cimon-第2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！


Asteria　of　Salamis；　and　again　for　a　certain　Mnestra。　And　there　can
be　no　doubt　of　his　unusually　passionate　affection　for　his　lawful
wife　Isodice；　the　daughter　of　Euryptolemus；　the　son　of　Megacles；　nor
of　his　regret；　even　to　impatience；　at　her　death；　if　any　conclusion　may
be　drawn　from　those　elegies　of　condolence；　addressed　to　him　upon　his
loss　of　her。　The　philosopher　Panaetius　is　of　opinion　that　Archelaus；
the　writer　on　physics；　was　the　author　of　them；　and　indeed　the　time
seems　to　favour　that　conjecture。　All　the　other　points　of　Cimon's
character　were　noble　and　good。　He　was　as　daring　as　Miltiades；　and
not　inferior　to　Themistocles　in　judgment；　and　was　incomparably　more
just　and　honest　than　either　of　them。　Fully　their　equal　in　all　military
virtues；　in　the　ordinary　duties　of　a　citizen　at　home　he　was
immeasurably　their　superior。　And　this；　too；　when　he　was　very　young；
his　years　not　yet　strengthened　by　any　experience。　For　when
Themistocles；　upon　the　Median　invasion；　advised　the　Athenians　to
forsake　their　city　and　their　country；　and　to　carry　all　their　arms　on
shipboard　and　fight　the　enemy　by　sea；　in　the　straits　of　Salamis；
when　all　the　people　stood　amazed　at　the　confidence　and　rashness　of
this　advice；　Cimon　was　seen；　the　first　of　all　men；　passing　with　a
cheerful　countenance　through　the　Ceramicus；　on　his　way　with　his
companions　to　the　citadel；　carrying　a　bridle　in　his　hand　to　offer　to
the　goddess；　intimating　that　there　was　no　more　need　of　horsemen　now；
but　of　mariners。　There；　after　he　had　paid　his　devotions　to　the
goddess；　and　offered　up　the　bridle；　he　took　down　one　of　the　bucklers
that　hung　upon　the　walls　of　the　temple；　and　went　down　to　the　port；
by　this　example　giving　confidence　to　many　of　the　citizens。　He　was　also
of　a　fairly　handsome　person；　according　to　the　poet　Ion；　tall　and
large；　and　let　his　thick　and　curly　hair　grow　long。　After　he　had
acquitted　himself　gallantly　in　this　battle　of　Salamis；　he　obtained
great　repute　among　the　Athenians；　and　was　regarded　with　affection；
as　well　as　admiration。　He　had　many　who　followed　after　him；　and　bade
him　aspire　to　actions　not　less　famous　than　his　father's　battle　of
Marathon。　And　when　he　came　forward　in　political　life；　the　people
welcomed　him　gladly；　being　now　weary　of　Themistocles；　in　opposition　to
whom；　and　because　of　the　frankness　and　easiness　of　his　temper；　which
was　agreeable　to　every　one；　they　advanced　Cimon　to　the　highest
employments　in　the　government。　The　man　that　contributed　most　to　his
promotion　was　Aristides；　who　early　discerned　in　his　character　his
natural　capacity；　and　purposely　raised　him；　that　he　might　be　a
counterpoise　to　the　craft　and　boldness　of　Themistocles。
　　After　the　Medes　had　been　driven　out　of　Greece；　Cimon　was　sent　out　as
an　admiral；　when　the　Athenians　had　not　yet　attained　their　dominion
by　sea；　but　still　followed　Pausanias　and　the　Lacedaemonians；　and　his
fellow…citizens　under　his　command　were　highly　distinguished；　both
for　the　excellence　of　their　discipline；　and　for　their　extraordinary
zeal　and　readiness。　And　further；　perceiving　that　Pausanias　was
carrying　on　secret　communications　with　the　barbarians；　and　writing
letters　to　the　King　of　Persia　to　betray　Greece；　and　puffed　up　with
authority　and　success；　was　treating　the　allies　haughtily；　and
committing　many　wanton　injustices；　Cimon；　taking　this　advantage；　by
acts　of　kindness　to　those　who　were　suffering　wrong；　and　by　his　general
humane　bearing；　robbed　him　of　the　command　of　the　Greeks；　before　he　was
aware；　not　by　arms；　but　by　his　mere　language　and　character。　The
greatest　part　of　the　allies；　no　longer　able　to　endure　the　harshness
and　pride　of　Pausanias；　revolted　from　him　to　Cimon　and　Aristides；
who　accepted　the　duty；　and　wrote　to　the　Ephors　of　Sparta；　desiring
them　to　recall　a　man　who　was　causing　dishonour　to　Sparta　and　trouble
to　Greece。　They　tell　of　Pausanias；　that　when　he　was　in　Byzantium；　he
solicited　a　young　lady　of　a　noble　family　in　the　city；　whose　name　was
Cleonice；　to　debauch　her。　Her　parents；　dreading　his　cruelty；　were
forced　to　consent；　and　so　abandoned　their　daughter　to　his　wishes。
The　daughter　asked　the　servants　outside　the　chamber　to　put　out　all　the
lights；　so　that　approaching　silently　and　in　the　dark　towards　his
bed；　she　stumbled　upon　the　lamp；　which　she　overturned。　Pausanias；
who　was　fallen　asleep；　awakened　and；　startled　with　the　noise；
thought　an　assassin　had　taken　that　dead　time　of　night　to　murder　him；
so　that　hastily　snatching　up　his　poniard　that　lay　by　him；　he　struck
the　girl；　who　fell　with　the　blow；　and　died。　After　this；　he　never　had
rest；　but　was　continually　haunted　by　her；　and　saw　an　apparition
visiting　him　in　his　sleep；　and　addressing　him　with　these　angry　words：…


