philopoemen-第4部分

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Philopoemen　laid　hold　of　the　occasion；　and　coming　upon　them　with　an
army；　prevailed　with　some　by　persuasion；　with　others　by　fear；　till
he　brought　the　whole　city　over　to　the　Achaeans。　As　it　was　no　small
matter　for　Sparta　to　become　a　member　of　Achaea；　this　action　gained　him
infinite　praise　from　the　Achaeans；　for　having　strengthened　their
confederacy　by　the　addition　of　so　great　and　powerful　a　city；　and　not　a
little　good…will　from　the　nobility　of　Sparta　itself；　who　hoped　they
had　now　procured　an　ally　who　would　defend　their　freedom。
Accordingly；　having　raised　a　sum　of　one　hundred　and　twenty　silver
talents　by　the　sale　of　the　house　and　goods　of　Nabis；　they　decreed
him　the　money；　and　sent　a　deputation　in　the　name　of　the　city　to
present　it。　But　here　the　honesty　of　Philopoemen　showed　itself
clearly　to　be　a　real；　uncounterfeited　virtue。　For；　first　of　all；　there
was　not　a　man　among　them　who　would　undertake　to　make　him　this　offer　of
a　present；　but　every　one　excusing　himself；　and　shifting　it　off　upon
his　fellow；　they　laid　the　office　at　last　on　Timolaus；　with　whom　he　had
lodged　at　Sparta。　Then　Timolaus　came　to　Megalopolis；　and　was
entertained　by　Philopoemen；　but　struck　into　admiration　with　the
dignity　of　his　life　and　manners；　and　the　simplicity　of　his　habits；
judging　him　to　be　utterly　inaccessible　to　any　such　considerations；
he　said　nothing；　but　pretending　other　business；　returned　without　a
word　mentioned　of　the　present。　He　was　sent　again；　and　did　just　as
formerly。　But　the　third　time　with　much　ado；　and　faltering　in　his
words；　he　acquainted　Philopoemen　with　the　good…will　of　the　city　of
Sparta　to　him。　Philopoemen　listened　obligingly　and　gladly；　and　then
went　himself　to　Sparta；　where　he　advised　them；　not　to　bribe　good　men
and　their　friends；　of　whose　virtue　they　might　be　sure　without　charge
to　themselves；　but　to　buy　off　and　silence　ill　citizens；　who　disquieted
the　city　with　their　seditious　speeches　in　the　public　assemblies；　for
it　was　better　to　bar　liberty　of　speech　in　enemies　than　friends。　Thus
it　appeared　how　much　Philopoemen　was　above　bribery。
　　Diophanes　being　afterwards　general　of　the　Achaeans；　and　hearing
the　Lacedaemonians　were　bent　on　new　commotions；　resolved　to　chastise
them；　they；　on　the　other　side；　being　set　upon　war；　were　embroiling　all
Peloponnesus。　Philopoemen　on　this　occasion　did　all　he　could　to　keep
Diophanes　quiet　and　to　make　him　sensible　that　as　the　times　went；　while
Antiochus　and　the　Romans　were　disputing　their　pretensions　with　vast
armies　in　the　heart　of　Greece；　it　concerned　a　man　in　his　position　to
keep　a　watchful　eye　over　them；　and　dissembling；　and　putting　up　with
any　less　important　grievances；　to　preserve　all　quiet　at　home。
Diophanes　would　not　be　ruled；　but　joined　with　Titus；　and　both　together
falling　into　Daconia；　marched　directly　to　Sparta。　Philopoemen；　upon
this；　took；　in　his　indignation；　a　step　which　certainly　was　not　lawful；
nor　in　the　strictest　sense　just；　but　boldly　and　loftily　conceived。
Entering　into　the　town　himself；　he；　a　private　man　as　he　was；　refused
admission　to　both　the　consul　of　Rome　and　the　general　of　the
Achaeans；　quieted　the　disorders　in　the　city；　and　reunited　it　on　the
same　terms　as　before　to　the　Achaean　confederacy。
　　Yet　afterwards；　when　he　was　general　himself；　upon　some　new
misdemeanour　of　the　Lacedaemonians；　he　brought　back　those　who　had　been
