anabasis-第46章

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hout　further　delay　to　assist　them　and　to　punish　certain　others　who　have　broken　their　oaths　and　done　them　wrong。　If　it　should　turn　out　that　you　come　under　this　head；　when　we　come　to　exact　justice；　we　shall　begin　with　you。〃　Xenophon　added：　〃Would　you　prefer；　Medosades；　to　leave　it　to　these　people　themselves；　in　whose　country　we　are　（your　friends；　since　this　is　the　designation　you　prefer）；　to　decide　by　ballot；　which　of　the　two　should　leave　the　country；　you　or　we？〃　To　that　proposal　he　shook　his　head；　but　he　trusted　the　two　Laconians　might　be　induced　to　go　to　Seuthes　about　the　pay；　adding；　〃Seuthes；　I　am　sure；　will　lend　a　willing　ear；〃　or　if　they　could　not　go；　then　he　prayed　them　to　send　Xenophon　with　himself；　promising　to　lend　the　latter　all　the　aid　in　his　power；　and　finally　he　begged　them　not　to　burn　the　villages。　Accordingly　they　sent　Xenophon；　and　with　him　a　serviceable　staff。　Being　arrived；　he　addressed　Seuthes　thus：

〃Seuthes；　I　am　here　to　advance　no　claims；　but　to　show　you；　if　I　can；　　　　21　how　unjust　it　was　on　your　part　to　be　angered　with　me　because　I　zealously　demanded　of　you　on　behalf　of　the　soldiers　what　you　promised　them。　According　to　my　belief；　it　was　no　less　to　your　interest　to　deliver　it　up；　than　it　was　to　theirs　to　receive　it。　I　cannot　forget　that；　next　to　the　gods；　it　was　they　who　raised　you　up　to　a　conspicuous　eminence；　when　they　made　you　king　of　large　territory　and　many　men；　a　position　in　which　you　cannot　escape　notice；　whether　you　do　good　or　do　evil。　For　a　man　so　circumstanced；　I　regarded　it　as　a　great　thing　that　he　should　avoid　the　suspicion　even　of　ungrateful　parting　with　his　benefactors。　It　was　a　great　thing；　I　thought；　that　you　should　be　well　spoken　of　by　six　thousand　human　beings；　but　the　greatest　thing　of　all；　that　you　should　in　no　wise　discredit　the　sincerity　of　your　own　word。　For　what　of　the　man　who　cannot　be　trusted？　I　see　that　the　words　of　his　mouth　are　but　vain　words；　powerless；　and　unhonoured；　but　with　him　who　is　seen　to　regard　truth；　the　case　is　otherwise。　He　can　achieve　by　his　words　what　another　achieves　by　force。　If　he　seeks　to　bring　the　foolish　to　their　senseshis　very　frown；　I　perceive；　has　a　more　sobering　effect　than　the　chastisement　inflicted　by　another。　Or　in　negotiations　the　very　promises　of　such　an　one　are　of　equal　weight　with　the　gifts　of　another。

〃Try　and　recall　to　mind　in　your　own　case；　what　advance　of　money　you　made　to　us　to　purchase　our　alliance。　You　know　you　did　not　advance　one　penny。　It　was　simply　confidence　in　the　sincerity　of　your　word　which　incited　all　these　men　to　assist　you　in　your　campaign；　and　so　to　acquire　for　you　an　empire；　worth　many　times　more　than　thirty　talents；　which　is　all　they　now　claim　to　receive。　Here　then；　first　of　all；　goes　the　credit　which　won　for　you　your　kingdom；　sold　for　so　mean　a　sum。　Let　me　remind　you　of　the　great　importance　which　you　then　attached　to　the　acquisition　of　your　present　conquests。　I　am　certain　that　to　achieve　what　stands　achieved　to…day；　you　would　willingly　have　foregone　the　gain　of　fifty　times　that　paltry　sum。　To　me　it　seems　that　to　lose　your　present　fortune　were　a　more　serious　loss　than　never　to　have　won　it；　since　surely　it　is　harder　to　be　poor　after　being　rich　than　never　to　　　　　28　have　tasted　wealth　at　all；　and　more　painful　to　sink　to　the　level　of　a　subject；　being　a　king；　then　never　to　have　worn　a　crown。

