aratus-第2章

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given　out　that　they　were　to　march　into　the　territory　of　Sicyon　to
seize　the　king's　stud；　most　of　them　were　sent　before；　in　small
parties；　to　the　tower　of　Polygnotus；　with　orders　to　wait　there；
Caphisias　also　was　despatched　beforehand　lightly　armed；　with　four
others；　who　were；　as　soon　as　it　was　dark；　to　come　to　the　gardener's
house；　pretending　to　be　travellers；　and　procuring　their　lodging　there；
to　shut　up　him　and　his　dogs；　for　there　was　no　other　way　to　getting
past。　And　for　the　ladders；　they　had　been　made　to　take　in　pieces；　and
were　put　into　chests；　and　sent　before；　hidden　upon　wagons。　In　the
meantime；　some　of　the　spies　of　Nicocles　appearing　in　Argos；　and
being　said　to　go　privately　about　watching　Aratus；　he　came　early　in　the
morning　into　the　market…place；　showing　himself　openly　and　conversing
with　his　friends；　then　he　anointed　himself　in　the　exercise　ground；
and；　taking　with　him　thence　some　of　the　young　men　that　used　to　drink
and　spend　their　time　with　him；　he　went　home；　and　presently　after
several　of　his　servants　were　seen　about　the　market…place；　one　carrying
garlands；　another　buying　flambeaux；　and　a　third　speaking　to　the
women　that　used　to　sing　and　play　at　banquets；　all　of　which　things
the　spies　observing　were　deceived；　and　said；　laughing　to　one
another。　〃Certainly　nothing　can　be　more　timorous　than　a　tyrant；　if
Nicocles；　being　master　of　so　great　a　city　and　so　numerous　a　force；
stands　in　fear　of　a　youth　that　spends　what　he　has　to　subsist　upon　in
his　banishment　in　pleasures　and　day…debauches；〃　and；　being　thus
imposed　upon；　they　returned　home。
　　But　Aratus；　departing　immediately　after　his　morning　meal；　and　coming
to　his　soldiers　at　Polygnotus's　tower；　led　them　to　Nemea；　where　he
disclosed　to　most　of　them；　for　the　first　time；　his　true　design；　making
them　large　promises　and　fair　speeches；　and　marched　towards　the　city；
giving　for　the　word　Apollo　victorious；　proportioning　his　march　to
the　motion　of　the　moon；　so　as　to　have　the　benefit　of　her　light　upon
the　way；　and　to　be　in　the　garden；　which　was　close　to　the　wall；　just　as
she　was　setting。　Here　Caphisias　to　him；　who　had　not　secured　the
dogs；　which　had　run　away　before　he　could　catch　them；　but　had　only　made
sure　of　the　gardener。　Upon　which　most　of　the　company　being　out　of
heart　and　desiring　to　retreat；　Aratus　encouraged　them　to　go　on；
promising　to　retire　in　case　the　dogs　were　too　troublesome；　at　the　same
time　sending　forward　those　that　carried　the　ladders；　conducted　by
Ecdelus　and　Mnasitheus；　he　followed　them　himself　leisurely；　the　dogs
already　barking　very　loud　and　following　the　steps　of　Ecdelus　and　his
companion。　However；　they　got　to　the　wall；　and　reared　the　ladders
with　safety。　But　as　the　foremost　men　were　mounting　them；　the　captain
of　the　watch　that　was　to　be　relieved　by　the　morning　guard　passed　on
his　way　with　the　bell；　and　there　were　many　lights；　and　a　noise　of
people　coming　up。　Hearing　which；　they　clapt　themselves　close　to　the
ladders；　and　so　were　unobserved；　but　as　the　other　watch　also　was
coming　up　to　meet　this；　they　were　in　extreme　danger　of　being
discovered。　But　when　this　also　went　by　without　observing　them；
immediately　Mnasitheus　and　Ecdelus　got　upon　the　wall；　and；
possessing　themselves　of　the　approaches　inside　and　out；　sent　away
Technon　to　Aratus；　desiring　him　to　make　all　the　haste　he　could。
　　Now　there　was　no　great　distance　from　the　garden　to　the　wall　and　to
the　tower　in　which　latter　a　large　hound　was　kept。　The　hound　did　not
hear　their　steps　of　himself；　whether　that　he　were　naturally　drowsy；　or
over…wearied　the　day　before；　but；　the　gardener's　curs　awaking　him；
he　first　began　to　growl　and　grumble　in　response；　and　then　as　they
passed　by　to　bark　out　aloud。　And　the　barking　was　now　so　great；　that
the　sentinel　opposite　shouted　out　to　the　dog's　keeper　to　know　why
the　dog　kept　such　a　barking；　and　whether　anything　was　the　matter；
who　answered；　that　it　was　nothing　but　only　that　his　dog　had　been　set
barking　by　the　lights　of　the　watch　and　the　noise　of　the　bell。　This
reply　much　encouraged　Aratus's　soldiers；　who　thought　the　dog's
