pyrrhus-第2部分

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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　passed；　unsuspected；　next　day　came　to　Antigone；　Pyrrhus's
wife；　and　told　her　what　she　had　heard　Neoptolemus　say　to　his　sister。
On　understanding　which　Pyrrhus　for　the　present　said　little；　but　on　a
sacrifice　day；　making　an　invitation　for　Neoptolemus；　killed　him；　being
satisfied　before　that　the　great　men　of　the　Epirots　were　his　friends；
and　that　they　were　eager　for　him　to　rid　himself　of　Neoptolemus；　and
not　to　content　himself　with　a　mere　petty　share　of　the　government；
but　to　follow　his　own　natural　vocation　to　great　designs；　and　now
when　a　just　ground　of　suspicion　appeared；　to　anticipate　Neoptolemus　by
taking　him　off　first。
　　In　memory　of　Berenice　and　Ptolemy　he　named　his　son　by　Antigone；
Ptolemy；　and　having　built　a　city　in　the　peninsula　of　Epirus；　called　it
Berenicis。　From　this　time　he　began　to　revolve　many　and　vast　projects
in　his　thoughts；　but　his　first　special　hope　and　design　lay　near
home；　and　he　found　means　to　engage　himself　in　the　Macedonian　affairs
under　the　following　pretext。　Of　Cassander's　sons；　Antipater；　the
eldest；　killed　Thessalonica；　his　mother；　and　expelled　his　brother
Alexander；　who　sent　to　Demetrius　entreating　his　assistance；　and　also
called　in　Pyrrhus；　but　Demetrius　being　retarded　by　multitude　of
business；　Pyrrhus；　coming　first；　demanded　in　reward　of　his　service　the
districts　called　Tymphaea　and　Parauaea　in　Macedon　itself　and　of
their　new　conquests；　Ambracia；　Acarnania；　and　Amphilochia。　The　young
prince　giving　way；　he　took　possession　of　these　countries；　and
secured　them　with　good　garrisons；　and　proceeded　to　reduce　for
Alexander　himself　other　parts　of　the　kingdom　which　he　gained　from
Antipater。　Lysimachus；　designing　to　send　aid　to　Antipater；　was
involved　in　much　other　business；　but　knowing　Pyrrhus　would　not
disoblige　Ptolemy；　or　deny　him　anything；　sent　pretended　letters　to　him
as　from　Ptolemy；　desiring　him　to　give　up　his　expedition；　upon　the
payment　of　three　hundred　talents　to　him　by　Antipater。　Pyrrhus；　opening
the　letter；　quickly　discovered　the　fraud　of　Lysimachus；　for　it　had　not
the　accustomed　style　of　salutation；　〃The　father　to　the　son；　health；〃
but　〃King　Ptolemy　to　Pyrrhus；　the　king；　health；〃　and　reproaching
Lysimachus；　he　notwithstanding　made　a　peace；　and　they　all　met　to
confirm　it　by　a　solemn　oath　upon　sacrifice。　A　goat；　a　bull；　and　a
ram　being　brought　out；　the　ram　on　a　sudden　fell　dead。　The　others
laughed；　but　Theodotus　the　prophet　forbade　Pyrrhus　to　swear；　declaring
that　Heaven　by　that　portended　the　death　of　one　of　the　three　kings；
upon　which　he　refused　to　ratify　the　peace。
　　The　affairs　of　Alexander　being　now　in　some　kind　of　settlement；
Demetrius　arrived；　contrary；　as　soon　appeared；　to　the　desire　and
indeed　not　without　the　alarm　of　Alexander。　After　they　had　been　a　few
days　together；　their　mutual　jealousy　led　them　to　conspire　against　each
other；　and　Demetrius；　taking　advantage　of　the　first　occasion；　was
beforehand　with　the　young　king；　and　slew　him；　and　proclaimed　himself
King　of　Macedon。　There　had　been　formerly　no　very　good　understanding
between　him　and　Pyrrhus；　for　besides　the　inroads　he　made　into
Thessaly；　the　innate　disease　of　princes；　ambition　of　greater　empire；
had　rendered　them　formidable　and　suspected　neighbours　to　each　other；
especially　since　Deidamia's　death；　and　both　having　seized　Macedon；
