the history-第124章

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　him；　as　joint…leader　of　the　army；　Euryanax；　the　son　of　Dorieus；　a　member　of　his　own　family。　　　　　The　army　accordingly　had　marched　out　from　Sparta　with　Pausanias：　while　the　ambassadors；　when　day　came；　appeared　before　the　Ephors；　knowing　nothing　of　the　march　of　the　troops；　and　purposing　themselves　to　leave　Sparta　forthwith；　and　return　each　man　to　his　own　country。　They　therefore　addressed　the　Ephors　in　these　words：…　〃Lacedaemonians；　as　you　do　not　stir　from　home；　but　keep　the　Hyacinthian　festival；　and　amuse　yourselves；　deserting　the　cause　of　your　confederates；　the　Athenians；　whom　your　behaviour　wrongs；　and　who　have　no　other　allies；　will　make　such　terms　with　the　Persians　as　they　shall　find　possible。　Now　when　terms　are　once　made；　it　is　plain　that；　having　become　the　king's　allies；　we　shall　march　with　the　barbarians　whithersoever　they　choose　to　lead。　Then　at　length　you　will　perceive　what　the　consequences　will　be　to　yourselves。〃　When　the　envoys　had　spoken；　the　Ephors　declared　to　them　with　an　oath：…　〃Our　troops　must　be　at　Oresteum　by　this　time；　on　their　march　against　the　strangers。〃　（The　Spartans　say　〃strangers〃　for　〃barbarians。〃）　At　this　the　ambassadors；　quite　ignorant　of　what　had　happened；　questioned　them　concerning　their　meaning；　and　when；　by　much　questioning；　they　had　discovered　the　truth；　they　were　greatly　astonished　thereat；　and　forthwith　set　off；　at　their　best　speed；　to　overtake　the　Spartan　army。　At　the　same　time　a　body　of　five　thousand　Lacedaemonian　Perioeci；　all　picked　men　and　fully　armed；　set　forth　from　Sparta；　in　the　company　of　the　ambassadors。　　　　　So　these　troops　marched　in　haste　towards　the　Isthmus。　Meanwhile　the　Argives；　who　had　promised　Mardonius　that　they　would　stop　the　Spartans　from　crossing　their　borders；　as　soon　as　they　learnt　that　Pausanias　with　his　army　had　started　from　Sparta；　took　the　swiftest　courier　they　could　find；　and　sent　him　off　to　Attica。　The　message　which　he　delivered；　on　his　arrival　at　Athens；　was　the　following：　〃Mardonius；〃　he　said；　〃the　Argives　have　sent　me　to　tell　thee　that　the　Lacedaemonian　youth　are　gone　forth　from　their　city；　and　that　the　Argives　are　too　weak　to　hinder　them。　Take　good　heed　therefore　to　thyself　at　this　time。〃　After　thus　speaking；　without　a　word　more；　he　returned　home。　　　　　When　Mardonius　learnt　that　the　Spartans　were　on　their　march；　he　no　longer　cared　to　remain　in　Attica。　Hitherto　he　had　kept　quiet；　wishing　to　see　what　the　Athenians　would　do；　and　had　neither　ravaged　their　territory；　nor　done　it　any　the　least　harm；　for　till　now　he　had　cherished　the　hope　that　the　Athenians　would　come　to　terms　with　him。　As；　however；　he　found　that　his　persuasions　were　of　no　avail；　and　as　their　whole　policy　was　now　clear　to　him；　he　determined　to　withdraw　from　Attica　before　Pausanias　with　his　army　reached　the　Isthmus；　first；　however；　he　resolved　to　burn　Athens；　and　to　cast　down　and　level　with　the　ground　whatever　remained　standing　of　the　walls；　temples；　and　other　buildings。　His　reason　for　retreating　was；　that　Attica　was　not　a　country　where　horse　could　act　with　advantage；　and　further；　that　if　he　suffered　defeat　in　a　battle；　no　way　of　escape　was　open　to　him；　except　through　defiles；　where　a　handful　of　troops　might　stop　all　his　army。　So　he　determined　to　withdraw　to　Thebes；　and　give　the　Greeks　battle　in　the　neighbourhood　of　a　friendly　city；　and　on　ground　well　suited　for　cavalry。　　　　　After　he　had　quitted　Attica　and　was　already　upon　his　march；　news　reached　him　that　a　body　of　a　thousand　Lacedaemonians；　distinct　from　the　army　of　Pausanias；　and　sent　on　in　advance；　had　arrived　in　the　Megarid。　When　he　heard　it；　wishing；　if　possible；　to　destroy　this　detachment　first；　Mardonius　considered　with　himself　how　he　might　compass　their　ruin。　