the history-第149章

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　services　which　he　had　rendered；　and　by　formal　compact　of　friendship；　connected　with　Athens。　Mardonius　therefore　thought　that；　by　sending　him；　he　would　be　most　likely　to　gain　over　the　Athenians　to　the　Persian　side。　He　had　heard　that　they　were　a　numerous　and　a　warlike　people；　and　he　knew　that　the　disasters　which　had　befallen　the　Persians　by　sea　were　mainly　their　work；　he　therefore　expected　that；　if　he　could　form　alliance　with　them；　he　would　easily　get　the　mastery　of　the　sea　（as　indeed　he　would　have　done；　beyond　a　doubt）；　while　by　land　he　believed　that　he　was　already　greatly　superior；　and　so　he　thought　by　this　alliance　to　make　sure　of　overcoming　the　Greeks。　Perhaps；　too；　the　oracles　leant　this　way；　and　counselled　him　to　make　Athens　his　friend：　so　that　it　may　have　been　in　obedience　to　them　that　he　sent　the　embassy。　　　　　This　Alexander　was　descended　in　the　seventh　degree　from　Perdiccas；　who　obtained　the　sovereignty　over　the　Macedonians　in　the　way　which　I　will　now　relate。　Three　brothers；　descendants　of　Temenus；　fled　from　Argos　to　the　Illyrians；　their　names　were　Gauanes；　Aeropus；　and　Perdiccas。　From　Illyria　they　went　across　to　Upper　Macedonia；　where　they　came　to　a　certain　town　called　Lebaea。　There　they　hired　themselves　out　to　serve　the　king　in　different　employs；　one　tended　the　horses；　another　looked　after　the　cows；　while　Perdiccas；　who　was　the　youngest；　took　charge　of　the　smaller　cattle。　In　those　early　times　poverty　was　not　confined　to　the　people：　kings　themselves　were　poor；　and　so　here　it　was　the　king's　wife　who　cooked　the　victuals。　Now；　whenever　she　baked　the　bread；　she　always　observed　that　the　loaf　of　the　labouring　boy　Perdiccas　swelled　to　double　its　natural　size。　So　the　queen；　finding　this　never　fail；　spoke　of　it　to　her　husband。　Directly　that　it　came　to　his　ears；　the　thought　struck　him　that　it　was　a　miracle；　and　boded　something　of　no　small　moment。　He　therefore　sent　for　the　three　labourers；　and　told　them　to　begone　out　of　his　dominions。　They　answered；　〃they　had　a　right　to　their　wages；　if　he　would　pay　them　what　was　due；　they　were　quite　willing　to　go。〃　Now　it　happened　that　the　sun　was　shining　down　the　chimney　into　the　room　where　they　were；　and　the　king；　hearing　them　talk　of　wages；　lost　his　wits；　and　said；　〃There　are　the　wages　which　you　deserve；　take　that…　I　give　it　you！〃　and　pointed；　as　he　spoke；　to　the　sunshine。　The　two　elder　brothers；　Gauanes　and　Aeropus；　stood　aghast　at　the　reply；　and　did　nothing；　but　the　boy；　who　had　a　knife　in　his　hand；　made　a　mark　with　it　round　the　sunshine　on　the　floor　of　the　room；　and　said；　〃O　king！　we　accept　your　payment。〃　Then　he　received　the　light　of　the　sun　three　times　into　his　bosom；　and　so　went　away；　and　his　brothers　went　with　him。　　　　　When　they　were　gone；　one　of　those　who　sat　by　told　the　king　what　the　youngest　of　the　three　had　done；　and　hinted　that　he　must　have　had　some　meaning　in　accepting　the　wages　given。　Then　the　king；　when　he　heard　what　had　happened；　was　angry；　and　sent　horsemen　after　the　youths　to　slay　them。　Now　there　is　a　river　in　Macedonia　to　which　the　descendants　of　these　Argives　offer　sacrifice　as　their　saviour。　