the history-第125章

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eat　damage　at　each　charge；　and　insulting　them　by　calling　them　women。　　　　　It　chanced　that　the　Megarians　were　drawn　up　in　the　position　most　open　to　attack；　and　where　the　ground　offered　the　best　approach　to　the　cavalry。　Finding　themselves　therefore　hard　pressed　by　the　assaults　upon　their　ranks；　they　sent　a　herald　to　the　Greek　leaders；　who　came　and　said　to　them；　〃This　is　the　message　of　the　Megarians…　We　cannot；　brothers…in…arms；　continue　to　resist　the　Persian　horse　in　that　post　which　we　have　occupied　from　the　first；　if　we　are　left　without　succours。　Hitherto；　although　hard　pressed；　we　have　held　out　against　them　firmly　and　courageously。　Now；　however；　if　you　do　not　send　others　to　take　our　place；　we　warn　you　that　we　shall　quit　our　post。〃　Such　were　the　words　of　the　herald。　Pausanias；　when　he　heard　them；　inquired　among　his　troops　if　there　were　any　who　would　volunteer　to　take　the　post；　and　so　relieve　the　Megarians。　Of　the　rest　none　were　willing　to　go；　whereupon　the　Athenians　offered　themselves；　and　a　body　of　picked　men；　three　hundred　in　number；　commanded　by　Olympiodorus；　the　son　of　Lampo；　undertook　the　service。　　　　　Selecting；　to　accompany　them；　the　whole　body　of　archers；　these　men　relieved　the　Megarians；　and　occupied　a　post　which　all　the　other　Greeks　collected　at　Erythrae　had　shrunk　from　holding。　After　the　struggle　had　continued　for　a　while；　it　came　to　an　end　on　this　wise。　As　the　barbarians　continued　charging　in　divisions；　the　horse　of　Masistius；　which　was　in　front　of　the　others；　received　an　arrow　in　his　flank；　the　pain　of　which　caused　him　to　rear　and　throw　his　rider。　Immediately　the　Athenians　rushed　upon　Masistius　as　he　lay；　caught　his　horse；　and　when　he　himself　made　resistance；　slew　him。　At　first；　however；　they　were　not　able　to　take　his　life；　for　his　armour　hindered　them。　He　had　on　a　breastplate　formed　of　golden　scales；　with　a　scarlet　tunic　covering　it。　Thus　the　blows；　all　falling　upon　his　breastplate；　took　no　effect；　till　one　of　the　soldiers；　perceiving　the　reason；　drove　his　weapon　into　his　eye　and　so　slew　him。　All　this　took　place　without　any　of　the　other　horsemen　seeing　it：　they　had　neither　observed　their　leader　fall　from　his　horse；　nor　beheld　him　slain；　for　he　fell　as　they　wheeled　round　and　prepared　for　another　charge；　so　that　they　were　quite　ignorant　of　what　had　happened。　When；　however；　they　halted；　and　found　that　there　was　no　one　to　marshal　their　line；　Masistius　was　missed；　and　instantly　his　soldiers；　understanding　what　must　have　befallen　him；　with　loud　cheers　charged　the　enemy　in　one　mass；　hoping　to　recover　the　dead　body。　　　　　So　when　the　Athenians　saw　that；　instead　of　coming　up　in　squadrons；　the　whole　mass　of　the　horse　was　about　to　charge　them　at　once；　they　called　out　to　the　other　troops　to　make　haste　to　their　aid。　While　the　rest　of　the　infantry；　however；　was　moving　to　their　assistance；　the　contest　waxed　fierce　about　the　dead　body　of　Masistius。　The　three　hundred；　so　long　as　they　fought　by　themselves；　had　greatly　the　worse　of　the　encounter；　and　were　forced　to　retire　and　yield　up　the　body　to　the　enemy；　but　when　the　other　troops　approached；　the　Persian　horse　could　no　longer　hold　their　ground；　but　fled　without　carrying　off　the　body；　having　incurred　in　the　attempt　a　further　loss　of　several　of　their　number。　They　therefore　retired　about　two　furlongs；　and　consulted　with　each　other　what　was　best　to　be　done。　Being　without　a　leader；　it　seemed　to　them　the　fittest　course　to　return　to　Mardonius。　　　　　When　the　horse　reached　the　camp；　Mardonius　and　all　the　Persian　army　made　great　lamentation　for　Masistius。　They　shaved　off　all　the　hair　from　their　own　heads；　and　cut　the　manes　from　their　war…horses　and　their　sumpter…beasts；　while　they　vented　their　grief　in　such　loud　cries　that　all　Boeotia　resounded　with　the　clamour；　because　they　had　lost　the　man　who；　next　to　Mardonius；　was　held　in　the　greatest　esteem；　both　by　the　king　and　by　the　Persians　generally。　