keeper　was　privy　to　their　design；　and　wished　to　conceal　what　was
passing；　and　that　many　others　in　the　city　were　of　the　conspiracy。
But　when　they　came　to　scale　the　wall；　the　attempt　then　appeared　both
to　require　time　and　to　be　full　of　danger；　for　the　ladders　shook　and
tottered　extremely　unless　they　mounted　them　leisurely　and　one　by
one；　and　time　pressed；　for　the　cocks　began　to　crow；　and　the　country
people　that　used　to　bring　things　to　the　market　would　be　coming　to
the　town　directly。　Therefore　Aratus　made　haste　to　get　up　himself；
forty　only　of　the　company　being　already　upon　the　wall　and；　staying　but
for　a　few　more　of　those　that　were　below；　he　made　straight　to　the
tyrant's　house　and　the　general's　office；　where　the　mercenary
soldiers　passed　the　night；　and；　coming　suddenly　upon　them；　and
taking　them　prisoners　without　killing　any　one　of　them；　he
immediately　sent　to　all　his　friends　in　their　houses　to　desire　them
to　come　to　him；　which　they　did　from　all　quarters。　By　this　time　the　day
began　to　break；　and　the　theatre　was　filled　with　a　multitude　that
were　held　in　suspense　by　uncertain　reports　and　knew　nothing　distinctly
of　what　had　happened；　until　a　public　crier　came　forward　and　proclaimed
that　Aratus；　the　son　of　Clinias；　invited　the　citizens　to　recover　their
liberty。
　　Then　at　last　assured　that　what　they　had　so　long　looked　for　was
come　to　pass；　they　pressed　in　throngs　to　the　tyrant's　gates　to　set
them　on　fire。　And　such　a　flame　was　kindled；　the　whole　house　catching
fire；　that　it　was　seen　as　far　as　Corinth；　so　that　the　Corinthians；
wondering　what　the　matter　could　be；　were　upon　the　point　of　coming　to
their　assistance。　Nicocles　fled　away　secretly　out　of　the　city　by　means
of　certain　underground　passages；　and　the　soldiers　helping　the
Sicyonians　to　quench　the　fire；　plundered　the　house。　This　Aratus
hindered　not；　but　divided　also　the　rest　of　the　riches　of　the　tyrant
amongst　the　citizens。　In　this　exploit；　not　one　of　these　engaged　in
it　was　slain；　nor　any　of　the　contrary　party；　fortune　so　ordering　the
action　as　to　be　clear　and　free　from　civil　bloodshed。　He　restored
eighty　exiles　who　had　been　expelled　by　Nicocles；　and　no　less　than　five
hundred　who　had　been　driven　out　by　former　tyrants　and　had　endured　a
long　banishment；　pretty　nearly；　by　this　time；　of　fifty　years'
duration。　These　returning；　most　of　them　very　poor；　were　impatient　to
enter　upon　their　former　possessions；　and；　proceeding　to　their
several　farms　and　houses；　gave　great　perplexity　to　Aratus；　who
considered　that　the　city　without　was　envied　for　its　liberty　and
aimed　at　by　Antigonus；　and　within　was　full　of　disorder　and　sedition。
Wherefore；　as　things　stood；　he　thought　it　best　to　associate　it　to
the　Achaean　community；　and　so；　although　Dorians；　they　of　their　own
will　took　upon　them　the　name　and　citizenship　of　the　Achaeans；　who　at
that　time　had　neither　great　repute　nor　much　power。　For　the　most　of
them　lived　in　small　towns；　and　their　territory　was　neither　large　nor
fruitful；　and　the　neighbouring　sea　was　almost　wholly　without　a
harbour；　breaking　direct　upon　a　rocky　shore。　But　yet　these　above
others　made　it　appear　that　the　Grecian　courage　was　invincible；
whensoever　it　could　only　have　order　and　concord　within　itself　and　a
prudent　general　to　direct　it。　For　though　they　had　scarcely　been
counted　as　any　part　of　the　ancient　Grecian　power；　and　at　this　time
it　did　not　equal　the　strength　of　one　ordinary　city；　yet　by　prudence
and　unanimity；　and　because　they　knew　not　how　to　envy　and　malign；　but
to　obey　and　follow　him　amongst　them　that　was　most　eminent　for
virtue；　they　not　only　preserved　their　own　liberty　in　the　midst　of　so
many　great　cities；　military　powers；　and　monarchies；　but　went　on
steadily　saving　and　delivering　from　slavery　great　numbers　of　the
Greeks。
　　As　for　Aratus；　he　was　in　his　behaviour　a　true　statesman；
high…minded；　and　more　intent　upon　the　public　than　his　private
concerns；　a　bitter　hater　of　tyrants；　making　the　common　good　the　rule
and　law　of　his　friendships　and　enmities。　So　that　indeed　he　seems　not
to　have　been　so　faithful　a　friend；　as　he　was　a　reasonable　and　gentle
enemy；　ready；　according　to　the　needs　of　the　state；　to　s