demetrius-第6部分

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mia。　　　And　now　the　story　passes　from　the　comic　to　the　tragic　stage　in　pursuit　of　the　acts　and　fortunes　of　its　subjects。　A　general　league　of　the　kings；　who　were　now　gathering　and　combining　their　forces　to　attack　Antigonus；　recalled　Demetrius　from　Greece。　He　was　encouraged　by　finding　his　father　full　of　a　spirit　and　resolution　for　the　combat　that　belied　his　years。　Yet　it　would　seem　to　be　true；　that　if　Antigonus　could　only　have　borne　to　make　some　trifling　concessions；　and　if　he　had　shown　any　moderation　in　his　passion　for　empire；　he　might　have　maintained　for　himself　till　his　death　and　left　to　his　son　behind　him　the　first　place　among　the　kings。　But　he　was　of　a　violent　and　haughty　spirit；　and　the　insulting　words　as　well　as　actions　in　which　he　allowed　himself　could　not　be　borne　by　young　and　powerful　princes；　and　provoked　them　into　combining　against　him。　Though　now　when　he　was　told　of　the　confederacy；　he　could　not　forbear　from　saying　that　this　flock　of　birds　would　soon　be　scattered　by　one　stone　and　a　single　shout。　He　took　the　field　at　the　head　of　more　than　seventy　thousand　foot；　and　of　ten　thousand　horse；　and　seventy…five　elephants。　His　enemies　had　sixty…four　thousand　foot；　five　hundred　more　horse　than　he；　elephants　to　the　number　of　four　hundred；　and　a　hundred　and　twenty　chariots。　On　their　near　approach　to　each　other；　an　alteration　began　to　be　observable；　not　in　the　purposes；　but　in　the　presentiments　of　Antigonus。　For　whereas　in　all　former　campaigns　he　had　ever　shown　himself　lofty　and　confident；　loud　in　voice　and　scornful　in　speech；　often　by　some　joke　or　mockery　on　the　eve　of　battle　expressing　his　contempt　and　displaying　his　composure；　he　was　now　remarked　to　be　thoughtful；　silent；　and　retired。　He　presented　Demetrius　to　the　army　and　declared　him　his　successor；　and　what　every　one　thought　stranger　than　all　was　that　he　now　conferred　alone　in　his　tent　with　Demetrius；　whereas　in　former　time　he　had　never　entered　into　any　secret　consultations　even　with　him；　but　had　always　followed　his　own　advice；　made　his　resolutions；　and　then　given　out　his　commands。　Once　when　Demetrius　was　a　boy　and　asked　him　how　soon　the　army　would　move；　he　is　said　to　have　answered　him　sharply；　〃Are　you　afraid　lest　you；　of　all　the　army；　should　not　hear　the　trumpet？〃　　　There　were　now；　however；　inauspicious　signs；　which　affected　his　spirits。　Demetrius；　in　a　dream；　had　seen　Alexander；　completely　armed；　appear　and　demand　of　him　what　word　they　intended　to　give　in　the　time　of　the　battle；　and　Demetrius　answering　that　he　intended　the　word　should　he　〃Jupiter　and　Victory；〃　〃Then；〃　said　Alexander；　〃I　will　go　to　your　adversaries　and　find　my　welcome　with　them。〃　And　on　the　morning　of　the　combat；　as　the　armies　were　drawing　up；　Antigonus；　going　out　of　the　door　of　his　tent；　by　some　accident　or　other　stumbled　and　fell　flat　upon　the　ground；　hurting　himself　a　good　deal。　And　on　recovering　his　feet；　lifting　up　his　hands　to　heaven；　he　prayed　the　gods　to　grant　him；　〃either　victory；　or　death　without　knowledge　of　defeat。〃　When　the　armies　engaged；　Demetrius；　who　commanded　the　greatest　and　best　part　of　the　cavalry；　made　a　charge　on　Antiochus；　the　son　of　Seleucus；　and　gloriously　routing　the　enemy；　followed　the　pursuit；　in　the　pride　and　exultation　of　success；　so　eagerly；　and　so　unwisely　far；　that　it　fatally　lost　him　the　day；　for　when；　perceiving　his　error；　he　would　have　come　in　to　the　assistance　of　his　own　infantry；　he　was　not　able；　the　enemy　with　their　elephants　having　cut　off　his　retreat。　