pyrrhus-第8部分

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which　was　in　breadth　six　cubits；　four　in　depth；　and　eight　hundred　feet
long；　as　Phylarchus　says；　Hieronymus　makes　it　somewhat　less。　The　enemy
beginning　to　move　by　break　of　day；　they　brought　their　arms　to　the
young　men；　and　giving　them　also　in　charge　the　trench；　exhorted　them　to
defend　and　keep　it　bravely；　as　it　would　be　happy　for　them　to　conquer
in　the　view　of　their　whole　country；　and　glorious　to　die　in　the　arms　of
their　mothers　and　wives；　falling　as　became　Spartans。　As　for
Chilonis；　she　retired　with　a　halter　about　her　neck；　resolving　to　die
so　rather　than　fall　into　the　hands　Cleonymus；　if　the　city　were　taken。
　　Pyrrhus　himself；　in　person；　advanced　with　his　foot　to　force
through　the　shields　of　the　Spartans　ranged　against　him；　and　to　get
over　the　trench；　which　was　scarce　passable；　because　the　looseness　of
the　fresh　earth　afforded　no　firm　footing　for　the　soldiers。　Ptolemy；
his　son；　with　two　thousand　Gauls；　and　some　choice　men　of　the
Chaonians；　went　around　the　trench；　and　endeavoured　to　get　over　where
the　wagons　were。　But　they；　being　so　deep　in　the　ground；　and　placed
close　together；　not　only　made　his　passage；　but　also　the　defence　of　the
Lacedaemonians；　very　troublesome。　Yet　now　the　Gauls　had　got　the　wheels
out　of　the　ground；　and　were　drawing　off　the　wagons　toward　the　river；
when　young　Acrotatus；　seeing　the　danger；　passing　through　the　town　with
three　hundred　men；　surrounded　Ptolemy　undiscerned；　taking　the
advantage　of　some　slopes　of　the　ground；　until　he　fell　upon　his　rear；
and　forced　him　to　wheel　about。　And　thrusting　one　another　into　the
ditch；　and　falling　among　the　wagons；　at　last　with　much　loss；　not
without　difficulty；　they　withdrew。　The　elderly　men　and　all　the　women
saw　this　brave　action　of　Acrotatus；　and　when　be　returned　back　into　the
town　to　his　first　post；　all　covered　with　blood　and　fierce　and　elate
with　victory；　he　seemed　to　the　Spartan　women　to　have　become　taller　and
more　beautiful　than　before；　and　they　envied　Chilonis　so　worthy　a
lover。　And　some　of　the　old　men　followed　him；　crying　aloud；　〃Go　on；
Acrotatus；　be　happy　with　Chilonis；　and　beget　brave　sons　for　Sparta。〃
Where　Pyrrhus　himself　fought　was　the　hottest　of　the　action　and　many　of
the　Spartans　did　gallantly；　but　in　particular　one　Phyllius
signalized　himself；　made　the　best　resistance；　and　killed　most
assailants；　and　when　he　found　himself　ready　to　sink　with　the　many
wounds　he　had　received；　retiring　a　little　out　of　his　place　behind
another；　he　fell　down　among　his　fellow…soldiers；　that　the　enemy
might　not　carry　off　his　body。　The　fight　ended　with　the　day；　and
Pyrrhus；　in　his　sleep；　dreamed　that　he　drew　thunderbolts　upon
Lacedaemon；　and　set　it　all　on　fire；　and　rejoiced　at　the　sight；　and
waking；　in　this　transport　of　joy；　he　commanded　his　officers　to　get　all
things　ready　for　a　second　assault；　and　relating　his　dream　among　his
friends；　supposing　it　to　mean　that　he　should　take　the　town　by　storm；
the　rest　assented　to　it　with　admiration；　but　Lysimachus　was　not
pleased　with　the　dream；　and　told　him　he　feared　lest　as　places　struck
with　lightning　are　held　sacred；　and　not　to　be　trodden　upon；　so　the
gods　might　by　this　let　him　know　the　city　should　not　be　taken。
Pyrrhus　replied；　that　all　these　things　were　but　idle　talk；　full　of
uncertainty；　and　only　fit　to　amuse　the　vulgar；　their　thought；　with
their　swords　in　their　hands；　should　always　be…

