aratus-第3章

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to　have　been　so　faithful　a　friend；　as　he　was　a　reasonable　and　gentle
enemy；　ready；　according　to　the　needs　of　the　state；　to　suit　himself
on　occasion　to　either　side；　concord　between　nations；　brotherhood
between　cities；　the　council　and　the　assembly　unanimous　in　their　votes；
being　the　objects　above　all　other　blessings　to　which　he　was
passionately　devoted；　backward；　indeed；　and　diffident　in　the　use　of
arms　and　often　force；　but　in　effecting　a　purpose　underhand；　and
outwitting　cities　and　potentates　without　observation；　most　politic　and
dexterous。　Therefore；　though　he　succeeded　beyond　hope　in　many
enterprises　which　he　undertook；　yet　he　seems　to　have　left　quite　as
many　unattempted；　though　feasible　enough；　for　want　of　assurance。　For
it　should　seem；　that　as　the　sight　of　certain　beasts　is　strong　in　the
night　but　dim　by　day；　the　tenderness　of　the　humours　of　their　eyes
not　bearing　the　contact　of　the　light；　so　there　is　also　one　kind　of
human　skill　and　sagacity　which　is　easily　daunted　and　disturbed　in
actions　done　in　the　open　day　and　before　the　world；　and　recovers　all
its　self…possession　in　secret　and　covert　enterprises；　which　inequality
is　occasioned　in　noble　minds　for　want　of　philosophy；　a　mere　wild　and
uncultivated　fruit　of　a　virtue　without　true　knowledge　coming　up；　as
might　be　made　out　by　examples。
　　Aratus；　therefore；　having　associated　himself　and　his　city　to　the
Achaeans；　served　in　the　cavalry；　and　made　himself　much　beloved　by
his　commanding　officers　for　his　exact　obedience；　for　though　he　had
made　so　large　an　addition　to　the　common　strength　as　that　of　his　own
credit　and　the　power　of　his　country；　yet　he　was　as　ready　as　the　most
ordinary　person　to　be　commanded　by　the　Achaean　general　of　the　time
being；　whether　he　were　a　man　of　Dynae；　or　of　Tritaea；　or　any　yet
meaner　town　than　these。　Having　also　a　present　of　five…and…twenty
talents　sent　him　from　the　king；　he　took　them　but　gave　them　all　to
his　fellow…citizens　who　wanted　money；　amongst　other　purposes；　for
the　redemption　of　those　who　had　been　taken　prisoners。
　　But　the　exiles　being　by　no　means　to　be　satisfied；　disturbing
continually　those　that　were　in　possession　of　their　estates；　Sicyon　was
in　great　danger　of　falling　into　perfect　desolation；　so　that；　having　no
hope　left　but　in　the　kindness　of　Ptolemy；　he　resolved　to　sail　to
him；　and　to　beg　so　much　money　of　him　as　might　reconcile　all　parties。
So　he　set　sail　from　Mothone　beyond　Malea；　designing　to　make　the　direct
passage。　But　the　pilot　not　being　able　to　keep　the　vessel　up　against
a　strong　wind　and　high　waves　that　came　in　from　the　open　sea；　he　was
driven　from　his　course；　and　with　much　ado　got　to　shore　in　Andros；　an
enemy's　land；　possessed　by　Antigonus；　who　had　a　garrison　there。　To
avoid　which　he　immediately　landed；　and；　leaving　the　ship；　went　up　into
the　country　a　good　way　from　the　sea；　having　along　with　him　only　one
friend；　called　Timanthes；　and　throwing　themselves　into　some　ground
thickly　covered　with　wood；　they　had　but　an　ill　night's　rest　of　it。　Not
long　after；　the　commander　of　the　troops　came；　and；　inquiring　for
Aratus；　was　deceived　by　his　servants；　who　had　been　instructed　to　say
that　he　had　fled　at　once　over　into　the　island　of　Euboea。　However；　he
declared　the　ship；　the　property　on　board　of　her；　and　the　servants；
to　be　lawful　prize；　and　detained　them　accordingly。　As　for　Aratus；
after　some　few　days　in　his　extremity；　by　good　fortune　a　Roman　ship
happened　to　put　in　just　at　the　spot　in　which　he　made　his　abode；
sometimes　peeping　out　to　seek　his　opportunity；　sometimes　keeping
close。　She　was　bound　for　Syria；　but　going　aboard；　he　agreed　with　the
master　to　land　him　in　Caria。　In　which　voyage　he　met　with　no　less
danger　on　the　sea　than　before。　From　Caria　being　after　much　time
arrived　in　Egypt；　he　immediately　went　to　the　king；　who　had　a　great
kindness　for　him；　and　had　received　from　him　many　presents　of
drawings　and　paintings　out　of　Greece。　Aratus　had　a　very　good
judgment　in　them；　and　always　took　care　to　collect　and　send　him　the
most　curious　and　finished　works；　especially　those　of　Pamphilus　and
Melanthus。
　　For　the　Sicyonian　pieces　were　still　in　the　height　of　their
reputation；　as　being　the　only　ones　whose　colours　were　lasting；　so　that
Apelles　himself；　even　after　he　had　become　well　known　and　admired；　went
thither；　and　gave　a　talent　to　be　admitted　into　the　society　of　the
painters　there；　not　so　much　to　partake　of　their　skill；　which　he　wanted
not；　but　of　their　credit。　And　accordingly　Aratus；　when　he　freed　the
city；　immediately　took　down　the　representations　of　the　rest　of　the
tyrants；　but　demurred　a　long　time　about　that　of　Aristratus；　who
flourished　in　the　time　of　Philip。　For　this　Aristratus　was　painted　by
Melanthus　and　his　scholars；　standing　by　a　chariot；　in　which　a　figure
of　Victory　was　carried；　Apelles　himself　having　had　a　hand　in　it；　as
Polemon　the　geographer　reports。　It　was　an　extraordinary　piece；　and
therefore　Aratus　was　fain　to　spare　it　for　the　workmanship；　and　yet；
instigated　by　the　hatred　he　bore　the　tyrants；　commanded　it　to　be　taken
down。　But　Neacles　the　painter；　one　of　Aratus's　friends；　entreated　him；
it　is　said；　with　tears　in　his　eyes；　to　spare　it；　and；　finding　he　did
not　prevail　with　him；　told　him　at　last　he　should　carry　on　his　war　with
the　tyrants；　but　with　the　tyrants　alone：　〃Let　therefore　the　chariot
and　the　Victory　stand；　and　I　will　take　means　for　the　removal　of
Aristratus；〃　to　which　Aratus　consenting；　Neacles　blotted　out
Aristratus；　and　in　his　place　painted　a　palm…tree；　not　daring　to　add
anything　else　of　his　own　invention。　The　feet　of　the　defaced　figure
of　Aristratus　are　said　to　have　escaped　notice；　and　to　be　hid　under　the
chariot。　By　these　means　Aratus　got　favour　with　the　king；　who；　after　he
was　more　fully　acquainted　with　him；　loved　him　so　much　the　more；　and
gave　him　for　the　relief　of　his　city　one　hundred　and　fifty　talents；
forty　of　which　he　immediately　carried　away　with　him；　when　he　sailed　to
Peloponnesus；　but　the　rest　the　king　divided　into　instalments；　and　sent
them　to　him　afterwards　at　different　times。
　　Assuredly　it　was　a　great　thing　to　procure　for　his　fellow…citizens
a　sum　of　money；　a　small　portion　of　which　had　been　sufficient；　when
presented　by　a　king　to　other　captains　and　popular　leaders；　to　induce
them　to　turn　dishonest；　and　betray　and　give　away　their　native
countries　to　him。　But　it　was　a　much　greater；　that　by　means　of　this
money　he　effected　a　reconciliation　and　good　understanding　between
the　rich　and　poor；　and　created　quiet　and　security　for　the　whole
people。　His　moderation；　also；　amidst　so　great　power　was　very
admirable。　For　being　declared　sole　arbitrator　and　plenipotentiary
for　settling　the　questions　of　property　in　the　case　of　the　exiles；　he
would　not　accept　the　commission　alone；　but；　associating　with　himself
fifteen　of　the　citizens；　with　great　pains　and　trouble　he　succeeded
in　adjusting　matters；　and　established　peace　and　good…will　in　the　city；
for　which　good　service；　not　only　all　the　citizens　in　general
bestowed　extraordinary　honours　upon　him；　but　the　exiles；　apart　by
themselves；　erecting　his　statue　in　brass；　inscribed　on　it　these
elegiac　verses：…

