demetrius-第7章

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se　besieged；　and　yet；　like　the　woman　in　Archilochus…

　　　　　　　　　〃Water　in　one　deceitful　hand　she　shows；　　　　　　　　　　　While　burning　fire　within　her　other　glows。〃

The　same　fortune　that　drew　him　off　with　these　disastrous　tidings　from　Sparta；　in　a　moment　after　opened　upon　him　a　new　and　wonderful　prospect；　of　the　following　kind。　Cassander；　King　of　Macedon；　dying；　and　his　eldest　son　Philip；　who　succeeded　him；　not　long　surviving　his　father；　the　two　younger　brothers　fell　at　variance　concerning　the　succession。　And　Antipater　having　murdered　his　mother　Thessalonica；　Alexander；　the　younger　brother；　called　in　to　his　assistance　Pyrrhus　out　of　Epirus；　and　Demetrius　out　of　the　Peloponnese。　Pyrrhus　arrived　first；　and；　taking　in　recompense　for　his　succour　a　large　slice　of　Macedonia；　had　made　Alexander　begin　to　be　aware　that　he　had　brought　upon　himself　a　dangerous　neighbour。　And；　that　he　might　not　run　a　yet　worse　hazard　from　Demetrius；　whose　power　and　reputation　were　so　great；　the　young　man　hurried　away　to　meet　him　at　Dium；　whither　he；　who　on　receiving　his　letter　had　set　out　on　his　march；　was　now　come。　And；　offering　his　greetings　and　grateful　acknowledgments；　he　at　the　same　time　informed　him　that　his　affairs　no　longer　required　the　presence　of　his　ally；　thereupon　he　invited　him　to　supper。　There　were　not　wanting　some　feelings　of　suspicion　on　either　side　already；　and　when　Demetrius　was　now　on　his　way　to　the　banquet；　some　one　came　and　told　him　that　in　the　midst　of　the　drinking　he　would　be　killed。　Demetrius　showed　little　concern；　but；　making　only　a　little　less　haste；　he　sent　to　the　principal　officers　of　his　army　commanding　them　to　draw　out　the　soldiers；　and　make　them　stand　to　their　arms；　and　ordered　his　retinue　（more　numerous　a　good　deal　than　that　of　Alexander）　to　attend　him　into　the　very　room　of　the　entertainment；　and　not　to　stir　from　thence　till　they　saw　him　rise　from　the　table。　Thus　Alexander's　servants；　finding　themselves　overpowered；　had　not　courage　to　attempt　anything。　And；　indeed；　Demetrius　gave　them　no　opportunity；　for　he　made　a　very　short　visit；　and　pretending　to　Alexander　that　he　was　not　at　present　in　health　for　drinking　wine；　left　early。　And　the　next　day　he　occupied　himself　in　preparations　for　departing；　telling　Alexander　he　had　received　intelligence　that　obliged　him　to　leave；　begging　him　to　excuse　so　sudden　a　parting；　he　would　hope　to　see　him　further　when　his　affairs　allowed　him　leisure。　Alexander　was　only　too　glad；　not　only　that　he　was　going；　but　that　he　was　doing　so　of　his　own　motion；　without　any　offence；　and　proposed　to　accompany　him　into　Thessaly。　But　when　they　came　to　Larissa；　new　invitations　passed　between　them；　new　professions　of　good…will；　covering　new　conspiracies；　by　which　Alexander　put　himself　into　the　power　of　Demetrius。　For　as　he　did　not　like　to　use　precautions　on　his　own　part；　for　fear　Demetrius　should　take　the　hint　to　use　them　on　his；　the　very　thing　he　meant　to　use　was　first　done　to　him。　He　accepted　an　invitation；　and　came　to　Demetrius's　quarters；　and　when　Demetrius；　while　they　were　still　supping；　rose　from　the　table　and　went　forth；　the　young　man　rose　also；　and　followed　him　to　the　door；　where　Demetrius；　as　he　passed　through；　only　said　to　the　guards；　〃Kill　him　that　follows　me；〃　and　went　on；　and　Alexander　was　at　once　despatched　by　them；　together　with　such　of　his　friends　as　endeavoured　to　come　to　his　rescue；　one　of　whom；　before　he　died；　said；　〃You　have　been　one　day　too　quick　for　us。〃　　　The　night　following　was　one；　as　may　be　supposed；　of　disorder　and　confusion。　And　with　the　morning；　the　Macedonians；　still　in　alarm；　and　fearful　of　the　forces　of　Demetrius；　on　finding　no　violence　offered；　but　only　a　message　sent　from　Demetrius　desiring　an　interview　and　opportunity　for　explanation　of　his　actions；　at　last　began　to　feel　pretty　confident　again；　and　prepared　to　receive　him　favourably。　