pyrrhus-第3部分

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to　let　his　own　opportunity　pass　by；　and　wait　till　Demetrius　could
use　his；　and　whereas　he　was　now　able　to　chase　him　out　of　Macedon；
involved　in　designs　and　disturbed；　he　should　expect　till　Demetrius
at　leisure；　and　grown　great；　should　bring　the　war　home　to　his　own
door；　and　make　him　fight　for　his　temples　and　sepulchres　in　Molossia；
especially　having　so　lately；　by　his　means；　lost　Corcyra　and　his　wife
together。　For　Lanassa　had　taken　offence　at　Pyrrhus　for　too　great　an
inclination　to　those　wives　of　his　that　were　barbarians；　and　so
withdrew　to　Corcyra；　and　desiring　to　marry　some　king；　invited
Demetrius；　knowing　of　all　the　kings　he　was　most　ready　to　entertain
offers　of　marriage；　so　he　sailed　thither；　married　Lanassa；　and
placed　a　garrison　in　the　city。　The　kings　having　written　thus　to
Pyrrhus；　themselves　likewise　contrived　to　find　Demetrius　work；　while
he　was　delaying　and　making　his　preparations。　Ptolemy；　setting　out　with
a　great　fleet；　drew　off　many　of　the　Greek　cities。　Lysimachus　out　of
Thrace　wasted　the　upper　Macedon；　and　Pyrrhus；　also　taking　arms　at
the　same　time；　marched　to　Beroea；　expecting；　as　it　fell　out；　that
Demetrius；　collecting　his　forces　against　Lysimachus；　would　leave　the
lower　country　undefended。　That　very　night　he　seemed　in　his　sleep　to　be
called　by　Alexander　the　Great；　and　approaching　saw　him　sick　abed；
but　was　received　with　very　kind　words；　and　much　respect；　and
promised　zealous　assistance。　He　making　bold　to　reply；　〃How；　sir；　can
you；　being　sick；　assist　me？〃　〃With　my　name；〃　said　he；　and　mounting
Nisaean　horse；　seemed　to　lead　the　way。　At　the　sight　of　this　vision
he　was　much　assured；　and　with　swift　marches　overrunning　all　the
interjacent　places；　takes　Beroea；　and　making　his　headquarters　there；
reduced　the　rest　of　the　country　by　his　commanders。　When　Demetrius
received　intelligence　of　this；　and　perceived　likewise　the
Macedonians　ready　to　mutiny　in　the　army；　he　was　afraid　to　advance
further；　lest；　coming　near　Lysimachus；　a　Macedonian　king；　and　of　great
fame；　they　should　revolt　to　him。　So　returning；　he　marched　directly
against　Pyrrhus；　as　a　stranger；　and　hated　by　the　Macedonians。　But
while　he　lay　encamped　there　near　him；　many　who　came　out　of　Beroea
infinitely　praised　Pyrrhus　as　invincible　in　arms；　a　glorious
warrior；　who　treated　those　he　had　taken　kindly　and　humanely。　Several
of　these　Pyrrhus　himself　sent　privately；　pretending　to　be　Macedonians；
and　saying；　now　was　the　time　to　be　delivered　from　the　severe
government　of　Demetrius　by　coming　over　to　Pyrrhus；　a　gracious　prince
and　a　lover　of　soldiers。　By　this　artifice　a　great　part　of　the　army　was
in　a　state　of　excitement；　and　the　soldiers　began　to　look　every　way
about　inquiring　for　Pyrrhus。　It　happened　he　was　without　his　helmet；
till　understanding　they　did　not　know　him；　he　put　it　on　again；　and　so
was　quickly　recognized　by　his　lofty　crest　and　the　goat's　horns　he　wore
upon　it。　Then　the　Macedonians；　running　to　him；　desired　to　be　told
his　password；　and　some　put　oaken　boughs　upon　their　heads；　because　they
saw　them　worn　by　the　soldiers　about　him。　Some　persons　even　took　the
confidence　to　say　to　Demetrius　himself；　that　he　would　be　well
advised　to　withdraw　and　lay　down　the　government。　And　he；　indeed；
seeing　the　mutinous　movements　of　the　army　to　be　only　too　consistent
with　what　they　said；　privately　got　away；　disguised　in　a　broad　hat
and　a　common　soldier's　coat。　So　Pyrrhus　became　master　of　the　army
without　fighting；　and　was　declared　King　of　the　Macedonians。
