the history-第140章

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reasures；　or　men　of　the　poorer　sort。　These　persons　having　fortified　the　citadel　with　planks　and　boards；　held　out　against　the　enemy。　It　was　in　some　measure　their　poverty　which　had　prevented　them　from　seeking　shelter　in　Salamis；　but　there　was　likewise　another　reason　which　in　part　induced　them　to　remain。　They　imagined　themselves　to　have　discovered　the　true　meaning　of　the　oracle　uttered　by　the　Pythoness；　which　promised　that　〃the　wooden　wall〃　should　never　be　taken…　the　wooden　wall；　they　thought；　did　not　mean　the　ships；　but　the　place　where　they　had　taken　refuge。　　　　　The　Persians　encamped　upon　the　hill　over　against　the　citadel；　which　is　called　Mars'　hill　by　the　Athenians；　and　began　the　siege　of　the　place；　attacking　the　Greeks　with　arrows　whereto　pieces　of　lighted　tow　were　attached；　which　they　shot　at　the　barricade。　And　now　those　who　were　within　the　citadel　found　themselves　in　a　most　woeful　case；　for　their　wooden　rampart　betrayed　them；　still；　however；　they　continued　to　resist。　It　was　in　vain　that　the　Pisistratidae　came　to　them　and　offered　terms　of　surrender…　they　stoutly　refused　all　parley；　and　among　their　other　modes　of　defence；　rolled　down　huge　masses　of　stone　upon　the　barbarians　as　they　were　mounting　up　to　the　gates：　so　that　Xerxes　was　for　a　long　time　very　greatly　perplexed；　and　could　not　contrive　any　way　to　take　them。　　　　　At　last；　however；　in　the　midst　of　these　many　difficulties；　the　barbarians　made　discovery　of　an　access。　For　verily　the　oracle　had　spoken　truth；　and　it　was　fated　that　the　whole　mainland　of　Attica　should　fall　beneath　the　sway　of　the　Persians。　Right　in　front　of　the　citadel；　but　behind　the　gates　and　the　common　ascent…　where　no　watch　was　kept；　and　no　one　would　have　thought　it　possible　that　any　foot　of　man　could　climb…　a　few　soldiers　mounted　from　the　sanctuary　of　Aglaurus；　Cecrops'　daughter；　notwithstanding　the　steepness　of　the　precipice。　As　soon　as　the　Athenians　saw　them　upon　the　summit；　some　threw　themselves　headlong　from　the　wall；　and　so　perished；　while　others　fled　for　refuge　to　the　inner　part　of　the　temple。　The　Persians　rushed　to　the　gates　and　opened　them；　after　which　they　massacred　the　suppliants；　When　all　were　slain；　they　plundered　the　temple；　and　fired　every　part　of　the　citadel。　　　　　Xerxes；　thus　completely　master　of　Athens；　despatched　a　horseman　to　Susa；　with　a　message　to　Artabanus；　informing　him　of　his　success　hitherto。　The　day　after；　he　collected　together　all　the　Athenian　exiles　who　had　come　into　Greece　in　his　train；　and　bade　them　go　up　into　the　citadel；　and　there　offer　sacrifice　after　their　own　fashion。　I　know　not　whether　he　had　had　a　dream　which　made　him　give　this　order；　or　whether　he　felt　some　remorse　on　account　of　having　set　the　temple　on　fire。　However　this　may　have　been；　the　exiles　were　not　slow　to　obey　the　command　given　them。　　　　　I　will　now　explain　why　I　have　made　mention　of　this　circumstance：　there　is　a　temple　of　Erechtheus　the　Earth…born；　as　he　is　called；　in　this　citadel；　containing　within　it　an　olive…tree　and　a　sea。　