nicias-第7部分

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difficulty　to　procure　his　liberty；　and　Socrates；　though　he　had　no
concern　whatever　with　this　sort　of　learning；　yet　was　put　to　death
for　philosophy。　It　was　only　afterwards　that　the　reputation　of　Plato；
shining　forth　by　his　life；　and　because　he　subjected　natural
necessity　to　divine　and　more　excellent　principles；　took　away　the
obloquy　and　scandal　that　had　attached　to　such　contemplations；　and
obtained　these　studies　currency　among　all　people。　So　his　friend
Dion；　when　the　moon；　at　the　time　he　was　to　embark　from　Zacynthus　to　go
against　Dionysius；　was　eclipsed；　was　not　in　the　least　disturbed；　but
went　on；　and　arriving　at　Syracuse；　expelled　the　tyrant。　But　it　so　fell
out　with　Nicias；　that　he　had　not　at　this　time　a　skilful　diviner　with
him；　his　former　habitual　adviser　who　used　to　moderate　much　of　his
superstition；　Stilbides；　had　died　a　little　before。　For；　in　fact；
this　prodigy；　as　Philochorus　observes；　was　not　unlucky　for　men　wishing
to　fly；　but　on　the　contrary　very　favourable；　for　things　done　in　fear
require　to　be　hidden；　and　the　light　is　their　foe。　Nor　was　it　usual
to　observe　signs　in　the　sun　or　moon　more　than　three　days；　as
Autoclides　states　in　his　Commentaries。　But　Nicias　persuaded　them　to
wait　another　full　course　of　the　moon；　as　if　he　had　not　seen　it　clear
again　as　soon　as　ever　it　had　passed　the　region　of　shadow　where　the
light　was　obstructed　by　the　earth。
　　In　a　manner　abandoning　all　other　cares；　he　betook　himself　wholly
to　his　sacrifices；　till　the　enemy　came　upon　them　with　their
infantry；　besieging　the　forts　and　camp；　and　placing　their　ships　in　a
circle　about　the　harbour。　Nor　did　the　men　in　the　galleys　only；　but　the
little　boys　everywhere　got　into　the　fishing…boats　and　rowed　up　and
challenged　the　Athenians；　and　insulted　over　them。　Amongst　these　a
youth　of　noble　parentage；　Heraclides　by　name；　having　ventured　out
beyond　the　rest；　an　Athenian　ship　pursued　and　well…nigh　took　him。
His　uncle　Pollichus；　in　fear　for　him；　put　out　with　ten　galleys　which
he　commanded；　and　the　rest；　to　relieve　Pollichus；　in　like　manner
drew　forth；　the　result　of　it　being　a　very　sharp　engagement；　in　which
the　Syracusans　had　the　victory；　and　slew　Eurymedon；　with　many
others。　After　this　the　Athenian　soldiers　had　no　patience　to　stay
longer；　but　raised　an　outcry　against　their　officers；　requiring　them　to
depart　by　land；　for　the　Syracusans；　upon　their　victory；　immediately
shut　and　blocked　up　the　entrance　of　the　harbour；　but　Nicias　would
not　consent　to　this；　as　it　was　a　shameful　thing　to　leave　behind　so
many　ships　of　burden；　and　galleys　little　less　than　two　hundred。
Putting；　therefore；　on　board　the　best　of　the　foot；　and　the　most
serviceable　darters；　they　filled　one　hundred　and　ten　galleys；　the　rest
wanted　oars。　The　remainder　of　his　army　Nicias　posted　along　by　the
seaside；　abandoning　the　great　camp　and　the　fortifications　adjoining
the　temple　of　Hercules；　so　the　Syracusans；　not　having　for　a　long
time　performed　their　usual　sacrifice　to　Hercules；　went　up　now；　both
priests　and　captains；　to　sacrifice。
　　And　their　galleys　being　manned；　the　diviners　predicted　from　their
sacrifices　victory　and　glory　to　the　Syracusans；　provided　they　would
not　be　the　aggressors；　but　fight　upon　the　defensive；　for　so　Hercules
overcame　all；　by　only　defending　himself　when　set　upon。　In　this
confidence　they　set　out；　and　this　proved　the　hottest　and　fiercest　of
