the history-第7章

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ng　the　knights。　The　five　eldest　of　the　knights　go　out　every　year；　and　are　bound　during　the　year　after　their　discharge　to　go　wherever　the　State　sends　them；　and　actively　employ　themselves　in　its　service。　　　　　Lichas　was　one　of　this　body　when；　partly　by　good　luck；　partly　by　his　own　wisdom；　he　discovered　the　burial…place。　Intercourse　between　the　two　States　existing　just　at　this　time；　he　went　to　Tegea；　and；　happening　to　enter　into　the　workshop　of　a　smith；　he　saw　him　forging　some　iron。　As　he　stood　marvelling　at　what　he　beheld；　he　was　observed　by　the　smith　who；　leaving　off　his　work；　went　up　to　him　and　said；　　　　　〃Certainly；　then；　you　Spartan　stranger；　you　would　have　been　wonderfully　surprised　if　you　had　seen　what　I　have；　since　you　make　a　marvel　even　of　the　working　in　iron。　I　wanted　to　make　myself　a　well　in　this　room；　and　began　to　dig　it；　when　what　think　you？　I　came　upon　a　coffin　seven　cubits　long。　I　had　never　believed　that　men　were　taller　in　the　olden　times　than　they　are　now；　so　I　opened　the　coffin。　The　body　inside　was　of　the　same　length：　I　measured　it；　and　filled　up　the　hole　again。〃　　　　　Such　was　the　man's　account　of　what　he　had　seen。　The　other；　on　turning　the　matter　over　in　his　mind；　conjectured　that　this　was　the　body　of　Orestes；　of　which　the　oracle　had　spoken。　He　guessed　so；　because　he　observed　that　the　smithy　had　two　bellows；　which　he　understood　to　be　the　two　winds；　and　the　hammer　and　anvil　would　do　for　the　stroke　and　the　counterstroke；　and　the　iron　that　was　being　wrought　for　the　evil　lying　upon　evil。　This　he　imagined　might　be　so　because　iron　had　been　discovered　to　the　hurt　of　man。　Full　of　these　conjectures；　he　sped　back　to　Sparta　and　laid　the　whole　matter　before　his　countrymen。　Soon　after；　by　a　concerted　plan；　they　brought　a　charge　against　him；　and　began　a　prosecution。　Lichas　betook　himself　to　Tegea；　and　on　his　arrival　acquainted　the　smith　with　his　misfortune；　and　proposed　to　rent　his　room　of　him。　The　smith　refused　for　some　time；　but　at　last　Lichas　persuaded　him；　and　took　up　his　abode　in　it。　Then　he　opened　the　grave；　and　collecting　the　bones；　returned　with　them　to　Sparta。　From　henceforth；　whenever　the　Spartans　and　the　Tegeans　made　trial　of　each　other's　skill　in　arms；　the　Spartans　always　had　greatly　the　advantage；　and　by　the　time　to　which　we　are　now　come　they　were　masters　of　most　of　the　Peloponnese。　　　　　Croesus；　informed　of　all　these　circumstances；　sent　messengers　to　Sparta；　with　gifts　in　their　hands；　who　were　to　ask　the　Spartans　to　enter　into　alliance　with　him。　They　received　strict　injunctions　as　to　what　they　should　say；　and　on　their　arrival　at　Sparta　spake　as　follows：…　　　　　〃Croesus；　king　of　the　Lydians　and　of　other　nations；　has　sent　us　to　speak　thus　to　you：　'Oh　Lacedaemonians；　the　god　has　bidden　me　to　make　the　Greek　my　friend；　I　therefore　apply　to　you；　in　conformity　with　the　oracle；　knowing　that　you　hold　the　first　rank　in　Greece；　and　desire　to　become　your　friend　and　ally　in　all　true　faith　and　honesty。'〃　　　　　Such　was　the　message　which　Croesus　sent　by　his　heralds。　The　Lacedaemonians；　who　were　aware　beforehand　of　the　reply　given　him　by　the　oracle；　were　full　of　joy　at　the　coming　of　the　messengers；　and　at　once　took　the　oaths　of　friendship　and　alliance：　this　they　did　the　more　readily　as　they　had　previously　contracted　certain　obligations　towards　him。　They　had　sent　to　Sardis　on　one　occasion　to　purchase　some　gold；　intending　to　use　it　on　a　statue　of　Apollo…　the　statue；　namely；　which　remains　to　this　day　at　Thornax　in　Laconia；　when　Croesus；　hearing　of　the　matter；　gave　them　as　a　gift　the　gold　which　they　wanted。　　　　　This　was　one　reason　why　the　Lacedaemonians　were　so　willing　to　make　the　alliance：　another　was；　because　Croesus　had　chosen　them　for　his　friends　in　preference　to　all　the　other　Greeks。　