the history-第121章

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　History。　　　　　（ix。）　The　Ionians　furnished　a　hundred　ships；　and　were　armed　like　the　Greeks。　Now　these　Ionians；　during　the　time　that　they　dwelt　in　the　Peloponnese　and　inhabited　the　land　now　called　Achaea　（which　was　before　the　arrival　of　Danaus　and　Xuthus　in　the　Peloponnese）；　were　called；　according　to　the　Greek　account；　Aegialean　Pelasgi；　or　〃Pelasgi　of　the　Sea…shore〃；　but　afterwards；　from　Ion　the　son　of　Xuthus；　they　were　called　Ionians。　　　　　The　Islanders　furnished　seventeen　ships；　and　wore　arms　like　the　Greeks。　They　too　were　a　Pelasgian　race；　who　in　later　times　took　the；　name　of　Ionians　for　the　same　reason　me　reason　as　those　who　inhabited　the　twelve　cities　founded　from　Athens。　　　　　The　Aeolians　furnished　sixty　ships；　and　were　equipped　in　the　Grecian　fashion。　They　too　were　anciently　called　Pelasgians；　as　the　Greeks　declare。　　　　　The　Hellespontians　from　the　Pontus；　who　are　colonists　of　the　Ionians　and　Dorians；　furnished　a　hundred　ships；　the　crews　of　which　wore　the　Grecian　armour。　This　did　not　include　the　Abydenians；　who　stayed　in　their　own　country；　because　the　king　had　assigned　them　the　special　duty　of　guarding　the　bridges。　　　　　On　board　of　every　ship　was　a　band　of　soldiers；　Persians；　Medes；　or　Sacans。　The　Phoenician　ships　were　the　best　sailers　in　the　fleet；　and　the　Sidonian　the　best　among　the　Phoenicians。　The　contingent　of　each　nation；　whether　to　the　fleet　or　to　the　land　army；　had　at　its　head　a　native　leader；　but　the　names　of　these　leaders　I　shall　not　mention；　as　it　is　not　necessary　for　the　course　of　my　History。　For　the　leaders　of　some　nations　were　not　worthy　to　have　their　names　recorded；　and　besides；　there　were　in　each　nation　as　many　leaders　as　there　were　cities。　And　it　was　not　really　as　commanders　that　they　accompanied　the　army；　but　as　mere　slaves；　like　the　rest　of　the　host。　For　I　have　already　mentioned　the　Persian　generals　who　had　the　actual　command；　and　were　at　the　head　of　the　several　nations　which　composed　the　army。　　　　　The　fleet　was　commanded　by　the　following…　Ariabignes；　the　son　of　Darius；　Prexaspes；　the　son　of　Aspathines；　Megabazus；　the　son　of　Megabates；　and　Achaemenes；　the　son　of　Darius。　Ariabignes；　who　was　the　child　of　Darius　by　a　daughter　of　Gobryas；　was　leader　of　the　Ionian　and　Carian　ships；　Achaemenes；　who　was　own　brother　to　Xerxes；　of　the　Egyptian；　the　rest　of　the　fleet　was　commanded　by　the　other　two。　Besides　the　triremes；　there　was　an　assemblage　of　thirty…oared　and　fifty…oared　galleys；　of　cercuri；　and　transports　for　conveying　horses；　amounting　in　all　to　three　thousand。　　　　　Next　to　the　commanders；　the　following　were　the　most　renowned　of　those　who　sailed　aboard　the　fleet：…　Tetramnestus；　the　son　of　Anysus；　the　Sidonian；　Mapen；　the　son　of　Sirom；　the　Tyrian；　Merbal；　the　son　of　Agbal；　the　Aradian；　Syennesis；　the　son　of　Oromedon；　the　Cilician；　Cyberniscus；　the　son　of　Sicas；　the　Lycian；　Gorgus；　the　son　of　Chersis；　and　Timonax；　the　son　of　Timagoras；　the　Cyprians；　and　Histiaeus；　the　son　of　Timnes；　Pigres；　the　son　of　Seldomus；　and　Damasithymus；　the　son　of　Candaules；　the　Carians。　　　　　