And　when　he　came；　there　was　no　need　of　much　being　said；　their　hatred　of　Antipater　for　his　murder　of　his　mother；　and　the　absence　of　any　one　better　to　govern　them；　soon　decided　them　to　proclaim　Demetrius　King　of　Macedon。　And　into　Macedonia　they　at　once　started　and　took　him。　And　the　Macedonians　at　home；　who　had　not　forgotten　or　forgiven　the　wicked　deeds　committed　by　Cassander　on　the　family　of　Alexander；　were　far　from　sorry　at　the　change。　Any　kind　recollections　that　still　might　subsist　of　the　plain　and　simple　rule　of　the　first　Antipater　went　also　to　the　benefit　of　Demetrius；　whose　wife　was　Phila；　his　daughter；　and　his　son　by　her；　a　boy　already　old　enough　to　be　serving　in　the　army　with　his　father；　was　the　natural　successor　to　the　government。　　　To　add　to　this　unexpected　good　fortune；　news　arrived　that　Ptolemy　had　dismissed　his　mother　and　children；　bestowing　upon　them　presents　and　honours；　and　also　that　his　daughter　Stratonice；　whom　he　had　married　to　Seleucus；　was　remarried　to　Antiochus；　the　son　of　Seleucus；　and　proclaimed　Queen　of　Upper　Asia。　　　For　Antiochus；　it　appears；　had　fallen　passionately　in　love　with　Stratonice；　the　young　queen；　who　had　already　made　Seleucus　the　father　of　a　son。　He　struggled　very　hard　with　the　beginning　of　this　passion；　and　at　last；　resolving　with　himself　that　his　desires　were　wholly　unlawful；　his　malady　past　all　cure；　and　his　powers　of　reason　too　feeble　to　act；　he　determined　on　death；　and　thought　to　bring　his　life　slowly　to　extinction　by　neglecting　his　person　and　refusing　nourishment；　under　the　pretence　of　being　ill。　Erasistratus；　the　physician　who　attended　him；　quickly　perceived　that　love　was　his　distemper；　but　the　difficulty　was　to　discover　the　object。　He　therefore　waited　continually　in　his　chamber；　and　when　any　of　the　beauties　of　the　court　made　their　visit　to　the　sick　prince；　he　observed　the　emotions　and　alterations　in　the　countenance　of　Antiochus；　and　watched　for　the　changes　which　he　knew　to　be　indicative　of　the　inward　passions　and　inclinations　of　the　soul。　He　took　notice　that　the　presence　of　other　women　produced　no　effect　upon　him；　but　when　Stratonice　came；　as　she　often　did；　alone；　or　in　company　with　Seleucus；　to　see　him；　he　observed　in　him　all　Sappho's　famous　symptoms；…　his　voice　faltered；　his　face　flushed　up；　his　eyes　glanced　stealthily；　a　sudden　sweat　broke　out　on　his　skin；　the　beatings　of　his　heart　were　irregular　and　violent；　and；　unable　to　support　the　excess　of　his　passion；　he　would　sink　into　a　state　of　faintness；　prostration；　and　pallor。　　　Erasistratus；　reasoning　upon　these　symptoms；　and；　upon　the　probabilities　of　things；　considering　that　the　king's　son　would　hardly；　if　the　object　of　his　passion　had　been　any　other；　have　persisted　to　death　rather　than　reveal　it；　felt；　however；　the　difficulty　of　making　a　discovery　of　this　nature　to　Seleucus。　But；　trusting　to　the　tenderness　of　Seleucus　for　the　young　man；　he　put　on　all　the　assurances　he　could；　and　at　last；　on　some　opportunity；　spoke　out　and　told　him　the　malady　was　love；　a　love　impossible　to　gratify　or　relieve。　The　king　was　extremely　surprised；　and　asked；　〃Why　impossible　to　relieve？〃　〃The　fact　is；〃　replied　Erasistratus；　〃he　is　in　love　with　my　wife。〃　〃How！〃　said　Seleusus；　〃and　will　our　friend　Erasistratus　refuse　to　bestow　his　wife　upon　my　son　and　only　successor；　when　there　is　no　other　way　to　save　his　life？〃　〃You；〃　replied　Erasistratus；　〃who　are　his　father；　would　not　do　so；　if　he　were　in　love　with　Stratonice。〃　〃Ah；　my　friend；〃　answered　Seleucus；　〃would　to　heaven　any　means；　human　or　divine；　could　but　convert　his　present　passion　to　that；　it　would　be　well　for　me　to　part　not　only　with　Stratonice；　but　with　my　empire；　to　save　Antiochus。