　children　I　have　borne　him；　yet　Cyrus　slights　me　and　gives　all　his　regard　to　the　new…comer　from　Egypt。〃　Thus　did　she　express　her　vexation　on　account　of　Nitetis：　whereupon　Cambyses；　the　eldest　of　her　boys；　exclaimed；　〃Mother；　when　I　am　a　man；　I　will　turn　Egypt　upside　down　for　you。〃　He　was　but　ten　years　old；　as　the　tale　runs；　when　he　said　this；　and　astonished　all　the　women；　yet　he　never　forgot　it　afterwards；　and　on　this　account；　they　say；　when　he　came　to　be　a　man；　and　mounted　the　throne；　he　made　his　expedition　against　Egypt。　　　　　There　was　another　matter；　quite　distinct；　which　helped　to　bring　about　the　expedition。　One　of　the　mercenaries　of　Amasis；　a　Halicarnassian；　Phanes　by　name；　a　man　of　good　judgment；　and　a　brave　warrior；　dissatisfied　for　some　reason　or　other　with　his　master；　deserted　the　service；　and　taking　ship；　fled　to　Cambyses；　wishing　to　get　speech　with　him。　As　he　was　a　person　of　no　small　account　among　the　mercenaries；　and　one　who　could　give　very　exact　intelligence　about　Egypt；　Amasis；　anxious　to　recover　him；　ordered　that　he　should　be　pursued。　He　gave　the　matter　in　charge　to　one　of　the　most　trusty　of　the　eunuchs；　who　went　in　quest　of　the　Halicarnassian　in　a　vessel　of　war。　The　eunuch　caught　him　in　Lycia；　but　did　not　contrive　to　bring　him　back　to　Egypt；　for　Phanes　outwitted　him　by　making　his　guards　drunk；　and　then　escaping　into　Persia。　Now　it　happened　that　Cambyses　was　meditating　his　attack　on　Egypt；　and　doubting　how　he　might　best　pass　the　desert；　when　Phanes　arrived；　and　not　only　told　him　all　the　secrets　of　Amasis；　but　advised　him　also　how　the　desert　might　be　crossed。　He　counselled　him　to　send　an　ambassador　to　the　king　of　the　Arabs；　and　ask　him　for　safe…conduct　through　the　region。　　　　　Now　the　only　entrance　into　Egypt　is　by　this　desert：　the　country　from　Phoenicia　to　the　borders　of　the　city　Cadytis　belongs　to　the　people　called　the　Palaestine　Syrians；　from　Cadytis；　which　it　appears　to　me　is　a　city　almost　as　large　as　Sardis；　the　marts　upon　the　coast　till　you　reach　Jenysus　are　the　Arabian　king's；　after　Jenysus　the　Syrians　again　come　in；　and　extend　to　Lake　Serbonis；　near　the　place　where　Mount　Casius　juts　out　into　the　sea。　At　Lake　Serbonis；　where　the　tale　goes　that　Typhon　hid　himself；　Egypt　begins。　Now　the　whole　tract　between　Jenysus　on　the　one　side；　and　Lake　Serbonis　and　Mount　Casius　on　the　other；　and　this　is　no　small　space；　being　as　much　as　three　days'　journey；　is　a　dry　desert　without　a　drop　of　water。　　　　　I　shall　now　mention　a　thing　of　which　few　of　those　who　sail　to　Egypt　are　aware。　Twice　a　year　wine　is　brought　into　Egypt　from　every　part　of　Greece；　as　well　as　from　Phoenicia；　in　earthen　jars；　and　yet　in　the　whole　country　you　will　nowhere　see；　as　I　may　say；　a　single　jar。　What　then；　every　one　will　ask；　becomes　of　the　jars？　This；　too；　I　will　clear　up。　The　burgomaster　of　each　town　has　to　collect　the　wine…jars　within　his　district；　and　to　carry　them　to　Memphis；　where　they　are　all　filled　with　water　by　the　Memphians；　who　then　convey　them　to　this　desert　tract　of　Syria。　And　so　it　comes　to　pass　that　all　the　jars　which　enter　Egypt　year　by　year；　and　are　there　put　up　to　sale；　find　their　way　into　Syria；　whither　all　the　old　jars　have　gone　before　them。　　　　　This　way　of　keeping　the　passage　into　Egypt　fit　for　use　by　storing　water　there；　was　begun　by　the　Persians　so　soon　as　they　became　masters　of　that　country。　As；　however；　at　the　time　of　which　we　speak　the　tract　had　not　yet　been　so　supplied；　Cambyses　took　the　advice　of　his　Halicarnassian　guest；　and　sent　messengers　to　the　Arabian　to　beg　a　safe…conduct　through　the　region。　The　Arabian　granted　his　prayer；　and　each　pledged　faith　to　the　other。　　　　　The　Arabs　keep　such　pledges　more　religiously　than　almost　any　other　people。　They　plight　faith　with　the　forms　following。　When　two　men　would　swear　a　friendship；　they　stand　on　each　side　of　a　third：　he　with　a　sharp　stone　makes　a　cut　on　the　inside　of　the　hand　of　each　near　the　middle　finger；　and；　taking　a　piece　from　their　dress；　dips　it　in　the　blood　of　each；　and　moistens　therewith　seven　stones　lying　in　the　midst；　calling　t