the history-第84章
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t try some other plan。 The Lacedaemonians did according to the advice of the Messenian； and； without letting her know why； kept a watch upon the mother； by which means they discovered that； whenever she either washed or fed her children； she always gave the same child the preference。 So they took the boy whom the mother honoured the most； and regarding him as the first…born； brought him up in the palace； and the name which they gave to the elder boy was Eurysthenes； while his brother they called Procles。 When the brothers grew up； there was always； so long as they lived； enmity between them； and the houses sprung from their loins have continued the feud to this day。 Thus much is related by the Lacedaemonians； but not by any of the other Greeks； in what follows I give the tradition of the Greeks generally。 The kings of the Dorians （they say）… counting up to Perseus； son of Danae； and so omitting the god… are rightly given in the common Greek lists； and rightly considered to have been Greeks themselves； for even at this early time they ranked among that people。 I say 〃up to Perseus；〃 and not further； because Perseus has no mortal father by whose name he is called； as Hercules has in Amphitryon； whereby it appears that I have reason on my side； and am right in saying； 〃up to Perseus。〃 If we follow the line of Danad； daughter of Acrisius； and trace her progenitors； we shall find that the chiefs of the Dorians are really genuine Egyptians。 In the genealogies here given I have followed the common Greek accounts。 According to the Persian story； Perseus was an Assyrian who became a Greek； his ancestors； therefore； according to them； were not Greeks。 They do not admit that the forefathers of Acrisius were in any way related to Perseus； but say they were Egyptians； as the Greeks likewise testify。 Enough however of this subject。 How it came to pass that Egyptians obtained the kingdoms of the Dorians； and what they did to raise themselves to such a position； these are questions concerning which； as they have been treated by others； I shall say nothing。 I proceed to speak of points on which no other writer has touched。 The prerogatives which the Spartans have allowed their kings are the following。 In the first place； two priesthoods； those （namely） of Lacedaemonian and of Celestial Jupiter； also the right of making war on what country soever they please； without hindrance from any of the other Spartans； under pain of outlawry； on service the privilege of marching first in the advance and last in the retreat； and of having a hundred picked men for their body guard while with the army； likewise the liberty of sacrificing as many cattle in their expeditions as it seems them good； and the right of having the skins and the chines of the slaughtered animals for their own use。 Such are their privileges in war； in peace their rights are as follows。 When a citizen makes a public sacrifice the kings are given the first seats at the banquet； they are served before any of the other guests； and have a double portion of everything； they take the lead in the libations； and the hides of the sacrificed beasts belong to them。 Every month； on the first day； and again on the seventh of the first decade； each king receives a beast without blemish at the public cost； which he offers up to Apollo； likewise a medimnus of meal； and of wine a Laconian quart。 In the contests of the Games they have always the seat of honour； they appoint the citizens who have to entertain foreigners； they also nominate； each of them； two of the Pythians； officers whose business it is to consult the oracle at Delphi； who eat with the kings； and； like them； live at the public charge。 If the kings do not come to the public supper； each of them must have two choenixes of meal and a cotyle of wine sent home to him at his house； if they come； they are given a double quantity of each； and the same when any private man invites them to his table。 They have the custody of all the oracles which are pronounced； but the Pythians must likewise have knowledge of them。 They have the whole decision of certain causes； which are these； and these only：… When a maiden is left the heiress of her father's estate； and has not been betrothed by him to any one； they decide who is to marry her； in all matters concerning the public highways they judge； and if a person wants to adopt a child； he must do it before the kings。 They likewise have the right of sitting in council with the eight…and…twenty senators； and if they are not present； then the senators nearest of kin to them have their privileges； and give two votes as the royal proxies； besides a third vote； which is their own。 Such are the honours which the Spartan people have allowed their kings during their lifetime； after they are dead other honours await them。 Horsemen carry the news of their death through all Laconia； while in the city the women go hither and thither drumming upon a kettle。 At this signal； in every house two free persons； a man and a woman； must put on mourning； or else be subject to a heavy fine。 The Lacedaemonians have likewise a custom at the demise of their kings which is common to them with the barbarians of Asia… indeed with the greater number of the barbarians everywhere… namely； that when one of their kings dies； not only the Spartans； but a certain number of the country people from every part of Laconia are forced； whether they will or no； to attend the funeral。 So these persons and the helots； and likewise the Spartans themselves； flock together to the number of several thousands； men and women intermingled； and all of them smite their foreheads violently； and weep and wall without stint； saying always that their last king was the best。 