lysander-第5部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


they　have　done　this；　they　write　what　they　please　on　the　scroll；　as
it　is　wrapped　about　the　staff；　and　when　they　have　written；　they　take
off　the　scroll；　and　send　it　to　the　general　without　the　wood。　He；
when　he　has　received　it；　can　read　nothing　of　the　writing；　because
the　words　and　letters　are　not　connected；　but　all　broken　up；　but　taking
his　own　staff；　he　winds　the　slip　of　the　scroll　about　it；　so　that
this　folding；　restoring　all　the　parts　into　the　same　order　that　they
were　in　before；　and　putting　what　comes　first　into　connection　with　what
follows；　brings　the　whole　consecutive　contents　to　view　round　the
outside。　And　this　scroll　is　called　a　staff；　after　the　name　of　the
wood；　as　a　thing　measured　is　by　the　name　of　the　measure。
　　But　Lysander；　when　the　staff　came　to　him　to　the　Hellespont；　was
troubled；　and　fearing　Pharnabazus's　accusations　most；　made　haste　to
confer　with　him；　hoping　to　end　the　difference　by　a　meeting　together。
When　they　met；　he　desired　him　to　write　another　letter　to　the
magistrates；　stating　that　he　had　not　been　wronged；　and　had　no
complaint　to　prefer。　But　he　was　ignorant　that　Pharnabazus；　as　it　is　in
the　proverb；　played　Cretan　against　Cretan；　for　pretending　to　do　all
that　was　desired；　openly　he　wrote　such　a　letter　as　Lysander　wanted；
but　kept　by　him　another；　written　privately；　and　when　they　came　to
put　on　the　seals；　changed　the　tablets；　which　differed　not　at　all　to
look　upon；　and　gave　him　the　letter　which　had　been　written　privately。
Lysander；　accordingly；　coming　to　Lacedaemon；　and　going；　as　the
custom　is；　to　the　magistrates'　office；　gave　Pharnabazus's　letter　to
the　Ephors；　being　persuaded　that　the　greatest　accusation　against　him
was　now　withdrawn；　for　Pharnabazus　was　beloved　by　the
Lacedaemonians；　having　been　the　most　zealous　on　their　side　in　the
war　of　all　the　king's　captains。　But　after　the　magistrates　had　read　the
letter　they　showed　it　him；　and　he　understanding　now　that…

　　　　　　　　　〃Others　beside　Ulysses　deep　can　be；
　　　　　　　　　　Not　the　one　wise　man　of　the　world　is　he；〃

