themistocles-第6部分

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Cimon　condemned　him　and　put　him　to　death；　as　Stesimbrotus　reports；　and
yet　somehow；　either　forgetting　this　himself；　or　making　Themistocles　to
be　little　mindful　of　it；　says　presently　that　he　sailed　into　Sicily；
and　desired　in　marriage　the　daughter　of　Hiero；　tyrant　of　Syracuse；
promising　to　bring　the　Greeks　under　his　power；　and；　on　Hiero
refusing　him；　departed　thence　into　Asia；　but　this　is　not　probable。
　　For　Theophrastus　writes；　in　his　work　on　Monarchy；　that　when　Hiero
sent　race…horses　to　the　Olympian　games；　and　erected　a　pavilion
sumptuously　furnished；　Themistocles　made　an　oration　to　the　Greeks；
inciting　them　to　pull　down　the　tyrant's　tent；　and　not　to　suffer　his
horses　to　run。　Thucydides　says；　that；　passing　overland　to　the
Aegaean　Sea；　he　took　ship　at　Pydna　in　the　bay　Therme；　not　being
known　to　any　one　in　the　ship；　till；　being　terrified　to　see　the
vessel　driven　by　the　winds　near　to　Naxos；　which　was　then　besieged　by
the　Athenians；　he　made　himself　known　to　the　master　and　pilot；　and
partly　entreating　them；　partly　threatening　that　if　they　went　on
shore　he　would　accuse　them；　and　make　the　Athenians　to　believe　that
they　did　not　take　him　in　out　of　ignorance；　but　that　he　had　corrupted
them　with　money　from　the　beginning；　he　compelled　them　to　bear　off
and　stand　out　to　sea；　and　sail　forward　towards　the　coast　of　Asia。
　　A　great　part　of　his　estate　was　privately　conveyed　away　by　his
friends；　and　sent　after　him　by　sea　into　Asia；　besides　which；　there　was
discovered　and　confiscated　to　the　value　of　fourscore　talents；　as
Theophrastus　writes；　Theopompus　says　an　hundred；　though　Themistocles
was　never　worth　three　talents　before　he　was　concerned　in　public
affairs。
　　When　he　arrived　at　Cyme；　and　understood　that　all　along　the　coast
there　were　many　laid　wait　for　him；　and　particularly　Ergoteles　and
Pythodorus　（for　the　game　was　worth　the　hunting　for　such　as　were
thankful　to　make　money　by　any　means；　the　king　of　Persia　having　offered
by　public　proclamation　two　hundred　talents　to　him　that　should　take
him）；　he　fled　to　Aegae；　a　small　city　of　the　Aeolians；　where　no　one
knew　him　but　only　his　host　Nicogenes；　who　was　the　richest　man　in
Aeolia；　and　well　known　to　the　great　men　of　Inner　Asia。　While
Themistocles　lay　bid　for　some　days　in　his　house；　one　night；　after　a
sacrifice　and　supper　ensuing；　Olbius；　the　attendant　upon　Nicogenes's
children；　fell　into　a　sort　of　frenzy　and　fit　of　inspiration；　and　cried
out　in　verse…

　　　　　　　　　〃Night　shall　speak；　and　night　instruct　thee；
　　　　　　　　　By　the　voice　of　night　conduct　thee。〃

After　this；　Themistocles；　going　to　bed；　dreamed　that　he　saw　a　snake
coil　itself　up　upon　his　belly；　and　so　creep　to　his　neck；　then；　as　soon
as　it　touched　his　face；　it　turned　into　an　eagle；　which　spread　its
wings　over　him；　and　took　him　up　and　flew　away　with　him　a　great
distance；　then　there　appeared　a　herald's　golden　wand；　and　upon　this　at
last　it　set　him　down　securely；　after　infinite　terror　and　disturbance。
　　His　departure　was　effected　by　Nicogenes　by　the　following　artifice：
The　barbarous　nations；　and　amongst　them　the　Persians　especially；　are
extremely　jealous；　severe；　and　suspicious　about　their　women；　not
only　their　wives；　but　also　their　bought　slaves　and　concubines；　whom
they　keep　so　strictly　that　no　one　ever　sees　them　abroad；　they　spend
their　lives　shut　up　within　doors；　and；　when　they　take　a　journey；　are
