a smaller history of greece-第15章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



The　Athenians；　on　their　return　to　Attica；　after　the　defeat　of　the　Persians；　found　their　city　ruined　and　their　country　desolate。　They　began　to　rebuild　their　city　on　a　larger　scale　than　before；　and　to　fortify　it　with　a　wall。　　Those　allies　to　whom　the　increasing　maritime　power　of　Athens　was　an　object　of　suspicion；　and　especially　the　AEginetans；　to　whom　it　was　more　particularly　formidable；　beheld　her　rising　fortifications　with　dismay。　　They　endeavoured　to　inspire　the　Lacedaemonians　with　their　fears；　and　urged　them　to　arrest　the　work。　　But　though　Sparta　shared　the　jealousy　of　the　allies；　she　could　not　with　any　decency　interfere　by　force　to　prevent　a　friendly　city　from　exercising　a　right　inherent　in　all　independent　states。　　She　assumed　therefore　the　hypocritical　garb　of　an　adviser　and　counsellor。　　Concealing　her　jealousy　under　the　pretence　of　zeal　for　the　common　interests　of　Greece；　she　represented　to　the　Athenians　that；　in　the　event　of　another　Persian　invasion；　fortified　towns　would　serve　the　enemy　for　camps　and　strongholds；　as　Thebes　had　done　in　the　last　war；　and　proposed　that　the　Athenians　should　not　only　desist　from　completing　their　own　fortifications；　but　help　to　demolish　those　which　already　existed　in　other　towns。

The　object　of　the　proposal　was　too　transparent　to　deceive　so　acute　a　statesman　as　Themistocles。　　Athens　was　not　yet；　however；　in　a　condition　to　incur　the　danger　of　openly　rejecting　it；　and　he　therefore　advised　the　Athenians　to　dismiss　the　Spartan　envoys　with　the　assurance　that　they　would　send　ambassadors　to　Sparta　to　explain　their　views。　　He　then　caused　himself　to　be　appointed　one　of　these　ambassadors；　and　setting　off　straightway　for　Sparta；　directed　his　colleagues　to　linger　behind　as　long　as　possible。　　At　Sparta；　the　absence　of　his　colleagues；　at　which　he　affected　to　be　surprised；　afforded　him　an　excuse　for　not　demanding　an　audience　of　the　ephors。　　During　the　interval　thus　gained；　the　whole　population　of　Athens；　of　both　sexes　and　every　age；　worked　day　and　night　at　the　walls；　which；　when　the　other　ambassadors　at　length　arrived　at　Sparta；　had　attained　a　height　sufficient　to　afford　a　tolerable　defence。　　Meanwhile　the　suspicions　of　the　Spartans　had　been　more　than　once　aroused　by　messages　from　the　AEginetans　respecting　the　progress　of　the　walls。　　Themistocles；　however；　positively　denied　their　statements；　and　urged　the　Spartans　to　send　messengers　of　their　own　to　Athens　in　order　to　learn　the　true　state　of　affairs；　at　the　same　time　instructing　the　Athenians　to　detain　them　as　hostages　for　the　safety　of　himself　and　colleagues。　When　there　was　no　longer　any　motive　for　concealment；　Themistocles　openly　avowed　the　progress　of　the　works；　and　his　intention　of　securing　the　independence　of　Athens；　and　enabling　her　to　act　for　herself。　　The　walls　being　now　too　far　advanced　to　be　easily　taken；　the　Spartans　found　themselves　compelled　to　acquiesce；　and　the　works　were　completed　without　further　hindrance。

Having　thus　secured　the　city　from　all　danger　of　an　immediate　attack；　Themistocles　pursued　his　favourite　project　of　rendering　Athens　the　greatest　maritime　and　commercial　power　of　Greece。　　He　erected　a　town　round　the　harbour　of　Piraeus；　distant　between　four　and　five　miles　from　Athens；　and　enclosed　it　with　a　wall　as　large　in　extent　as　the　city　itself；　but　of　vastly　greater　height　and　thickness。　　Meanwhile　an　event　occurred　which　secured　more　firmly　than　ever　the　maritime　supremacy　of　Athens；　by　transferring　to　her　the　command　of　the　allied　fleet。

In　the　year　after　the　battle　of　Plataea　a　fleet　had　been　fitted　out　and　placed　under　the　command　of　the　Spartan　regent；　Pausanias；　in　order　to　carry　on　the　war　against　the　Persians。　After　delivering　most　of　the　Grecian　towns　in　Cyprus　from　the　Persians；　this　armament　sailed　up　the　Bosporus　and　laid　siege　to　Byzantium；　which　was　garrisoned　by　a　large　Persian　force。　　The　town　surrendered　after　a　protracted　siege；　but　it　was　during　this　expedition　that　the　conduct　of　the　Spartan　commander　struck　a　fatal　blow　at　the　interests　of　his　country。