So　the　barbarians；　after　their　own　fashion；　paid　honours　to　the　dead　Masistius。　　　　　The　Greeks；　on　the　other　hand；　were　greatly　emboldened　by　what　had　happened；　seeing　that　they　had　not　only　stood　their　ground　against　the　attacks　of　the　horse；　but　had　even　compelled　them　to　beat　a　retreat。　They　therefore　placed　the　dead　body　of　Masistius　upon　a　cart；　and　paraded　it　along　the　ranks　of　the　army。　Now　the　body　was　a　sight　which　well　deserved　to　be　gazed　upon；　being　remarkable　both　for　stature　and　for　beauty；　and　it　was　to　stop　the　soldiers　from　leaving　their　ranks　to　look　at　it；　that　they　resolved　to　carry　it　round。　After　this　the　Greeks　determined　to　quit　the　high　ground　and　go　nearer　Plataea；　as　the　land　there　seemed　far　more　suitable　for　an　encampment　than　the　country　about　Erythrae；　particularly　because　it　was　better　supplied　with　water。　To　this　place　therefore；　and　more　especially　to　a　spring…head　which　was　called　Gargaphia；　they　considered　that　it　would　be　best　for　them　to　remove；　after　which　they　might　once　more　encamp　in　their　order。　So　they　took　their　arms；　and　proceeded　along　the　slopes　of　Cithaeron；　past　Hysiae；　to　the　territory　of　the　Plataeans；　and　here　they　drew　themselves　up；　nation　by　nation；　close　by　the　fountain　Gargaphia；　and　the　sacred　precinct　of　the　Hero　Androcrates；　partly　along　some　hillocks　of　no　great　height；　and　partly　upon　the　level　of　the　plain。　　　　　Here；　in　the　marshalling　of　the　nations；　a　fierce　battle　of　words　arose　between　the　Athenians　and　the　Tegeans；　both　of　whom　claimed　to　have　one　of　the　wings　assigned　to　them。　On　each　side　were　brought　forward　the　deeds　which　they　had　done；　whether　in　earlier　or　in　later　times；　and　first　the　Tegeans　urged　their　claim　as　follows：…　　　　　〃This　post　has　been　always　considered　our　right；　and　not　the　right　of　any　of　the　other　allies；　in　all　the　expeditions　which　have　been　entered　into　conjointly　by　the　Peloponnesians；　both　anciently　and　in　later　times。　Ever　since　the　Heraclidae　made　their　attempt；　after　the　death　of　Eurystheus；　to　return　by　force　of　arms　into　the　Peloponnese；　this　custom　has　been　observed。　It　was　then　that　the　right　became　ours；　and　this　was　the　way　in　which　we　gained　it：…　When；　in　company　with　the　Achaeans　and　Ionians　who　then　dwelt　in　the　Peloponnese；　we　marched　out　to　the　Isthmus；　and　pitched　our　camp　over　against　the　invaders；　then；　as　the　tale　goes；　that　Hyllus　made　proclamation；　saying…　'It　needs　not　to　imperil　two　armies　in　a　general　battle；　rather　let　one　be　chosen　from　the　Peloponnesian　ranks；　whomsoever　they　deem　the　bravest；　and　let　him　engage　with　me　in　single　combat；　on　such　terms　as　shall　be　agreed　upon。'　The　saying　pleased　the　Peloponnesians；　and　oaths　were　sworn　to　the　effect　following：…　'If　Hyllus　conquer　the　Peloponnesian　champion；　the　Heraclidae　shall　return　to　their　inheritance；　if；　on　the　other　hand；　he　be　conquered；　the　Heraclidae　shall　withdraw；　lead　back　their　army；　and　engage　for　the　next　hundred　years　to　make　no　further　endeavours　to　force　their　return。〃　Hereupon　Echemus；　the　son　of　Aeropus　and　grandson　of　Phegeus；　who　was　our　leader　and　king；　offered　himself；　and　was　preferred　before　all　his　brothers…in…arms　as　champion；　engaged　in　single　combat　with　Hyllus；　and　slew　him　upon　the　spot。　For　this　exploit　we　were　rewarded　by　the　Peloponnesians　of　that　day　with　many　goodly　privileges；　which　we　have　ever　since　enjoyed；　and；　among　the　rest；　we　obtained　the　right　of　holding　the　leading　post　in　one　wing；　whenever　a　joint　expedition　goes　forth　beyond　our　borders。　With　you　then；　O　Lacedaemonians；　we　do　not　claim　to　compete；　choose　you　which　wing　ye　please；　we　yield　and　grant　you　the　preference：　but　we　maintain　that　the　command　of　the　other　wing　belongs　of　right　to　us；　now　no　less　than　formerly。　