aratus-第6部分

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the　Achaeans；　who　followed　in　such　good　order　and　with　so　much　speed
and　alacrity；　that　they　were　undiscovered　by　Aristippus；　not　only
whilst　upon　their　march；　but　even　when　they　got；　still　in　the　night；
into　Cleonae；　and　drew　up　in　order　of　battle。　As　soon　as　it　was
morning；　the　gates　being　opened　and　the　trumpets　sounding；　he　fell
upon　the　enemy　with　great　cries　and　fury；　routed　them　at　once；　and
kept　close　in　pursuit；　following　the　course　which　he　most　imagined
Aristippus　would　choose；　there　being　many　turns　that　might　be　taken。
And　so　the　chase　lasted　as　far　as　Mycenae；　where　the　tyrant　was
slain　by　a　certain　Cretan　called　Tragiscus；　as　Dinias　reports。　Of
the　common　soldiers；　there　fell　above　fifteen　hundred。　Yet　though
Aratus　had　obtained　so　great　a　victory　and　that　too　without　the　loss
of　a　man；　he　could　not　make　himself　master　of　Argos；　nor　set　it　at
liberty；　because　Agias　and　the　younger　Aristomachus　got　into　the
town　with　some　of　the　king's　forces；　and　seized　upon　the　government。
However；　by　this　exploit　he　spoiled　the　scoffs　and　jests　of　those　that
flattered　the　tyrants；　and　in　their　raillery　would　say　that　the
Achaean　general　was　usually　troubled　with　a　looseness　when　he　was　to
fight　a　battle；　that　the　sound　of　a　trumpet　struck　him　with　a
drowsiness　and　a　giddiness；　and　that　when　he　had　drawn　up　his　army　and
given　the　word；　he　used　to　ask　his　lieutenants　and　officers　whether
there　was　any　further　need　of　his　presence　now　the　die　was　cast；　and
then　went　aloof；　to　await　the　result　at　a　distance。　For　indeed　these
stories　were　so　generally　listened　to；　that；　when　the　philosophers
disputed　whether　to　have　one's　heart　beat　and　to　change　colour　upon
any　apparent　danger　be　an　argument　of　fear；　or　rather　of　some
distemperature　and　chilliness　of　bodily　constitution；　Aratus　was
always　quoted　as　a　good　general　who　was　always　thus　affected　in　time
of　battle。
　　Having　thus　despatched　Aristippus；　he　advised　with　himself　how　to
overthrow　Lydiades；　the　Megalopolitan；　who　held　usurped　power　over　his
country。　This　person　was　naturally　of　a　generous　temper；　and　not
insensible　of　true　honour；　and　had　been　led　into　this　wickedness；
not　by　the　ordinary　motives　of　other　tyrants；　licentiousness　and
rapacity；　but　being　young；　and　stimulated　with　the　desire　of　glory；　he
had　let　his　mind　be　unwarily　prepossessed　with　the　vain　and　false
applauses　given　to　tyranny；　as　some　happy　and　glorious　thing。　But　he
no　sooner　seized　the　government；　than　he　grew　weary　of　the　pomp　and
burden　of　it。　And　at　once　emulating　the　tranquillity　and　fearing　the
policy　of　Aratus；　he　took　the　best　resolutions；　first；　to　free　himself
from　hatred　and　fear；　from　soldiers　and　guards；　and；　secondly；　to　be
the　public　benefactor　of　his　country。　And　sending　for　Aratus；　he
resigned　the　government；　and　incorporated　his　city　into　the　Achaean
community。　The　Achaeans；　applauding　this　generous　action；　chose　him
their　general；　upon　which；　desiring　to　outdo　Aratus　in　glory；
amongst　many　other　uncalled…for　things；　he　declared　war　against　the
Lacedaemonians；　which　Aratus　opposing　was　thought　to　do　it　out　of
envy；　and　Lydiades　was　the　second　time　chosen　general；　though　Aratus
acted　openly　against　him；　and　laboured　to　have　the　office　conferred
upon　another。　For　Aratus　himself　had　the　command　every　other　year；
as　has　been　said。　Lydiades；　however；　succeeded　so　well　in　his