The　immense　booty；　as　well　as　the　renown；　which　Pausanias　had　acquired　at　Plataea；　had　filled　him　with　pride　and　ambition。　After　the　capture　of　Byzantium　he　despatched　a　letter　to　Xerxes；　offering　to　marry　the　king's　daughter；　and　to　bring　Sparta　and　the　rest　of　Greece　under　his　dominion。　　Xerxes　was　highly　delighted　with　this　letter；　and　sent　a　reply　in　which　he　urged　Pausanias　to　pursue　his　project　night　and　day；　and　promised　to　supply　him　with　all　the　money　and　troops　that　might　be　needful　for　its　execution。　　But　the　childish　vanity　of　Pausanias　betrayed　his　plot　before　it　was　ripe　for　execution。　　Elated　by　the　confidence　of　Xerxes；　and　by　the　money　with　which　he　was　lavishly　supplied；　he　acted　as　if　he　had　already　married　the　Great　King's　daughter。　　He　assumed　the　Persian　dress；　he　made　a　progress　through　Thrace；　attended　by　Persian　and　Egyptian　guards；　and　copied；　in　the　luxury　of　his　table　and　the　dissoluteness　of　his　manners；　the　example　of　his　adopted　country。　　Above　all；　he　offended　the　allies　by　his　haughty　reserve　and　imperiousness。　His　designs　were　now　too　manifest　to　escape　attention。　　His　proceedings　reached　the　ears　of　the　Spartans；　who　sent　out　Dorcis　to　supersede　him。　　Disgusted　by　the　insolence　of　Pausanias；　the　Ionians　serving　in　the　combined　Grecian　fleet　addressed　themselves　to　Aristides；　whose　manners　formed　a　striking　contrast　to　those　of　the　Spartan　leader；　and　begged　him　to　assume　the　command。　　This　request　was　made　precisely　at　the　time　when　Pausanias　was　recalled；　and　accordingly；　when　Dorcis　arrived；　he　found　Aristides　in　command　of　the　combined　fleet　（B。C。　478）。

This　event　was　not　a　mere　empty　question　about　a　point　of　honour。　It　was　a　real　revolution；　terminated　by　a　solemn　league；　of　which　Athens　was　to　be　the　head。　　Aristides　took　the　lead　in　the　matter；　for　which　his　proverbial　justice　and　probity　eminently　qualified　him。　　The　league　obtained　the　name　of　〃the　Confederacy　of　Delos；〃　from　its　being　arranged　that　deputies　of　the　allies　belonging　to　it　should　meet　periodically　for　deliberation　in　the　temple　of　Apollo　and　Artemis　（Diana）　in　that　island。　　Each　state　was　assessed　in　a　certain　contribution；　either　of　money　or　ships；　as　proposed　by　the　Athenians　and　ratified　by　the　synod。　　The　assessment　was　intrusted　to　Aristides；　whose　impartiality　was　universally　applauded。　　Of　the　details；　however；　we　only　know　that　the　first　assessment　amounted　to　460　talents　（about　106；000L　sterling）；　that　certain　officers　called　Hellenotamiae　were　appointed　by　the　Athenians　to　collect　and　administer　the　contributions；　and　that　Delos　was　the　treasury。

Such　was　the　origin　of　the　Confederacy　of　Delos。　　Soon　after　its　formation　Aristides　was　succeeded　in　the　command　of　the　combined　fleet　by　Cimon；　the　son　of　Miltiades。