This　stream　swelled　so　much；　as　soon　as　the　sons　of　Temenus　were　safe　across；　that　the　horsemen　found　it　impossible　to　follow。　So　the　brothers　escaped　into　another　part　of　Macedonia；　and　took　up　their　abode　near　the　place　called　〃the　Gardens　of　Midas；　son　of　Gordias。〃　In　these　gardens　there　are　roses　which　grow　of　themselves；　so　sweet　that　no　others　can　come　near　them；　and　with　blossoms　that　have　as　many　as　sixty　petals　apiece。　It　was　here；　according　to　the　Macedonians；　that　Silenus　was　made　a　prisoner。　Above　the　gardens　stands　a　mountain　called　Bermius；　which　is　so　cold　that　none　can　reach　the　top。　Here　the　brothers　made　their　abode；　and　from　this　place　by；　degrees　they　conquered　all　Macedonia。　　　　　From　the　Perdiccas　of　whom　we　have　here　spoken；　Alexander　was　descended　in　the　following　way：…　Alexander　was　the　son　of　Amyntas；　Amyntas　of　Alcetas；　the　father　of　Alcetas　was　Aeropus；　of　Aeropus；　Philip；　of　Philip；　Argaeus；　of　Argaeus；　Perdiccas；　the　first　sovereign。　Such　was　the　descent　of　Alexander。　　　　　（SS　1。）　When　Alexander　reached　Athens　as　the　ambassador　of　Mardonius；　he　spoke　as　follows：…　　　　　〃O　men　of　Athens；　these　be　the　words　of　Mardonius。　'The　king　has　sent　a　message　to　me；　saying；　〃All　the　trespasses　which　the　Athenians　have　committed　against　me　I　freely　forgive。　Now　then；　Mardonius；　thus　shalt　thou　act　towards　them。　Restore　to　them　their　territory；　and　let　them　choose　for　themselves　whatever　land　they　like　besides；　and　let　them　dwell　therein　as　a　free　people。　Build　up　likewise　all　their　temples　which　I　burned；　if　on　these　terms　they　will　consent　to　enter　into　a　league　with　me。〃　Such　are　the　orders　which　I　have　received；　and　which　I　must　needs　obey；　unless　there　be　a　hindrance　on　your　part。　And　now　I　say　unto　you；…　why　are　ye　so　mad　as　to　levy　war　against　the　king；　whom　ye　cannot　possibly　overcome；　or　even　resist　for　ever？　Ye　have　seen　the　multitude　and　the　bravery　of　the　host　of　Xerxes；　ye　know　also　how　large　a　power　remains　with　me　in　your　land；　suppose　then　ye　should　get　the　better　of　us；　and　defeat　this　army…　a　thing　whereof　ye　will　not；　if　ye　be　wise；　entertain　the　least　hope…　what　follows　even　then　but　a　contest　with　a　still　greater　force？　Do　not；　because　you　would　fain　match　yourselves　with　the　king；　consent　to　lose　your　country　and　live　in　constant　danger　of　your　lives。　Rather　agree　to　make　peace；　which　ye　can　now　do　without　any　tarnish　to　your　honour；　since　the　king　invites　you　to　it。　Continue　free；　and　make　an　alliance　with　us；　without　fraud　or　deceit。'　　　　　（SS　2。）　〃These　are　the　words；　O　Athenians！　which　Mardonius　had　bid　me　speak　to　you。　For　my　own　part；　I　will　say　nothing　of　the　good　will　I　bear　your　nation；　since　ye　have　not　now　for　the　first　time　to　become　acquainted　with　it。　But　I　will　add　my　intreaties　also；　and　beseech　you　to　give　ear　to　Mardonius；　for　I　see　clearly　that　it　is　impossible　for　you　to　go　on　for　ever　contending　against　Xerxes。　If　that　had　appeared　to　me　possible；　I　would　not　now　have　come　hither　the　bearer　of　such　a　message。　But　the　king's　power　surpasses　that　of　man；　and　his　arm　reaches　far。　