pretensions；　that　he　was　thrice　chosen　general；　governing　alternately；
as　did　Aratus；　but　at　last；　declaring　himself　his　professed　enemy；　and
accusing　him　frequently　to　the　Achaeans；　he　was　rejected；　and　fell
into　contempt；　people　now　seeing　that　it　was　a　contest　between　a
counterfeit　and　a　true；　unadulterated　virtue；　and；　as　Aesop　tells　us
that　the　cuckoo　once；　asking　the　little　birds　why　they　flew　away
from　her；　was　answered；　because　they　feared　she　would　one　day　prove
a　hawk；　so　Lydiades's　former　tyranny　still　cast　a　doubt　upon　the
reality　of　his　change。
　　But　Aratus　gained　new　honour　in　the　Aetolian　war。　For　the　Achaeans
resolving　to　fall　upon　the　Aetolians　on　the　Megarian　confines；　and
Agis　also；　the　Lacedaemonian　king；　who　came　to　their　assistance　with
an　army；　encouraging　them　to　fight；　Aratus　opposed　this　determination。
And　patiently　enduring　many　reproaches；　many　scoffs　and　jeerings　at
his　soft　and　cowardly　temper；　he　would　not；　for　any　appearance　of
disgrace；　abandon　what　he　judged　to　be　true　common　advantage；　and
suffered　the　enemy　to　pass　over　Geranea　into　Peloponnesus　without　a
battle。　But　when；　after　they　passed　by；　news　came　that　they　had
suddenly　captured　Pellene；　he　was　no　longer　the　same　man；　nor　would　he
hear　of　any　delay；　or　wait　to　draw　together　his　whole　force；　but
marched　towards　the　enemy；　with　such　as　he　had　about　him；　to　fall　upon
them；　as　they　were　indeed　now　much　less　formidable　through　the
intemperances　and　disorders　committed　in　their　success。　For　as　soon　as
they　entered　the　city；　the　common　soldiers　dispersed　and　went　hither
and　thither　into　the　houses；　quarrelling　and　fighting　with　one　another
about　the　plunder；　and　the　officers　and　commanders　were　running
about　after　the　wives　and　daughters　of　the　Pellenians；　on　whose
heads　they　put　their　own　helmets；　to　mark　each　man　his　prize；　and
prevent　another　from　seizing　it。　And　in　this　posture　were　they　when
news　came　that　Aratus　was　ready　to　fall　upon　them。　And　in　the　midst　of
the　consternation　likely　to　ensue　in　the　confusion　they　were　in　before
all　of　them　heard　of　the　danger；　the　outmost　of　them；　engaging　at
the　gates　and　in　the　suburbs　with　the　Achaeans；　were　already　beaten
and　put　to　flight；　and　as　they　came　headlong　back；　filled　with　their
panic　those　who　were　collecting　and　advancing　to　their　assistance。
　　In　this　confusion；　one　of　the　captives；　daughter　of　Epigethes；　a
citizen　of　repute；　being　extremely　handsome　and　tall；　happened　to　be
sitting　in　the　temple　of　Diana；　placed　there　by　the　commander　of　the
band　of　chosen　men；　who　had　taken　her　and　put　his　crested　helmet
upon　her。　She；　hearing　the　noise；　and　running　out　to　see　what　was
the　matter；　stood　in　the　temple　gates；　looking　down　from　above　upon
those　that　fought；　having　the　helmet　upon　her　head；　in　which　posture
she　seemed　to　the　citizens　to　be　something　more　than　human；　and　struck
fear　and　dread　into　the　enemy；　who　believed　it　to　be　a　divine
apparition；　so　that　they　lost　all　courage　to　defend　themselves。　But
the　Pellenians　tell　us　that　the　image　of　Diana　stands　usually
untouched；　and　when　the　priestess　happens　at　any　time　to　remove　it
to　some　other　place；　nobody　dares　look　upon　it；　but　all　turn　their
faces　from　it；　for　not　only　is　the　sight　of　it　terrible　and　hurtful　to
mankind；　but　it　makes　even　the　trees；　by　which　it　happens　to　be
carried；　become　barren　and　cast　fruit。　This　image；　therefore；　they
