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critias-第6章

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colour to please the eye; and to be a natural source of delight。  The



entire circuit of the wall; which went round the outermost zone; they



covered with a coating of brass; and the circuit of the next wall they



coated with tin; and the third; which encompassed the citadel; flashed with



the red light of orichalcum。  The palaces in the interior of the citadel



were constructed on this wise:In the centre was a holy temple dedicated



to Cleito and Poseidon; which remained inaccessible; and was surrounded by



an enclosure of gold; this was the spot where the family of the ten princes



first saw the light; and thither the people annually brought the fruits of



the earth in their season from all the ten portions; to be an offering to



each of the ten。  Here was Poseidon's own temple which was a stadium in



length; and half a stadium in width; and of a proportionate height; having



a strange barbaric appearance。  All the outside of the temple; with the



exception of the pinnacles; they covered with silver; and the pinnacles



with gold。  In the interior of the temple the roof was of ivory; curiously



wrought everywhere with gold and silver and orichalcum; and all the other



parts; the walls and pillars and floor; they coated with orichalcum。  In



the temple they placed statues of gold:  there was the god himself standing



in a chariotthe charioteer of six winged horsesand of such a size that



he touched the roof of the building with his head; around him there were a



hundred Nereids riding on dolphins; for such was thought to be the number



of them by the men of those days。  There were also in the interior of the



temple other images which had been dedicated by private persons。  And



around the temple on the outside were placed statues of gold of all the



descendants of the ten kings and of their wives; and there were many other



great offerings of kings and of private persons; coming both from the city



itself and from the foreign cities over which they held sway。  There was an



altar too; which in size and workmanship corresponded to this magnificence;



and the palaces; in like manner; answered to the greatness of the kingdom



and the glory of the temple。







In the next place; they had fountains; one of cold and another of hot



water; in gracious plenty flowing; and they were wonderfully adapted for



use by reason of the pleasantness and excellence of their waters。  They



constructed buildings about them and planted suitable trees; also they made



cisterns; some open to the heaven; others roofed over; to be used in winter



as warm baths; there were the kings' baths; and the baths of private



persons; which were kept apart; and there were separate baths for women;



and for horses and cattle; and to each of them they gave as much adornment



as was suitable。  Of the water which ran off they carried some to the grove



of Poseidon; where were growing all manner of trees of wonderful height and



beauty; owing to the excellence of the soil; while the remainder was



conveyed by aqueducts along the bridges to the outer circles; and there



were many temples built and dedicated to many gods; also gardens and places



of exercise; some for men; and others for horses in both of the two islands



formed by the zones; and in the centre of the larger of the two there was



set apart a race…course of a stadium in width; and in length allowed to



extend all round the island; for horses to race in。  Also there were guard…



houses at intervals for the guards; the more trusted of whom were appointed



to keep watch in the lesser zone; which was nearer the Acropolis; while the



most trusted of all had houses given them within the citadel; near the



persons of the kings。  The docks were full of triremes and naval stores;



and all things were quite ready for use。  Enough of the plan of the royal



palace。







Leaving the palace and passing out across the three harbours; you came to a



wall which began at the sea and went all round:  this was everywhere



distant fifty stadia from the largest zone or harbour; and enclosed the



whole; the ends meeting at the mouth of the channel which led to the sea。 



The entire area was densely crowded with habitations; and the canal and the



largest of the harbours were full of vessels and merchants coming from all



parts; who; from their numbers; kept up a multitudinous sound of human



voices; and din and clatter of all sorts night and day。







I have described the city and the environs of the ancient palace nearly in



the words of Solon; and now I must endeavour to represent to you the nature



and arrangement of the rest of the land。  The whole country was said by him



to be very lofty and precipitous on the side of the sea; but the country



immediately about and surrounding the city was a level plain; itself



surrounded by mountains which descended towards the sea; it was smooth and



even; and of an oblong shape; extending in one direction three thousand



stadia; but across the centre inland it was two thousand stadia。  This part



of the island looked towards the south; and was sheltered from the north。 



The surrounding mountains were celebrated for their number and size and



beauty; far beyond any which still exist; having in them also many wealthy



villages of country folk; and rivers; and lakes; and meadows supplying food



enough for every animal; wild or tame; and much wood of various sorts;



abundant for each and every kind of work。







I will now describe the plain; as it was fashioned by nature and by the



labours of many generations of kings through long ages。  It was for the



most part rectangular and oblong; and where falling out of the straight



line followed the circular ditch。  The depth; and width; and length of this



ditch were incredible; and gave the impression that a work of such extent;



in addition to so many others; could never have been artificial。



Nevertheless I must say what I was told。  It was excavated to the depth of



a hundred feet; and its breadth was a stadium everywhere; it was carried



round the whole of the plain; and was ten thousand stadia in length。  It



received the streams which came down from the mountains; and winding round



the plain and meeting at the city; was there let off into the sea。  Further



inland; likewise; straight canals of a hundred feet in width were cut from



it through the plain; and again let off into the ditch leading to the sea: 



these canals were at intervals of a hundred stadia; and by them they



brought down the wood from the mountains to the city; and conveyed the



fruits of the earth in ships; cutting transverse passages from one canal



into another; and to the city。  Twice in the year they gathered the fruits



of the earthin winter having the benefit of the rains of heaven; and in



summer the water which the land supplied by introducing streams from the



canals。







As to the population; each of the lots in the plain had to find a leader



for the men who were fit for military service; and the size of a lot was a



square of ten stadia each way; and the total number of all the lots was



sixty thousand。  And of the inhabitants of the mountains and of the rest of



the country there was also a vast multitude; which was distributed among



the lots and had leaders assigned to them according to their districts and



villages。  The leader was required to furnish for the war the sixth portion



of a war…chariot; so as to make up a total of ten thousand chariots; also



two horses and riders for them; and a pair of chariot…horses without a



seat; accompanied by a horseman who could fight on foot carrying a small



shield; and having a charioteer who stood behind the man…at…arms to guide



the two horses; also; he was bound to furnish two heavy…armed soldiers; two



archers; two slingers; three stone…shooters and three javelin…men; who were



light…armed; and four sailors to make up the complement of twelve hundred



ships。  Such was the military order of the royal citythe order of the



other nine governments varied; and it would be wearisome to recount their



several differences。







As to offices and honours; the following was the arrangement from the



first。  Each of the ten kings in his own division and in his own city had



the absolute control of the citizens; and; in most cases; of the laws;



punishing and slaying whomsoever he would。  Now the order of precedence



among them and their mutual relations were regulated by the commands of



Poseidon which the law had handed down。  These were inscribed by the first



kings on a pillar of orichalcum; which 
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