aristides-第3部分

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telling　Themistocles　that　Aristides　did　not　like　his　advice　as　he
was　present　and　said　nothing；　Aristides　answered；　That　he　should　not
have　held　his　peace　if　Themistocles　had　not　been　giving　the　best
advice；　and　that　he　was　now　silent　not　out　of　any　good…will　to　the
person；　but　in　approbation　of　his　counsel。
　　Thus　the　Greek　captains　were　employed。　But　Aristides　perceiving
Psyttalea；　a　small　island　that　lies　within　the　straits　over　against
Salamis；　to　be　filled　by　a　body　of　the　enemy；　put　aboard　his　small
boats　the　most　forward　and　courageous　of　his　countrymen；　and　went
ashore　upon　it；　and；　joining　battle　with　the　barbarians；　slew　them
all；　except　such　more　remarkable　persons　as　were　taken　alive。
Amongst　these　were　three　children　of　Sandauce；　the　king's　sister；　whom
he　immediately　sent　away　to　Themistocles；　and　it　is　stated　that；　in
accordance　with　a　certain　oracle；　they　were　by　the　command　of
Euphrantides；　the　seer；　sacrificed　to　Bacchus；　called　Omestes；　or
the　devourer。　But　Aristides；　placing　armed　men　all　around　the
island；　lay　in　wait　for　such　as　were　cast　upon　it；　to　the　intent
that　none　of　his　friends　should　perish；　nor　any　of　his　enemies　escape。
For　the　closest　engagement　of　the　ships；　and　the　main　fury　of　the
whole　battle；　seems　to　been　about　this　place；　for　which　reason　a
trophy　was　erected　in　Psyttalea。
　　After　the　fight；　Themistocles；　to　sound　Aristides；　told　him　they　had
performed　a　good　piece　of　service；　but　there　was　a　better　yet　to　be
done；　the　keeping　Asia　in　Europe；　by　sailing　forthwith　to　the
Hellespont　and　cutting　in　sunder　the　bridge。　But　Aristides；　with　an
exclamation；　bid　him　think　no　more　of　it；　but　deliberate　and　find
out　means　for　removing　the　Mede；　as　quickly　as　possible；　out　of
Greece；　lest　being　enclosed；　through　want　of　means　to　escape；
necessity　should　compel　him　to　force　his　way　with　so　great　an　army。　So
Themistocles　once　more　despatched　Arnaces；　the　eunuch；　his　prisoner；
giving　him　in　command　privately　to　advertise　the　king　that　he　had
diverted　the　Greeks　from　their　intention　of　setting　sail　for　the
bridges；　out　of　the　desire　he　felt　to　preserve　him。
　　Xerxes；　being　much　terrified　with　this；　immediately　hasted　to　the
Hellespont。　But　Mardonius　was　left　with　the　most　serviceable　part　of
the　army；　about　three　hundred　thousand　men；　and　was　a　formidable
enemy；　confident　in　his　infantry　and　writing　messages　of　defiance　to
the　Greeks：　〃You　have　overcome　by　sea　men　accustomed　to　fight　on　land；
and　unskilled　at　the　oar；　but　there　lies　now　the　open　country　of
Thessaly；　and　the　plains　of　Boeotia　offer　a　broad　and　worthy　field　for
brave　men；　either　horse　or　foot；　to　contend　in。〃　But　he　sent　privately
to　the　Athenians；　both　by　letter　and　word　of　mouth　from　the　king；
promising　to　rebuild　their　city；　to　give　them　a　vast　sum　of　money；　and
constitute　them　lords　of　all　Greece；　on　condition　they　were　not
engaged　in　the　war。　The　Lacedaemonians；　receiving　news　of　this；　and
fearing；　despatched　an　embassy　to　the　Athenians；　entreating　that
they　would　send　their　wives　and　children　to　Sparta；　and　receive
support　from　them　for　their　superannuated。　For；　being　despoiled　both
of　their　city　and　country；　the　people　were　suffering　extreme　distress。
Having　given　audience　to　the　ambassadors；　they　returned　an　answer；
upon　the　motion　of　Aristides；　worthy　of　the　highest　admiration；
