the history-第114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！


now　that；　were　we　to　remain　at　rest；　yet　would　not　they；　but　would　most　certainly　invade　our　country；　if　at　least　it　be　right　to　judge　from　what　they　have　already　done；　for；　remember；　it　was　they　who　fired　Sardis　and　attacked　Asia。　So　now　retreat　is　on　both　sides　impossible；　and　the　choice　lies　between　doing　and　suffering　injury；　either　our　empire　must　pass　under　the　dominion　of　the　Greeks；　or　their　land　become　the　prey　of　the　Persians；　for　there　is　no　middle　course　left　in　this　quarrel。　It　is　right　then　that　we；　who　have　in　times　past　received　wrong；　should　now　avenge　it；　and　that　I　should　thereby　discover　what　that　great　risk　is　which　I　run　in　marching　against　these　men…　men　whom　Pelops　the　Phrygian；　a　vassal　of　my　forefathers；　subdued　so　utterly；　that　to　this　day　both　the　land；　and　the　people　who　dwell　therein；　alike　bear　the　name　of　the　conqueror！〃　　　　　Thus　far　did　the　speaking　proceed。　Afterwards　evening　fell；　and　Xerxes　began　to　find　the　advice　of　Artabanus　greatly　disquiet　him。　So　he　thought　upon　it　during　the　night；　and　concluded　at　last　that　it　was　not　for　his　advantage　to　lead　an　army　into　Greece。　When　he　had　thus　made　up　his　mind　anew；　he　fell　asleep。　And　now　he　saw　in　the　night；　as　the　Persians　declare；　a　vision　of　this　nature…　he　thought　a　tall　and　beautiful　man　stood　over　him　and　said；　〃Hast　thou　then　changed　thy　mind；　Persian；　and　wilt　thou　not　lead　forth　thy　host　against　the　Greeks；　after　commanding　the　Persians　to　gather　together　their　levies？　Be　sure　thou　doest　not　well　to　change；　nor　is　there　a　man　here　who　will　approve　thy　conduct。　The　course　that　thou　didst　determine　on　during　the　day；　let　that　be　followed。〃　After　thus　speaking　the　man　seemed　to　Xerxes　to　fly　away。　　　　　Day　dawned；　and　the　king　made　no　account　of　this　dream；　but　called　together　the　same　Persians　as　before；　and　spake　to　them　as　follows：…　　　　　〃Men　of　Persia；　forgive　me　if　I　alter　the　resolve　to　which　I　came　so　lately。　Consider　that　I　have　not　yet　reached　to　the　full　growth　of　my　wisdom；　and　that　they　who　urge　me　to　engage　in　this　war　leave　me　not　to　myself　for　a　moment。　When　I　heard　the　advice　of　Artabanus；　my　young　blood　suddenly　boiled；　and　I　spake　words　against　him　little　befitting　his　years：　now　however　I　confess　my　fault；　and　am　resolved　to　follow　his　counsel。　Understand　then　that　I　have　changed　my　intent　with　respect　to　carrying　war　into　Greece；　and　cease　to　trouble　yourselves。〃　　　　　When　they　heard　these　words；　the　Persians　were　full　of　joy；　and；　falling　down　at　the　feet　of　Xerxes；　made　obeisance　to　him。　　　　　But　when　night　came；　again　the　same　vision　stood　over　Xerxes　as　he　slept；　and　said；　〃Son　of　Darius；　it　seems　thou　hast　openly　before　all　the　Persians　renounced　the　expedition；　making　light　of　my　words；　as　though　thou　hadst　not　heard　them　spoken。　Know　therefore　and　be　well　assured；　that　unless　thou　go　forth　to　the　war；　this　thing　shall　happen　unto　thee　thou　art　grown　mighty　and　puissant　in　a　short　space；　so　likewise　shalt　thou　within　a　little　time　be　brought　low　indeed。