aratus-第4章

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began　to　discourse　with　him　and　ask　him　questions　about　matters　agreed
upon　with　Erginus。　Dionysius；　cunningly　taking　the　advantage　of　his
mistake；　seemed　to　understand　him　very　well；　and　returning　towards　the
city；　led　him　on；　still　talking；　without　any　suspicion。　And　being
now　near　the　gate；　he　was　just　about　to　seize　on　him　when　by　chance
again　Erginus　met　them；　and；　apprehending　the　cheat　and　the　danger
beckoned　to　Technon　to　make　his　escape；　and　immediately　both　of
them；　betaking　themselves　to　their　heels；　ran　away　as　fast　as　they
could　to　Aratus；　who　for　all　this　despaired　not；　but　immediately
sent　away　Erginus　to　Dionysius　to　bribe　him　to　hold　his　tongue。　And　he
not　only　effected　that；　but　also　brought　him　along　with　him　to　Aratus。
But　when　they　had　him；　they　no　longer　left　him　at　liberty；　but　binding
him；　they　kept　him　close　shut　up　in　a　room；　whilst　they　prepared　for
executing　their　design。
　　All　things　being　now　ready；　he　commanded　the　rest　of　his　forces　to
pass　the　night　by　their　arms；　and　taking　with　him　four　hundred
chosen　men；　few　of　whom　knew　what　they　were　going　about；　he　led　them
to　the　gates　by　the　temple　of　Juno。　It　was　the　midst　of　summer　and　the
moon　was　at　full；　and　the　night　so　clear　without　any　clouds；　that
there　was　danger　lest　the　arms　glistening　in　the　moonlight　should
discover　them。　But　as　the　foremost　of　them　came　near　the　city；　a
mist　came　off　from　the　sea；　and　darkened　the　city　itself　and　the
outskirts　about　it。　Then　the　rest　of　them；　sitting　down；　put　off　their
shoes；　because　men　both　make　less　noise　and　also　climb　surer　if　they
go　up　ladders　barefooted；　but　Erginus；　taking　with　him　seven　young　men
dressed　like　travellers；　got　unobserved　to　the　gate；　and　killed　the
sentry　with　the　other　guards。　And　at　the　same　time　the　ladders　were
clapped　to　the　walls；　and　Aratus；　having　in　great　haste　got　up　a
hundred　men；　commanded　the　rest　to　follow　as　they　could；　and
immediately　drawing　up　his　ladders　after　him；　he　marched　through　the
city　with　his　hundred　men　towards　the　castle；　being　already
overjoyed　that　he　was　undiscovered；　and　not　doubting　of　the　success。
But　while　still　they　were　some　way　off；　a　watch　of　four　men　came
with　a　light；　who　did　not　see　them；　because　they　were　still　in　the
shade　of　the　moon；　but　were　seen　plainly　enough　themselves　as　they
came　on　directly　towards　them。　So　withdrawing　a　little　way　amongst
some　walls　and　plots　for　houses；　they　lay　in　wait　for　them；　and
three　of　them　they　killed。　But　the　fourth；　being　wounded　in　the　head
with　a　sword；　fled；　crying　out　that　the　enemy　was　in　the　city。　And
immediately　the　trumpets　sounded；　and　all　the　city　was　in　an　uproar　at
what　had　happened；　and　the　streets　were　full　of　people　running　up
and　down；　and　many　lights　were　seen　shining　both　below　in　the　town；
and　above　in　the　castle；　and　a　confused　noise　was　to　be　heard　in　all
parts。
　　In　the　meantime；　Aratus　was　hard　at　work　struggling　to　get　up　the
rocks；　at　first　slowly　and　with　much　difficulty；　straying
continually　from　the　path；　which　lay　deep；　and　was　overshadowed　with
the　crags；　leading　to　the　wall　with　many　windings　and　turnings；　but
the　moon　immediately；　and　as　if　by　miracle；　it　is　said；　dispersing　the
clouds；　shone　out　and　gave　light　to　the　most　difficult　part　of　the
way；　until　he　got　to　that　part　of　the　wall　he　desired；　and　there　she
overshadowed　and　hid　him；　the　clouds　coming　together　again。　Those
soldiers　whom　Aratus　had　left　outside　the　gate；　near　Juno's　temple；　to
the　number　of　three　hundred；　entering　the　town；　now　full　of　tumult　and
lights；　and　not　knowing　the　way　by　which　the　former　had　gone；　and
finding　no　track　of　them；　slunk　aside；　and　crowded　together　in　one