〃　This　he　said　with　the　greatest　passion；　shedding　tears　as　he　spoke；　upon　which　Erasistratus；　taking　him　by　the　hand；　replied；　〃In　that　case；　you　have　no　need　of　Erasistratus；　for　you；　who　are　the　husband；　the　father；　and　the　king；　are　the　proper　physician　for　your　own　family。〃　Seleucus；　accordingly；　summoning　a　general　assembly　of　his　people；　declared　to　them；　that　he　had　resolved　to　make　Antiochus　king；　and　Stratonice　queen；　of　all　the　provinces　of　Upper　Asia；　uniting　them　in　marriage；　telling　them；　that　he　thought　he　had　sufficient　power　over　the　prince's　will　that　he　should　find　in　him　no　repugnance　to　obey　his　commands；　and　for　Stratonice；　he　hoped　all　his　friends　would　endeavour　to　make　her　sensible；　if　she　should　manifest　any　reluctance　to　such　a　marriage；　that　she　ought　to　esteem　those　things　just　and　honourable　which　had　been　determined　upon　by　the　king　as　necessary　to　the　general　good。　In　this　manner；　we　are　told；　was　brought　about　the　marriage　of　Antiochus　and　Stratonice。　　　To　return　to　the　affairs　of　Demetrius。　Having　obtained　the　crown　of　Macedon；　he　presently　became　master　of　Thessaly　also。　And　holding　the　greatest　part　of　Peloponnesus；　and；　on　this　side　of　the　Isthmus；　the　cities　of　Megara　and　Athens；　he　now　turned　his　arms　against　the　Boeotians。　They　at　first　made　overtures　for　an　accommodation；　but　Cleonymus　of　Sparta　having　ventured　with　some　troops　to　their　assistance；　and　having　made　his　way　into　Thebes；　and　Pisis；　the　Thespian；　who　was　their　first　man　in　power　and　reputation；　animating　them　to　make　a　brave　resistance；　they　broke　off　the　treaty。　No　sooner；　however；　had　Demetrius　begun　to　approach　the　walls　with　his　engines；　but　Cleonymus　in　affright　secretly　withdrew；　and　the　Boeotians；　finding　themselves　abandoned；　made　their　submission。　Demetrius　placed　a　garrison　in　charge　of　their　towns；　and；　having　raised　a　large　sum　of　money　from　them；　he　placed　Hieronymus；　the　historian；　in　the　office　of　governor　and　military　commander　over　them；　and　was　thought　on　the　whole　to　have　shown　great　clemency；　more　particularly　to　Pisis；　to　whom　he　did　no　hurt；　but　spoke　with　him　courteously　and　kindly；　and　made　him　chief　magistrate　of　Thespiae。　Not　long　after；　Lysimachus　was　taken　prisoner　by　Dromichaetes；　and　Demetrius　went　off　instantly　in　the　hopes　of　possessing　himself　of　Thrace；　thus　left　without　a　king。　Upon　this；　the　Boeotians　revolted　again；　and　news　also　came　that　Lysimachus　had　regained　his　liberty。　So　Demetrius；　turning　back　quickly　and　in　anger；　found　on　coming　up　that　his　son　Antigonus　had　already　defeated　the　Boeotians　in　battle；　and　therefore　proceeded　to　lay　siege　again　to　Thebes。　　　But　understanding　that　Pyrrhus　had　made　an　incursion　into　Thessaly；　and　that　he　was　advanced　as　far　as　Thermopylae；　leaving　Antigonus　to　continue　the　siege；　he　marched　with　the　rest　of　his　army　to　oppose　this　enemy。　Pyrrhus；　however；　made　a　quick　retreat。　So；　leaving　ten　thousand　foot　and　a　thousand　horse　for　the　protection　of　Thessaly；　he　returned　to　the　siege　of　Thebes；　and　there　brought　up　his　famous　City…taker　to　the　attack；　which；　however；　was　so　laboriously　and　so　slowly　moved　on　account　of　its　bulk　and　heaviness；　that　in　two　months　it　did　not　advance　two　furlongs。　In　the　meantime　the　citizens　made　a　stout　defence；　and　Demetrius；　out　of　heat　and　contentiousness　very　often；　more　than　upon　any　necessity；　sent　his　soldiers　into　danger；　until　at　last　Antigonus；　observing　how　many　men　were　losing　their　lives；　said　to　him；　〃Why；　my　father；　do　we　go　on　letting　the　men　be　wasted　in　this　way　without　any　need　of　it？〃　But　Demetrius；　in　a　great　passion；　interrupted　him：　〃And　you；　good　sir；　why　do　you　afflict　yourself　for　the　matter？　will　dead　men　come　to　you　for　rations？〃　But　that　the　soldiers　might　see　that　he　valued　his　own　life　at　no　dearer　rate　than　theirs；　he　exposed　himself　f