pericles-第3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！


supremacy　of　a　single　great　man；　while　many　others　say；　on　the
contrary；　that　by　him　the　common　people　were　first　encouraged　and
led　on　to　such　evils　as　appropriations　of　subject　territory；
allowances　for　attending　theatres；　payments　for　performing　public
duties；　and　by　these　bad　habits　were；　under　the　influence　of　his
public　measures；　changed　from　a　sober；　thrifty　people；　that　maintained
themselves　by　their　own　labours；　to　lovers　of　expense；　intemperance；
and　licence；　let　us　examine　the　cause　of　this　change　by　the　actual
matters　of　fact。
　　At　the　first；　as　has　been　said；　when　he　set　himself　against
Cimon's　great　authority；　he　did　caress　the　people。　Finding　himself
come　short　of　his　competitor　in　wealth　and　money；　by　which
advantages　the　other　was　enabled　to　take　care　of　the　poor；　inviting
every　day　some　one　or　other　of　the　citizens　that　was　in　want　to
supper；　and　bestowing　clothes　on　the　aged　people；　and　breaking　down
the　hedges　and　enclosures　of　his　grounds；　that　all　that　would　might
freely　gather　what　fruit　they　pleased；　Pericles；　thus　outdone　in
popular　arts；　by　the　advice　of　one　Damonides　of　Oea；　as　Aristotle
states；　turned　to　the　distribution　of　the　public　moneys；　and　in　a
short　time　having　bought　the　people　over；　what　with　moneys　allowed　for
shows　and　for　service　on　juries；　and　what　with　other　forms　of　pay
and　largess；　he　made　use　of　them　against　the　council　of　Areopagus　of
which　he　himself　was　no　member；　as　having　never　been　appointed　by　lot…
either　chief　archon；　or　lawgiver；　or　king；　or　captain。　For　from　of　old
these　offices　were　conferred　on　persons　by　lot；　and　they　who　had
acquitted　themselves　duly　in　the　discharge　of　them　were　advanced　to
the　court　of　Areopagus。　And　so　Pericles；　having　secured　his　power　in
interest　with　the　populace；　directed　the　exertions　of　his　party
against　this　council　with　such　success；　that　most　of　these　causes
and　matters　which　had　been　used　to　be　tried　there　were；　by　the
agency　of　Ephialtes；　removed　from　its　cognisance；　Cimon；　also；　was
banished　by　ostracism　as　a　favourer　of　the　Lacedaemonians　and　a
hater　of　the　people；　though　in　wealth　and　noble　birth　he　was　among　the
first；　and　had　won　several　most　glorious　victories　over　the
barbarians；　and　had　filled　the　city　with　money　and　spoils　of　war；　as
is　recorded　in　the　history　of　his　life。　So　vast　an　authority　had
Pericles　obtained　among　the　people。
　　The　ostracism　was　limited　by　law　to　ten　years；　but　the
Lacedaemonians；　in　the　meantime；　entering　with　a　great　army　into　the
territory　of　Tanagra；　and　the　Athenians　going　out　against　them；　Cimon；
coming　from　his　banishment　before　his　time　was　out；　put　himself　in
arms　and　array　with　those　of　his　fellow…citizens　that　were　of　his
own　tribe；　and　desired　by　his　deeds　to　wipe　off　the　suspicion　of　his
favouring　the　Lacedaemonians；　by　venturing　his　own　person　along　with
his　countrymen。　But　Pericles's　friends；　gathering　in　a　body；　forced
him　to　retire　as　a　banished　man。　For　which　cause　also　Pericles　seems
to　have　exerted　himself　more　in　that　than　in　any　battle；　and　to　have
been　conspicuous　above　all　for　his　exposure　of　himself　to　danger。
All　Cimon's　friends；　also；　to　a　man；　fell　together　side　by　side；
whom　Pericles　had　accused　with　him　of　taking　part　with　the
Lacedaemonians。　Defeated　in　this　battle　on　their　own　frontiers；　and
expecting　a　new　and　perilous　attack　with　return　of　spring；　the
