demosthenes-第6部分

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to　him；　the　one　leading　to　the　speaker's　stand　and　the　assembly；　the
other　going　direct　to　destruction；　and　he　could　have　foreseen　the　many
evils　which　attend　those　who　deal　in　public　business；　such　as　fears；
envies；　calumnies；　and　contentions；　he　would　certainly　have　taken　that
which　led　straight　on　to　his　death。
　　But　now　happened　the　death　of　Alexander；　while　Demosthenes　was　in
this　banishment　which　we　have　been　speaking　of。　And　the　Grecians
were　once　again　up　in　arms；　encouraged　by　the　brave　attempts　of
Leosthenes；　who　was　then　drawing　a　circumvallation　about　Antipater；
whom　he　held　close　besieged　in　Lamia。　Pytheas；　therefore；　the
orator；　and　Callimedon；　called　the　Crab；　fled　from　Athens；　and
taking　sides　with　Antipater；　went　about　with　his　friends　and
ambassadors　to　keep　the　Grecians　from　revolting　and　taking　part　with
the　Athenians。　But；　on　the　other　side；　Demosthenes；　associating
himself　with　the　ambassadors　that　came　from　Athens；　used　his　utmost
endeavours　and　gave　them　his　best　assistance　in　persuading　the
cities　to　fall　unanimously　upon　the　Macedonians；　and　to　drive　them　out
of　Greece。　Phylarchus　says　that　in　Arcadia　there　happened　a　rencounter
between　Pytheas　and　Demosthenes；　which　came　at　last　to　downright
railing；　while　the　one　pleaded　for　the　Macedonians；　and　the　other
for　the　Grecians。　Pytheas　said；　that　as　we　always　suppose　there　is
some　disease　in　the　family　to　which　they　bring　asses'　milk；　so
wherever　there　comes　an　embassy　from　Athens　that　city　must　needs　be
indisposed。　And　Demosthenes　answered　him；　retorting　the　comparison：
〃Asses'　milk　is　brought　to　restore　health　and　the　Athenians　come　for
the　safety　and　recovery　of　the　sick。〃　With　this　conduct　the　people
of　Athens　were　so　well　pleased　that　they　decreed　the　recall　of
Demosthenes　from　banishment。　The　decree　was　brought　in　by　Demon　the
Paeanian；　cousin　to　Demosthenes。　So　they　sent　him　a　ship　to　Aegina；
and　he　landed　at　the　port　of　Piraeus；　where　he　was　met　and　joyfully
received　by　all　the　citizens；　not　so　much　as　an　archon　or　a　priest
staying　behind。　And　Demetrius；　the　Magnesian；　says　that　he　lifted　up
his　hands　towards　heaven；　and　blessed　this　day　of　his　happy　return；　as
far　more　honourable　than　that　of　Alcibiades；　since　he　was　recalled
by　his　countrymen；　not　through　any　force　or　constraint　put　upon
them；　but　by　their　own　good…will　and　free　inclinations。　There　remained
only　his　pecuniary　fine；　which；　according　to　law；　could　not　be
remitted　by　the　people。　But　they　found　out　a　way　to　elude　the　law。
It　was　a　custom　with　them　to　allow　a　certain　quantity　of　silver　to
those　who　were　to　furnish　and　adorn　the　altar　for　the　sacrifice　of
Jupiter　Soter。　This　office；　for　that　turn；　they　bestowed　on
Demosthenes；　and　for　the　performance　of　it　ordered　him　fifty
talents；　the　very　sum　in　which　he　was　condemned。
　　Yet　it　was　no　long　time　that　he　enjoyed　his　country　after　his
return；　the　attempts　of　the　Greeks　being　soon　all　utterly　defeated。
For　the　battle　of　Cranon　happened　in　Metagitnion；　in　Boedromion　the
garrison　entered　into　Munychia；　and　in　the　Pyanepsion　following　died
Demosthenes　after　this　manner。
　　Upon　the　report　that　Antipater　and　Craterus　were　coming　to　Athens；
Demosthenes　with　his　party　took　their　opportunity　to　escape　privily
out　of　the　city；　but　sentence　of　death　was；　upon　the　motion　of