They　therefore　held　themselves　in　readiness　to　come　at　his　summons；　and　not　content　with　so　doing；　they　further　had　a　huge　vase　made　in　bronze；　covered　with　figures　of　animals　all　round　the　outside　of　the　rim；　and　large　enough　to　contain　three　hundred　amphorae；　which　they　sent　to　Croesus　as　a　return　for　his　presents　to　them。　The　vase；　however；　never　reached　Sardis。　Its　miscarriage　is　accounted　for　in　two　quite　different　ways。　The　Lacedaemonian　story　is　that　when　it　reached　Samos；　on　its　way　towards　Sardis；　the　Samians　having　knowledge　of　it；　put　to　sea　in　their　ships　of　war　and　made　it　their　prize。　But　the　Samians　declare　that　the　Lacedaemonians　who　had　the　vase　in　charge；　happening　to　arrive　too　late；　and　learning　that　Sardis　had　fallen　and　that　Croesus　was　a　prisoner；　sold　it　in　their　island；　and　the　purchasers　（who　were；　they　say；　private　persons）　made　an　offering　of　it　at　the　shrine　of　Juno：　the　sellers　were　very　likely　on　their　return　to　Sparta　to　have　said　that　they　had　been　robbed　of　it　by　the　Samians。　Such；　then；　was　the　fate　of　the　vase。　　　　　Meanwhile　Croesus；　taking　the　oracle　in　a　wrong　sense；　led　his　forces　into　Cappadocia；　fully　expecting　to　defeat　Cyrus　and　destroy　the　empire　of　the　Persians。　While　he　was　still　engaged　in　making　preparations　for　his　attack；　a　Lydian　named　Sandanis；　who　had　always　been　looked　upon　as　a　wise　man；　but　who　after　this　obtained　a　very　great　name　indeed　among　his　countrymen；　came　forward　and　counselled　the　king　in　these　words：　　　　　〃Thou　art　about；　oh！　king；　to　make　war　against　men　who　wear　leathern　trousers；　and　have　all　their　other　garments　of　leather；　who　feed　not　on　what　they　like；　but　on　what　they　can　get　from　a　soil　that　is　sterile　and　unkindly；　who　do　not　indulge　in　wine；　but　drink　water；　who　possess　no　figs　nor　anything　else　that　is　good　to　eat。　If；　then；　thou　conquerest　them；　what　canst　thou　get　from　them；　seeing　that　they　have　nothing　at　all？　But　if　they　conquer　thee；　consider　how　much　that　is　precious　thou　wilt　lose：　if　they　once　get　a　taste　of　our　pleasant　things；　they　will　keep　such　hold　of　them　that　we　shall　never　be　able　to　make　them　loose　their　grasp。　For　my　part；　I　am　thankful　to　the　gods　that　they　have　not　put　it　into　the　hearts　of　the　Persians　to　invade　Lydia。〃　　　　　Croesus　was　not　persuaded　by　this　speech；　though　it　was　true　enough；　for　before　the　conquest　of　Lydia；　the　Persians　possessed　none　of　the　luxuries　or　delights　of　life。　　　　　The　Cappadocians　are　known　to　the　Greeks　by　the　name　of　Syrians。　Before　the　rise　of　the　Persian　power；　they　had　been　subject　to　the　Medes；　but　at　the　present　time　they　were　within　the　empire　of　Cyrus；　for　the　boundary　between　the　Median　and　the　Lydian　empires　was　the　river　Halys。　This　stream；　which　rises　in　the　mountain　country　of　Armenia；　runs　first　through　Cilicia；　afterwards　it　flows　for　a　while　with　the　Matieni　on　the　right；　and　the　Phrygians　on　the　left：　then；　when　they　are　passed；　it　proceeds　with　a　northern　course；　separating　the　Cappadocian　Syrians　from　the　Paphlagonians；　who　occupy　the　left　bank；　thus　forming　the　boundary　of　almost　the　whole　of　Lower　Asia；　from　the　sea　opposite　Cyprus　to　the　Euxine。　Just　there　is　the　neck　of　the　peninsula；　a　journey　of　five　days　across　for　an　active　walker。　　　　　There　were　two　motives　which　led　Croesus　to　attack　Cappadocia：　firstly；　he　coveted　the　land；　which　he　wished　to　add　to　his　own　dominions；　but　the　chief　reason　was　that　he　wanted　to　revenge　on　Cyrus　the　wrongs　of　Astyages；　and　was　made　confident　by　the　oracle　of　being　able　so　to　do：　for　Astyages；　son　of　Cyaxares　and　king　of　the　Medes；　who　had　been　dethroned　by　Cyrus；　son　of　Cambyses；　was　Croesus'　brother　by　marriage。　This　marriage　had　taken　place　under　circumstances　which　I　will　now　relate。　A　band　of　Scythian　nomads；　who　had　left　their　own　land　on　occasion　of　some　disturbance；　had　taken　refuge　in　Media。　