Of　the　other　lower　officers　I　shall　make　no　mention；　since　no　necessity　is　laid　on　me；　but　I　must　speak　of　a　certain　leader　named　Artemisia；　whose　participation　in　the　attack　upon　Greece；　notwithstanding　that　she　was　a　woman；　moves　my　special　wonder。　She　had　obtained　the　sovereign　power　after　the　death　of　her　husband；　and；　though　she　had　now　a　son　grown　up；　yet　her　brave　spirit　and　manly　daring　sent　her　forth　to　the　war；　when　no　need　required　her　to　adventure。　Her　name；　as　I　said；　was　Artemisia；　and　she　was　the　daughter　of　Lygdamis；　by　race　she　was　on　his　side　a　Halicarnassian；　though　by　her　mother　a　Cretan。　She　ruled　over　the　Halicarnassians；　the　men　of　Cos；　of　Nisyrus；　and　of　Calydna；　and　the　five　triremes　which　she　furnished　to　the　Persians　were；　next　to　the　Sidonian；　the　most　famous　ships　in　the　fleet。　She　likewise　gave　to　Xerxes　sounder　counsel　than　any　of　his　other　allies。　Now　the　cities　over　which　I　have　mentioned　that　she　bore　sway　were　one　and　all　Dorian；　for　the　Halicarnassians　were　colonists　from　Troezen；　while　the　remainder　were　from　Epidaurus。　Thus　much　concerning　the　sea…force。　　　　　Now　when　the　numbering　and　marshalling　of　the　host　was　ended；　Xerxes　conceived　a　wish　to　go　himself　throughout　the　forces；　and　with　his　own　eyes　behold　everything。　Accordingly　he　traversed　the　ranks　seated　in　his　chariot；　and；　going　from　nation　to　nation；　made　manifold　inquiries；　while　his　scribes　wrote　down　the　answers；　till　at　last　he　had　passed　from　end　to　end　of　the　whole　land　army；　both　the　horsemen　and　likewise　the　foot。　This　done；　he　exchanged　his　chariot　for　a　Sidonian　galley；　and；　seated　beneath　a　golden　awning；　sailed　along　the　prows　of　all　his　vessels　（the　vessels　having　now　been　hauled　down　and　launched　into　the　sea）；　while　he　made　inquiries　again；　as　he　had　done　when　he　reviewed　the　land…force；　and　caused　the　answers　to　be　recorded　by　his　scribes。　The　captains　took　their　ships　to　the　distance　of　about　four　hundred　feet　from　the　shore；　and　there　lay　to；　with　their　vessels　in　a　single　row；　the　prows　facing　the　land；　and　with　the　fighting…men　upon　the　decks　accoutred　as　if　for　war；　while　the　king　sailed　along　in　the　open　space　between　the　ships　and　the　shore；　and　so　reviewed　the　fleet。　　　　　Now　after　Xerxes　had　sailed　down　the　whole　line　and　was　gone　ashore；　he　sent　for　Demaratus　the　son　of　Ariston；　who　had　accompanied　him　in　his　march　upon　Greece；　and　bespake　him　thus：…　　　　　〃Demaratus；　it　is　my　pleasure　at　this　time　to　ask　thee　certain　things　which　I　wish　to　know。　Thou　art　a　Greek；　and；　as　I　hear　from　the　other　Greeks　with　whom　I　converse；　no　less　than　from　thine　own　lips；　thou　art　a　native　of　a　city　which　is　not　the　meanest　or　the　weakest　in　their　land。　Tell　me；　therefore；　what　thinkest　thou？　Will　the　Greeks　lift　a　hand　against　us？　Mine　own　judgment　is；　that　even　if　all　the　Greeks　and　all　the　barbarians　of　the　West　were　gathered　together　in　one　place；　they　would　not　be　able　to　abide　my　onset；　not　being　really　of　one　mind。　But　I　would　fain　know　what　thou　thinkest　hereon。〃　　　　　Thus　Xerxes　questioned；　and　the　other　replied　in　his　turn；…　〃O　king！　is　it　thy　will　that　I　give　thee　a　true　answer；　or　dost　thou　wish　for　a　pleasant　one？