And　on　the　other　hand；　Seleucus；　observing　the　main　battle　of　Antigonus　left　naked　of　their　horse；　did　not　charge；　but　made　a　show　of　charging；　and　keeping　them　in　alarm　and　wheeling　about　and　still　threatening　an　attack；　he　gave　opportunity　for　those　who　wished　it　to　separate　and　come　over　to　him；　which　a　large　body　of　them　did；　the　rest　taking　to　flight。　But　the　old　King　Antigonus　still　kept　his　post；　and　when　a　strong　body　of　the　enemies　drew　up　to　charge　him；　and　one　of　those　about　him　cried　out　to　him；　〃Sir；　they　are　coming　upon　you；〃　he　only　replied；　〃What　else　should　they　do？　but　Demetrius　will　come　to　my　rescue。〃　And　in　this　hope　he　persisted　to　the　last；　looking　out　on　every　side　for　his　son's　approach；　until　he　was　borne　down　by　a　whole　multitude　of　darts；　and　fell。　His　other　followers　and　friends　fled；　and　Thorax　of　Larissa　remained　alone　by　the　body。　　　The　battle　having　been　thus　decided；　the　kings　who　had　gained　the　victory；　carving　up　the　whole　vast　empire　that　had　belonged　to　Demetrius　and　Antigonus；　like　a　carcass；　into　so　many　portions；　added　these　new　gains　to　their　former　possessions。　As　for　Demetrius；　with　five　thousand　foot　and　four　thousand　horse；　he　fled　at　his　utmost　speed　to　Ephesus；　where　it　was　the　common　opinion　he　would　seize　the　treasures　of　the　temple　to　relieve　his　wants；　but　he；　on　the　contrary；　fearing　such　an　attempt　on　the　part　of　his　soldiers；　hastened　away；　and　sailed　for　Greece；　his　chief　remaining　hopes　being　placed　in　the　fidelity　of　the　Athenians；　with　whom　he　had　left　part　of　his　navy　and　of　his　treasures　and　his　wife　Deidamia。　And　in　their　attachment　he　had　not　the　least　doubt　but　he　should　in　this　his　extremity　find　a　safe　resource。　Accordingly　when；　upon　reaching　the　Cyclades；　he　was　met　by　ambassadors　from　Athens；　requesting　him　not　to　proceed　to　the　city；　as　the　people　had　passed　a　vote　to　admit　no　king　whatever　within　their　walls；　and　had　conveyed　Deidamia　with　honourable　attendance　to　Megara；　his　anger　and　surprise　overpowered　him；　and　the　constancy　quite　failed　him　which　he　had　hitherto　shown　in　a　wonderful　degree　under　his　reverses；　nothing　humiliating　or　mean…spirited　having　as　yet　been　seen　in　him　under　all　his　misfortunes。　But　to　be　thus　disappointed　in　the　Athenians；　and　to　find　the　friendship　he　had　trusted　prove；　upon　trial；　thus　empty　and　unreal；　was　a　great　pang　to　him。　And；　in　truth；　an　excessive　display　of　outward　honour　would　seem　to　be　the　most　uncertain　attestation　of　the　real　affection　of　a　people　for　any　king　or　potentate。　Such　shows　lose　their　whole　credit　as　tokens　of　affection　（which　has　its　virtue　in　the　feelings　and　moral　choice）；　when　we　reflect　that　they　may　equally　proceed　from　fear。　The　same　decrees　are　voted　upon　the　latter　motive　as　upon　the　former。　And　therefore　judicious　men　do　not　look　so　much　to　statues；　paintings；　or　divine　honours　that　are　paid　them；　as　to　their　own　actions　and　conduct；　judging　hence　whether　they　shall　trust　these　as　a　genuine；　or　discredit　them　as　a　forced　homage。　As　in　fact　nothing　is　less　unusual　than　for　a　people；　even　while　offering　compliments；　to　be　disgusted　with　those　who　accept　them　greedily；　or　arrogantly；　or　without　respect　to　the　free…will　of　the　givers。　　　Demetrius；　shamefully　used　as　he　thought　himself；　was　in　no　condition　to　revenge　the　affront。　