agis-第3章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


they　judged　to　have　given　the　best　advice；　but　when　the　two　kings　were
unanimous；　none　ought　or　durst　resist　their　authority；　the　magistrate；
whose　office　it　was　to　stand　as　umpire　when　they　were　at　variance；　had
no　call　to　interfere　when　they　were　of　one　mind。　Agis　and　Cleombrotus；
thus　persuaded；　went　together　with　their　friends　into　the
market…place；　where　removing　the　ephors　from　their　seats；　they
placed　others　in　their　room；　of　whom　Agesilaus　was　one；　proceeding
then　to　arm　a　company　of　young　men；　and　releasing　many　out　of
prison；　so　that　those　of　the　contrary　faction　began　to　be　in　great
fear　of　their　lives；　but　there　was　no　blood　spilt。　On　the　contrary；
Agis；　having　notice　that　Agesilaus　had　ordered　a　company　of　soldiers
to　lie　in　wait　for　Leonidas；　to　kill　him　as　he　fled　to　Tegea；
immediately　sent　some　of　his　followers　to　defend　him；　and　to　convey
him　safely　into　that　city。
　　Thus　far　all　things　proceeded　prosperously；　none　daring　to　oppose；
but　through　the　sordid　weakness　of　one　man；　these　promising　beginnings
were　blasted；　and　a　most　noble　and　truly　Spartan　purpose　overthrown
and　ruined　by　the　love　of　money。　Agesilaus；　as　we　said；　was　much　in
debt；　though　in　possession　of　one　of　the　largest　and　best　estates　in
land；　and　while　he　gladly　joined　in　this　design　to　be　quit　of　his
debts；　he　was　not　at　all　willing　to　part　with　his　land。　Therefore　he
persuaded　Agis；　that　if　both　these　things　should　be　put　in　execution
at　the　same　time；　so　great　and　so　sudden　an　alteration　might　cause
some　dangerous　commotion；　but　if　debts　were　in　the　first　place
cancelled；　the　rich　men　would　afterwards　more　easily　be　prevailed　with
to　part　with　their　land。　Lysander；　also；　was　of　the　same　opinion；
being　deceived　in　like　manner　by　the　craft　of　Agesilaus；　so　that　all
men　were　presently　commanded　to　bring　in　their　bonds；　or　deeds　of
obligation；　by　the　Lacedaemonians　called　Claria；　into　the
market…place；　where　being　laid　together　in　a　heap　they　set　fire　to
them。　The　wealthy；　money…lending　people；　one　may　easily　imagine；
beheld　it　with　a　heavy　heart；　but　Agesilaus　told　them　scoffingly；
his　eyes　had　never　seen　so　bright　and　so　pure　a　flame。
　　And　now　the　people　pressed　earnestly　for　an　immediate　division　of
lands；　the　kings　also　had　ordered　it　should　be　done；　but　Agesilaus；
sometimes　pretending　one　difficulty；　and　sometimes　another；　delayed
the　execution；　till　an　occasion　happened　to　call　Agis　to　the　wars。　The
Achaeans；　in　virtue　of　a　defensive　treaty　of　alliance；　sent　to
demand　succours；　as　they　expected　every　day　that　Aetolians　would
attempt　to　enter　Peloponnesus；　from　the　territory　of　Megara。　They
had　sent　Aratus；　their　general；　to　collect　forces　to　hinder　this
incursion。　Aratus　wrote　to　the　ephors；　who　immediately　gave　order　that
Agis　should　hasten　to　their　assistance　with　the　Lacedaemonian
auxiliaries。　Agis　was　extremely　pleased　to　see　the　zeal　and　bravery　of
those　who　went　with　him　upon　this　expedition。　They　were；　for　the
most　part　young　men；　and　poor；　and　being　just　released　from　their
debts　and　set　at　liberty；　and　hoping　on　their　return　to　receive　each
man　his　lot　of　land；　they　followed　their　king　with　wonderful　alacrity。
The　cities　through　which　they　passed　were　in　admiration　to　see　how
they　marched　from　one　end　of　Peloponnesus　to　the　other；　without　the
least　disorder；　and；　in　a　manner；　without　being　heard。　It　gave　the
Greeks　occasion　to　discourse　with　one　another；　how　great　might　be
the　temperance　and　modesty　of　a　Laconian　army　in　old　time；　under　their
famous　captains：　Agesilaus；　Lysander；　or　Leonidas；　since　they　saw　such
discipline　and　exact　obedience　under　a　leader　who　perhaps　was　the
youngest　man　in　all　the　army。　They　saw　also　how　he　was　himself　content
