artaxerxes-第2章

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advance　almost　to　the　city　of　Babylon。　Then　Teribazus；　as　the　report
goes；　was　the　first　that　had　the　boldness　to　tell　the　king　that　he
ought　not　to　avoid　the　conflict；　nor　to　abandon　Media；　Babylon；　and
even　Susa；　and　hide　himself　in　Persis；　when　all　the　while　he　had　an
army　many　times　over　more　numerous　than　his　enemies；　and　an　infinite
company　of　governors　and　captains　that　were　better　soldiers　and
politicians　than　Cyrus。　So　at　last　he　resolved　to　fight；　as　soon　as　it
was　possible　for　him。　Making；　therefore；　his　first　appearance；　all
on　a　sudden；　at　the　head　of　nine　hundred　thousand　well…marshalled　men；
he　so　startled　and　surprised　the　enemy；　who　with　the　confidence　of
contempt　were　marching　on　their　way　in　no　order；　and　with　their　arms
not　ready　for　use；　that　Cyrus；　in　the　midst　of　such　noise　and
tumult；　was　scarcely　able　to　form　them　for　battle。　Moreover；　the
very　manner　in　which　he　led　on　his　men；　silently　and　slowly；　made
the　Grecians　stand　amazed　at　his　good　discipline；　who　had　expected
irregular　shouting　and　leaping；　much　confusion　and　separation
between　one　body　of　men　and　another；　in　so　vast　a　multitude　of　troops。
He　also　placed　the　choicest　of　his　armed　chariots　in　the　front　of
his　own　phalanx　over　against　the　Grecian　troops；　that　a　violent　charge
with　these　might　cut　open　their　ranks　before　they　closed　with　them。
　　But　as　this　battle　is　described　by　many　historians；　and　Xenophon
in　particular　as　good　as　shows　it　us　by　eyesight；　not　as　a　past　event；
but　as　a　present　action；　and　by　his　vivid　account　makes　his　hearers
feel　all　the　passions　and　join　in　all　the　dangers　of　it；　it　would　be
folly　in　me　to　give　any　larger　account　of　it　than　barely　to　mention
any　things　omitted　by　him　which　yet　deserve　to　be　recorded。　The　place；
then；　in　which　the　two　armies　were　drawn　out　is　called　Cunaxa；　being
about　five　hundred　furlongs　distant　from　Babylon。　And　here　Clearchus
beseeching　Cyrus　before　the　fight　to　retire　behind　the　combatants；　and
not　expose　himself　to　hazard；　they　say　he　replied；　〃What　is　this；
Clearchus？　Would　you　have　me；　who　aspire　to　empire；　show　myself
unworthy　of　it？〃　But　if　Cyrus　committed　a　great　fault　in　entering
headlong　into　the　midst　of　danger；　and　not　paying　any　regard　to　his
own　safety；　Clearchus　was　as　much　to　blame；　if　not　more；　in　refusing
to　lead　the　Greeks　against　the　main　body　of　the　enemy；　where　the
king　stood；　and　in　keeping　his　right　wing　close　to　the　river；　for　fear
of　being　surrounded。　For　if　he　wanted；　above　all　other　things；　to　be
safe；　and　considered　it　his　first　object　to　sleep　in　a　whole　skin；
it　had　been　his　best　way　not　to　have　stirred　from　home。　But；　after
marching　in　arms　ten　thousand　furlongs　from　the　sea…coast；　simply　on
his　choosing；　for　the　purpose　of　placing　Cyrus　on　the　throne；　to
look　about　and　select　a　position　which　would　enable　him；　not　to
preserve　him　under　whose　pay　and　conduct　he　was；　but　himself　to　engage
with　more　ease　and　security；　seemed　much　like　one　that　through　fear　of
present　dangers　had　abandoned　the　purpose　of　his　actions；　and　been
false　to　the　design　of　his　expedition。　For　it　is　evident　from　the　very
event　of　the　battle　that　none　of　those　who　were　in　array　around　the
king's　person　could　have　stood　the　shock　of　the　Grecian　charge；　and
had　they　been　beaten　out　of　the　field；　and　Artaxerxes　either　fled　or
fallen；　Cyrus　would　have　gained　by　the　victory；　not　only　safety；　but　a
crown。　And；　therefore；　Clearchus　by　his　caution　must　be　considered
more　to　blame　for　the　result　in　the　destruction　of　the　life　and
fortune　of　Cyrus；　than　he　by　his　heat　and　rashness。　For　had　the　king
made　it　his　business　to　discover　a　place；　where　having　posted　the
