aratus-第6章

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only　is　a　true　general；　〃Indeed；〃　he　replied；　〃none　of　Zeno's　maxims
once　pleased　me　better　than　this；　but　I　have　been　converted　to　another
opinion　by　the　young　man　of　Sicyon。〃　This　is　told　by　many　of　Persaeus。
Aratus　immediately　after　made　himself　master　of　the　temple　of　Juno　and
haven　of　Lechaeum；　seized　upon　five…and…twenty　of　the　king's　ships；
together　with　five　hundred　horses　and　four　hundred　Syrians：　these　he
sold。　The　Achaeans　kept　guard　in　the　Acro…Corinthus　with　a　body　of
four　hundred　soldiers；　and　fifty　dogs　with　as　many　keepers。
　　The　Romans；　extolling　Philopoemen；　called　him　the　last　of　the
Grecians；　as　if　no　great　man　had　ever　since　his　time　been　bred　amongst
them。　But　I　should　call　this　capture　of　the　Acro…Corinthus　the　last　of
the　Grecian　exploits；　being　comparable　to　the　best　of　them；　both　for
the　daringness　of　it；　and　the　success；　as　was　presently　seen　by　the
consequences。　For　the　Megarians；　revolting　from　Antigonus；　joined
Aratus；　and　the　Troezenians　and　Epidaurians　enrolled　themselves　in　the
Achaean　community；　and　issuing　forth　for　the　first　time；　he　entered
Attica；　and　passing　over　into　Salamis；　he　plundered　the　island；
turning　the　Achaean　force　every　way；　as　if　it　were　just　let　loose
out　of　prison　and　set　at　liberty。　All　freemen　whom　he　took　he　sent
back　to　the　Athenians　without　ransom；　as　a　sort　of　first　invitation　to
them　to　come　over　to　the　league。　He　made　Ptolemy　become　a
confederate　of　the　Achaeans；　with　the　privilege　of　command　both　by　sea
and　land。　And　so　great　was　his　power　with　them；　that　since　he　could
not　by　law　be　chosen　their　general　every　year；　yet　every　other　year　he
was；　and　by　his　counsels　and　actions　was　in　effect　always　so。　For　they
perceived　that　neither　riches　nor　reputation；　nor　the　friendship　of
kings；　nor　the　private　interest　of　his　own　country；　nor　anything
else　was　so　dear　to　him　as　the　increase　of　the　Achaeans'　power　and
greatness。　For　he　believed　that　the　cities；　weak　individually；　could
be　preserved　by　nothing　else　but　a　mutual　assistance　under　the　closest
bond　of　the　common　interest；　and；　as　the　members　of　the　body　live
and　breathe　by　the　union　of　all　in　a　single　natural　growth；　and　on　the
dissolution　of　this；　when　once　they　separate；　pine　away　and　putrefy；
in　the　same　manner　are　cities　ruined　by　being　dissevered；　as　well　as
preserved　when；　as　the　members　of　one　great　body；　they　enjoy　the
benefit　of　that　province　and　counsel　that　govern　the　whole。
　　Now　being　distressed　to　see　that；　whereas　the　chief　neighbouring
cities　enjoyed　their　own　laws　and　liberties；　the　Argives　were　in
bondage；　he　took　counsel　for　destroying　their　tyrant；　Aristomachus；
being　very　desirous　both　to　pay　his　debt　of　gratitude　to　the　city
where　he　had　been　bred　up；　by　restoring　it　its　liberty；　and　to　add
so　considerable　a　town　to　the　Achaeans。　Nor　were　there　some　wanting
who　had　the　courage　to　undertake　the　thing；　of　whom　Aeschylus　and
Charimenes　the　soothsayer　were　the　chief。　But　they　wanted　swords；
for　the　tyrant　had　prohibited　the　keeping　of　any　under　a　great
penalty。　Therefore　Aratus；　having　provided　some　small　daggers　at
Corinth　and　hidden　them　in　the　pack…saddles　of　some　pack…horses　that
carried　ordinary　ware；　sent　them　to　Argos。　But　Charimenes　letting
another　person　into　the　design；　Aeschylus　and　his　partners　were
angry　at　it；　and　henceforth　would　have　no　more　to　do　with　him；　and
took　their　measures　by　themselves；　and　Charimenes；　on　finding　this；
went；　out　of　anger；　and　informed　against　them；　just　as　they　were　on
their　way　to　attack　the　tyrant；　however；　the　most　of　them　made　a　shift
to　escape　out　of　the　market…place；　and　fled　to　Corinth。　Not　long
after；　Aristomachus　was　slain　by　some　slaves；　and　Aristippus；　a
worse　tyrant　than　he；　seized　the　government。　Upon　this；　Aratus；
mustering　all　the　Achaeans　present　that　were　of　age；　hurried　away　to
the　aid　of　the　city；　believing　that　he　should　find　the　people　ready　to
join　with　him。　But　the　greater　number　being　by　this　time　habituated　to
slavery　and　content　to　submit；　and　no　one　coming　to　join　him；　he　was