carried　in　close　tents；　curtained　in　on　all　sides；　and　set　upon　a
wagon。　Such　a　travelling　carriage　being　prepared　for　Themistocles；
they　hid　him　in　it；　and　carried　him　on　his　journey；　and　told　those
whom　they　met　or　spoke　with　upon　the　road　that　they　were　conveying　a
young　Greek　woman　out　of　Ionia　to　a　nobleman　at　court。
　　Thucydides　and　Charon　of　Lampsacus　say　that　Xerxes　was　dead；　and
that　Themistocles　had　an　interview　with　his　son；　but　Ephorus；　Dinon；
Clitarchus；　Heraclides；　and　many　others；　write　that　he　came　to　Xerxes。
The　chronological　tables　better　agree　with　the　account　of
Thucydides；　and　yet　neither　can　their　statements　be　said　to　be　quite
set　at　rest。
　　When　Themistocles　was　come　to　the　critical　point；　he　applied　himself
first　to　Artabanus；　commander　of　a　thousand　men；　telling　him　that　he
was　a　Greek；　and　desired　to　speak　with　the　king　about　important
affairs　concerning　which　the　king　was　extremely　solicitous。
Artabanus　answered　him：　〃O　stranger；　the　laws　of　men　are　different；
and　one　thing　is　honourable　to　one　man；　and　to　others　another；　but
it　is　honourable　for　all　to　honour　and　observe　their　own　laws。　It　is
the　habit　of　the　Greeks；　we　are　told；　to　honour；　above　all　things；
liberty　and　equality；　but　amongst　our　many　excellent　laws；　we
account　this　the　most　excellent；　to　honour　the　king；　and　to　worship
him；　as　the　image　of　the　great　preserver　of　the　universe；　if；　then；
you　shall　consent　to　our　laws；　and　fall　down　before　the　king　and
worship　him；　you　may　both　see　him　and　speak　to　him；　but　if　your　mind
be　otherwise；　you　must　make　use　of　others　to　intercede　for　you；　for　it
is　not　the　national　custom　here　for　the　king　to　give　audience　to　any
one　that　doth　not　fall　down　before　him。〃　Themistocles；　hearing　this；
replied：　〃Artabanus；　I；　that　come　hither　to　increase　the　power　and
glory　of　the　king；　will　not　only　submit　myself　to　his　laws；　since　so
it　hath　pleased　the　god　who　exalteth　the　Persian　empire　to　this
greatness；　but　will　also　cause　many　more　to　be　worshippers　and　adorers
of　the　king。　Let　not　this；　therefore；　be　an　impediment　why　I　should
not　communicate　to　the　king　what　I　have　to　impart。〃　Artabanus　asking
him；　〃Who　must　we　tell　him　that　you　are？　for　your　words　signify　you　to
be　no　ordinary　person。〃　Themistocles　answered；　〃No　man；　O　Artabanus；
must　be　informed　of　this　before　the　king　himself。〃　Thus　Phanias
relates；　to　which　Eratosthenes；　in　his　treatise　on　Riches；　adds；
that　it　was　by　the　means　of　a　woman　of　Eretria；　who　was　kept　by
Artabanus；　that　he　obtained　this　audience　and　interview　with　him。
　　When　he　was　introduced　to　the　king；　and　had　paid　his　reverence　to
him；　he　stood　silent；　till　the　king　commanding　the　interpreter　to
ask　him　who　he　was；　he　replied；　〃O　king；　I　am　Themistocles　the
Athenian；　driven　into　banishment　by　the　Greeks。　The　evils　that　I
have　done　to　the　Persians　are　numerous；　but　my　benefits　to　them　yet
greater；　in　withholding　the　Greeks　from　pursuit；　so　soon　as　the
deliverance　of　my　own　country　allowed　me　to　show　kindness　also　to　you。
I　come　with　a　mind　suited　to　my　present　calamities；　prepared　alike　for
favours　and　for　anger；　to　welcome　your　gracious　reconciliation；　and　to
deprecate　your　wrath。　Take　my　own　countrymen　for　witnesses　of　the
services　I　have　done　for　Persia；　and　make　use　of　this　occasion　to　show
the　world　your　virtue；　rather　than　to　satisfy　your　indignation。　If　you
save　me；　you　will　save　your　suppliant；　if　otherwise；　will　destroy　an