all　their　sea…fights；　raising　no　less　concern　and　passion　in　the
beholders　than　in　the　actors；　as　they　could　oversee　the　whole　action
with　all　the　various　and　unexpected　turns　of　fortune　which；　in　a　short
space；　occurred　in　it；　the　Athenians　suffering　no　less　from　their
own　preparations；　than　from　the　enemy；　for　they　fought　against　light
and　nimble　ships；　that　could　attack　from　any　quarter；　with　theirs
laden　and　heavy。　And　they　were　thrown　at　with　stones　that　fly
indifferently　any　way；　for　which　they　could　only　return　darts　and
arrows；　the　direct　aim　of　which　the　motion　of　the　water　disturbed；
preventing　their　coming　true；　point　foremost　to　their　mark。　This　the
Syracusans　had　learned　from　Ariston　the　Corinthian　pilot；　who；
fighting　stoutly；　fell　himself　in　this　very　engagement；　when　the
victory　had　already　declared　for　the　Syracusans。
　　The　Athenians；　their　loss　and　slaughter　being　very　great；　their
flight　by　sea　cut　off；　their　safety　by　land　so　difficult；　did　not
attempt　to　hinder　the　enemy　towing　away　their　ships；　under　their　eyes；
nor　demanded　their　dead；　as；　indeed；　their　want　of　burial　seemed　a
less　calamity　than　the　leaving　behind　the　sick　and　wounded　which
they　now　had　before　them。　Yet　more　miserable　still　than　those　did　they
reckon　themselves；　who　were　to　work　on　yet；　through　more　such
sufferings；　after　all　to　reach　the　same　end。
　　They　prepared　to　dislodge　that　night。　And　Gylippus　and　his　friends
seeing　the　Syracusans　engaged　in　their　sacrifices　and　at　their　cups；
for　their　victories；　and　it　being　also　a　holiday；　did　not　expect
either　by　persuasion　or　by　force　to　rouse　them　up　and　carry　them
against　the　Athenians　as　they　decamped。　But　Hermocrates；　of　his　own
head；　put　a　trick　upon　Nicias；　and　sent　some　of　his　companions　to　him；
who　pretended　they　came　from　those　that　were　wont　to　hold　secret
intelligence　with　him；　and　advised　him　not　to　stir　that　night；　the
Syracusans　having　laid　ambushes　and　beset　the　ways。　Nicias；　caught
with　this　stratagem；　remained；　to　encounter　presently　in　reality
what　he　had　feared　when　there　was　no　occasion。　For　they；　the　next
morning；　marching　before；　seized　the　defiles；　fortified　the　passes
where　the　rivers　were　fordable；　cut　down　the　bridges；　and　ordered
their　horsemen　to　range　the　plains　and　ground　that　lay　open；　so　as
to　leave　no　part　of　the　country　where　the　Athenians　could　move　without
fighting。　They　stayed　both　that　day　and　another　night；　and　then　went
along　as　if　they　were　leaving　their　own；　not　an　enemy's　country；
lamenting　and　bewailing　for　want　of　necessaries；　and　for　their　parting
from　friends　and　companions　that　were　not　able　to　help　themselves；
and；　nevertheless；　judging　the　present　evils　lighter　than　those　they
expected　to　come。　But　among　the　many　miserable　spectacles　that
appeared　up　and　down　in　the　camp；　the　saddest　sight　of　all　was
Nicias　himself；　labouring　under　his　malady；　and　unworthily　reduced
to　the　scantiest　supply　of　all　the　accommodations　necessary　for
human　wants；　of　which　he　in　his　condition　required　more　than　ordinary；
because　of　his　sickness；　yet　bearing　up　under　all　this　illness；　and
doing　and　undergoing　more　than　many　in　perfect　health。　And　it　was
plainly　evident　that　all　this　toil　was　not　for　himself；　or　from　any
regard　to　his　own　life；　but　that　purely　for　the　sake　of　those　under
his　command　he　would　not　abandon　hope。　And；　indeed；　the　rest　were
given　over　to　weeping　and　lamentation　through　fear　or　sorrow；　but
