aratus-第7章

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found　it　best　to　have　patience；　and　presently　marched　with　the
Achaeans　to　Orchomenus　and　fought　a　battle　with　Megistonus；　the
stepfather　of　Cleomenes；　where　he　got　the　victory；　killing　three
hundred　men　and　taking　Megistonus　prisoner。　But　whereas　he　used　to
be　chosen　general　every　other　year；　when　his　turn　came　and　he　was
called　to　take　upon　him　that　charge；　he　declined　it；　and　Timoxenus　was
chosen　in　his　stead。　The　true　cause　of　which　was　not　the　pique　he
was　alleged　to　have　taken　at　the　people；　but　the　ill　circumstances
of　the　Achaean　affairs。　For　Cleomenes　did　not　now　invade　them　gently
and　tenderly　as　hitherto；　as　one　controlled　by　the　civil
authorities；　but　having　killed　the　Ephors；　divided　the　lands；　and　made
many　of　the　stranger　residents　free　of　the　city；　he　was　responsible　to
no　one　in　his　government；　and　therefore　fell　in　good　earnest　upon
the　Achaeans；　and　put　forward　his　claim　to　the　supreme　military
command。　Wherefore　Aratus　is　much　blamed；　that　in　a　stormy　and
tempestuous　time；　like　a　cowardly　pilot；　he　should　forsake　the　helm
when　it　was　even　perhaps　his　duty　to　have　insisted；　whether　they　would
or　no；　on　saving　them；　or　if　he　thought　the　Achaean　affairs　desperate；
to　have　yielded　all　up　to　Cleomenes；　and　not　to　have　let
Peloponnesus　fall　once　again　into　barbarism　with　Macedonian　garrisons；
and　Acro…Corinthus　be　occupied　with　Illyric　and　Gaulish　soldiers；　and；
under　the　specious　name　of　confederates；　to　have　made　those　masters　of
the　cities　whom　he　had　held　it　his　business　by　arms　and　by　policy　to
baffle　and　defeat；　and；　in　the　memoirs　he　left　behind　him；　loaded　with
reproaches　and　insults。　And　say　that　Cleomenes　was　arbitrary　and
tyrannical；　yet　was　he　descended　from　the　Heraclidae；　and　Sparta　was
his　country；　the　obscurest　citizens　of　which　deserved　to　be
preferred　to　the　generalship　before　the　best　of　the　Macedonians　by
those　that　had　any　regard　to　the　honour　of　Grecian　birth。　Besides；
Cleomenes　sued　for　that　command　over　the　Achaeans　as　one　that　would
return　the　honour　of　that　title　with　real　kindnesses　to　the　cities；
whereas　Antigonus；　being　declared　absolute　general　by　sea　and　land；
would　not　accept　the　office　unless　Acro…Corinthus　were　by　special
agreement　put　into　his　hands；　following　the　example　of　Aesop's　hunter；
for　he　would　not　get　up　and　ride　the　Achaeans；　who　desired　him　so　to
do；　and　offered　their　backs　to　him　by　embassies　and　popular　decrees；
till；　by　a　garrison　and　hostages；　they　had　allowed　him　to　bit　and
bridle　them。　Aratus　exhausts　all　his　powers　of　speech　to　show　the
necessity　that　was　upon　him。　But　Polybius　writes；　that　long　before
this　and　before　there　was　any　necessity；　apprehending　the　daring
temper　of　Cleomenes；　he　communicated　secretly　with　Antigonus；　and　that
he　had　beforehand　prevailed　with　the　Megalopolitans　to　press　the
Achaeans　to　crave　aid　from　Antigonus。　For　they　were　the　most
harassed　by　the　war；　Cleomenes　continually　plundering　and　ransacking
their　country。　And　so　writes　also　Phylarchus；　who；　unless　seconded
by　the　testimony　of　Polybius；　would　not　be　altogether　credited；　for　he
is　seized　with　enthusiasm　when　he　so　much　as　speaks　a　word　of
Cleomenes；　and　as　if　he　were　pleading；　not　writing　a　history；　goes
on　throughout　defending　the　one　and　accusing　the　other。
　　The　Achaeans；　therefore；　lost　Mantinea；　which　was　recovered　by
Cleomenes；　and　being　beaten　in　a　great　fight　near　Hecatombaeum；　so
general　was　the　consternation；　that　they　immediately　sent　to　Cleomenes
to　desire　him　to　come　to　Argos　and　take　the　command　upon　him。　But
Aratus；　as　soon　as　he　understood　that　he　was　coming；　and　was　got　as
far　as　Lerna　with　his　troops；　fearing　the　result；　sent　ambassadors