　　　　　　　　　〃Go　on　thy　way；　unto　the　evil　end；
　　　　　　　　　　That　doth　on　lust　and　violence　attend。〃

This　was　one　of　the　chief　occasions　of　indignation　against　him　among
the　confederates；　who　now；　joining　their　resentments　and　forces　with
Cimon's；　besieged　him　in　Byzantium。　He　escaped　out　of　their　hands；
and；　continuing；　as　it　is　said；　to　be　disturbed　by　the　apparition；
fled　to　the　oracle　of　the　dead　at　Heraclea；　raised　the　ghost　of
Cleonice；　and　entreated　her　to　be　reconciled。　Accordingly　she　appeared
to　him；　and　answered　that；　as　soon　as　he　came　to　Sparta；　he　should
speedily　be　freed　from　all　evils；　obscurely　foretelling；　it　would
seem；　his　imminent　death。　This　story　is　related　by　many　authors。
　　Cimon；　strengthened　with　the　accession　of　the　allies；　went　as
general　into　Thrace。　For　he　was　told　that　some　great　men　among　the
Persians；　of　the　king's　kindred；　being　in　possession　of　Eion；　a　city
situated　upon　the　river　Strymon；　infested　the　neighbouring　Greeks。
First　he　defeated　these　Persians　in　battle；　and　shut　them　up　within
the　walls　of　their　town。　Then　he　fell　upon　the　Thracians　of　the
country　beyond　the　Strymon；　because　they　supplied　Eion　with
victuals；　and　driving　them　entirely　out　of　the　country；　took
possession　of　it　as　conqueror；　by　which　means　he　reduced　the
besieged　to　such　straits；　that　Butes；　who　commanded　there　for　the
king；　in　desperation　set　fire　to　the　town；　and　burned　himself；　his
goods；　and　all　his　relations；　in　one　common　flame。　By　this　means；
Cimon　got　the　town；　but　no　great　booty；　as　the　barbarians　had　not　only
consumed　themselves　in　the　fire；　but　the　richest　of　their　effects。
However；　he　put　the　country　about　into　the　hands　of　the　Athenians；　a
most　advantageous　and　desirable　situation　for　a　settlement。　For　this
action；　the　people　permitted　him　to　erect　the　stone　Mercuries；　upon
the　first　of　which　was　this　inscription：…

　　　　　　　　　〃Of　bold　and　patient　spirit；　too；　were　those；
　　　　　　　　　　Who；　where　the　Strymon　under　Eion　flows；
　　　　　　　　　　With　famine　and　the　sword；　to　utmost　need；
　　　　　　　　　　Reduced　at　last　the　children　of　the　Mede。〃

