pericles-第6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！


Plistoanax　was　a　very　young　man；　and　governed　himself　mostly　by　the
counsel　and　advice　of　Cleandrides；　whom　the　ephors　had　sent　with
him；　by　reason　of　his　youth；　to　be　a　kind　of　guardian　and　assistant　to
him；　he　privately　made　trial　of　this　man's　integrity；　and；　in　a
short　time；　having　corrupted　him　with　money；　prevailed　with　him　to
withdraw　the　Peloponnesians　out　of　Attica。　When　the　army　had　retired
and　dispersed　into　their　several　states；　the　Lacedaemonians　in　anger
fined　their　king　in　so　large　a　sum　of　money；　that；　unable　to　pay　it；
he　quitted　Lacedaemon；　while　Cleandrides　fled；　and　had　sentence　of
death　passed　upon　him　in　his　absence。　This　was　the　father　of　Gylippus；
who　overpowered　the　Athenians　in　Sicily。　And　it　seems　that　this
covetousness　was　an　hereditary　disease　transmitted　from　father　to　son；
for　Gylippus　also　afterwards　was　caught　in　foul　practices；　and
expelled　from　Sparta　for　it。　But　this　we　have　told　at　large　in　the
account　of　Lysander。
　　When　Pericles；　in　giving　up　his　accounts　of　this　expedition；
stated　a　disbursement　of　ten　talents；　as　laid　out　upon　fit　occasion；
the　people；　without　any　question；　nor　troubling　themselves　to
investigate　the　mystery；　freely　allowed　of　it。　And　some　historians；　in
which　number　is　Theophrastus　the　philosopher；　have　given　it　as　a　truth
that　Pericles　every　year　used　to　send　privately　the　sum　of　ten　talents
to　Sparta；　with　which　he　complimented　those　in　office；　to　keep　off　the
war；　not　to　purchase　peace　neither；　but　time；　that　he　might　prepare　at
leisure；　and　be　the　better　able　to　carry　on　war　hereafter。
　　Immediately　after　this；　turning　his　forces　against　the　revolters；
and　passing　over　into　the　island　of　Euboea　with　fifty　sail　of　ships
and　five　thousand　men　in　arms；　he　reduced　their　cities；　and　drove
out　the　citizens　of　the　Chalcidians；　called　Hippobotae；　horse…feeders；
the　chief　persons　for　wealth　and　reputation　among　them；　and　removing
all　the　Histiaeans　out　of　the　country；　brought　in　a　plantation　of
Athenians　in　their　room；　making　them　his　one　example　of　severity；
because　they　had　captured　an　Attic　ship　and　killed　all　on　board。
　　After　this；　having　made　a　truce　between　the　Athenians　and
Lacedaemonians　for　thirty　years；　he　ordered；　by　public　decree；　the
expedition　against　the　isle　of　Samos；　on　the　ground；　that；　when　they
were　bid　to　leave　off　their　war　with　the　Milesians　they　had　not
complied。　And　as　these　measures　against　the　Samians　are　thought　to
have　been　taken　to　please　Aspasia；　this　may　be　a　fit　point　for　inquiry
about　the　woman；　what　art　or　charming　faculty　she　had　that　enabled　her
to　captivate；　as　she　did；　the　greatest　statesmen；　and　to　give　the
philosophers　occasion　to　speak　so　much　about　her；　and　that；　too；　not
to　her　disparagement。　That　she　was　a　Milesian　by　birth；　the　daughter
of　Axiochus；　is　a　thing　acknowledged。　And　they　say　it　was　in　emulation
of　Thargelia；　a　courtesan　of　the　old　Ionian　times；　that　she　made　her
addresses　to　men　of　great　power。　Thargelia　was　a　great　beauty；
extremely　charming；　and　at　the　same　time　sagacious；　she　had　numerous
suitors　among　the　Greeks；　and　brought　all　who　had　to　do　with　her
over　to　the　Persian　interest；　and　by　their　means；　being　men　of　the
greatest　power　and　station；　sowed　the　seeds　of　the　Median　faction　up
and　down　in　several　cities。　Aspasia；　some　say；　was　courted　and
caressed　by　Pericles　upon　account　of　her　knowledge　and　skill　in
politics。　Socrates　himself　would　sometimes　go　to　visit　her；　and　some
of　his　acquaintance　with　him；　and　those　who　frequented　her　company
would　carry　their　wives　with　them　to　listen　to　her。　Her　occupation　was
anything　but　creditable；　her　house　being　a　home　for　young
courtesans。　Aeschines　tells　us；　also；　that　Lysicles；　a　sheep…dealer；　a
man　of　low　birth　and　character；　by　keeping　Aspasia　company　after
Pericles's　death；　came　to　be　a　chief　man　in　Athens。　And　in　Plato's
Menexenus；　though　we　do　not　take　the　introduction　as　quite　serious；
still　thus　much　seems　to　be　historical；　that　she　had　the　repute　of
being　resorted　to　by　many　of　the　Athenians　for　instruction　in　the
art　of　speaking。　Pericles's　inclination　for　her　seems；　however；　to
have　rather　proceeded　from　the　passion　of　love。　He　had　a　wife　that　was
near　of　kin　to　him；　who　had　been　married　first　to　Hipponicus；　by
whom　she　had　Callias；　surnamed　the　Rich；　and　also　she　brought
Pericles；　while　she　lived　with　him；　two　sons；　Xanthippus　and
Paralus。　Afterwards；　when　they　did　not　well　agree；　nor　like　to　live
together；　he　parted　with　her；　with　her　own　consent；　to　another　man；
and　himself　took　Aspasia；　and　loved　her　with　wonderful　affection；
every　day；　both　as　he　went　out　and　as　he　came　in　from　the
market…place；　he　saluted　and　kissed　her。
　　In　the　comedies　she　goes　by　the　nicknames　of　the　new　Omphale　and
Deianira；　and　again　is　styled　Juno。　Cratinus；　in　downright　terms；
calls　her　a　harlot。

