the history-第45部分

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　his　army　back；　he　would　have　done　the　wisest　thing　that　he　could　after　the　mistake　made　at　the　outset；　but　as　it　was；　he　took　no　manner　of　heed；　but　continued　to　march　forwards。　So　long　as　the　earth　gave　them　anything；　the　soldiers　sustained　life　by　eating　the　grass　and　herbs；　but　when　they　came　to　the　bare　sand；　a　portion　of　them　were　guilty　of　a　horrid　deed：　by　tens　they　cast　lots　for　a　man；　who　was　slain　to　be　the　food　of　the　others。　When　Cambyses　heard　of　these　doings；　alarmed　at　such　cannibalism；　he　gave　up　his　attack　on　Ethiopia；　and　retreating　by　the　way　he　had　come；　reached　Thebes；　after　he　had　lost　vast　numbers　of　his　soldiers。　From　Thebes　he　marched　down　to　Memphis；　where　he　dismissed　the　Greeks；　allowing　them　to　sail　home。　And　so　ended　the　expedition　against　Ethiopia。　　　　　The　men　sent　to　attack　the　Ammonians；　started　from　Thebes；　having　guides　with　them；　and　may　be　clearly　traced　as　far　as　the　city　Oasis；　which　is　inhabited　by　Samians；　said　to　be　of　the　tribe　Aeschrionia。　The　place　is　distant　from　Thebes　seven　days'　journey　across　the　sand；　and　is　called　in　our　tongue　〃the　Island　of　the　Blessed。〃　Thus　far　the　army　is　known　to　have　made　its　way；　but　thenceforth　nothing　is　to　be　heard　of　them；　except　what　the　Ammonians；　and　those　who　get　their　knowledge　from　them；　report。　It　is　certain　they　neither　reached　the　Ammonians；　nor　even　came　back　to　Egypt。　Further　than　this；　the　Ammonians　relate　as　follows：…　That　the　Persians　set　forth　from　Oasis　across　the　sand；　and　had　reached　about　half　way　between　that　place　and　themselves　when；　as　they　were　at　their　midday　meal；　a　wind　arose　from　the　south；　strong　and　deadly；　bringing　with　it　vast　columns　of　whirling　sand；　which　entirely　covered　up　the　troops　and　caused　them　wholly　to　disappear。　Thus；　according　to　the　Ammonians；　did　it　fare　with　this　army。　　　　　About　the　time　when　Cambyses　arrived　at　Memphis；　Apis　appeared　to　the　Egyptians。　Now　Apis　is　the　god　whom　the　Greeks　call　Epaphus。　As　soon　as　he　appeared；　straightway　all　the　Egyptians　arrayed　themselves　in　their　gayest　garments；　and　fell　to　feasting　and　jollity：　which　when　Cambyses　saw；　making　sure　that　these　rejoicings　were　on　account　of　his　own　ill　success；　he　called　before　him　the　officers　who　had　charge　of　Memphis；　and　demanded　of　them…　〃Why；　when　he　was　in　Memphis　before；　the　Egyptians　had　done　nothing　of　this　kind；　but　waited　until　now；　when　he　had　returned　with　the　loss　of　so　many　of　his　troops？〃　The　officers　made　answer；　〃That　one　of　their　gods　had　appeared　to　them；　a　god　who　at　long　intervals　of　time　had　been　accustomed　to　show　himself　in　Egypt…　and　that　always　on　his　appearance　the　whole　of　Egypt　feasted　and　kept　jubilee。〃　When　Cambyses　heard　this；　he　told　them　that　they　lied；　and　as　liars　he　condemned　them　all　to　suffer　death。　　　　　When　they　were　dead；　he　called　the　priests　to　his　presence；　and　questioning　them　received　the　same　answer；　whereupon　he　observed；　〃That　he　would　soon　know　whether　a　tame　god　had　really　come　to　dwell　in　Egypt〃…　and　straightway；　without　another　word；　he　bade　them　bring　Apis　to　him。　So　they　went　out　from　his　presence　to　fetch　the　god。　Now　this　Apis；　or　Epaphus；　is　the　calf　of　a　cow　which　is　never　afterwards　able　to　bear　young。　The　Egyptians　say　that　fire　comes　down　from　heaven　upon　the　cow；　which　thereupon　conceives　Apis。　