aratus-第2章

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coming　up　to　meet　this；　they　were　in　extreme　danger　of　being
discovered。　But　when　this　also　went　by　without　observing　them；
immediately　Mnasitheus　and　Ecdelus　got　upon　the　wall；　and；
possessing　themselves　of　the　approaches　inside　and　out；　sent　away
Technon　to　Aratus；　desiring　him　to　make　all　the　haste　he　could。
　　Now　there　was　no　great　distance　from　the　garden　to　the　wall　and　to
the　tower　in　which　latter　a　large　hound　was　kept。　The　hound　did　not
hear　their　steps　of　himself；　whether　that　he　were　naturally　drowsy；　or
over…wearied　the　day　before；　but；　the　gardener's　curs　awaking　him；
he　first　began　to　growl　and　grumble　in　response；　and　then　as　they
passed　by　to　bark　out　aloud。　And　the　barking　was　now　so　great；　that
the　sentinel　opposite　shouted　out　to　the　dog's　keeper　to　know　why
the　dog　kept　such　a　barking；　and　whether　anything　was　the　matter；
who　answered；　that　it　was　nothing　but　only　that　his　dog　had　been　set
barking　by　the　lights　of　the　watch　and　the　noise　of　the　bell。　This
reply　much　encouraged　Aratus's　soldiers；　who　thought　the　dog's
keeper　was　privy　to　their　design；　and　wished　to　conceal　what　was
passing；　and　that　many　others　in　the　city　were　of　the　conspiracy。
But　when　they　came　to　scale　the　wall；　the　attempt　then　appeared　both
to　require　time　and　to　be　full　of　danger；　for　the　ladders　shook　and
tottered　extremely　unless　they　mounted　them　leisurely　and　one　by
one；　and　time　pressed；　for　the　cocks　began　to　crow；　and　the　country
people　that　used　to　bring　things　to　the　market　would　be　coming　to
the　town　directly。　Therefore　Aratus　made　haste　to　get　up　himself；
forty　only　of　the　company　being　already　upon　the　wall　and；　staying　but
for　a　few　more　of　those　that　were　below；　he　made　straight　to　the
tyrant's　house　and　the　general's　office；　where　the　mercenary
soldiers　passed　the　night；　and；　coming　suddenly　upon　them；　and
taking　them　prisoners　without　killing　any　one　of　them；　he
immediately　sent　to　all　his　friends　in　their　houses　to　desire　them
to　come　to　him；　which　they　did　from　all　quarters。　By　this　time　the　day
began　to　break；　and　the　theatre　was　filled　with　a　multitude　that
were　held　in　suspense　by　uncertain　reports　and　knew　nothing　distinctly
of　what　had　happened；　until　a　public　crier　came　forward　and　proclaimed
that　Aratus；　the　son　of　Clinias；　invited　the　citizens　to　recover　their
liberty。
　　Then　at　last　assured　that　what　they　had　so　long　looked　for　was
come　to　pass；　they　pressed　in　throngs　to　the　tyrant's　gates　to　set
them　on　fire。　And　such　a　flame　was　kindled；　the　whole　house　catching
fire；　that　it　was　seen　as　far　as　Corinth；　so　that　the　Corinthians；
wondering　what　the　matter　could　be；　were　upon　the　point　of　coming　to
their　assistance。　Nicocles　fled　away　secretly　out　of　the　city　by　means
of　certain　underground　passages；　and　the　soldiers　helping　the
Sicyonians　to　quench　the　fire；　plundered　the　house。　This　Aratus
hindered　not；　but　divided　also　the　rest　of　the　riches　of　the　tyrant
amongst　the　citizens。　In　this　exploit；　not　one　of　these　engaged　in
it　was　slain；　nor　any　of　the　contrary　party；　fortune　so　ordering　the
action　as　to　be　clear　and　free　from　civil　bloodshed。　He　restored
eighty　exiles　who　had　been　expelled　by　Nicocles；　and　no　less　than　five
hundred　who　had　been　driven　out　by　former　tyrants　and　had　endured　a
long　banishment；　pretty　nearly；　by　this　time；　of　fifty　years'
duration。　These　returning；　most　of　them　very　poor；　were　impatient　to
enter　upon　their　former　possessions；　and；　proceeding　to　their
several　farms　and　houses；　gave　great　perplexity　to　Aratus；　who
considered　that　the　city　without　was　envied　for　its　liberty　and
aimed　at　by　Antigonus；　and　within　was　full　of　disorder　and　sedition。
