artaxerxes-第7部分

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hath　dealt　out　vengeance　to　the　contrivers　of　unjust　and　unlawful
things。〃
　　Such；　then；　was　the　issue　of　this　conspiracy。　And　now　Ochus　was　high
in　his　hopes；　being　confident　in　the　influence　of　Atossa；　but　yet
was　afraid　of　Ariaspes；　the　only　male　surviving；　besides　himself；　of
the　legitimate　offspring　of　his　father；　and　of　Arsames；　one　of　his
natural　sons。　For　indeed　Ariaspes　was　already　claimed　as　their
prince　by　the　wishes　of　the　Persians；　not　because　he　was　the　elder
brother；　but　because　he　excelled　Ochus　in　gentleness；　plain　dealing；
and　good…nature；　and　on　the　other　hand　Arsames　appeared；　by　his
wisdom；　fitted　for　the　throne；　and　that　he　was　dear　to　his　father
Ochus　well　knew。　So　he　laid　snares　for　them　both；　and　being　no　less
treacherous　than　bloody；　he　made　use　of　the　cruelty　of　his　nature
against　Arsames；　and　of　his　craft　and　wiliness　against　Ariaspes。　For
he　suborned　the　king's　eunuchs　and　favourites　to　convey　to　him
menacing　and　harsh　expressions　from　his　father；　as　though　he　had
decreed　to　put　him　to　a　cruel　and　ignominious　death。　When　they　daily
communicated　these　things　as　secrets；　and　told　him　at　one　time　that
the　king　would　do　so　to　him　ere　long；　and　at　another；　that　the　blow
was　actually　close　impending；　they　so　alarmed　the　young　man；　struck
such　a　terror　into　him；　and　cast　such　a　confusion　and　anxiety　upon　his
thoughts；　that；　having　prepared　some　poisonous　drugs；　he　drank　them；
that　he　might　be　delivered　from　his　life。　The　king；　on　hearing　what
kind　of　death　he　died；　heartily　lamented　him；　and　was　not　without　a
suspicion　of　the　cause　of　it。　But　being　disabled　by　his　age　to
search　into　and　prove　it；　he　was；　after　the　loss　of　this　son；　more
affectionate　than　before　to　Arsames；　did　manifestly　place　his　greatest
confidence　in　him；　and　made　him　privy　to　his　counsels。　Whereupon　Ochus
had　no　longer　patience　to　defer　the　execution　of　his　purpose；　but
having　procured　Arpates；　Teribazus's　son；　for　the　undertaking；　he
killed　Arsames　by　his　hand。　Artaxerxes　at　that　time　had　but　a　little
hold　on　life；　by　reason　of　his　extreme　age；　and　so；　when　he　heard　of
the　fate　of　Arsames；　he　could　not　sustain　it　at　all；　but　sinking　at
once　under　the　weight　of　his　grief　and　distress；　expired；　after　a　life
of　ninety…four　years；　and　a　reign　of　sixty…two。　And　then　he　seemed　a
moderate　and　gracious　governor；　more　especially　as　compared　to　his　son
Ochus；　who　outdid　all　his　predecessors　in　blood…thirstiness　and
cruelty。




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