The　calf　which　is　so　called　has　the　following　marks：…　He　is　black；　with　a　square　spot　of　white　upon　his　forehead；　and　on　his　back　the　figure　of　an　eagle；　the　hairs　in　his　tail　are　double；　and　there　is　a　beetle　upon　his　tongue。　　　　　When　the　priests　returned　bringing　Apis　with　them；　Cambyses；　like　the　harebrained　person　that　he　was；　drew　his　dagger；　and　aimed　at　the　belly　of　the　animal；　but　missed　his　mark；　and　stabbed　him　in　the　thigh。　Then　he　laughed；　and　said　thus　to　the　priests：…　〃Oh！　blockheads；　and　think　ye　that　gods　become　like　this；　of　flesh　and　blood；　and　sensible　to　steel？　A　fit　god　indeed　for　Egyptians；　such　an　one！　But　it　shall　cost　you　dear　that　you　have　made　me　your　laughing…stock。〃　When　he　had　so　spoken；　he　ordered　those　whose　business　it　was　to　scourge　the　priests；　and　if　they　found　any　of　the　Egyptians　keeping　festival　to　put　them　to　death。　Thus　was　the　feast　stopped　throughout　the　land　of　Egypt；　and　the　priests　suffered　punishment。　Apis；　wounded　in　the　thigh；　lay　some　time　pining　in　the　temple；　at　last　he　died　of　his　wound；　and　the　priests　buried　him　secretly　without　the　knowledge　of　Cambyses。　　　　　And　now　Cambyses；　who　even　before　had　not　been　quite　in　his　right　mind；　was　forthwith；　as　the　Egyptians　say；　smitten　with　madness　for　this　crime。　The　first　of　his　outrages　was　the　slaying　of　Smerdis；　his　full　brother；　whom　he　had　sent　back　to　Persia　from　Egypt　out　of　envy；　because　he　drew　the　bow　brought　from　the　Ethiopians　by　the　Icthyophagi　（which　none　of　the　other　Persians　were　able　to　bend）　the　distance　of　two　fingers'　breadth。　When　Smerdis　was　departed　into　Persia；　Cambyses　had　a　vision　in　his　sleep…　he　thought　a　messenger　from　Persia　came　to　him　with　tidings　that　Smerdis　sat　upon　the　royal　throne　and　with　his　head　touched　the　heavens。　Fearing　therefore　for　himself；　and　thinking　it　likely　that　his　brother　would　kill　him　and　rule　in　his　stead；　Cambyses　sent　into　Persia　Prexaspes；　whom　he　trusted　beyond　all　the　other　Persians；　bidding　him　put　Smerdis　to　death。　So　this　Prexaspes　went　up　to　Susa　and　slew　Smerdis。　Some　say　he　killed　him　as　they　hunted　together；　others；　that　he　took　him　down　to　the　Erythraean　Sea；　and　there　drowned　him。　　　　　This；　it　is　said；　was　the　first　outrage　which　Cambyses　committed。　The　second　was　the　slaying　of　his　sister；　who　had　accompanied　him　into　Egypt；　and　lived　with　him　as　his　wife；　though　she　was　his　full　sister；　the　daughter　both　of　his　father　and　his　mother。　The　way　wherein　he　had　made　her　his　wife　was　the　following：…It　was　not　the　custom　of　the　Persians；　before　his　time；　to　marry　their　sisters；　but　Cambyses；　happening　to　fall　in　love　with　one　of　his　and　wishing　to　take　her　to　wife；　as　he　knew　that　it　was　an　uncommon　thing；　called　together　the　royal　judges；　and　put　it　to　them；　〃whether　there　was　any　law　which　allowed　a　brother；　if　he　wished；　to　marry　his　sister？〃　Now　the　royal　judges　are　certain　picked　men　among　the　Persians；　who　hold　their　office　for　life；　or　until　they　are　found　guilty　of　some　misconduct。　By　them　justice　is　administered　in　Persia；　and　they　are　the　interpreters　of　the　old　laws；　all　disputes　being　referred　to　their　decision。　When　Cambyses；　therefore；　put　his　question　to　these　judges；　they　gave　him　an　answer　which　was　at　once　true　and　safe…　〃they　did　not　find　any　law；〃　they　said；　〃allowing　a　brother　to　take　his　sister　to　wife；　but　they　found　a　law；　that　the　king　of　the　Persians　might　do　whatever　he　pleased。〃　And　so　they　neither　warped　the　law　through　fear　of　Cambyses；　nor　ruined　themselves　by　over　stiffly　maintaining　the　law；　but　they　brought　another　quite　distinct　law　to　the　king's　help；　which　allowed　him　to　have　his　wish。　