If　then　ye　do　not　hasten　to　conclude　a　peace；　when　such　fair　terms　are　offered　you；　I　tremble　to　think　of　what　you　will　have　to　endure…　you；　who　of　all　the　allies　lie　most　directly　in　the　path　of　danger；　whose　land　will　always　be　the　chief　battleground　of　the　contending　powers；　and　who　will　therefore　constantly　have　to　suffer　alone。　Hearken　then；　I　pray　you；　to　Mardonius！　Surely　it　is　no　small　matter　that　the　Great　King　chooses　you　out　from　all　the　rest　of　the　Greeks；　to　offer　you　forgiveness　of　the　wrongs　you　have　done　him；　and　to　propose　himself　as　your　friend　and　ally！〃　　　　　Such　were　the　words　of　Alexander。　Now　the　Lacedaemonians；　when　tidings　reached　them　that　Alexander　was　gone　to　Athens　to　bring　about　a　league　between　the　Athenians　and　the　barbarians；　and　when　at　the　same　time　they　called　to　mind　the　prophecies　which　declared　that　the　Dorian　race　should　one　day　be　driven　from　the　Peloponnese　by　the　Medes　and　the　Athenians；　were　exceedingly　afraid　lest　the　Athenians　might　consent　to　the　alliance　with　Persia。　They　therefore　lost　no　time　in　sending　envoys　to　Athens；　and　it　so　happened　that　these　envoys　were　given　their　audience　at　the　same　time　with　Alexander：　for　the　Athenians　had　waited　and　made　delays；　because　they　felt　sure　that　the　Lacedaemonians　would　hear　that　an　ambassador　was　come　to　them　from　the　Persians；　and　as　soon　as　they　heard　it　would　with　all　speed　send　an　embassy。　They　contrived　matters　therefore　of　set　purpose；　so　that　the　Lacedaemonians　might　hear　them　deliver　their　sentiments　on　the　occasion。　　　　　As　soon　as　Alexander　had　finished　speaking；　the　ambassadors　from　Sparta　took　the　word　and　said；…　　　　　〃We　are　sent　here　by　the　Lacedaemonians　to　entreat　of　you　that　ye　will　not　do　a　new　thing　in　Greece；　nor　agree　to　the　terms　which　are　offered　you　by　the　barbarian。　Such　conduct　on　the　part　of　any　of　the　Greeks　were　alike　unjust　and　dishonourable；　but　in　you　'twould　be　worse　than　in　others；　for　divers　reasons。　'Twas　by　you　that　this　war　was　kindled　at　the　first　among　us…　our　wishes　were　in　no　way　considered；　the　contest　began　by　your　seeking　to　extend　your　empire…　now　the　fate　of　Greece　is　involved　in　it。　Besides　it　was　surely　an　intolerable　thing　that　the　Athenians；　who　have　always　hitherto　been　known　as　a　nation　to　which　many　men　owed　their　freedom；　should　now　become　the　means　of　bringing　all　other　Greeks　into　slavery。　We　feel；　however；　for　the　heavy　calamities　which　press　on　you…　the　loss　of　your　harvest　these　two　years；　and　the　ruin　in　which　your　homes　have　lain　for　so　long　a　time。　We　offer　you；　therefore；　on　the　part　of　the　Lacedaemonians　and　the　allies；　sustenance　for　your　women　and　for　the　unwarlike　portion　of　your　households；　so　long　as　the　war　endures。　Be　ye　not　seduced　by　Alexander　the　Macedonian；　who　softens　down　the　rough　words　of　Mardonius。　He　does　as　is　natural　for　him　to　do…　a　tyrant　himself；　he　helps　forward　a　tyrant's　cause。　But　ye；　Athenians；　should　do　differently；　at　least　if　ye　be　truly　wise；　for　ye　should　know　that　with　barbarians　there　is　neither　faith　nor　truth。〃　　　　　Thus　spake　the　envoys。　After　which　the　Athenians　returned　this　answer