demetrius-第7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！


polis；　and　Demochares　of　Soli　called　Demetrius　Mythus；　because　the　fable　always　has　its　Lamia；　and　so　had　he。　　　And；　in　truth；　his　passion　for　this　woman；　and　the　prosperity　in　which　she　lived　were　such　as　to　draw　upon　him　not　only　the　envy　and　jealousy　of　all　his　wives；　but　the　animosity　even　of　his　friends。　For　example；　on　Lysimachus's　showing　to　some　ambassadors　from　Demetrius　the　scars　of　the　wounds　which　he　had　received　upon　his　thighs　and　arms　by　the　paws　of　the　lion　with　which　Alexander　had　shut　him　up；　after　hearing　his　account　of　the　combat；　they　smiled　and　answered；　that　their　king；　also；　was　not　without　his　scars；　but　could　show　upon　his　neck　the　marks　of　a　Lamia；　a　no　less　dangerous　beast。　It　was　also　matter　of　wonder　that；　though　he　had　objected　so　much　to　Phila　on　account　of　her　age；　he　was　yet　such　a　slave　to　Lamia　who　was　so　long　past　her　prime。　One　evening　at　supper；　when　she　played　the　flute；　Demetrius　asked　Demo；　whom　the　men　called　Madness；　what　she　thought　of　her。　Demo　answered　she　thought　her　an　old　woman。　And　when　a　quantity　of　sweetmeats　were　brought　in；　and　the　king　said　again；　〃See　what　presents　I　get　from　Lamia！〃　〃My　old　mother；〃　answered　Demo；　〃will　send　you　more；　if　you　will　make　her　your　mistress。〃　Another　story　is　told　of　a　criticism　passed　by　Lamia　on　the　famous　judgment　of　Bocchoris。　A　young　Egyptian　had　long　made　suit　to　Thonis；　the　courtesan；　offering　a　sum　of　gold　for　her　favour。　But　before　it　came　to　pass；　he　dreamed　one　night　that　he　had　obtained　it；　and；　satisfied　with　the　shadow；　felt　no　more　desire　for　the　substance。　Thonis　upon　this　brought　an　action　for　the　sum。　Bocchoris；　the　judge；　on　hearing　the　case；　ordered　the　defendant　to　bring　into　court　the　full　amount　in　a　vessel；　which　he　was　to　move　to　and　fro　in　his　hand；　and　the　shadow　of　it　was　to　be　adjudged　to　Thonis。　The　fairness　of　this　sentence　Lamia　contested；　saying　the　young　man's　desire　might　have　been　satisfied　with　the　dream；　but　Thonis's　desire　for　the　money　could　not　be　relieved　by　the　shadow。　Thus　much　for　Lamia。　　　And　now　the　story　passes　from　the　comic　to　the　tragic　stage　in　pursuit　of　the　acts　and　fortunes　of　its　subjects。　A　general　league　of　the　kings；　who　were　now　gathering　and　combining　their　forces　to　attack　Antigonus；　recalled　Demetrius　from　Greece。　He　was　encouraged　by　finding　his　father　full　of　a　spirit　and　resolution　for　the　combat　that　belied　his　years。　Yet　it　would　seem　to　be　true；　that　if　Antigonus　could　only　have　borne　to　make　some　trifling　concessions；　and　if　he　had　shown　any　moderation　in　his　passion　for　empire；　he　might　have　maintained　for　himself　till　his　death　and　left　to　his　son　behind　him　the　first　place　among　the　kings。　But　he　was　of　a　violent　and　haughty　spirit；　and　the　insulting　words　as　well　as　actions　in　which　he　allowed　himself　could　not　be　borne　by　young　and　powerful　princes；　and　provoked　them　into　combining　against　him。　Though　now　when　he　was　told　of　the　confederacy；　he　could　not　forbear　from　saying　that　this　flock　of　birds　would　soon　be　scattered　by　one　stone　and　a　single　shout。　He　took　the　field　at　the　head　of　more　than　seventy　thousand　foot；　and　of　ten　thousand　horse；　and　seventy…five　elephants。　His　enemies　had　sixty…four　thousand　foot；　five　hundred　more　horse　than　he；　elephants　to　the　number　of　four　hundred；　and　a　hundred　and　twenty　chariots。　On　their　near　approach　to　each　other；　an　alteration　began　to　be　observable；　not　in　the　purposes；　but　in　the　presentiments　of　Antigonus。　For　whereas　in　all　former　campaigns　he　had　ever　shown　himself　lofty　and　confident；　loud　in　voice　and　scornful　in　speech；　often　by　some　joke　or　mockery　on　the　eve　of　battle　expressing　his　contempt　and　displaying　his　composure；　he　was　now　remarked　to　be　thoughtful；　silent；　and　retired。　He　presented　Demetrius　to　the　army　and　declared　him　his　successor；　and　what　every　one　thought　stranger　than　all　was　that　he　now　conferred　alone　in　his　tent　with　Demetrius；　whereas　in　former　time　he　had　never　entered　into　any　secret　consultations　even　with　him；　but　had　always　followed　his　own　advice；　made　his　resolutions；　and　then　given　out　his　commands。　