cyropaedia-第18章

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believes　that　virtue　will　best　be　nourished　among　us　if　he　who　bears
the　greatest　toil　and　takes　the　heaviest　risk　shall　receive　the
highest　honours。　Or　whether　we　should　hold　that　cowardice　makes　no
difference　in　the　end；　seeing　that　we　all　must　share　alike？〃

＇5＇　Thereupon　Chrysantas　of　the　Peers　rose　up。　He　was　a　man　of
understanding；　but　his　bodily　presence　was　weak。　And　now　he　spoke
thus：

〃I　do　not　imagine；　Cyrus；　that　you　put　this　question　with　any　belief
that　cowards　ought　really　to　receive　the　same　share　as　the　brave。　No；
you　wished　to　make　trial　of　us　and　see　whether　any　man　would　dare　to
claim　an　equal　part　in　all　that　his　fellows　win　by　their　nobleness；
though　he　never　struck　a　single　valiant　stroke　himself。　＇6＇　I　myself；〃
he　continued；　〃am　neither　fleet　of　foot　nor　stout　of　limb；　and　for
aught　I　can　do　with　my　body；　I　perceive　that　on　the　day　of　trial
neither　the　first　place　nor　the　second　can　be　mine；　no；　nor　yet　the
hundredth；　nor　even；　it　may　be；　the　thousandth。　But　this　I　know　right
well；　that　if　our　mighty　men　put　forth　all　their　strength；　I　too　shall
receive　such　portion　of　our　blessings　as　I　may　deserve。　But　if　the
cowards　sit　at　ease　and　the　good　and　brave　are　out　of　heart；　then　I
fear　that　I　shall　get　a　portion；　a　larger　than　I　care　to　think；　of
something　that　is　no　blessing　but　a　curse。〃

＇7＇　And　so　spoke　Chrysantas；　and　then　Pheraulas　stood　up。　He　was　a　man
of　the　people；　but　well　known　to　Cyrus　in　the　old　days　at　home　and
well…beloved　by　him：　no　mean　figure　to　look　at；　and　in　soul　like　a　man
of　noble　birth。　Now　he　spoke　as　follows：

＇8＇　〃Cyrus；　friends；　and　Persians；　I　hold　to　the　belief　that　on　this
day　we　all　start　equal　in　that　race　where　valour　is　the　goal。　I　speak
of　what　I　see：　we　are　trained　on　the　same　fare；　we　are　held　worthy　of
the　same　comradeship；　we　contend　for　the　same　rewards。　All　of　us　alike
are　told　to　obey　our　leaders；　and　he　who　obeys　most　frankly　never
fails　to　meet　with　honour　at　the　hands　of　Cyrus。　Valour　is　no　longer
the　privilege　of　one　class　alone：　it　has　become　the　fairest　prize　that
can　fall　to　the　lot　of　any　man。　＇9＇　And　to…day　a　battle　is　before　us
where　no　man　need　teach　us　how　to　fight：　we　have　the　trick　of　it　by
nature；　as　a　bull　knows　how　to　use　his　horns；　or　a　horse　his　hoofs；　or
a　dog　his　teeth；　or　a　wild　boar　his　tusks。　The　animals　know　well
enough；〃　he　added；　〃when　and　where　to　guard　themselves：　they　need　no
master　to　tell　them　that。　＇10＇　I　myself；　when　I　was　a　little　lad；　I
knew　by　instinct　how　to　shield　myself　from　the　blow　I　saw　descending：
if　I　had　nothing　else；　I　had　my　two　fists；　and　used　them　with　all　my
force　against　my　foe：　no　one　taught　me　how　to　do　it；　on　the　contrary
they　beat　me　if　they　saw　me　clench　my　fists。　And　a　knife；　I　remember；
I　never　could　resist：　I　clutched　the　thing　whenever　I　caught　sight　of
it：　not　a　soul　showed　me　how　to　hold　it；　only　nature　herself；　I　do
aver。　I　did　it；　not　because　I　was　taught　to　do　it；　but　in　spite　of
being　forbidden；　like　many　another　thing　to　which　nature　drove　me；　in
spite　of　my　father　and　mother　both。　Yes；　and　I　was　never　tired　of
hacking　and　hewing　with　my　knife　whenever　I　got　the　chance：　it　did　not
seem　merely　natural；　like　walking　or　running；　it　was　positive　joy。
＇11＇　Well；　to…day　we　are　to　fight　in　this　same　simple　fashion：　energy；
rather　than　skill；　is　called　for；　and　glorious　it　will　be　to　match
ourselves　against　our　friends；　the　Peers　of　Persia。　And　let　us
remember　that　the　same　prizes　are　offered　to　us　all；　but　the　stakes
differ：　our　friends　give　up　a　life　of　honour；　the　sweetest　life　there
can　be；　but　we　escape　from　years　of　toil　and　ignominy；　and　there　can
be　no　life　worse　than　that。　＇12＇　And　what　fires　me　most　of　all；　my
friends；　and　sends　me　into　the　lists　most　gladly；　is　the　thought　that
Cyrus　will　be　our　judge：　one　who　will　give　no　partial　verdict。　I　call
the　gods　to　witness　when　I　say　that　he　loves　a　valiant　man　as　he　loves
his　own　soul：　I　have　seen　him　give　such　an　one　more　than　he　ever　keeps
for　himself。　＇13＇　And　now；〃　he　added；　〃I　know　that　our　friends　here
pride　themselves　upon　their　breeding　and　what　it　has　done　for　them。
They　have　been　brought　up　to　endure　hunger　and　thirst；　cold　and
nakedness；　and　yet　they　are　aware　that　we　too　have　been　trained　in　the
self…same　school　and　by　a　better　master　than　they：　we　were　taught　by
Necessity；　and　there　is　no　teacher　so　good；　and　none　so　strict。　＇14＇
How　did　our　friends　here　learn　their　endurance？　By　bearing　arms；
weapons　of　war；　tools　that　the　wit　of　the　whole　human　race　has　made　as
light　as　well　could　be：　but　Necessity　drove　us；　my　fellows　and　myself；
to　stagger　under　burdens　so　heavy　that　to…day；　if　I　may　speak　for
myself；　these　weapons　of　mine　seem　rather　wings　to　lift　me　than
weights　to　bear。　＇15＇　I　for　one　am　ready；　Cyrus；　to　enter　the　lists；
and；　however　I　prove；　I　will　ask　from　you　no　more　than　I　deserve：　I
would　have　you　believe　this。　And　you；〃　he　added；　turning　to　his
fellows；　〃you；　men　of　the　people；　I　would　have　you　plunge　into　the
battle　and　match　yourselves　with　these　gentlemen…warriors：　the　fine
fellows　must　meet　us　now；　for　this　is　the　people's　day。〃