Wherefore；　as　things　stood；　he　thought　it　best　to　associate　it　to
the　Achaean　community；　and　so；　although　Dorians；　they　of　their　own
will　took　upon　them　the　name　and　citizenship　of　the　Achaeans；　who　at
that　time　had　neither　great　repute　nor　much　power。　For　the　most　of
them　lived　in　small　towns；　and　their　territory　was　neither　large　nor
fruitful；　and　the　neighbouring　sea　was　almost　wholly　without　a
harbour；　breaking　direct　upon　a　rocky　shore。　But　yet　these　above
others　made　it　appear　that　the　Grecian　courage　was　invincible；
whensoever　it　could　only　have　order　and　concord　within　itself　and　a
prudent　general　to　direct　it。　For　though　they　had　scarcely　been
counted　as　any　part　of　the　ancient　Grecian　power；　and　at　this　time
it　did　not　equal　the　strength　of　one　ordinary　city；　yet　by　prudence
and　unanimity；　and　because　they　knew　not　how　to　envy　and　malign；　but
to　obey　and　follow　him　amongst　them　that　was　most　eminent　for
virtue；　they　not　only　preserved　their　own　liberty　in　the　midst　of　so
many　great　cities；　military　powers；　and　monarchies；　but　went　on
steadily　saving　and　delivering　from　slavery　great　numbers　of　the
Greeks。
　　As　for　Aratus；　he　was　in　his　behaviour　a　true　statesman；
high…minded；　and　more　intent　upon　the　public　than　his　private
concerns；　a　bitter　hater　of　tyrants；　making　the　common　good　the　rule
and　law　of　his　friendships　and　enmities。　So　that　indeed　he　seems　not
to　have　been　so　faithful　a　friend；　as　he　was　a　reasonable　and　gentle
enemy；　ready；　according　to　the　needs　of　the　state；　to　suit　himself
on　occasion　to　either　side；　concord　between　nations；　brotherhood
between　cities；　the　council　and　the　assembly　unanimous　in　their　votes；
being　the　objects　above　all　other　blessings　to　which　he　was
passionately　devoted；　backward；　indeed；　and　diffident　in　the　use　of
arms　and　often　force；　but　in　effecting　a　purpose　underhand；　and
outwitting　cities　and　potentates　without　observation；　most　politic　and
dexterous。　Therefore；　though　he　succeeded　beyond　hope　in　many
enterprises　which　he　undertook；　yet　he　seems　to　have　left　quite　as
many　unattempted；　though　feasible　enough；　for　want　of　assurance。　For
it　should　seem；　that　as　the　sight　of　certain　beasts　is　strong　in　the
night　but　dim　by　day；　the　tenderness　of　the　humours　of　their　eyes
not　bearing　the　contact　of　the　light；　so　there　is　also　one　kind　of
human　skill　and　sagacity　which　is　easily　daunted　and　disturbed　in
actions　done　in　the　open　day　and　before　the　world；　and　recovers　all
its　self…possession　in　secret　and　covert　enterprises；　which　inequality
is　occasioned　in　noble　minds　for　want　of　philosophy；　a　mere　wild　and
uncultivated　fruit　of　a　virtue　without　true　knowledge　coming　up；　as
might　be　made　out　by　examples。
　　Aratus；　therefore；　having　associated　himself　and　his　city　to　the
Achaeans；　served　in　the　cavalry；　and　made　himself　much　beloved　by
his　commanding　officers　for　his　exact　obedience；　for　though　he　had
made　so　large　an　addition　to　the　common　strength　as　that　of　his　own
credit　and　the　power　of　his　country；　yet　he　was　as　ready　as　the　most
ordinary　person　to　be　commanded　by　the　Achaean　general　of　the　time
being；　whether　he　were　a　man　of　Dynae；　or　of　Tritaea；　or　any　yet
meaner　town　than　these。　Having　also　a　present　of　five…and…twenty
talents　sent　him　from　the　king；　he　took　them　but　gave　them　all　to
his　fellow…citizens　who　wanted　money；　amongst　other　purposes；　for
the　redemption　of　those　who　had　been　taken　prisoners。
　　But　the　exiles　being　by　no　means　to　be　satisfied；　disturbing
continually　those　that　were　in　possession　of　their　estates；　Sicyon　was
in　great　danger　of　falling　into　perfect　desolation；　so　that；　having　no
hope　left　but　in　the　kindness　of　Ptolemy；　he　resolved　to　sail　to
him；　and　to　beg　so　much　money　of　him　as　might　reconcile　all　parties。