in　extreme　confusion；　left　them　at　the　time。　But　a　few　days　after；
meeting　the　Ephors；　he　said　he　must　go　to　the　temple　of　Ammon；　and
offer　the　god　the　sacrifices　which　he　had　vowed　in　war。　For　some　state
it　as　a　truth；　that　when　he　was　besieging　the　city　of　Aphytae　in
Thrace；　Ammon　stood　by　him　in　his　sleep；　whereupon　raising　the
siege；　supposing　the　god　had　commanded　it；　he　bade　the　Aphytaeans
sacrifice　to　Ammon；　and　resolved　to　make　a　journey　into　Libya　to
propitiate　the　god。　But　most　were　of　opinion　that　the　god　was　but
the　pretence；　and　that　in　reality　he　was　afraid　of　the　Ephors；　and
that　impatience　of　the　yoke　at　home；　and　dislike　of　living　under
authority；　made　him　long　for　some　travel　and　wandering；　like　a　horse
just　brought　in　from　open　feeding　and　pasture　to　the　stable；　and　put
again　to　his　ordinary　work。　For　that　which　Ephorus　states　to　have　been
the　cause　of　this　travelling　about；　I　shall　relate　by　and　by。
　　And　having　hardly　and　with　difficulty　obtained　leave　of　the
magistrates　to　depart；　he　set　sail。　But　the　kings；　while　he　was　on　his
voyage；　considering　that　keeping；　as　he　did；　the　cities　in
possession　by　his　own　friends　and　partisans；　he　was　in　fact　their
sovereign　and　the　lord　of　Greece；　took　measures　for　restoring　the
power　to　the　people；　and　for　throwing　his　friends　out。　Disturbances
commencing　again　about　these　things；　and；　first　of　all；　the
Athenians　from　Phyle　setting　upon　their　thirty　rulers　and　overpowering
them；　Lysander；　coming　home　in　haste；　persuaded　the　Lacedaemonians
to　support　the　oligarchies　and　to　put　down　the　popular　governments；
and　to　the　thirty　in　Athens；　first　of　all；　they　sent　a　hundred　talents
for　the　war；　and　Lysander　himself；　as　general；　to　assist　them。　But　the
kings　envying　him；　and　fearing　lest　he　should　take　Athens　again；
resolved　that　one　of　themselves　should　take　the　command。　Accordingly
Pausanias　went；　and　in　words；　indeed；　professed　as　if　he　had　been
for　the　tyrant　against　the　people；　but　in　reality　exerted　himself
for　peace；　that　Lysander　might　not　by　the　means　of　his　friends
become　lord　of　Athens　again。　This　he　brought　easily　to　pass；　for；
reconciling　the　Athenians；　and　quieting　the　tumults；　he　defeated　the
ambitious　hope　of　Lysander；　though　shortly　after；　on　the　Athenians
rebelling　again；　he　was　censured　for　having　thus　taken；　as　it　were；
the　bit　out　of　the　mouth　of　the　people；　which；　being　freed　from　the
oligarchy；　would　now　break　out　again　into　affronts　and　insolence；
and　Lysander　regained　the　reputation　of　a　person　who　employed　his
command　not　in　gratification　of　others；　not　for　applause；　but　strictly
for　the　good　of　Sparta。
　　His　speech；　also；　was　bold　and　daunting　to　such　as　opposed　him。
The　Argives；　for　example；　contended　about　the　bounds　of　their　land；
and　thought　they　brought　juster　pleas　than　the　Lacedaemonians；　holding
out　his　sword；　〃He；〃　said　Lysander；　〃that　is　master　of　this；　brings
the　best　argument　about　the　bounds　of　territory。〃　A　man　of　Megara；
at　some　conference；　taking　freedom　with　him；　〃This　language；　my
friend；〃　said　he；　〃should　come　from　a　city。〃　To　the　Boeotians；　who
were　acting　a　doubtful　part；　he　put　the　question；　whether　he　should
pass　through　their　country　with　spears　upright　or　levelled。　After
the　revolt　of　the　Corinthians；　when；　on　coming　to　their　walls；　he
perceived　the　Lacedaemonians　hesitating　to　make　the　assault；　and　a
hare　was　seen　to　leap　through　the　ditch：　〃Are　you　not　ashamed；〃　he
said；　〃to　fear　an　enemy；　for　whose　laziness　the　very　hares　sleep
upon　their　walls？〃
　　When　King　Agis　died；　leaving　a　brother　Agesilaus；　and
Leontychides；　who　was　supposed　his　son；　Lysander；　being　attached　to
Agesilaus；　persuaded　him　to　lay　claim　to　the　kingdom；　as　being　a
true　descendant　of　Hercules；　Leontychides　lying　under　the　suspicion　of
being　the　soil　of　Alcibiades；　who　lived　privately　in　familiarity
with　Timaea；　the　wife　of　Agis；　at　the　time　he　was　a　fugitive　in
Sparta。　Agis；　they　say；　computing　the　time；　satisfied　himself　that　she
could　not　have　conceived　by　him；　and　had　hitherto　always　neglected　and
manifestly　disowned　Leontychides；　but　now　when　he　was　carried　sick
to　Heraea；　being　ready　to　die；　what　by　importunities　of　the　young
man　himself；　and　of　his　friends；　in　the　presence　of　many　he　declared
Leontychides　to　be　his；　and　desiring　those　who　were　present　to　bear
witness　to　this　to　the　Lacedaemonians；　died。　They　accordingly　did　so
testify　in　favour　of　Leontychides。　And　Agesilaus；　being　otherwise
highly　reputed　of　and　strong　in　the　support　of　Lysander；　was；　on　the
other　hand；　prejudiced　by　Diopithes；　a　man　famous　for　his　knowledge　of
oracles；　who　adduced　this　prophecy　in　reference　to　Agesilaus's
lameness：…

