artaxerxes-第6部分

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taking　up　an　axe　himself；　felled　the　greatest　and　most　beautiful　of
them。　After　which　his　men　used　their　hatchets；　and　piling　up　many
fires；　passed　away　the　night　at　their　ease。　Nevertheless；　he
returned　not　without　the　loss　of　many　and　valiant　subjects；　and　of
almost　all　his　horses。　And　supposing　that　his　misfortunes　and　the
ill…success　of　his　expedition　made　him　despised　in　the　eyes　of　his
people；　he　looked　jealously　on　his　nobles；　many　of　whom　he　slew　in
anger；　and　yet　more　out　of　fear。　As；　indeed；　fear　is　the　bloodiest
passion　in　princes；　confidence；　on　the　other　hand；　being　merciful；
gentle；　and　unsuspicious。　So　we　see　among　wild　beasts；　the　intractable
and　least　tamable　are　the　most　timorous　and　most　easily　startled；
the　nobler　creatures；　whose　courage　makes　them　trustful；　are　ready
to　respond　to　the　advances　of　men。
　　Artaxerxes；　now　being　an　old　man；　perceived　that　his　sons　were　in
controversy　about　his　kingdom；　and　that　they　made　parties　among　his
favourites　and　peers。　Those　that　were　equitable　among　them　thought
it　fit；　that　as　he　had　received　it；　so　he　should　bequeath　it；　by　right
of　age；　to　Darius。　The　younger　brother；　Ochus；　who　was　hot　and
violent；　had　indeed　a　considerable　number　of　the　courtiers　that
espoused　his　interest；　but　his　chief　hope　was　that　by　Atossa's　means
he　should　win　his　father。　For　he　flattered　her　with　the　thoughts　of
being　his　wife　and　partner　in　the　kingdom　after　the　death　of
Artaxerxes。　And　truly　it　was　rumoured　that　already　Ochus　maintained
a　too　intimate　correspondence　with　her。　This；　however；　was　quite
unknown　to　the　king；　who；　being　willing　to　put　down　in　good　time　his
son　Ochus's　hopes；　lest；　by　his　attempting　the　same　things　his　uncle
Cyrus　did；　wars　and　contentions　might　again　afflict　his　kingdom；
proclaimed　Darius；　then　twenty…five　years　old；　his　successor；　and　gave
him　leave　to　wear　the　upright　hat；　as　they　called　it。　It　was　a　rule
and　usage　of　Persia；　that　the　heir　apparent　to　the　crown　should　beg
a　boon；　and　that　he　that　declared　him　so　should　give　whatever　he
asked；　provided　it　were　within　the　sphere　of　his　power。　Darius
therefore　requested　Aspasia；　in　former　time　the　most　prized　of　the
concubines　of　Cyrus；　and　now　belonging　to　the　king。　She　was　by　birth　a
Phocaean；　of　Ionia；　born　of　free　parents；　and　well　educated。　Once　when
Cyrus　was　at　supper；　she　was　led　in　to　him　with　other　women；　who；　when
they　were　sat　down　by　him；　and　he　began　to　sport　and　dally　and　talk
jestingly　with　them；　gave　way　freely　to　his　advances。　But　she　stood　by
in　silence；　refusing　to　come　when　Cyrus　called　her；　and　when　his
chamberlains　were　going　to　force　her　towards　him；　said；　〃Whosoever
lays　hands　on　me　shall　rue。　it；〃　so　that　she　seemed　to　the　company　a
sullen　and　rude…mannered　person。　However；　Cyrus　was　well　pleased；
and　laughed；　saying　to　the　man　that　brought　the　women；　〃Do　you　not　see
to　a　certainty　that　this　woman　alone　of　all　that　came　with　you　is
truly　noble　and　pure　in　character？〃　After　which　time　he　began　to
regard　her；　and　loved　her；　above　all　of　her　sex；　and　called　her　the
Wise。　But　Cyrus　being　slain　in　the　fight；　she　was　taken　among　the
spoils　of　his　camp。
　　Darius；　in　demanding　her；　no　doubt　much　offended　his　father；　for　the
barbarian　people　keep　a　very　jealous　and　watchful　eye　over　their
carnal　pleasures；　so　that　it　is　death　for　a　man　not　only　to　come