　　But　Lysimachus　now　arriving；　and　claiming　the　defeat　of　Demetrius　as
the　joint　exploit　of　them　both；　and　that　therefore　the　kingdom
should　be　shared　between　them；　Pyrrhus；　not　as　yet　quite　assured　of
the　Macedonians；　and　in　doubt　of　their　faith；　consented　to　the
proposition　of　Lysimachus；　and　divided　the　country　and　cities
between　them　accordingly。　This　was　for　the　present　useful；　and
prevented　a　war；　but　shortly　after　they　found　the　partition　not　so
much　a　peaceful　settlement　as　an　occasion　of　further　complaint　and
difference。　For　men　whose　ambition　neither　seas；　nor　mountains；　nor
unpeopled　deserts　can　limit；　nor　the　bounds　dividing　Europe　from
Asia　confine　their　vast　desires；　it　would　be　hard　to　expect　to　forbear
from　injuring　one　another　when　they　touch　and　are　close　together。
These　are　ever　naturally　at　war；　envying　and　seeking　advantages　of　one
another；　and　merely　make　use　of　those　two　words；　peace　and　war；　like
current　coin；　to　serve　their　occasions；　not　as　justice　but　as
expediency　suggests；　and　are　really　better　men　when　they　openly
enter　on　a　war；　than　when　they　give　to　the　mere　forbearance　from　doing
wrong；　for　want　of　opportunity；　the　sacred　names　of　justice　and
friendship。　Pyrrhus　was　an　instance　of　this；　for　setting　himself
against　the　rise　of　Demetrius　again；　and　endeavouring　to　hinder　the
recovery　of　his　power；　as　it　were　from　a　kind　of　sickness；　he　assisted
the　Greeks；　and　came　to　Athens；　where；　having　ascended　the
Acropolis；　he　offered　sacrifice　to　the　goddess；　and　the　same　day
came　down　again；　and　told　the　Athenians　he　was　much　gratified　by　the
good…will　and　the　confidence　they　had　shown　to　him；　but　if　they　were
wise　he　advised　them　never　to　let　any　king　come　thither　again；　or　open
their　city　gates　to　him。　He　concluded　also　a　peace　with　Demetrius；　but
shortly　after　he　was　gone　into　Asia；　at　the　persuasion　of
Lysimachus；　he　tampered　with　the　Thessalians　to　revolt；　and　besieged
his　cities　in　Greece　finding　he　could　better　preserve　the　attachment
of　the　Macedonians　in　war　than　in　peace；　and　being　of　his　own
inclination　not　much　given　to　rest。　At　last；　after　Demetrius　had
been　overthrown　in　Syria；　Lysimachus；　who　had　secured　his　affairs；　and
had　nothing　to　do；　immediately　turned　his　whole　forces　upon　Pyrrhus；
who　was　in　quarters　at　Edessa；　and　falling　upon　and　seizing　his　convoy
of　provisions；　brought　first　a　great　scarcity　into　the　army；　then
partly　by　letters；　partly　by　spreading　rumours　abroad；　he　corrupted
the　principal　officers　of　the　Macedonians；　reproaching　them　that
they　had　made　one　their　master　who　was　both　a　stranger　and　descended
from　those　who　had　ever　been　servants　to　the　Macedonians；　and　that
they　had　thrust　the　old　friends　and　familiars　of　Alexander　out　of
the　country。　The　Macedonian　soldiers　being　much　prevailed　upon；
Pyrrhus　withdrew　himself　with　his　Epirots　and　auxiliary　forces；
relinquishing　Macedon；　just　after　the　same　manner　he　took　it。　So
little　reason　have　kings　to　condemn　popular　governments　for　changing
sides　as　suits　their　interests；　as　in　this　they　do　but　imitate　them
who　are　the　great　instructors　of　unfaithfulness　and　treachery；　holding
him　the　wisest　that　makes　the　least　account　of　being　an　honest　man。
　　Pyrrhus　having　thus　retired　into　Epirus；　and　left　Macedon；　fortune
gave　him　a　fair　occasion　of　enjoying　himself　in　quiet；　and　peaceably
governing　his　own　subjects；　but　he　who　thought　it　a　nauseous　course　of
life　not　to　be　doing　mischief　to　others；　or　receiving　some　from
them；　like　Achilles；　could　not　endure　repose…

