demetrius-第8章

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e　soldiers　might　see　that　he　valued　his　own　life　at　no　dearer　rate　than　theirs；　he　exposed　himself　freely；　and　was　wounded　with　a　javelin　through　his　neck；　which　put　him　into　great　hazard　of　his　life。　But；　notwithstanding；　he　continued　the　siege；　and　in　conclusion　took　the　town　again。　And　after　his　entrance；　when　the　citizens　were　in　fear　and　trembling；　and　expected　all　the　severities　which　an　incensed　conqueror　could　inflict；　he　only　put　to　death　thirteen　and　banished　some　few　others；　pardoning　all　the　rest。　Thus　the　city　of　Thebes；　which　had　not　yet　been　ten　years　restored；　in　that　short　space　was　twice　besieged　and　taken。　　　Shortly　after；　the　festival　of　the　Pythian　Apollo　was　to　be　celebrated；　and　the　Aetolians　having　blocked　up　all　the　passages　to　Delphi；　Demetrius　held　the　games　and　celebrated　the　feast　at　Athens；　alleging　it　was　great　reason　those　honours　should　be　paid　in　that　place；　Apollo　being　the　paternal　god　of　the　Athenian　people；　and　the　reputed　first　founder　of　their　race。　　　From　thence　Demetrius　returned　to　Macedon；　and　as　he　not　only　was　of　a　restless　temper　himself；　but　saw　also　that　the　Macedonians　were　ever　the　best　subjects　when　employed　in　military　expeditions；　but　turbulent　and　desirous　of　change　in　the　idleness　of　peace；　he　led　them　against　the；　Aetolians；　and；　having　wasted　their　country；　he　left　Pantauchus　with　a　great　part　of　his　army　to　complete　the　conquest；　and　with　the　rest　he　marched　in　person　to　find　out　Pyrrhus；　who　in　like　manner　was　advancing　to　encounter　him。　But　so　it　fell　out；　that　by　taking　different　ways　the　two　armies　did　not　meet；　but　whilst　Demetrius　entered　Epirus；　and　laid　all　waste　before　him；　Pyrrhus　fell　upon　Pantauchus；　and　in　a　battle　in　which　the　two　commanders　met　in　person　and　wounded　each　other　he　gained　the　victory；　and　took　five　thousand　prisoners；　besides　great　numbers　slain　in　the　field。　The　worst　thing；　however；　for　Demetrius　was　that　Pyrrhus　had　excited　less　animosity　as　an　enemy　than　admiration　as　a　brave　man。　His　taking　so　large　a　part　with　his　own　hand　in　the　battle　had　gained　him　the　greatest　name　and　glory　among　the　Macedonians。　Many　among　them　began　to　say　that　this　was　the　only　king　in　whom　there　was　any　likeness　to　be　seen　of　the　great　Alexander's　courage；　the　other　kings；　and　particularly　Demetrius；　did　nothing　but　personate　him；　like　actors　on　a　stage；　in　his　pomp　and　outward　majesty。　And　Demetrius　truly　was　a　perfect　play　and　pageant；　with　his　robes　and　diadems；　his　gold…edged　purple　and　his　hats　with　double　streamers；　his　very　shoes　being　of　the　richest　purple　felt；　embroidered　over　in　gold。　One　robe　in　particular；　a　most　superb　piece　of　work；　was　long　in　the　loom　in　preparation　for　him；　in　which　was　to　be　wrought　the　representation　of　the　universe　and　the　celestial　bodies。　This；　left　unfinished　when　his　reverse　overtook　him；　not　any　one　of　the　kings　of　Macedon；　his　successors；　though　divers　of　them　haughty　enough；　ever　presumed　to　use。　　　But　it　was　not　this　theatric　pomp　alone　which　disgusted　the　Macedonians；　but　his　profuse　and　luxurious　way　of　living；　and；　above　all；　the　difficulty　of　speaking　with　him　or　of　obtaining　access　to　his　presence。　For　either　he　would　not　be　seen　at　all；　or；　if　he　did　give　audience；　he　was　violent　and　overbearing。　Thus　he　made　the　envoys　of　the　Athenians；　to　whom　yet　he　was　more　attentive　than　to　all　the　other　Grecians；　wait　two　whole　years　before　they　could　obtain　a　hearing。　And　when　the　Lacedaemonians　sent　a　single　person　on　an　embassy　to　him；　he　held　himself　insulted；　and　asked　angrily　whether　it　was　the　fact　that　the　Lacedaemonians　had　sent　but　one　ambassador。　〃Yes；〃　was　the　happy　reply　he　received；　〃one　ambassador　to　one　king。