artaxerxes-第4章

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Clearchus　and　Sparta。
　　When　the　battle　was　over；　Artaxerxes　sent　goodly　and　magnificent
gifts　to　the　son　of　Artagerses；　whom　Cyrus　slew。　He　conferred　likewise
high　honours　upon　Ctesias　and　others；　and；　having　found　out　the
Caunian　who　gave　him　the　bottle　of　water；　he　made　him…　a　poor；　obscure
man…　a　rich　and　an　honourable　person。　As　for　the　punishments　he
inflicted　upon　delinquents；　there　was　a　kind　of　harmony　betwixt　them
and　the　crimes。　He　gave　order　that　one　Arbaces；　a　Mede；　that　had
fled　in　the　fight　to　Cyrus　and　again　at　his　fall　had　come　back；
should；　as　a　mark　that　he　was　considered　a　dastardly　and　effeminate；
not　a　dangerous　or　treasonable　man；　have　a　common　harlot　set　upon
his　back；　and　carry　her　about　for　a　whole　day　in　the　market…place。
Another；　besides　that　he　had　deserted　to　them；　having　falsely
vaunted　that　he　had　killed　two　of　the　rebels；　he　decreed　that　three
needles　should　be　struck　through　his　tongue。　And　both　supposing　that
with　his　own　hand　he　had　cut　off　Cyrus；　and　being　willing　that　all　men
should　think　and　say　so；　he　sent　rich　presents　to　Mithridates；　who
first　wounded　him；　and　charged　those　by　whom　he　conveyed　the　gifts
to　him　to　tell　him；　that　〃the　king　has　honoured　you　with　these　his
favours；　because　you　found　and　brought　him　the　horse…trappings　of
Cyrus。〃
　　The　Carian；　also；　from　whose　wound　in　the　ham　Cyrus　died；　suing
for　his　reward；　he　commanded　those　that　brought　it　him　to　say　that
〃the　king　presents　you　with　this　as　a　second　remuneration　of　the
good　news　told　him；　for　first　Artasyras；　and；　next　to　him；　you　assured
him　of　the　decease　of　Cyrus。〃　Mithridates　retired　without　complaint；
though　not　without　resentment。　But　the　unfortunate　Carian　was　fool
enough　to　give　way　to　a　natural　infirmity。　For　being　ravished　with　the
sight　of　the　princely　gifts　that　were　before　him；　and　being　tempted
thereupon　to　challenge　and　aspire　to　things　above　him；　he　deigned
not　to　accept　the　king's　present　as　a　reward　for　good　news；　but
indignantly　crying　out　and　appealing　to　witnesses；　he　protested　that
he；　and　none　but　he；　had　killed　Cyrus；　and　that　he　was　unjustly
deprived　of　the　glory。　These　words；　when　they　came　to　his　ear；　much
offended　the　king；　so　that　forthwith　he　sentenced　him　to　be
beheaded。　But　the　queen　mother；　being　in　the　king's　presence；　said；
〃Let　not　the　king　so　lightly　discharge　this　pernicious　Carian；　let　him
receive　from　me　the　fitting　punishment　of　what　he　dares　to　say。〃　So
when　the　king　had　consigned　him　over　to　Parysatis；　she　charged　the
executioners　to　take　up　the　man；　and　stretch　him　upon　the　rack　for　ten
days；　then；　tearing　out　his　eyes；　to　drop　molten　brass　into　his　ears
till　he　expired。
　　Mithridates；　also；　within　a　short　time　after；　miserably　perished
by　the　like　folly；　for　being　invited　to　a　feast　where　were　the　eunuchs
both　of　the　king　and　of　the　queen　mother；　he　came　arrayed　in　the　dress
and　the　golden　ornaments　which　he　had　received　from　the　king。　After
they　began　to　drink；　the　eunuch　that　was　the　greatest　in　power　with
Parysatis　thus　speaks　to　him：　〃A　magnificent　dress；　indeed；　O
Mithridates；　is　this　which　the　king　has　given　you；　the　chains　and
bracelets　are　glorious；　and　your　scymetar　of　invaluable　worth；　how
happy　has　he　made　you；　the　object　of　every　eye！〃　To　whom　he；　being　a
little　overcome　with　the　wine；　replied；　〃What　are　these　things；
Sparamizes？　Sure　I　am；　I　showed　myself　to　the　king　in　that　day　of
trial　to　be　one　deserving　greater　and　costlier　gifts　than　these。〃　At
which　Sparamizes　smiling；　said；　〃I　do　not　grudge　them　to　you；
Mithridates；　but　since　the　Grecians　tell　us　that　wine　and　truth　go
together；　let　me　hear　now；　my　friend；　what　glorious　or　mighty　matter
was　it　to　find　some　trappings　that　had　slipped　off　a　horse；　and　to
bring　them　to　the　king？〃　And　this　he　spoke；　not　as　ignorant　of　the
truth；　but　desiring　to　unbosom　him　to　the　company；　irritating　the
vanity　of　the　man；　whom　drink　had　now　made　eager　to　talk　and　incapable
of　controlling　himself。　So　he　forbore　nothing；　but　said　out；　〃Talk　you