　　　　　　　　　　　〃　…But　sad　and　languished　far；
　　　　　　　　　Desiring　battle　and　the　shout　of　war；〃

and　gratified　his　inclination　by　the　following　pretext　for　new
troubles。　The　Romans　were　at　war　with　the　Tarentines；　who；　not　being
able　to　go　on　with　the　war；　nor　yet；　through　the　foolhardiness　and　the
viciousness　of　their　popular　speakers；　to　come　to　terms　and　give　it
up；　proposed　now　to　make　Pyrrhus　their　general；　and　engage　him　in
it；　as　of　all　the　neighbouring　kings　the　most　at　leisure；　and　the　most
skilful　as　a　commander。　The　more　grave　and　discreet　citizens
opposing　these　counsels；　were　partly　overborne　by　the　noise　and
violence　of　the　multitude；　while　others；　seeing　this；　absented
themselves　from　the　assemblies；　only　one　Meton；　a　very　sober　man；　on
the　day　this　public　decree　was　to　be　ratified；　when　the　people　were
now　seating　themselves；　came　dancing　into　the　assembly　like　one
quite　drunk；　with　a　withered　garland　and　a　small　lamp　in　his　hand；　and
a　woman　playing　on　a　flute　before　him。　And　as　in　great　multitudes
met　at　such　popular　assemblies　no　decorum　can　be　well　observed；　some
clapped　him；　others　laughed；　none　forbade　him；　but　called　to　the　woman
to　play；　and　to　him　to　sing　to　the　company；　and　when　they　thought　he
was　going　to　do　so；　〃'Tis　right　of　you；　O　men　of　Tarentum；〃　he　said；
〃not　to　hinder　any　from　making　themselves　merry　that　have　a　mind　to
it；　while　it　is　yet　in　their　power；　and　if　you　are　wise；　you　will　take
out　your　pleasure　of　your　freedom　while　you　can；　for　you　must　change
your　course　of　life；　and　follow　other　diet　when　Pyrrhus　comes　to
town。〃　These　words　made　a　great　impression　upon　many　of　the
Tarentines；　and　a　confused　murmur　went　about　that　he　had　spoken　much
to　the　purpose；　but　some　who　feared　they　should　be　sacrificed　if　a
peace　were　made　with　the　Romans；　reviled　the　whole　assembly　for　so
tamely　suffering　themselves　to　be　abused　by　a　drunken　sot；　and
crowding　together　upon　Meton；　thrust　him　out。　So　the　public　order
was　passed　and　ambassadors　sent　into　Epirus；　not　only　in　their　own
names；　but　in　those　of　all　the　Italian　Greeks；　carrying　presents　to
Pyrrhus；　and　letting　him　know　they　wanted　a　general　of　reputation
and　experience；　and　that　they　could　furnish　him　with　large　forces　of
Lucanians；　Messapians；　Samnites；　and　Tarentines；　amounting　to　twenty
thousand　horse；　and　three　hundred　and　fifty　thousand　foot。　This　did
not　only　quicken　Pyrrhus；　but　raised　an　eager　desire　for　the
expedition　in　the　Epirots。
　　There　was　one　Cineas；　a　Thessalian；　considered　to　be　a　man　of　very
good　sense；　a　disciple　of　the　great　orator　Demosthenes；　who；　of　all
that　were　famous　at　that　time　for　speaking　well；　most　seemed；　as　in
a　picture；　to　revive　in　the　minds　of　the　audience　the　memory　of　his
force　and　vigour　of　eloquence；　and　being　always　about　Pyrrhus；　and
sent　about　in　his　service　to　several　cities；　verified　the　saying　of
Euripides；　that

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃　…the　force　of　words
　　　　　　　　　Can　do　whate'er　is　done　by　conquering　swords。〃

And　Pyrrhus　was　used　to　say；　that　Cineas　had　taken　more　towns　with　his
words　than　he　with　his　arms；　and　always　did　him　the　honour　to　employ
him　in　his　most　important　occasions。　This　person；　seeing　Pyrrhus
e