　　　　　　　　　　　　〃To　find　him　a　Juno　the　goddess　of　lust
　　　　　　　　　　　　　Bore　that　harlot　past　shame；
　　　　　　　　　　　　　Aspasia　by　name。〃

It　should　seem　also　that　he　had　a　son　by　her；　Eupolis；　in　his　Demi；
introduced　Pericles　asking　after　his　safety；　and　Myronides　replying…

　　　　　　　　〃My　son？〃　〃He　lives：　a　man　he　had　been　long；
　　　　　　　　　But　that　the　harlot…mother　did　him　wrong。〃

Aspasia；　they　say；　became　so　celebrated　and　renowned；　that　Cyrus；　also
who　made　war　against　Artaxerxes　for　the　Persian　monarchy；　gave　her
whom　he　loved　the　best　of　all　his　concubines　the　name　of　Aspasia；
who　before　that　was　called　Milto。　She　was　a　Phocaean　by　birth；　the
daughter　of　one　Hermotimus；　and；　when　Cyrus　fell　in　battle；　was
carried　to　the　king；　and　had　great　influence　at　court。　These　things
coming　into　my　memory　as　I　am　writing　this　story；　it　would　be
unnatural　for　me　to　omit　them。
　　Pericles；　however；　was　particularly　charged　with　having　proposed
to　the　assembly　the　war　against　the　Samians；　from　favour　to　the
Milesians；　upon　the　entreaty　of　Aspasia。　For　the　two　states　were　at
war　for　the　possession　of　Priene；　and　the　Samians；　getting　the　better；
refused　to　lay　down　their　arms　and　to　have　the　controversy　betwixt
them　decided　by　arbitration　before　the　Athenians。　Pericles；　therefore；
fitting　out　a　fleet；　went　and　broke　up　the　oligarchical　government
at　Samos；　and　taking　fifty　of　the　principal　men　of　the　town　as
hostages；　and　as　many　of　their　children；　sent　them　to　the　isle　of
Lemnos；　there　to　be　kept；　though　he　had　offers；　as　some　relate；　of　a
talent　apiece　for　himself　from　each　one　of　the　hostages；　and　of　many
other　presents　from　those　who　were　anxious　not　to　have　a　democracy。
Moreover；　Pisuthnes　the　Persian；　one　of　the　king's　lieutenants；
bearing　some　good…will　to　the　Samians；　sent　him　ten　thousand　pieces　of
gold　to　excuse　the　city。　Pericles；　however；　would　receive　none　of
all　this；　but　after　he　had　taken　that　course　with　the　Samians　which　he
thought　fit；　and　set　up　a　democracy　among　them；　sailed　back　to　Athens。
　　But　they；　however；　immediately　revolted；　Pisuthnes　having　privily
got　away　their　hostages　for　them；　and　provided　them　with　means　for　the
war。　Whereupon　Pericles　came　out　with　a　fleet　a　second　time　against
them；　and　found　them　not　idle　nor　slinking　away；　but　manfully　resolved
to　try　for　the　dominion　of　the　sea。　The　issue　was；　that　after　a
sharp　sea…fight　about　the　island　called　Tragia；　Pericles　obtained　a
decisive　victory；　having　with　forty…four　ships　routed　seventy　of　the
enemy's；　twenty　of　which　were　carrying　soldiers。
　　Together　with　his　victory　and　pursuit；　having　made　himself　master　of
the　port；　he　laid　siege　to　the　Samians；　and　blocked　them　up；　who
yet；　one　way　or　another；　still　ventured　to　make　sallies；　and　fight
under　the　city　walls。　But　after　that　another　greater　fleet　from　Athens
was　arrived；　and　that　the　Samians　were　now　shut　up　with　a　close
leaguer　on　every　side；　Pericles；　taking　with　him　sixty　galleys；　sailed
out　into　the　main　sea；　with　the　intention；　as　most　authors　give　the
account；　to　meet　a　squadron　of　Phoenician　ships　that　were　coming　for
the　Samians'　relief；　and　to　fight　them　at　as　great　distance　as　could
be　from　the　island；　but；　as　Stesimbrotus　says；　with　a　design　of
putting　over　to　Cyprus；　which　does　not　seem　to　be　probable。　But；
whichever　of　the　two　was　his　intention；　it　seems　to　have　been　a
miscalculation。　For　on　his　departure；　Melissus；　the　son　of
Ithagenes；　a　philosopher；　being　at　that　time　the　general　in　Samos；
despising　either　the　small　number　of　the　ships　that　were　left　or　the
inexperience　of　the　commanders；　prevailed　with　the　citizens　to
attack　the　Athenians。　And　the　Samians　having　won　the　battle；　and　taken
several　of　the　men　prisoners；　and　disabled　several　of　the　ships；
were　masters　of　the　sea；　and　brought　into　port　all　necessaries　they
wanted　for　the　war；　which　they　had　not　before。　Aristotle　says；　too；
that　Pericles　had　been　once　before　this　worsted　by　this　Melissus　in
a　sea…fight。
　　The　Samians；　that　they　might　requite　an　affront　which　had　before
been　put　upon　them；　branded　the　Athenians；　whom　they　took　prisoners；
in　their　foreheads；　with　the　figure　of　an　owl。　For　so　the　Athenians
had　marked　them　before　with　a　Samaena；　which　is　a　sort　of　ship；　low
and　flat　in　the　prow；　so　as　to　look　snub…nosed；　but　wide　and　large　and
well…spread　in　the　hold；　by　which　it　both　carries　a　large　cargo　and
sails　well。　And　it　was　so　called；　because　the　first　of　that　kind　was
seen　at　Samos；　having　been　built　by　order　of　Polycrates　the　tyrant。
These　brands　upon　the　Samians'　foreheads；　they　say；　are　the　allusion
in　the　passage　of　Aristophanes；　where　he　says…