he；　whenever　he　yielded　to　anything　of　the　kind；　did　so；　it　was
evident；　from　reflection　upon　the　shame　and　dishonour　of　the
enterprise；　contrasted　with　the　greatness　and　glory　of　the　success
he　had　anticipated；　and　not　only　the　sight　of　his　person；　but；　also；
the　recollection　of　the　arguments　and　the　dissuasions　he　used　to
prevent　this　expedition　enhanced　their　sense　of　the　undeservedness
of　his　sufferings；　nor　had　they　any　heart　to　put　their　trust　in　the
gods；　considering　that　a　man　so　religious；　who　had　performed　to　the
divine　powers　so　many　and　so　great　acts　of　devotion；　should　have　no
more　favourable　treatment　than　the　wickedest　and　meanest　of　the　army。
　　Nicias；　however；　endeavoured　all　the　while　by　his　voice；　his
countenance；　and　his　carriage；　to　show　himself　undefeated　by　these
misfortunes。　And　all　along　the　way　shot　at；　and　receiving　wounds　eight
days　continually　from　the　enemy；　he　yet　preserved　the　forces　with
him　in　a　body　entire；　till　that　Demosthenes　was　taken　prisoner　with
the　party　that　he　led；　whilst　they　fought　and　made　a　resistance；　and
so　got　behind　and　were　surrounded　near　the　country　house　of　Polyzelus。
Demosthenes　thereupon　drew　his　sword；　and　wounded　but　did　not　kill
himself；　the　enemy　speedily　running　in　and　seizing　upon　him。　So　soon
as　the　Syracusans　had　gone　and　informed　Nicias　of　this；　and　he　had
sent　some　horsemen；　and　by　them　knew　the　certainty　of　the　defeat　of
that　division；　he　then　vouchsafed　to　sue　to　Gylippus　for　a　truce　for
the　Athenians　to　depart　out　of　Sicily；　leaving　hostages　for　payment　of
money　that　the　Syracusans　had　expended　in　the　war。
　　But　now　they　would　not　hear　of　these　proposals；　but　threatening
and　reviling　them；　angrily　and　insultingly　continued　to　ply　their
missiles　at　them；　now　destitute　of　every　necessary。　Yet　Nicias　still
made　good　his　retreat　all　that　night；　and　the　next　day；　through　all
their　darts；　made　his　way　to　the　river　Asinarus。　There；　however；　the
enemy　encountering　them；　drove　some　into　the　stream；　while　others；
ready　to　die　for　thirst；　plunged　in　headlong；　while　they　drank　at
the　same　time；　and　were　cut　down　by　their　enemies。　And　here　was　the
cruellest　and　the　most　immoderate　slaughter。　Till　at　last　Nicias
falling　down　to　Gylippus；　〃Let　pity；　O　Gylippus；〃　said　he；　〃move　you
in　your　victory；　not　for　me；　who　was　destined；　it　seems；　to　bring
the　glory　I　once　had　to　this　end　but　for　the　other　Athenians；　as　you
well　know　that　the　chances　of　war　are　common　to　all；　and　the　Athenians
used　them　moderately　and　mildly　towards　you　in　their　prosperity。〃
　　At　these　words；　and　at　the　sight　of　Nicias；　Gylippus　was　somewhat
troubled；　for　he　was　sensible　that　the　Lacedaemonians　had　received
good　offices　from　Nicias　in　the　late　treaty；　and　he　thought　it　would
be　a　great　and　glorious　thing　for　him　to　carry　off　the　chief
commanders　of　the　Athenians　alive。　He　therefore　raised　Nicias　with
respect；　and　bade　him　be　of　good　cheer；　and　commanded　his　men　to　spare
the　lives　of　the　rest。　But　the　word　of　command　being　communicated
slowly；　the　slain　were　a　far　greater　number　than　the　prisoners。
Many；　however；　were　privately　conveyed　away　by　particular　soldiers。
Those　taken　openly　were　hurried　together　in　a　mass；　their　arms　and
spoils　hung　up　on　the　finest　and　largest　trees　along　the　river。　The
conquerors；　with　garlands　on　their　heads；　with　their　own　horses
splendidly　adorned；　and　cropping　short　the　manes　and