Demades；　passed　upon　them　by　the　people。　They　dispersed　themselves；
flying　some　to　one　place；　some　to　another；　and　Antipater　sent　about
his　soldiers　into　all　quarters　to　apprehend　them。　Archias　was　their
captain；　and　was　thence　called　the　exile…hunter。　He　was　a　Thurian
born；　and　is　reported　to　have　been　an　actor　of　tragedies；　and　they　say
that　Polus；　of　Aegina；　the　best　actor　of　his　time；　was　his　scholar；
but　Hermippus　reckons　Archias　among　the　disciples　of　Lacritus；　the
orator；　and　Demetrius　says　he　spent　some　time　with　Anaximenes。　This
Archias　finding　Hyperides　the　orator；　Aritonicus　of　Marathon；　and
Himeraeus；　the　brother　of　Demetrius　the　Phalerian；　in　Aegina；　took
them　by　force　out　of　the　temple　of　Aecus；　whither　they　were　fled　for
safety；　and　sent　them　to　Antipater；　then　at　Cleonae　where　they　were
all　put　to　death；　and　Hyperides；　they　say；　had　his　tongue　cut　out。
　　Demosthenes；　he　heard；　had　taken　sanctuary　at　the　temple　of
Neptune　in　Calauria　and；　crossing　over　thither　in　some　light
vessels；　as　soon　as　he　had　landed　himself；　and　the　Thracian　spearmen
that　came　with　him；　he　endeavoured　to　persuade　Demosthenes　to
accompany　him　to　Antipater；　as　if　he　should　meet　with　no　hard　usage
from　him。　But　Demosthenes；　in　his　sleep　the　night　before；　had　a
strange　dream。　It　seemed　to　him　that　he　was　acting　a　tragedy；　and
contended　with　Archias　for　the　victory；　and　though　he　acquitted
himself　well；　and　gave　good　satisfaction　to　the　spectators；　yet　for
want　of　better　furniture　and　provision　for　the　stage；　he　lost　the　day。
And　so；　while　Archias　was　discoursing　to　him　with　many　expressions
of　kindness；　he　sate　still　in　the　same　posture；　and　looking　up
steadfastly　upon　him；　〃O　Archias；〃　said　he；　〃I　am　as　little　affected
by　your　promises　now　as　I　used　formerly　to　be　by　your　acting。〃　Archias
at　this　beginning　to　grow　angry　and　to　threaten　him；　〃Now；〃　said
Demosthenes；　〃you　speak　like　the　genuine　Macedonian　oracle；　before　you
were　but　acting　a　part。　Therefore　forbear　only　a　little；　while　I　write
a　word　or　two　home　to　my　family。〃　Having　thus　spoken；　he　withdrew　into
the　temple　and　taking　a　scroll　as　if　he　meant　to　write；　he　put　the
reed　into　his　mouth；　and　biting　it　as　he　was　wont　to　do　when　he　was
thoughtful　or　writing；　he　held　it　there　some　time。　Then　he　bowed
down　his　head　and　covered　it。　The　soldiers　that　stood　at　the　door；
supposing　all　this　to　proceed　from　want　of　courage　and　fear　of
death；　in　derision　called　him　effeminate；　and　faint…hearted；　and
coward。　And　Archias　drawing　near；　desired　him　to　rise　up；　and
repeating　the　same　kind　of　thing　he　had　spoken　before；　he　once　more
promised　to　make　his　peace　with　Antipater。　But　Demosthenes；　perceiving
that　now　the　poison　had　pierced；　and　seized　his　vitals；　uncovered
his　head；　and　fixing　his　eyes　upon　Archias；　〃Now；〃　said　he；　〃as　soon
as　you　please；　you　may　commence　the　part　of　Creon　in　the　tragedy；
and　cast　out　this　body　of　mine　unburied。　But；　O　gracious　Neptune；　I；
for　my　part　while　I　am　yet　alive　will　rise　up　and　depart　out　of　this
sacred　place；　though　Antipater　and　the　Macedonians　have　not　left　so
much　as　thy　temple　unpolluted。〃　After　he　had　thus　spoken　and　desired
to　be　held　up；　because　already　he　began　to　tremble　and　stagger；　as
he　was　going　forward；　and　passing　by　the　altar；　he　fell　down；　and　with
a　groan　gave　up　the　ghost。
　　Ariston　says　that　he　took　the　poison　out　of　a　reed；　as　we　have　shown
before。　But　Pappus；　a　certain　historian　whose　history　was　recovered　by
