themistocles-第1部分

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　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THEMISTOCLES
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　445…365　B。C。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　by　Plutarch

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　translated　by　John　Dryden




　　THE　birth　of　Themistocles　was　somewhat　too　obscure　to　do　him　honour。
His　father；　Neocles；　was　not　of　the　distinguished　people　of　Athens；
but　of　the　township　Phrearrhi；　and　of　the　tribe　Leontis；　and　by　his
mother's　side；　as　it　is　reported；　he　was　base…born…

　　　　　　　　　〃I　am　not　of　the　noble　Grecian　race；
　　　　　　　　　I'm　poor　Abrotonon；　and　born　in　Thrace；
　　　　　　　　　Let　the　Greek　women　scorn　me；　if　they　please；
　　　　　　　　　I　was　the　mother　of　Themistocles。〃

　　Yet　Phanias　writes　that　the　mother　of　Themistocles　was　not　of
Thrace；　but　of　Caria；　and　that　her　name　was　not　Abrotonon；　but
Euterpe；　and　Neanthes　adds　farther　that　she　was　of　Halicarnassus　in
Caria。　And；　as　illegitimate　children；　including　those　that　were　of
half…blood　or　had　but　one　parent　an　Athenian；　had　to　attend　at　the
Cynosarges　（a　wrestling…place　outside　the　gates；　dedicated　to
Hercules；　who　was　also　of　half…blood　amongst　the　gods；　having　had　a
mortal　woman　for　his　mother）；　Themistocles　persuaded　several　of　the
young　men　of　high　birth　to　accompany　him　to　anoint　and　exercise
themselves　together　at　Cynosarges；　an　ingenious　device　for
destroying　the　distinction　between　the　noble　and　the　base…born；　and
between　those　of　the　whole　and　those　of　the　half…blood　of　Athens。
However；　it　is　certain　that　he　was　related　to　the　house　of
Lycomedae；　for　Simonides　records　that　he　rebuilt　the　chapel　of
Phlya；　belonging　to　that　family；　and　beautified　it　with　pictures　and
other　ornaments；　after　it　had　been　burnt　by　the　Persians。
　　It　is　confessed　by　all　that　from　his　youth　he　was　of　a　vehement
and　impetuous　nature；　of　a　quick　apprehension；　and　a　strong　and
aspiring　bent　for　action　and　great　affairs。　The　holidays　and　intervals
in　his　studies　he　did　not　spend　in　play　or　idleness；　as　other
children；　but　would　be　always　inventing　or　arranging　some　oration　or
declamation　to　himself；　the　subject　of　which　was　generally　the
excusing　or　accusing　his　companions；　so　that　his　master　would　often
say　to　him；　〃You；　my　boy；　will　be　nothing　small；　but　great　one　way
or　other；　for　good　or　else　for　bad。〃　He　received　reluctantly　and
carelessly　instructions　given　him　to　improve　his　manners　and
behaviour；　or　to　teach　him　any　pleasing　or　graceful　accomplishment；
but　whatever　was　said　to　improve　him　in　sagacity；　or　in　management
of　affairs；　he　would　give　attention　to；　beyond　one　of　his　years；
from　confidence　in　his　natural　capacities　for　such　things。　And　thus
afterwards；　when　in　company　where　people　engaged　themselves　in　what
are　commonly　thought　the　liberal　and　elegant　amusements；　he　was
obliged　to　defend　himself　against　the　observations　of　those　who
considered　themselves　highly　accomplished；　by　the　somewhat　arrogant
retort；　that　he　certainly　could　not　make　use　of　any　stringed
instrument；　could　only；　were　a　small　and　obscure　city　put　into　his
hands；　make　it　great　and　glorious。　Notwithstanding　this；
Stesimbrotus　says　that　Themistocles　was　a　hearer　of　Anaxagoras；　and
that　he　studied　natural　philosophy　under　Melissus；　contrary　to
chronology；　Melissus　commanded　the　Samians　in　the　siege　by　Pericles；
