pericles-第7章

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doors；　having　two　of　his　servants　to　hold　a　brazen　shield　over　his
head；　that　nothing　might　fall　upon　him　from　above；　and　if　he　were　at
any　time　forced　upon　necessity　to　go　abroad；　that　he　was　carried　about
in　a　little　hanging　bed；　close　to　the　very　ground；　and　that　for　this
reason　he　was　called　Periphoretus。
　　In　the　ninth　month；　the　Samians　surrendering　themselves　and
delivering　up　the　town；　Pericles　pulled　down　their　walls；　and　seized
their　shipping；　and　set　a　fine　of　a　large　sum　of　money　upon　them；　part
of　which　they　paid　down　at　once；　and　they　agreed　to　bring　in　the
rest　by　a　certain　time；　and　gave　hostages　for　security。　Duris　the
Samian　makes　a　tragical　drama　out　of　these　events；　charging　the
Athenians　and　Pericles　with　a　great　deal　of　cruelty；　which　neither
Thucydides；　nor　Ephorus；　nor　Aristotle　have　given　any　relation　of；　and
probably　with　little　regard　to　truth；　how；　for　example；　he　brought　the
captains　and　soldiers　of　the　alleys　into　the　market…place　at
Miletus；　and　there　having　bound　them　fast　to　boards　for　ten　days；
then；　when　they　were　already　all　but　half　dead；　gave　order　to　have
them　killed　by　beating　out　their　brains　with　clubs；　and　their　dead
bodies　to　be　flung　out　into　the　open　streets　and　fields；　unburied。
Duris　however；　who；　even　where　he　has　no　private　feeling　concerned；　is
not　wont　to　keep　his　narratives　within　the　limits　of　truth；　is　the
more　likely　upon　this　occasion　to　have　exaggerated　the　calamities
which　befell　his　country；　to　create　odium　against　the　Athenians。
Pericles　however；　after　the　reduction　of　Samos；　returning　back　to
Athens；　took　care　that　those　who　died　in　the　war　should　be
honourably　buried；　and　made　a　funeral　harangue；　as　the　custom　is；　in
their　commendation　at　their　graves；　for　which　he　gained　great
admiration。　As　he　came　down　from　the　stage　on　which　he　spoke；　the　rest
of　the　women　came　and　complimented　him；　taking　him　by　the　hand；　and
crowning　him　with　garlands　and　ribbons；　like　a　victorious　athlete　in
the　games；　but　Elpinice；　coming　near　to　him；　said；　〃These　are　brave
deeds；　Pericles；　that　you　have　done；　and　such　as　deserve　our　chaplets；
who　have　lost　us　many　a　worthy　citizen；　not　in　a　war　with
Phoenicians　or　Medes；　like　my　brother　Cimon；　but　for　the　overthrow
of　an　allied　and　kindred　city。〃　As　Elpinice　spoke　these　words；　he；
smiling　quietly；　as　it　is　said；　returned　her　answer　with　this　verse：…