declaring；　that　they　forgave　their　enemies　if　they　thought　all
things　purchasable　by　wealth；　than　which　they　knew　nothing　of
greater　value；　but　that　they　felt　offended　at　the　Lacedaemonians　for
looking　only　to　their　present　poverty　and　exigence；　without　any
remembrance　of　their　valour　and　magnanimity；　offering　them　their
victuals　to　fight　in　the　cause　of　Greece。　Aristides；　making　this
proposal　and　bringing　back　the　ambassadors　into　the　assembly；
charged　them　to　tell　the　Lacedaemonians；　that　all　the　treasure　on
the　earth　or　under　it　was　of　less　value　with　the　people　of　Athens　than
the　liberty　of　Greece。　And；　showing　the　sun　to　those　who　came　from
Mardonius；　〃As　long　as　that　retains　the　same　course；　so　long；〃　said
he；　〃shall　the　citizens　of　Athens　wage　war　with　the　Persians　for　the
country　which　has　been　wasted；　and　the　temples　that　have　been　profaned
and　burnt　by　them。〃　Moreover；　he　proposed　a　decree　that　the　priests
should　anathematize　him　who　sent　any　herald　to　the　Medes；　or
deserted　the　alliance　of　Greece。
　　When　Mardonius　made　a　second　incursion　into　the　country　of　Attica；
the　people　passed　over　again　into　the　isle　of　Salamis。　Aristides；
being　sent　to　Lacedaemon；　reproved　them　for　their　delay　aid　neglect　in
abandoning　Athens　once　more　to　the　barbarians；　and　demanded　their
assistance　for　that　part　of　Greece　which　was　not　yet　lost。　The　Ephori；
hearing　this；　made　show　of　sporting　all　day；　and　of　carelessly　keeping
holy　day　（for　they　were　then　celebrating　the　Hyacinthian　festival）；
but　in　the　night；　selecting　five　thousand　Spartans；　each　of　whom　was
attended　by　seven　Helots；　they　sent　them　forth　unknown　to　those　from
Athens。　And　when　Aristides　again　reprehended　them；　they　told　him　in
derision　that　he　either　doted　or　dreamed；　for　the　army　was　already
at　Oresteum；　in　their　march　towards　the　strangers；　as　they　called
the　Persians。　Aristides　answered　that　they　jested　unseasonably；
deluding　their　friends　instead　of　their　enemies。　Thus　says
Idomeneus。　But　in　the　decree　of　Aristides；　not　himself；　but　Cimon；
Xanthippus；　and　Myronides　are　appointed　ambassadors。
　　Being　chosen　general　for　the　war；　he　repaired　to　Plataea　with
eight　thousand　Athenians；　where　Pausanias；　generalissimo　of　all
Greece；　joined　him　with　the　Spartans；　and　the　forces　of　the　other
Greeks　came　into　them。　The　whole　encampment　of　the　barbarians　extended
all　along　the　bank　of　the　river　Asopus；　their　numbers　being　so　great
there　was　no　enclosing　them　all；　but　their　baggage　and　most　valuable
things　were　surrounded　with　a　square　bulwark；　each　side　of　which　was
the　length　of　ten　furlongs。
　　Tisamenus；　the　Elean；　had　prophesied　to　Pausanias　and　all　the
Greeks；　and　foretold　them　victory　if　they　made　no　attempt　upon　the
enemy；　but　stood　on　their　defence。　But　Aristides　sending　to　Delphi；
the　god　answered　that　the　Athenians　should　overcome　their　enemies　in
case　they　made　supplication　to　Jupiter　and　Juno　of　Cithaeron；　Pan；　and
the　nymphs　Sphragitides；　and　sacrificed　to　the　heroes　Androcrates；
Leucon；　Pisander；　Damocrates；　Hypsion；　Actaeon；　and　Polyidus；　and　if
they　fought　within　their　own　territories　in　the　plain　of　Ceres
Eleusinia　and　Proserpine。　Aristides　was　perplexed　upon　the　tidings
of　this　oracle；　since　the　heroes　to　whom　it　commanded　him　to　sacrifice
had　been　chieftains　of　the　Plataeans；　and　the　cave　of　the　nymphs
Sphragitides　was　on　the　top　of　Mount　Cithaeron；　on　the　side　facing　the