who　was　much　Themistocles's　junior；　and　with　Pericles；　also；
Anaxagoras　was　intimate。　They；　therefore；　might　rather　be　credited　who
report；　that　Themistocles　was　an　admirer　of　Mnesiphilus　the
Phrearrhian；　who　was　neither　rhetorican　nor　natural　philosopher；　but　a
professor　of　that　which　was　then　called　wisdom；　consisting　in　a　sort
of　political　shrewdness　and　practical　sagacity；　which　had　begun　and
continued；　almost　like　a　sect　of　philosophy；　from　Solon：　but　those　who
came　afterwards；　and　mixed　it　with　pleadings　and　legal　artifices；
and　transformed　the　practical　part　of　it　into　a　mere　art　of　speaking
and　an　exercise　of　words；　were　generally　called　sophists。　Themistocles
resorted　to　Mnesiphilus　when　he　had　already　embarked　in　politics。
　　In　the　first　essays　of　his　youth　he　was　not　regular　nor　happily
balanced；　he　allowed　himself　to　follow　mere　natural　character；
which；　without　the　control　of　reason　and　instruction；　is　apt　to　hurry；
upon　either　side；　into　sudden　and　violent　courses；　and　very　often　to
break　away　and　determine　upon　the　worst；　as　he　afterwards　owned
himself；　saying；　that　the　wildest　colts　make　the　best　horses；　if
they　only　get　properly　trained　and　broken　in。　But　those　who　upon
this　fasten　stories　of　their　own　invention；　as　of　his　being　disowned
by　his　father；　and　that　his　mother　died　for　grief　of　her　son's
ill…fame；　certainly　calumniate　him；　and　there　are　others　who　relate；
on　the　contrary；　how　that　to　deter　him　from　public　business；　and　to
let　him　see　how　the　vulgar　behave　themselves　towards　their　leaders
when　they　have　at　last　no　farther　use　of　them；　his　father　showed　him
the　old　galleys　as　they　lay　forsaken　and　cast　about　upon　the
sea…shore。
　　Yet　it　is　evident　that　his　mind　was　early　imbued　with　the　keenest
interest　in　public　affairs；　and　the　most　passionate　ambition　for
distinction。　Eager　from　the　first　to　obtain　the　highest　place；　he
unhesitatingly　accepted　the　hatred　of　the　most　powerful　and
influential　leaders　in　the　city；　but　more　especially　of　Aristides；　the
son　of　Lysimachus；　who　always　opposed　him。　And　yet　all　this　great
enmity　between　them　arose；　it　appears；　from　a　very　boyish　occasion；
both　being　attached　to　the　beautiful　Stesilaus　of　Ceos；　as　Ariston　the
philosopher　tells　us；　ever　after　which　they　took　opposite　sides；　and
were　rivals　in　politics。　Not　but　that　the　incompatibility　of　their
lives　and　manners　may　seem　to　have　increased　the　difference；　for
Aristides　was　of　a　mild　nature；　and　of　a　nobler　sort　of　character；
and；　in　public　matters；　acting　always　with　a　view；　not　to　glory　or
popularity；　but　to　the　best　interest　of　the　state　consistently　with
safety　and　honesty；　he　was　often　forced　to　oppose　Themistocles；　and
interfere　against　the　increase　of　his　influence；　seeing　him　stirring
up　the　people　to　all　kinds　of　enterprises；　and　introducing　various
innovations。　For　it　is　said　that　Themistocles　was　so　transported
with　the　thoughts　of　glory　and　so　inflamed　with　the　passion　for
great　actions；　that；　though　he　was　still　young　when　the　battle　of
Marathon　was　fought　against　the　Persians；　upon　the　skilful　conduct
of　the　general；　Miltiades；　being　everywhere　talked　about；　he　was
observed　to　be　thoughtful　and　reserved；　alone　by　himself；　he　passed
the　nights　without　sleep；　and　avoided　all　his　usual　places　of
recreation；　and　to　those　who　wondered　at　the　change；　and　inquired
the　reason　of　it；　he　gave　the　answer；　that　〃the　trophy　of　Miltiades
would　not　let　him　sleep。〃　And　when　others　were　of　opinion　that　the
