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lysander-第1部分

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                                    LYSANDER
                                 445?…395 B。C。

                                  by Plutarch

                           translated by John Dryden




  THE treasure…chamber of the Acanthians at Delphi has this
inscription: 〃The spoils which Brasidas and the Acanthians took from
the Athenians。〃 And; accordingly; many take the marble statue; which
stands within the building by the gates; to be Brasidas's; but;
indeed; it is Lysander's; representing him with his hair at full
length; after the old fashion; and with an ample beard。 Neither is
it true; as some give out; that because the Argives; after their great
defeat; shaved themselves for sorrow; that the Spartans contrariwise
triumphing in their achievements; suffered their hair to grow; neither
did the Spartans come to be ambitious of wearing long hair; because
the Bacchiadae; who fled from Corinth to Lacedaemon; looked mean and
unsightly; having their heads all close cut。 But this; also; is indeed
one of the ordinances of Lycurgus; who; as it is reported; was used to
say; that long hair made good…looking men more beautiful; and
ill…looking men more terrible。
  Lysander's father is said to have been Aristoclitus; who was not
indeed of the royal family but yet of the stock of the Heraclidae。
He was brought up in poverty; and showed himself obedient and
conformable; as ever any one did; to the customs of his country; of
a manly spirit; also; and superior to all pleasures; excepting only
that which their good actions bring to those who are honoured and
successful; and it is accounted no base thing in Sparta for their
young men to be overcome with this kind of pleasure。 For they are
desirous; from the very first; to have their youth susceptible to good
and bad repute; to feel pain at disgrace; and exultation at being
commended; and any one who is insensible and unaffected in these
respects is thought poor…spirited and of no capacity for virtue。
Ambition and the passion for distinction were thus implanted in his
character by his Laconian education; nor; if they continued there;
must we blame his natural disposition much for this。 But he was
submissive to great men; beyond what seems agreeable to the Spartan
temper; and could easily bear the haughtiness of those who were in
power; when it was any way for his advantage; which some are of
opinion is no small part of political discretion。 Aristotle; who
says all great characters are more or less atrabilious; as Socrates
and Plato and Hercules were; writes that Lysander; not indeed early in
life; but when he was old; became thus affected。 What is singular in
his character is that he endured poverty very well and that he was not
at all enslaved or corrupted by wealth; and yet he filled his
country with riches and the love of them; and took away from them
the glory of not admiring money; importing amongst them an abundance
of gold and silver after the Athenian war; though keeping not one
drachma for himself。 When Dionysius; the tyrant; sent his daughters
some costly gowns of Sicilian manufacture; he would not receive
them; saying he was afraid they would make them look more
unhandsome。 But a while after; being sent ambassador from the same
city to the same tyrant; when he had sent him a couple of robes; and
bade him choose which of them he would; and carry to his daughter:
〃She;〃 said he; 〃will be able to choose best for herself;〃 and
taking both of them; went his way。
  The Peloponnesian war having now been carried on a long time; and it
being expected; after the disaster of the Athenians in Sicily; that
they would at once lose the mastery of the sea; and ere long be routed
everywhere; Alcibiades; returning from banishment; and taking the
command; produced a great change; and made the Athenians again a match
for their opponents by sea; and the Lacedaemonians; in great alarm
at this; and calling up fresh courage and zeal for the conflict;
feeling the want of an able commander and of a powerful armament; sent
out Lysander to be admiral of the seas。 Being at Ephesus; and
finding the city well affected towards him; and favourable to the
Lacedaemonian party; but in ill condition; and in danger to become
barbarized by adopting the manners of the Persians; who were much
mingled among them; the country of Lydia bordering upon them; and
the king's generals being quartered there for a long time; he
pitched his camp there; and commanded the merchant ships all about
to put in thither; and proceeded to build ships of war there; and thus
restored their ports by the traffic he created; and their market by
the employment he gave; and filled their private houses and their
workshops with wealth; so that from that time the city began; first of
all; by Lysander's means; to have some hopes of growing to that
stateliness and grandeur which now it is at。
  Understanding that Cyrus; the king's son; was come to Sardis; he
went up to talk with him; and to accuse Tisaphernes; who; receiving
a command to help the Lacedaemonians; and to drive the Athenians