banished；　put；　as　Polybius　writes；　eighty；　according　to　Aristocrates
three　hundred　and　fifty；　Spartans　to　death；　razed　the　walls；　took　away
a　good　part　of　their　territory　and　transferred　it　to　the
Megalopolitans；　forced　out　of　the　country　and　carried　into　Achaea
all　who　had　been　made　citizens　of　Sparta　by　tyrants；　except　three
thousand　who　would　not　submit　to　banishment。　These　he　sold　for　slaves；
and　with　the　money；　as　if　to　exult　over　them；　built　a　colonnade　at
Megalopolis。　Lastly；　unworthily　trampling　upon　the　Lacedaemonians　in
their　calamities；　and　gratifying　his　hostility　by　a　most　oppressive
and　arbitrary　action；　he　abolished　the　laws　of　Lycurgus；　and　forced
them　to　educate　their　children　and　live　after　the　manner　of　the
Achaeans；　as　though；　while　they　kept　to　the　discipline　of　Lycurgus；
there　was　no　humbling　their　haughty　spirits。　In　their　present　distress
and　adversity　they　allowed　Philopoemen　thus　to　cut　the　sinews　of　their
commonwealth　asunder；　and　behave　themselves　humbly　and　submissively。
But　afterwards；　in　no　long　time；　obtaining　the　support　of　the
Romans；　they　abandoned　their　new　Achaean　citizenship；　and　as　much　as
in　so　miserable　and　ruined　a　condition　they　could；　re…established
their　ancient　discipline。
　　When　the　war　betwixt　Antiochus　and　the　Romans　broke　out　in　Greece；
Philopoemen　was　a　private　man。　He　repined　grievously　when　he　saw
Antiochus　lay　idle　at　Chalcis；　spending　his　time　in　unreasonable
courtship　and　weddings；　while　his　men　lay　dispersed　in　several
towns；　without　order；　or　commanders；　and　minding　nothing　but　their
pleasures。　He　complained　much　that　he　was　not　himself　in　office；　and
said　he　envied　the　Romans　their　victory；　and　that　if　he　had　had　the
fortune　to　be　then　in　command；　he　would　have　surprised　and　killed
the　whole　army　in　the　taverns。
　　When　Antiochus　was　overcome；　the　Romans　pressed　harder　upon
Greece；　and　encompassed　the　Achaeans　with　their　power；　the　popular
leaders　in　the　several　cities　yielded　before　them；　and　their　power
speedily；　under　the　divine　guidance；　advanced　to　the　consummation
due　to　it　in　the　revolutions　of　fortune。　Philopoemen；　in　this
conjecture；　carried　himself　like　a　good　pilot　in　a　high　sea；　sometimes
shifting　sail；　and　sometimes　yielding；　but　still　steering　steady；
and　omitting　no　opportunity　nor　effort　to　keep　all　who　were
considerable；　whether　for　eloquence　or　riches；　fast　to　the　defence
of　their　common　liberty。
　　Aristaenus；　a　Megalopolitan　of　great　credit　among　the　Achaeans；
but　always　a　favourer　of　the　Romans；　saying　one　day　in　the　senate　that
the　Romans　should　not　be　opposed；　or　displeased　in　any　way；
Philopoemen　heard　him　with　an　impatient　silence；　but　at　last；　not　able
to　hold　longer；　said　angrily　to　him；　〃And　why　be　in　such　haste；
wretched　man；　to　behold　the　end　of　Greece？〃　Manius；　the　Roman
consul；　after　the　defeat　of　Antiochus；　requested　the　Achaeans　to
restore　the　banished　Lacedaemonians　to　their　country；　which　motion　was
seconded　and　supported　by　all　the　interest　of　Titus。　But　Philopoemen
crossed　it；　not　from　ill…will　to　the　men；　but　that　they　might　be
beholden　to　him　and　the　Achaeans；　not　to　Titus　and　the　Romans。　For
when　he　came　to　be　general　himself；　he　restored　them。　So　impatient　was
his　spirit　of　any　subjection　and　so　prone　his　nature　to　contest
everything　with　men　in　power。
　　Being　now　three　score　and　ten；　and　the　eighth　time　general；　he　was
in　hope　to　pass　in　quiet；　not　only　the　year　of　his　magistracy；　but　his
