nicias-第2章

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professed　to　be　the　son　of　Dionysius；　surnamed　Chalcus；　whose　poems
are　yet　extant；　and　had　led　out　the　colony　to　Italy　and　founded
Thurii。　This　Hiero　transacted　all　his　secrets　for　Nicias　with　the
diviners；　and　gave　out　to　the　people　what　a　toilsome　and　miserable
life　he　led　for　the　sake　of　the　commonwealth。　〃He；〃　said　Hiero；　〃can
never　be　either　at　the　bath　or　at　his　meat　but　some　public　business
interferes。　Careless　of　his　own　and　zealous　for　the　public　good；　he
scarcely　ever　goes　to　bed　till　after　others　have　had　their　first
sleep。　So　that　his　health　is　impaired　and　his　body　out　of　order；　nor
is　he　cheerful　or　affable　with　his　friends；　but　loses　them　as　well
as　his　money　in　the　service　of　the　state；　while　other　men　gain　friends
by　public　speaking；　enrich　themselves；　fare　delicately　and　make
government　their　amusement。〃　And　in　fact　this　was　Nicias's　manner　of
life；　so　that　he　well　might　apply　to　himself　the　words　of　Agamemnon：…

　　　　　　　　　〃Vain　pomp's　the　ruler　of　the　life　we　live；
　　　　　　　　　　And　a　slave's　service　to　the　crowd　we　give。〃

