aratus-第5章

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more　so　by　an　error　happening　through　mistake　in　the　very　beginning。
For　Technon；　one　of　Aratus's　servants；　was　sent　away　to　Diocles；
that　they　might　together　view　the　wall。　Now　he　had　never　seen　Diocles；
but　made　no　question　of　knowing　him　by　the　marks　Erginus　had　given　him
of　him；　namely；　that　he　had　curly　hair；　a　swarthy　complexion；　and　no
beard。　Being　come；　therefore；　to　the　appointed　place；　he　stayed
waiting　for　Erginus　and　Diocles　outside　the　town；　in　front　of　the
place　called　Ornis。　In　the　meantime；　Dionysius；　elder　brother　to
Erginus　and　Diocles；　who　knew　nothing　at　all　of　the　matter；　but　much
resembled　Diocles；　happened　to　pass　by。　Technon；　upon　this　likeness；
all　being　in　accordance　with　what　he　had　been　told；　asked　him　if　he
knew　Erginus；　and　on　his　replying　that　he　was　his　brother；　taking　it
for　granted　that　he　was　speaking　with　Diocles；　not　so　much　as　asking
his　name　or　staying　for　any　other　token；　he　gave　him　his　hand；　and
began　to　discourse　with　him　and　ask　him　questions　about　matters　agreed
upon　with　Erginus。　Dionysius；　cunningly　taking　the　advantage　of　his
mistake；　seemed　to　understand　him　very　well；　and　returning　towards　the
city；　led　him　on；　still　talking；　without　any　suspicion。　And　being
now　near　the　gate；　he　was　just　about　to　seize　on　him　when　by　chance
again　Erginus　met　them；　and；　apprehending　the　cheat　and　the　danger
beckoned　to　Technon　to　make　his　escape；　and　immediately　both　of
them；　betaking　themselves　to　their　heels；　ran　away　as　fast　as　they
could　to　Aratus；　who　for　all　this　despaired　not；　but　immediately
sent　away　Erginus　to　Dionysius　to　bribe　him　to　hold　his　tongue。　And　he
not　only　effected　that；　but　also　brought　him　along　with　him　to　Aratus。
But　when　they　had　him；　they　no　longer　left　him　at　liberty；　but　binding
him；　they　kept　him　close　shut　up　in　a　room；　whilst　they　prepared　for
executing　their　design。
　　All　things　being　now　ready；　he　commanded　the　rest　of　his　forces　to
pass　the　night　by　their　arms；　and　taking　with　him　four　hundred
chosen　men；　few　of　whom　knew　what　they　were　going　about；　he　led　them
to　the　gates　by　the　temple　of　Juno。　It　was　the　midst　of　summer　and　the
moon　was　at　full；　and　the　night　so　clear　without　any　clouds；　that
there　was　danger　lest　the　arms　glistening　in　the　moonlight　should
discover　them。　But　as　the　foremost　of　them　came　near　the　city；　a
mist　came　off　from　the　sea；　and　darkened　the　city　itself　and　the
outskirts　about　it。　Then　the　rest　of　them；　sitting　down；　put　off　their
shoes；　because　men　both　make　less　noise　and　also　climb　surer　if　they
go　up　ladders　barefooted；　but　Erginus；　taking　with　him　seven　young　men
dressed　like　travellers；　got　unobserved　to　the　gate；　and　killed　the
sentry　with　the　other　guards。　And　at　the　same　time　the　ladders　were
clapped　to　the　walls；　and　Aratus；　having　in　great　haste　got　up　a
hundred　men；　commanded　the　rest　to　follow　as　they　could；　and
immediately　drawing　up　his　ladders　after　him；　he　marched　through　the
city　with　his　hundred　men　towards　the　castle；　being　already
overjoyed　that　he　was　undiscovered；　and　not　doubting　of　the　success。
But　while　still　they　were　some　way　off；　a　watch　of　four　men　came
with　a　light；　who　did　not　see　them；　because　they　were　still　in　the
shade　of　the　moon；　but　were　seen　plainly　enough　themselves　as　they
came　on　directly　towards　them。　So　withdrawing　a　little　way　amongst
some　walls　and　plots　for　houses；　they　lay　in　wait　for　them；　and
three　of　them　they　killed。　But　the　fourth；　being　wounded　in　the　head
with　a　sword；　fled；　crying　out　that　the　enemy　was　in　the　city。　And
immediately　the　trumpets　sounded；　and　all　the　city　was　in　an　uproar　at
what　had　happened；　and　the　streets　were　full　of　people　running　up
and　down；　and　many　lights　were　seen　shining　both　below　in　the　town；
and　above　in　the　castle；　and　a　confused　noise　was　to　be　heard　in　all
parts。
　　In　the　meantime；　Aratus　was　hard　at　work　struggling　to　get　up　the
rocks；　at　first　slowly　and　with　much　difficulty；　straying
continually　from　the　path；　which　lay　deep；　and　was　overshadowed　with
the　crags；　leading　to　the　wall　with　many　windings　and　turnings；　but
