the history-第7部分

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e　Athenians　from　the　city　had　just　finished　their　midday　meal；　after　which　they　had　betaken　themselves；　some　to　dice；　others　to　sleep；　when　Pisistratus　with　his　troops　fell　upon　them　and　put　them　to　the　rout。　As　soon　as　the　flight　began；　Pisistratus　bethought　himself　of　a　most　wise　contrivance；　whereby　the　might　be　induced　to　disperse　and　not　unite　in　a　body　any　more。　He　mounted　his　sons　on　horseback　and　sent　them　on　in　front　to　overtake　the　fugitives；　and　exhort　them　to　be　of　good　cheer；　and　return　each　man　to　his　home。　The　Athenians　took　the　advice；　and　Pisistratus　became　for　the　third　time　master　of　Athens。　　　　　Upon　this　he　set　himself　to　root　his　power　more　firmly；　by　the　aid　of　a　numerous　body　of　mercenaries；　and　by　keeping　up　a　full　exchequer；　partly　supplied　from　native　sources；　partly　from　the　countries　about　the　river　Strymon。　He　also　demanded　hostages　from　many　of　the　Athenians　who　had　remained　at　home；　and　not　left　Athens　at　his　approach；　and　these　he　sent　to　Naxos；　which　he　had　conquered　by　force　of　arms；　and　given　over　into　the　charge　of　Lygdamis。　Farther；　he　purified　the　island　of　Delos；　according　to　the　injunctions　of　an　oracle；　after　the　following　fashion。　All　the　dead　bodies　which　had　been　interred　within　sight　of　the　temple　he　dug　up；　and　removed　to　another　part　of　the　isle。　Thus　was　the　tyranny　of　Pisistratus　established　at　Athens；　many　of　the　Athenians　having　fallen　in　the　battle；　and　many　others　having　fled　the　country　together　with　the　son　of　Alcmaeon。　　　　　Such　was　the　condition　of　the　Athenians　when　Croesus　made　inquiry　concerning　them。　Proceeding　to　seek　information　concerning　the　Lacedaemonians；　he　learnt　that；　after　passing　through　a　period　of　great　depression；　they　had　lately　been　victorious　in　a　war　with　the　people　of　Tegea；　for；　during　the　joint　reign　of　Leo　and　Agasicles；　kings　of　Sparta；　the　Lacedaemonians；　successful　in　all　their　other　wars；　suffered　continual　defeat　at　the　hands　of　the　Tegeans。　At　a　still　earlier　period　they　had　been　the　very　worst　governed　people　in　Greece；　as　well　in　matters　of　internal　management　as　in　their　relations　towards　foreigners；　from　whom　they　kept　entirely　aloof。　The　circumstances　which　led　to　their　being　well　governed　were　the　following：…　Lycurgus；　a　man　of　distinction　among　the　Spartans；　had　gone　to　Delphi；　to　visit　the　oracle。　Scarcely　had　he　entered　into　the　inner　fane；　when　the　Pythoness　exclaimed　aloud；

　　　　Oh！　thou　great　Lycurgus；　that　com'st　to　my　beautiful　dwelling；　　　　　Dear　to　love；　and　to　all　who　sit　in　the　halls　of　Olympus；　　　　　Whether　to　hail　thee　a　god　I　know　not；　or　only　a　mortal；　　　　　But　my　hope　is　strong　that　a　god　thou　wilt　prove；　Lycurgus。

Some　report　besides；　that　the　Pythoness　delivered　to　him　the　entire　system　of　laws　which　are　still　observed　by　the　Spartans。　The　Lacedaemonians；　however。　themselves　assert　that　Lycurgus；　when　he　was　guardian　of　his　nephew；　Labotas；　king　of　Sparta；　and　regent　in　his　room；　introduced　them　from　Crete；　for　as　soon　as　he　became　regent；　he　altered　the　whole　of　the　existing　customs；　substituting　new　ones；　which　he　took　care　should　be　observed　by　all。　After　this　he　arranged　whatever　appertained　to　war；　establishing　the　Enomotiae；　Triacades；　and　Syssitia；　besides　which　he　instituted　the　senate；'　and　the　ephoralty。　Such　was　the　way　in　which　the　Lacedaemonians　became　a　well…governed　people。　　　　　On　the　death　of　Lycurgus　they　built　him　a　temple；　and　ever　since　they　have　worshipped　him　with　the　utmost　reverence。　Their　soil　being　good　and　the　population　numerous；　they　sprang　up　rapidly　to　power；　and　became　a　flourishing　people。　In　consequence　they　soon　ceased　to　be　satisfied　to　stay　quiet；　and；　regarding　the　Arcadians　as　very　much　their　inferiors；　they　sent　to　consult　the　oracle　about　conquering　the　whole　of　Arcadia。　The　Pythoness　thus　answered　them：