Cyaxares；　son　of　Phraortes；　and　grandson　of　Deioces；　was　at　that　time　king　of　the　country。　Recognising　them　as　suppliants；　he　began　by　treating　them　with　kindness；　and　coming　presently　to　esteem　them　highly；　he　intrusted　to　their　care　a　number　of　boys；　whom　they　were　to　teach　their　language　and　to　instruct　in　the　use　of　the　bow。　Time　passed；　and　the　Scythians　employed　themselves；　day　after　day；　in　hunting；　and　always　brought　home　some　game；　but　at　last　it　chanced　that　one　day　they　took　nothing。　On　their　return　to　Cyaxares　with　empty　hands；　that　monarch；　who　was　hot…tempered；　as　he　showed　upon　the　occasion；　received　them　very　rudely　and　insultingly。　In　consequence　of　this　treatment；　which　they　did　not　conceive　themselves　to　have　deserved；　the　Scythians　determined　to　take　one　of　the　boys　whom　they　had　in　charge；　cut　him　in　pieces；　and　then　dressing　the　flesh　as　they　were　wont　to　dress　that　of　the　wild　animals；　serve　it　up　to　Cyaxares　as　game：　after　which　they　resolved　to　convey　themselves　with　all　speed　to　Sardis；　to　the　court　of　Alyattes；　the　son　of　Sadyattes。　The　plan　was　carried　out：　Cyaxares　and　his　guests　ate　of　the　flesh　prepared　by　the　Scythians；　and　they　themselves；　having　accomplished　their　purpose；　fled　to　Alyattes　in　the　guise　of　suppliants。　　　　　Afterwards；　on　the　refusal　of　Alyattes　to　give　up　his　suppliants　when　Cyaxares　sent　to　demand　them　of　him；　war　broke　out　between　the　Lydians　and　the　Medes；　and　continued　for　five　years；　with　various　success。　In　the　course　of　it　the　Medes　gained　many　victories　over　the　Lydians；　and　the　Lydians　also　gained　many　victories　over　the　Medes。　Among　their　other　battles　there　was　one　night　engagement。　As；　however；　the　balance　had　not　inclined　in　favour　of　either　nation；　another　combat　took　place　in　the　sixth　year；　in　the　course　of　which；　just　as　the　battle　was　growing　warm；　day　was　on　a　sudden　changed　into　night。　This　event　had　been　foretold　by　Thales；　the　Milesian；　who　forewarned　the　Ionians　of　it；　fixing　for　it　the　very　year　in　which　it　actually　took　place。　The　Medes　and　Lydians；　when　they　observed　the　change；　ceased　fighting；　and　were　alike　anxious　to　have　terms　of　peace　agreed　on。　Syennesis　of　Cilicia；　and　Labynetus　of　Babylon；　were　the　persons　who　mediated　between　the　parties；　who　hastened　the　taking　of　the　oaths；　and　brought　about　the　exchange　of　espousals。　It　was　they　who　advised　that　Alyattes　should　give　his　daughter　Aryenis　in　marriage　to　Astyages；　the　son　of　Cyaxares；　knowing；　as　they　did；　that　without　some　sure　bond　of　strong　necessity；　there　is　wont　to　be　but　little　security　in　men's　covenants。　Oaths　are　taken　by　these　people　in　the　same　way　as　by　the　Greeks；　except　that　they　make　a　slight　flesh　wound　in　their　arms；　from　which　each　sucks　a　portion　of　the　other's　blood。　　　　　Cyrus　had　captured　this　Astyages；　who　was　his　mother's　father；　and　kept　him　prisoner；　for　a　reason　which　I　shall　bring　forward　in　another　of　my　history。　This　capture　formed　the　ground　of　quarrel　between　Cyrus　and　Croesus；　in　consequence　of　which　Croesus　sent　his　servants　to　ask　the　oracle　if　he　should　attack　the　Persians；　and　when　an　evasive　answer　came；　fancying　it　to　be　in　his　favour；　carried　his　arms　into　the　Persian　territory。　When　he　reached　the　river　Halys；　he　transported　his　army　across　it；　as　I　maintain；　by　the　bridges　which　exist　there　at　the　present　day；　but；　according　to　the　general　belief　of　the　Greeks；　by　the　aid　of　Thales　the　Milesian。　The　tale　is　that　Croesus　was　in　doubt　how　he　should　get　his　army　across；　as　the　bridges　were　not　made　at　that　time；　and　that　Thales；　who　happened　to　be　in　the　camp；　divided　the　stream　and　caused　it　to　flow　on　both　sides　of　the　army　instead　of　on　the　left　only。　This　he　effected　thus：…　Beginning　some　distance　above　the　camp；　h