pyrrhus-第1部分

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　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　PYRRHUS
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　365？…272　B。C。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　by　Plutarch

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　translated　by　John　Dryden




　　OF　the　Thesprotians　and　Molossians　after　the　great　inundation；　the
first　king；　according　to　some　historians；　was　Phaethon；　one　of　those
who　came　into　Epirus　with　Pelasgus。　Others　tell　us　that　Deucalion
and　Pyrrha；　having　set　up　the　worship　of　Jupiter　at　Dodona；　settled
there　among　the　Molossians。　In　after　time；　Neoptolemus；　Achilles's
son；　planting　a　colony；　possessed　these　parts　himself；　and　left　a
succession　of　kings；　who；　after　him；　was　named　Pyrrhidae；　as　he　in　his
youth　was　called　Pyrrhus；　and　of　his　legitimate　children；　one　was　born
of　Lanassa；　daughter　of　Cleodaeus；　Hyllus's　son；　had　also　that　name。
From　him　Achilles　came　to　have　divine　honours　in　Epirus；　under　the
name　of　Aspetus；　in　the　language　of　the　country。　After　these　first
kings；　those　of　the　following　intervening　times　becoming　barbarous；
and　insignificant　both　in　their　power　and　their　lives；　Tharrhypas　is
said　to　have　been　the　first　who；　by　introducing　Greek　manners　and
learning；　and　humane　laws　into　his　cities；　left　any　fame　of　himself。
Alcetas　was　the　son　of　Tharrhypas；　Arybas　of　Alcetas；　and　of　Arybas
and　Troas　his　queen；　Aeacides；　he　married　Phthia；　the　daughter　of
Menon；　the　Thessalian；　a　man　of　note　at　the　time　of　the　Lamiac　war；
and　of　highest　command　in　the　confederate　army　next　to　Leosthenes。
To　Aeacides　were　born　of　Phthia；　Deidamia　and　Troas；　daughters；　and
Pyrrhus；　a　son。
　　The　Molossians；　afterwards　falling　into　factions　and　expelling
Aeacides；　brought　in　the　sons　of　Neoptolemus；　and　such　friends　of
Aeacides　as　they　could　take　were　all　cut　off；　Pyrrhus；　yet　an
infant；　and　searched　for　by　the　enemy；　had　been　stolen　away　and
carried　off　by　Androclides　and　Angelus；　who；　however；　being　obliged　to
take　with　them　a　few　servants；　and　women　to　nurse　the　child；　were　much
impeded　and　retarded　in　their　flight；　and　when　they　were　now
overtaken；　they　delivered　the　infant　to　Androcleon；　Hippias；　and
Neander；　faithful　and　able　young　fellows；　giving　them　in　charge　to
make　for　Megara；　a　town　of　Macedon；　with　all　their　might；　while　they
themselves；　partly　by　entreaty；　and　partly　by　force；　stopped　the
course　of　the　pursuers　till　late　in　the　evening。　At　last；　having
hardly　forced　them　back；　they　joined　those　who　had　the　care　of
Pyrrhus；　but　the　sun　being　already　set；　at　the　point　of　attaining
their　object　they　suddenly　found　themselves　cut　off　from　it。　For　on
reaching　the　river　that　runs　by　the　city　they　found　it　looking
formidable　and　rough；　and　endeavouring　to　pass　over；　they　discovered
it　was　not　fordable；　late　rains　having　heightened　the　water　and　made
the　current　violent。　The　darkness　of　the　night　added　to　the　horror
of　all；　so　that　they　durst　not　venture　of　themselves　to　carry　over　the
child　and　the　women　that　attended　it；　but；　perceiving　some　of　the
country　people　on　the　other　side；　they　desired　them　to　assist　their
passage；　and　showed　them　Pyrrhus；　calling　out　aloud；　and　importuning
them。　They；　however；　could　not　hear　for　the　noise　and　roaring　of　the
water。　Thus　time　was　spent　while　those　called　out；　and　the　others
did　not　understand　what　was　said；　till　one　recollecting　himself；