to　fare　hardly；　ready　to　undergo　any　labours；　and　not　to　be
distinguished　by　pomp　or　richness　of　habit　or　arms　from　the　meanest　of
his　soldiers；　and　to　people　in　general　it　was　an　object　of　regard
and　admiration。　But　rich　men　viewed　the　innovation　with　dislike　and
alarm；　lest　haply　the　example　might　spread；　and　work　changes　to
their　prejudice　in　their　own　countries　as　well。
　　Agis　joined　Aratus　near　the　city　of　Corinth；　where　it　was　still　a
matter　of　debate　whether　or　no　it　were　expedient　to　give　the　enemy
battle。　Agis；　on　this　occasion；　showed　great　forwardness　and
resolution；　yet　without　temerity　or　presumption。　He　declared　it　was
his　opinion　they　ought　to　fight；　thereby　to　hinder　the　enemy　from
passing　the　gates　of　Peloponnesus；　but　nevertheless　he　would　submit　to
the　judgment　of　Aratus；　not　only　as　the　elder　and　more　experienced
captain；　but　as　he　was　general　of　the　Achaeans；　whose　forces　he
would　not　pretend　to　command；　but　was　only　come　thither　to　assist
them。　I　am　not　ignorant　that　Baton　of　Sinope　relates　it　in　another
manner；　he　says；　Aratus　would　have　fought；　and　that　Agis　was　against
it；　but　it　is　certain　he　was　mistaken；　not　having　read　what　Aratus
himself　wrote　in　his　own　justification；　that　knowing　the　people　had
well…nigh　got　in　their　harvest；　he　thought　it　much　better　to　let　the
enemy　pass　than　put　all　to　the　hazard　of　a　battle。　And；　therefore；
giving　thanks　to　the　confederates　for　their　readiness；　he　dismissed
them。　And　Agis；　not　without　having　gained　a　great　deal　of　honour；
returned　to　Sparta；　where　he　found　the　people　in　disorder；　and　a　new
revolution　imminent；　owing　to　the　ill…government　of　Agesilaus。
　　For　he；　being　now　one　of　the　ephors；　and　freed　from　the　fear　which
formerly　kept　him　in　some　restraint；　forbore　no　kind　of　oppression
which　might　bring　in　gain。　Among　other　things；　he　exacted　a　thirteenth
month's　tax；　whereas　the　usual　cycle　required　at　this　time　no　such
addition　to　the　year。　For　these　and　other　reasons　fearing　those　whom
he　injured；　and　knowing　how　he　was　hated　by　the　people；　he　thought
it　necessary　to　maintain　a　guard；　which　always　accompanied　him　to
the　magistrate's　office。　And　presuming　now　on　his　power；　he　was
grown　so　insolent；　that　of　the　two　kings；　the　one　he　openly　contemned；
and　if　he　showed　any　respect　towards　Agis；　would　have　it　thought
rather　an　effect　of　his　near　relationship；　than　any　duty　or　submission
to　the　royal　authority。　He　gave　it　out　also　that　he　was　to　continue
ephor　the　ensuing　year。
　　His　enemies；　therefore；　alarmed　by　this　report；　lost　no　time　in
risking　an　attempt　against　him；　and　openly　bringing　back　Leonidas　from
Tegea；　re…established　him　in　the　kingdom；　to　which　even　the　people；
highly　incensed　for　having　been　defrauded　in　the　promised　division
of　lands；　willingly　consented。　Agesilaus　himself　would　hardly　have
escaped　their　fury；　if　his　son；　Hippomedon；　whose　manly　virtues　made
him　dear　to　all；　had　not　saved　him　out　of　their　hands；　and　then
privately　conveyed　him　from　the　city。
　　During　the　commotion；　the　two　kings　fled；　Agis　to　the　temple　of
the　Brazen　House；　and　Cleombrotus　to　that　of　Neptune。　For　Leonidas　was
more　incensed　against　his　son…in…law；　and　leaving　Agis　alone；　went
with　his　soldiers　to　Cleombrotus's　sanctuary；　and　there　with　great
passion　reproached　him　for　having；　though　he　was　son…in…law；　conspired
with　his　enemies；　usurped　his　throne；　and　forced　him　from　his　country。
Cleombrotus；　having　little　to　say　for　himself；　sat　silent。　His　wife；
Chilonis；　the　daughter　of　Leonidas；　had　chosen　to　follow　her　father　in
his　sufferings；　for　when　Cleombrotus　usurped　the　kingdom；　she
forsook　him；　and　wholly　devoted　herself　to　comfort　her　father　in　his
affliction；　whilst　he　still　remained　in　Sparta；　she　remained　also；