　　　　　　　　〃The　one　good　omen　is　King　Pyrrhus's　cause；〃

and　so　got　up；　and　drew　out　his　army　to　the　walls　by　break　of　day。　The
Lacedaemonians；　in　resolution　and　courage；　made　a　defence　even
beyond　their　power；　the　women　were　all　by；　helping　them　to　arms；　and
bringing　bread　and　drink　to　those　that　desired　it；　and　taking　care
of　the　wounded。　The　Macedonians　attempted　to　fill　up　the　trench；
bringing　huge　quantities　of　materials　and　throwing　them　upon　the
arms　and　dead　bodies；　that　lay　there　and　were　covered　over。　While
the　Lacedaemonians　opposed　this　with　all　their　force；　Pyrrhus；　in
person；　appeared　on　their　side　of　the　trench　and　wagons；　pressing　on
horseback　toward　the　city；　at　which　the　men　who　had　that　post
calling　out；　and　the　women　shrieking　and　running　about；　while
Pyrrhus　violently　pushed　on；　and　beat　down　all　that　disputed　his
way；　his　horse　received　a　shot　in　the　belly　from　a　Cretan　arrow；
and；　in　his　convulsions　as　he　died；　threw　off　Pyrrhus　on　slippery
and　steep　ground。　And　all　about　him　being　in　confusion　at　this；　the
Spartans　came　boldly　up；　and　making　good　use　of　their　missiles；　forced
them　off　again。　After　this　Pyrrhus；　in　other　quarters　also；　put　an　end
to　the　combat；　imagining　the　Lacedaemonians　would　be　inclined　to
yield；　as　almost　all　of　them　were　wounded；　and　very　great　numbers
killed　outright；　but　the　good　fortune　of　the　city；　either　satisfied
with　the　experiment　upon　the　bravery　of　the　citizens；　or　willing　to
prove　how　much　even　in　the　last　extremities　such　interposition　may
effect；　brought；　when　the　Lacedaemonians　had　now　but　very　slender
hopes　left；　Aminias；　the　Phocian；　one　of　Antigonus's　commanders；
from　Corinth　to　their　assistance；　with　a　force　of　mercenaries；　and
they　were　no　sooner　received　into　the　town；　but　Areus；　their　king；
arrived　there　himself；　too；　from　Crete；　with　two　thousand　men　more。
The　women　upon　this　went　all　home　to　their　houses；　finding　it　no
longer　necessary　for　them　to　meddle　with　the　business　of　the　war；
and　they　also　were　sent　back；　who；　though　not　of　military　age；　were　by
necessity　forced　to　take　arms；　while　the　rest　prepared　to　fight
Pyrrhus。
　　He；　upon　the　coming　of　these　additional　forces；　was　indeed　possessed
with　a　more　eager　desire　and　ambition　than　before　to　make　himself
master　of　the　town；　but　his　designs　not　succeeding；　and　receiving
fresh　losses　every　day；　he　gave　over　the　siege；　and　fell　to　plundering
the　country；　determining　to　winter　thereabout。　But　fate　is
unavoidable；　and　a　great　feud　happening　at　Argos　between　Aristeas
and　Aristippus；　two　principal　citizens；　after　Aristippus　had
resolved　to　make　use　of　the　friendship　of　Antigonus；　Aristeas　to
anticipate　him　invited　Pyrrhus　thither。　And　he　always　revolving
hopes　upon　hopes；　and　treating　all　his　successes　as　occasions　of　more；
and　his　reverses　as　defects　to　be　amended　by　new　enterprises；
allowed　neither　losses　nor　victories　to　limit　him　in　his　receiving
or　giving　trouble；　and　so　presently　went　for　Argos。　Areus；　by　frequent
ambushes；　and　seizing　positions　where　the　ways　were　most
unpracticable；　harassed　the　Gauls　and　Molossians　that　brought　up　the
rear。　It　had　been　told　Pyrrhus　by　one　of　the　priests　that　found　the
liver　of　the　sacrificed　beast　imperfect　that　some　of　his　near
relations　would　be　lost；　in　this　tumult　and　disorder　of　his　rear；
forgetting　the　prediction；　he　commanded　out　his　son　Ptolemy　with
some　of　his　guards　to　their　assistance；　while　he　himself　led　on　the