body　under　a　flank　of　the　cliff　that　cast　a　strong　shadow；　and　there
stood　and　waited　in　great　distress　and　perplexity。　For；　by　this
time；　those　that　had　gone　with　Aratus　were　attacked　with　missiles　from
the　citadel；　and　were　busy　fighting；　and　a　sound　of　cries　of　battle
came　down　from　above；　and　a　loud　noise；　echoed　back　and　back　from
the　mountain　sides；　and　therefore　confused　and　uncertain　whence　it
proceeded；　was　heard　on　all　sides。　They　being　thus　in　doubt　which
way　to　turn　themselves；　Archelaus；　the　commander　of　Antigonus's
troops；　having　a　great　number　of　soldiers　with　him；　made　up　towards
the　castle　with　great　shouts　and　noise　of　trumpets　to　fall　upon
Aratus's　people；　and　passed　by　the　three　hundred；　who；　as　if　they
had　risen　out　of　an　ambush；　immediately　charged　him；　killing　the　first
they　encountered；　and　so　affrighted　the　rest；　together　with　Archelaus；
that　they　put　them　to　flight　and　pursued　them　until　they　had　quite
broken　and　dispersed　them　about　the　city。　No　sooner　were　these
defeated；　but　Erginus　came　to　them　from　those　that　were　fighting
above；　to　acquaint　them　that　Aratus　was　engaged　with　the　enemy；　who
defended　themselves　very　stoutly；　and　there　was　a　fierce　conflict　at
the　very　wall；　and　need　of　speedy　help。　They　therefore　desired　him
to　lead　them　on　without　delay；　and；　marching　up；　by　their　shouts
made　their　friends　understand　who　they　were；　and　encouraged　them；
and　the　full　moon；　shining　on　their　arms；　made　them；　in　the　long
line　by　which　they　advanced；　appear　more　in　number　to　the　enemy　than
they　were；　and　the　echo　of　the　night　multiplied　their　shouts。　In
short；　falling　on　with　the　rest；　they　made　the　enemy　give　way；　and
were　masters　of　the　castle　and　garrison；　day　now　beginning　to　be
bright；　and　the　rising　sun　shining　out　upon　their　success。　By　this
time；　also；　the　rest　of　his　army　came　up　to　Aratus　from　Sicyon；　the
Corinthians　joyfully　receiving　them　at　the　gates　and　helping　them　to
secure　the　king's　party。
　　And　now；　having　put　all　things　into　a　safe　posture；　he　came　down
from　the　castle　to　the　theatre；　an　infinite　number　of　people
crowding　thither　to　see　him　and　to　hear　what　he　would　say　to　the
Corinthians。　Therefore　drawing　up　the　Achaeans　on　each　side　of　the
stage…passages；　he　came　forward　himself　upon　the　stage；　with　his
corselet　still　on；　and　his　face　showing　the　effects　of　all　his　hard
work　and　want　of　sleep；　so　that　his　natural　exultation　and
joyfulness　of　mind　were　overborne　by　the　weariness　of　his　body。　The
people；　as　soon　as　he　came　forth；　breaking　out　into　great　applauses
and　congratulations；　he　took　his　spear　in　his　right　hand；　and；　resting
his　body　upon　it　with　his　knee　a　little　bent；　stood　a　good　while　in
that　posture；　silently　receiving　their　shouts　and　acclamations；
while　they　extolled　his　valour　and　wondered　at　his　fortune；　which
being　over；　standing　up；　he　began　an　oration　in　the　name　of　the
Achaeans；　suitable　to　the　late　action；　persuading　the　Corinthians　to
associate　themselves　to　the　Achaeans；　and　withal　delivered　up　to
them　the　keys　of　their　gates；　which　had　never　been　in　their　power
since　the　time　of　King　Philip。　Of　the　captains　of　Antigonus；　he
dismissed　Archelaus；　whom　he　had　taken　prisoner；　and　Theophrastus；　who
refused　to　quit　his　post；　he　put　to　death。　As　for　Persaeus；　when　he
saw　the　castle　was　lost；　he　had　got　away　to　Cenchreae；　where；　some
time　after；　discoursing　with　one　that　said　to　him　that　the　wise　man
only　is　a　true　general；　〃Indeed；〃　he　replied；　〃none　of　Zeno's　maxims
once　pleased　me　better　than　this；　but　I　have　been　converted　to　another
opinion　by　the　young　man　of　Sicyon。〃　This　is　told　by　many　of　Persaeus。
Aratus　immediately　after　made　himself　master　of　the　temple　of　Juno　and
haven　of　Lechaeum；　seized　upon　five…and…twenty　of　the　king's　ships；
