themistocles-第4部分

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read　in　history。
　　The　number　of　the　enemy's　ships　the　poet　Aeschylus　gives　in　his
tragedy　called　the　Persians；　as　on　his　certain　knowledge；　in　the
following　words：…

　　　　　　　　　〃Xerxes；　I　know；　did　into　battle　lead
　　　　　　　　　One　thousand　ships；　of　more　than　usual　speed
　　　　　　　　　Seven　and　two　hundred。　So　it　is　agreed。〃

　　The　Athenians　had　a　hundred　and　eighty；　in　every　ship　eighteen　men
fought　upon　the　deck；　four　of　whom　were　archers　and　the　rest　men　at
arms。
　　As　Themistocles　had　fixed　upon　the　most　advantageous　place；　so；　with
no　less　sagacity；　he　chose　the　best　time　of　fighting；　for　he　would　not
run　the　prows　of　his　galleys　against　the　Persians；　nor　begin　the　fight
till　the　time　of　day　was　come；　when　there　regularly　blows　in　a　fresh
breeze　from　the　open　sea；　and　brings　in　with　it　a　strong　swell　into
the　channel；　which　was　no　inconvenience　to　the　Greek　ships；　which　were
low…built；　and　little　above　the　water；　but　did　much　to　hurt　the
Persians；　which　had　high　sterns　and　lofty　decks；　and　were　heavy　and
cumbrous　in　their　movements　as　it　presented　them　broadside　to　the
quick　charges　of　the　Greeks；　who　kept　their　eyes　upon　the　motions　of
Themistocles；　as　their　best　example；　and　more　particularly　because；
opposed　to　his　ship；　Ariamenes；　admiral　to　Xerxes；　a　brave　man　and
by　far　the　best　and　worthiest　of　the　king's　brothers；　was　seen
throwing　darts　and　shooting　arrows　from　his　huge　galley；　as　from　the
walls　of　a　castle。　Aminias　the　Decelean　and　Sosicles　the　Pedian；　who
sailed　in　the　same　vessel；　upon　the　ships　meeting　stem　to　stem；　and
transfixing　each　the　other　with　their　brazen　prows；　so　that　they
were　fastened　together；　when　Ariamenes　attempted　to　board　theirs；
ran　at　him　with　their　pikes；　and　thrust　him　into　the　sea；　his　body；　as
it　floated　amongst　other　shipwrecks；　was　known　to　Artemisia；　and
carried　to　Xerxes。
　　It　is　reported　that；　in　the　middle　of　the　fight；　a　great　flame
rose　into　the　air　above　the　city　of　Eleusis；　and　that　sounds　and
voices　were　heard　through　all　the　Thriasian　plain；　as　far　as　the
sea；　sounding　like　a　number　of　men　accompanying　and　escorting　the
mystic　Iacchus；　and　that　a　mist　seemed　to　form　and　rise　from　the　place
from　whence　the　sounds　came；　and；　passing　forward；　fell　upon　the
galleys。　Others　believed　that　they　saw　apparitions；　in　the　shape　of
armed　men；　reaching　out　their　hands　from　the　island　of　Aegina　before
the　Grecian　galleys；　and　supposed　they　were　the　Aeacidae；　whom　they
had　invoked　to　their　aid　before　the　battle。　The　first　man　that　took
a　ship　was　Lycomedes　the　Athenian；　captain　of　the　galley；　who　cut　down
its　ensign；　and　dedicated　it　to　Apollo　the　Laurel…crowned。　And　as
the　Persians　fought　in　a　narrow　arm　of　the　sea；　and　could　bring　but
part　of　their　fleet　to　fight　and　fell　foul　of　one　another；　the
Greeks　thus　equalled　them　in　strength；　and　fought　with　them　till　the
evening　forced　them　back；　and　obtained；　as　says　Simonides；　that
noble　and　famous　victory；　than　which　neither　amongst　the　Greeks　nor
barbarians　was　ever　known　more　glorious　exploit　on　the　seas；　by　the
joint　valour；　indeed；　and　zeal　of　all　who　fought；　but　by　the　wisdom
and　sagacity　of　Themistocles。
　　After　this　sea…fight；　Xerxes；　enraged　at　his　ill…fortune；　attempted；
by　casting　great　heaps　of　earth　and　stones　into　the　sea；　to　stop　up
the　channel　and　make　a　dam；　upon　which　he　might　lead　his　land…forces