　　　　Cravest　thou　Arcady？　Bold　is　thy　craving。　I　shall　not　content　it。　　　　　Many　the　men　that　in　Arcady　dwell；　whose　food　is　the　acorn…　　　　　They　will　never　allow　thee。　It　is　not　I　that　am　niggard。　　　　　I　will　give　thee　to　dance　in　Tegea；　with　noisy　foot…fall；　　　　　And　with　the　measuring　line　mete　out　the　glorious　champaign。

When　the　Lacedaemonians　received　this　reply；　leaving　the　rest　of　Arcadia　untouched；　they　marched　against　the　Tegeans；　carrying　with　them　fetters；　so　confident　had　this　oracle　（which　was；　in　truth；　but　of　base　metal）　made　them　that　they　would　enslave　the　Tegeans。　The　battle；　however；　went　against　them；　and　many　fell　into　the　enemy's　hands。　Then　these　persons；　wearing　the　fetters　which　they　had　themselves　brought；　and　fastened　together　in　a　string；　measured　the　Tegean　plain　as　they　executed　their　labours。　The　fetters　in　which　they　worked　were　still；　in　my　day；　preserved　at　Tegea　where　they　hung　round　the　walls　of　the　temple　of　Minerva　Alea。　　　　　Throughout　the　whole　of　this　early　contest　with　the　Tegeans；　the　Lacedaemonians　met　with　nothing　but　defeats；　but　in　the　time　of　Croesus；　under　the　kings　Anaxandrides　and　　Aristo；　fortune　had　turned　in　their　favour；　in　the　manner　which　I　will　now　relate。　Having　been　worsted　in　every　engagement　by　their　enemy；　they　sent　to　Delphi；　and　inquired　of　the　oracle　what　god　they　must　propitiate　to　prevail　in　the　war　against　the　Tegeans。　The　answer　of　the　Pythoness　was　that　before　they　could　prevail；　they　must　remove　to　Sparta　the　bones　of　Orestes；　the　son　of　Agamemnon。　Unable　to　discover　his　burial…place；　they　sent　a　second　time；　and　asked　the　god　where　the　body　of　the　hero　had　been　laid。　The　following　was　the　answer　they　received：…

　　　　Level　and　smooth　is　the　plain　where　Arcadian　Tegea　standeth；　　　　　There　two　winds　are　ever；　by　strong　necessity；　blowing；　　　　　Counter…stroke　answers　stroke；　and　evil　lies　upon　evil。　　　　　There　all…teeming　Earth　doth　harbour　the　son　of　Atrides；　　　　　Bring　thou　him　to　thy　city；　and　then　be　Tegea's　master。