Athenians　now　felt　regret　and　sorrow　for　the　loss　of　Cimon；　and
repentance　for　their　expulsion　of　him。　Pericles；　being　sensible　of
their　feelings；　did　not　hesitate　or　delay　to　gratify　it；　and　himself
made　the　motion　for　recalling　him　home。　He；　upon　his　return；　concluded
a　peace　betwixt　the　two　cities；　for　the　Lacedaemonians　entertained
as　kindly　feelings　towards　him　as　they　did　the　reverse　towards
Pericles　and　the　other　popular　leaders。
　　Yet　some　there　are　who　say　that　Pericles　did　not　propose　the　order
for　Cimon's　return　till　some　private　articles　of　agreement　had　been
made　between　them；　and　this　by　means　of　Elpinice；　Cimon's　sister；　that
Cimon；　namely；　should　go　out　to　sea　with　a　fleet　of　two　hundred　ships；
and　be　commander…in…chief　abroad；　with　a　design　to　reduce　the　King
of　Persia's　territories；　and　that　Pericles　should　have　the　power　at
home。
　　This　Elpinice；　it　was　thought；　had　before　this　time　procured　some
favour　for　her　brother　Cimon　at　Pericles's　hands；　and　induced　him　to
be　more　remiss　and　gentle　in　urging　the　charge　when　Cimon　was　tried
for　his　life；　for　Pericles　was　one　of　the　committee　appointed　by　the
commons　to　plead　against　him。　And　when　Elpinice　came　and　besought
him　in　her　brother's　behalf；　he　answered；　with　a　smile；　〃O　Elpinice；
you　are　too　old　a　woman　to　undertake　such　business　as　this。〃　But；　when
he　appeared　to　impeach　him；　he　stood　up　but　once　to　speak；　merely　to
acquit　himself　of　his　commission；　and　went　out　of　court；　having　done
Cimon　the　least　prejudice　of　any　of　his　accusers。
　　How；　then；　can　one　believe　Idomeneus；　who　charges　Pericles　as　if
he　had　by　treachery　procured　the　murder　of　Ephialtes；　the　popular
statesman；　one　who　was　his　friend；　and　of　his　own　party　in　all　his
political　course；　out　of　jealousy；　forsooth；　and　envy　of　his　great
reputation？　This　historian；　it　seems；　having　raked　up　these　stories；　I
know　not　whence；　has　befouled　with　them　a　man　who；　perchance；　was
not　altogether　free　from　fault　or　blame；　but　yet　had　a　noble　spirit；
and　a　soul　that　was　bent　on　honour；　and　where　such　qualities　are；
there　can　no　such　cruel　and　brutal　passion　find　harbour　or　gain
admittance。　As　to　Ephialtes；　the　truth　of　the　story；　as　Aristotle
has　told　it；　is　this：　that　having　made　himself　formidable　to　the
oligarchical　party；　by　being　an　uncompromising　asserter　of　the
people's　rights　in　calling　to　account　and　prosecuting　those　who　any
way　wronged　them；　his　enemies；　lying　in　wait　for　him；　by　the　means
of　Aristodicus　the　Tanagraean；　privately　despatched　him。
　　Cimon；　while　he　was　admiral；　ended　his　days　in　the　Isle　of　Cyprus。
And　the　aristocratical　party；　seeing　that　Pericles　was　already
before　this　grown　to　be　the　greatest　and　foremost　man　of　all　the　city；
but　nevertheless　wishing　there　should　be　somebody　set　up　against
him；　to　blunt　and　turn　the　edge　of　his　power；　that　it　might　not
altogether　prove　a　monarchy；　put　forward　Thucydides　of　Alopece；　a
discreet　person；　and　a　near　kinsman　of　Cimon's；　to　conduct　the
opposition　against　him；　who；　indeed；　though　less　skilled　in　warlike
affairs　than　Cimon　was；　yet　was　better　versed　in　speaking　and
political　business　and　keeping　close　guard　in　the　city；　and；
engaging　with　Pericles　on　the　hustings；　in　a　short　time　brought　the
government　to　an　equality　of　parties。　For　he　would　not　suffer　those
who　were　called　the　honest　and　good　（persons　of　worth　and　distinction）