stripped　off　a　piece　of　bark　from　an　oak；　and　wrote　on　it　with　the
tongue　of　a　buckle；　stating　the　necessities　and　the　fortunes　of　the
child；　and　then　rolling　it　about　a　stone；　which　was　made　use　of　to
give　force　to　the　motion；　threw　it　over　to　the　other　side；　or；　as　some
say；　fastened　it　to　the　end　of　a　javelin；　and　darted　it　over。　When　the
men　on　the　other　shore　read　what　was　on　the　bark；　and　saw　how　time
pressed；　without　delay　they　cut　down　some　trees；　and　lashing　them
together；　came　over　to　them。　And　it　so　fell　out；　that　he　who　first　got
ashore；　and　took　Pyrrhus　in　his　arms；　was　named　Achilles；　the　rest
being　helped　over　by　others　as　they　came　to　hand。
　　Thus　being　safe；　and　out　of　the　reach　of　pursuit；　they　addressed
themselves　to　Glaucias；　then　King　of　the　Illyrians；　and　finding　him
sitting　at　home　with　his　wife；　they　laid　down　the　child　before　them。
The　king　began　to　weigh　the　matter；　fearing　Cassander；　who　was　a
mortal　enemy　of　Aeacides；　and；　being　in　deep　consideration；　said
nothing　for　a　long　time；　while　Pyrrhus；　crawling　about　on　the
ground；　gradually　got　near　and　laid　hold　with　his　hand　upon　the　king's
robe；　and　so　helping　himself　upon　his　feet　against　the　knees　of
Glaucias　first　moved　laughter；　and　then　pity；　as　a　little；　humble；
crying　petitioner。　Some　say　he　did　not　throw　himself　before
Glaucias；　but　catching　hold　of　an　altar　of　the　gods；　and　spreading　his
hands　about　it；　raised　himself　up　by　that；　and　that　Glaucias　took
the　act　as　an　omen。　At　present；　therefore；　he　gave　Pyrrhus　into　the
charge　of　his　wife；　commanding　he　should　be　brought　up　with　his　own
children；　and　a　little　later；　the　enemies　sending　to　demand　him；　and
Cassander　himself　offering　two　hundred　talents；　he　would　not　deliver
him　up；　but　when　he　was　twelve　years　old；　bringing　him　with　an　army
into　Epirus；　made　him　king。　Pyrrhus　in　the　air　of　his　face　had
something　more　of　the　terrors　than　of　the　augustness　of　kingly
power；　he　had　not　a　regular　set　of　upper　teeth；　but　in　the　place　of
them　one　continued　bone；　with　small　lines　marked　on　it；　resembling　the
divisions　of　a　row　of　teeth。　It　was　a　general　belief　he　could　cure　the
spleen　by　sacrificing　a　white　cock　and　gently　pressing　with　his
right　foot　on　the　spleen　of　the　persons　as　they　lay　down　on　their
backs；　nor　was　any　one　so　poor　or　inconsiderable　as　not　to　be　welcome；
if　he　desired　it；　to　the　benefit　of　his　touch。　He　accepted　the　cock
for　the　sacrifice　as　a　reward；　and　was　always　much　pleased　with　the
present。　The　large　toe　of　that　foot　was　said　to　have　a　divine
virtue；　for　after　his　death；　the　rest　of　the　body　being　consumed；　this
was　found　unhurt；　and　untouched　by　the　fire。　But　of　these　things
hereafter。
　　Being　now　about　seventeen　years　old；　and　the　government　in
appearance　well　settled；　he　took　a　journey　out　of　the　kingdom　to
attend　the　marriage　of　one　of　Glaucias's　sons；　with　whom　he　was
brought　up；　upon　which　opportunity　the　Molossians　again　rebelling；
turned　out　all　of　his　party；　plundered　his　property；　and　gave
themselves　up　to　Neoptolemus。　Pyrrhus　having　thus　lost　the　kingdom；
and　being　in　want　of　all　things；　applied　to　Demetrius；　the　son　of
Antigonus；　the　husband　of　his　sister　Deidamia；　who；　while　she　was
but　a　child；　had　been　in　name　the　wife　of　Alexander；　son　of　Roxana；
but　their　affairs　afterwards　proving　unfortunate；　when　she　came　to
age；　Demetrius　married　her。　At　the　great　battle　of　Ipsus；　where　so
