demetrius-第2章

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　he　liked；　he　sent　back　to　Ptolemy　Cilles　and　his　friends；　loaded　with　presents。　This　defeat　drove　Ptolemy　out　of　Syria；　and　brought　Antigonus　from　Calaenae　to　enjoy　the　victory　and　the　sight　of　the　son　who　had　gained　it。　　　Soon　after；　Demetrius　was　sent　to　bring　the　Nabathaean　Arabs　into　obedience。　And　here　he　got　into　a　district　without　water；　and　incurred　considerable　danger；　but　by　his　resolute　and　composed　demeanour　he　overawed　the　barbarians；　and　returned　after　receiving　from　them　a　large　amount　of　booty　and　seven　hundred　camels。　Not　long　after；　Seleucus；　whom　Antigonus　had　formerly　chased　out　of　Babylon；　but　who　had　afterwards　recovered　his　dominion　by　his　own　efforts　and　maintained　himself　in　it；　went　with　large　forces　on　an　expedition　to　reduce　the　tribes　on　the　confines　of　India　and　the　provinces　near　Mount　Caucasus。　And　Demetrius；　conjecturing　that　he　had　left　Mesopotamia　but　slenderly　guarded　in　his　absence；　suddenly　passed　the　Euphrates　with　his　army　and　made　his　way　into　Babylonia　unexpectedly；　when　he　succeeded　in　capturing　one　of　the　two　citadels；　out　of　which　he　expelled　the　garrison　of　Seleucus；　and　placed　in　it　seven　thousand　men　of　his　own。　And　after　allowing　his　soldiers　to　enrich　themselves　with　all　the　spoil　they　could　carry　with　them　out　of　the　country；　he　retired　to　the　sea；　leaving　Seleucus　more　securely　master　of　his　dominions　than　before；　as　he　seemed　by　this　conduct　to　abandon　every　claim　to　a　country　which　he　treated　like　an　enemy's。　However；　by　a　rapid　advance；　he　rescued　Halicarnassus　from　Ptolemy；　who　was　besieging　it。　The　glory　which　this　act　obtained　them　inspired　both　the　father　and　son　with　a　wonderful　desire　for　freeing　Greece；　which　Cassander　and　Ptolemy　had　everywhere　reduced　to　slavery。　No　nobler　or　juster　war　was　undertaken　by　any　of　the　kings；　the　wealth　they　had　gained　while　humbling；　with　Greek　assistance；　the　barbarians；　being　thus　employed；　for　honour's　sake　and　good　repute；　in　helping　the　Greeks。　When　the　resolution　was　taken　to　begin　their　attempt　with　Athens；　one　of　his　friends　told　Antigonus；　if　they　captured　Athens；　they　must　keep　it　safe　in　their　own　hands；　as　by　this　gangway　they　might　step　out　from　their　ships　into　Greece　when　they　pleased。　But　Antigonus　would　not　hear　of　it；　he　did　not　want　a　better　or　a　steadier　gangway　than　people's　good…will；　and　from　Athens；　the　beacon　of　the　world；　the　news　of　their　conduct　would　soon　be　handed　on　to　all　the　world's　inhabitants。　So　Demetrius；　with　a　sum　of　five　thousand　talents；　and　a　fleet　of　two　hundred　and　fifty　ships；　set　sail　for　Athens；　where　Demetrius　the　Phalerian　was　governing　the　city　for　Cassander；　with　a　garrison　lodged　in　the　port　of　Munychia。　By　good　fortune　and　skilful　management　he　appeared　before　Piraeus；　on　the　twenty…sixth　of　Thargelion；　before　anything　had　been　heard　of　him。　Indeed；　when　his　ships　were　seen；　they　were　taken　for　Ptolemy's　and　preparations　were　commenced　for　receiving　them；　till　at　last；　the　generals　discovering　their　mistake；　hurried　down；　and　all　was　alarm　and　confusion；　and　attempts　to　push　forward　preparations　to　oppose　the　landing　of　this　hostile　force。　For　Demetrius；　having　found　the　entrances　of　the　port　undefended；　stood　in　directly；　and　was　by　this　time　safely　inside；　before　the　eyes　of　everybody；　and　made　signals　from　his　ship；　requesting　a　peaceful　hearing。　And　on　leave　being　given；　he　caused　a　herald　with　a　loud　voice　to　make　proclamation　that　he　was　come　thither　by　the　command　of　his　father；　with　no　other　design　than　what　he　prayed　the　gods　to　prosper　with　success；　to　give　the　Athenians　their　liberty；　to　expel　the　garrison；　and　to　restore　the　ancient　laws　and　constitution　of　the　country。　　　