alexander-第3部分

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the　former。　But　Philip；　as　soon　as　he　was　made　acquainted　with　this　transaction；　went　to　his　son's　apartment；　taking　with　him　Philotas；　the　son　of　Parmenio；　one　of　Alexander's　intimate　friends　and　companions；　and　there　reproved　him　severely；　and　reproached　him　bitterly；　that　he　should　be　so　degenerate；　and　unworthy　of　the　power　he　was　to　leave　him；　as　to　desire　the　alliance　of　a　mean　Carian；　who　was　at　best　but　the　slave　of　a　barbarous　prince。　Nor　did　this　satisfy　his　resentment；　for　he　wrote　to　the　Corinthians　to　send　Thessalus　to　him　in　chains；　and　banished　Harpalus；　Nearchus；　Erigyius；　and　Ptolemy；　his　son's　friends　and　favourites；　whom　Alexander　afterwards　recalled　and　raised　to　great　honour　and　preferment。　　　Not　long　after　this；　Pausanias；　having　had　an　outrage　done　to　him　at　the　instance　of　Attalus　and　Cleopatra；　when　he　found　he　could　get　no　reparation　for　his　disgrace　at　Philip's　hands；　watched　his　opportunity　and　murdered　him。　The　guilt　of　which　fact　was　laid　for　the　most　part　upon　Olympias；　who　was　said　to　have　encouraged　and　exasperated　the　enraged　youth　to　revenge；　and　some　sort　of　suspicion　attached　even　to　Alexander　himself；　who；　it　was　said；　when　Pausanias　came　and　complained　to　him　of　the　injury　he　had　received；　repeated　the　verse　out　of　Euripides's　Medea…

　　　　　　　　　〃On　husband；　and　on　father；　and　on　bride。〃

However；　he　took　care　to　find　out　and　punish　the　accomplices　of　the　conspiracy　severely；　and　was　very　angry　with　Olympias　for　treating　Cleopatra　inhumanly　in　his　absence。　　　Alexander　was　but　twenty　years　old　when　his　father　was　murdered；　and　succeeded　to　a　kingdom；　beset　on　all　sides　with　great　dangers　and　rancorous　enemies。　For　not　only　the　barbarous　nations　that　bordered　on　Macedonia　were　impatient　of　being　governed　by　any　but　their　own　native　princes；　but　Philip　likewise；　though　he　had　been　victorious　over　the　Grecians；　yet；　as　the　time　had　not　been　sufficient　for　him　to　complete　his　conquest　and　accustom　them　to　his　sway；　had　simply　left　all　things　in　a　general　disorder　and　confusion。　It　seemed　to　the　Macedonians　a　very　critical　time；　and　some　would　have　persuaded　Alexander　to　give　up　all　thought　of　retaining　the　Grecians　in　subjection　by　force　of　arms；　and　rather　to　apply　himself　to　win　back　by　gentle　means　the　allegiance　of　the　tribes　who　were　designing　revolt；　and　try　the　effect　of　indulgence　in　arresting　the　first　motions　towards　revolution。　But　he　rejected　this　counsel　as　weak　and　timorous；　and　looked　upon　it　to　be　more　prudence　to　secure　himself　by　resolution　and　magnanimity；　than；　by　seeming　to　truckle　to　any；　to　encourage　all　to　trample　on　him。　In　pursuit　of　this　opinion；　he　reduced　the　barbarians　to　tranquillity；　and　put　an　end　to　all　fear　of　war　from　them；　he　gave　rapid　expedition　into　their　country　as　far　as　the　river　Danube；　where　he　gave　Syrmus；　King　of　the　Triballians；　an　entire　overthrow。　And　hearing　the　Thebans　were　in　revolt；　and　the　Athenians　in　correspondence　with　them；　he　immediately　marched　through　the　pass　of　Thermopylae；　saying　that　to　Demosthenes；　who　had　called　him　a　child　while　he　was　in　Illyria　and　in　the　country　of　the　Triballians；　and　a　youth　when　he　was　in　Thessaly；　he　would　appear　a　man　before　the　walls　of　Athens。　　　When　he　came　to　Thebes；　to　show　how　willing　he　was　to　accept　of　their　repentance　for　what　was　past；　he　only　demanded　of　them　Phoenix　and　Prothytes；　the　authors　of　the　rebellion；　and　proclaimed　a　general　pardon　to　those　who　would　come　over　to　him。　