Pausanias；　on　his　return　to　Sparta；　seems　to　have　been　acquitted　of　any　definite　charges；　but　he　continued　his　correspondence　with　Persia；　and　an　accident　at　length　afforded　convincing　proofs　of　his　guilt。　　A　favourite　slave；　to　whom　he　had　intrusted　a　letter　to　the　Persian　satrap　at　Sardis；　observed　with　dismay　that　none　of　the　messengers　employed　in　this　service　had　ever　returned。　Moved　by　these　fears；　he　broke　the　seal　and　read　the　letter；　and　finding　his　suspicions　of　the　fate　that　awaited　him　confirmed；　he　carried　the　document　to　the　ephors。　　But　in　ancient　states　the　testimony　of　a　slave　was　always　regarded　with　suspicion。　　The　ephors　refused　to　believe　the　evidence　offered　to　them　unless　confirmed　by　their　own　ears。　　For　this　purpose　they　directed　him　to　plant　himself　as　a　suppliant　in　a　sacred　grove　near　Cape　Taenarus；　in　a　hut　behind　which　two　of　their　body　might　conceal　themselves。　　Pausanias；　as　they　had　expected；　anxious　at　the　step　taken　by　his　slave；　hastened　to　the　spot　to　question　him　about　it。　　The　conversation　which　ensued；　and　which　was　overheard　by　the　ephors；　rendered　the　guilt　of　Pausanias　no　longer　doubtful。　They　now　determined　to　arrest　him　on　his　return　to　Sparta。　　They　met　him　in　the　street　near　the　temple　of　Athena　Chalcioecus　（of　the　Brazen　House）；　when　Pausanias；　either　alarmed　by　his　guilty　conscience；　or　put　on　his　guard　by　a　secret　signal　from　one　of　the　ephors；　turned　and　fled　to　the　temple；　where　he　took　refuge　in　a　small　chamber　belonging　to　the　building。　　From　this　sanctuary　it　was　unlawful　to　drag　him；　but　the　ephors　caused　the　doors　to　be　built　up　and　the　roof　to　be　removed；　and　his　own　mother　is　said　to　have　placed　the　first　stone　at　the　doors。　　When　at　the　point　of　death　from　starvation；　he　was　carried　from　the　sanctuary　before　he　polluted　it　with　his　corpse。　　Such　was　the　end　of　the　victor　of　Plataea。　　After　his　death　proofs　were　discovered　among　his　papers　that　Themistocles　was　implicated　in　his　guilt。　　But　in　order　to　follow　the　fortunes　of　the　Athenian　statesman；　it　is　necessary　to　take　a　glance　at　the　internal　history　of　Athens。

The　ancient　rivalry　between　Themistocles　and　Aristides　had　been　in　a　good　degree　extinguished　by　the　danger　which　threatened　their　common　country　during　the　Persian　wars。　　Aristides　had　since　abandoned　his　former　prejudices；　and　was　willing　to　conform　to　many　of　the　democratical　innovations　of　his　rival。　　The　effect　of　this　was　to　produce；　soon　after　their　return　to　Attica；　a　still　further　modification　of　the　constitution　of　Clisthenes。　The　Thetes　the　lowest　of　the　four　classes　of　Athenian　citizens；　were　declared　eligible　for　the　magistracy；　from　which　they　had　been　excluded　by　the　laws　of　Solon。　　Thus　not　only　the　archonship；　but　consequently　the　Council　of　Areopagus；　was　thrown　open　to　them；　and；　strange　to　say；　this　reform　was　proposed　by　Aristides　himself。

Nevertheless　party　spirit　still　ran　high　at　Athens。　　Cimon　and　Alcmaeon　were　violent　opponents　of　Themistocles；　and　of　their　party　Aristides　was　still　the　head。　　The　popularity　of　Aristides　was　never　greater　than　at　the　present　time；　owing　not　only　to　the　more　liberal　spirit　which　he　exhibited；　but　also　to　his　great　services　in　establishing　the　Confederacy　of　Delos。　　Themistocles　had　offended　the　Athenians　by　his　ostentation　and　vanity。　　He　was　continually　boasting　of　his　services　to　the　state；　but　worse　than　all　this；　his　conduct　was　stained　with　positive　guilt。　　Whilst；　at　the　head　of　an　Athenian　squadron；　he　was　sailing　among　the　Greek　islands　for　the　ostensible　purpose　of　executing　justice；　there　is　little　room　to　doubt　that　he　corrupted　its　very　source　by　accepting　large　sums　of　money　from　the　cities　which　he　visited。　　Party　spirit　at　length　reached　such　a　height　that　it　was　found　necessary　to　resort　to　ostracism；　and　Themistocles　was　condemned　to　a　temporary　banishment　（B。C。　471）。　　He　retired　to　Argos；　where　he　was　residing　when　the　Spartans　called　upon　the　Athenians　to　prosecute　their　great　statesman　before　a　synod　of　the　allies　assembled　at　Sparta；　on　the　ground　of　treasonable　correspondence　with　Persia。　　Accordingly　joint　envoys　were　sent　from　Athens　and　Sparta　to　arrest　him　（B。C。　466）。　　Themistocles　avoided　the　impending　danger　by　flying　from　Argos　to　Corcyra。　The　Corcyraeans；　however；　not　daring　to　shelter　him；　he　passed　over　to　the　continent；　where；　being　still　pursued；　he　was　forced　to　seek　refuge　at　the　court　of　Admetus；　king　of　the　Molossians；　though　the　latter　was　his　personal　enemy。　　Fortunate