The　tale　goes　among　the　Athenians；　that　they　were　placed　there　as　witnesses　by　Neptune　and　Minerva；　when　they　had　their　contention　about　the　country。　Now　this　olive…tree　had　been　burnt　with　the　rest　of　the　temple　when　the　barbarians　took　the　place。　But　when　the　Athenians；　whom　the　king　had　commanded　to　offer　sacrifice；　went　up　into　the　temple　for　the　purpose；　they　found　a　fresh　shoot；　as　much　as　a　cubit　in　length；　thrown　out　from　the　old　trunk。　Such　at　least　was　the　account　which　these　persons　gave。　　　　　Meanwhile；　at　Salamis；　the　Greeks　no　sooner　heard　what　had　befallen　the　Athenian　citadel；　than　they　fell　into　such　alarm　that　some　of　the　captains　did　not　even　wait　for　the　council　to　come　to　a　vote；　but　embarked　hastily　on　board　their　vessels；　and　hoisted　sail　as　though　they　would　take　to　flight　immediately。　The　rest；　who　stayed　at　the　council　board；　came　to　a　vote　that　the　fleet　should　give　battle　at　the　Isthmus。　Night　now　drew　on；　and　the　captains；　dispersing　from　the　meeting；　proceeded　on　board　their　respective　ships。　　　　　Themistocles；　as　he　entered　his　own　vessel；　was　met　by　Mnesiphilus；　an　Athenian；　who　asked　him　what　the　council　had　resolved　to　do。　On　learning　that　the　resolve　was　to　stand　away　for　the　Isthmus；　and　there　give　battle　on　behalf　of　the　Peloponnese；　Mnesiphilus　exclaimed：…　　　　　〃If　these　men　sail　away　from　Salamis；　thou　wilt　have　no　fight　at　all　for　the　one　fatherland；　for　they　will　all　scatter　themselves　to　their　own　homes；　and　neither　Eurybiades　nor　any　one　else　will　be　able　to　hinder　them；　nor　to　stop　the　breaking　up　of　the　armament。　Thus　will　Greece　be　brought　to　ruin　through　evil　counsels。　But　haste　thee　now；　and；　if　there　be　any　possible　way；　seek　to　unsettle　these　resolves…　mayhap　thou　mightest　persuade　Eurybiades　to　change　his　mind；　and　continue　here。〃　　　　　The　suggestion　greatly　pleased　Themistocles；　and　without　answering　a　word；　he　went　straight　to　the　vessel　of　Eurybiades。　Arrived　there；　he　let　him　know　that　he　wanted　to　speak　with　him　on　a　matter　touching　the　public　service。　So　Eurybiades　bade　him　come　on　board；　and　say　whatever　he　wished。　Then　Themistocles；　seating　himself　at　his　side；　went　over　all　the　arguments　which　he　had　heard　from　Mnesiphilus；　pretending　as　if　they　were　his　own；　and　added　to　them　many　new　ones　besides；　until　at　last　he　persuaded　Eurybiades；　by　his　importunity；　to　quit　his　ship　and　again　collect　the　captains　to　council。　　　　　As　soon　as　they　were　come；　and　before　Eurybiades　had　opened　to　them　his　purpose　in　assembling　them　together；　Themistocles；　as　men　are　wont　to　do　when　they　are　very　anxious；　spoke　much　to　divers　of　them；　whereupon　the　Corinthian　captain；　Adeimantus；　the　son　of　Ocytus；　observed…　〃Themistocles；　at　the　Games　they　who　start　too　soon　are　scourged。〃　〃True；〃　rejoined　the　other　in　his　excuse；　〃but　they　who　wait　too　late　are　not　crowned。〃　　　　　Thus　he　gave　the　Corinthian　at　this　time　a　mild　answer；　and　towards　Eurybiades　himself　he　did　not　now　use　any　of　those　arguments　which　he　had　urged　before；　or　say　aught　of　the　allies　betaking　themselves　to　flight　if　once　they　broke　up　from　Salamis；　it　would　have　been　ungraceful　for　him；　when　the　confederates　were　present；　to　make　accusation　against　any：　but　he　had　recourse　to　quite　a　new　sort　of　reasoning；　and　addressed　him　as　follows：…　　　　　〃With　thee　it　rests；　O　Eurybiades！　