Moreover；　set　aside　this　exploit　which　we　have　related；　and　still　our　title　to　the　chief　post　is　better　than　that　of　the　Athenians：　witness　the　many　glorious　fights　in　which　we　have　been　engaged　against　yourselves；　O　Spartans！　as　well　as　those　which　we　have　maintained　with　others。　We　have　therefore　more　right　to　this　place　than　they；　for　they　have　performed　no　exploits　to　be　compared　to　ours；　whether　we　look　to　earlier　or　to　later　times。〃　　　　　Thus　spake　the　Tegeans；　and　the　Athenians　made　reply　as　follows：…　〃We　are　not　ignorant　that　our　forces　were　gathered　here；　not　for　the　purpose　of　speech…making；　but　for　battle　against　the　barbarian。　Yet　as　the　Tegeans　have　been　pleased　to　bring　into　debate　the　exploits　performed　by　our　two　nations；　alike　in　carlier　and　in　later　times；　we　have　no　choice　but　to　set　before　you　the　grounds　on　which　we　claim　it　as　our　heritage；　deserved　by　our　unchanging　bravery；　to　be　preferred　above　Arcadians。　In　the　first　place；　then；　those　very　Heraclidae；　whose　leader　they　boast　to　have　slain　at　the　Isthmus；　and　whom　the　other　Greeks　would　not　receive　when　they　asked　a　refuge　from　the　bondage　wherewith　they　were　threatened　by　the　people　of　Mycinae；　were　given　a　shelter　by　us；　and　we　brought　down　the　insolence　of　Eurystheus；　and　helped　to　gain　the　victory　over　those　who　were　at　that　time　lords　of　the　Peloponnese。　Again；　when　the　Argives　led　their　troops　with　Polynices　against　Thebes；　and　were　slain　and　refused　burial；　it　is　our　boast　that　we　went　out　against　the　Cadmeians；　recovered　the　bodies；　and　buried　them　at　Eleusis　in　our　own　territory。　Another　noble　deed　of　ours　was　that　against　the　Amazons；　when　they　came　from　their　seats　upon　the　Thermodon；　and　poured　their　hosts　into　Attica；　and　in　the　Trojan　war　too　we　were　not　a　whit　behind　any　of　the　Greeks。　But　what　boots　it　to　speak　of　these　ancient　matters？　A　nation　which　was　brave　in　those　days　might　have　grown　cowardly　since；　and　a　nation　of　cowards　then　might　now　be　valiant。　Enough　therefore　of　our　ancient　achievements。　Had　we　performed　no　other　exploit　than　that　at　Marathon…　though　in　truth　we　have　performed　exploits　as　many　and　as　noble　as　any　of　the　Greeks…　yet　had　we　performed　no　other；　we　should　deserve　this　privilege；　and　many　a　one　beside。　There　we　stood　alone；　and　singly　fought　with　the　Persians；　nay；　and　venturing　on　so　dangerous　a　cast；　we　overcame　the　enemy；　and　conquered　on　that　day　forty　and　six　nations！　Does　not　this　one　achievement　suffice　to　make　good　our　title　to　the　post　we　claim？　Nevertheless；　Lacedaemonians；　as　to　strive　concerning　place　at　such　a　time　as　this　is　not　right；　we　are　ready　to　do　as　ye　command；　and　to　take　our　station　at　whatever　part　of　the　line；　and　face　whatever　nation　ye　think　most　expedient。　Wheresoever　ye　place　us；　'twill　be　our　endeavour　to　behave　as　brave　men。　Only　declare　your　will；　and　we　shall　at　once　obey　you。〃　　　　　Such　was　the　reply　of　the　Athenians；　and　forthwith　all　the　Lacedaemonian　troops　cried　out　with　one　voice；　that　the　Athenians　were　worthier　to　have　the　left　wing　than　the　Arcadians。　In　this　way　were　the　Tegeans　overcome；　and　the　post　was　assigned　to　the　Athenians。　　　　　When　this　matter　had　been　arranged；　the　Greek　army；　which　was　in　part　composed　of　those　who　came　at　the　first；　in　part　of　such　as　had　flocked　in　from　day　to　day；　drew　up　in　the　following　order：…　Ten　thousand　Lacedaemonian　troops　held　the　right　wing；　five　thousand　of　whom　were　Spartans；　and　these　five　thousand　were　attended　by　a　body　of　thirty…five　thousand　Helots；　who　were　only　lightly　armed…　seven　Helots　to　each　Spartan。　The　place　next　to　themselves　the　Spartans　gave　to　the　Tegeans；　on　account　of　their　courage　and　of　the　esteem　in　which　they　held　t