the history-第102章

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ore　the　Spartans　had　done　the　deed　of　which　we　speak；　the　victims　at　their　sacrifices　failed　to　give　good　tokens；　and　this　failure　lasted　for　a　very　long　time。　Then　the　Spartans　were　troubled；　and；　regarding　what　had　befallen　them　as　a　grievous　calamity；　they　held　frequent　assemblies　of　the　people；　and　made　proclamation　through　the　town；　〃Was　any　Lacedaemonian　willing　to　give　his　life　for　Sparta？〃　Upon　this　two　Spartans；　Sperthias；　the　son　Aneristus；　and　Bulis；　the　son　of　Nicolaus；　both　men　of　noble　birth；　and　among　the　wealthiest　in　the　place；　came　forward　and　freely　offered　themselves　as　an　atonement　to　Xerxes　for　the　heralds　of　Darius　slain　at　Sparta。　So　the　Spartans　sent　them　away　to　the　Medes　to　undergo　death。　　　　　Nor　is　the　courage　which　these　men　hereby　displayed　alone　worthy　of　wonder；　but　so　likewise　are　the　following　speeches　which　were　made　by　them。　On　their　road　to　Susa　they　presented　themselves　before　Hydarnes。　This　Hydarnes　was　a　Persian　by　birth；　and　had　the　command　of　all　the　nations　that　dwelt　along　the　sea…coast　of　Asia。　He　accordingly　showed　them　hospitality；　and　invited　them　to　a　banquet；　where；　as　they　feasted；　he　said　to　them：…　　　　　〃Men　of　Lacedaemon；　why　will　ye　not　consent　to　be　friends　with　the　king？　Ye　have　but　to　look　at　me　and　my　fortune　to　see　that　the　king　knows　well　how　to　honour　merit。　In　like　manner　ye　yourselves；　were　ye　to　make　your　submission　to　him；　would　receive　at　his　hands；　seeing　that　he　deems　you　men　of　merit；　some　government　in　Greece。〃　　　　　〃Hydarnes；〃　they　answered；　〃thou　art　a　one…sided　counsellor。　Thou　hast　experience　of　half　the　matter；　but　the　other　half　is　beyond　thy　knowledge。　A　slave's　life　thou　understandest；　but；　never　having　tasted　liberty；　thou　canst　not　tell　whether　it　be　sweet　or　no。　Ah！　hadst　thou　known　what　freedom　is；　thou　wouldst　have　bidden　us　fight　for　it；　not　with　the　spear　only；　but　with　the　battle…axe。〃　　　　　So　they　answered　Hydarnes。　　　　　And　afterwards；　when　they　were　come　to　Susa　into　the　king's　presence；　and　the　guards　ordered　them　to　fall　down　and　do　obeisance；　and　went　so　far　as　to　use　force　to　compel　them；　they　refused；　and　said　they　would　never　do　any　such　thing；　even　were　their　heads　thrust　down　to　the　ground；　for　it　was　not　their　custom　to　worship　men；　and　they　had　not　come　to　Persia　for　that　purpose。　So　they　fought　off　the　ceremony；　and　having　done　so；　addressed　the　king　in　words　much　like　the　following：…　　　　　〃O　king　of　the　Medes！　the　Lacedaemonians　have　sent　us　hither；　in　the　place　of　those　heralds　of　thine　who　were　slain　in　Sparta；　to　make　atonement　to　thee　on　their　account。〃　　　　　Then　Xerxes　answered　with　true　greatness　of　soul　〃that　he　would　not　act　like　the　Lacedaemonians；　who；　by　killing　the　heralds；　had　broken　the　laws　which　all　men　hold　in　common。　As　he　had　blamed　such　conduct　in　them；　he　would　never　be　guilty　of　it　himself。　And　besides；　he　did　not　wish；　by　putting　the　two　men　to　death；　to　free　the　Lacedaemonians　from　the　stain　of　their　former　outrage。〃　　　　　This　conduct　on　the　part　of　the　Spartans　caused　the　anger　of　Talthybius　to　cease　for　a　while；　notwithstanding　that　Sperthias　and　Bulis　returned　home　alive。　But　many　years　afterwards　it　awoke　once　more；　as　the　Lacedaemonians　themselves　declare；　during　the　war　between　the　Peloponnesians　and　the　Athenians。　　　　　In　my　judgment　this　was　a　case　wherein　the　hand　of　Heaven　was　most　plainly　manifest。　