artaxerxes-第2章

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excellent　warrior；　and　a　lover　of　his　friends；　and　that　the
largeness　of　their　empire　absolutely　required　a　bold　and
enterprising　prince。　Cyrus；　then；　not　only　relying　upon　those　of　his
own　province　near　the　sea；　but　upon　many　of　those　in　the　upper
countries　near　the　king；　commenced　the　war　against　him。　He　wrote　to
the　Lacedaemonians；　bidding　them　come　to　his　assistance　and　supply　him
with　men；　assuring　them　that　to　those　who　came　to　him　on　foot　he　would
give　horses；　and　to　the　horsemen　chariots；　that　upon　those　who　had
farms　he　would　bestow　villages；　and　those　who　were　lords　of　villages
he　would　make　so　of　cities；　and　that　those　who　would　be　his　soldiers
should　receive　their　pay；　not　by　count；　but　by　weight。　And　among
many　other　high　praises　of　himself；　he　said　he　had　the　stronger
soul；　was　more　a　philosopher　and　a　better　Magian；　and　could　drink
and　bear　more　wine　than　his　brother；　who；　as　he　averred；　was　such　a
coward　and　so　little　like　a　man；　that　he　could　neither　sit　his　horse
in　hunting　nor　his　throne　in　time　of　danger。　The　Lacedaemonians；　his
letter　being　read；　sent　a　staff　to　Clearchus；　commanding　him　to　obey
Cyrus　in　all　things。　So　Cyrus　marched　towards　the　king；　having　under
his　conduct　a　numerous　host　of　barbarians；　and　but　little　less　than
thirteen　thousand　stipendiary　Grecians；　alleging　first　one　cause；　then
another；　for　his　expedition。　Yet　the　true　reason　lay　not　long
concealed；　but　Tisaphernes　went　to　the　king　in　person　to　declare　it。
Thereupon；　the　court　was　all　in　an　uproar　and　tumult；　the　queen…mother
bearing　almost　the　whole　blame　of　the　enterprise；　and　her　retainers
being　suspected　and　accused。　Above　all；　Statira　angered　her　by
bewailing　the　war　and　passionately　demanding　where　were　now　the
pledges　and　the　intercession　which　saved　the　life　of　him　that
conspired　against　his　brother；　〃to　the　end；〃　she　said；　〃that　he
might　plunge　us　all　into　war　and　trouble。〃　For　which　words　Parysatis
hating　Statira；　and　being　naturally　implacable　and　savage　in　her　anger
and　revenge；　consulted　how　she　might　destroy　her。　But　since　Dinon
tells　us　that　her　purpose　took　effect　in　the　time　of　the　war；　and
Ctesias　says　it　was　after　it；　I　shall　keep　the　story　for　the　place
to　which　the　latter　assigns　it；　as　it　is　very　unlikely　that　he；　who
was　actually　present；　should　not　know　the　time　when　it　happened；　and
there　was　no　motive　to　induce　him　designedly　to　misplace　its　date　in
his　narrative　of　it；　though　it　is　not　infrequent　with　him　in　his
history　to　make　excursions　from　truth　into　mere　fiction　and　romance。
　　As　Cyrus　was　upon　the　march；　rumours　and　reports　were　brought　him；
as　though　the　king　still　deliberated；　and　were　not　minded　to　fight　and
presently　to　join　battle　with　him；　but　to　wait　in　the　heart　of　his
kingdom　until　his　forces　should　have　come　in　thither　from　all　parts　of
his　dominions。　He　had　cut　a　trench　through　the　plain　ten　fathoms　in
breadth；　and　as　many　in　depth　the　length　of　it　being　no　less　than　four
hundred　furlongs；　he　be　allowed　Cyrus　to　pass　across　it；　and　to
advance　almost　to　the　city　of　Babylon。　Then　Teribazus；　as　the　report
goes；　was　the　first　that　had　the　boldness　to　tell　the　king　that　he
ought　not　to　avoid　the　conflict；　nor　to　abandon　Media；　Babylon；　and
even　Susa；　and　hide　himself　in　Persis；　when　all　the　while　he　had　an
army　many　times　over　more　numerous　than　his　enemies；　and　an　infinite
company　of　governors　and　captains　that　were　better　soldiers　and
politicians　than　Cyrus。　So　at　last　he　resolved　to　fight；　as　soon　as　it
was　possible　for　him。　Making；　therefore；　his　first　appearance；　all
on　a　sudden；　at　the　head　of　nine　hundred　thousand　well…marshalled　men；
he　so　startled　and　surprised　the　enemy；　who　with　the　confidence　of
contempt　were　marching　on　their　way　in　no　order；　and　with　their　arms
not　ready　for　use；　that　Cyrus；　in　the　midst　of　such　noise　and
tumult；　was　scarcely　able　to　form　them　for　battle。　Moreover；　the
very　manner　in　which　he　led　on　his　men；　silently　and　slowly；　made
the　Grecians　stand　amazed　at　his　good　discipline；　who　had　expected