With　a　sudden　change　of　march　he　made　for　Megara；　while　the　horse；　pushing　on　in　advance；　entered　and　ravaged　the　Megarid。　（Here　was　the　furthest　point　in　Europe　towards　the　setting　sun　to　which　this　Persian　army　ever　penetrated。）　　　　　After　this；　Mardonius　received　another　message；　whereby　he　learnt　that　the　forces　of　the　Greeks　were　collected　together　at　the　Isthmus；　which　tidings　caused　him　to　draw　back；　and　leave　Attica　by　the　way　of　Deceleia。　The　Boeotarchs　had　sent　for　some　of　the　neighbours　of　the　Asopians；　and　these　persons　served　as　guides　to　the　army；　and　led　them　first　to　Sphendale；　and　from　thence　to　Tanagra；　where　Mardonius　rested　a　night；　after　which；　upon　the　morrow；　he　bent　his　course　to　Scolus；　which　brought　him　into　the　territory　of　the　Thebans。　And　now；　although　the　Thebans　had　espoused　the　cause　of　the　Medes；　yet　Mardonius　cut　down　all　the　trees　in　these　parts；　not　however　from　any　enmity　towards　the　Thebans；　but　on　account　of　his　own　urgent　needs；　for　he　wanted　a　rampart　to　protect　his　army　from　attack；　and　he　likewise　desired　to　have　a　place　of　refuge；　whither　his　troops　might　flee；　in　case　the　battle　should　go　contrary　to　his　wishes。　His　army　at　this　time　lay　on　the　Asopus；　and　stretched　from　Erythrae；　along　by　Hysiae；　to　the　territory　of　the　Plataeans。　The　wall；　however；　was　not　made　to　extend　so　far；　but　formed　a　square　of　about　ten　furlongs　each　way。　　　　　While　the　barbarians　were　employed　in　this　work；　a　certain　citizen　of　Thebes；　Attaginus　by　name；　the　son　of　Phrynon；　having　made　great　preparations；　gave　a　banquet；　and　invited　Mardonius　thereto；　together　with　fifty　of　the　noblest　Persians。　Now　the　banquet　was　held　at　Thebes；　and　all　the　guests　who　were　invited　came　to　it。　　　　　What　follows　was　recounted　to　me　by　Thersander；　a　native　of　Orchomenus；　a　man　of　the　first　rank　in　that　city。　Thersander　told　me　that　he　was　himself　among　those　invited　to　the　feast；　and　that　besides　the　Persians　fifty　Thebans　were　asked；　and　the　two　nations　were　not　arranged　separately；　but　a　Persian　and　a　Theban　were　set　side　by　side　upon　each　couch。　After　the　feast　was　ended；　and　the　drinking　had　begun；　the　Persian　who　shared　Thersander's　couch　addressed　him　in　the　Greek　tongue；　and　inquired　of　him　from　what　city　he　came。　He　answered；　that　he　was　of　Orchomenus；　whereupon　the　other　said…　　　　　〃Since　thou　hast　eaten　with　me　at　one　table；　and　poured　libation　from　one　cup；　I　would　fain　leave　with　thee　a　memorial　of　the　belief　I　hold…　the　rather　that　thou　mayest　have　timely　warning　thyself；　and　so　be　able　to　provide　for　thy　own　safety。　Seest　thou　these　Persians　here　feasting；　and　the　army　which　we　left　encamped　yonder　by　the　river…side？　Yet　a　little　while；　and　of　all　this　number　thou　wilt　behold　but　a　few　surviving！〃　　　　　As　he　spake；　the　Persian　let　fall　a　flood　of　tears：　whereon　Thersander；　who　was　astonished　at　his　words；　replied…　〃Surely　thou　shouldest　say　all　this　to　Mardonius；　and　the　Persians　who　are　next　him　in　honour〃…　but　the　other　rejoined…　〃Dear　friend；　it　is　not　possible　for　man　to　avert　that　which　God　has　decreed　shall　happen。　No　one　believes　warnings；　however　true。　Many　of　us　Persians　know　our　danger；　but　we　are　constrained　by　necessity　to　do　as　our　leader　bids　us。　Verily　'tis　the　sorest　of　all　human　ills；　to　abound　in　knowledge　and　yet　have　no　power　over　action。〃　All　this　I　heard　myself　from　Thersander　the　Orchomenian；　who　told　me　further；　that　he　mentioned　what　had　happened　to　divers　persons；　before　the　battle　was　fought　at　Plataea。　　　　　When　Mardonius　formerly　held　his　camp　in　Boeotia；　all　the　Greeks　of　those　parts　who　were　friendly　to　the　Medes　sent　troops　to　join　his　army；　and　these　troops　accompanied　him　in　his　attack　upon　Athens。　The　Phocians　alone　abstained；　and　took　no　part　in　the　invasion；　for；　though　they　had　espoused　the　Median　cause　warmly；　it　was　very　much　against　their　will；　and　only　because　they　were　compelled　so　to　do。　