Grecians；　he　might　encounter　them　with　the　least　hazard；　he　would
never　have　found　out　any　other　but　that　which　was　most　remote　from
himself　and　those　near　him；　of　his　defeat　in　which　he　was
insensible；　and；　though　Clearchus　had　the　victory；　yet　Cyrus　could　not
know　of　it；　and　could　take　no　advantage　of　it　before　his　fall。　Cyrus
knew　well　enough　what　was　expedient　to　be　done；　and　commanded
Clearchus　with　his　men　to　take　their　place　in　the　centre。　Clearchus
replied　that　he　would　take　care　to　have　all　arranged　as　was　best；
and　then　spoiled　all。
　　For　the　Grecians；　where　they　were；　defeated　the　barbarians　till　they
were　weary；　and　chased　them　successfully　a　very　great　way。　But　Cyrus
being　mounted　upon　a　noble　but　a　headstrong　and　hard…mouthed　horse；
bearing　the　name；　as　Ctesias　tells　us；　of　Pasacas；　Artagerses；　the
leader　of　the　Cadusians；　galloped　up　to　him；　crying　aloud；　〃O　most
unjust　and　senseless　of　men；　who　are　the　disgrace　of　the　honoured　name
of　Cyrus；　are　you　come　here　leading　the　wicked　Greeks　on　a　wicked
journey；　to　plunder　the　good　things　of　the　Persians；　and　this　with　the
intent　of　slaying　your　lord　and　brother；　the　master　of　ten　thousand
times　ten　thousand　servants　that　are　better　men　than　you？　as　you　shall
see　this　instant；　for　you　shall　lose　your　head　here；　before　you　look
upon　the　face　of　the　king。〃　Which　when　he　had　said；　he　cast　his
javelin　at　him。　But　his　coat　of　mail　stoutly　repelled　it；　and　Cyrus
was　not　wounded；　yet　the　stroke　falling　heavy　upon　him；　he　reeled
under　it。　Then　Artagerses　turning　his　horse；　Cyrus　threw　his　weapon；
and　sent　the　head　of　it　through　his　neck　near　the　shoulder　bone。　So
that　it　is　almost　universally　agreed　to　by　all　the　authors　that
Artagerses　was　slain　by　him。
　　But　as　to　the　death　of　Cyrus；　since　Xenophon；　as　being　himself　no
eyewitness　of　it；　has　stated　it　simply　and　in　few　words；　it　may　not　be
amiss　perhaps　to　run　over　on　the　one　hand　what　Dinon；　and　on　the
other；　what　Ctesias　has　said　of　it。
　　Dinon　then　affirms　that；　after　the　death　of　Artagerses；　Cyrus；
furiously　attacking　the　guard　of　Artaxerxes；　wounded　the　king's　horse；
and　so　dismounted　him；　and　when　Teribazus　had　quickly　lifted　him　up
upon　another；　and　said　to　him；　〃O　king；　remember　this　day；　which　is
not　one　to　be　forgotten；〃　Cyrus；　again　spurring　up　his　horse；　struck
down　Artaxerxes。　But　at　the　third　assault　the　king　being　enraged；
and　saying　to　those　near　him　that　death　was　more　eligible；　made　up
to　Cyrus；　who　furiously　and　blindly　rushed　in　the　face　of　the
weapons　opposed　to　him。　So　the　king　struck　him　with　a　javelin；　as
likewise　did　those　that　were　about　him。　And　thus　Cyrus　falls；　as
some　say；　by　the　hand　of　the　king；　as　others　by　the　dart　of　a
Carian；　to　whom　Artaxerxes　for　a　reward　of　his　achievement　gave　the
privilege　of　carrying　ever　after　a　golden　cock　upon　his　spear　before
the　first　ranks　of　the　army　in　all　expeditions。　For　the　Persians
call　the　men　of　Caria　cocks；　because　of　the　crests　with　which　they
adorn　their　helmets。
　　But　the　account　of　Ctesias；　to　put　it　shortly；　omitting　many
details；　is　as　follows：　Cyrus；　after　the　death　of　Artagerses；　rode
up　against　the　king；　as　he　did　against　him；　neither　exchanging　a
word　with　the　other。　But　Ariaeus；　Cyrus's　friend；　was　beforehand
with　him；　and　darted　first　at　the　king；　yet　wounded　him　not。　Then
the　king　cast　his　lance　at　his　brother；　but　missed　him；　though　he　both
hit　and　slew　Satiphernes；　a　noble　man　and　a　faithful　friend　to
Cyrus。　Then　Cyrus　directed　his　lance　against　the　king；　and　pierced　his
breast　with　it　quite　through　his　armour；　two　inches　deep；　so　that　he
fell　from　his　horse　with　the　stroke。　At　which　those　that　attended
him　being　put　to　flight　and　disorder；　he；　rising　with　a　few；　among
whom　was　Ctesias；　and　making　his　way　to　a　little　hill　not　far　off；