　　　　　　　　〃For；　oh；　the　Samians　are　a　lettered　people。〃

　　Pericles；　as　soon　as　news　was　brought　him　of　the　disaster　that　had
befallen　his　army；　made　all　the　haste　he　could　to　come　in　to　their
relief；　and　having　defeated　Melissus；　who　bore　up　against　him；　and　put
the　enemy　to　flight；　he　immediately　proceeded　to　hem　them　in　with　a
wall；　resolving　to　master　them　and　take　the　town；　rather　with　some
cost　and　time　than　with　the　wounds　and　hazards　of　his　citizens。　But　as
it　was　a　hard　matter　to　keep　back　the　Athenians；　who　were　vexed　at　the
delay；　and　were　eagerly　bent　to　fight；　he　divided　the　whole
multitude　into　eight　parts；　and　arranged　by　lot　that　that　part　which
had　the　white　bean　should　have　leave　to　feast　and　take　their　ease
while　the　other　seven　were　fighting。　And　this　is　the　reason；　they　say；
that　people；　when　at　any　time　they　have　been　merry；　and　enjoyed
themselves；　called　it　white　day；　in　allusion　to　this　white　bean。
　　Ephorus　the　historian　tells　us　besides；　that　Pericles　made　use　of
engines　of　battery　in　this　siege；　being　much　taken　with　the
curiousness　of　the　invention；　with　the　aid　and　presence　of　Artemon
himself；　the　engineer；　who；　being　lame；　used　to　be　carried　about　in
a　litter；　where　the　works　required　his　attendance；　and　for　that　reason
was　called　Periphoretus。　But　Heraclides　Ponticus　disproves　this　out　of
Anacreon's　poems；　where　mention　is　made　of　this　Artemon　Periphoretus
several　ages　before　the　Samian　war；　or　any　of　these　occurrences。　And
he　says　that　Artemon；　being　a　man　who　loved　his　ease；　and　had　a
great　apprehension　of　danger；　for　the　most　part　kept　close　within
doors；　having　two　of　his　servants　to　hold　a　brazen　shield　over　his
head；　that　nothing　might　fall　upon　him　from　ab