artaxerxes-第6章

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less　hope　than　men　wait　for　a　change　of　wind　at　sea。　And　perceiving
that　his　skill　wanted　power；　and　that　the　king's　power　wanted　a　wise
man　to　guide　it；　he　sent　him　an　account　of　his　projects；　and　charged
the　bearer　to　hand　it　to　the　king；　if　possible；　by　the　mediation　of
Zeno　the　Cretan　or　Polycritus　the　Mendaean　（the　former　being　a
dancing…master；　the　latter　a　physician）；　or；　in　the　absence　of　them
both；　by　Ctesias；　who　is　said　to　have　taken　Conon's　letter；　and
foisted　into　the　contents　of　it　a　request；　that　the　king　would　also　be
pleased　to　send　over　Ctesias　to　him；　who　was　likely　to　be　of　use　on
the　sea…coast。　Ctesias；　however；　declares　that　the　king；　of　his
accord；　deputed　him　to　his　service。　Artaxerxes；　however；　defeating　the
Lacedaemonians　in　a　sea…fight　at　Cnidos；　under　the　conduct　of
Pharnabazus　and　Conon；　after　he　had　stripped　them　of　their　sovereignty
by　sea；　at　the　same　time　brought；　so　to　say；　the　whole　of　Greece
over　to　him；　so　that　upon　his　own　terms　he　dictated　the　celebrated
peace　among　them；　styled　the　peace　of　Antalcidas。　This　Antalcidas
was　a　Spartan；　the　son　of　one　Leon；　who；　acting　for　the　king's
interest；　induced　the　Lacadaemonians　to　covenant　to　let　all　the
Greek　cities　in　Asia　and　the　islands　adjacent　to　it　become　subject　and
tributary　to　him；　peace　being　upon　these　conditions　established
among　the　Greeks；　if　indeed　the　honourable　name　of　peace　can　fairly　be
given　to　what　was　in　fact　the　disgrace　and　betrayal　of　Greece；　a
treaty　more　inglorious　than　had　ever　been　the　result　of　any　war　to
those　defeated　in　it。
　　And　therefore　Artaxerxes；　though　always　abominating　other
Spartans；　and　looking　upon　them；　as　Dinon　says；　to　be　the　most
impudent　men　living；　gave　wonderful　honour　to　Antalcidas　when　he
came　to　him　into　Persia；　so　much　so　that　one　day；　taking　a　garland
of　flowers　and　dipping　it　in　the　most　precious　ointment；　he　sent　it　to
him　after　supper；　a　favour　which　all　were　amazed　at。　Indeed　he　was　a
person　fit　to　be　thus　delicately　treated；　and　to　have　such　a　crown；
who　had　among　the　Persians　thus　made　fools　of　Leonidas　and
Callicratidas。　Agesilaus；　it　seems；　on　some　one　having　said；　〃O　the
deplorable　fate　of　Greece；　now　that　the　Spartans　turn　Medes！〃　replied；
〃Nay；　rather　it　is　the　Medes　who　become　Spartans。〃　But　the　subtlety　of
the　repartee　did　not　wipe　off　the　infamy　of　the　action。　The
Lacedaemonians　soon　after　lost　their　sovereignty　in　Greece　by　their
defeat　at　Leuctra；　but　they　had　already　lost　their　honour　by　this
treaty。　So　long　then　as　Sparta　continued　to　be　the　first　state　in
Greece；　Artaxerxes　continued　to　Antalcidas　the　honour　of　being
called　his　friend　and　his　guest；　but　when；　routed　and　humbled　at　the
battle　of　Leuctra；　being　under　great　distress　for　money；　they　had
despatched　Agesilaus　into　Egypt；　and　Antalcidas　went　up　to　Artaxerxes；
beseeching　him　to　supply　their　necessities；　he　so　despised；
slighted；　and　rejected　him；　that　finding　himself；　on　his　return；
mocked　and　insulted　by　his　enemies；　and　fearing　also　the　ephors；　he
starved　himself　to　death。　Ismenias；　also；　the　Theban；　and　Pelopidas；
who　had　already　gained　the　victory　at　Leuctra；　arrived　at　the
Persian　court；　where　the　latter　did　nothing　unworthy　of　himself。　But
Ismenias；　being　commanded　to　do　obeisance　to　the　king；　dropped　his
ring　before　him　upon　the　ground；　and　so；　stooping　to　take　it　up；
made　a　show　of　doing　him　homage。　He　was　so　gratified　with　some
secret　intelligence　which　Timagoras　the　Athenian　sent　in　to　him　by　the
hand　of　his　secretary　Beluris；　that　he　bestowed　upon　him　ten
thousand　darics；　and　because　he　was　ordered；　on　account　of　some
sickness；　to　drink　cow's　milk；　there　were　fourscore　milch　kine
driven　after　him；　also；　he　sent　him　a　bed；　furniture；　and　servants　for
it；　the　Grecians　not　having　skill　enough　to　make　it；　as　also
chairmen　to　carry　him；　being　infirm　in　body；　to　the　seaside。　Not　to
mention　the　feast　made　for　him　at　court；　which　was　so　princely　and
splendid　that　Ostanes；　the　king's　brother；　said　to　him；　〃O
Timagoras；　do　not　forget　the　sumptuous　table　you　have　sat　at　here；