Once　when　Demetrius　was　a　boy　and　asked　him　how　soon　the　army　would　move；　he　is　said　to　have　answered　him　sharply；　〃Are　you　afraid　lest　you；　of　all　the　army；　should　not　hear　the　trumpet？〃　　　There　were　now；　however；　inauspicious　signs；　which　affected　his　spirits。　Demetrius；　in　a　dream；　had　seen　Alexander；　completely　armed；　appear　and　demand　of　him　what　word　they　intended　to　give　in　the　time　of　the　battle；　and　Demetrius　answering　that　he　intended　the　word　should　he　〃Jupiter　and　Victory；〃　〃Then；〃　said　Alexander；　〃I　will　go　to　your　adversaries　and　find　my　welcome　with　them。〃　And　on　the　morning　of　the　combat；　as　the　armies　were　drawing　up；　Antigonus；　going　out　of　the　door　of　his　tent；　by　some　accident　or　other　stumbled　and　fell　flat　upon　the　ground；　hurting　himself　a　good　deal。　And　on　recovering　his　feet；　lifting　up　his　hands　to　heaven；　he　prayed　the　gods　to　grant　him；　〃either　victory；　or　death　without　knowledge　of　defeat。〃　When　the　armies　engaged；　Demetrius；　who　commanded　the　greatest　and　best　part　of　the　cavalry；　made　a　charge　on　Antiochus；　the　son　of　Seleucus；　and　gloriously　routing　the　enemy；　followed　the　pursuit；　in　the　pride　and　exultation　of　success；　so　eagerly；　and　so　unwisely　far；　that　it　fatally　lost　him　the　day；　for　when；　perceiving　his　error；　he　would　have　come　in　to　the　assistance　of　his　own　infantry；　he　was　not　able；　the　enemy　with　their　elephants　having　cut　off　his　retreat。　And　on　the　other　hand；　Seleucus；　observing　the　main　battle　of　Antigonus　left　naked　of　their　horse；　did　not　charge；　but　made　a　show　of　charging；　and　keeping　them　in　alarm　and　wheeling　about　and　still　threatening　an　attack；　he　gave　opportunity　for　those　who　wished　it　to　separate　and　come　over　to　him；　which　a　large　body　of　them　did；　the　rest　taking　to　flight。　But　the　old　King　Antigonus　still　kept　his　post；　and　when　a　strong　body　of　the　enemies　drew　up　to　charge　him；　and　one　of　those　about　him　cried　out　to　him；　〃Sir；　they　are　coming　upon　you；〃　he　only　replied；　〃What　else　should　they　do？　but　Demetrius　will　come　to　my　rescue。〃　And　in　this　hope　he　persisted　to　the　last；　looking　out　on　every　side　for　his　son's　approach；　until　he　was　borne　down　by　a　whole　multitude　of　darts；　and　fell。　His　other　followers　and　friends　fled；　and　Thorax　of　Larissa　remained　alone　by　the　body。　　　The　battle　having　been　thus　decided；　the　kings　who　had　gained　the　victory；　carving　up　the　whole　vast　empire　that　had　belonged　to　Demetrius　and　Antigonus；　like　a　carcass；　into　so　many　portions；　added　these　new　gains　to　their　former　possessions。　As　for　Demetrius；　with　five　thousand　foot　and　four　thousand　horse；　he　fled　at　his　utmost　speed　to　Ephesus；　where　it　was　the　common　opinion　he　would　seize　the　treasures　of　the　temple　to　relieve　his　wants；　but　he；　on　the　contrary；　fearing　such　an　attempt　on　the　part　of　his　soldiers；　hastened　away；　and　sailed　for　Greece；　his　chief　remaining　hopes　being　placed　in　the　fidelity　of　the　Athenians；　with　whom　he　had　left　part　of　his　navy　and　of　his　treasures　and　his　wife　Deidamia。　And　in　their　attachment　he　had　not　the　least　doubt　but　he　should　in　this　his　extremity　find　a　safe　resource。　Accordingly　when；　upon　reaching　the　Cyclades；　he　was　met　by　ambassadors　from　Athens；　requesting　him　not　to　proceed　to　the　city；　as　the　people　had　passed　a　vote　to　admit　no　king　whatever　within　their　walls；　and　had　conveyed　Deidamia　with　honourable　attendance　to　Megara；　his　anger　and　surprise　overpowered　him；　and　the　constancy　quite　failed　him　which　he　had　hitherto　shown　in　a　wonderful　degree　under　his　reverses；　nothing　humiliating　or　mean…spirited　having　as　yet　been　seen　in　him　under　all　his　misfortunes。　But　to　be　thus　disappointed　in　the　Athenians；　and　to　find　the　friendship　he　had　trusted　prove；　upon　trial；　thus　empty　and　unreal；　was　a　great　pang　to　him。　And；　in　truth；　an　excessive　display　of　outward　honour　would　seem　to　be　the　most　uncertain　attestation　of　the　real　affection　of　a　people　for　any　king　or　potentate。　Such　shows　lose　their　whole　credit　as　tokens　of　affection　（which　has　its　virtue　in　the　feelings　and　moral　choice）；　when　we　reflect　that　they　may　equally　proceed　from　fear。　The　same　decrees　are　voted　upon　the　latter　motive　as　upon　the