He　returned　a　message　of　gentle　expostulation；　saying；　however；　that　he　expected　to　have　his　galleys　sent　to　him；　among　which　was　that　of　thirteen　banks　of　oars。　And　this　being　accorded　him；　he　sailed　to　the　Isthmus；　and；　finding　his　affairs　in　very　ill　condition；　his　garrisons　expelled；　and　a　general　secession　going　on　to　the　enemy；　he　left　Pyrrhus　to　attend　to　Greece；　and　took　his　course　to　the　Chersonesus；　where　he　ravaged　the　territories　of　Lysimachus；　and　by　the　booty　which　he　took；　maintained　and　kept　together　his　troops；　which　were　now　once　more　beginning　to　recover　and　to　show　some　considerable　front。　Nor　did　any　of　the　other　princes　care　to　meddle　with　him　on　that　side；　for　Lysimachus　had　quite　as　little　claim　to　be　loved；　and　was　more　to　be　feared　for　his　power。　But　not　long　after　Seleucus　sent　to　treat　with　Demetrius　for　a　marriage　betwixt　himself　and　Stratonice；　daughter　of　Demetrius　by　Phila。　Seleucus；　indeed；　had　already；　by　Apama；　the　Persian；　a　son　named　Antiochus；　but　he　was　possessed　of　territories　that　might　well　satisfy　more　than　one　successor；　and　he　was　the　rather　induced　to　this　alliance　with　Demetrius；　because　Lysimachus　had　just　married　himself　to　one　daughter　of　King　Ptolemy；　and　his　son　Agathocles　to　another。　Demetrius；　who　looked　upon　the　offer　as　an　unexpected　piece　of　good　fortune；　presently　embarked　with　his　daughter；　and　with　his　whole　fleet　sailed　for　Syria。　Having　during　his　voyage　to　touch　several　times　on　the　coast；　among　other　places　he　landed　in　part　of　Cilicia；　which　by　the　apportionment　of　the　kings　after　the　defeat　of　Antigonus　was　allotted　to　Plistarchus；　the　brother　of　Cassander。　Plistarchus；　who　took　this　descent　of　Demetrius　upon　his　coasts　as　an　infraction　of　his　rights；　and　was　not　sorry　to　have　something　to　complain　of；　hastened　to　expostulate　in　person　with　Seleucus　for　entering　separately　into　relations　with　Demetrius；　the　common　enemy；　without　consulting　the　other　kings。　　　Demetrius；　receiving　information　of　this；　seized　the　opportunity；　and　fell　upon　the　city　of　Quinda；　which　he　surprised；　and　took　in　it　twelve　hundred　talents　still　remaining　of　the　treasure。　With　this　prize；　he　hastened　back　to　his　galleys；　embarked；　and　set　sail。　At　Rhosus；　where　his　wife　Phila　was　now　with　him；　he　was　met　by　Seleucus；　and　their　communications　with　each　other　at　once　were　put　on　a　frank；　unsuspecting；　and　kingly　footing。　First；　Seleucus　gave　a　banquet　to　Demetrius　in　his　tent　in　the　camp；　then　Demetrius'　received　him　in　the　ship　of　thirteen　banks　of　oars。　Meetings　for　amusements；　conferences；　and　long　visits　for　general　intercourse　succeeded；　all　without　attendants　or　arms；　until　at　length　Seleucus　took　his　leave；　and　in　great　state　conducted　Stratonice　to　Antioch。　Demetrius　meantime　possessed　himself　of　Cilicia；　and　sent　Phila　to　her　brother　Cassander；　to　answer　the　complaints　of　Plistarchus。　And　here　his　wife　Deidamia　came　by　sea　out　of　Greece　to　meet　him；　but　not　long　after　contracted　an　illness；　of　which　she　died。　After　her　death；　Demetrius；　by　the　mediation　of　Seleucus；　became　reconciled　to　Ptolemy；　and　an　agreement　was　made　that　he　should　marry　his　daughter　Ptolemais。　Thus　far　all　was　handsomely　done　on　the　part　of　Seleucus。　But；　shortly　after；　desiring　to　have　the　province　of　Cilicia　from　Demetrius　for　a　sum　of　money；　and　being　refused　it；　he　then　angrily　demanded　of　him　the　cities　of　Tyre　and　Sidon；　which　seemed　a　mere　piece　of　arbitrary　dealing；　and；　indeed；　an　outrageous　thing　that　he；　who　was　possessed　of　all　the　vast　provinces　be