say；　the　priestess　produced　at　that　time；　and　holding　it　directly　in
the　faces　of　the　Aetolians；　made　them　lose　their　reason　and
judgment。　But　Aratus　mentions　no　such　thing　in　his　commentaries；　but
saying　that　having　put　to　flight　the　Aetolians；　and　falling　in
pell…mell　with　them　into　the　city；　he　drove　them　out　by　main　force；
and　killed　seven　hundred　of　them。　And　the　action　was　extolled　as　one
of　the　most　famous　exploits；　and　Timanthes　the　painter　made　a
picture　of　the　battle；　giving　by　his　composition　a　most　lively
representation　of　it。
　　But　many　great　nations　and　potentates　combining　against　the
Achaeans；　Aratus　immediately　for　friendly　arrangements　with　the
Aetolians；　and；　making　use　of　the　assistance　of　Pantaleon；　the　most
powerful　man　amongst　them；　he　not　only　made　a　peace；　but　an　alliance
between　them　and　the　Achaeans。　But　being　desirous　to　free　the
Athenians；　he　got　into　disgrace　and　ill…repute　among　the　Achaeans；
because；　notwithstanding　the　truce　and　suspension　of　arms　made　between
them　and　the　Macedonians；　he　had　attempted　to　take　the　Piraeus。　He
denies　this　fact　in　his　commentaries；　and　lays　the　blame　on　Erginus；
by　whose　assistance　he　took　Acro…Corinthus；　alleging　that　he　upon
his　own　private　account　attacked　the　Piraeus；　and　his　ladders
happening　to　break；　being　hotly　pursued；　he　called　out　upon　Aratus；　as
if　present；　by　which　means　deceiving　the　enemy　he　got　safely　off。　This
excuse；　however；　sounds　very　improbable；　for　it　is　not　in　any　way
likely　that　Erginus；　a　private　man　and　a　Syrian　stranger；　should
conceive　in　his　mind　so　great　an　attempt；　without　Aratus　at　his
back；　to　tell　him　how　and　when　to　make　it；　and　to　supply　him　with
the　means。　Nor　was　it　twice　or　thrice；　but　very　often；　that；　like　an
obstinate　lover；　he　repeated　his　attempts　on　the　Piraeus；　and　was　so
far　from　being　discouraged　by　his　disappointments；　that　his　missing
his　hopes　but　narrowly　was　an　incentive　to　him　to　proceed　the　more
boldly　in　a　new　trial。　One　time　amongst　the　rest；　in　making　his　escape
through　the　Thrasian　plain；　he　put　his　leg　out　of　joint；　and　was
forced　to　submit　to　many　operations　with　the　knife　before　he　was
cured；　so　that　for　a　long　time　he　was　carried　in　a　litter　to　the　wars。
　　And　when　Antigonus　was　dead；　and　Demetrius　succeeded　him　in　the
kingdom；　he　was　more　bent　than　ever　upon　Athens；　and　in　general
quite　despised　the　Macedonians。　And　so；　being　overthrown　in　battle
near　Phylacia　by　Bithys；　Demetrius's　general；　and　there　being　a　very
strong　report　that　he　was　either　taken　or　slain；　Diogenes；　the
governor　of　the　Piraeus；　sent　letters　to　Corinth；　commanding　the
Achaeans　to　quit　that　city；　seeing　Aratus　was　dead。　When　these　letters
came　to　Corinth；　Aratus　happened　to　be　there　in　person；　so　that
Diogenes's　messengers　being　sufficiently　mocked　and　derided；　were
forced　to　return　to　their　master。　King　Demetrius　himself　also　sent　a
ship；　wherein　Aratus　was　to　be　brought　to　him　in　chains。　And　the
Athenians；　exceeding　all　possible　fickleness　of　flattery　to　the
Macedonians；　crowned　themselves　with　garlands　upon　the　first　news　of
his　death。　And　so　in　anger　he　went　at　once　and　invaded　Attica；　and
penetrated　as　far　as　the　Academy；　but　then　suffering　himself　to　be
pacified　he　did　no　further　act　of　hostility。　And　the　Athenians
afterwards；　coming　to　a　due　sense　of　his　virtue　when　upon　the　death　of
Demetrius　they　attempted　to　recover　their　liberty；　called　him　to　the