　　　　　　　　　〃Your　counsels；　deeds；　and　skill　for　Greece　in　war
　　　　　　　　　　Known　beyond　Hercules's　pillars　are；
　　　　　　　　　　But　we　this　image；　O　Aratus；　gave；
　　　　　　　　　　Of　you　who　saved　us；　to　the　gods　who　save；
　　　　　　　　　　By　you　from　exile　to　our　homes　restored；
　　　　　　　　　　That　virtue　and　that　justice　to　record；
　　　　　　　　　　To　which　the　blessing　Sicyon　owes　this　day
　　　　　　　　　　Of　wealth　that's　shared　alike；　and　laws　that　all　obey。〃

　　By　his　success　in　effecting　these　things；　Aratus　secured　himself
from　the　envy　of　his　fellow…citizens；　on　account　of　the　benefits
they　felt　he　had　done　them；　but　King　Antigonus　being　troubled　in　his
mind　about　him；　and　designing　either　wholly　to　bring　him　over　to　his
party；　or　else　to　make　him　suspected　by　Ptolemy；　besides　other　marks
of　his　favour　shown　to　him；　who　had　little　mind　to　receive　them；　added
this　too；　that；　sacrificing　to　the　gods　in　Corinth；　he　sent　portions
to　Aratus　at　Sicyon；　and　at　the　feast；　where　were　many　guests；　he　said
openly；　〃I　thought　this　Sicyonian　youth　had　been　only　a　lover　of
liberty　and　of　his　fellow…citizens；　but　now　I