remaining　life。　For　as　our　diseases　decline；　as　it　is　supposed　with
our　declining　bodily　strength；　so　the　quarrelling　humour　of　the　Greeks
abated　much　with　their　failing　political　greatness。　But　fortune　or
some　divine　retributive　power　threw　him　down　in　the　close　of　his　life；
like　a　successful　runner　who　stumbles　at　the　goal。　It　is　reported；
that　being　in　company　where　one　was　praised　for　a　great　commander；
he　replied；　there　was　no　great　account　to　be　made　of　a　man　who　had
suffered　himself　to　be　taken　alive　by　his　enemies。
　　A　few　days　after；　news　came　that　Dinocrates　the　Messenian；　a
particular　enemy　to　Philopoemen；　and　for　his　wickedness　and　villainies
generally　hated；　had　induced　Messene　to　revolt　from　the　Achaeans；
and　was　about　to　seize　upon　a　little　place　called　Colonis。　Philopoemen
lay　then　sick　of　a　fever　at　Argos。　Upon　the　news　he　hasted　away；　and
reached　Megalopolis；　which　was　distant　above　four　hundred　furlongs；　in
a　day。　From　thence　he　immediately　led　out　the　horse；　the　noblest　of
the　city；　young　men　in　the　vigour　of　their　age；　and　eager　to　proffer
their　service；　both　from　attachment　to　Philopoemen　and　zeal　for　the
cause。　As　they　marched　towards　Messene；　they　met　with　Dinocrates；　near
the　hill　of　Evander；　charged　and　routed　him。　But　five　hundred　fresh
men；　who；　being　left　for　a　guard　to　the　country；　came　in　late；
happening　to　appear；　the　flying　enemy　rallied　again　about　the　hills。
Philopoemen；　fearing　to　be　enclosed；　and　solicitous　for　his　men；
retreated　over　ground　extremely　disadvantageous；　bringing　up　the
rear　himself。　As　he　often　faced；　and　made　charges　upon　the　enemy；　he
drew　them　upon　himself；　though　they　merely　made　movements　at　a
distance；　and　shouted　about　him；　nobody　daring　to　approach　him。　In　his
care　to　save　every　single　man；　he　left　his　main　body　so　often；　that　at
last　he　found　himself　alone　among　the　thickest　of　his　enemies。　Yet
even　then　none　durst　come　up　to　him；　but　being　pelted　at　a　distance；
and　driven　to　stony　steep　places；　he　had　great　difficulty；　with　much
spurring；　to　guide　his　horse　aright。　His　age　was　no　hindrance　to
him；　for　with　perpetual　exercise　it　was　both　strong　and　active；　but
being　weakened　with　sickness；　and　tired　with　his　long　journey；　his
horse　stumbling；　he　fell　encumbered　with　his　arms；　and　faint；　upon　a
hard　and　rugged　piece　of　ground。　His　head　received　such　a　shock　with
the　fall　that　he　lay　awhile　speechless；　so　that　the　enemy；　thinking
him　dead；　began　to　turn　and　strip　him。　But　when　they　saw　him　lift　up
his　head　and　open　his　eyes；　they　threw　themselves　all　together　upon
him；　bound　his　hands　behind　him；　and　carried　him　off；　every　kind　of
insult　and　contumely　being　lavished　on　him　who　truly　had　never　so　much
as　dreamed　of　being　led　in　triumph　by　Dinocrates。
　　The　Messenians；　wonderfully　elated　with　the　news；　thronged　in　swarms
to　the　city　gates。　But　when　they　saw　Philopoemen　in　a　posture　so
unsuitable　to　the　glory　of　his　great　actions　and　famous　victories；
most　of　them；　struck　with　grief　and　cursing　the　deceitful　vanity　of
human　fortune；　even　shed　tears　of　compassion　at　the　spectacle。　Such
tears　by　little　and　little　turned　to　kind　words；　and　it　was　almost
in　everybody's　mouth　that　they　ought　to　remember　what　he　had　done
for　them；　and　how　he　had　preserved　the　common　liberty；　by　driving　away
Nabis。　Some　few；　to　make　their　court　to　Dinocrates；　were　for　torturing
and　then　putting　him　to　death　as　a