　　He　observed　that　the　people；　in　the　case　of　men　of　eloquence；　or
of　eminent　parts；　make　use　of　their　talents　upon　occasion；　but　were
always　jealous　of　their　abilities；　and　held　a　watchful　eye　upon
them；　taking　all　opportunities　to　humble　their　pride　and　abate　their
reputation；　as　was　manifest　in　their　condemnation　of　Pericles；　their
banishment　of　Damon；　their　distrust　of　Antiphon　the　Rhamnusian；　but
especially　in　the　case　of　Paches　who　took　Lesbos；　who　having　to　give
an　account　of　his　conduct；　in　the　very　court　of　justice　unsheathed　his
sword　and　slew　himself。　Upon　such　considerations；　Nicias　declined
all　difficult　and　lengthy　enterprises；　if　he　took　a　command；　he　was
for　doing　what　was　safe；　and　if；　as　thus　was　likely；　he　had　for　the
most　part　success；　he　did　not　attribute　it　to　any　wisdom；　conduct；
or　courage　of　his　own；　but；　to　avoid　envy；　he　thanked　fortune　for　all；
and　gave　the　glory　to　the　divine　powers。　And　the　actions　themselves
bore　testimony　in　his　favour；　the　city　met　at　that　time　with　several
considerable　reverses；　but　he　had　not　a　hand　in　any　of　them。　The
Athenians　were　routed　in　Thrace　by　the　Chalcidians；　Calliades　and
Xenophon　commanding　in　chief。　Demosthenes　was　the　general　when　they
were　unfortunate　in　Aetolia。　At　Delium　they　lost　a　thousand　citizens
under　the　conduct　of　Hippocrates；　the　plague　was　principally　laid　to
the　charge　of　Pericles；　he；　to　carry　on　the　war；　having　shut　up
close　together　in　the　town　the　crowd　of　people　from　the　country　who；
by　the　change　of　place；　and　of　their　usual　course　of　living；　bred
the　pestilence。　Nicias　stood　clear　of　all　this；　under　his　conduct
was　taken　Cythera；　an　island　most　commodious　against　Laconia；　and
occupied　by　the　Lacedaemonian　settlers；　many　places；　likewise；　in
Thrace；　which　had　revolted；　were　taken　or　won　over　by　him；　he　shutting
up　the　Megarians　within　their　town；　seized　upon　the　isle　of　Minoa；　and
soon　after；　advancing　from　thence　to　Nisaea；　made　himself　master
there；　and　then　making　a　descent　upon　the　Corinthian　territory；　fought
a　successful　battle；　and　slew　a　great　number　of　the　Corinthians　with
their　captain　Lycophron。　There　it　happened　that　two　of　his　men　were
left　by　an　oversight；　when　they　carried　off　the　dead；　which　when　he
understood；　he　stopped　the　fleet；　and　sent　a　herald　to　the　enemy　for
leave　to　carry　off　the　dead；　though　by　law　and　custom；　he　that　by　a
truce　craved　leave　to　carry　off　the　dead　was　hereby　supposed　to　give
up　all　claim　to　the　victory。　Nor　was　it　lawful　for　him　that　did　this
to　erect　a　trophy；　for　his　is　the　victory　who　is　master　of　the
field；　and　he　is　not　master　who　asks　leave；　as　wanting　power　to
take。　But　he　chose　rather　to　renounce　his　victory　and　his　glory　than
to　let　two　citizens　lie　unburied。　He　scoured　the　coast　of　Laconia
all　along；　and　beat　the　Lacedaemonians　that　made　head　against　him。
He　took　Thyrea；　occupied　by　the　Aeginetans；　and　carried　the
prisoners　to　Athens。
　　When　Demosthenes　had　fortified　Pylos；　and　the　Peloponnesians　brought
together　both　their　sea　and　land…forces　before　it；　after　the　fight；
about　the　number　of　four　hundred　native　Spartans　were　left　ashore　in
the　isle　Sphacteria。　The　Athenians　thought　it　a　great　prize；　as　indeed
it　was；　to　take　these　men　prisoners。　But　the　siege；　in　places　that
wanted　water；　being　very　difficult　and　untoward；　and　to　convey
necessaries　about　by　sea　in　summer　tedious　and　expensive；　in　winter
doubtful；　or　plainly　impossible；　they　began　to　be　annoyed；　and　to
repent　their　having　rejected　the　embassy　of　the　Lacedaemonians；　that
had　been　sent　to　propose　a　treaty　of　peace；　which　had　been　done　at　the
importunity　of　Cleon；　who　opposed　it　chiefly　out　of　a　pique　to　Nicias；
for；　being　his　enemy；　and　observing　him　to　be　extremely　solicitous
to　support　the　offers　of　the　Lacedaemonians；　he　persuaded　the　people
to　refuse　them。
　　Now；　therefore；　that　the　siege　was　protracted；　and　they　heard　of　the
difficulties　that　pressed　their　army；　they　grew　enraged　against　Cleon。
But　he　turned　all　the　blame　upon　Nicias；　charging　it　on　his　softness
and　cowardice；　that　the　besieged　were　not　yet　taken。　〃Were　I　general；〃
said　he；　〃they　should　not　hold　out　so　long。〃　The　Athenians　not
unnaturally　asked　the　question；　〃Why；　then；　as　it　is；　do　not　you　go
with　a　squadron　against　them？〃　And　Nicias　standing　up　resigned　his
command　at　Pylos　to　him；　and　bade　him　take　what　forces　he　pleased
along　with　him；　and　not　be　bold　in　words；　out　of　harm's　way；　but　go
forth　and　perform　some　real　service　for　the　commonwealth。　Cleon；　at
the　first；　tried　to　draw　back；　disconcerted　at　the　proposal；　which
he　had　never　expected；　but　the　Athenians　insisting；　and　Nicias
loudly　upbraiding　him；　he　thus　provoked；　and　fired　with　ambition；　took
upon　him　the　charge；　and　said　further；　that　within　twenty　days　after
he　embarked；　he　would　either　kill　the　enemy；　upon　the　place；　or
bring　them　alive　to　Athens。　This　the　Athenians　were　readier　to
launch　at　than　to　believe；　as　on　other　occasions；　also；　his　bold
assertions　and　extravagances　used　to　make　them　sport；　and　were
pleasant　enough。　As；　for　instance；　it　is　reported　that　once　when　the
people　were　assembled；　and　had　waited　his　coming　a　long　time；　at
last　he　appeared　with　a　garland　on　his　head；　and　prayed　them　to
adjourn　to　the　next　day。　〃For；〃　said　he；　〃I　am　not　at　leisure
to…day；　I　have　sacrificed　to　the　gods；　and　am　to　entertain　some
strangers。〃　Whereupon　the　Athenians；　laughing；　rose　up；　and
dissolved　the　assembly。　However；　at　this　time　he　had　good…fortune；　and
in　conjunction　with　Demosthenes；　conducted　the　enterprise　so　well
that；　within　the　time　he　had　limited；　he　carried　captive　to　Athens　all
the　Spartans　that　had　not　fallen　in　battle。
　　This　brought　great　disgrace　on　Nicias；　for　this　was　not　to　throw
away　his　shield；　but　something　yet　more　shameful　and　ignominious；　to
quit　his　charge　voluntarily　out　of　cowardice；　and　voting　himself；　as
it　were；　out　of　his　command　of　his　own　accord；　to　put　into　his　enemy's
hand　the　opportunity　of　achieving　so　brave　an　action。　Aristophanes　has
a　jest　against　him　on　this　occasion　in　the　Birds：…

　　　　　　　　　　〃Indeed；　not　now　the　word　that　must　be　said
　　　　　　　　　　　Is；　do　like　Nicias；　or　retire　to　bed。〃