Upon　the　second　stood　this：…

　　　　　　　　　〃The　Athenians　to　their　leaders　this　reward
　　　　　　　　　　For　great　and　useful　service　did　accord；
　　　　　　　　　　Others　hereafter　shall；　from　their　applause；
　　　　　　　　　　Learn　to　be　valiant　in　their　country's　cause。〃

And　upon　the　third　the　following：…

　　　　　　　　　〃With　Atreus'　sons；　this　city　sent　of　yore
　　　　　　　　　　Divine　Menestheus　to　the　Trojan　shore；
　　　　　　　　　　Of　all　the　Greeks；　so　Homer's　verses　say；
　　　　　　　　　　The　ablest　man　an　army　to　array：
　　　　　　　　　　So　old　the　title　of　her　sons　the　name
　　　　　　　　　　Of　chiefs　and　champions　in　the　field　to　claim。〃

　　Though　the　name　of　Cimon　is　not　mentioned　in　these　inscriptions；　yet
his　contemporaries　considered　them　to　be　the　very　highest　honours　to
him；　as　neither　Miltiades　nor　Themistocles　ever　received　the　like。
When　Miltiades　claimed　a　garland；　Sochares　of　Decelea　stood　up　in
the　midst　of　the　assembly　and　opposed　it；　using　words　which；　though
ungracious；　were　received　with　applause　by　the　people：　〃When　you
have　gained　a　victory　by　yourself；　Miltiades；　then　you　may　ask　to
triumph　so　too。〃　What　then　induced　them　so　particularly　to　honour
Cimon？　Was　it　that　under　other　commanders　they　stood　upon　the
defensive？　but　by　his　conduct；　they　not　only　attacked　their　enemies；
but　invaded　them　in　their　own　country；　and　acquired　new　territory；
becoming　masters　of　Eion　and　Amphipolis；　where　they　planted
colonies；　as　also　they　did　in　the　isle　of　Scyros；　which　Cimon　had
taken　on　the　following　occasion。　The　Dolopians　were　the　inhabitants　of
this　isle；　a　people　who　neglected　all　husbandry；　and　had；　for　many
generations；　been　devoted　to　piracy；　this　they　practised　to　that
degree；　that　at　last　they　began　to　plunder　foreigners　that　brought
merchandise　into　their　ports。　Some　merchants　of　Thessaly；　who　had　come
to　shore　near　to　Ctesium；　were　not　only　spoiled　of　their　goods；　but
themselves　put　into　confinement。　These　men　afterwards　escaping　from
their　prison；　went　and　obtained　sentence　against　the　Scyrians　in　a
court　of　Amphictyons；　and　when　the　Scyrian　people　declined　to　make
public　restitution；　and　called　upon　the　individuals　who　had　got　the
plunder　to　give　it　up；　these　persons；　in　alarm；　wrote　to　Cimon　to
succour　them；　with　his　fleet；　and　declared　themselves　ready　to　deliver
the　town　into　his　hands。　Cimon；　by　these　means；　got　the　town；　expelled
the　Dolopian　pirates；　and　so　opened　the　traffic　of　the　Aegean　sea。
And；　understanding　that　the　ancient　Theseus；　the　son　of　Aegeus；　when
he　fled　from　Athens　and　took　refuge　in　this　isle；　was　here
treacherously　slain　by　King　Lycomedes；　who　feared　him；　Cimon
endeavoured　to　find　out　where　he　was　buried。　For　an　oracle　had
commanded　the　Athenians　to　bring　home　his　ashes；　and　pay　him　all　due
honours　as　a　hero；　but　hitherto　they　had　not　been　able　to　learn
where　he　was　interred；　as　the　people　of　Scyros　dissembled　the
knowledge　of　it；　and　were　not　willing　to　allow　a　search。　But　now；
great　inquiry　being　made；　with　some　difficulty　he　found　out　the　tomb
and　carried　the　relics　into　his　own　galley；　and　with　great　pomp　and
show　brought　them　to　Athens；　four　hundred　years；　or　thereabouts；　after
his　expulsion。　This　act　got　Cimon　great　favour　with　the　people；　one
mark　of　which　was　the　judgment；　afterwards　so　famous；　upon　the
tragic　poets。　Sophocles；　still　a　young　man；　had　just　brought　forward
his　first　plays；　opinions　were　much　divided；　and　the　spectators　had
taken　sides　with　some　heat