many　kings　were　engaged；　Pyrrhus；　taking　part　with　Demetrius；　though
yet　but　a　youth；　routed　those　that　encountered　him；　and　highly
signalized　himself　among　all　the　soldiery；　and　afterwards；　when
Demetrius's　fortunes　were　low；　he　did　not　forsake　him　then；　but
secured　for　him　the　cities　of　Greece　with　which　he　was　intrusted；
and　upon　articles　of　agreement　being　made　between　Demetrius　and
Ptolemy；　he　went　over　as　an　hostage　for　him　into　Egypt；　where　both
in　hunting　and　other　exercises　he　gave　Ptolemy　an　ample　proof　of　his
courage　and　strength。　Here　observing　Berenice　in　greatest　power；　and
of　all　Ptolemy's　wives　highest　in　esteem　for　virtue　and　understanding；
he　made　his　court　principally　to　her。　He　had　a　particular　art　of
gaining　over　the　great　to　his　own　interest；　as　on　the　other　hand　he
readily　overlooked　such　as　were　below　him；　and　being　also　well…behaved
and　temperate　in　his　life；　among　all　the　young　princes　then　at　court
he　was　thought　most　fit　to　have　Antigone　for　his　wife；　one　of　the
daughters　of　Berenice　by　Philip；　before　she　married　Ptolemy。
　　After　this　match；　advancing　in　honour；　and　Antigone　being　a　very
good　wife　to　him；　having　procured　a　sum　of　money；　and　raised　an
army；　he　so　ordered　matters　as　to　be　sent　into　his　kingdom　of
Epirus；　and　arrived　there　to　the　great　satisfaction　of　many；　from
their　hate　to　Neoptolemus；　who　was　governing　in　a　violent　and
arbitrary　way。　But　fearing　lest　Neoptolemus　should　enter　into　alliance
with　some　neighbouring　princes；　he　came　to　terms　and　friendship　with
him；　agreeing　that　they　should　share　the　government　between　them。
There　were　people；　however；　who；　as　time　went　on；　secretly　exasperated
them；　and　fomented　jealousies　between　them。　The　cause　chiefly　moving
Pyrrhus　is　said　to　have　had　this　beginning。　It　was　customary　for　the
kings　to　offer　sacrifice　to　Mars　at　Passaro；　a　place　in　the
Molossian　country；　and　that　done　to　enter　into　a　solemn　covenant
with　the　Epirots；　they　to　govern　according　to　law；　these　to　preserve
the　government　as　by　law　established。　This　was　performed　in　the
presence　of　both　kings；　who　were　there　with　their　immediate　friends；
giving　and　receiving　many　presents；　here　Gelo；　one　of　the　friends　of
Neoptolemus；　taking　Pyrrhus　by　the　hand；　presented　him　with　two　pair
of　draught　oxen。　Myrtilus；　his　cup…bearer；　being　then　by；　begged　these
of　Pyrrhus；　who　not　giving　them　to　him；　but　to　another；　Myrtilus
extremely　resented　it；　which　Gelo　took　notice　of；　and；　inviting　him　to
a　banquet　（amidst　drinking　and　other　excesses；　as　some　relate；
Myrtilus　being　then　in　the　flower　of　his　youth）；　he　entered　into
discourse；　persuading　him　to　adhere　to　Neoptolemus；　and　destroy
Pyrrhus　by　poison。　Myrtilus　received　the　design；　appearing　to
approve　and　consent　to　it；　but　privately　discovered　it　to　Pyrrhus；
by　whose　command　he　recommended　Alexicrates；　his　chief　cup…bearer；
to　Gelo；　as　a　fit　instrument　for　their　design；　Pyrrhus　being　very
desirous　to　have　proof　of　the　plot　by　several　evidences。　So　Gelo；
being　deceived；　Neoptolemus；　who　was　no　less　deceived；　imagining　the
design　went　prosperously　on；　could　not　forbear；　but　in　his　joy　spoke
of　it　among　his　friends；　and　once　at　an　entertainment　at　his　sister
Cadmea's　talked　openly　of　it；　thinking　none　heard　but　themselves。
Nor　was　any　one　there　but　Phaenarete　the　wife　of　Samon；　who　had　the
care　of　Neoptolemus's　flocks　and　herds。　She；　turning　her　face
towards　the　wall　upon　a　couch；　seemed　fast　asleep；　and　having　heard
all　that