That　the　wrath　of　Talthybius　should　have　fallen　upon　ambassadors　and　not　slacked　till　it　had　full　vent；　so　much　justice　required；　but　that　it　should　have　come　upon　the　sons　of　the　very　men　who　were　sent　up　to　the　Persian　king　on　its　account…　upon　Nicolaus；　the　son　of　Bulis；　and　Aneristus；　the　son　of　Sperthias　（the　same　who　carried　off　fishermen　from　Tiryns；　when　cruising　in　a　well…manned　merchant…ship）…　this　does　seem　to　me　to　be　plainly　a　supernatural　circumstance。　Yet　certain　it　is　that　these　two　men；　having　been　sent　to　Asia　as　ambassadors　by　the　Lacedaemonians；　were　betrayed　by　Sitalces；　the　son　of　Teres；　king　of　Thrace；　and　Nymphodorus；　the　son　of　Pythes；　a　native　of　Abdera；　and　being　made　prisoners　at　Bisanthe；　upon　the　Hellespont；　were　conveyed　to　Attica；　and　there　put　to　death　by　the　Athenians；　at　the　same　time　as　Aristeas；　the　son　of　Adeimantus；　the　Corinthian。　All　this　happened；　however；　very　many　years　after　the　expedition　of　Xerxes。　　　　　To　return；　however；　to　my　main　subject…　the　expedition　of　the　Persian　king；　though　it　was　in　name　directed　against　Athens；　threatened　really　the　whole　of　Greece。　And　of　this　the　Greeks　were　aware　some　time　before；　but　they　did　not　all　view　the　matter　in　the　same　light。　Some　of　them　had　given　the　Persian　earth　and　water；　and　were　bold　on　this　account；　deeming　themselves　thereby　secured　against　suffering　hurt　from　the　barbarian　army；　while　others；　who　had　refused　compliance；　were　thrown　into　extreme　alarm。　For　whereas　they　considered　all　the　ships　in　Greece　too　few　to　engage　the　enemy；　it　was　plain　that　the　greater　number　of　states　would　take　no　part　in　the　war；　but　warmly　favoured　the　Medes。　　　　　And　here　I　feel　constrained　to　deliver　an　opinion；　which　most　men；　I　know；　will　mis…like；　but　which；　as　it　seems　to　me　to　be　true；　I　am　determined　not　to　withhold。　Had　the　Athenians；　from　fear　of　the　approaching　danger；　quitted　their　country；　or　had　they　without　quitting　it　submitted　to　the　power　of　Xerxes；　there　would　certainly　have　been　no　attempt　to　resist　the　Persians　by　sea；　in　which　case　the　course　of　events　by　land　would　have　been　the　following。　Though　the　Peloponnesians　might　have　carried　ever　so　many　breastworks　across　the　Isthmus；　yet　their　allies　would　have　fallen　off　from　the　Lacedaemonians；　not　by　voluntary　desertion；　but　because　town　after　town　must　have　been　taken　by　the　fleet　of　the　barbarians；　and　so　the　Lacedaemonians　would　at　last　have　stood　alone；　and；　standing　alone；　would　have　displayed　prodigies　of　valour　and　died　nobly。　Either　they　would　have　done　thus；　or　else；　before　it　came　to　that　extremity；　seeing　one　Greek　state　after　another　embrace　the　cause　of　the　Medes；　they　would　have　come　to　terms　with　King　Xerxes…　and　thus；　either　way　Greece　would　have　been　brought　under　Persia。　For　I　cannot　understand　of　what　possible　use　the　walls　across　the　Isthmus　could　have　been；　if　the　king　had　had　the　mastery　of　the　sea。　If　then　a　man　should　now　say　that　the　Athenians　were　the　saviours　of　Greece；　he　would　not　exceed　the　truth。　For　they　truly　held　the　scales；　and　whichever　side　they　espoused　must　have　carried　the　day。　They　too　it　was　who；　when　they　had　determined　to　maintain　the　freedom　of　Greece；　roused　up　that　portion　of　the　Greek　nation　which　had　not　gone　over　to　the　Medes；　and　so；　next　to　the　gods；　they　repulsed　the　invader。　Even　the　terrible　oracles　which　reached　them　from　Delphi；　and　struck　fear　into　their　hearts；　failed　to　persuade　them　to　fly　from　Greece。　They　had　the　courage　to　remain　faithful　to　their　land；　and　await　the　coming　of　the　foe。　　　　　When　the　Athenians；　anxious　to　consult　the　oracle；　sent　their　messengers　to　Delphi；　hardly　had　the　envoys　completed　the　customary　rites　about　the　sacred　precinct；　and　taken　their　seats　inside　the　sanctuary　of　the　god；　when　the　Pythoness；　Aristonice　by　name；　thus　prophesied…