〃　　　Once　when　in　some　apparent　fit　of　a　more　popular　and　acceptable　temper　he　was　riding　abroad；　a　number　of　people　came　up　and　presented　their　written　petitions。　He　courteously　received　all　these；　and　put　them　up　in　the　skirt　of　his　cloak；　while　the　poor　people　were　overjoyed；　and　followed　him　close。　But　when　he　came　upon　the　bridge　of　the　river　Axius；　shaking　out　his　cloak；　he　threw　all　into　the　river。　This　excited　very　bitter　resentment　among　the　Macedonians；　who　felt　themselves　to　be　not　governed；　but　insulted。　They　called　to　mind　what　some　of　them　had　seen；　and　others　had　heard　related　of　King　Philip's　unambitious　and　open；　accessible　manners。　One　day　when　an　old　woman　had　assailed　him　several　times　in　the　road；　and　importuned　him　to　hear　her　after　he　had　told　her　he　had　no　time；　〃If　so；〃　cried　she；　〃you　have　no　time　to　be　a　king。〃　And　this　reprimand　so　stung　the　king　that；　after　thinking　of　it　a　while；　he　went　back　into　the　house；　and　setting　all　other　matters　apart；　for　several　days　together　he　did　nothing　else　but　receive；　beginning　with　the　old　woman；　the　complaints　of　all　that　would　come。　And　to　do　justice；　truly　enough；　might　well　be　called　a　king's　first　business。　〃Mars；〃　as　says　Timotheus；　〃is　the　tyrant；　but　Law；　in　Pindar's　words；　the　king　of　all。　Homer　does　not　say　that　kings　received　at　the　hands　of　Jove　besieging　engines　or　ships　of　war；　but　sentences　of　justice；　to　keep　and　observe；　nor　is　it　the　most　warlike；　unjust；　and　murderous；　but　the　most　righteous　of　kings；　that　has　from　him　the　name　of　Jupiter's　〃familiar　friend〃　and　scholar。　Demetrius's　delight　was　the　title　most　unlike　the　choice　of　the　king　of　gods。　The　divine　names　were　those　of　the　Defender　and　Keeper；　his　was　that　of　the　Besieger　of　Cities。　The　place　of　virtue　was　given　by　him　to　that　which；　had　he　not　been　as　ignorant　as　he　was　powerful；　he　would　have　known　to　be　vice；　and　honour　by　his　act　was　associated　with　crime。　While　he　lay　dangerously　ill　at　Pella；　Pyrrhus　pretty　nearly　overran　all　Macedon；　and　advanced　as　far　as　the　city　of　Edessa。　On　recovering　his　health；　he　quickly　drove　him　out；　and　came　to　terms　with　him；　being　desirous　not　to　employ　his　time　in　a　string　of　petty　local　conflicts　with　a　neighbour；　when　all　his　thoughts　were　fixed　upon　another　design。　This　was　no　less　than　to　endeavour　the　recovery　of　the　whole　empire　which　his　father　had　possessed；　and　his　preparations　were　suitable　to　his　hopes　and　the　greatness　of　the　enterprise。　He　had　arranged　for　the　levying　of　ninety…eight　thousand　foot　and　nearly　twelve　thousand　horse；　and　he　had　a　fleet　of　five　hundred　galleys　on　the　stocks；　some　building　at　Athens；　others　at　Corinth　and　Chalcis；　and　in　the　neighbourhood　of　Pella。　And　he　himself　was　passing　evermore　from　one　to　another　of　these　places；　to　give　his　directions　and　his　assistance　to　the　plans；　while　all　that　saw　were　amazed；　not　so　much　at　the　number；　as　at　the　magnitude　of　the　works。　Hitherto；　there　had　never　been　seen　a　galley　with　fifteen　or　sixteen　ranges　of　oars。　At　a　later　time；　Ptolemy　Philopator　built　one　of　forty　rows；　which　was　two　hundred　and　eighty　cubits　in　length　and　the　height　of　her　to　the　top　of　her　stern；　forty…eight　cubits；　she　had　four　hundred　sailors　and　four　thousand　rowers；　and　afforded　room　besides　for　very　near　three　thousand　soldiers　to　fight　on　her　decks。　But　this；　after　all；　was　for　show；　and　not　for　service；　scarcely　differing　from　a　fixed　edifice　ashore；　and　was　not　to　be　moved　without　extreme　toil　and　peril；　whereas　these　galleys　of　Demetrius　were　meant　quite　as　much　for　fighting　as　for　looking　at；　were　not　the　less　serviceable　for　their　magnificence；　and　were　as　wonderful　for　their　speed　and　general　performance　as　for　their　size。　　　These　mighty　preparations　against　Asia；　the　like　of　which　had　not　been　made　since　Alexander　first　invaded　it；　united　Seleucus；　Ptolemy；　and　Lysimachus　in　a　confederacy　for　their　defence。　