from the sea; was thought; on account of Alcibiades; to have become
remiss and unwilling; and by paying the seamen slenderly to be ruining
the fleet。 Now Cyrus was willing that Tisaphernes might be found in
blame; and be ill reported of; as being; indeed; a dishonest man;
and privately at feud with himself。 By these means; and by their daily
intercourse together; Lysander; especially by the submissiveness of
his conversation; won the affection of the young prince; and greatly
roused him to carry on and when he would depart; Cyrus gave him a
banquet; and desired him not to refuse his goodwill; but to speak
and ask whatever he had a mind to; and that he should not be refused
anything whatsoever: 〃Since you are so very kind;〃 replied Lysander;
〃I earnestly request you to add one penny to the seamen's pay; that
instead of three pence; they may now receive four pence。〃 Cyrus;
delighted with his public spirit; gave him ten thousand darics; out of
which he added the penny to the seamen's pay; and by the renown of
this in a short time emptied the ships of the enemies; as many would
come over to that side which gave the most pay; and those who
remained; being disheartened and mutinous; daily created trouble to
the captains。 Yet for all Lysander had so distracted and weakened
his enemies; he was afraid to engage by sea; Alcibiades being an
energetic commander; and having the superior number of ships; and
having been hitherto; in all battles; unconquered both by sea and
land。
  But afterwards; when Alcibiades sailed from Samos to Phocaea;
leaving Antiochus; the pilot; in command of all his forces; this
Antiochus; to insult Lysander; sailed with two galleys into the port
of the Ephesians; and with mocking and laughter proudly rowed along
before the place where the ships lay drawn up。 Lysander; in
indignation; launched at first a few ships only and pursued him; but
as soon as he saw the Athenians come to his help; he added some
other ships; and; at last; they fell to a set battle together; and
Lysander won the victory; and taking fifteen of their ships; erected a
trophy。 For this; the people in the city being angry; put Alcibiades
out of command; and finding himself despised by the soldiers in Samos;
and ill spoken of; he sailed from the army into the Chersonese。 And
this battle; although not important in itself; was made remarkable
by its consequences to Alcibiades。
  Lysander; meanwhile; invited to Ephesus such persons in the
various cities as he saw to be bolder and haughtier…spirited than
the rest; proceeded to lay the foundations of that government by
bodies of ten; and those revolutions which afterwards came to pass;
stirring up and urging them to unite in clubs and apply themselves
to public affairs; since as soon as ever the Athenians should be put
down; the popular government; he said; should be suppressed and they
should become supreme in their several countries。 And he made them
believe these things by present deeds; promoting those who were his
friends already to great employments; honours; and offices; and; to
gratify their covetousness; making himself a partner in injustice
and wickedness。 So much so; that all flocked to him; and courted and
desired him; hoping; if be remained in power; that the highest
wishes they could form would all be gratified。 And therefore; from the
very beginning; they could not look pleasantly upon Callicratidas;
when he came to succeed Lysander as admiral; nor; afterwards; when
he had given them experience that he was a most noble and just person;
were they pleased with the manner of his government; and its
straightforward; Dorian; honest character。 They did; indeed; admire
his virtue; as they might the beauty of some hero's image; but their
wishes were for Lysander's zealous and profitable support of the
interests of his friends and partisans; and they shed tears; and
were much disheartened when he sailed from them。 He himself made
them yet more disaffected to Callicratidas; for what remained of the
money which had been given him to pay the navy; he sent back again
to Sardis; bidding them; if they would; apply to Callicratidas
himself; and see how he was able to maintain the soldiers。 And; at the
last; sailing away; he declared to him that he delivered up the
fleet in possession and command of the sea。 But Callicratidas; to
expose the emptiness of these high pretensions; said; 〃In that case;
leave Samos on the left hand; and sailing to Miletus; there deliver up
the ships to me; for if we are masters of the sea; we need not fear
sailing by our enemies in Samos。〃 To which Lysander answering; that
not himself but he commanded the ships; sailed to Peloponnesus;
leaving Callicratidas in great perplexity。 For neither had he
brought any money from home with him; nor could he endure to tax the
towns or force them; being in hardship enough。 Therefore; the only
course that was to be taken was to go and beg at the doors of the
king's commanders; as Lysander had done; for which he was most unfit
of any man; being of a generous and great spirit; and one who
thought it more becoming for the Greeks to suffer any
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