If a king dies in battle； then they make a statue of him； and placing it upon a couch right bravely decked； so carry it to the grave。 After the burial； by the space of ten days there is no assembly； nor do they elect magistrates； but continue mourning the whole time。 They hold with the Persians also in another custom。 When a king dies； and another comes to the throne； the newly…made monarch forgives all the Spartans the debts which they owe either to the king or to the public treasury。 And in like manner among the Persians each king when he begins to reign remits the tribute due from the provinces。 In one respect the Lacedaemonians resemble the Egyptians。 Their heralds and flute…players； and likewise their cooks； take their trades by succession from their fathers。 A flute…player must be the son of a flute…player； a cook of a cook； a herald of a herald； and other people cannot take advantage of the loudness of their voice to come into the profession and shut out the heralds' sons； but each follows his father's business。 Such are the customs of the Lacedaemonians。 At the time of which we are speaking； while Cleomenes in Egina was labouring for the general good of Greece； Demaratus at Sparta continued to bring charges against him； moved not so much by love of the Eginetans as by jealousy and hatred of his colleague。 Cleomenes therefore was no sooner returned from Egina than he considered with himself how he might deprive Demaratus of his kingly office； and here the following circumstance furnished a ground for him to proceed upon。 Ariston； king of Sparta； had been married to two wives； but neither of them had borne him any children； as however he still thought it was possible he might have offspring； he resolved to wed a third； and this was how the wedding was brought about。 He had a certain friend； a Spartan； with whom he was more intimate than with any other citizen。 This friend was married to a wife whose beauty far surpassed that of all the other women in Sparta； and what was still more strange； she had once been as ugly as she now was beautiful。 For her nurse； seeing how ill…favoured she was； and how sadly her parents； who were wealthy people； took her bad looks to heart； bethought herself of a plan； which was to carry the child every day to the temple of Helen at Therapna； which stands above the Phoebeum； and there to place her before the image； and beseech the goddess to take away the child's ugliness。 One day； as she left the temple； a woman appeared to her； and begged to know what it was she held in her arms。 The nurse told her it was a child； on which she asked to see it； but the nurse refused； the parents； she said； had forbidden her to show the child to any one。 However the woman would not take a denial； and the nurse； seeing how highly she prized a look； at last let her see the child。 Then the woman gently stroked its head； and said； 〃One day this child shall be the fairest dame in Sparta。〃 And her looks began to change from that very day。 When she was of marriageable age； Agetus； son of Alcides； the same whom I have mentioned above as the friend of Ariston； made her his wife。 Now it chanced that Ariston fell in love with this person； and his love so preyed upon his mind that at last he devised as follows。 He went to his friend； the lady's husband； and proposed to him that they should exchange gifts； each taking that which pleased him best out of all the possessions of the other。 His friend； who felt no alarm about his wife； since Ariston was also married； consented readily； and so the matter was confirmed between them by an oath。 Then Ariston gave Agetus the present； whatever it was； of which he had made choice； and when it came to his turn to name the present which he was to receive in exchange； required to be allowed to carry home with him Agetus's wife。 But the other demurred； and said； 〃except his wife； he might have anything else〃： however； as he could not resist the oath which he had sworn； or the trickery which had been practised on him； at last he suffered Ariston to carry her away to his house。 Ariston hereupon put away his second wife and took for his third this woman； and she； in less than the due time… when she had not yet reached her full term of ten months… gave birth to a child； the Demaratus of whom we have spoken。 Then one of his servants came and told him the news； as he sat in council with the Ephors； whereat； remembering when it was that the woman became his wife； he counted the months upon his fingers； and having so done； cried out with an oath； 〃The boy cannot be mine。〃 This was said in the hearing of the Ephors； but they made no account of it at the time。 The boy grew up； and Ariston repented of what he had said； for he became altogether convinced that Demaratus was truly his son。 The reason why he named him Demaratus was the following。 Some time before these events the whole Spartan people； looking upon Ariston as a man of mark beyond all the kings that had reigned at Sparta before him； had offered up a prayer that he might have a son。 On this account； therefore； the name Demaratus was given。 In course of time Ariston died； and Demaratus received the kingdom： but it was fated； as it seems； that these words； when bruited abroad； should strip him of his sovereignty。 This was brought about by means of Cleomenes； whom he had twice sorely vexed； once when he led the army home from Eleusis； and a second time when Cleomenes was gone across to Egina against such as had espoused the side of the Medes。 Cleomenes now； being resolved to ha