〃　　　　　Then　the　king　bade　him　speak　the　plain　truth；　and　promised　that　he　would　not　on　that　account　hold　him　in　less　favour　than　heretofore。　　　　　So　Demaratus；　when　he　heard　the　promise；　spake　as　follows：…　　　　　〃O　king！　since　thou　biddest　me　at　all　risks　speak　the　truth；　and　not　say　what　will　one　day　prove　me　to　have　lied　to　thee；　thus　I　answer。　Want　has　at　all　times　been　a　fellow…dweller　with　us　in　our　land；　while　Valour　is　an　ally　whom　we　have　gained　by　dint　of　wisdom　and　strict　laws。　Her　aid　enables　us　to　drive　out　want　and　escape　thraldom。　Brave　are　all　the　Greeks　who　dwell　in　any　Dorian　land；　but　what　I　am　about　to　say　does　not　concern　all；　but　only　the　Lacedaemonians。　First　then；　come　what　may；　they　will　never　accept　thy　terms；　which　would　reduce　Greece　to　slavery；　and　further；　they　are　sure　to　join　battle　with　thee；　though　all　the　rest　of　the　Greeks　should　submit　to　thy　will。　As　for　their　numbers；　do　not　ask　how　many　they　are；　that　their　resistance　should　be　a　possible　thing；　for　if　a　thousand　of　them　should　take　the　field；　they　will　meet　thee　in　battle；　and　so　will　any　number；　be　it　less　than　this；　or　be　it　more。〃　　　　　When　Xerxes　heard　this　answer　of　Demaratus；　he　laughed　and　answered：…　　　　　〃What　wild　words；　Demaratus！　A　thousand　men　join　battle　with　such　an　army　as　this！　Come　then；　wilt　thou…　who　wert　once；　as　thou　sayest；　their　king…　engage　to　fight　this　very　day　with　ten　men？　I　trow　not。　And　yet；　if　all　thy　fellow…citizens　be　indeed　such　as　thou　sayest　they　are；　thou　oughtest；　as　their　king；　by　thine　own　country's　usages；　to　be　ready　to　fight　with　twice　the　number。　If　then　each　one　of　them　be　a　match　for　ten　of　my　soldiers；　I　may　well　call　upon　thee　to　be　a　match　for　twenty。　So　wouldest　thou　assure　the　truth　of　what　thou　hast　now　said。　If；　however；　you　Greeks；　who　vaunt　yourselves　so　much；　are　of　a　truth　men　like　those　whom　I　have　seen　about　my　court；　as　thyself；　Demaratus；　and　the　others　with　whom　I　am　wont　to　converse…　if；　I　say；　you　are　really　men　of　this　sort　and　size；　how　is　the　speech　that　thou　hast　uttered　more　than　a　mere　empty　boast？　For；　to　go　to　the　very　verge　of　likelihood…　how　could　a　thousand　men；　or　ten　thousand；　or　even　fifty　thousand；　particularly　if　they　were　all　alike　free；　and　not　under　one　lord…　how　could　such　a　force；　I　say；　stand　against　an　army　like　mine？　Let　them　be　five　thousand；　and　we　shall　have　more　than　a　thousand　men　to　each　one　of　theirs。　If；　indeed；　like　our　troops；　they　had　a　single　master；　their　fear　of　him　might　make　them　courageous　beyond　their　natural　bent；　or　they　might　be　urged　by　lashes　against　an　enemy　which　far　outnumbered　them。　But　left　to　their　own　free　choice；　assuredly　they　will　act　differently。　For　mine　own　part；　I　believe；　that　if　the　Greeks　had　to　contend　with　the　Persians　only；　and　the　numbers　were　equal　on　both　sides；　the　Greeks　would　find　it　hard　to　stand　their　ground。　We　too　have　among　us　such　men　as　those　of　whom　thou　spakest…　not　many　indeed；　but　still　we　possess　a　few。　For　instance；　some　of　my　bodyguard　would　be　willing　to　engage　singly　with　three　Greeks。　But　this　thou　didst