to　him；　to　request　him　to　come　accompanied　with　three　hundred　only；　as
to　friends　and　confederates；　and；　if　he　mistrusted　anything；　he　should
receive　hostages。　Upon　which　Cleomenes；　saying　this　was　mere　mockery
and　affront；　went　away；　sending　a　letter　to　the　Achaeans　full　of
reproaches　and　accusation　against　Aratus。　And　Aratus　also　wrote
letters　against　Cleomenes；　and　bitter　revilings　and　railleries　were
current　on　both　hands；　not　sparing　even　their　marriages　and　wives。
Hereupon　Cleomenes　sent　a　herald　to　declare　war　against　the
Achaeans；　and　in　the　meantime　missed　very　narrowly　of　taking　Sicyon　by
treachery。　Turning　off　at　a　little　distance；　he　attacked　and　took
Pellene　which　the　Achaean　general　abandoned；　and　not　long　after　took
also　Pheneus　and　Penteleum。　Then　immediately　the　Argives　voluntarily
joined　with　him；　and　the　Philiasians　received　a　garrison；　and　in　short
nothing　among　all　their　new　acquisitions　held　firm　to　the　Achaeans。
Aratus　was　encompassed　on　every　side　with　clamour　and　confusion；　he
saw　the　whole　of　Peloponnesus　shaking　hands　around　him；　and　the　cities
everywhere　set　in　revolt　by　men　desirous　of　innovations。
　　Indeed　no　place　remained　quiet　or　satisfied　with　the　present
condition；　even　amongst　the　Sicyonians　and　Corinthians　themselves；
many　were　well　known　to　have　had　private　conferences　with　Cleomenes；
who　long　since；　out　of　desire　to　make　themselves　masters　of　their
several　cities；　had　been　discontented　with　the　present　order　of
things。　Aratus；　having　absolute　power　given　him　to　bring　these　to
consign　punishment；　executed　as　many　of　them　as　he　could　find　at
Sicyon；　but　going　about　to　find　them　out　and　punish　them　at　Corinth
also；　he　irritated　the　people；　already　unsound　in　feeling　and　weary　of
the　Achaean　government。　So　collecting　tumultuously　in　the　temple　of
Apollo；　they　sent　for　Aratus；　having　determined　to　take　or　kill　him
before　they　broke　out　into　open　revolt。　He　came　accordingly；　leading
his　horse　in　his　hand；　as　if　he　suspected　nothing。　Then　several
leaping　up　and　accusing　and　reproaching　him；　with　mild　words　and　a
settled　countenance　he　bade　them　sit　down；　and　not　stand　crying　out
upon　him　in　a　disorderly　manner；　desiring　also；　that　those　that　were
about　the　door　might　be　let　in；　and　saying　so；　he　stepped　out　quietly；
as　if　he　would　give　his　horse　to　somebody。　Clearing　himself　thus　of
the　crowd；　and　speaking　without　discomposure　to　the　Corinthians　that
he　met；　commanding　them　to　go　to　Apollo's　temple；　and　being　now；
before　they　were　aware；　got　near　to　the　citadel；　he　leaped　upon　his
horse；　and　commanding　Cleopater；　the　governor　of　the　garrison；　to　have
a　special　care　of　his　charge；　he　galloped　to　Sicyon；　followed　by
thirty　of　his　soldiers；　the　rest　leaving　him　and　shifting　for
themselves。　And　not　long　after；　it　being　known　that　he　was　fled；　the
Corinthians　pursued　him；　but　not　overtaking　him；　they　immediately　sent
for　Cleomenes　and　delivered　up　the　city　to　him；　who；　however；
thought　nothing　they　could　give　was　so　great　a　gain；　as　was　the　loss
of　their　having　let　Aratus　get　away。　Nevertheless；　being
strengthened　by　the　accession　of　the　people　of　the　Acte；　as　it　is
called；　who　put　their　towns　into　his　hands；　he　proceeded　to　carry　a
palisade　and　lines　of　circumvallation　around　the　Acro…Corinthus。
　　But　Aratus　being　arrived　at　Sicyon；　the　body　of　the　Achaeans　there
flocked　to　him；　and；　in　an　assembly　there　held；　he　was　chosen
general　with　absolute　power；　and　he　took　about　him　a　guard　of　his
own　citizens；　it　being　now　three…and…thirty　years　since　he　first
took　a　part　in　public　affairs　among　the　Achaeans；　having　in　that
time　been　the　chief　man　in　credit　and　power　of　all　Greece；　but　he
was　now　deserted　on　all　hands；　helpless　and　overpowered；　drifting