they　came　into　conflict　for　the　same　object；　and　the　difference
between　them　had　the　stronger　motives。　Demetrius　having　first　attacked
the　Aetolians　and　subdued　them；　left　Pantauchus　there　with　a
considerable　army；　and　marched　direct　against　Pyrrhus；　and　Pyrrhus；　as
he　thought；　against　him；　but　by　mistake　of　the　ways　they　passed　by　one
another；　and　Demetrius　falling　into　Epirus　wasted　the　country；　and
Pyrrhus；　meeting　with　Pantauchus；　prepared　for　an　engagement。　The
soldiers　fell　to；　and　there　was　a　sharp　and　terrible　conflict；
especially　where　the　generals　were。　Pantauchus；　in　courage；　dexterity；
and　strength　of　body；　being　confessedly　the　best　of　all　Demetrius's
captains；　and　having　both　resolution　and　high　spirit；　challenged
Pyrrhus　to　fight　hand　to　hand；　on　the　other　side　Pyrrhus；　professing
not　to　yield　to　any　king　in　valour　and　glory；　and　esteeming　the　fame
of　Achilles　more　truly　to　belong　to　him　for　his　courage　than　for　his
blood；　advanced　against　Pantauchus　through　the　front　of　the　army。
First　they　used　their　lances；　then　came　to　a　close　fight；　and
managed　their　swords　both　with　art　and　force；　Pyrrhus　receiving　one
wound；　but　returning　two　for　it；　one　in　the　thigh　and　the　other　near
the　neck　repulsed　and　overthrew　Pantauchus；　but　did　not　kill　him
outright；　as　he　was　rescued　by　his　friends。　But　the　Epirots　exulting
in　the　victory　of　their　king；　and　admiring　his　courage；　forced　through
and　cut　in　pieces　the　phalanx　of　the　Macedonians；　and　pursuing　those
that　fled；　killed　many；　and　took　five　thousand　prisoners。
　　This　fight　did　not　so　much　exasperate　the　Macedonians　with　anger　for
their　loss；　or　with　hatred　to　Pyrrhus；　as　it　caused　esteem　and
admiration　of　his　valour；　and　great　discourse　of　him　among　those
that　saw　what　he　did；　and　were　engaged　against　him　in　the　action。　They
thought　his　countenance；　his　swiftness；　and　his　motions　expressed
those　of　the　great　Alexander；　and　that　they　beheld　here　an　image　and
resemblance　of　his　rapidity　and　strength　in　fight；　other　kings
merely　by　their　purple　and　their　guards；　by　the　formal　bending　of
their　necks　and　lofty　tone　of　their　speech；　Pyrrhus　only　by　arms　and
in　action；　represented　Alexander。　Of　his　knowledge　of　military　tactics
and　the　art　of　a　general；　and　his　great　ability　that　way；　we　have
the　best　information　from　the　commentaries　he　left　behind　him。
Antigonus；　also；　we　are　told；　being　asked　who　was　the　greatest
soldier；　said；　〃Pyrrhus；　if　he　lives　to　be　old；〃　referring　only　to
those　of　his　own　time；　but　Hannibal　of　all　great　commanders　esteemed
Pyrrhus　for　skill　and　conduct　the　first；　Scipio　the　second；　and
himself　the　third；　as　is　related　in　the　life　of　Scipio。　In　a　word；
he　seemed　ever　to　make　this　all　his　thought　and　philosophy；　as　the
most　kingly　part　of　learning：　other　curiosities　he　held　in　no　account。
He　is　reported；　when　asked　at　a　feast　whether　he　thought　Python　or
Caphisias　the　best　musician　to　have　said；　Polysperchon　was　the　best
soldier；　as　though　it　became　a　king　to　examine　and　understand　only
such　things。　Towards　his　familiars　he　was　mild　and　not　easily
incensed；　zealous　and　even　vehement　in　returning　kindnesses。　Thus　when
Aeropus　was　dead；　he　could　not　bear　it　with　moderation；　saying；　he
indeed　had　suffered　what　was　common　to　human　nature；　but　condemning
and　blaming　himself；　that　by　puttings　off　and　delays　he　had　not
returned　his　kindness　in　time。　For　our　debts　may　be　satisfied　to　the