And；　again；　in　his　Husbandmen：…

　　　　　　　　　〃I　wish　to　stay　at　home　and　farm；
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　What　then？
　　　　　　　　　　Who　should　prevent　you？
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　You；　my　countrymen；
　　　　　　　　　　Whom　I　would　pay　a　thousand　drachmas　down；
　　　　　　　　　　To　let　me　give　up　office　and　leave　town。
　　　　　　　　　　Enough；　content；　the　sum　two　thousand　is；
　　　　　　　　　　With　those　that　Nicias　paid　to　give　up　his。〃

　　Besides　all　this；　he　did　great　mischief　to　the　city　by　suffering　the
accession　of　so　much　reputation　and　power　to　Cleon；　who　now　assumed
such　lofty　airs；　and　allowed　himself　in　such　intolerable　audacity；
as　led　to　many　unfortunate　results；　a　sufficient　part　of　which　fell　to
his　own　share。　Amongst　other　things；　he　destroyed　all　the　decorum　of
public　speaking；　he　was　the　first　who　ever　broke　out　into
exclamations；　flung　open　his　dress；　smote　his　thigh；　and　ran　up　and
down　whilst　he　was　speaking；　things　which　soon　after　introduced；
amongst　those　who　managed　the　affairs　of　state；　such　licence　and
contempt　of　decency　as　brought　all　into　confusion。
　　Already；　too；　Alcibiades　was　beginning　to　show　his　strength　at
Athens；　a　popular　leader；　not；　indeed；　as　utterly　violent　as　Cleon；
but　as　the　land　of　Egypt；　through　the　richness　of　its　soil；　is　said…

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃…great　plenty　to　produce；
　　　　　　　　　Both　wholesome　herbs；　and　drugs　of　deadly　juice；〃

so　the　nature　of　Alcibiades　was　strong　and　luxuriant　in　both　kinds；
and　made　way　for　many　serious　innovations。　Thus　it　fell　out　that　after
Nicias　had　got　his　hands　clear　of　Cleon；　he　had　not　opportunity　to
settle　the　city　perfectly　into　quietness。　For　having　brought　matters
to　a　pretty　hopeful　condition；　he　found　everything　carried　away　and
plunged　again　into　confusion　by　Alcibiades；　through　the　wildness　and
vehemence　of　his　ambition；　and　all　embroiled　again　in　war　worse　than
ever。　Which　fell　out　thus。　The　persons　who　had　principally　hindered
the　peace　were　Cleon　and　Brasidas。　War　setting　off　the　virtue　of　the
one　and　hiding　the　villainy　of　the　other；　gave　to　the　one　occasions　of
achieving　brave　actions；　to　the　other　opportunity　of　committing
equal　dishonesties。　Now　when　these　two　were　in　one　battle　both　slain
near　Amphipolis；　Nicias　was　aware　that　the　Spartans　had　long　been
desirous　of　a　peace；　and　that　the　Athenians　had　no　longer　the　same
confidence　in　the　war。　Both　being　alike　tired；　and；　as　it　were　by
consent；　letting　fall　their　hands；　he；　therefore；　in　this　nick　of
time；　employed　his　efforts　to　make　a　friendship　betwixt　the　two
cities；　and　to　deliver　the　other　states　of　Greece　from　the　evils　and
calamities　they　laboured　under；　and　so　establish　his　own　good　name　for
success　as　a　statesman　for　all　future　time。　He　found　the　men　of
substance；　the　elder　men；　and　the　land…owners　and　farmers　pretty
generally　all　inclined　to　peace。　And　when；　in　addition　to　these；　by
conversing　and　reasoning；　he　had　cooled　the　wishes　of　a　good　many
others　for　war；　he　now　encouraged　the　hopes　of　the　Lacedaemonians；　and
counselled　them　to　seek　peace。　They　confided　in　him；　as　on　account
of　his　general　character　for　moderation　and　equity；　so；　also；
because　of　the　kindness　and　care　he　had　shown　to　the　prisoners　taken
at　Pylos　and　kept　in　confinement；　making　their　misfortune　the　more
easy　to　them。
　　The　Athenians　and　the　Spartans　had　before　this　concluded　a　truce　for
a　year；　and　during　this；　by　associating　with　one　another；　they　had
tasted　again　the　sweets　of　peace　and　security　and　unimpeded
intercourse　with　friends　and　connections；　and　thus　longed　for　an　end
of　that　fighting　and　bloodshed；　and　heard　with　delight　the　chorus　sing
such　verses　as…

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃my　lance　I'll　leave
　　　　　　　　　Laid　by；　for　spiders　to　o'erweave；〃

and　remembered　with　joy　the　saying；　In　peace；　they　who　sleep　are
awaked　by　the　cock…crow；　not　by　the　trumpet。　So　shutting　their　ears；
with　loud　reproaches；　to　the　forebodings　of　those　who　said　that　the
Fates　decreed　this　to　be　a　war　of　t