〃You　cannot　forget　that　your　present　vassals　were　not　persuaded　to　become　your　subjects　out　of　love　for　you；　but　by　sheer　force；　and　but　for　some　restraining　dread　they　would　endeavour　to　be　free　again　to…morrow。　And　how　do　you　propose　to　stimulate　their　sense　of　awe；　and　keep　them　in　good　behaviour　towards　you？　Shall　they　see　our　soldiers　so　disposed　towards　you　that　a　word　on　your　part　would　suffice　to　keep　them　now；　or　if　necessary　would　bring　them　back　again　to…morrow？　while　others　hearing　from　us　a　hundred　stories　in　your　praise；　hasten　to　present　themselves　at　your　desire？　Or　will　you　drive　them　to　conclude　adversely；　that　through　mistrust　of　what　has　happened　now；　no　second　set　of　soldiers　will　come　to　help　you；　for　even　these　troops　of　ours　are　more　their　friends　than　yours？　And　indeed　it　was　not　because　they　fell　short　of　us　in　numbers　that　they　became　your　subjects；　but　from　lack　of　proper　leaders。　There　is　a　danger；　therefore；　now　lest　they　should　choose　as　their　protectors　some　of　us　who　regard　ourselves　as　wronged　by　you；　or　even　better　men　than　usthe　Lacedaemonians　themselves；　supposing　our　soldiers　undertake　to　serve　with　more　enthusiasm；　if　the　debt　you　owe　to　them　be　first　exacted；　and　the　Lacedaemonians；　who　need　their　services；　consent　to　this　request。　It　is　plain；　at　any　rate；　that　the　Thracians；　now　prostrate　at　your　feet；　would　display　far　more　enthusiasm　in　attacking；　than　in　assisting　you；　for　your　mastery　means　their　slavery；　and　your　defeat　their　liberty。

〃Again；　the　country　is　now　yours；　and　from　this　time　forward　you　have　to　make　provision　for　what　is　yours；　and　how　will　you　best　secure　it　an　immunity　from　ill？　Either　these　soldiers　receive　their　dues　and　go；　leaving　a　legacy　of　peace　behind；　or　they　stay　and　occupy　an　enemy's　country；　whilst　you　endeavour；　by　aid　of　a　still　larger　army；　to　open　a　new　campaign　and　turn　them　out；　and　your　new　troops　will　also　need　provisions。　Or　again；　which　will　be　the　greater　drain　on　your　purse？　to　pay　off　your　present　debt；　or；　with　that　still　owing；　to　bid　for　more　troops；　and　of　a　better　quality？

〃Heracleides；　as　he　used　to　prove　to　me；　finds　the　sum　excessive。　But　　　35　surely　it　is　a　far　less　serious　thing　for　you　to　take　and　pay　it　back　to…day　than　it　would　have　been　to　pay　the　tithe　of　it；　before　we　came　to　you；　since　the　limit　between　less　and　more　is　no　fixed　number；　but　depends　on　the　relative　capacity　of　payer　and　recipient；　and　your　yearly　income　now　is　larger　than　the　whole　property　which　you　possessed　in　earlier　days。

〃Well；　Seuthes；　for　myself　these　remarks　are　the　expression　of　friendly　forethought　for　a　friend。　They　are　expressed　in　the　double　hope　that　you　may　show　yourself　worthy　of　the　good　things　which　the　gods　have　given　you；　and　that　my　reputation　may　not　be　ruined　with　the　army。　For　I　must　assure　you　that　to…day；　if　I　wished　to　injure　a　foe；　I　could　not　do　so　with　this　army。　Nor　again；　if　I　wished　to　come　and　help　you；　should　I　be　competent　to　the　task；　such　is　the　disposition　of　the　troops　towards　me。　And　yet　I　call　you　to　witness；　along　with　the　gods　who　know；　that　never　have　I　received　anything　from　you　on　account　of　the　soldiers。　Never　to　this　day　have　I；　to　my　private　gain；　asked　for　what　was　theirs；　nor　even　claimed　the　promises　which　were　made　to　myself；　and　I　swear　to　you；　not　even　had　you　proposed　to　pay　me　my　dues；　would　I　have　accepted　them；　unless　the　soldiers　also　had　been　going　to　receive　theirs　too；　how　could　I？　How　shameful　it　would　have　been　in　me；　so　to　have　secured　my　own　interests；　whilst　I　disregarded　the　disastrous　state　of　theirs；　I　being　so　honoured　by　them。　Of　course　to　the　mind　of　Heracleides　this　is　all　silly　talk；　since　the　one　great　object　is　to　keep　money　by　whatever　means。　That　is　not　my　tenet；　Seuthes。　I　believe　that　no　fairer　or　brighter　jewel　can　be　given　to　a　man；　and　most　of　all　a　prince；　than　the　threefold　grace　of　valour；　justice；　and　generosity。　He　that　possesses　these　is　rich　in　the　multitude　of　friends　which　surround　him；　rich　also　in　the　desire　of　others　to　be　included　in　their　number。　While　he　prospers；　he　is　surrounded　by　those　who　will　rejoice　with　him　in　his　joy；　or　if　misfortune　overtake　him；　he　has　no　lack　of　sympathisers　to　give　him　help。　However；　if　you　have　failed　to　learn　from　my　deeds　that　I　was；　heart　and　soul；　your　friend；　if　my　words　are　powerless　to　reveal　the　fact　to…day；　I　would　at　least　direct　your　attention　to　what　the　　　　　　　　　43　soldiers　said；　you　were　standing　by　and　heard　what　those　who　sought　to　blame　me　said。　They　accused　me　to　the　Lacedaemonians；　and　the　point　of　their　indictment　was　that　I　set　greater　store　by　yourself　than　by　the　Lacedaemonians；　but；　as　regards　themselves；　the　charge　was　that　I　took　more　pains　to　secure　the　success　of　your　interests　than　their　own。　They　suggested　that　I　had　actually　taken　gifts　from　you。　Was　it；　do　you　suppose；　because　they　detected　some　ill…will　in　me　towards　you　that　they　made　the　allegation？　Was　it　not　rather；　that　they　had　noticed　my　abundant　zeal　on　your　behalf？