the　moon　immediately；　and　as　if　by　miracle；　it　is　said；　dispersing　the
clouds；　shone　out　and　gave　light　to　the　most　difficult　part　of　the
way；　until　he　got　to　that　part　of　the　wall　he　desired；　and　there　she
overshadowed　and　hid　him；　the　clouds　coming　together　again。　Those
soldiers　whom　Aratus　had　left　outside　the　gate；　near　Juno's　temple；　to
the　number　of　three　hundred；　entering　the　town；　now　full　of　tumult　and
lights；　and　not　knowing　the　way　by　which　the　former　had　gone；　and
finding　no　track　of　them；　slunk　aside；　and　crowded　together　in　one
body　under　a　flank　of　the　cliff　that　cast　a　strong　shadow；　and　there
stood　and　waited　in　great　distress　and　perplexity。　For；　by　this
time；　those　that　had　gone　with　Aratus　were　attacked　with　missiles　from
the　citadel；　and　were　busy　fighting；　and　a　sound　of　cries　of　battle
came　down　from　above；　and　a　loud　noise；　echoed　back　and　back　from
the　mountain　sides；　and　therefore　confused　and　uncertain　whence　it
proceeded；　was　heard　on　all　sides。　They　being　thus　in　doubt　which
way　to　turn　themselves；　Archelaus；　the　commander　of　Antigonus's
troops；　having　a　great　number　of　soldiers　with　him；　made　up　towards
the　castle　with　great　shouts　and　noise　of　trumpets　to　fall　upon
Aratus's　people；　and　passed　by　the　three　hundred；　who；　as　if　they
had　risen　out　of　an　ambush；　immediately　charged　him；　killing　the　first
they　encountered；　and　so　affrighted　the　rest；　together　with　Archelaus；
that　they　put　them　to　flight　and　pursued　them　until　they　had　quite
broken　and　dispersed　them　about　the　city。　No　sooner　were　these
defeated；　but　Erginus　came　to　them　from　those　that　were　fighting
above；　to　acquaint　them　that　Aratus　was　engaged　with　the　enemy；　who
defended　themselves　very　stoutly；　and　there　was　a　fierce　conflict　at
the　very　wall；　and　need　of　speedy　help。　They　therefore　desired　him
to　lead　them　on　without　delay；　and；　marching　up；　by　their　shouts
made　their　friends　understand　who　they　were；　and　encouraged　them；
and　the　full　moon；　shining　on　their　arms；　made　them；　in　the　long
line　by　which　they　advanced；　appear　more　in　number　to　the　enemy　than
they　were；　and　the　echo　of　the　night　multiplied　their　shouts。　In
short；　falling　on　with　the　rest；　they　made　the　enemy　give　way；　and
were　masters　of　the　castle　and　garrison；　day　now　beginning　to　be
bright；　and　the　rising　sun　shining　out　upon　their　success。　By　this
time；　also；　the　rest　of　his　army　came　up　to　Aratus　from　Sicyon；　the
Corinthians　joyfully　receiving　them　at　the　gates　and　helping　them　to
secure　the　king's　party。
　　And　now；　having　put　all　things　into　a　safe　posture；　he　came　down
from　the　castle　to　the　theatre；　an　infinite　number　of　people
crowding　thither　to　see　him　and　to　hear　what　he　would　say　to　the
Corinthians。　Therefore　drawing　up　the　Achaeans　on　each　side　of　the
stage…passages；　he　came　forward　himself　upon　the　stage；　with　his
corselet　still　on；　and　his　face　showing　the　effects　of　all　his　hard
work　and　want　of　sleep；　so　that　his　natural　exultation　and
joyfulness　of　mind　were　overborne　by　the　weariness　of　his　body。　The
people；　as　soon　as　he　came　forth；　breaking　out　into　great　applauses
and　congratulations；　he　took　his　spear　in　his　right　hand；　and；　resting
his　body　upon　it　with　his　knee　a　little　bent；　stood　a　good　while　in
that　posture；　silently　receiving　their　shouts　and　acclamations；
while　they　extolled　his　valour　and　wondered　at　his　fortune；　which
being　over；　standing　up；　he　began　an　oration　in　the　name　of　the
Achaeans；　suitable　to　the　late　action；　persuading　the　Corinthians　to
associate　themselves　to　the　Achaeans；　and　withal　delivered　up　to
them　the　keys　of　their　gates；　which　had　never　been　in　their　power
since　the　time　of　King　Philip。　Of　the　captains　of　Antigonus；　he
dismissed　Archelaus；　whom　he　had　taken　prisoner；　and　Theophrastus；　who
refused　to　quit　his　post；　he　put　to　death。　As　for　Persaeus；　when　he
saw　the　castle　was　lost；　he　had　got　away　to　Cenchreae；　where；　some
time　after；　discoursing　with　one　that　said　to　him　that　the　wise　man
only　is　a　true　general；　〃Indeed；〃　he　replied；　〃none　of　Zeno's　maxims
once　pleased　me　better　than　this；　but　I　have　been