〃　　　　　Then　Xerxes；　greatly　frightened　at　the　vision　which　he　had　seen；　sprang　from　his　couch；　and　sent　a　messenger　to　call　Artabanus；　who　came　at　the　summons；　when　Xerxes　spoke　to　him　in　these　words：…　　　　　〃Artabanus；　at　the　moment　I　acted　foolishly；　when　I　gave　thee　ill　words　in　return　for　thy　good　advice。　However　it　was　not　long　ere　I　repented；　and　was　convinced　that　thy　counsel　was　such　as　I　ought　to　follow。　But　I　may　not　now　act　in　this　way；　greatly　as　I　desire　to　do　so。　For　ever　since　I　repented　and　changed　my　mind　a　dream　has　haunted　me；　which　disapproves　my　intentions；　and　has　now　just　gone　from　me　with　threats。　Now　if　this　dream　is　sent　to　me　from　God；　and　if　it　is　indeed　his　will　that　our　troops　should　march　against　Greece；　thou　too　wilt　have　the　same　dream　come　to　thee　and　receive　the　same　commands　as　myself。　And　this　will　be　most　sure　to　happen；　I　think；　if　thou　puttest　on　the　dress　which　I　am　wont　to　wear；　and　then；　after　taking　thy　seat　upon　my　throne；　liest　down　to　sleep　on　my　bed。〃　　　　　Such　were　the　words　of　Xerxes。　Artabanus　would　not　at　first　yield　to　the　command　of　the　king；　for　he　deemed　himself　unworthy　to　sit　upon　the　royal　throne。　At　the　last　however　he　was　forced　to　give　way；　and　did　as　Xerxes　bade　him；　but　first　he　spake　thus　to　the　king　（SS　1。）：…　　　　　〃To　me；　sire；　it　seems　to　matter　little　whether　a　man　is　wise　himself　or　willing　to　hearken　to　such　as　give　good　advice。　In　thee　truly　are　found　both　but　the　counsels　of　evil　men　lead　thee　astray：　they　are　like　the　gales　of　wind　which　vex　the　sea…　else　the　most　useful　thing　for　man　in　the　whole　world…　and　suffer　it　not　to　follow　the　bent　of　its　own　nature。　For　myself；　it　irked　me　not　so　much　to　be　reproached　by　thee；　as　to　observe　that　when　two　courses　were　placed　before　the　Persian　people；　one　of　a　nature　to　increase　their　pride；　the　other　to　humble　it；　by　showing　them　how　hurtful　it　is　to　allow　one's　heart　always　to　covet　more　than　one　at　present　possesses；　thou　madest　choice　of　that　which　was　the　worse　both　for　thyself　and　for　the　Persians。　（SS　2。）　Now　thou　sayest　that　from　the　time　when　thou　didst　approve　the　better　course；　and　give　up　the　thought　of　warring　against　Greece；　a　dream　has　haunted　thee；　sent　by　some　god　or　other；　which　will　not　suffer　thee　to　lay　aside　the　expedition。　But　such　things；　my　son；　have　of　a　truth　nothing　divine　in　them。　The　dreams　that　wander　to　and　fro　among　mankind；　I　will　tell　thee　of　what　nature　they　are…　I　who　have　seen　so　many　more　years　than　thou。　Whatever　a　man　has　been　thinking　of　during　the　day　is　wont　to　hover　round　him　in　the　visions　of　his　dreams　at　night。　Now　we　during　these　many　days　past　have　had　our　hands　full　of　this　enterprise。　（SS　3。）　If　however　the　matter　be　not　as　I　suppose；　but　God　has　indeed　some　part　therein；　thou　hast　in　brief　declared　the　whole　that　can　be　said　concerning　it…　let　it　e'en　appear　to　me　as　it　has　to　thee；　and　lay　on　me　the　same　injunctions。　But　it　ought　not　to　appear　to　me　any　the　more　if　I　put　on　thy　clothes　than　if　I　wear　my　own；　nor　if　I　go　to　sleep　in　thy　bed　than　if　I　do　so　in　mine…　supposing；　I　mean；　that　it　is　about　to　appear　at　all。　