it　was　not　put　before　you　for　nothing；〃　was　indeed　rather　a　reflection
upon　his　treason　than　to　remind　him　of　the　king's　bounty。　And　indeed
the　Athenians　condemned　Timagoras　to　death　for　taking　bribes。
　　But　Artaxerxes　gratified　the　Grecians　in　one　thing　in　lieu　of　the
many　wherewith　he　plagued　them；　and　that　was　by　taking　off
Tisaphernes；　their　most　hated　and　malicious　enemy；　whom　he　put　to
death；　Parysatis　adding　her　influence　to　the　charges　made　against　him。
For　the　king　did　not　persist　long　in　his　wrath　with　his　mother；　but
was　reconciled　to　her；　and　sent　for　her；　being　assured　that　she　had
wisdom　and　courage　fit　for　royal　power；　and　there　being　now　no　cause
discernible　but　that　they　might　converse　together　without　suspicion　or
offence。　And　from　thenceforward　humouring　the　king　in　all　things
according　to　his　heart's　desire；　and　finding　fault　with　nothing　that
he　did；　she　obtained　great　power　with　him；　and　was　gratified　in　all
her　requests。　She　perceived　he　was　desperately　in　love　with　Atossa；
one　of　his　own　two　daughters；　and　that　he　concealed　and　checked　his
passion　chiefly　for　fear　of　herself；　though；　if　we　may　believe　some
writers；　he　had　privately　given　way　to　it　with　the　young　girl　already。
As　soon　as　Parysatis　suspected　it；　she　displayed　a　greater　fondness
for　the　young　girl　than　before；　and　extolled　both　her　virtue　and
beauty　to　him；　as　being　truly　imperial　and　majestic。　In　fine　she
persuaded　him　to　marry　her　and　declare　her　to　be　his　lawful　wife；
overriding　all　the　principles　and　the　laws　by　which　the　Greeks　hold
themselves　bound；　and　regarding　himself　as　divinely　appointed　for　a
law　to　the　Persians；　and　the　supreme　arbitrator　of　good　and　evil。　Some
historians　further　affirm；　in　which　number　is　Heraclides　of　Cuma；　that
Artaxerxes　married　not　only　this　one；　but　a　second　daughter　also；
Amestris；　of　whom　we　shall　speak　by　and　by。　But　he　so　loved　Atossa
when　she　became　his　consort；　that　when　leprosy　had　run　through　her
whole　body；　he　was　not　in　the　least　offended　at　it；　but　putting　up　his
prayers　to　Juno　for　her；　to　this　one　alone　of　all　the　deities　he
made　obeisance；　by　laying　his　hands　upon　the　earth；　and　his　satraps
and　favourites　made　such　offerings　to　the　goddess　by　his　direction；
that　all　along　for　sixteen　furlongs；　betwixt　the　court　and　her　temple；
the　road　was　filled　up　with　gold　and　silver；　purple　and　horses；
devoted　to　her。
　　He　waged　war　out　of　his　own　kingdom　with　the　Egyptians；　under　the
conduct　of　Pharnabazus　and　Iphicrates；　but　was　unsuccessful　by
reason　of　their　dissensions。　In　his　expedition　against　the
Cadusians；　he　went　himself　in　person　with　three　hundred　thousand
footmen　and　ten　thousand　horse；　and　making　an　incursion　into　their
country；　which　was　so　mountainous　as　scarcely　to　be　passable；　and
withal　very　misty；　producing　no　sort　of　harvest　of　corn　or　the　like；
but　with　pears；　apples；　and　other　tree…fruits　feeding　a　war…like　and
valiant　breed　of　men；　he　unawares　fell　into　great　distresses　and
dangers。　For　there　was　nothing　to　be　got；　fit　for　his　men　to　eat；　of
the　growth　of　that　place；　nor　could　anything　be　imported　from　any
other。　All　they　could　do　was　to　kill　their　beasts　of　burden；　and
thus　an　ass's　head　could　scarcely　be　bought　for　sixty　drachmas。　In
short；　the　king's　own　table　failed；　and　there　were　but　few　horses
left；　the　rest　they　had　spent　for　food。　Then　Teribazus；　a　man　often　in
great　favour　with　his　prince　for　his　valour　and　as　often　out　of　it　for
his　buffoonery；　and　particularly　at　that　time　in　humble　estate　and
neglected；　was　the　deliverer　of　the　king　and　his　army。　There　being　two
kings　amongst　the　Cadusians；　and　each　of　them　encamping　separately；
Teribazus；　after　he　had　made　his　application　to　Artaxerxes　and
imparted　his　design　to　him；　went　to　one　of　the　princes；　and　sent
away　his　son　privately　to　the　other。　So　each　of　them　deceived　his　man；
assuring　him　that　the　other　prince　had　deputed　an　ambassador　to
Artaxerxes；　suing　for　friendship　and　alliance　for　himself　alone；
and；　therefore；　if　he　were　wise；　he　told　him；　he　must　apply　himself　to
his　master　before　he　had　decreed　anything；　and　he；　h