near　and　touch　any　concubine　of　his　prince；　but　likewise　on　a
journey　to　ride　forward　and　pass　by　the　carriages　in　which　they　are
conveyed。　And　though；　to　gratify　his　passion；　he　had　against　all　law
married　his　daughter　Atossa；　and　had　besides　her　no　less　than　three
hundred　and　sixty　concubines　selected　for　their　beauty；　yet　being
importuned　for　that　one　by　Darius；　he　urged　that　she　was　a　free…woman；
and　allowed　him　to　take　her；　if　she　had　an　inclination　to　go　with　him；
but　by　no　means　to　force　her　away　against　it。　Aspasia；　therefore；
being　sent　for；　and；　contrary　to　the　king's　expectation；　making　choice
of　Darius；　he　gave　him　her　indeed；　being　constrained　by　law；　but
when　he　had　done　so；　a　little　after　he　took　her　from　him。　For　he
consecrated　her　priestess　to　Diana　of　Ecbatana；　whom　they　name
Anaitis；　that　she　might　spend　the　remainder　of　her　days　in　strict
chastity；　thinking　thus　to　punish　his　son；　not　rigorously；　but　with
moderation；　by　a　revenge　checkered　with　jest　and　earnest。　But　he
took　it　heinously；　either　that　he　was　passionately　fond　of　Aspasia；　or
because　he　looked　upon　himself　as　affronted　and　scorned　by　his　father。
Teribazus；　perceiving　him　thus　minded；　did　his　best　to　exasperate
him　yet　further；　seeing　in　his　injuries　a　representation　of　his　own；
of　which　the　following　is　the　account：　Artaxerxes；　having　many
daughters；　promised　to　give　Apama　to　Pharnabazus　to　wife；　Rhodogune　to
Orontes；　and　Amestris　to　Teribazus；　whom　alone　of　the　three　he
disappointed；　by　marrying　Amestris　himself。　However；　to　make　him
amends；　he　betrothed　his　youngest　daughter　Atossa　to　him。　But　after　he
had；　being　enamoured　of　her　too；　as　has　been　said；　married　her；
Teribazus　entertained　an　irreconcilable　enmity　against　him。　As
indeed　he　was　seldom　at　any　other　time　steady　in　his　temper；　but
uneven　and　inconsiderate；　so　that　whether　he　were　in　the　number　of　the
choicest　favourites　of　his　prince；　or　whether　he　were　offensive　and
odious　to　him；　he　demeaned　himself　in　neither　condition　with
moderation；　but　if　he　was　advanced　he　was　intolerably　insolent；　and　in
his　degradation　not　submissive　and　peaceable　in　his　deportment；　but
fierce　and　haughty。
　　And　therefore　Teribazus　was　to　the　young　prince　flame　added　upon
flame；　ever　urging　him；　and　saying；　that　in　vain　those　wear　their　hats
upright　who　consult　not　the　real　success　of　their　affairs；　and　that　he
was　ill…befriended　of　reason　if　he　imagined；　whilst　he　had　a
brother；　who；　through　the　women's　apartments；　was　seeking　a　way　to　the
supremacy；　and　a　father　of　so　rash　and　fickle　a　humour；　that　he　should
by　succession　infallibly　step　up　into　the　throne。　For　he　that　out　of
fondness　to　an　Ionian　girl　has　eluded　a　law　sacred　and　inviolable
among　the　Persians　is　not　likely　to　be　faithful　in　the　performance
of　the　most　important　promises。　He　added；　too；　that　it　was　not　all　one
for　Ochus　not　to　attain　to；　and　for　him　to　be　put　by　his　crown；
since　Ochus　as　a　subject　might　live　happily；　and　nobody　could　hinder
him；　but　he；　being　proclaimed　king；　must　either　take　up　his　sceptre　or
lay　down　his　life。　These　words　presently　inflamed　Darius：　what
Sophocles　says　being　indeed　generally　true：…

　　　　　　　　　〃Quick　travels　the　persuasion　to　what's　wrong。〃

For　the　path　is　smooth；　and　upon　an　easy　descent；　that　leads　us　to　our
own　will；　and　the　most　part　of　us　desire　what　is　evil　through　our
strangeness　to　and　ignorance　of　good。　And　in　this　case；　no　doubt；