together　with　five　hundred　horses　and　four　hundred　Syrians：　these　he
sold。　The　Achaeans　kept　guard　in　the　Acro…Corinthus　with　a　body　of
four　hundred　soldiers；　and　fifty　dogs　with　as　many　keepers。
　　The　Romans；　extolling　Philopoemen；　called　him　the　last　of　the
Grecians；　as　if　no　great　man　had　ever　since　his　time　been　bred　amongst
them。　But　I　should　call　this　capture　of　the　Acro…Corinthus　the　last　of
the　Grecian　exploits；　being　comparable　to　the　best　of　them；　both　for
the　daringness　of　it；　and　the　success；　as　was　presently　seen　by　the
consequences。　For　the　Megarians；　revolting　from　Antigonus；　joined
Aratus；　and　the　Troezenians　and　Epidaurians　enrolled　themselves　in　the
Achaean　community；　and　issuing　forth　for　the　first　time；　he　entered
Attica；　and　passing　over　into　Salamis；　he　plundered　the　island；
turning　the　Achaean　force　every　way；　as　if　it　were　just　let　loose
out　of　prison　and　set　at　liberty。　All　freemen　whom　he　took　he　sent
back　to　the　Athenians　without　ransom；　as　a　sort　of　first　invitation　to
them　to　come　over　to　the　league。　He　made　Ptolemy　become　a
confederate　of　the　Achaeans；　with　the　privilege　of　command　both　by　sea
and　land。　And　so　great　was　his　power　with　them；　that　since　he　could
not　by　law　be　chosen　their　general　every　year；　yet　every　other　year　he
was；　and　by　his　counsels　and　actions　was　in　effect　always　so。　For　they
perceived　that　neither　riches　nor　reputation；　nor　the　friendship　of
kings；　nor　the　private　interest　of　his　own　country；　nor　anything
else　was　so　dear　to　him　as　the　increase　of　the　Achaeans'　power　and
greatness。　For　he　believed　that　the　cities；　weak　individually；　could
be　preserved　by　nothing　else　but　a　mutual　assistance　under　the　closest
bond　of　the　common　interest；　and；　as　the　members　of　the　body　live
and　breathe　by　the　union　of　all　in　a　single　natural　growth；　and　on　the
dissolution　of　this；　when　once　they　separate；　pine　away　and　putrefy；
in　the　same　manner　are　cities　ruined　by　being　dissevered；　as　well　as
preserved　when；　as　the　members　of　one　great　body；　they　enjoy　the
benefit　of　that　province　and　counsel　that　govern　the　whole。
　　Now　being　distressed　to　see　that；　whereas　the　chief　neighbouring
cities　enjoyed　their　own　laws　and　liberties；　the　Argives　were　in
bondage；　he　took　counsel　for　destroying　their　tyrant；　Aristomachus；
being　very　desirous　both　to　pay　his　debt　of　gratitude　to　the　city
where　he　had　been　bred　up；　by　restoring　it　its　liberty；　and　to　add
so　considerable　a　town　to　the　Achaeans。　Nor　were　there　some　wanting
who　had　the　courage　to　undertake　the　thing；　of　whom　Aeschylus　and
Charimenes　the　soothsayer　were　the　chief。　But　they　wanted　swords；
for　the　tyrant　had　prohibited　the　keeping　of　any　under　a　great
penalty。　Therefore　Aratus；　having　provided　some　small　daggers　at
Corinth　and　hidden　them　in　the　pack…saddles　of　some　pack…horses　that
carried　ordinary　ware；　sent　them　to　Argos。　But　Charimenes　letting
another　person　into　the　design；　Aeschylus　and　his　partners　were
angry　at　it；　and　henceforth　would　have　no　more　to　do　with　him；　and
took　their　measures　by　themselves；　and　Charimenes；　on　finding　this；
went；　out　of　anger；　and　informed　against　them；　just　as　they　were　on
their　way　to　attack　the　tyrant；　however；　the　most　of　them　made　a　shift
to　escape　out　of　the　market…place；　and　fled　to　Corinth。　Not　long
after；　Aristomachus　was　slain　by　some　slaves；　and　Aristippus；　a
worse　tyrant　than　he；　seized　the　government。　Upon　this；　Aratus；
mustering　all　the　Achaeans　present　that　were　of　age；　hurried　away　to
the　aid　of　the　city；　believing　that　he　should　find　the　people　ready　to
join　with　him。　But　the　greater　number　being　by　this　time　habituated　to
slavery　and　content　to　submit；　and　no　one　coming　to　join　him；　he　was
obliged　to　retire；　having　moreover　exposed　the　A