rested　himself。　But　Cyrus；　who　was　in　the　thick　enemy；　was　carried　off
a　great　way　by　the　wildness　of　his　horse；　the　darkness　which　was　now
coming　on　making　it　hard　for　them　to　know　him；　and　for　his　followers
to　find　him。　However；　being　made　elate　with　victory；　and　full　of
confidence　and　force；　he　passed　through　them；　crying　out；　and　that
more　than　once；　in　the　Persian　language；　〃Clear　the　way；　villains；
clear　the　way；〃　which　they　indeed　did；　throwing　themselves　down　at　his
feet。　But　his　tiara　dropped　off　his　head；　and　a　young　Persian；　by　name
Mithridates；　running　by；　struck　a　dart　into　one　of　his　temples　near
his　eye；　not　knowing　who　he　was；　out　of　which　wound　much　blood　gushed；
so　that　Cyrus；　swooning　and　senseless；　fell　off　his　horse。　The　horse
escaped；　and　ran　about　the　field；　but　the　companion　of　Mithridates
took　the　trappings　which　fell　off；　soaked　with　blood。　And　as　Cyrus
slowly　began　to　come　to　himself；　some　eunuchs　who　were　there　tried
to　put　him　on　another　horse；　and　so　convey　him　safe　away。　And　when
he　was　not　able　to　ride；　and　desired　to　walk　on　his　feet；　they　led　and
supported　him；　being　indeed　dizzy　in　the　head　and　reeling；　but
convinced　of　his　being　victorious；　hearing；　as　he　went；　the
fugitives　saluting　Cyrus　as　king；　and　praying　for　grace　and　mercy。
In　the　meantime；　some　wretched；　poverty…stricken　Caunians；　who　in　some
pitiful　employment　as　camp　followers　had　accompanied　the　king's
army；　by　chance　joined　these　attendants　of　Cyrus；　supposing　them　to　be
of　their　own　party。　But　when；　after　a　while；　they　made　out　that
their　coats　over　their　breastplates　were　red；　whereas　all　the　king's
people　wore　white　ones；　they　knew　that　they　were　enemies。　One　of　them；
therefore；　not　dreaming　that　it　was　Cyrus；　ventured　to　strike　him
behind　with　a　dart。　The　vein　under　the　knee　was　cut　open；　and　Cyrus
fell；　and　at　the　same　time　struck　his　wounded　temple　against　a
stone；　and　so　died。　Thus　runs　Ctesias's　account；　tardily；　with　the
slowness　of　a　blunt　weapon　effecting　the　victim's　death。
　　When　he　was　now　dead；　Artasyras；　the　king's　eye；　passed　by　on
horseback；　and；　having　observed　the　eunuchs　lamenting；　he　asked　the
most　trusty　of　them；　〃Who　is　this；　Pariscas；　whom　you　sit　here
deploring？〃　He　replied；　〃Do　not　you　see；　O　Artasyras；　that　it　is　my
master；　Cyrus？〃　Then　Artasyras　wondering；　bade　the　eunuch　be　of　good
cheer；　and　keep　the　dead　body　safe。　And　going　in　all　haste　to
Artaxerxes；　who　had　now　given　up　all　hope　of　his　affairs；　and　was　in
great　suffering　also　with　his　thirst　and　his　wound；　he　with　much　joy
assured　him　that　he　had　seen　Cyrus　dead。　Upon　this；　at　first；　he　set
out　to　go　in　person　to　the　place；　and　commanded　Artasyras　to　conduct
him　where　he　lay。　But　when　there　was　a　great　noise　made　about　the
Greeks；　who　were　said　to　be　in　full　pursuit；　conquering　and　carrying
all　before　them；　he　thought　it　best　to　send　a　number　of　persons　to
see；　and　accordingly　thirty　men　went　with　torches　in　their　hands。
Meantime；　as　he　seemed　to　be　almost　at　the　point　of　dying　from　thirst；
his　eunuch　Satibarzanes　ran　about　seeking　drink　for　him；　for　the　place
had　no　water　in　it　and　he　was　at　a　good　distance　from　his　camp。
After　a　long　search　he　at　last　met　one　of　those　poor　Caunian
camp…followers；　who　had　in　a　wretched　skin　about　four　pints　of　foul
and　stinking　water；　which　he　took　and　gave　to　the　king；　and　when　he
had　drunk　all　off；　he　asked　him　if　he　did　not　dislike　the　water；　but
he　declared　by　all　the　gods　that　he　never　so　much　relished　either
wine；　or　water　out　of　the　lightest　or　purest　stream。　〃And
therefore；〃　said　he；　〃if　I　fail　myself　to　discover　and　reward　him
who　gave　it　to　you；　I　beg　of　heaven　to　make　him　rich　and　prosperous。〃
　　Just　after　this；　came　back　the　thirty　messengers；