to　save　Greece；　if　thou　wilt　only　hearken　unto　me；　and　give　the　enemy　battle　here；　rather　than　yield　to　the　advice　of　those　among　us；　who　would　have　the　fleet　withdrawn　to　the　Isthmus。　Hear　now；　I　beseech　thee；　and　judge　between　the　two　courses。　At　the　Isthmus　thou　wilt　fight　in　an　open　sea；　which　is　greatly　to　our　disadvantage；　since　our　ships　are　heavier　and　fewer　in　number　than　the　enemy's；　and　further；　thou　wilt　in　any　case　lose　Salamis；　Megara；　and　Egina；　even　if　all　the　rest　goes　well　with　us。　The　land　and　sea　force　of　the　Persians　will　advance　together；　and　thy　retreat　will　but　draw　them　towards　the　Peloponnese；　and　so　bring　all　Greece　into　peril。　If；　on　the　other　hand；　thou　doest　as　I　advise；　these　are　the　advantages　which　thou　wilt　so　secure：　in　the　first　place；　as　we　shall　fight　in　a　narrow　sea　with　few　ships　against　many；　if　the　war　follows　the　common　course；　we　shall　gain　a　great　victory；　for　to　fight　in　a　narrow　space　is　favourable　to　us…　in　an　open　sea；　to　them。　Again；　Salamis　will　in　this　case　be　preserved；　where　we　have　placed　our　wives　and　children。　Nay；　that　very　point　by　which　ye　set　most　store；　is　secured　as　much　by　this　course　as　by　the　other；　for　whether　we　fight　here　or　at　the　Isthmus；　we　shall　equally　give　battle　in　defence　of　the　Peloponnese。　Assuredly　ye　will　not　do　wisely　to　draw　the　Persians　upon　that　region。　For　if　things　turn　out　as　I　anticipate；　and　we　beat　them　by　sea；　then　we　shall　have　kept　your　Isthmus　free　from　the　barbarians；　and　they　will　have　advanced　no　further　than　Attica；　but　from　thence　have　fled　back　in　disorder；　and　we　shall；　moreover；　have　saved　Megara；　Egina；　and　Salamis　itself；　where　an　oracle　has　said　that　we　are　to　overcome　our　enemies。　When　men　counsel　reasonably；　reasonable　success　ensues；　but　when　in　their　counsels　they　reject　reason；　God　does　not　choose　to　follow　the　wanderings　of　human　fancies。〃　　　　　When　Themistocles　had　thus　spoken；　Adeimantus　the　Corinthian　again　attacked　him；　and　bade　him　be　silent；　since　he　was　a　man　without　a　city；　at　the　same　time　he　called　on　Eurybiades　not　to　put　the　question　at　the　instance　of　one　who　had　no　country；　and　urged　that　Themistocles　should　show　of　what　state　he　was　envoy；　before　he　gave　his　voice　with　the　rest。　This　reproach　he　made；　because　the　city　of　Athens　had　been　taken；　and　was　in　the　hands　of　the　barbarians。　Hereupon　Themistocles　spake　many　bitter　things　against　Adeimantus　and　the　Corinthians　generally；　and　for　proof　that　he　had　a　country；　reminded　the　captains；　that　with　two　hundred　ships　at　his　command；　all　fully　manned　for　battle；　he　had　both　city　and　territory　as　good　as　theirs；　since　there　was　no　Grecian　state　which　could　resist　his　men　if　they　were　to　make　a　descent。　　　　　After　this　declaration；　he　turned　to　Eurybiades；　and　addressing　him　with　still　greater　warmth　and　earnestness…　〃If　thou　wilt　stay　here；〃　he　said；　〃and　behave　like　a　brave　man；　all　will　be　well…　if　not；　thou　wilt　bring　Greece　to　ruin。　For　the　whole　fortune　of　the