The　people；　hearing　this；　at　once　threw　down　their　shields；　and　clapping　their　hands；　with　loud　acclamations　entreated　Demetrius　to　land；　calling　him　their　deliverer　and　benefactor。　And　the　Phalerian　and　his　party；　who　saw　that　there　was　nothing　for　it　but　to　receive　the　conqueror；　whether　he　should　perform　his　promises　or　not；　sent；　however；　messengers　to　beg　for　his　protection；　to　whom　Demetrius　gave　a　kind　reception；　and　sent　back　with　them　Aristodemus　of　Miletus；　one　of　his　father's　friends。　The　Phalerian；　under　the　change　of　government；　was　more　afraid　of　his　fellow…citizens　than　of　the　enemy；　but　Demetrius　took　precautions　for　him；　and　out　of　respect　for　his　reputation　and　character；　sent　him　with　a　safe　conduct　to　Thebes；　whither　he　desired　to　go。　For　himself；　he　declared　he　would　not；　in　spite　of　all　his　curiosity；　put　his　foot　in　the　city　till　he　had　completed　his　deliverance　by　driving　out　the　garrison。　So　blockading　Munychia　with　a　palisade　and　trench；　he　sailed　off　to　attack　Megara；　where　also　there　was　one　of　Cassander's　garrisons。　But；　hearing　that　Cratesipolis；　the　wife　of　Alexander；　son　of　Polysperchon；　who　was　famous　for　her　beauty；　was　well　disposed　to　see　him；　he　left　his　troops　near　Megara；　and　set　out　with　a　few　light…armed　attendants　for　Patrae；　where　she　was　now　staying。　And；　quitting　these　also；　he　pitched　his　tent　apart　from　everybody；　that　the　woman　might　pay　her　visit　without　being　seen。　This　some　of　the　enemy　perceived；　and　suddenly　attacked　him；　and；　in　his　alarm；　he　was　obliged　to　disguise　himself　in　a　shabby　cloak；　and　run　for　it；　narrowly　escaping　the　shame　of　being　made　a　prisoner；　in　reward　for　his　foolish　passion。　And　as　it　was；　his　tent　and　money　were　taken。　Megara；　however；　surrendered；　and　would　have　been　pillaged　by　the　soldiers；　but　for　the　urgent　intercession　of　the　Athenians。　The　garrison　was　driven　out；　and　the　city　restored　to　independence。　While　he　was　occupied　in　this；　he　remembered　that　Stilpo；　the　philosopher；　famous　for　his　choice　of　a　life　of　tranquillity；　was　residing　here。　He；　therefore；　sent　for　him；　and　begged　to　know　whether　anything　belonging　to　him　had　been　taken。　〃No；〃　replied　Stilpo；　〃I　have　not　met　with　any　one　to　take　away　knowledge。〃　Pretty　nearly　all　the　servants　in　the　city　had　been　stolen　away；　and　so；　when　Demetrius；　renewing　his　courtesies　to　Stilpo；　on　taking　leave　of　him；　said；　〃I　leave　your　city；　Stilpo；　a　city　of　freemen。〃　〃Certainly；〃　replied　Stilpo；　〃there　is　not　one　serving　man　left　among　us　all。〃　　　Returning　from　Megara；　he　sat　down　before　the　citadel　of　Munychia；　which　in　a　few　days　he　took　by　assault；　and　caused　the　fortifications　to　be　demolished；　and　thus　having　accomplished　his　design；　upon　the　request　and　invitation　of　the　Athenians　he　made　his　entrance　into　the　upper　city；　where；　causing　the　people　to　be　summoned；　he　publicly　announced　to　them　that　their　ancient　constitution　was　restored；　and　that　they　should　receive　from　his　father；　Antigonus；　a　present　of　one　hundred　and　fifty　thousand　measures　of　wheat；　and　such　a　supply　of　timber　as　would　enable　them　to　build　a　hundred　galleys。　In　this　manner　did　the　Athenians　recover　their　popular　institutions；　after　the　space　of　fifteen　years　from　the　time　of　the　war　of　Lamia　and　the　battle　before　Cranon；　during　which　interval　of　time　the　government　had　been　administered　nominally　as　an　oligarchy；　but　really　by　a　single　man；　Demetrius　the　Phalerian　being　so　powerful。　But　the　excessive　honours　which　the　Athenians　bestowed；　for　these　noble　and　generous　acts；　upon　Demetrius；　created　offence　and　disgust。　The　Athenians　were　the　first　who　gave　Antigonus　and　Demetrius　the　title　of　kings；　which　hitherto　they　had　made　it　a　point　of　piety　to　decline；　as　the　one　remaining　royal　honour　still　reserved　for　the　lineal　descendants　of　Philip　and　Alexander；　in　which　none　but　they　could　venture　to　participate。　