demetrius-第13章

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morning's　return　he　found　Seleucus　pressing　hard　upon　him；　so；　sending　one　of　his　officers　against　the　other　wing；　he　defeated　those　that　were　opposed　to　himself。　But　Seleucus；　lighting　from　his　horse；　pulling　off　his　helmet；　and　taking　a　target；　advanced　to　the　foremost　ranks　of　the　mercenary　soldiers；　and；　showing　them　who　he　was；　bade　them　come　over　and　join　him；　telling　them　that　it　was　for　their　sakes　only　that　he　had　so　long　forborne　coming　to　extremities。　And　thereupon；　without　a　blow　more；　they　saluted　Seleucus　as　their　king　and　passed　over。　　　Demetrius；　who　felt　that　this　was　his　last　change　of　fortune；　and　that　he　had　no　more　vicissitudes　to　expect；　fled　to　the　passes　of　Amanus；　where；　with　a　very　few　friends　and　followers；　he　threw　himself　into　a　dense　forest；　and　there　waited　for　the　night；　purposing；　if　possible；　to　make　his　escape　towards　Caunus；　where　he　hoped　to　find　his　shipping　ready　to　transport　him。　But　upon　inquiry；　finding　that　they　had　not　provisions　even　for　that　one　day；　he　began　to　think　of　some　other　project。　Whilst　he　was　yet　in　doubt；　his　friend　Sosigenes　arrived；　who　had　four　hundred　pieces　of　gold　about　him；　and；　with　this　relief；　he　again　entertained　hopes　of　being　able　to　reach　the　coast；　and；　as　soon　as　it　began　to　be　dark；　set　forward　towards　the　passes。　But；　perceiving　by　the　fires　that　the　enemies　had　occupied　them；　he　gave　up　all　thought　of　that　road；　and　retreated　to　his　old　station　in　the　wood；　but　not　with　all　his　men；　for　some　had　deserted；　nor　were　those　that　remained　as　willing　as　they　had　been。　One　of　them；　in　fine；　ventured　to　speak　out；　and　say　that　Demetrius　had　better　give　himself　up　to　Seleucus；　which　Demetrius　overhearing；　drew　out　his　sword；　and　would　have　passed　it　through　his　body；　but　that　some　of　his　friends　interposed　and　prevented　the　attempt；　persuading　him　to　do　as　had　been　said。　So　at　last　he　gave　way；　and　sent　to　Seleucus；　to　surrender　himself　at　discretion。　　　Seleucus；　when　he　was　told　of　it；　said　it　was　not　Demetrius's　good　fortune　that　had　found　out　this　means　for　his　safety；　but　his　own；　which　had　added　to　his　other　honours　the　opportunity　of　showing　his　clemency　and　generosity。　And　forthwith　he　gave　order　to　his　domestic　officers　to　prepare　a　royal　pavilion；　and　all　things　suitable　to　give　him　a　splendid　reception　and　entertainment。　There　was　in　the　attendance　of　Seleucus　one　Apollonides；　who　formerly　had　been　intimate　with　Demetrius。　He　was；　therefore；　as　the　fittest　person；　despatched　from　the　king　to　meet　Demetrius；　that　he　might　feel　himself　more　at　his　ease；　and　might　come　with　the　confidence　of　being　received　as　a　friend　and　relative。　No　sooner　was　this　message　known；　but　the　courtiers　and　officers；　some　few　at　first；　and　afterwards　almost　the　whole　of　them；　thinking　Demetrius　would　presently　become　of　great　power　with　the　king；　hurried　off；　vying　who　should　be　foremost　to　pay　him　their　respects。　The　effect　of　which　was　that　compassion　was　converted　into　jealousy；　and　ill…natured；　malicious　people　could　the　more　easily　insinuate　to　Seleucus　that　he　was　giving　way　to　an　unwise　humanity；　the　very　first　sight　of　Demetrius　having　been　the　occasion　of　a　dangerous　excitement　in　the　army。　So；　whilst　Apollonides；　in　great　delight；　and　after　him　many　others；　were　relating　to　Demetrius　the　kind　expressions　of　Seleucus；　and　he；　after　so　many　troubles　and　calamities；　if　indeed　he　had　still　any　sense　of　his　surrender　of　himself　being　a　disgrace；　had　now；　in　confidence　on　the　good　hopes　held　out　to　him；　entirely　forgotten　all　such　thoughts；　Pausanias　with　a　guard　of　a　thousand　horse　and　foot　came　and　surrounded　him；　and；　dispersing　the　rest　that　were　with　him；　carried　him　not　to　the　presence　of　Seleucus；　but　to　the　Syrian　Chersonese；　where　he　was　committed　to　the　safe　custody　of　a　strong　guard。　Sufficient　attendance　and　liberal　provisions　were　here　allowed　him；　space　for　riding　and　walking；　a　park　with　game　for　hunting；　those　of　his　friends　and　companions　in　exile　who　wished　it　had　permission　to　see　him；　and　messages　of　kindness；　also；　from　time　to　time；　were　brought　him　from　Seleucus；　bidding　him　fear　nothing；　and　intimating　that；　as　soon　as　Antiochus　and　Stratonice　should　arrive；　he　would　receive　his　liberty。　　　