the　greatness　of　the　empire　and　the　jealousy　Darius　had　of　Ochus
furnished　Teribazus　with　material　for　his　persuasions。　Nor　was　Venus
wholly　unconcerned　in　the　matter；　in　regard；　namely；　of　his　loss　of
Aspasia。
　　Darius；　therefore；　resigned　himself　up　to　the　dictates　of　Teribazus；
and　many　now　conspiring　with　them；　a　eunuch　gave　information　to　the
king　of　their　plot　and　the　way　how　it　was　to　be　managed；　having
discovered　the　certainty　of　it；　that　they　had　resolved　to　break　into
his　bed…chamber　by　night；　and　there　to　kill　him　as　he　lay。　After
Artaxerxes　had　been　thus　advertised；　he　did　not　think　fit；　by
disregarding　the　discovery；　to　despise　so　great　a　danger；　nor　to
believe　it　when　there　was　little　or　no　proof　of　it。　Thus　then　he
did：　he　charged　the　eunuch　constantly　to　attend　and　accompany　the
conspirators　wherever　they　were；　in　the　meanwhile；　he　broke　down　the
party…wall　of　the　chamber　behind　his　bed；　and　placed　a　door　in　it　to
open　and　shut；　which　he　covered　up　with　tapestry；　so　the　hour
approaching；　and　the　eunuch　having　told　him　the　precise　time　in
which　the　traitors　designed　to　assassinate　him；　he　waited　for　them
in　his　bed；　and　rose　not　up　till　he　had　seen　the　faces　of　his
assailants　and　recognized　every　man　of　them。　But　as　soon　as　he　saw
them　with　their　swords　drawn　and　coming　up　to　him；　throwing　up　the
hanging；　he　made　his　retreat　into　the　inner　chamber；　and；　bolting
the　door；　raised　a　cry。　Thus　when　the　murderers　had　been　seen　by
him；　and　had　attempted　him　in　vain；　they　with　speed　went　back
through　the　same　doors　they　came　in　by；　enjoining　Teribazus　and　his
friends　to　fly；　as　their　plot　had　been　certainly　detected。　They；
therefore；　made　their　escape　different　ways；　but　Teribazus　was
seized　by　the　king's　guards；　and　after　slaying　many；　while　they　were
laying　hold　on　him；　at　length　being　struck　through　with　a　dart　at　a
distance；　fell。　As　for　Darius；　who　was　brought　to　trial　with　his
children；　the　king　appointed　the　royal　judges　to　sit　over　him；　and
because　he　was　not　himself　present；　but　accused　Darius　by　proxy；　he
commanded　his　scribes　to　write　down　the　opinion　of　every　one　of　the
judges；　and　show　it　to　him。　And　after　they　had　given　their
sentences；　all　as　one　man；　and　condemned　Darius　to　death；　the　officers
seized　on　him；　and　hurried　him　to　a　chamber　not　far　off。　To　which
place　the　executioner；　when　summoned；　came　with　a　razor　in　his　hand；
with　which　men　of　his　employment　cut　off　the　heads　of　offenders。　But
when　he　saw　that　Darius　was　the　person　thus　to　be　punished　he　was
appalled　and　started　back；　offering　to　go　out；　as　one　that　had　neither
power　nor　courage　enough　to　behead　a　king；　yet　at　the　threats　and
commands　of　the　judges　who　stood　at　the　prison　door；　he　returned　and
grasping　the　hair　of　his　head　and　bringing　his　face　to　the　ground　with
one　hand；　he　cut　through　his　neck　with　the　razor　he　had　in　the
other。　Some　affirm　that　sentence　was　passed　in　the　presence　of
Artaxerxes；　that　Darius；　after　he　had　been　convicted　by　clear
evidence；　falling　prostrate　before　him；　did　humbly　beg　his　pardon；
that　instead　of　giving　it；　he　rising　up　in　rage　and　drawing　his
scymetar；　smote　him　till　he　had　killed　him；　and　then；　going　forth　into
the　court；　he　worshipped　the　sun；　and　said；　〃Depart　in　peace；　ye
Persians；　and　declare　to　your　fellow…subjects　how　the　mighty　Oromasdes
hath　dealt　out　vengeance　to　the　contrivers　of　unjust　and　unlawful
things。〃
　　Suc