　　　　　　　　〃Old　women　should　not　seek　to　be　perfumed。〃

Ion　says　of　him；　that　upon　this　exploit　of　his；　conquering　the
Samians；　he　indulged　very　high　and　proud　thoughts　of　himself：
whereas　Agamemnon　was　ten　years　taking　a　barbarous　city；　he　had　in
nine　months'　time　vanquished　and　taken　the　greatest　and　most
powerful　of　the　Ionians。　And　indeed　it　was　not　without　reason　that
he　assumed　this　glory　to　himself；　for；　in　real　truth；　there　was　much
uncertainty　and　great　hazard　in　this　great　war；　if　so　be；　as
Thucydides　tells　us；　the　Samian　state　were　within　a　very　little　of
wresting　the　whole　power　and　dominion　of　the　sea　out　of　the　Athenians'
hands。
　　After　this　was　over；　the　Peloponnesian　war　beginning　to　break　out　in
full　tide；　he　advised　the　people　to　send　help　to　the　Corcyraeans；
who　were　attacked　by　the　Corinthians；　and　to　secure　to　themselves　an
island　possessed　of　great　naval　resources；　since　the　Peloponnesians
were　already　all　but　in　actual　hostilities　against　them。　The　people
readily　consenting　to　the　motion；　and　voting　an　aid　and　succour　for
them；　he　despatched　Lacedaemonius；　Cimon's　son；　having　only　ten
ships　with　him；　as　it　were　out　of　a　design　to　affront　him；　for　there
was　a　great　kindness　and　friendship　betwixt　Cimon's　family　and　the
Lacedaemonians；　so；　in　order　that　Lacedaemonius　might　lie　the　more
open　to　a　charge；　or　suspicion　at　least；　of　favouring　the
Lacedaemonians　and　playing　false；　if　he　performed　no　considerable
exploit　in　this　service；　he　allowed　him　a　small　number　of　ships；　and
sent　him　out　against　his　will；　and　indeed　he　made　it　somewhat　his
business　to　hinder　Cimon's　sons　from　rising　in　the　state；　professing
that　by　their　very　names　they　were　not　to　be　looked　upon　as　native　and
true　Athenians；　but　foreigners　and　strangers；　one　being　called
Lacedaemonius；　another　Thessalus；　and　the　third　Eleus　and　they　were
all　three　of　them；　it　was　thought；　born　of　an　Arcadian　woman。　Being；
however；　ill　spoken　of　on　account　of　these　ten　galleys；　as　having
afforded　but　a　small　supply　to　the　people　that　were　in　need；　and　yet
given　a　great　advantage　to　those　who　might　complain　of　the　act　of
intervention；　Pericles　sent　out　a　larger　force　afterwards　to
Corcyra；　which　arrived　after　the　fight　was　over。　And　when　now　the
Corinthians；　angry　and　indignant　with　the　Athenians；　accused　them
publicly　at　Lacedaemon；　the　Megarians　joined　with　them；　complaining
that　they　were；　contrary　to　common　right　and　the　articles　of　peace
sworn　to　among　the　Greeks；　kept　out　and　driven　away　from　every
market　and　from　all　ports　under　the　control　of　the　Athenians。　The
Aeginetans；　also；　professing　to　be　ill…used　and　treated　with　violence；
made　supplications　in　private　to　the　Lacedaemonians　for　redress；
though　not　daring　openly　to　call　the　Athenians　in　question。　In　the
meantime；　also；　the　city　Potidaea；　under　the　dominion　of　the
Athenians；　but　a　colony　formerly　of　the　Corinthians；　had　revolted；　and
was　beset　with　a　formal　siege；　and　was　a　further　occasion　of
precipitating　the　war。
　　Yet　notwithstanding　all　this；　there　being　embassies　sent　to
Athens；　and　Archidamus；　the　King　of　the　Lacedaemonians；　endeavouring
to　bring　the　greater　part　of　the　complaints　and　matters　in　dispute
to　a　fair　determination；　and　to　pacify　and　allay　the　heats　of　the
allies；　it　is　very　likely　that　the　war　would　not　upon　any　other
grounds　of　quarrel　have　fallen　upon　the　Athenians；　could　they　have
been　prevailed　with　to　repeal　the　ordinance　against　the　Megarians；　and
to　be　reconciled　to　them。　Upon　which　account；　since　Pericles　was　the
man　who　mainly　opposed　it；　and　stirred　up　the　people's　passions　to
persist　in　their　contention　with　the　Megarians；　he　was　regarded　as　the
sole　cause　of　the　war。
　　They　say；　moreover；　that　ambassadors　went；　by　order；　from　Lacedaemon
to　Athens　about　this　very　business；　and　that　when　Pericles　was
urging　a　certain　law　which　made　it　illegal　to　take　down　or　withdraw
the　tablet　of　the　decree；　one　of　the　ambassadors；　Polyalces　by　name；
said；　〃Well；　do　not　take　it　down　then；　but　turn　it；　there　is　no　law；　I
suppose；　which　forbids　that；〃　which；　though　prettily　said；　did　not
move　Pericles　from　his　resolution。　There　may　have　been；　in　all
likelihood；　something　of　a　secret　grudge　and　private　animosity　which
he　had　against　the　Megarians。　Yet；　upon　a　public　and　open　charge
against　them；　that　they　had　appropriated　part　of　the　sacred　land　on
the　frontier；　he　proposed　a　decree　that　a　herald　should　be　sent　to
them；　and　the　same　also　to　the　Lacedaemonians；　with　an　accusation　of
the　Megarians；　an　order　which　certainly　shows　equitable　and　friendly
proceeding　enough。　And　after　that　the　herald　who　was　sent；　by　name
Anthemocritus；　died；　and　it　was　believed　that　the　Megarians　had
contrived　his　death；　then　Charinus　proposed　a　decree　against　them；
that　there　should　be　an　irreconcilable　and　implacable　enmity
thenceforward　betwixt　the　two　commonwealths；　and　that　if　any　one　of
the　Megarians　should　but　set　his　foot　in　Attica；　he　should　be　put　to
death；　and　that　the　commanders；　when　they　take　the　usual　oath；　should；
over　and　above　that；　swear　that　they　will　twice　every　year　make　an
inroad　into　the　Megarian　country；　and　that　Anthemocritus　should　be
buried　near　the　Thracian　Gates；　which　are　now　called　the　Dipylon；　or
Double　Gate。
　　On　the　other　hand；　the　Megarians；　utterly　denying　and　disowning
the　murder　of　Anthemocritus；　throw　the　whole　matter　upon　Aspasia　and
Pericles；　availing　themselves　of　the　famous　verses　in　the　Acharnians…