irregular　shouting　and　leaping；　much　confusion　and　separation
between　one　body　of　men　and　another；　in　so　vast　a　multitude　of　troops。
He　also　placed　the　choicest　of　his　armed　chariots　in　the　front　of
his　own　phalanx　over　against　the　Grecian　troops；　that　a　violent　charge
with　these　might　cut　open　their　ranks　before　they　closed　with　them。
　　But　as　this　battle　is　described　by　many　historians；　and　Xenophon
in　particular　as　good　as　shows　it　us　by　eyesight；　not　as　a　past　event；
but　as　a　present　action；　and　by　his　vivid　account　makes　his　hearers
feel　all　the　passions　and　join　in　all　the　dangers　of　it；　it　would　be
folly　in　me　to　give　any　larger　account　of　it　than　barely　to　mention
any　things　omitted　by　him　which　yet　deserve　to　be　recorded。　The　place；
then；　in　which　the　two　armies　were　drawn　out　is　called　Cunaxa；　being
about　five　hundred　furlongs　distant　from　Babylon。　And　here　Clearchus
beseeching　Cyrus　before　the　fight　to　retire　behind　the　combatants；　and
not　expose　himself　to　hazard；　they　say　he　replied；　〃What　is　this；
Clearchus？　Would　you　have　me；　who　aspire　to　empire；　show　myself
unworthy　of　it？〃　But　if　Cyrus　committed　a　great　fault　in　entering
headlong　into　the　midst　of　danger；　and　not　paying　any　regard　to　his
own　safety；　Clearchus　was　as　much　to　blame；　if　not　more；　in　refusing
to　lead　the　Greeks　against　the　main　body　of　the　enemy；　where　the
king　stood；　and　in　keeping　his　right　wing　close　to　the　river；　for　fear
of　being　surrounded。　For　if　he　wanted；　above　all　other　things；　to　be
safe；　and　considered　it　his　first　object　to　sleep　in　a　whole　skin；
it　had　been　his　best　way　not　to　have　stirred　from　home。　But；　after
marching　in　arms　ten　thousand　furlongs　from　the　sea…coast；　simply　on
his　choosing；　for　the　purpose　of　placing　Cyrus　on　the　throne；　to
look　about　and　select　a　position　which　would　enable　him；　not　to
preserve　him　under　whose　pay　and　conduct　he　was；　but　himself　to　engage
with　more　ease　and　security；　seemed　much　like　one　that　through　fear　of
present　dangers　had　abandoned　the　purpose　of　his　actions；　and　been
false　to　the　design　of　his　expedition。　For　it　is　evident　from　the　very
event　of　the　battle　that　none　of　those　who　were　in　array　around　the
king's　person　could　have　stood　the　shock　of　the　Grecian　charge；　and
had　they　been　beaten　out　of　the　field；　and　Artaxerxes　either　fled　or
fallen；　Cyrus　would　have　gained　by　the　victory；　not　only　safety；　but　a
crown。　And；　therefore；　Clearchus　by　his　caution　must　be　considered
more　to　blame　for　the　result　in　the　destruction　of　the　life　and
fortune　of　Cyrus；　than　he　by　his　heat　and　rashness。　For　had　the　king
made　it　his　business　to　discover　a　place；　where　having　posted　the
Grecians；　he　might　encounter　them　with　the　least　hazard；　he　would
never　have　found　out　any　other　but　that　which　was　most　remote　from
himself　and　those　near　him；　of　his　defeat　in　which　he　was
insensible；　and；　though　Clearchus　had　the　victory；　yet　Cyrus　could　not
know　of　it；　and　could　take　no　advantage　of　it　before　his　fall。　Cyrus
knew　well　enough　what　was　expedient　to　be　done；　and　commanded
Clearchus　with　his　men　to　take　their　place　in　the　centre。　Clearchus
replied　that　he　would　take　care　to　have　all　arranged　as　was　best；
and　then　spoiled　all。
　　For　the　Grecians；　where　they　were；　defeated　the　barbarians　till　they
were　weary；　and　chased　them　successfully　a　very　great　way。　But　Cyrus
being　mounted　upon　a　noble　but　a　headstrong　and　hard…mouthed　horse；
bearing　the　name；　as　Ctesias　tells　us；　of　Pasacas；　Artagerses；　the
leader　of　the　Cadusians；　galloped　up　to　him；　crying　aloud；　〃O　most
unjust　and　senseless　of　men；　who　are　the　disgrace　of　the　honoured　name
of　Cyrus；　are　you　come　here　leading　the　wicked　Greeks　on　a　wicked
journey；　to　plunder　the　good　things　of　the　Persians；　and　this　with　the
intent　of　slaying　your　lord　and　brother；　the　master　of　ten　thousand
times　ten　thousand　servants　that　are　better　men　than　you？　as　you　shall
see　this　instant；　for　you　shall　lose　your　head　here；　before　you　look
upon　the　face　of　the　king。〃　Which　when　he　had　said；　he　cast　his
javelin　at　him。　But　his　coat　of　mail　stoutly　repelled　it；　and　Cyrus
was　not　wounded；　yet　the　stroke　falling　heav