alexander-第2章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


；　〃better　than　others　do。〃　〃And　if　you　do　not；〃　said　Philip；　〃what　will　you　forfeit　for　your　rashness？〃　〃I　will　pay；〃　answered　Alexander；　〃the　whole　price　of　the　horse。〃　At　this　the　whole　company　fell　a…laughing；　and　as　soon　as　the　wager　was　settled　amongst　them；　he　immediately　ran　to　the　horse；　and　taking　hold　of　the　bridle；　turned　him　directly　towards　the　sun；　having；　it　seems；　observed　that　he　was　disturbed　at　and　afraid　of　the　motion　of　his　own　shadow；　then　letting　him　go　forward　a　little；　still　keeping　the　reins　in　his　hands；　and　stroking　him　gently　when　he　found　him　begin　to　grow　eager　and　fiery；　he　let　fall　his　upper　garment　softly；　and　with　one　nimble　leap　securely　mounted　him；　and　when　he　was　seated；　by　little　and　little　drew　in　the　bridle；　and　curbed　him　without　either　striking　or　spurring　him。　Presently；　when　he　found　him　free　from　all　rebelliousness；　and　only　impatient　for　the　course；　he　let　him　go　at　full　speed；　inciting　him　now　with　a　commanding　voice；　and　urging　him　also　with　his　heel。　Philip　and　his　friends　looked　on　at　first　in　silence　and　anxiety　for　the　result；　till　seeing　him　turn　at　the　end　of　his　career；　and　come　back　rejoicing　and　triumphing　for　what　he　had　performed；　they　all　burst　out　into　acclamations　of　applause；　and　his　father　shedding　tears；　it　is　said；　for　joy；　kissed　him　as　he　came　down　from　his　horse；　and　in　his　transport　said；　〃O　my　son；　look　thee　out　a　kingdom　equal　to　and　worthy　of　thyself；　for　Macedonia　is　too　little　for　thee。〃　　　After　this；　considering　him　to　be　of　a　temper　easy　to　be　led　to　his　duty　by　reason；　but　by　no　means　to　be　compelled；　he　always　endeavoured　to　persuade　rather　than　to　command　or　force　him　to　anything；　and　now　looking　upon　the　instruction　and　tuition　of　his　youth　to　be　of　greater　difficulty　and　importance　than　to　be　wholly　trusted　to　the　ordinary　masters　in　music　and　poetry；　and　the　common　school　subjects；　and　to　require；　as　Sophocles　says…