obliged　to　retire；　having　moreover　exposed　the　Achaeans　to　the
charge　of　committing　acts　of　hostility　in　the　midst　of　peace；　upon
which　account　they　were　sued　before　the　Mantineans；　and；　Aratus　not
making　his　appearance；　Aristippus　gained　the　cause；　and　had　damages
allowed　him　to　the　value　of　thirty　minae。　And　now　hating　and　fearing
Aratus；　he　sought　means　to　kill　him；　having　the　assistance　herein　of
King　Antigonus；　so　that　Aratus　was　perpetually　dogged　and　watched　by
those　that　waited　for　an　opportunity　to　do　this　service。　But　there
is　no　such　safeguard　of　a　ruler　as　the　sincere　and　steady　good…will　of
his　subjects；　for　where　both　the　common　people　and　the　principal
citizens　have　their　fears　not　of；　but　for；　their　governor；　he　sees
with　many　eyes　and　hears　with　many　ears　whatsoever　is　doing。　Therefore
I　cannot　but　here　stop　short　a　little　in　the　course　of　my　narrative　to
describe　the　manner　of　life　which　the　so　much　envied　arbitrary　power
and　the　so　much　celebrated　and　admired　pomp　and　pride　of　absolute
government　obliged　Aristippus　to　lead。
　　For　though　Antigonus　was　his　friend　and　ally；　and　though　he
maintained　numerous　soldiers　to　act　as　his　body…guard；　and　had　not
left　one　enemy　of　his　alive　in　the　city；　yet　he　was　forced　to　make　his
guards　encamp　in　the　colonnade　about　his　house；　and　for　his
servants；　he　turned　them　all　out　immediately　after　supper；　and　then
shutting　the　doors　upon　them；　he　crept　up　into　a　small　upper
chamber；　together　with　his　mistress；　through　a　trap…door；　upon　which
he　placed　his　bed；　and　there　slept　after　such　a　fashion；　as　one　in　his
condition　can　be　supposed　to　sleep；　that　is；　interruptedly　and　in
fear。　The　ladder　was　taken　away　by　the　woman's　mother；　and　locked　up
in　another　room；　in　the　morning　she　brought　it　again；　and　putting　it
to；　called　up　this　brave　and　wonderful　tyrant；　who　came　crawling　out
like　some　creeping　thing　out　of　its　hole。　Whereas　Aratus；　not　by　force
of　arms；　but　lawfully　and　by　his　virtue；　lived　in　possession　of　a
firmly　settled　command；　wearing　the　ordinary　coat　and　cloak；　being　the
common　and　declared　enemy　of　all　tyrants；　and　has　left　behind　him　a
noble　race　of　descendants　surviving　among　the　Grecians　to　this　day；
while　those　occupiers　of　citadels　and　maintainers　of　body…guards；
who　made　all　this　use　of　arms　and　gates　and　bolts　to　protect　their
lives；　in　some　few　cases　perhaps　escaped　like　the　bare　from　the
hunters；　but　in　no　instance　have　we　either　house　or　family；　or　so　much
as　a　tomb　to　which　any　respect　is　shown；　remaining　to　preserve　the
memory　of　any　one　of　them。
　　Against　this　Aristippus；　therefore；　Aratus　made　many　open　and　many
secret　attempts；　whilst　he　endeavoured　to　take　Argos；　though　without
success；　once；　particularly；　clapping　scaling　ladders　in　the　night
to　the　walls；　he　desperately　got　up　upon　it　with　a　few　of　his
soldiers；　and　killed　the　guards　that　opposed　him。　But　the　day
appearing；　the　tyrant　set　upon　him　on　all　hands；　whilst　the　Argives；
as　if　it　had　not　been　their　liberty　that　was　contended　for；　but　some
Nemean　game　going　on　for　which　it　was　their　privilege　to　assign　the
prize；　like　fair　and　impartial　judges；　sat　looking　on　in　great
quietness。　Aratus；　fighting　bravely；　was　run　through　the　thigh　with
a　lance；　yet　he　maintained　his　ground　against　the　enemy　till　night；
and；　had　he　been　able　to　go　on　and　hold　out　that　night　also；　he　had
gained　his　point；　for　the　tyrant　thought　of　nothing　but　flying；　and
had　already　shipped　most　of　his　goods。　But　Aratus；　having　no
intelligence　of　this；　and　wanting　water；　being　disabled　himself　by　his
wound；　retreated　with　his　soldiers。
　　Despairing　henceforth　to　do　any　good　this　way；　he　fell　openly　with
his　army　into　Argolis；　and　plundered　it；　and　in　a　fierce　battle　with
Aristippus　near　the　river　Chares；　he　was　accused　of　having　withdrawn
out　of　the　fight；　and　thereby　abandoned　the　victory。　For　whereas　one
part　of　his　army　had　unmistakably　got　the　better；　and　was　pursuing　the
enemy　at　a　good　distance　from　him；　he　yet　retreated　in　confusion
into　his　camp；　not　so　much　because　he　was　overpressed　by　those　with
whom　he　was　engaged；　as　out　of　mistru