Another　name　which　they　received　from　no　people　but　the　Athenians　was　that　of　the　Tutelar　Deities　and　Deliverers。　And　to　enhance　this　flattery；　by　a　common　vote　it　was　decreed　to　change　the　style　of　the　city；　and　not　to　have　the　years　named　any　longer　from　the　annual　archon；　a　priest　of　the　two　Tutelary　Divinities；　who　was　to　be　yearly　chosen；　was　to　have　this　honour；　and　all　public　acts　and　instruments　were　to　bear　their　date　by　his　name。　They　decreed；　also；　that　the　figures　of　Antigonus　and　Demetrius　should　be　woven；　with　those　of　the　gods；　into　the　pattern　of　the　great　robe。　They　consecrated　the　spot　where　Demetrius　first　alighted　from　his　chariot；　and　built　an　altar　there；　with　the　name　of　the　Altar　of　the　Descent　of　Demetrius。　They　created　two　new　tribes；　calling　them　after　the　names　of　these　princes；　the　Antigonid　and　the　Demetriad；　and　to　the　Council；　which　consisted　of　five　hundred　persons；　fifty　being　chosen　out　of　every　tribe；　they　added　one　hundred　more　to　represent　these　new　tribes。　But　the　wildest　proposal　was　one　made　by　Stratocles；　the　great　inventor　of　all　these　ingenious　and　exquisite　compliments；　enacting　that　the　members　of　any　deputation　that　the　city　should　send　to　Demetrius　or　Antigonus　should　have　the　same　title　as　those　sent　to　Delphi　or　Olympia　for　the　performance　of　the　national　sacrifices　in　behalf　of　the　state　at　the　great　Greek　festivals。　This　Stratocles　was；　in　all　respects；　an　audacious　and　abandoned　character；　and　seemed　to　have　made　it　his　object　to　copy；　by　his　buffoonery　and　impertinence；　Cleon's　old　familiarity　with　the　people。　His　mistress；　Phylacion；　one　day　bringing　him　a　dish　of　brains　and　neckbones　for　his　dinner；　〃Oh；〃　said　he；　〃I　am　to　dine　upon　the　things　which　we　statesmen　play　at　ball　with。〃　At　another　time；　when　the　Athenians　received　their　naval　defeat　near　Amorgos；　he　hastened　home　before　the　news　could　reach　the　city；　and　having　a　chaplet　on　his　head；　came　riding　through　the　Ceramicus；　announcing　that　they　had　won　a　victory；　and　moved　a　vote　for　thanksgivings　to　the　gods；　and　a　distribution　of　meat　among　the　people　in　their　tribes。　Presently　after　came　those　who　brought　home　the　wrecks　from　the　battle；　and　when　the　people　exclaimed　at　what　he　had　done；　he　came　boldly　to　face　the　outcry；　and　asked　what　harm　there　had　been　in　giving　them　two　days'　pleasure。　　　Such　was　Stratocles。　And；　〃adding　flame　to　fire；〃　as　Aristophanes　says；　there　was　one　who；　to　outdo　Stratocles；　proposed　that　it　should　be　decreed　that；　whensoever　Demetrius　should　honour　their　city　with　his　presence；　they　should　treat　him　with　the　same　show　of　hospitable　entertainment　with　which　Ceres　and　Bacchus　are　received；　and　the　citizen　who　exceeded　the　rest　in　the　splendour　and　costliness　of　his　reception　should　have　a　sum　of　money　granted　him　from　the　public　purse　to　make　a　sacred　offering。　Finally；　they　changed　the　name　of　the　month　of　Munychion；　and　called　it　Demetrion；　they　gave　the　name　of　the　Demetrion　to　the　odd　day　between　the　end　of　the　old　and　the　beginning　of　the　new　month；　and　turned　the　feast　of　Bacchus；　the　Dionysia；　into　the　Demetria　or　feast　of　Demetrius。　Most　of　these　changes　were　marked　by　the　divine　displeasure。　The　sacred　robe；　in　which；　according　to　their　decree；　the　figures　of　Demetrius　and　Antigonus　had　been　woven　with　those　of　Jupiter　and　Minerva；　was　caught　by　a　violent　gust　of　wind；　while　the　procession　was　conveying　it　through　the　Ceramicus；　and　was　torn　from　the　top　to　the　bottom。　A　crop　of　hemlock；　a　plant　which　scarcely　grew　anywhere；　even　in　the　country　thereabouts；　sprang　up　in　abundance　round　the　altars　which　they　had　erected　to　these　new　divinities。　They　had　to　omit　the　solemn　procession　at　the　feast　of　Bacchus；　as　upon　the　very　day　of　its　celebration　there　was　such　a　se