about　amidst　the　waves　and　danger　on　the　shattered　hulk　of　his
native　city。　For　the　Aetolians；　whom　he　applied　to；　declined　to　assist
him　in　his　distress；　and　the　Athenians　who　were　well　affected　to　him
were　diverted　from　lending　him　any　succour　by　the　authority　of
Euclides　and　Micion。　Now　whereas　he　had　a　house　and　property　in
Corinth；　Cleomenes　meddled　not　with　it；　nor　suffered　anybody　else　to
do　so；　but　calling　for　his　friends　and　agents；　he　bade　them　hold
themselves　responsible　to　Aratus　for　everything；　as　to　him　they
would　have　to　render　their　account；　and　privately　he　sent　to　him
Tripylus；　and　afterwards　Megistonus；　his　own　stepfather；　to　offer　him；
besides　several　other　things；　a　yearly　pension　of　twelve　talents；
which　was　twice　as　much　as　Ptolemy　allowed　him；　for　he　gave　him　six；
and　all　that　he　demanded　was　to　be　declared　commander　of　the　Achaeans；
and　together　with　them　to　have　the　keeping　of　the　citadel　of
Corinth。　To　which　Aratus　returning　answer　that　affairs　were　not　so
properly　in　his　power　as　he　was　in　the　power　of　them；　Cleomenes；
believing　this　a　mere　evasion；　immediately　entered　the　country　of
Sicyon；　destroying　all　with　fire　and　sword；　and　besieged　the　city
three　months；　whilst　Aratus　held　firm；　and　was　in　dispute　with　himself
whether　he　should　call　in　Antigonus　upon　condition　of　delivering　up
the　citadel　of　Corinth　to　him；　for　he　would　not　lend　him　assistance
upon　any　other　terms。
　　In　the　meantime　the　Achaeans　assembled　at　Aegium；　and　called　for
Aratus；　but　it　was　very　hazardous　for　him　to　pass　thither；　while
Cleomenes　was　encamped　before　Sicyon；　besides；　the　citizens
endeavoured　to　stop　him　by　their　entreaties；　protesting　that　they
would　not　suffer　him　to　expose　himself　to　so　evident　danger；　the　enemy
being　so　near；　the　women；　also；　and　children　hung　about　him；　weeping
and　embracing　him　as　their　common　father　and　defender。　But　he；
having　comforted　and　encouraged　them　as　well　as　he　could；　got　on
horseback；　and　being　accompanied　with　ten　of　his　friends　and　his
son；　then　a　youth；　got　away　to　the　seaside；　and　finding　vessels
there　waiting　off　the　shore；　went　on　board　of　them　and　sailed　to
Aegium　to　the　assembly；　in　which　it　was　decreed　that　Antigonus
should　be　called　in　to　their　aid；　and　should　have　the　Acro…Corinthus
delivered　to　him。　Aratus　also　sent　his　son　to　him　with　the　other
hostages。　The　Corinthians；　extremely　angry　at　this　proceeding；　now
plundered　his　property；　and　gave　his　house　as　a　present　to　Cleomenes。
　　Antigonus　being　now　near　at　hand　with　his　army；　consisting　of　twenty
thousand　Macedonian　foot　and　one　thousand　three　hundred　horse；　Aratus；
with　the　members　of　council；　went　to　meet　him　by　sea；　and　got；
unobserved　by　the　enemy；　to　Pegae；　having　no　great　confidence　either
in　Antigonus　or　the　Macedonians。　For　he　was　very　sensible　that　his　own
greatness　had　been　made　out　of　the　losses　he　had　caused　them；　and　that
the　first　great　principle　of　his　public　conduct　had　been　hostility
to　the　former　Antigonus。　But　perceiving　the　necessity　that　was　now
upon　him；　and　the　pressure　of　the　time；　that　lord　and　master　of
those　we　call　rulers；　to　be　inexorable；　he　resolved　to　put　all　to
the　venture。　So　soon；　therefore；　as　Antigonus　was　told　that　Aratus　was
coming　up　to　him；　he　saluted　the　rest　of　the　company　after　the
ordinary　manner；　but　him　he　received　at　the　very　first　approach　with
especial　honour；　and　finding　him　afterwards　to　be　both　good　and
wise；　admitted　him　to　his　nearer　familiarity。　For　Aratus　was　not
only　useful　to　him　in　the　management　of　great　affairs；　but
singularly　agreeable　also　as　the　private　companion　of　a　king　in　his
recreations。　And　therefore；　though　Antigonus　was　young；　yet　as　soon　as
he　observed　the　temper　of　the　man　to　be　proper　for　a　prince's
friendship；　he　made　more　use　o