enemy　of　the　Greeks。〃　He　talked　also　of　divine　admonitions；　such　as
the　vision　which　he　saw　at　Nicogenes's　house；　and　the　direction
given　him　by　the　oracle　of　Dodona；　where　Jupiter　commanded　him　to　go
to　him　that　had　a　name　like　his；　by　which　he　understood　that　he　was
sent　from　Jupiter　to　him；　seeing　that　they　both　were　great；　and　had
the　name　of　kings。
　　The　king　heard　him　attentively；　and；　though　he　admired　his　temper
and　courage；　gave　him　no　answer　at　that　time；　but；　when　he　was　with
his　intimate　friends；　rejoiced　in　his　great　good　fortune；　and　esteemed
himself　very　happy　in　this；　and　prayed　to　his　god　Arimanius；　that
all　his　enemies　might　be　ever　of　the　same　mind　with　the　Greeks；　to
abuse　and　expel　the　bravest　men　amongst　them。　Then　he　sacrificed　to
the　gods；　and　presently　fell　to　drinking；　and　was　so　well　pleased；
that　in　the　night；　in　the　middle　of　his　sleep；　he　cried　out　for　joy
three　times；　〃I　have　Themistocles　the　Athenian。〃
　　In　the　morning；　calling　together　the　chief　of　his　court；　he　had
Themistocles　brought　before　him；　who　expected　no　good　of　it；　when　he
saw；　for　example；　the　guards　fiercely　set　against　him　as　soon　as
they　learnt　his　name；　and　giving　him　ill　language。　As　he　came
forward　towards　the　king；　who　was　seated；　the　rest　keeping　silence；
passing　by　Roxanes；　a　commander　of　a　thousand　men；　he　heard　him；
with　a　slight　groan；　say；　without　stirring　out　of　his　place；　〃You
subtle　Greek　serpent；　the　king's　good　genius　hath　brought　thee
thither。〃　Yet；　when　he　came　into　the　presence；　and　again　fell　down；
the　king　saluted　him；　and　spake　to　him　kindly；　telling　him　he　was
now　indebted　to　him　two　hundred　talents；　for　it　was　just　and
reasonable　that　he　should　receive　the　reward　which　was　proposed　to
whosoever　should　bring　Themistocles；　and　promising　much　more；　and
encouraging　him；　he　commanded　him　to　speak　freely　what　he　would
concerning　the　affairs　of　Greece。　Themistocles　replied；　that　a　man's
discourse　was　like　to　a　rich　Persian　carpet；　the　beautiful　figures　and
patterns　of　which　can　only　be　shown　by　spreading　and　extending　it　out；
when　it　is　contracted　and　folded　up；　they　are　obscure　and　lost；　and；
therefore；　he　desired　time。　The　king　being　pleased　with　the
comparison；　and　bidding　him　take　what　time　he　would；　he　desired　a
year；　in　which　time；　having　learnt　the　Persian　language
sufficiently；　he　spoke　with　the　king　by　himself　without　the　help　of　an
interpreter；　it　being　supposed　that　he　discoursed　only　about　the
affairs　of　Greece；　but　there　happening；　at　the　same　time；　great
alterations　at　court；　and　removals　of　the　king's　favourites；　he　drew
upon　himself　the　envy　of　the　great　people；　who　imagined　that　he　had
taken　the　boldness　to　speak　concerning　them。　For　the　favours　shown
to　other　strangers　were　nothing　in　comparison　with　the　honours
conferred　on　him；　the　king　invited　him　to　partake　of　his　own
pastimes　and　recreations　both　at　home　and　abroad；　carrying　him　with
him　a…hunting；　and　made　him　his　intimate　so　far　that　he　permitted
him　to　see　the　queen…mother；　and　converse　frequently　with　her。　By
the　king's　command；　he　also　was　made　acquainted　with　the　Magian
learning。
　　When　Demaratus　the　Lacedaemonian；　being　ordered　by　the　king　to　ask
whatsoever　he　pleased；　that　it　should　immediately　be　granted　him；
desired　that　he　might　make　his　public　entrance；　and　be　carried　in
state　through　the　city　of　Sardis；　with　the　tiara　set　in　the　royal
manner　upo