as　a　suppliant；　with　him；　and　when　he　fled；　she　fled　with　him；
bewailing　his　misfortune；　and　extremely　displeased　with　Cleombrotus。
But　now；　upon　this　turn　of　fortune；　she　changed　in　like　manner；　and
was　seen　sitting　now；　as　a　suppliant；　with　her　husband；　embracing
him　with　her　arms；　and　having　her　two　little　children　beside　her。
All　men　were　full　of　wonder　at　the　piety　and　tender　affection　of　the
young　woman；　who　pointing　to　her　robes　and　her　hair；　both　alike
neglected　and　unattended　to；　said　to　Leonidas；　〃I　am　not　brought；　my
father；　to　this　condition　you　see　me　in；　on　account　of　the　present
misfortunes　of　Cleombrotus；　my　mourning　habit　is　long　since　familiar
to　me。　It　was　put　on　to　condole　with　you　in　your　banishment；　and　now
you　are　restored　to　your　country；　and　to　your　kingdom；　must　I　still
remain　in　grief　and　misery？　Or　would　you　have　me　attired　in　my　royal
ornaments；　that　I　may　rejoice　with　you；　when　you　have　killed；　within
my　arms；　the　man　to　whom　you　gave　me　for　a　wife？　Either　Cleombrotus
must　appease　you　by　mine　and　my　children's　tears；　or　he　must　suffer
a　punishment　greater　than　you　propose　for　his　faults；　and　shall　see
me；　whom　he　loves　so　well；　die　before　him。　To　what　end　should　I
live；　or　how　shall　I　appear　among　the　Spartan　women；　when　it　shall
so　manifestly　be　seen；　that　I　have　not　been　able　to　move　to　compassion
either　a　husband　or　a　father？　I　was　born；　it　seems；　to　participate
in　the　ill…fortune　and　in　the　disgrace；　both　as　a　wife　and　a　daughter；
of　those　nearest　and　dearest　to　me。　As　for　Cleombrotus　I
sufficiently　surrendered　any　honourable　plea　on　his　behalf；　when　I
forsook　him　to　follow　you；　but　you　yourself　offer　the　fairest　excuse
for　his　proceedings；　by　showing　to　the　world　that　for　the　sake　of　a
kingdom　it　is　just　to　kill　a　son…in…law；　and　be　regardless　of　a
daughter。〃　Chilonis；　having　ended　this　lamentation；　rested　her　face　on
her　husband's　head；　and　looked　round　with　her　weeping　and　woe…begone
eyes　upon　those　who　stood　before　her。
　　Leonidas；　touched　with　compassion；　withdrew　a　while　to　advise　with
his　friends；　then　returning；　bade　Cleombrotus　leave　the　sanctuary
and　go　into　banishment；　Chilonis；　he　said；　ought　to　stay　with　him　it
not　being　just　she　should　forsake　a　father　whose　affection　had　granted
to　her　intercession　the　life　of　her　husband。　But　all　he　could　say
would　not　prevail。　She　rose　up　immediately；　and　taking　one　of　her
children　in　her　arms；　gave　the　other　to　her　husband；　and　making　her
reverence　to　the　altar　of　the　goddess；　went　out　and　followed　him。　So
that；　in　a　word；　if　Cleombrotus　were　not　utterly　blinded　by
ambition；　he　must　surely　choose　to　be　banished　with　so　excellent　a
woman　rather　than　without　her　to　possess　a　kingdom。
　　Cleombrotus　thus　removed；　Leonidas　proceeded　also　to　displace　the
ephors；　and　to　choose　others　in　their　room；　then　he　began　to
consider　how　he　might　entrap　Agis。　At　first；　he　endeavoured　by　fair
means　to　persuade　him　to　leave　the　sanctuary；　and　partake　with　him
in　the　kingdom。　The　people；　he　said；　would　easily　pardon　the　errors　of
a　young　man；　ambitious　of　glory；　and　deceived　by　the　craft　of
Agesilaus。　But　finding　Agis　was　suspicious；　and　not　to　be　prevailed
with　to　quit　his　sanctuary；　he　gave　up　that　design；　yet　what　could　not
then　be　effected　by　the　dissimulation　of　an　enemy；　was　soon　after
brought　to　pass　by　the　treachery　of　friends。
　　Amphares；　Damochares；　and　Arcesilaus　often　visited　Agis；　and　he
was　so　confident　of　their　fidelity　that　after　a　while　he　was　prevailed
on　to　accompany　them　to　the　baths；　which　were　not　far　distant；　they
constantly　returning　to　see　him　safe　again　in　the　temple。　They　were
all　three　his　familiars；　and　Amphares　had　borrowed　a　great　deal　of
plate　and　rich　household　stuff　f