They　also　despatched　ambassadors　to　Pyrrhus；　to　persuade　him　to　make　a　diversion　by　attacking　Macedonia；　he　need　not　think　there　was　any　validity　in　a　treaty　which　Demetrius　had　concluded；　not　as　an　engagement　to　be　at　peace　with　him；　but　as　a　means　of　enabling　himself　to　make　war　first　upon　the　enemy　of　his　choice。　So　when　Pyrrhus　accepted　their　proposals；　Demetrius；　still　in　the　midst　of　his　preparations；　was　encompassed　with　war　on　all　sides。　Ptolemy；　with　a　mighty　navy；　invaded　Greece；　Lysimachus　entered　Macedonia　upon　the　side　of　Thrace；　and　Pyrrhus；　from　the　Epirot　border；　both　of　them　spoiling　and　wasting　the　country。　Demetrius；　leaving　his　son　to　look　after　Greece；　marched　to　the　relief　of　Macedon；　and　first　of　all　to　oppose　Lysimachus。　On　his　way；　he　received　the　news　that　Pyrrhus　had　taken　the　city　Beroea；　and　the　report　quickly　getting　out　among　the　soldiers；　all　discipline　at　once　was　lost；　and　the　camp　was　filled　with　lamentations　and　tears；　anger　and　execrations　on　Demetrius；　they　would　stay　no　longer；　they　would　march　off；　as　they　said；　to　take　care　of　their　country；　friends；　and　families；　but　in　reality　the　intention　was　to　revolt　to　Lysimachus。　Demetrius；　therefore；　thought　it　his　business　to　keep　them　as　far　away　as　he　could　from　Lysimachus；　who　was　their　own　countryman；　and　for　Alexander's　sake　kindly　looked　upon　by　many；　they　would　be　ready　to　fight　with　Pyrrhus；　a　new　comer　and　a　foreigner；　whom　they　could　hardly　prefer　to　himself。　But　he　found　himself　under　a　great　mistake　in　these　conjectures。　For　when　he　advanced　and　pitched　his　camp　near；　the　old　admiration　for　Pyrrhus's　gallantry　in　arms　revived　again；　and　as　they　had　been　used　from　time　immemorial　to　suppose　that　the　best　king　was　he　that　was　the　bravest　soldier；　so　now　they　were　also　told　of　his　generous　usage　of　his　prisoners；　and；　in　short；　they　were　eager　to　have　any　one　in　the　place　of　Demetrius；　and　well　pleased　that　the　man　should　be　Pyrrhus。　At　first；　some　straggling　parties　only　deserted；　but　in　a　little　time　the　whole　army　broke　out　into　a　universal　mutiny；　insomuch　that　at　last　some　of　them　went　up　and　told　him　openly　that　if　he　consulted　his　own　safety　he　were　best　to　make　haste　to　be　gone；　for　that　the　Macedonians　were　resolved　no　longer　to　hazard　their　lives　for　the　satisfaction　of　his　luxury　and　pleasure。　And　this　was　thought　fair　and　moderate　language；　compared　with　the　fierceness　of　the　rest。　So；　withdrawing　into　his　tent；　and；　like　an　actor　rather　than　a　real　king；　laying　aside　his　stage…robes　of　royalty；　he　put　on　some　common　clothes　and　stole　away。　He　was　no　sooner　gone　but　the　mutinous　army　were　fighting　and　quarrelling　for　the　plunder　of　his　tent；　but　Pyrrhus；　coming　immediately；　took　possession　of　the　camp　without　a　blow；　after　which　he；　with　Lysimachus；　parted　the　realm　of　Macedon　betwixt　them；　after　Demetrius　had　securely　held　it　just　seven　years。　　　As　for　Demetrius；　being　thus　suddenly　despoiled　of　everything；　he　retired　to　Cassandrea。　His　wife　Phila；　in　the　passion　of　her　grief；　could　not　endure　to　see　her　hapless　husband　reduced　to　the　condition　of　a　private　and　banished　man。　She　refused　to　entertain　any　further　hope；　and　resolving　to　quit　a　fortune　which　was　never　permanent　except　for　calamity；　took　poison　and　died。　Demetrius；　determining　still　to　hold　on　by　the　wreck；　went　off　to　Greece；　and　collected　his　friends　and　officers　there。　Menelaus；　in　the　play　of　Sophocles；　to　give　an　image　of　his　vicissitudes　of　estate；　says…

　　　　　　　　　〃For　me；　my　destiny；　alas；　is　found　　　　　　　　　　　Whirling　upon　the　gods'　swift　wheel　around；　　　　　　　　　　　And　changing　still；　and　as　the　moon's　fair　frame　　　　　　　　　　　Cannot　continue　for　two　nights　the　same；　　　　　　　　　　　But　out　of　shadow　first　a　cres