what　you　please　of　horse…trappings　and　such　trifles；　I　tell　you
plainly；　that　this　hand　was　the　death　of　Cyrus。　For　I　threw　not　my
darts　as　Artagerses　did；　in　vain　and　to　no　purpose；　but　only　just
missing　his　eye；　and　hitting　him　right　on　the　temple；　and　piercing　him
through。　I　brought　him　to　the　ground；　and　of　that　wound　he　died。〃
The　rest　of　the　company；　who　saw　the　end　and　the　hapless　fate　of
Mithridates　as　if　it　were　already　completed；　bowed　their　heads　to
the　ground；　and　he　who　entertained　them　said；　〃Mithridates；　my　friend；
let　us　eat　and　drink　now；　revering　the　fortune　of　our　prince；　and
let　us　waive　discourse　which　is　too　weighty　for　us。〃
　　Presently　after；　Sparamizes　told　Parysatis　what　he　said；　and　she
told　the　king；　who　was　greatly　enraged　at　it；　as　having　the　lie
given　him；　and　being　in　danger　to　forfeit　the　most　glorious　and　most
pleasant　circumstance　of　his　victory。　For　it　was　his　desire　that　every
one；　whether　Greek　or　barbarian；　should　believe　that　in　the　mutual
assaults　and　conflicts　between　him　and　his　brother；　he；　giving　and
receiving　a　blow；　was　himself　indeed　wounded；　but　that　the　other
lost　his　life。　And；　therefore；　he　decreed　that　Mithridates　should　be
put　to　death　in　boats；　which　execution　is　after　the　following
manner：　Taking　two　boats　framed　exactly　to　fit　and　answer　each
other；　they　lay　down　in　one　of　them　the　malefactor　that　suffers；
upon　his　back；　then；　covering　it　with　the　other；　and　so　setting　them
together　that　the　head；　hands；　and　feet　of　him　are　left　outside；　and
the　rest　of　his　body　lies　shut　up　within；　they　offer　him　food；　and
if　he　refuse　to　eat　it；　they　force　him　to　do　it　by　pricking　his
eyes；　then；　after　he　has　eaten；　they　drench　him　with　a　mixture　of　milk
and　honey；　pouring　it　not　only　into　his　mouth；　but　all　over　his
face。　They　then　keep　his　face　continually　turned　towards　the　sun：
and　it　becomes　completely　covered　up　and　hidden　by　the　multitude　of
flies　that　settle　on　it。　And　as　within　the　boats　he　does　what　those
that　eat　and　drink　must　needs　do；　creeping　things　and　vermin　spring
out　of　the　corruption　and　rottenness　of　the　excrement；　and　these
entering　into　the　bowels　of　him；　his　body　is　consumed。　When　the　man　is
manifestly　dead；　the　uppermost　boat　being　taken　off；　they　find　his
flesh　devoured；　and　swarms　of　such　noisome　creatures　preying　upon　and；
as　it　were；　growing　to　his　inwards。　In　this　way　Mithridates；　after
suffering　for　seventeen　days；　at　last　expired。
　　Masabates；　the　king's　eunuch；　who　had　cut　off　the　hand　and　head　of
Cyrus；　remained　still　as　a　mark　for　Parysatis's　vengeance。　Whereas；
therefore；　he　was　so　circumspect；　that　he　gave　her　no　advantage
against　him；　she　framed　this　kind　of　snare　for　him。　She　was　a　very
ingenious　woman　in　other　ways；　and　was　an　excellent　player　at　dice；
and；　before　the　war；　had　often　played　with　the　king。　After　the　war；
too；　when　she　had　been　reconciled　to　him；　she　joined　readily　in　all
amusements　with　him；　played　at　dice　with　him；　was　his　confidant　in　his
love　matters；　and　in　every　way　did　her　best　to　leave　him　as　little
as　possible　in　the　company　of　Statira；　both　because　she　hated　her　more
than　any　other　person；　and　because　she　wished　to　have　no　one　so
powerful　as　herself。　And　so　once　when　Artaxerxes　was　at　leisure；　and
inclined　to　divert　himself；　she　challenged　him　to　play　at　dice　with
her　for　a　thousand　darics；　and　purposely　let　him　win　them；　and　paid
him　down　in　gold。　Yet；　pretending　to　be　concerned　for　her　loss；　and
that　she　would　gladly　have　her　revenge　for　it；　she　pressed　him　to
begin　a　new　game　for　a　eunuch；　to　which　he　consented。　But　first　they
agreed　that　each　of　them　might　except　five　of　their　most　trusty
eunuchs；　and　that　out　of　the　rest　of　them　the　loser　should　yield　up
any　the　winner　should　make　choice　of。　Upon　these　conditions　they
played。　Thus　being　bent　upon　her　design；　and　thoroughly　in　earnest
with　her　game；　and　the　dice　also　running　luckily　for　her；　when　she　had
got　the　game；　she　demanded　Masabates；　who　was　not　in　the　number　of　the
five　excepted。　And　before　the　king　could　suspect　the　matter；　having
delivered　him　up　to　the　tormentors；　she　enjoined　them　to　flay　him
alive；　to　s