After　this　reply；　the　Lacedaemonians　were　no　nearer　discovering　the　burial…place　than　before；　though　they　continued　to　search　for　it　diligently；　until　at　last　a　man　named　Lichas；　one　of　the　Spartans　called　Agathoergi；　found　it。　The　Agathoergi　are　citizens　who　have　just　served　their　time　among　the　knights。　The　five　eldest　of　the　knights　go　out　every　year；　and　are　bound　during　the　year　after　their　discharge　to　go　wherever　the　State　sends　them；　and　actively　employ　themselves　in　its　service。　　　　　Lichas　was　one　of　this　body　when；　partly　by　good　luck；　partly　by　his　own　wisdom；　he　discovered　the　burial…place。　Intercourse　between　the　two　States　existing　just　at　this　time；　he　went　to　Tegea；　and；　happening　to　enter　into　the　workshop　of　a　smith；　he　saw　him　forging　some　iron。　As　he　stood　marvelling　at　what　he　beheld；　he　was　observed　by　the　smith　who；　leaving　off　his　work；　went　up　to　him　and　said；　　　　　〃Certainly；　then；　you　Spartan　stranger；　you　would　have　been　wonderfully　surprised　if　you　had　seen　what　I　have；　since　you　make　a　marvel　even　of　the　working　in　iron。　I　wanted　to　make　myself　a　well　in　this　room；　and　began　to　dig　it；　when　what　think　you？　I　came　upon　a　coffin　seven　cubits　long。　I　had　never　believed　that　men　were　taller　in　the　olden　times　than　they　are　now；　so　I　opened　the　coffin。　The　body　inside　was　of　the　same　length：　I　measured　it；　and　filled　up　the　hole　again。〃　　　　　Such　was　the　man's　account　of　what　he　had　seen。　The　other；　on　turning　the　matter　over　in　his　mind；　conjectured　that　this　was　the　body　of　Orestes；　of　which　the　oracle　had　spoken。　He　guessed　so；　because　he　observed　that　the　smithy　had　two　bellows；　which　he　understood　to　be　the　two　winds；　and　the　hammer　and　anvil　would　do　for　the　stroke　and　the　counterstroke；　and　the　iron　that　was　being　wrought　for　the　evil　lying　upon　evil。　This　he　imagined　might　be　so　because　iron　had　been　discovered　to　the　hurt　of　man。　Full　of　these　conjectures；　he　sped　back　to　Sparta　and　laid　the　whole　matter　before　his　countrymen。　Soon　after；　by　a　concerted　plan；　they　brought　a　charge　against　him；　and　began　a　prosecution。　Lichas　betook　himself　to　Tegea；　and　on　his　arrival　acquainted　the　smith　with　his　misfortune；　and　proposed　to　rent　his　room　of　him。　The　smith　refused　for　some　time；　but　at　last　Lichas　persuaded　him；　and　took　up　his　abode　in　it。　Then　he　opened　the　grave；　and　collecting　the　bones；　returned　with　them　to　Sparta。　From　henceforth；　whenever　the　Spartans　and　the　Tegeans　made　trial　of　each　other's　skill　in　arms；　the　Spartans　always　had　greatly　the　advantage；　and　by　the　time　to　which　we　are　now　come　they　were　masters　of　most　of　the　Peloponnese。　　　　　Croesus；　informed　of　all　these　circumstances；　sent　messengers　to　Sparta；　with　gifts　in　their　hands；　who　were　to　ask　the　Spartans　to　enter　into　alliance　with　him。　They　received　strict　injunctions　as　to　what　they　should　say；　and　on　their　arrival　at　Sparta　spake　as　follows：…　　　　　〃Croesus；　king　of　the　Lydians　and　of　other　nations；　has　sent　us　to　speak　thus　to　you：　'Oh　Lacedaemonians；　the　god　has　bidden　me　to　make　the　Greek　my　friend；　I　therefore　apply　to　you；　in　conformity　with　the　oracle；　knowing　that　you　hold　the　first　rank　in　Greece；　and　desire　to　become　your　friend　and　ally　in　all　true　faith　and　honesty。'〃　　　　　Such　was　the　message　which　Croesus　sent　by　his　heralds。　The　Lacedaemonians；　who　were　aware　beforehand　of　the　reply　given　him　by　the　oracle；　were　full　of　joy　at　the　coming　of　the　messengers；　and　at　once　took　the　oaths　of　friendship　and　alliance：　this　they　did　the　more　readily　as　they　had　previously　contracted　certain　obligations　towards　him。　They　had　sent　to　Sardis　on　one　occasion　to　purchase　some　gold；　intending　to　use　it　on　a　statue　of　Apollo…　the　statue；　namely；　which　remains　to　this　day　at　Thornax　in　Laconia；　when　Croesus；　hearing　of　the　matter；　gave　them　as　a　gift　the　gold　which　they　wanted。　　　　　This　was　one　reason　why　the　Lacedaemonians　were　so　willing　to　make　the　alliance：　another　was；　because　Croesus　had　chosen　them　for　his　friends　in　preference　to　all　the　other　Greeks。　They　therefore　held　themselves　in　readiness　to　come　at　his　summons；　and　not　content　with　so　doing；　they　further　had　a　huge　vase　made　in　bronze；　covered　with　figures　of　animals　all　round　the　outside　of　the　rim；　and　large　enough　to　contain　three　hundred　amphorae；　which　they　sent　to　Croesus　as　a　return　for　his　presents　to　them。　The　vase；　however；　never　reached　Sardis。　Its　miscarriage　is　accounted　for　in　two　quite　different　ways。　The　Lacedaemonian　sto