But　when　the　Thebans　merely　retorted　by　demanding　Philotas　and　Antipater　to　be　delivered　into　their　hands；　and　by　a　proclamation　on　their　part　invited　all　who　would　assert　the　liberty　of　Greece　to　come　over　to　them；　he　presently　applied　himself　to　make　them　feel　the　last　extremities　of　war。　The　Thebans　indeed　defended　themselves　with　a　zeal　and　courage　beyond　their　strength；　being　much　outnumbered　by　their　enemies。　But　when　the　Macedonian　garrison　sallied　out　upon　them　from　the　citadel；　they　were　so　hemmed　in　on　all　sides　that　the　greater　part　of　them　fell　in　the　battle；　the　city　itself　being　taken　by　storm；　was　sacked　and　razed。　Alexander's　hope　being　that　so　severe　an　example　might　terrify　the　rest　of　Greece　into　obedience；　and　also　in　order　to　gratify　the　hostility　of　his　confederates；　the　Phocians　and　Plataeans。　So　that；　except　the　priests；　and　some　few　who　had　heretofore　been　the　friends　and　connections　of　the　Macedonians；　the　family　of　the　poet　Pindar；　and　those　who　were　known　to　have　opposed　the　public　vote　for　the　war；　all　the　rest；　to　the　number　of　thirty　thousand；　were　publicly　sold　for　slaves；　and　it　is　computed　that　upwards　of　six　thousand　were　put　to　the　sword。　　　Among　the　other　calamities　that　befell　the　city；　it　happened　that　some　Thracian　soldiers；　having　broken　into　the　house　of　a　matron　of　high　character　and　repute；　named　Timoclea；　their　captain；　after　he　had　used　violence　with　her；　to　satisfy　his　avarice　as　well　as　lust；　asked　her；　if　she　knew　of　any　money　concealed；　to　which　she　readily　answered　she　did；　and　bade　him　follow　her　into　a　garden；　where　she　showed　him　a　well；　into　which；　she　told　him；　upon　the　taking　of　the　city；　she　had　thrown　what　she　had　of　most　value。　The　greedy　Thracian　presently　stooping　down　to　view　the　place　where　he　thought　the　treasure　lay；　she　came　behind　him　and　pushed　him　into　the　well；　and　then　flung　great　stones　in　upon　him；　till　she　had　killed　him。　After　which；　when　the　soldiers　led　her　away　bound　to　Alexander；　her　very　mien　and　gait　showed　her　to　be　a　woman　of　dignity；　and　of　a　mind　no　less　elevated；　not　betraying　the　least　sign　of　fear　or　astonishment。　And　when　the　king　asked　her　who　she　was；　〃I　am；〃　said　she；　〃the　sister　of　Theagenes；　who　fought　the　battle　of　Chaeronea　with　your　father　Philip；　and　fell　there　in　command　for　the　liberty　of　Greece。〃　Alexander　was　so　surprised；　both　at　what　she　had　done　and　what　she　said；　that　he　could　not　choose　but　give　her　and　her　children　their　freedom　to　go　whither　they　pleased。　　　After　this　he　received　the　Athenians　into　favour；　although　they　had　shown　themselves　so　much　concerned　at　the　calamity　of　Thebes　that　out　of　sorrow　they　omitted　the　celebration　of　the　Mysteries；　and　entertained　those　who　escaped　with　all　possible　humanity。　Whether　it　were；　like　the　lion；　that　his　passion　was　now　satisfied；　or　that；　after　an　example　of　extreme　cruelty；　he　had　a　mind　to　appear　merciful；　it　happened　well　for　the　Athenians；　for　he　not　only　forgave　them　all　past　offences；　but　bade　them　look　to　their　affairs　with　vigilance；　remembering　that　if　he　should　miscarry；　they　were　likely　to　be　the　arbiters　of　Greece。　Certain　it　is；　too；　that　in　aftertime　he　often　repented　of　his　severity　to　the　Thebans；　and　his　remorse　had　such　influence　on　his　temper　as　to　make　him　ever　after　less　rigorous　to　all　others。　