However；　a　few　days　after　the　arrival　of　the　Persian　army　at　Thebes；　a　thousand　of　their　heavy…armed　soldiers　came　up；　under　the　command　of　Harmocydes；　one　of　their　most　distinguished　citizens。　No　sooner　had　these　troops　reached　Thebes；　than　some　horsemen　came　to　them　from　Mardonius；　with　orders　that　they　should　take　up　a　position　upon　the　plain；　away　from　the　rest　of　the　army。　The　Phocians　did　so；　and　forthwith　the　entire　Persian　cavalry　drew　nigh　to　them：　whereupon　there　went　a　rumour　through　the　whole　of　the　Greek　force　encamped　with　the　Medes；　that　Mardonius　was　about　to　destroy　the　Phocians　with　missiles。　The　same　conviction　ran　through　the　Phocian　troops　themselves；　and　Harmocydes；　their　leader；　addressed　them　thus　with　words　of　encouragement…　〃Phocians〃　said　he；　〃'tis　plain　that　these　men　have　resolved　beforehand　to　take　our　lives；　because　of　the　accusations　of　the　Thessalians；　as　I　imagine。　Now；　then；　is　the　time　for　you　all　to　show　yourselves　brave　men。　'Tis　better　to　die　fighting　and　defending　our　lives；　than　tamely　to　allow　them　to　slay　us　in　this　shameful　fashion。　Let　them　learn　that　they　are　barbarians；　and　that　the　men　whose　death　they　have　plotted　are　Greeks！〃　　　　　Thus　spake　Harmocydes；　and　the　Persian　horse；　having　encircled　the　Phocians；　charged　towards　them；　as　if　about　to　deal　out　death；　with　bows　bent；　and　arrows　ready　to　be　let　fly；　nay；　here　and　there　some　did　even　discharge　their　weapons。　But　the　Phocians　stood　firm；　keeping　close　one　to　another；　and　serrying　their　ranks　as　much　as　possible：　whereupon　the　horse　suddenly　wheeled　round　and　rode　off。　I　cannot　say　with　certainty　whether　they　came；　at　the　prayer　of　the　Thessalians；　to　destroy　the　Phocians；　but　seeing　them　prepared　to　stand　on　their　defence；　and　fearing　to　suffer　damage　at　their　hands；　on　that　account　beat　a　retreat；　having　orders　from　Mardonius　so　to　act；　or　whether　his　sole　intent　was　to　try　the　temper　of　the　Phocians　and　see　whether　they　had　any　courage　or　no。　However　this　may　have　been；　when　the　horsemen　retired；　Mardonius　sent　a　herald　to　the　Phocians；　saying…　〃Fear　not；　Phocians…　ye　have　shown　yourselves　valiant　men…　much　unlike　the　report　I　had　heard　of　you。　Now　therefore　be　forward　in　the　coming　war。　Ye　will　not　readily　outdo　either　the　king　or　myself　in　services。〃　Thus　ended　the　affair　of　the　Phocians。　　　　　The　Lacedaemonians；　when　they　reached　the　Isthmus；　pitched　their　camp　there；　and　the　other　Peloponnesians　who　had　embraced　the　good　side；　hearing　or　else　seeing　that　they　were　upon　the　march；　thought　it　not　right　to　remain　behind　when　the　Spartans　were　going　forth　to　the　war。　So　the　Peloponnesians　went　out　in　one　body　from　the　Isthmus；　the　victims　being　favourable　for　setting　forth；　and　marched　as　far　as　Eleusis；　where　again　they　offered　sacrifices；　and；　finding　the　omens　still　encouraging；　advanced　further。　At　Eleusis　they　were　joined　by　the　Athenians；　who　had　come　across　from　Salamis；　and　now　accompanied　the　main　army。　On　reaching　Erythrae　in　Boeotia；　they　learnt　that　the　barbarians　were　encamped　upon　the　Asopus；　wherefore　they　themselves；　after　considering　how　they　should　act；　disposed　their　forces　opposite　to　the　enemy　upon　the　slopes　of　Mount　Cithaeron。　　　　　Mardonius；　when　he　saw　that　the　Greeks　would　not　come　down　into　the　plain；　sent　all　his　cavalry；　under　Masistius　（or　Macistius；　as　the　Greeks　call　him）；　to　attack　them　where　they　were。　Now　Masistius　was　a　man　of　much　repute　among　the　Persians；　and　rode　a　Nisaean　charger　with　a　golden　bit；　and　otherwise　magnificently　caparisoned。　So　the　horse　advanced　against　the　Greeks；　and　made　attacks　upon　them　in　divisions；　doing　them　great　damage　at　each　charge；　and　insulting　them　by　calling　them　women。　　　　　It　chanced　that　the　Megaria