Demetrius；　however；　finding　himself　in　this　condition；　sent　letters　to　those　who　were　with　his　son；　and　to　his　captains　and　friends　at　Athens　and　Corinth；　that　they　should　give　no　manner　of　credit　to　any　letters　written　to　them　in　his　name；　though　they　were　sealed　with　his　own　signet；　but　that；　looking　upon　him　as　if　he　were　already　dead；　they　should　maintain　the　cities　and　whatever　was　left　of　his　power　for　Antigonus　as　his　successor。　Antigonus　received　the　news　of　his　father's　captivity　with　great　sorrow；　he　put　himself　into　mourning　and　wrote　letters　to　the　rest　of　the　kings；　and　to　Seleucus　himself；　making　entreaties；　and　offering　not　only　to　surrender　whatever　they　had　left；　but　himself　to　be　a　hostage　for　his　father。　Many　cities　also　and　princes　joined　in　interceding　for　him；　only　Lysimachus　sent　and　offered　a　large　sum　of　money　to　Seleucus　to　take　away　his　life。　But　he；　who　had　always　shown　his　aversion　to　Lysimachus　before；　thought　him　only　the　greater　barbarian　and　monster　for　it。　Nevertheless；　he　still　protracted　the　time；　reserving　the　favour；　as　he　professed；　for　the　intercession　of　Antiochus　and　Stratonice。　　　Demetrius；　who　had　sustained　the　first　stroke　of　his　misfortune；　in　time　grew　so　familiar　with　it；　that；　by　continuance；　it　became　easy。　At　first　he　persevered　one　way　or　other　in　taking　exercise；　in　hunting；　so　far　as　he　had　means；　and　in　riding。　Little　by　little；　however；　after　a　while；　he　let　himself　grow　indolent　and　indisposed　for　them；　and　took　to　dice　and　drinking；　in　which　he　passed　most　of　his　time；　whether　it　were　to　escape　the　thoughts　of　his　present　condition；　with　which　he　was　haunted　when　sober；　and　to　drown　reflection　in　drunkenness；　or　that　he　acknowledged　to　himself　that　this　was　the　real　happy　life　he　had　long　desired　and　wished　for；　and　had　foolishly　let　himself　be　seduced　away　from　it　by　a　senseless　and　vain　ambition；　which　had　only　brought　trouble　to　himself　and　others；　that　highest　good　which　he　had　thought　to　obtain　by　arms　and　fleets　and　soldiers　he　had　now　discovered　unexpectedly　in　idleness；　leisure；　and　repose。　As；　indeed；　what　other　end　or　period　is　there　of　all　the　wars　and　dangers　which　hapless　princes　run　into；　whose　misery　and　folly　it　is；　not　merely　that　they　make　luxury　and　pleasure；　instead　of　virtue　and　excellence；　the　object　of　their　lives；　but　that　they　do　not　so　much　as　know　where　this　luxury　and　pleasure　are　to　be　found？　　　Having　thus　continued　three　years　a　prisoner　in　Chersonesus；　for　want　of　exercise；　and　by　indulging　himself　in　eating　and　drinking；　he　fell　into　a　disease；　of　which　he　died　at　the　age　of　fifty…four。　Seleucus　was　ill　spoken　of；　and　was　himself　greatly　grieved；　that　he　had　yielded　so　far　to　his　suspicions；　and　had　let　himself　be　so　much　outdone　by　the　barbarian　Dromichaetes　of　Thrace；　who　had　shown　so　much　humanity　and　such　a　kingly　temper　in　his　treatment　of　his　prisoner　Lysimachus。　　　There　was　something　dramatic　and　theatrical　in　the　very　funeral　ceremonies　with　which　Demetrius　was　honoured。　For　his　son　Antigonus；　understanding　that　his　remains　were　coming　over　from　Syria；　went　with　all　his　fleet　to　the　islands　to　meet　them。　They　were　there　presented　to　him　in　a　golden　urn；　which　he　placed　in　his　largest　admiral　galley。　All　the　cities　where　they　touched　in　their　passage　sent　chaplets　to　adorn　the　urn；　and　deputed　certain　of　their　citizens　to　follow　in　mourning；　to　assist　at　the　funeral　solemnity。　When　the　fleet　approached　the　harbour　of　Corinth；　the　urn；　covered　with　purple；　and　a　royal　diadem　upon　it；　was　visible　upon　the　poop；　and　a　troop　of　young　men　attended　in　arms　to　receive　it　at　landing。　Xenophantus；　the　most　famous　musician　of　the　day；　played　on　the　flute　his　most　solemn　measure；　to　which　the　rowers；　as　the　ship　came　in；　made　loud　response；　their　oars；　like　the　funeral　beating　of　the　breast；　keeping　time　with　the　cadences　of　the　music。　But　Antigonus；　in　tears　and　mourning　attire；　excited　among　the　spectators　gathered　on　the　shore　the　greatest　sorrow　and　compassion。　After　crowns　and　o