battle　of　Marathon　would　be　an　end　to　the　war；　Themistocles　thought
that　it　was　but　the　beginning　for　far　greater　conflicts；　and　for
these；　to　the　benefit　of　all　Greece；　he　kept　himself　in　continual
readiness；　and　his　city　also　in　proper　training；　foreseeing　from　far
before　what　would　happen。
　　And；　first　of　all；　the　Athenians　being　accustomed　to　divide
amongst　themselves　the　revenue　proceeding　from　the　silver　mines　at
Laurium；　he　was　the　only　man　that　durst　propose　to　the　people　that
this　distribution　should　cease；　and　that　with　the　money　ships　should
be　built　to　make　war　against　the　Aeginetans；　who　were　the　most
flourishing　people　in　all　Greece；　and　by　the　number　of　their　ships
held　the　sovereignty　of　the　sea；　and　Themistocles　thus　was　more　easily
able　to　persuade　them；　avoiding　all　mention　of　danger　from　Darius　or
the　Persians；　who　were　at　a　great　distance；　and　their　coming　very
uncertain；　and　at　that　time　not　much　to　be　feared；　but　by　a　seasonable
employment　of　the　emulation　and　anger　felt　by　the　Athenians　against
the　Aeginetans；　he　induced　them　to　preparation。　So　that　with　this
money　an　hundred　ships　were　built；　with　which　they　afterwards　fought
against　Xerxes。　And　henceforward；　little　by　little；　turning　and
drawing　the　city　down　towards　the　sea；　in　the　belief　that；　whereas
by　land　they　were　not　a　fit　match　for　their　next　neighbours；　with
their　ships　they　might　be　able　to　repel　the　Persians　and　command
Greece；　thus；　as　Plato　says；　from　steady　soldiers　he　turned　them
into　mariners　and　seamen　tossed　about　the　sea；　and　gave　occasion　for
the　reproach　against　him；　that　he　took　away　from　the　Athenians　the
spear　and　the　shield；　and　bound　them　to　the　bench　and　the　oar。　These
measures　he　carried　in　the　assembly；　against　the　opposition；　as
Stesimbrotus　relates；　of　Miltiades；　and　whether　or　no　be　hereby
injured　the　purity　and　true　balance　of　government　may　be　a　question
for　philosophers；　but　that　the　deliverance　of　Greece　came　at　that　time
from　the　sea；　and　that　these　galleys　restored　Athens　again　after　it
was　destroyed；　were　others　wanting；　Xerxes　himself　would　be　sufficient
evidence；　who；　though　his　land…forces　were　still　entire；　after　his
defeat　at　sea；　fled　away；　and　thought　himself　no　longer　able　to
encounter　the　Greeks；　and；　as　it　seems　to　me；　left　Mardonius　behind
him；　not　out　of　any　hopes　he　could　have　to　bring　them　into　subjection；
but　to　hinder　them　from　pursuing　him。
　　Themistocles　is　said　to　have　been　eager　in　the　acquisition　of
riches；　according　to　some；　that　he　might　be　the　more　liberal；　for
loving　to　sacrifice　often；　and　to　be　splendid　in　his　entertainment
of　strangers；　he　required　a　plentiful　revenue；　yet　he　is　accused　by
others　of　having　been　parsimonious　and　sordid　to　that　degree　that　he
would　sell　provisions　which　were　sent　to　him　as　a　present。　He
desired　Diphilides；　who　was　a　breeder　of　horses；　to　give　him　a　colt；
and　when　he　refused　it；　threatened　that　in　a　short　time　he　would
turn　his　house　into　a　wooden　horse；　intimating　that　he　would　stir　up
dispute　and　litigation　between　him　and　some　of　his　relations。
　　He　went　beyond　all　men　in　the　passion　for　distinction。　When　he　was
still　young　and　unknown　in　the　world；　he　entreated　Episcles　of
Hermione；　who　had　a　good　hand　at　the　lute　and　was　much　sought　after　by
the　Athenians；　to　come　and　practise　at　home　with　him；　being
ambitious　of　having　people　inquire　after　his　house　and　frequent　his
company。　When　he　came　to