creditor's　heirs；　but　not　to　have　made　the　acknowledgment　of
received　favours；　while　they　to　whom　it　is　due　can　be　sensible　of
it；　afflicts　a　good　and　worthy　nature。　Some　thinking　it　fit　that
Pyrrhus　should　banish　a　certain　ill…tongued　fellow　in　Ambracia；　who
had　spoken　very　indecently　of　him；　〃Let　him　rather；〃　said　he；　〃speak
against　us　here　to　a　few；　than　rambling　about　to　a　great　many。〃　And
others　who　in　their　wine　had　made　reflections　upon　him；　being
afterward　questioned　for　it；　and　asked　by　him　whether　they　had　said
such　words；　on　one　of　the　young　fellows　answering。　〃Yes；　all　that；
king：　and　should　have　said　more　if　we　had　had　more　wine；〃　he　laughed
and　discharged　them。　After　Antigone's　death；　he　married　several
wives　to　enlarge　his　interest　and　power。　He　had　the　daughter　of
Autoleon；　King　of　the　Paeonians；　Bircenna；　Bardyllis　the　Illyrian's
daughter；　Lanassa；　daughter　of　Agathocles　the　Syracusan；　who　brought
with　her　in　dower　the　city　of　Corcyra；　which　had　been　taken　by
Agathocles。　By　Antigone　he　had　Ptolemy；　Alexander　by　Lanassa；　and
Helenus；　his　youngest　son；　by　Bircenna：　he　brought　them　up　all　in
arms；　hot　and　eager　youths；　and　by　him　sharpened　and　whetted　to　war
from　their　very　infancy。　It　is　said；　when　one　of　them；　while　yet　a
child；　asked　him　to　which　he　would　leave　the　kingdom；　he　replied；　to
him　that　had　the　sharpest　sword；　which　indeed　was　much　like　that
tragical　curse　of　Oedipus　to　his　sons：…

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Not　by　the　lot　decide；
　　　　　　　　　But　within　the　sword　the　heritage　divide。〃

So　unsocial　and　wild…beast…like　is　the　nature　of　ambition　and
cupidity。
　　After　this　battle　Pyrrhus；　returning　gloriously　home；　enjoyed　his
fame　and　reputation；　and　being　called　〃Eagle〃　by　the　Epirots；　〃By
you；〃　said　he；　〃I　am　an　eagle；　for　how　should　I　not　be　such；　while　I
have　your　arms　as　wings　to　sustain　me？〃　A　little　after；　having
intelligence　that　Demetrius　was　dangerously　sick；　he　entered　on　a
sudden　into　Macedonia；　intending　only　an　incursion；　and　to　harass
the　country；　but　was　very　near　seizing　upon　all；　and　taking　the
kingdom　without　a　blow。　He　marched　as　far　as　Edessa　unresisted；
great　numbers　deserting　and　coming　in　to　him。　This　danger　excited
Demetrius　beyond　his　strength；　and　his　friends　and　commanders　in　a
short　time　got　a　considerable　army　together；　and　with　all　their　forces
briskly　attacked　Pyrrhus；　who；　coming　only　to　pillage；　would　not　stand
a　fight；　but　retreating；　lost　part　of　his　army；　as　he　went　off；　by　the
close　pursuit　of　the　Macedonians。　Demetrius；　however；　although　he
had　easily　and　quickly　forced　Pyrrhus　out　of　the　country；　yet　did
not　slight　him；　but　having　resolved　upon　great　designs；　and　to　recover
his　father's　kingdom　with　an　army　of　one　hundred　thousand　men；　and　a
fleet　of　five　hundred　ships；　would　neither　embroil　himself　with
Pyrrhus；　nor　leave　the　Macedonians　so　active　and　troublesome　a
neighbour；　and　since　he　had　no　leisure　to　continue　the　war　with　him；
he　was　willing　to　treat　and　conclude　a　peace；　and　to　turn　his　forces
upon　the　other　kings。　Articles　being　agreed　upon；　the　designs　of
Demetrius　quickly　discovered　themselves　by　the　greatness　of　his
preparation。　And　the　other　kings；　being　alarmed；　sent　to　Pyrrhus
ambassadors　and　letters；　expressing　their　wonder　that　he　should　choose
to　let　his　own　opportunity　pass　by；　and　wait　till　Demetrius　could
use　his；