timoleon-第2章

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nevertheless；　secretly　reviling　Timoleon；　as　one　that　had　committed　an
impious　and　abominable　act；　drove　him　into　melancholy　and　dejection。
And　when　he　came　to　understand　how　heavily　his　mother　took　it；　and
that　she　likewise　uttered　the　saddest　complaints　and　most　terrible
imprecations　against　him；　he　went　to　satisfy　and　comfort　her　as　to
what　had　happened；　and　finding　that　she　would　not　endure　so　much　as　to
look　upon　him；　but　caused　her　doors　to　be　shut；　that　he　might　have
no　admission　into　her　presence；　with　grief　at　this　he　grew　so
disordered　in　his　mind　and　so　disconsolate；　that　he　determined　to
put　an　end　to　his　perplexity　with　his　life；　by　abstaining　from　all
manner　of　sustenance。　But　through　the　care　and　diligence　of　his
friends；　who　were　very　instant　with　him；　and　added　force　to　their
entreaties；　he　came　to　resolve　and　promise　at　last；　that　he　would
endure　living；　provided　it　might　be　in　solitude；　and　remote　from
company；　so　that；　quitting　all　civil　transactions　and　commerce　with
the　world　for　a　long　while　after　his　first　retirement；　he　never　came
into　Corinth；　but　wandered　up　and　down　the　fields；　full　of　anxious　and
tormenting　thoughts；　and　spent　his　time　in　desert　places；　at　the
farthest　distance　from　society　and　human　intercourse。　So　true　it　is
that　the　minds　of　men　are　easily　shaken　and　carried　off　from　their　own
sentiments　through　the　casual　commendation　or　reproof　of　others；
unless　the　judgments　that　we　make；　and　the　purposes　we　conceive；　be
confirmed　by　reason　and　philosophy；　and　thus　obtain　strength　and
steadiness。　An　action　must　not　only　be　just　and　laudable　in　its　own
nature；　but　it　must　proceed　likewise　from　motives　and　a　lasting
principle；　that　so　we　may　fully　and　constantly　approve　the　thing；
and　be　perfectly　satisfied　in　what　we　do；　for　otherwise；　after
having　put　our　resolution　into　practice；　we　shall　out　of　pure　weakness
come　to　be　troubled　at　the　performance；　when　the　grace　and
godliness；　which　rendered　it　before　so　amiable　and　pleasing　to　us；
begin　to　decay　and　wear　out　of　our　fancy；　like　greedy　people；　who；
seizing　on　the　more　delicious　morsels　of　any　dish　with　a　keen
appetite；　are　presently　disgusted　when　they　grow　full；　and　find
themselves　oppressed　and　uneasy　now　by　what　they　before　so　greedily
desired。　For　a　succeeding　dislike　spoils　the　best　of　actions；　and
repentance　makes　that　which　was　never　so　well　done　become　base　and
faulty；　whereas　the　choice　that　is　founded　upon　knowledge　and　wise
reasoning　does　not　change　by　disappointment；　or　suffer　us　to　repent；
though　it　happen　perchance　to　be　less　prosperous　in　the　issue。　And
thus；　Phocion；　of　Athens；　having　always　vigorously　opposed　the
measures　of　Leosthenes；　when　success　appeared　to　attend　them；　and　he
saw　his　countrymen　rejoicing　and　offering　sacrifice　in　honour　of　their
victory；　〃I　should　have　been　as　glad；〃　said　he　to　them；　〃that　I　myself
had　been　the　author　of　what　Leosthenes　has　achieved　for　you；　as　I　am
that　I　gave　you　my　own　counsel　against　it。〃　A　more　vehement　reply　is
record　to　have　been　made　by　Aristides　the　Locrian；　one　of　Plato's
companions；　to　Dionysius　the　elder；　who　demanded　one　of　his
daughters　in　marriage：　〃I　had　rather；〃　said　he　to　him；　〃see　the　virgin
in　her　grave　than　in　the　palace　of　a　tyrant。〃　And　when　Dionysius；
enraged　at　the　affront；　made　his　sons　be　put　to　death　a　while　after；
and　then　again　insultingly　asked；　whether　he　were　still　in　the　same
mind　as　to　the　disposal　of　his　daughters；　his　answer　was；　〃I　cannot
but　grieve　at　the　cruelty　of　your　deeds；　but　am　not　sorry　for　the
freedom　of　my　own　words。〃　Such　expressions　as　these　may　belong　perhaps
to　a　more　sublime　and　accomplished　virtue。