over　into　the　island　of　Salamis。
　　Themistocles；　being　desirous　to　try　the　opinion　of　Aristides；　told
him　that　he　proposed　to　set　sail　for　the　Hellespont；　to　break　the
bridge　of　ships　so　as　to　shut　up；　he　said；　Asia　a　prisoner　within
Europe；　but　Aristides；　disliking　the　design；　said：　〃We　have　hitherto
fought　with　an　enemy　who　has　regarded　little　else　but　his　pleasure　and
luxury；　but　if　we　shut　him　up　within　Greece；　and　drive　him　to
necessity；　he　that　is　master　of　such　great　forces　will　no　longer　sit
quietly　with　an　umbrella　of　gold　over　his　head；　looking　upon　the　fight
for　his　pleasure；　but　in　such　a　strait　will　attempt　all　things；　he
will　be　resolute；　and　appear　himself　in　person　upon　all　occasions；
he　will　soon　correct　his　errors；　and　supply　what　he　has　formerly
omitted　through　remissness；　and　will　be　better　advised　in　all
things。　Therefore；　it　is　noways　our　interest；　Themistocles；〃　he
said；　〃to　take　away　the　bridge　that　is　already　made；　but　rather　to
build　another；　if　it　were　possible；　that　he　might　make　his　retreat
with　the　more　expedition。〃　To　which　Themistocles　answered：　〃If　this　be
requisite；　we　must　immediately　use　all　diligence；　art；　and　industry；
to　rid　ourselves　of　him　as　soon　as　may　be；〃　and　to　this　purpose　he
found　out　among　the　captives　one　of　the　King　of　Persia's　eunuchs；
named　Arnaces；　whom　he　sent　to　the　king；　to　inform　him　that　the
Greeks；　being　now　victorious　by　sea；　had　decreed　to　sail　to　the
Hellespont；　where　the　boats　were　fastened　together；　and　destroy　the
bridge；　but　that　Themistocles；　being　concerned　for　the　king；
revealed　this　to　him；　that　he　might　hasten　towards　the　Asiatic　seas；
and　pass　over　into　his　own　dominions；　and　in　the　meantime　would
cause　delays　and　hinder　the　confederates　from　pursuing　him。　Xerxes
no　sooner　heard　this；　but；　being　very　much　terrified；　he　proceeded
to　retreat　out　of　Greece　with　all　speed。　The　prudence　of
Themistocles　and　Aristides　in　this　was　afterwards　more　fully
understood　at　the　battle　of　Plataea；　where　Mardonius；　with　a　very
small　fraction　of　the　forces　of　Xerxes；　put　the　Greeks　in　danger　of
losing　all。
　　Herodotus　writes；　that　of　all　the　cities　of　Greece；　Aegina　was
held　to　have　performed　the　best　service　in　the　war；　while　all　single
men　yielded　to　Themistocles；　though；　out　of　envy；　unwillingly；　and
when　they　returned　to　the　entrance　of　Peloponnesus；　where　the
several　commanders　delivered　their　suffrages　at　the　altar；　to
determine　who　was　most　worthy；　every　one　gave　the　first　vote　for
himself　and　the　second　for　Themistocles。　The　Lacedaemonians　carried
him　with　them　to　Sparta；　where；　giving　the　rewards　of　valour　to
Eurybiades；　and　of　wisdom　and　conduct　to　Themistocles；　they　crowned
him　with　olive；　presented　him　with　the　best　chariot　in　the　city；　and
sent　three　hundred　young　men　to　accompany　him　to　the　confines　of　their
country。　And　at　the　next　Olympic　games；　when　Themistocles　entered
the　course；　the　spectators　took　no　farther　notice　of　those　who　were
contesting　the　prizes；　but　spent　the　whole　day　in　looking　upon　him；
showing　him　to　the　strangers；　admiring　him；　and　applauding　him　by
clapping　their　hands；　and　other　expressions　of　joy；　so　that　he
himself；　much　gratified；　confessed　to　his　friends　that　he　then
reaped　the　fruit　of　all　his　labours　for　the　Greeks。
　　He　was；　indeed；　by　nature；　a　great　lover　of　honour；　as　is　evident
from　the　anecdotes　recorded　of　him。　When　chosen　admiral　by　the