For　this　thing；　be　it　what　it　may；　that　visits　thee　in　thy　sleep；　surely　is　not　so　far　gone　in　folly　as　to　see　me；　and　because　I　am　dressed　in　thy　clothes；　straightway　to　mistake　me　for　thee。　Now　however　our　business　is　to　see　if　it　will　regard　me　as　of　small　account；　and　not　vouchsafe　to　appear　to　me；　whether　I　wear　mine　own　clothes　or　thine；　while　it　keeps　on　haunting　thee　continually。　If　it　does　so；　and　appears　often；　I　should　myself　say　that　it　was　from　God。　For　the　rest；　if　thy　mind　is　fixed；　and　it　is　not　possible　to　turn　thee　from　thy　design；　but　I　must　needs　go　and　sleep　in　thy　bed；　well　and　good；　let　it　be　even　so；　and　when　I　have　done　as　thou　wishest；　then　let　the　dream　appear　to　me。　Till　such　time；　however；　I　shall　keep　to　my　former　opinion。〃　　　　　Thus　spake　Artabanus；　and　when　he　had　so　said；　thinking　to　show　Xerxes　that　his　words　were　nought；　he　did　according　to　his　orders。　Having　put　on　the　garments　which　Xerxes　was　wont　to　wear　and　taken　his　seat　upon　the　royal　throne；　he　lay　down　to　sleep　upon　the　king's　own　bed。　As　he　slept；　there　appeared　to　him　the　very　same　dream　which　had　been　seen　by　Xerxes；　it　came　and　stood　over　Artabanus；　and　said：…　　　　　〃Thou　art　the　man；　then；　who；　feigning　to　be　tender　of　Xerxes；　seekest　to　dissuade　him　from　leading　his　armies　against　the　Greeks！　But　thou　shalt　not　escape　scathless；　either　now　or　in　time　to　come；　because　thou　hast　sought　to　prevent　that　which　is　fated　to　happen。　As　for　Xerxes；　it　has　been　plainly　told　to　himself　what　will　befall　him；　if　he　refuses　to　perform　my　bidding。〃　　　　　In　such　words；　as　Artabanus　thought；　the　vision　threatened　him；　and　then　endeavoured　to　burn　out　his　eyes　with　red…hot　irons。　At　this　he　shrieked；　and；　leaping　from　his　couch；　hurried　to　Xerxes；　and；　sitting　down　at　his　side；　gave　him　a　full　account　of　the　vision；　after　which　he　went　on　to　speak　in　the　words　which　follow：…　　　　　〃I；　O　King！　am　a　man　who　have　seen　many　mighty　empires　overthrown　by　weaker　ones；　and　therefore　it　was　that　I　sought　to　hinder　thee　from　being　quite　carried　away　by　thy　youth；　since　I　knew　how　evil　a　thing　it　is　to　covet　more　than　one　possesses。　I　could　remember　the　expedition　of　Cyrus　against　the　Massagetae；　and　what　was　the　issue　of　it；　I　could　recollect　the　march　of　Cambyses　against　the　Ethiops；　I　had　taken　part　in　the　attack　of　Darius　upon　the　Scyths…bearing　therefore　all　these　things　in　mind；　I　thought　with　myself　that　if　thou　shouldst　remain　at　peace；　all　men　would　deem　thee　fortunate。　But　as　this　impulse　has　plainly　come　from　above；　and　a　heaven…sent　destruction　seems　about　to　overtake　the　Greeks；　behold；　I　change　to　another　mind；　and　alter　my　thoughts　upon　the　matter。　Do　thou　therefore　make　known　to　the　Persians　what　the　god　has　declared；　and　bid　them　follow　the　orders　which　were　first　given；　and　prepare　their　levies。　Be　careful　to　act　so　that　the　bounty　of　the　god　may　not　be　hindered　by　slackness　on　thy　part。〃　　　　　Thus　spake　these　two　together；　and　Xerxes；　being　in　good　heart　on　account　of　the　vision；　when　day　broke；　laid　all　before　the　Persians；　while　Artabanus；　who　had　formerly　been　the　only　person　openly　to　oppose　the　expedition；　now　showed　a