〃All　men　believe；　I　think；　that　a　fund　of　kindly　feeling　is　due　to　him　from　whom　we　accept　gifts。　But　what　is　your　behaviour？　Before　I　had　ministered　to　you　in　any　way；　or　done　you　a　single　service；　you　welcomed　me　kindly　with　your　eyes；　your　voice；　your　hospitality；　and　you　could　not　sate　yourself　with　promises　of　all　the　fine　things　that　were　to　follow。　But　having　once　achieved　your　object；　and　become　the　great　man　you　now　are；　as　great　indeed　as　I　could　make　you；　you　can　stand　by　and　see　me　degraded　among　my　own　soldiers！　Well；　time　will　teach　youthat　I　fully　believeto　pay　whatever　seems　to　you　right；　and　even　without　the　lessons　of　that　teacher　you　will　hardly　care　to　see　whose　who　have　spent　themselves　in　benefiting　you；　become　your　accusers。　Only；　when　you　do　pay　your　debt；　I　beg　of　you　to　use　your　best　endeavour　to　right　me　with　the　soldiers。　Leave　me　at　least　where　you　found　me；　that　is　all　I　ask。〃

After　listening　to　this　appeal；　Seuthes　called　down　curses　on　him；　whose　fault　it　was；　that　the　debt　had　not　long　ago　been　paid；　and；　if　the　general　suspicion　was　correct；　this　was　Heracleides。　〃For　myself；〃　said　Seuthes；　〃I　never　had　any　idea　of　robbing　you　of　your　just　dues。　I　will　repay。〃　Then　Xenophon　rejoined：　〃Since　you　are　minded　to　pay；　I　only　ask　that　you　will　do　so　through　me；　and　will　not　suffer　me　on　your　account　to　hold　a　different　position　in　the　army　from　what　I　held　when　we　joined　you。〃　He　replied：　〃As　far　as　that　goes；　so　far　from　holding　a　less　honoured　position　among　your　own　men　on　my　account；　if　you　will　stay　with　me；　keeping　only　a　thousand　heavy　infantry；　I　will　deliver　to　you　the　fortified　places　and　everything　I　promised。〃　The　other　answered：　〃On　these　terms　I　may　not　accept　them；　only　let　us　go　　　51　free。〃　〃Nay；　but　I　know；〃　said　Seuthes；　〃that　it　is　safer　for　you　to　bide　with　me　than　to　go　away。〃　Then　Xenophon　again：　〃For　your　forethought　I　thank　you；　but　I　may　not　stay。　Somewhere　I　may　rise　to　honour；　and　that；　be　sure；　shall　redound　to　your　gain　also。〃　Thereupon　Seuthes　spoke：　〃Of　silver　I　have　but　little；　that　little；　however；　I　give　to　you；　one　talent；　but　of　beeves　I　can　give　you　six　hundred　head；　and　of　sheep　four　thousand；　and　of　slaves　six　score。　These　take；　and　the　hostages　besides；　who　wronged　you；　and　begone。〃　Xenophon　laughed　and　said：　〃But　supposing　these　all　together　do　not　amount　to　the　pay；　for　whom　is　the　talent；　shall　I　say？　It　is　a　little　dangerous　for　myself；　is　it　not？　I　think　I　had　better　be　on　the　look…out　for　stones　when　I　return。　You　heard　the　threats？〃

So　for　the　moment　he　stayed　there；　but　the　next　day　Seuthes　gave　up　to　them　what　he　had　promised；　and　sent　an　escort　to　drive　the　cattle。　The　soldiers　at　first　maintained　that　Xenophon　had　gone　to　take　up　his　abode　with　Seuthes；　and　to　receive　what　he　had　been　promised；　so　when　they　saw　him　they　were　pleased；　and　ran　to　meet　him。　And　Xenophon；　seeing　Charminus　and　Polynicus；　said：　〃Thank