Athenians；　he　would　not　quite　conclude　any　single　matter　of
business；　either　public　or　private；　but　deferred　all　till　the　day　they
were　to　set　sail；　that；　by　despatching　a　great　quantity　of　business
all　at　once；　and　having　to　meet　a　great　variety　of　people；　he　might
make　an　appearance　of　greatness　and　power。　Viewing　the　dead　bodies
cast　up　by　the　sea；　he　perceived　bracelets　and　necklaces　of　gold　about
them；　yet　passed　on；　only　showing　them　to　a　friend　that　followed
him；　saying；　〃Take　you　these　things；　for　you　are　not　Themistocles。〃　He
said　to　Antiphates；　a　handsome　young　man；　who　had　formerly　avoided；
but　now　in　his　glory　courted　him；　〃Time；　young　man；　has　taught　us　both
a　lesson。〃　He　said　that　the　Athenians　did　not　honour　him　or　admire
him；　but　made；　as　it　were；　a　sort　of　plane…tree　of　him；　sheltered
themselves　under　him　in　bad　weather；　and　as　soon　as　it　was　fine；
plucked　his　leaves　and　cut　his　branches。　When　the　Seriphian　told　him
that　he　had　not　obtained　this　honour　by　himself；　but　by　the
greatness　of　the　city；　he　replied；　〃You　speak　truth；　I　should　never
have　been　famous　if　I　had　been　of　Seriphus；　nor　you；　had　you　been　of
Athens。〃　When　another　of　the　generals；　who　thought　he　had　performed
considerable　service　for　the　Athenians；　boastingly　compared　his　action
with　those　of　Themistocles；　he　told　him　that　once　upon　a　time　the
Day　after　the　Festival　found　fault　with　the　Festival：　〃On　you　there　is
nothing　but　hurry　and　trouble　and　preparation；　but；　when　I　come；
everybody　sits　down　quietly　and　enjoys　himself；〃　which　the　Festival
admitted　was　true；　but　〃if　I　had　not　come　first；　you　would　not　have
come　at　all。〃　〃Even　so；〃　he　said；　〃if　Themistocles　had　not　come
before；　where　had　you　been　now？〃　Laughing　at　his　own　son；　who　got
his　mother；　and；　by　his　mother's　means；　his　father　also；　to　indulge
him；　he　told　him　that　he　had　the　most　power　of　any　one　in　Greece：　〃For
the　Athenians　command　the　rest　of　Greece；　I　command　the　Athenians；
your　mother　commands　me；　and　you　command　your　mother。〃　Loving　to　be
singular　in　all　things；　when　he　had　land　to　sell；　he　ordered　the　crier
to　give　notice　that　there　were　good　neighbours　near　it。　Of　two　who
made　love　to　his　daughter；　he　preferred　the　man　of　worth　to　the　one
who　was　rich；　saying　he　desired　a　man　without　riches；　rather　than
riches　without　a　man。　Such　was　the　character　of　his　sayings。
　　After　these　things；　he　began　to　rebuild　and　fortify　the　city　of
Athens；　bribing；　as　Theopompus　reports；　the　Lacedaemonian　ephors　not
to　be　against　it；　but；　as　most　relate　it；　overreaching　and　deceiving
them。　For；　under　the　pretext　of　an　embassy；　he　went　to　Sparta；
whereupon　the　Lacedaemonians'　charging　him　with　rebuilding　the
walls；　and　Poliarchus　coming　on　purpose　from　Aegina　to　denounce　it；　he
denied　the　fact；　bidding　them　to　send　people　to　Athens　to　see
whether　it　were　so　or　no；　by　which　delay　he　got　time　for　the
building　of　the　wall；　and　also　placed　these　ambassadors　in　the　hands
of　his　countrymen　as　hostages　for　him；　and　so；　when　the　Lacedaemonians
knew　the　truth；　they　did　him　no　hurt；　but；　suppressing　all　display
of　their　anger　for　the　present；　sent　him　away。
　　Next　he　proceeded　to　establish　the　harbour　of　Piraeus；　observing　the
great　natural　advantages　of　the　locality；　and　desirous　to　unite　the
whole　city　with　the　sea；　and　to　reverse；　in　a　manner；　the　policy　of
ancient　Athenian　kings；　who；　endeavouring　to　withdraw　their　subjects
from　the　sea