　　　　　　　　　〃The　bridle　and　the　rudder　too；〃

he　sent　for　Aristotle；　the　most　learned　and　most　celebrated　philosopher　of　his　time；　and　rewarded　him　with　a　munificence　proportionable　to　and　becoming　the　care　he　took　to　instruct　his　son。　For　he　repeopled　his　native　city　Stagira；　which　he　had　caused　to　be　demolished　a　little　before；　and　restored　all　the　citizens；　who　were　in　exile　or　slavery；　to　their　habitations。　As　a　place　for　the　pursuit　of　their　studies　and　exercise；　he　assigned　the　temple　of　the　Nymphs；　near　Mieza；　where；　to　this　very　day；　they　show　you　Aristotle's　stone　seats；　and　the　shady　walks　which　he　was　wont　to　frequent。　It　would　appear　that　Alexander　received　from　him　not　only　his　doctrines　of　Morals　and　of　Politics；　but　also　something　of　those　more　abstruse　and　profound　theories　which　these　philosophers；　by　the　very　names　they　gave　them；　professed　to　reserve　for　oral　communication　to　the　initiated；　and　did　not　allow　many　to　become　acquainted　with。　For　when　he　was　in　Asia；　and　heard　Aristotle　had　published　some　treatises　of　that　kind；　he　wrote　to　him；　using　very　plain　language　to　him　in　behalf　of　philosophy；　the　following　letter。　〃Alexander　to　Aristotle；　greeting。　You　have　not　done　well　to　publish　your　books　of　oral　doctrine；　for　what　is　there　now　that　we　excel　others　in；　if　those　things　which　we　have　been　particularly　instructed　in　be　laid　open　to　all？　For　my　part；　I　assure　you；　I　had　rather　excel　others　in　the　knowledge　of　what　is　excellent；　than　in　the　extent　of　my　power　and　dominion。　Farewell。〃　And　Aristotle；　soothing　this　passion　for　pre…eminence；　speaks；　in　his　excuse　for　himself；　of　these　doctrines　as　in　fact　both　published　and　not　published：　as　indeed；　to　say　the　truth；　his　books　on　metaphysics　are　written　in　a　style　which　makes　them　useless　for　ordinary　teaching；　and　instructive　only；　in　the　way　of　memoranda；　for　those　who　have　been　already　conversant　in　that　sort　of　learning。　　　Doubtless　also　it　was　to　Aristotle　that　he　owed　the　inclination　he　had；　not　to　the　theory　only；　but　likewise　to　the　practice　of　the　art　of　medicine。　For　when　any　of　his　friends　were　sick；　he　would　often　prescribe　them　their　course　of　diet；　and　medicines　proper　to　their　disease；　as　we　may　find　in　his　epistles。　He　was　naturally　a　great　lover　of　all　kinds　of　learning　and　reading；　and　Onesicritus　informs　us　that　he　constantly　laid　Homer's　Iliads；　according　to　the　copy　corrected　by　Aristotle；　called　the　casket　copy；　with　his　dagger　under　his　pillow；　declaring　that　he　esteemed　it　a　perfect　portable　treasure　of　all　military　virtue　and　knowledge。　When　he　was　in　the　upper　Asia；　being　destitute　of　other　books；　he　ordered　Harpalus　to　send　him　some；　who　furnished　him　with　Philistus's　History；　a　great　many　of　the　plays　of　Euripides；　Sophocles；　and　Aeschylus；　and　some　dithyrambic　odes；　composed　by　Telestes　and　Philoxenus。　For　a　while　he　loved　and　cherished　Aristotle　no　less；　as　he　was　wont　to　say　himself；　than　if　he　had　been　his　father；　giving　this　reason　for　it；　that　as　he　had　received　life　from　the　one；　so　the　other　had　taught　him　to　live　well。　But　afterwards；　upon　some　mistrust　of　him；　yet　not　so　great　as　to　make　him　do　him　any　hurt；　his　familiarity　and　friendly　kindness　to　him　abated　so　much　of　its　former　force　and　affectionateness；　as　to　make　it　evident　he　was　alienated　from　him。　However；　his　violent　thirst　after　and　passion　for　learning；　which　were　once　implanted；　still　grew　up　with　him；　and　never　decayed；　as　appears　by　his　veneration　of　Anaxarchus；　by　the　present　of　fifty　talents　which　he　sent　to　Xenocrates；　and　his　particular　care　and　esteem　of　Dandamis　and　Calanus。　　　While　Philip　went　on　his　expedition　against　the　Byzantines；　he　left　Alexander；　then　sixteen　years　old；　his　lieutenant　in　Macedonia；　committing　the　charge　of　his　seal　to　him；　who；　not　to　sit　idle；　reduced　the　rebellious　Maedi；　and　having　taken　their　chief　town　by　storm；　drove　out　the　barbarous　inhabitants；　and　planting　a　colony　of　several　nations　in　their　room；　called　the　place　after　his　own　name；　Alexandropolis。　At　the　battle　of　Chaeronea；　which　his　father　fought　against　the　Grecians；　he　is　said　to　have　been　the　first　man　that　charged　the　Thebans'　sacred　band。　And　even　in　my　remembrance；　there　stood　an　old　oak　near　the　river　Cephisus；　which　people　called　Alexander's　oak；　because　his　tent　was　pitched　under　it。　And　not　far　off　are　to　be　seen　the　graves　of　the　Macedonians　who　fell　in　that　battle。　This　early　bravery　made　Philip　so　fond　of　him；　that　nothing　pleased　him　more　than　to　hear　his　subjects　call　himself　their　general　and　Alexander　their　king。　　　