Hermippus；　says；　that　as　he　fell　near　the　altar；　there　was　found　in
his　scroll　this　beginning　only　of　a　letter；　and　nothing　more；
〃Demosthenes　to　Antipater。〃　And　that　when　his　sudden　death　was　much
wondered　at；　the　Thracians　who　guarded　the　doors　reported　that　he　took
the　poison　into　his　hand　out　of　a　rag；　and　put　it　in　his　mouth；　and
that　they　imagined　it　had　been　gold　which　he　swallowed；　but　the　maid
that　served　him；　being　examined　by　the　followers　of　Archias；
affirmed　that　he　had　worn　it　in　a　bracelet　for　a　long　time；　as　an
amulet。　And　Eratosthenes　also　says　that　he　kept　the　poison　in　a　hollow
ring；　and　that　that　ring　was　the　bracelet　which　he　wore　about　his　arm。
There　are　various　other　statements　made　by　the　many　authors　who　have
related　the　story；　but　there　is　no　need　to　enter　into　their
discrepancies；　yet　I　must　not　omit　what　is　said　by　Demochares　the
relation　of　Demosthenes；　who　is　of　opinion　it　was　not　by　the　help　of
poison　that　he　met　with　so　sudden　and　so　easy　a　death；　but　that　by　the
singular　favour　and　providence　of　the　gods　he　was　thus　rescued　from
the　cruelty　of　the　Macedonians。　He　died　on　the　sixteenth　of
Pyanepsion；　the　most　sad　and　solemn　day　of　the　Thesmophoria；　which　the
women　observe　by　fasting　in　the　temple　of　the　goddess。
　　Soon　after　his　death；　the　people　of　Athens　bestowed　on　him　such
honours　as　he　had　deserved。　They　erected　his　statue　of　brass；　they
decreed　that　the　eldest　of　his　family　should　be　maintained　in　the
Prytaneum；　and　on　the　base　of　his　statue　was　engraven　the　famous
inscription…

　　　　　　　　　〃Had　you　for　Greece　been　strong；　as　wise　you　were；
　　　　　　　　　　The　Macedonian　had　not　conquered　her。〃

For　it　is　simply　ridiculous　to　say；　as　some　have　related；　that
Demosthenes　made　these　verses　himself　in　Calauria；　as　he　was　about
to　take　the　poison。
　　A　little　before　he　went　to　Athens；　the　following　incident　was　said
to　have　happened。　A　soldier；　being　summoned　to　appear　before　his
superior　officer；　and　answer　to　an　accusation　brought　against　him；　put
that　little　gold　which　he　had　into　the　hands　of　Demosthenes's
statue。　The　fingers　of　this　statue　were　folded　one　within　another；　and
near　it　grew　a　small　plane…tree；　from　which　many　leaves；　either
accidently　blown　thither　by　the　wind；　or　placed　so　on　purpose　by　the
man　himself；　falling　together　and　lying　round　about　the　gold；
concealed　it　for　a　long　time。　In　the　end；　the　soldier　returned　and
found　his　treasure　entire；　and　the　fame　of　this　incident　was　spread
abroad。　And　many　ingenious　persons　of　the　city　competed　with　each
other；　on　this　occasion；　to　vindicate　the　integrity　of　Demosthenes
in　several　epigrams　which　they　made　on　the　subject。
　　As　for　Demades；　he　did　not　long　enjoy　the　new　honours　he　now　came　in
for；　divine　vengeance　for　the　death　of　Demosthenes　pursuing　him　into
Macedonia；　where　he　was　justly　put　to　death　by　those　whom　he　had
basely　flattered。　They　were　weary　of　him　before；　but　at　this　time
the　guilt　he　lay　under　was　manifest　and　undeniable。　For　some　of　his
letters　were　intercepted；　in　which　he　had　encouraged　Perdiccas　to　fall
upon　Macedonia；　and　to　save　the　Grecians；　who；　he　said；　hung　only　by
an　old　rotten　thread　meaning　Antipater。　Of　this　he　was　accused　by
Dinarchus；　the　Corinthian；　and　Cassander　was　so　enraged；　that　he　first
slew　his　son　in　his　bosom；　and　then　gave　orders　to　execute　him；　who
might　now　at　last；　by　his　own　extreme　misfortunes；　learn　the　less