setting　sun　of　summer　time；　in　which　place；　as　the　story　goes；　there
was　formerly　an　oracle；　and　many　that　lived　in　the　district　were
inspired　with　it；　whom　they　called　Nympholepti；　possessed　with　the
nymphs。　But　the　plain　of　Ceres　Eleusinia；　and　the　offer　of　victory
to　the　Athenians；　if　they　fought　in　their　own　territories；　recalled
them　again；　and　transferred　the　war　into　the　country　of　Attica。　In
this　juncture；　Arimnestus；　who　commanded　the　Plataeans；　dreamed　that
Jupiter；　the　Saviour；　asked　him　what　the　Greeks　had　resolved　upon；　and
that　he　answered；　〃To…morrow；　my　Lord；　we　march　our　army　to　Eleusis；
and　there　give　the　barbarians　battle　according　to　the　directions　of
the　oracle　of　Apollo。〃　And　that　the　god　replied　they　were　utterly
mistaken；　for　that　the　places　spoken　of　by　the　oracle　were　within
the　bounds　of　Plataea；　and　if　they　sought　there　they　should　find　them。
This　manifest　vision　having　appeared　to　Arimnestus；　when　he　awoke　he
sent　for　the　most　aged　and　experienced　of　his　countrymen；　with　whom；
communicating　and　examining　the　matter；　he　found　that　near　Hysiae；
at　the　foot　of　Mount　Cithaeron；　there　was　a　very　ancient　temple　called
the　temple　of　Ceres　Eleusinia　and　Proserpine。　He　therefore　forthwith
took　Aristides　to　the　place；　which　was　very　convenient　for　drawing
up　an　army　of　foot；　because　the　slopes　at　the　bottom　of　the　mountain
Cithaeron　rendered　the　plain；　where　it　comes　up　to　the　temple；　unfit
for　the　movements　of　cavalry。　Also；　in　the　same　place；　there　was　the
fane　of　Androcrates；　environed　with　a　thick　shady　grove。　And　that
the　oracle　might　be　accomplished　in　all　particulars　for　the　hope　of
victory；　Arimnestus　proposed；　and　the　Plataeans　decreed；　that　the
frontiers　of　their　country　towards　Attica　should　be　removed；　and　the
land　given　to　the　Athenians；　that　they　might　fight　in　defence　of
Greece　in　their　own　proper　territory。　This　zeal　and　liberality　of
the　Plataeans　became　so　famous　that　Alexander；　many　years　after；
when　he　had　obtained　the　dominion　of　all　Asia；　upon　erecting　the　walls
of　Plataea；　caused　proclamation　to　be　made；　by　the　herald　at　the
Olympic　games；　that　the　king　did　the　Plataeans　this　favour　in
consideration　of　their　nobleness　and　magnanimity；　because；　in　the
war　with　the　Medes；　they　freely　gave　up　their　land　and　zealously
fought　with　the　Greeks。
　　The　Tegeatans；　contesting　the　post　of　honour　with　the　Athenians；
demanded　that；　according　to　custom；　the　Lacedaemonians　being　ranged　on
the　right　wing　of　the　battle；　they　might　have　the　left；　alleging
several　matters　in　commendation　of　their　ancestors。　The　Athenians
being　indignant　at　the　claim；　Aristides　came　forward：　〃To　contend　with
the　Tegeatans；〃　said　he；　〃for　noble　descent　and　valour；　the　present
time　permits　not；　but　this　we　say　to　you；　O　you　Spartans；　and　you
the　rest　of　the　Greeks；　that　place　neither　takes　away　nor
contributes　courage；　we　shall　endeavour　by　crediting　and　maintaining
the　post　you　assign　us　to　reflect　no　dishonour　on　our　former
performances。　For　we　are　come；　not　to　differ　with　our　friends；　but
to　fight　our　enemies；　not　to　extol　our　ancestors；　but　ourselves　to
behave　as　valiant　men。　This　battle　will　manifest　how　much　each　city；
captain；　and　private　soldier　is　worth　to　Greece。〃　The　council　of
war；　upon　this　address；　decided　for　the　Athenians；　and　gave　them　the
other　wing　of　the　battle。
　　All　Greece　being　in　suspense；　and　especially　the　affairs　of　the
Athenians　unsettled；　certain　persons