　　　　　　　　　〃Beware；　great　Sparta；　lest　there　come　of　thee；
　　　　　　　　　　Though　sound　thyself；　an　halting　sovereignty；
　　　　　　　　　　Troubles；　both　long　and　unexpected　too；
　　　　　　　　　　And　storms　of　deadly　warfare　shall　ensue。〃

When　many；　therefore；　yielded　to　the　oracle；　and　inclined　to
Leontychides；　Lysander　said　that　Diopithes　did　not　take　the　prophecy
rightly；　for　it　was　not　that　the　god　would　be　offended　if　any　lame
person　ruled　over　the　Lacedaemonians；　but　that　the　kingdom　would　be
a　lame　one　if　bastards　and　false…born　should　govern　with　the　posterity
of　Hercules。　By　this　argument；　and　by　his　great　influence　among
them；　he　prevailed；　and　Agesilaus　was　made　king。
　　Immediately；　therefore；　Lysander　spurred　him　on　to　make　an
expedition　into　Asia；　putting　him　in　hopes　that　he　might　destroy　the
Persians；　and　attain　the　height　of　greatness。　And　he　wrote　to　his
friends　in　Asia；　bidding　them　request　to　have　Agesilaus　appointed　to
command　them　in　the　war　against　the　barbarians；　which　they　were
persuaded　to；　and　sent　ambassadors　to　Lacedaemon　to　entreat　it。　And
this　would　seem　to　be　a　second　favour　done　Agesilaus　by　Lysander；
not　inferior　to　his　first　in　obtaining　him　the　kingdom。　But　with
ambitious　natures；　otherwise　not　ill　qualified　for　command；　the
feeling　of　jealousy　of　those　near　them　in　reputation　continually
stands　in　the　way　of　the　performance　of　noble　actions；　they　make　those
their　rivals　in　virtue；　whom　they　ought　to　use　as　their　helpers　to　it。
Agesilaus　took　Lysander；　among　the　thirty　counsellors　that　accompanied
him；　with　intentions　of　using　him　as　his　especial　friend；　but　when
they　were　come　into　Asia；　the　inhabitants　there；　to　whom　he　was　but
little　known；　addressed　themselves　to　him　but　little　and　seldom；
whereas　Lysander；　because　of　their　frequent　previous　intercourse；
was　visited　and　attended　by　large　numbers；　by　his　friends　out　of
observance；　and　by　others　out　of　fear；　and　just　as　in　tragedies　it　not
uncommonly　is　the　case　with　the　actors；　the　person　who　represents　a
messenger　or　servant　is　much　taken　notice　of；　and　plays　the　chief
part；　while　he　who　wears　the　crown　and　scepter　is　hardly　heard　to
speak；　even　so　was　it　about　the　counsellor；　he　had　all　the　real
honours　of　the　government；　and　to　the　king　was　left　the　empty　name
of　power。　This　disproportionate　ambition　ought　very　likely　to　have
been　in　some　way　softened　down；　and　Lysander　should　have　been
reduced　to　his　proper　second　place；　but　wholly　to　cast　off　and　to
insult　and　affront　for　glory's　sake　one　who　was　his　benefactor　and
friend　was　not　worthy　Agesilaus　to　allow　in　himself。　For；　first　of
all；　he　gave　him　no　opportunity　for　any　action；　and　never　set　him　in
any　place　of　command；　then；　for　whomsoever　he　perceived　him　exerting
his　interest；　these　persons　he　always　sent　away　with　a　refusal；　and
with　less　attention　than　any　ordinary　suitors；　thus　silently　undoing
and　weakening　his　influence。
　　Lysander；　miscarrying　in　everything；　and　perceiving　that　his
diligence　for　his　friends　was　but　a　hindrance　to　them；　forbore　to　help
them；　entreating　them　that　they　would　not　address　themselves　to；　nor
observe　him；　but　that　they　would　speak　to　the　king；　and　to　those　who
could　be　of　more　service　to　friends　than　at　present　he　could；　most；　on
hearing　this　forbore　to　trouble　him　about　their　concerns；　but
continued　their　observances　to　him；　waiting　upon　him　in　the　walks
and　places　of　exercise；　at　which　Agesilaus　was　more　annoyed　than　ever；
envying　him　the　honour；　and；　finally；　when　he　gave　many