Cambyses；　therefore；　married　the　object　of　his　love；　and　no　long　time　afterwards　he　took　to　wife　another　sister。　It　was　the　younger　of　these　who　went　with　him　into　Egypt；　and　there　suffered　death　at　his　hands。　　　　　Concerning　the　manner　of　her　death；　as　concerning　that　of　Smerdis；　two　different　accounts　are　given。　The　story　which　the　Greeks　tell　is　that　Cambyses　had　set　a　young　dog　to　fight　the　cub　of　a　lioness…　his　wife　looking　on　at　the　time。　Now　the　dog　was　getting　the　worse；　when　a　pup　of　the　same　litter　broke　his　chain；　and　came　to　his　brother's　aid…　then　the　two　dogs　together　fought　the　lion；　and　conquered　him。　The　thing　greatly　pleased　Cambyses；　but　his　sister　who　was　sitting　by　shed　tears。　When　Cambyses　saw　this；　he　asked　her　why　she　wept：　whereon　she　told　him；　that　seeing　the　young　dog　come　to　his　brother's　aid　made　her　think　of　Smerdis；　whom　there　was　none　to　help。　For　this　speech；　the　Greeks　say；　Cambyses　put　her　to　death。　But　the　Egyptians　tell　the　story　thus：…　The　two　were　sitting　at　table；　when　the　sister　took　a　lettuce；　and　stripping　the　leaves　off；　asked　her　brother　〃when　he　thought　the　lettuce　looked　the　prettiest…　when　it　had　all　its　leaves　on；　or　now　that　it　was　stripped？〃　He　answered；　〃When　the　leaves　were　on。〃　〃But　thou；〃　she　rejoined；　〃hast　done　as　I　did　to　the　lettuce；　and　made　bare　the　house　of　Cyrus。〃　Then　Cambyses　was　wroth；　and　sprang　fiercely　upon　her；　though　she　was　with　child　at　the　time。　And　so　it　came　to　pass　that　she　miscarried　and　died。　　　　　Thus　mad　was　Cambyses　upon　his　own　kindred；　and　this　either　from　his　usage　of　Apis；　or　from　some　other　among　the　many　causes　from　which　calamities　are　wont　to　arise。　They　say　that　from　his　birth　he　was　afflicted　with　a　dreadful　disease；　the　disorder　which　some　call　〃the　sacred　sickness。〃　It　would　be　by　no　means　strange；　therefore；　if　his　mind　were　affected　in　some　degree；　seeing　that　his　body　laboured　under　so　sore　a　malady。　　　　　He　was　mad　also　upon　others　besides　his　kindred；　among　the　rest；　upon　Prexaspes；　the　man　whom　he　esteemed　beyond　all　the　rest　of　the　Persians；　who　carried　his　messages；　and　whose　son　held　the　office…　an　honour　of　no　small　account　in　Persia…　of　his　cupbearer。　Him　Cambyses　is　said　to　have　once　addressed　as　follows：…　〃What　sort　of　man；　Prexaspes；　do　the　Persians　think　me？　What　do　they　say　of　me？〃　Prexaspes　answered；　〃Oh！　sire；　they　praise　thee　greatly　in　all　things　but　one…　they　say　thou　art　too　much　given　to　love　of　wine。〃　Such　Prexaspes　told　him　was　the　judgment　of　the　Persians；　whereupon　Cambyses；　full　of　rage；　made　answer；　〃What？　they　say　now　that　I　drink　too　much　wine；　and　so　have　lost　my　senses；　and　am　gone　out　of　my　mind！　Then　their　former　speeches　about　me　were　untrue。〃　For　once；　when　the　Persians　were　sitting　with　him；　and　Croesus　was　by；　he　had　asked　them；　〃What　sort　of　man　they　thought　him　compared　to　his　father　Cyrus？〃　Hereon　they　had　answered；　〃That　he　surpassed　his　father；　for　he　was　lord　of　all　that　his　father　ever　ruled；　and　further　had　made　himself　master　of　Egypt；　and　the　sea。〃　Then　Croesus；　who　was　standing　near；　and　misliked　the　comparison；　spoke　thus　to　Cambyses：　〃In　my　judgment；　O　son　of　Cyrus；　thou　art　not　equal　to　thy　father；　for　thou　hast　not　yet　left　behind　thee　such　a　son　as　he。〃　Cambyses　was　delighted　when　he　heard　this　reply；　and　praised　the　judgment　of　Croesus。　　　　　Recollecting　these　answers；　Cam