　　The　grief；　however；　of　Timoleon　at　what　had　been　done；　whether　it
arose　from　commiseration　of　his　brother's　fate　or　the　reverence　he
bore　his　mother；　so　shattered　and　broke　his　spirits；　that　for　the
space　of　almost　twenty　years　he　had　not　offered　to　concern　himself
in　any　honourable　or　public　action。　When；　therefore；　he　was　pitched
upon　for　a　general；　and；　joyfully　accepted　as　such　by　the　suffrages　of
the　people；　Teleclides；　who　was　at　that　time　the　most　powerful　and
distinguished　man　in　Corinth；　began　to　exhort　him　that　he　would　act
now　like　a　man　of　worth　and　gallantry：　〃For；〃　said　he；　〃if　you　do
bravely　in　this　service　we　shall　believe　that　you　delivered　us　from
a　tyrant；　but　if　otherwise　that　you　killed　your　brother。〃　While　he　was
yet　preparing　to　set　sail；　and　enlisting　soldiers　to　embark　with
him；　there　came　letters　to　the　Corinthians　from　Hicetes；　plainly
disclosing　his　revolt　and　treachery。　For　his　ambassadors　had　no　sooner
gone　for　Corinth；　but　he　openly　joined　the　Carthaginians；
negotiating　that　they　might　assist　him　to　throw　out　Dionysius；　and
become　master　of　Syracuse　in　his　room。　And　fearing　he　might　be
disappointed　of　his　aim　if　troops　and　a　commander　should　come　from
Corinth　before　this　were　effected；　he　sent　a　letter　of　advice　thither；
in　all　haste；　to　prevent　their　setting　out；　telling　them　they　need　not
be　at　any　cost　and　trouble　upon　his　account；　or　run　the　hazard　of　a
Sicilian　voyage；　especially　since　the　Carthaginians；　alliance　with
whom　against　Dionysius　the　slowness　of　their　motions　had　compelled　him
to　embrace；　would　dispute　their　passage；　and　lay　in　wait　to　attack
them　with　a　numerous　fleet。　This　letter　being　publicly　read；　if　any
had　been　cold　and　indifferent　before　as　to　the　expedition　in　hand；　the
indignation　they　now　conceived　against　Hicetes　so　exasperated　and
inflamed　them　all　that　they　willingly　contributed　to　supply
Timoleon；　and　endeavoured　with　one　accord　to　hasten　his　departure。
　　When　the　vessels　were　equipped；　and　his　soldiers　every　way
provided　for；　the　female　priest　of　Proserpina　had　a　dream　or　vision
wherein　she　and　her　mother　Ceres　appeared　to　them　in　a　travelling
garb；　and　were　heard　to　say　that　they　were　going　to　sail　with　Timoleon
into　Sicily；　whereupon　the　Corinthians；　having　built　a　sacred
galley；　devoted　it　to　them；　and　called　it　the　galley　of　the　goddesses。
Timoleon　went　in　person　to　Delphi；　where　he　sacrificed　to　Apollo；　and；
descending　into　the　place　of　prophecy；　was　surprised　with　the
following　marvellous　occurrence。　A　riband；　with　crowns　and　figures
of　victory　embroidered　upon　it；　slipped　off　from　among　the　gifts
that　were　there　consecrated　and　hung　up　in　the　temple；　and　fell
directly　down　upon　his　head；　so　that　Apollo　seemed　already　to　crown
him　with　success；　and　send　him　thence　to　conquer　and　triumph。　He　put
to　sea　only　with　seven　ships　of　Corinth；　two　of　Corcyra；　and　a　tenth
which　was　furnished　by　the　Leucadians；　and　when　he　was　now　entered
into　the　deep　by　night；　and　carried　with　a　prosperous　gale；　the　heaven
seemed　all　on　a　sudden　to　break　open；　and　a　bright　spreading　flame
to　issue　forth　from　it；　and　hover　over　the　ship　he　was　in；　and；　having
formed　itself　into　a　torch；　not　unlike　those　that　are　used　in　the
mysteries；　it　began　to　steer　the　same　course；　and　run　along　in　their
company；　guiding　them　by　its　light　to　that　quarter　of　Italy　where　they
designed　to　go　ashore。　The　soothsayers　affirmed　that　this　apparition
agreed　with　the　dream　of　the　holy　woman；　since　the　goddesses　were
now　visibly　joining　in　the　expedition；　and　sending　this　light　from
heaven　before　them：　Sicily　being　thought　sacred　to　Proserpina；　as
poets　feign　that　the　rape　was　committed　there；　and　that　the　island　was
given　her　in　dowry　when　she　married　Pluto。