　　　　　　　　〃To　Megara　some　of　our　madcaps　ran；
　　　　　　　　　And　stole　Simaetha　thence；　their　courtesan。
　　　　　　　　　Which　exploit　the　Megarians　to　outdo；
　　　　　　　　　Came　to　Aspasia's　house；　and　took　off　two。〃

　　The　true　occasion　of　the　quarrel　is　not　so　easy　to　find　out。　But
of　inducing　the　refusal　to　annul　the　decree；　all　alike　charge
Pericles。　Some　say　he　met　the　request　with　a　positive　refusal；　out
of　high　spirit　and　a　view　of　the　state's　best　interest；　accounting
that　the　demand　made　in　those　embassies　was　designed　for　a　trial　of
their　compliance；　and　that　a　concession　would　be　taken　for　a
confession　of　weakness　as　if　they　durst　not　do　otherwise；　while
other　some　there　are　who　say　that　it　was　rather　out　of　arrogance　and　a
willful　spirit　of　contention；　to　show　his　own　strength；　that　he　took
occasion　to　slight　the　Lacedaemonians。　The　worst　motive　of　all；
which　is　confirmed　by　most　witnesses；　is　to　the　following　effect：
Phidias　the　Moulder　had；　as　has　before　been　said；　undertaken　to　make
the　statue　of　Minerva。　Now　he；　being　admitted　to　friendship　with
Pericles；　and　a　great　favourite　of　his；　had　many　enemies　upon　this
account；　who　envied　and　maligned　him；　who　also；　to　make　trial　in　a
case　of　his；　what　kind　of　judges　the　commons　would　prove；　should　there
be　occasion　to　bring　Pericles　himself　before　them；　having　tampered
with　Menon；　one　who　had　been　a　workman　with　Phidias；　stationed　him
in　the　market…place；　with　a　petition　desiring　public　security　upon　his
discovery　and　impeachment　of　Phidias。　The　people　admitting　the　man
to　tell　his　story；　and　the　prosecution　proceeding　in　the　assembly；
there　was　nothing　of　theft　or　cheat　proved　against　him；　for　Phidias；
from　the　very　first　beginning；　by　the　advice　of　Pericles；　had　so
wrought　and　wrapt　the　gold　that　was　used　in　the　work　about　the　statue；
that　they　might　take　it　all　off；　and　make　out　the　just　weight　of　it；
which　Pericles　at　that　time　bade　the　accuser　do。　But　the　reputation　of
his　works　was　what　brought　envy　upon　Phidias；　especially　that　where　he
represents　the　fight　of　the　Amazons　upon　the　goddess's　shield；　he
had　introduced　a　likeness　of　himself　as　a　bald　old　man　holding　up　a
great　stone　with　both　hands；　and　had　put　in　a　very　fine　representation
of　Pericles　fighting　with　an　Amazon。　And　the　position　of　the　hand
which　holds　out　the　spear　in　front　of　the　face；　was　ingeniously
contrived　to　conceal　in　some　degree　the　likeness；　which　meantime
showed　itself　on　either　side。
　　Phidias　then　was　carried　away　to　prison；　and　there　died　of　a
disease；　but；　as　some　say；　of　poison；　administered　by　the　enemies　of
Pericles；　to　raise　a　slander；　or　a　suspicion　at　least；　as　though　he
had　procured　it。　The　informer　Menon；　upon　Glycon's　proposal；　the
people　made　free　from　payment　of　taxes　and　customs；　and　ordered　the
generals　to　take　care　that　nobody　should　do　him　any　hurt。　About　the
same　time；　Aspasia　was　indicted　of　impiety；　upon　the　complaint　of
Hermippus　the　comedian；　who　also　laid　further　to　her　charge　that　she
received　into　her　house　freeborn　women　for　the　uses　of　Pericles。　And
Diopithes　proposed　a　decree；　that　public　accusations　should　be　laid
against　persons　who　neglected　religion；　or　taught　new　doctrines
about　things　above；　directing　suspicion；　by　means　of　Anaxagoras；
against　Pericles　himself。　The　people　receiving　and　admitting　these
accusations　and　complaints