＇16＇　That　is　what　Pheraulas　said；　and　many　rose　to　follow　him　and
support　his　views。　And　it　was　resolved　that　each　man　should　be
honoured　according　to　his　deserts　and　that　Cyrus　should　be　the　judge。
So　the　matter　ended；　and　all　was　well。

＇17＇　Now　Cyrus　gave　a　banquet　and　a　certain　brigadier　was　the　chief
guest；　and　his　regiment　with　him。　Cyrus　had　marked　the　officer　one　day
when　he　was　drilling　his　men；　he　had　drawn　up　the　ranks　in　two
divisions；　opposite　each　other；　ready　for　the　charge。　They　were　all
wearing　corslets　and　carrying　light　shields；　but　half　were　equipped
with　stout　staves　of　fennel；　and　half　were　ordered　to　snatch　up　clods
of　earth　and　do　what　they　could　with　these。　＇18＇　When　all　were　ready；
the　officer　gave　the　signal　and　the　artillery　began；　not　without
effect：　the　missiles　fell　fast　on　shields　and　corslets；　on　thighs　and
greaves。　But　when　they　came　to　close　quarters　the　men　of　the　staves
had　their　turn：　they　struck　at　thighs　and　hands　and　legs；　or；　if　the
adversary　stooped　and　twisted；　they　belaboured　back　and　shoulders；
till　they　put　the　foe　to　utter　rout；　delivering　their　blows　with
shouts　of　laughter　and　the　glee　of　boys。　Then　there　was　an　exchange　of
weapons；　and　the　other　side　had　their　revenge：　they　took　the　staves　in
their　turn；　and　once　more　the　staff　triumphed　over　the　clod。　＇19＇
Cyrus　was　full　of　admiration；　partly　at　the　inventiveness　of　the
commander；　partly　at　the　discipline　of　the　men；　it　was　good　to　see　the
active　exercise；　and　the　gaiety　of　heart；　and　good　to　know　that　the
upshot　of　the　battle　favoured　those　who　fought　in　the　Persian　style。
In　every　way　he　was　pleased；　and　then　and　there　he　bade　them　all　to
dinner。　But　at　the　feast　many　of　the　guests　wore　bandages；　some　on
their　hands；　others　on　their　legs；　and　Cyrus　saw　it　and　asked　what　had
befallen　them。　They　told　him　they　had　been　bruised　by　the　clods。　＇20＇
〃At　close　quarters？〃　said　he；　〃or　at　long　range？〃　〃At　long　range；〃
they　answered；　and　all　the　club…bearers　agreed　that　when　it　came　to
close　quarters；　they　had　the　finest　sport。　But　here　those　who　had　been
carbonaded　by　that　weapon　broke　in　and　protested　loudly　that　it　was
anything　but　sport　to　be　clubbed　at　short　range；　and　in　proof　thereof
they　showed　the　weals　on　hand　and　neck　and　face。　Thus　they　laughed　at
one　another　as　soldiers　will；　and　on　the　next　day　the　whole　plain　was
studded　with　combats　of　this　type；　and　whenever　the　army　had　nothing
more　serious　in　hand；　this　sport　was　their　delight。

＇21＇　Another　day　Cyrus　noticed　a　brigadier　who　was　marching　his
regiment　up　from　the　river　back　to　their　quarters。　They　were　advancing
in　single　file　on　his　left；　and　at　the　proper　moment　he　ordered　the
second　company　to　wheel　round　and　draw　up　to　the　front　alongside　the
first；　and　then　the　third；　and　then　the　fourth；　and　when　the　company…
captains　were　all　abreast；　he　passed　the　word　along；　〃Companies　in
twos；〃　and　the　captains…of…ten　came　into　line；　and　then　at　the　right
moment　he　gave　the　order；　〃Companies　in　fours；〃　and　the　captains　of