　　These　early　demonstrations　of　divine　favour　greatly　encouraged　his
whole　army；　so　that　making　all　the　speed　they　were　able；　by　a　voyage
across　the　open　sea；　they　were　soon　passing　along　the　coast　of
Italy。　But　the　tidings　that　came　from　Sicily　much　perplexed
Timoleon；　and　disheartened　his　soldiers。　For　Hicetes；　having　already
beaten　Dionysius　out　of　the　field；　and　reduced　most　of　the　quarters　of
Syracuse　itself；　now　hemmed　him　in　and　besieged　him　in　the　citadel　and
what　is　called　the　Island；　whither　he　was　fled　for　his　last　refuge；
while　the　Carthaginians；　by　agreement；　were　to　make　it　their
business　to　hinder　Timoleon　from　landing　in　any　port　of　Sicily；　so
that　he　and　his　party　being　driven　back；　they　might　with　ease　and　at
their　own　leisure　divide　the　island　among　themselves。　In　pursuance
of　which　design　the　Carthaginians　sent　away　twenty　of　their　galleys　to
Rhegium；　having　aboard　them　certain　ambassadors　from　Hicetes　to
Timoleon；　who　carried　instructions　suitable　to　these　proceedings；
specious　amusements；　and　plausible　stories；　to　colour　and　conceal
dishonest　purposes。　They　had　order　to　propose　and　demand　that　Timoleon
himself；　if　he　liked　the　offer；　should　come　and　advise　with　Hicetes
and　partake　of　all　his　conquests；　but　that　he　might　send　back　his
ships　and　forces　to　Corinth；　since　the　war　was　in　a　manner　finished；
and　the　Carthaginians　had　blocked　up　the　passage；　determined　to　oppose
them　if　they　should　try　to　force　their　way　towards　the　shore。　When；
therefore；　the　Corinthians　met　with　these　envoys　at　Rhegium；　and
received　their　message；　and　saw　the　Phoenician　vessels　riding　at
anchor　in　the　bay；　they　became　keenly　sensible　of　the　abuse　that　was
put　upon　them；　and　felt　a　general　indignation　against　Hicetes；　and
great　apprehensions　for　the　Siceliots；　whom　they　now　plainly　perceived
to　be　as　it　were　a　prize　and　recompense　to　Hicetes　on　one　side　for　his
perfidy；　and　to　the　Carthaginians　on　the　other　for　the　sovereign　power
they　secured　to　him。　For　it　seemed　utterly　impossible　to　force　and
overbear　the　Carthaginian　ships　that　lay　before　them　and　were　double
their　number；　as　also　to　vanquish　the　victorious　troops　which
Hicetes　had　with　him　in　Syracuse；　to　take　the　lead　of　which　very
troops　they　had　undertaken　their　voyage。
　　The　case　being　thus；　Timoleon；　after　some　conference　with　the　envoys
of　Hicetes　and　the　Carthaginian　captains；　told　them　he　should
readily　submit　to　their　proposals　（to　what　purpose　would　it　be　to
refuse　compliance？）：　he　was　desirous　only；　before　his　return　to
Corinth；　that　what　had　passed　between　them　in　private　might　be
solemnly　declared　before　the　people　of　Rhegium；　a　Greek　city；　and　a
common　friend　to　the　parties；　this；　he　said；　would　very　much　conduce
to　his　own　security　and　discharge；　and　they　likewise　would　more
strictly　observe　articles　of　agreement；　on　behalf　of　the　Syracusans；
which　they　had　obliged　themselves　to　in　the　presence　of　so　many
witnesses。　The　design　of　all　which　was　only　to　divert　their　attention；
while　he　got　an　opportunity　of　slipping　away　from　their　fleet；　a
contrivance　that　all　the　principal　Rhegians　were　privy　and　assisting
to；　who　had　a　great　desire　that　the　affairs　of　Sicily　should　fall　into
Corinthian　hands；　and　dreaded　the　consequences　of　having　barbarian
neighbours。　An　assembly　was　therefore　called；　and　the　gates　shut；　that
the　citizens　might　have　no　liberty　to　turn　to　other　business；　and　a
succession　of　speakers　came　forward；　addressing　the　people　at　great
length；　to　the　same　effect；　without　bringing　the　subject　to　any
conclusion；　making　way　each　for　another　and　purposely　spinning　out　the
time；　till　the　Corinthian　galleys　should　get　clear　of　the　haven；　the
Carthaginian　commanders　being　detained　there　without　any　suspicion；　as
also　Timoleon　still　remained　present；