But　the　disorders　of　his　family；　chiefly　caused　by　his　new　marriages　and　attachments　（the　troubles　that　began　in　the　women's　chambers　spreading；　so　to　say；　to　the　whole　kingdom）；　raised　various　complaints　and　differences　between　them；　which　the　violence　of　Olympias；　a　woman　of　a　jealous　and　implacable　temper；　made　wider；　by　exasperating　Alexander　against　his　father。　Among　the　rest；　this　accident　contributed　most　to　their　falling　out。　At　the　wedding　of　Cleopatra；　whom　Philip　fell　in　love　with　and　married；　she　being　much　too　young　for　him；　her　uncle　Attalus　in　his　drink　desired　the　Macedonians　would　implore　the　gods　to　give　them　a　lawful　successor　to　the　kingdom　by　his　niece。　This　so　irritated　Alexander；　that　throwing　one　of　the　cups　at　his　head；　〃You　villain；〃　said　he；　〃what；　am　I　then　a　bastard？〃　Then　Philip；　taking　Attalus's　part；　rose　up　and　would　have　run　his　son　through；　but　by　good　fortune　for　them　both；　either　his　over…hasty　rage；　or　the　wine　he　had　drunk；　made　his　foot　slip；　so　that　he　fell　down　on　the　floor。　At　which　Alexander　reproachfully　insulted　over　him：　〃See　there；〃　said　he；　〃the　man　who　makes　preparations　to　pass　out　of　Europe　into　Asia；　overturned　in　passing　from　one　seat　to　another。〃　After　this　debauch；　he　and　his　mother　Olympias　withdrew　from　Philip's　company；　and　when　he　had　placed　her　in　Epirus；　he　himself　retired　into　Illyria。　　　About　this　time；　Demaratus　the　Corinthian；　an　old　friend　of　the　family；　who　had　the　freedom　to　say　anything　among　them　without　offence；　coming　to　visit　Philip；　after　the　first　compliments　and　embraces　were　over；　Philip　asked　him　whether　the　Grecians　were　at　amity　with　one　another。　〃It　ill　becomes　you；〃　replied　Demaratus；　〃to　be　so　solicitous　about　Greece；　when　you　have　involved　your　own　house　in　so　many　dissensions　and　calamities。〃　He　was　so　convinced　by　this　seasonable　reproach；　that　he　immediately　sent　for　his　son　home；　and　by　Demaratus's　mediation　prevailed　with　him　to　return。　But　this　reconciliation　lasted　not　long；　for　when　Pixodorus；　viceroy　of　Caria；　sent　Aristocritus　to　treat　for　a　match　between　his　eldest　daughter　and　Philip's　son；　Arrhidaeus；　hoping　by　this　alliance　to　secure　his　assistance　upon　occasion；　Alexander's　mother；　and　some　who　pretended　to　be　his　friends；　presently　filled　his　head　with　tales　and　calumnies；　as　if　Philip；　by　a　splendid　marriage　and　important　alliance；　were　preparing　the　way　for　settling　the　kingdom　upon　Arrhidaeus。　In　alarm　at　this；　he　despatched　Thessalus；　the　tragic　actor；　into　Caria；　to　dispose　Pixodorus　to　slight　Arrhidaeus；　both　illegitimate　and　a　fool；　and　rather　to　accept　of　himself　for　his　son…in…law。　This　proposition　was　much　more　agreeable　to　Pixodorus　than　the　former。　But　Philip；　as　soon　as　he　was　made　acquainted　with　this　transaction；　went　to　his　son's　apartment；　taking　with　him　Philotas；　the　son　of　Parmenio；　one　of　Alexander's　intimate　friends　and　companions；　and　there　reproved　him　severely；　and　reproached　him　bitterly；　that　he　should　be　so　degenerate；　and　unworthy　of　the　power　he　was　to　leave　him；　as　to　desire　the　alliance　of　a　mean　Carian；　who　was　at　best　but　the　slave　of　a　barbarous　prince。　Nor　did　this　satisfy　his　resentment；　for　he　wrote　to　the　Corinthians　to　send　Thessalus　to　him　in　chains；　and　banished　Harpalus；　Nearchus；　Erigyius；　and　Ptolemy；　his　son's　friends　and　favourites；　whom　Alexander　afterwards　recalled　and　raised　to　great　honour　and　preferment。　　　Not　long　after　this；　Pausanias；　having　had　an　outrage　done　to　him　at　the　instance　of　Attalus　and　Cleopatra；　when　he　found　he　could　get　no　reparation　for　his　disgrace　at　Philip's　hands；　watched　his　opportunity　and　murdered　him。　The　guilt　of　which　fact　was　laid　for　the　most　part　upon　Olympias；　who　was　said　to　have　encouraged　and　exasperated　the　enraged　youth　to　revenge；　and　some　sort　of　suspicion　attached　even　to　Alexander　himself；　who；　it　was　said；　when　Pausanias　came　and　complained　to　him　of　the　injury　he　had　received；　repeated　the　verse　out　of　Euripides's　Medea…

　　　　　　　　　〃On　husband；　and　on　father；　and　on　bride。〃

However；　he　took　care　to　find　out　and　punish　the　accomplices　of　the　conspiracy　severely；　and　was　very　angry　with　Olympias　for　treating　Cleopatra　inhumanly　in　his　absence。　　　Alexander　was　but　twenty　years　old　when　his　father　was　murdered；　and　succeeded　to　a　kingdom；　beset　on　all　sides　with　great　dangers　and　rancorous　enemies。　For　not　only　the　barbarous　nations　that　bordered　on　Macedonia　were　impatient　of　being　governed　by　any　but　their　own　native　princes；　but　Philip　likewise；　though　he　had　been　victorious　over　the　Grecians；　yet；　as　the　time　had　not　been　sufficient　for　him　to　complete　his　conquest　and　accustom　them　to　his　sway；　had　simply　left　all　things　in　a　general　disorder　and　confusion。　It　seemed　to　the　Macedonians　a　very　critical　time；　and　some　would　have　persuaded　Alexander　to　give