to　be　scattered　up　and　down　and　mix　themselves　and　be　lost　among　the
populace；　as　formerly；　diminishing　and　obscuring　their　superiority
amongst　the　masses；　but　taking　them　apart　by　themselves　and　uniting
them　in　one　body；　by　their　combined　weight　he　was　able；　as　it　were
upon　the　balance；　to　make　a　counterpoise　to　the　other　party。
　　For；　indeed；　there　was　from　the　beginning　a　sort　of　concealed　split；
or　seam；　as　it　might　be　in　a　piece　of　iron；　marking　the　different
popular　and　aristocratical　tendencies；　but　the　open　rivalry　and
contention　of　these　two　opponents　made　the　gash　deep；　and　severed
the　city　into　the　two　parties　of　the　people　and　the　few。　And　so
Pericles；　at　that　time；　more　than　at　any　other；　let　loose　the　reins　to
the　people；　and　made　his　policy　subservient　to　their　pleasure；
contriving　continually　to　have　some　great　public　show　or　solemnity；
some　banquet；　or　some　procession　or　other　in　the　town　to　please
them；　coaxing　his　countrymen　like　children　with　such　delights　and
pleasures　as　were　not；　however；　unedifying。　Besides　that　every　year　he
sent　out　threescore　galleys；　on　board　of　which　there　were　numbers　of
the　citizens；　who　were　in　pay　eight　months；　learning　at　the　same
time　and　practising　the　art　of　seamanship。
　　He　sent；　moreover；　a　thousand　of　them　into　the　Chersonese　as
planters；　to　share　the　land　among　them　by　lot；　and　five　hundred　more
into　the　isle　of　Naxos；　and　half　that　number　to　Andros；　a　thousand
into　Thrace　to　dwell　among　the　Bisaltae；　and　others　into　Italy；　when
the　city　Sybaris；　which　now　was　called　Thurii；　was　to　be　repeopled。
And　this　he　did　to　ease　and　discharge　the　city　of　an　idle；　and；　by
reason　of　their　idleness；　a　busy　meddling　crowd　of　people；　and　at
the　same　time　to　meet　the　necessities　and　restore　the　fortunes　of
the　poor　townsmen；　and　to　intimidate；　also；　and　check　their　allies
from　attempting　any　change；　by　posting　such　garrisons；　as　it　were；
in　the　midst　of　them。
　　That　which　gave　most　pleasure　and　ornament　to　the　city　of　Athens；
and　the　greatest　admiration　and　even　astonishment　to　all　strangers；
and　that　which　now　is　Greece's　only　evidence　that　the　power　she　boasts
of　and　her　ancient　wealth　are　no　romance　or　idle　story；　was　his
construction　of　the　public　and　sacred　buildings。　Yet　this　was　that
of　all　his　actions　in　the　government　which　his　enemies　most　looked
askance　upon　and　cavilled　at　in　the　popular　assemblies；　crying　out　how
that　the　commonwealth　of　Athens　had　lost　its　reputation　and　was
ill…spoken　of　abroad　for　removing　the　common　treasure　of　the　Greeks
from　the　isle　of　Delos　into　their　own　custody；　and　how　that　their
fairest　excuse　for　so　doing；　namely；　that　they　took　it　away　for　fear
the　barbarians　should　seize　it；　and　on　purpose　to　secure　it　in　a
safe　place；　this　Pericles　had　made　unavailable；　and　how　that　〃Greece
cannot　but　resent　it　as　an　insufferable　affront；　and　consider
herself　to　be　tyrannized　over　openly；　when　she　sees　the　treasure；
which　was　contributed　by　her　upon　a　necessity　for　the　war；　wantonly
lavished　out　by　us　upon　our　city；　to　gild　her　all　over；　and　to　adorn
and　set　her　forth；　as　it　were　some　vain　woman；　hung　round　with
precious　stones　and　figures　and　temples；　which　cost　a　world　of　money。〃
　　Pericles；　on　the　other　hand；　informed　the　people；　that　they　were
in　no　way　obliged　to　give　any　account　of　those　moneys　to　their　allies；
so　long　as　they　maintained　their　defence；　and　kept　off　the
barbarians　from　attacking　them；