　　　　Wretches；　why　sit　ye　here？　Fly；　fly　to　the　ends　of　creation；　　　　　Quitting　your　homes；　and　the　crags　which　your　city　crowns　with　　　　　　　her　circlet。　　　　　Neither　the　head；　nor　the　body　is　firm　in　its　place；　nor　at　　　　　　　bottom　　　　　Firm　the　feet；　nor　the　hands；　nor　resteth　the　middle　uninjur'd。　　　　　All…　all　ruined　and　lost。　Since　fire；　and　impetuous　Ares；　　　　　Speeding　along　in　a　Syrian　chariot；　hastes　to　destroy　her。　　　　　Not　alone　shalt　thou　suffer；　full　many　the　towers　he　will　level；　　　　　Many　the　shrines　of　the　gods　he　will　give　to　a　fiery　destruction。　　　　　Even　now　they　stand　with　dark　sweat　horribly　dripping；　　　　　Trembling　and　quaking　for　fear；　and　lo！　from　the　high　roofs　　　　　　　trickleth　　　　　Black　blood；　sign　prophetic　of　hard　distresses　impending。　　　　　Get　ye　away　from　the　temple；　and　brood　on　the　ills　that　await　ye！

　　　　When　the　Athenian　messengers　heard　this　reply；　they　were　filled　with　the　deepest　affliction：　whereupon　Timon；　the　son　of　Androbulus；　one　of　the　men　of　most　mark　among　the　Delphians；　seeing　how　utterly　cast　down　they　were　at　the　gloomy　prophecy；　advised　them　to　take　an　olive…branch；　and　entering　the　sanctuary　again；　consult　the　oracle　as　suppliants。　The　Athenians　followed　this　advice；　and　going　in　once　more；　said…　〃O　king！　we　pray　thee　reverence　these　boughs　of　supplication　which　we　bear　in　our　hands；　and　deliver　to　us　something　more　comforting　concerning　our　country。　Else　we　will　not　leave　thy　sanctuary；　but　will　stay　here　till　we　die。〃　Upon　this　the　priestess　gave　them　a　second　answer；　which　was　the　following：…

　　　　Pallas　has　not　been　able　to　soften　the　lord　of　Olympus；　　　　　Though　she　has　often　prayed　him；　and　urged　him　with　excellent　　　　　　　counsel。　　　　　Yet　once　more　I　address　thee　in　words　than　adamant　firmer。　　　　　When　the　foe　shall　have　taken　whatever　the　limit　of　Cecrops　　　　　Holds　within　it；　and　all　which　divine　Cithaeron；　shelters；　　　　　Then　far…seeing　Jove　grants　this　to　the　prayers　of　Athene；　　　　　Safe　shall　the　wooden　wall　continue　for　thee　and　thy　children。　　　　　Wait　not　the　tramp　of　the　horse；　nor　the　footmen　mightily　moving　　　　　Over　the　land；　but　turn　your　hack　to　the　foe；　and　retire　ye。　　　　　Yet　shall　a　day　arrive　when　ye　shall　meet　him　in　battle。　　　　　Holy　Salamis；　thou　shalt　destroy　the　offspring　of　women；　　　　　When　men　scatter　the　seed；　or　when　they　gather　the　harvest。

　　　　This　answer　seemed；　as　indeed　it　was；　gentler　than　the　former　one；　so　the　envoys　wrote　it　down；　and　went　back　with　it　to　Athens。　When；　however；　upon　their　arrival；　they　produced　it　before　the　people；　and　inquiry　began　to　be　made　into　its　true　meaning；　many　and　various　were　the　interpretations　which　men　put　on　it；　two；　more　especially；　seemed　to　be　directly　opposed　to　one　another。　Certain　of　the　old　men　were　of　opinion　that　the　god　meant　to　tell　them　the　citadel　would　escape；　for　this　was　anciently　defended　by　a　palisade；　and　they　supposed　that　barrier　to　be　the　〃wooden　wall〃　of　the　oracle。　Others　maintained　that　the　fleet　was　what　the　god　pointed　at；　and　their　advice　was　that　nothing　should　be　thought　of　except　the　ships；　which　had　best　be　at　once　got　ready。　Still　such　as　said　the　〃wooden　wall〃　meant　the　fleet；　were　perplexed　by　the　last　two　lines　of　the　oracle…

　　　　Holy　Salamis；　thou　shall　destroy　the　offspring　of　women；　　　　　When　men　scatter　the　seed；　or　when　they　gather　the　harvest。

These　words　caused　great　disturbance　among　those　who　took　the　wooden　wall　to　be　the　ships；　since　the　interpreters　understood　them　to　mean　that；　if　they　made　preparations　for　a　sea…fight；　they　would　suffer　a　defeat　off　Salamis。　　　　　Now　there　was　at　Athens　a　man　who　had　lately　made　his　way　into　the　first　rank　of　citizens：　his　true　name　was　Themistocles；　but　he　was　known　more　generally　as　the　son　of　Neocles。　This　man　came　forward　and　said　that　the　interpreters　had　not　explained　the　oracle　altogether　aright…　〃for　if；〃　he　argued；　〃the　clause　in　question　had　really　respected　the　Athenians；　it　would　not　have　been　expressed　so　mildly；　the　phrase　used　would　have　been　'Luckless　Salamis；'rather　than　'Holy　Salamis；'　had　those　to　whom　the　island　belonged　been　about　to　perish　in　its　n