main　body　rapidly　out　of　the　pass。　And　the　fight　being　very　warm　where
Ptolemy　was　（for　the　most　select　men　of　the　Lacedaemonians；
commanded　by　Evalcus；　were　there　engaged）；　one　Oryssus　of　Aptera　in
Crete；　a　stout　man　and　swift　of　foot；　running　on　one　side　of　the　young
prince；　as　he　was　fighting　bravely；　gave　him　a　mortal　wound　and　slew
him。　On　his　fall　those　about　him　turned　their　backs；　and　the
Lacedaemonian　horse；　pursuing　and　cutting　off　many；　got　into　the
open　plain；　and　found　themselves　engaged　with　the　enemy　before　they
were　aware；　without　their　infantry；　Pyrrhus；　who　had　received　the
ill　news　of　his　son；　and　was　in　great　affliction；　drew　out　his
Molossian　horse　against　them；　and　charging　at　the　head　of　his　men；
satiated　himself　with　the　blood　and　slaughter　of　the　Lacedaemonians；
as　indeed　he　always　showed　himself　a　terrible　and　invincible　hero　in
actual　fight；　but　now　he　exceeded　all　he　had　ever　done　before　in
courage　and　force。　On　his　riding　his　horse　up　to　Evalcus；　he　by
declining　a　little　to　one　side；　had　almost　cut　off　Pyrrhus's　hand　in
which　he　held　the　reins；　but　lighting　on　the　reins；　only　cut　them；
at　the　same　instant　Pyrrhus；　running　him　through　with　his　spear；
fell　from　his　horse；　and　there　on　foot　as　he　was　proceeded　to
slaughter　all　those　choice　men　that　fought　about　the　body　of
Evalcus；　a　severe　additional　loss　to　Sparta；　incurred　after　the　war
itself　was　now　at　an　end；　by　the　mere　animosity　of　the　commanders。
Pyrrhus　having　thus　offered；　as　it　were；　a　sacrifice　to　the　ghost　of
his　son；　and　fought　a　glorious　battle　in　honour　of　his　obsequies；
and　having　vented　much　of　his　pain　in　action　against　the　enemy；
marched　away　to　Argos。　And　having　intelligence　that　Antigonus　was
already　in　possession　of　the　high　grounds；　he　encamped　about
Nauplia；　and　the　next　day　despatched　a　herald　to　Antigonus　calling　him
a　villain；　and　challenging　him　to　descend　into　the　plain　field　and
fight　with　him　for　the　kingdom。　He　answered；　that　his　conduct　should
be　measured　by　times　as　well　as　by　arms；　and　that　if　Pyrrhus　had　no
leisure　to　live；　there　were　ways　enough　open　to　death。　To　both　the
kings；　also；　came　ambassadors　from　Argos；　desiring　each　party　to
retreat；　and　to　allow　the　city　to　remain　in　friendship　with　both；
without　falling　into　the　hands　of　either。　Antigonus　was　persuaded；　and
sent　his　son　as　a　hostage　to　the　Argives；　but　Pyrrhus；　although　he
consented　to　retire；　yet；　as　he　sent　no　hostage；　was　suspected。　A
remarkable　portent　happened　at　this　time　to　Pyrrhus；　the　heads　of
the　sacrificed　oxen；　lying　apart　from　the　bodies；　were　seen　to
thrust　out　their　tongues　and　lick　up　their　own　gore。　And　in　the　city
of　Argos；　the　priestess　of　Apollo　Lycius　rushed　out　of　the　temple；
crying　she　saw　the　city　full　of　carcasses　and　slaughter；　and　an
eagle　coming　out　to　fight；　and　presently　vanishing　again。
　　In　the　dead　of　the　night；　Pyrrhus；　approaching　the　walls；　and
finding　the　gate　called　Diamperes　set　open　for　them　by　Aristeas；　was
undiscovered　long　enough　to　allow　all　his　Gauls　to　enter　and　take
possession　of　the　market…place。　But　the　gate　being　too　low　to　let　in
the　elephants；　they　were　obliged　to　take　down　the　towers　which　they
carried　on　their　backs；　and　put　them　on　again　in　the　dark　and　in
disorder；　so　that　time　being　lost；　the　city　took　the　alarm；　and　the
people　ran；　some　to　Aspis　the　chief　citadel；　and　other　places　of
defence；　and　sent　away　to