So　he　set　sail　from　Mothone　beyond　Malea；　designing　to　make　the　direct
passage。　But　the　pilot　not　being　able　to　keep　the　vessel　up　against
a　strong　wind　and　high　waves　that　came　in　from　the　open　sea；　he　was
driven　from　his　course；　and　with　much　ado　got　to　shore　in　Andros；　an
enemy's　land；　possessed　by　Antigonus；　who　had　a　garrison　there。　To
avoid　which　he　immediately　landed；　and；　leaving　the　ship；　went　up　into
the　country　a　good　way　from　the　sea；　having　along　with　him　only　one
friend；　called　Timanthes；　and　throwing　themselves　into　some　ground
thickly　covered　with　wood；　they　had　but　an　ill　night's　rest　of　it。　Not
long　after；　the　commander　of　the　troops　came；　and；　inquiring　for
Aratus；　was　deceived　by　his　servants；　who　had　been　instructed　to　say
that　he　had　fled　at　once　over　into　the　island　of　Euboea。　However；　he
declared　the　ship；　the　property　on　board　of　her；　and　the　servants；
to　be　lawful　prize；　and　detained　them　accordingly。　As　for　Aratus；
after　some　few　days　in　his　extremity；　by　good　fortune　a　Roman　ship
happened　to　put　in　just　at　the　spot　in　which　he　made　his　abode；
sometimes　peeping　out　to　seek　his　opportunity；　sometimes　keeping
close。　She　was　bound　for　Syria；　but　going　aboard；　he　agreed　with　the
master　to　land　him　in　Caria。　In　which　voyage　he　met　with　no　less
danger　on　the　sea　than　before。　From　Caria　being　after　much　time
arrived　in　Egypt；　he　immediately　went　to　the　king；　who　had　a　great
kindness　for　him；　and　had　received　from　him　many　presents　of
drawings　and　paintings　out　of　Greece。　Aratus　had　a　very　good
judgment　in　them；　and　always　took　care　to　collect　and　send　him　the
most　curious　and　finished　works；　especially　those　of　Pamphilus　and
Melanthus。
　　For　the　Sicyonian　pieces　were　still　in　the　height　of　their
reputation；　as　being　the　only　ones　whose　colours　were　lasting；　so　that
Apelles　himself；　even　after　he　had　become　well　known　and　admired；　went
thither；　and　gave　a　talent　to　be　admitted　into　the　society　of　the
painters　there；　not　so　much　to　partake　of　their　skill；　which　he　wanted
not；　but　of　their　credit。　And　accordingly　Aratus；　when　he　freed　the
city；　immediately　took　down　the　representations　of　the　rest　of　the
tyrants；　but　demurred　a　long　time　about　that　of　Aristratus；　who
flourished　in　the　time　of　Philip。　For　this　Aristratus　was　painted　by
Melanthus　and　his　scholars；　standing　by　a　chariot；　in　which　a　figure
of　Victory　was　carried；　Apelles　himself　having　had　a　hand　in　it；　as
Polemon　the　geographer　reports。　It　was　an　extraordinary　piece；　and
therefore　Aratus　was　fain　to　spare　it　for　the　workmanship；　and　yet；
instigated　by　the　hatred　he　bore　the　tyrants；　commanded　it　to　be　taken
down。　But　Neacles　the　painter；　one　of　Aratus's　friends；　entreated　him；
it　is　said；　with　tears　in　his　eyes；　to　spare　it；　and；　finding　he　did
not　prevail　with　him；　told　him　at　last　he　should　carry　on　his　war　with
the　tyrants；　but　with　the　tyrants　alone：　〃Let　therefore　the　chariot
and　the　Victory　stand；　and　I　will　take　means　for　the　removal　of
Aristratus；〃　to　which　Aratus　consenting；　Neacles　blotted　out
Aristratus；　and　in　his　place　painted　a　palm…tree；　not　daring　to　add
anything　else　of　his　own　invention。　The　feet　of　the　defaced　figure
of　Aristratus　are　said　to　have　escaped　notice；　and　to　be　hid　under　the
chariot。　By　these　means　Aratus　got　favour　with　the　king；　who；　after　he
was　more　fully　acquainted　with　him；　loved　him　so　much　the　more；　and
gave　him　for　the　relief　of　his　city　one　hundred　and　fifty　talents；
forty　of　which　he　immediately　carried　away　with　him；　when　he　sailed　to
Peloponnesus；　but　the　rest　the　king　divided　into　instalments；　and　sent
them　to　him　afterwards　at　different　times。
　　Assuredly　it　was　a　great　thing　to　procure　for　his　fellow…citizens
a　sum　of　money；　a　small　portion　of　which　had　been　sufficient；　when
pre