He　imputed　also　the　murder　of　Clitus；　which　he　committed　in　his　wine；　and　the　unwillingness　of　the　Macedonians　to　follow　him　against　the　Indians；　by　which　his　enterprise　and　glory　was　left　imperfect；　to　the　wrath　and　vengeance　of　Bacchus；　the　protector　of　Thebes。　And　it　was　observed　that　whatsoever　any　Theban；　who　had　the　good　fortune　to　survive　this　victory；　asked　of　him；　he　was　sure　to　grant　without　the　least　difficulty。　　　Soon　after；　the　Grecians；　being　assembled　at　the　Isthmus；　declared　their　resolution　of　joining　with　Alexander　in　the　war　against　the　Persians；　and　proclaimed　him　their　general。　While　he　stayed　here；　many　public　ministers　and　philosophers　came　from　all　parts　to　visit　him　and　congratulated　him　on　his　election；　but　contrary　to　his　expectation；　Diogenes　of　Sinope；　who　then　was　living　at　Corinth；　thought　so　little　of　him；　that　instead　of　coming　to　compliment　him；　he　never　so　much　as　stirred　out　of　the　suburb　called　the　Cranium；　where　Alexander　found　him　lying　along　in　the　sun。　When　he　saw　so　much　company　near　him；　he　raised　himself　a　little；　and　vouchsafed　to　look　upon　Alexander；　and　when　he　kindly　asked　him　whether　he　wanted　anything；　〃Yes；〃　said　he；　〃I　would　have　you　stand　from　between　me　and　the　sun。〃　Alexander　was　so　struck　at　this　answer；　and　surprised　at　the　greatness　of　the　man；　who　had　taken　so　little　notice　of　him；　that　as　he　went　away　he　told　his　followers；　who　were　laughing　at　the　moroseness　of　the　philosopher；　that　if　he　were　not　Alexander；　he　would　choose　to　be　Diogenes。　　　Then　he　went　to　Delphi；　to　consult　Apollo　concerning　the　success　of　the　war　he　had　undertaken；　and　happening　to　come　on　one　of　the　forbidden　days；　when　it　was　esteemed　improper　to　give　any　answer　from　the　oracle；　he　sent　messengers　to　desire　the　priestess　to　do　her　office；　and　when　she　refused；　on　the　plea　of　a　law　to　the　contrary；　he　went　up　himself；　and　began　to　draw　her　by　force　into　the　temple；　until　tired　and　overcome　with　his　importunity；　〃My　son；〃　said　she；　〃thou　art　invincible。〃　Alexander　taking　hold　of　what　she　spoke；　declared　he　had　received　such　an　answer　as　he　wished　for；　and　that　it　was　needless　to　consult　the　god　any　further。　Among　other　prodigies　that　attended　the　departure　of　his　army；　the　image　of　Orpheus　at　Libethra；　made　of　cypress…wood；　was　seen　to　sweat　in　great　abundance；　to　the　discouragement　of　many。　But　Aristander　told　him　that；　far　from　presaging　any　ill　to　him；　it　signified　he　should　perform　acts　so　important　and　glorious　as　would　make　the　poets　and　musicians　of　future　ages　labour　and　sweat　to　describe　and　celebrate　them。　　　His　army；　by　their　computation　who　make　the　smallest　amount；　consisted　of　thirty　thousand　foot　and　four　thousand　horse；　and　those　who　make　the　most　of　it；　speak　but　of　forty…three　thousand　foot　and　three　thousand　horse。　Aristobulus　says；　he　had　not　a　fund　of　above　seventy　talents　for　their　pay；　nor　had　he　more　than　thirty　days'　provision；　if　we　may　believe　Duris；　Onesicritus　tells　us　he　was　two　hundred　talents　in　debt。　However　narrow　and　disproportionable　the　beginnings　of　so　vast　an　undertaking　might　seem　to　be；　yet　he　would　not　embark　his　army　until　he　had　informed　himself　particularly　what　means　his　friends　had　to　enable　them　to　follow　him；　and　supplied　what　they　wanted；　by　giving　good　farms　to　some；　a　village　to　one；　and　the　revenue　of　some　hamlet　or　harbour…town　to　another。　So　that　at　last　he　had　portioned　out　or　engaged　almost　all　the　royal　property；　which　giving　Perdiccas　an　occasion　to　ask　him　what　he　would　leave