artaxerxes-第7章

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his　master　before　he　had　decreed　anything；　and　he；　he　said；　would　lend
him　his　assistance　in　all　things。　Both　of　them　gave　credit　to　these
words；　and　because　they　supposed　they　were　each　intrigued　against　by
the　other；　they　both　sent　their　envoys；　one　along　with　Teribazus；
and　the　other　with　his　son。　All　this　taking　some　time　to　transact；
fresh　surmises　and　suspicions　of　Teribazus　were　expressed　to　the　king；
who　began　to　be　out　of　heart；　sorry　that　he　had　confided　in　him；　and
ready　to　give　ear　to　his　rivals　who　impeached　him。　But　at　last　he
came；　and　so　did　his　son；　bringing　the　Cadusian　agents　along　with
them；　and　so　there　was　a　cessation　of　arms　and　a　peace　signed　with
both　the　princes。　And　Teribazus；　in　great　honour　and　distinction；
set　out　homewards　in　the　company　of　the　king；　who；　indeed；　upon　this
journey　made　it　appear　plainly　that　cowardice　and　effeminacy　are　the
effects；　not　of　delicate　and　sumptuous　living；　as　many　suppose；　but　of
a　base　and　vicious　nature；　actuated　by　false　and　bad　opinions。　For
notwithstanding　his　golden　ornaments；　his　robe　of　state；　and　the
rest　of　that　costly　attire；　worth　no　less　than　twelve　thousand
talents；　with　which　the　royal　person　was　constantly　clad；　his
labours　and　toils　were　not　a　whit　inferior　to　those　of　the　meanest
persons　in　his　army。　With　his　quiver　by　his　side　and　his　shield　on　his
arm；　he　led　them　on　foot；　quitting　his　horse；　through　craggy　and　steep
ways；　insomuch　that　the　sight　of　his　cheerfulness　and　unwearied
strength　gave　wings　to　the　soldiers；　and　so　lightened　the　journey；
that　they　made　daily　marches　of　above　two　hundred　furlongs。
　　After　they　had　arrived　at　one　of　his　own　mansions；　which　had
beautiful　ornamented　parks　in　the　midst　of　a　region　naked　and
without　trees；　the　weather　being　very　cold；　he　gave　full　commission　to
his　soldiers　to　provide　themselves　with　wood　by　cutting　down　any；
without　exception；　even　the　pine　and　cypress。　And　when　they
hesitated　and　were　for　sparing　them；　being　large　and　goodly　trees；　he；
taking　up　an　axe　himself；　felled　the　greatest　and　most　beautiful　of
them。　After　which　his　men　used　their　hatchets；　and　piling　up　many
fires；　passed　away　the　night　at　their　ease。　Nevertheless；　he
returned　not　without　the　loss　of　many　and　valiant　subjects；　and　of
almost　all　his　horses。　And　supposing　that　his　misfortunes　and　the
ill…success　of　his　expedition　made　him　despised　in　the　eyes　of　his
people；　he　looked　jealously　on　his　nobles；　many　of　whom　he　slew　in
anger；　and　yet　more　out　of　fear。　As；　indeed；　fear　is　the　bloodiest
passion　in　princes；　confidence；　on　the　other　hand；　being　merciful；
gentle；　and　unsuspicious。　So　we　see　among　wild　beasts；　the　intractable
and　least　tamable　are　the　most　timorous　and　most　easily　startled；
the　nobler　creatures；　whose　courage　makes　them　trustful；　are　ready
to　respond　to　the　advances　of　men。
　　Artaxerxes；　now　being　an　old　man；　perceived　that　his　sons　were　in
controversy　about　his　kingdom；　and　that　they　made　parties　among　his
favourites　and　peers。　Those　that　were　equitable　among　them　thought
it　fit；　that　as　he　had　received　it；　so　he　should　bequeath　it；　by　right
of　age；　to　Darius。　The　younger　brother；　Ochus；　who　was　hot　and
violent；　had　indeed　a　considerable　number　of　the　courtiers　that
espoused　his　interest；　but　his　chief　hope　was　that　by　Atossa's　means
he　should　win　his　father。　For　he　flattered　her　with　the　thoughts　of
being　his　wife　and　partner　in　the　kingdom　after　the　death　of
Artaxerxes。　And　truly　it　was　rumoured　that　already　Ochus　maintained
a　too　intimate　correspondence　with　her。　This；　however；　was　quite
unknown　to　the　king；　who；　being　willing　to　put　down　in　good　time　his
son　Ochus's　hopes；　lest；　by　his　attempting　the　same　things　his　uncle
Cyrus　did；　wars　and　contentions　might　again　afflict　his　kingdom；
proclaimed　Darius；　then　twenty…five　years　old；　his　successor；　and　gave
him　leave　to　wear　the　upright　hat；　as　they　called　it。　It　was　a　rule
and　usage　of　Persia；　that　the　heir　apparent　to　the　crown　should　beg
a　boon；　and　that　he　that　declared　him　so　should　give　whatever　he
asked；　provided　it　were　within　the　sphere　of　his　power。　Darius
therefore　requested　Aspasia；　in　former　time　the　most　prized　of　the
concubines　of　Cyrus；　and　now　belonging　to　the　king。　She　was　by　birth　a
Phocaean；　of　Ionia；　born　of　free　parents；　and　well　educated。　Once　when
Cyrus　was　at　supper；　she　was　led　in　to　him　with　other　women；　who；　when
they　were　sat　down　by　him；　and　he　began　to　sport　and　dally　and　talk
jestingly　with　them；　gave　way　freely　to　his　advances。　But　she　stood　by
in　silence；　refusing　to　come　when　Cyrus　called　her；　and　when　his
chamberlains　were　going　to　force　her　towards　him；　said；　〃Whosoever
lays　hands　on　me　shall　rue。　it；〃　so　that　she　seemed　to　the　company　a
sullen　and　rude…mannered　person。　However；　Cyrus　was　well　pleased；
and　laughed；　saying　to　the　man　that　brought　the　women；　〃Do　you　not　see
to　a　certainty　that　this　woman　alone　of　all　that　came　with　you　is
truly　noble　and　pure　in　character？〃　After　which　time　he　began　to
regard　her；　and　loved　her；　above　all　of　her　sex；　and　called　her　the
Wise。　But　Cyrus　being　slain　in　the　fight；　she　was　taken　among　the
spoils　of　his　camp。
　　Darius；　in　demanding　her；　no　doubt　much　offended　his　father；　for　the
barbarian　people　keep　a　very　jealous　and　watchful　eye　over　their
carnal　pleasures；　so　that　it　is　death　for　a　man　not　only　to　come
near　and　touch　any　concubine　of　his　prince；　but　likewise　on　a
journey　to　ride　forward　and　pass　by　the　carriages　in　which　they　are
conveyed。　And　though；　to　gratify　his　passion；　he　had　against　all　law
married　his　daughter　Atossa；　and　had　besides　her　no　less　than　three
hundred　and　sixty　concubines　selected　for　their　beauty；　yet　being
importuned　for　that　one　by　Darius；　he　urged　that　she　was　a　free…woman；
and　allowed　him　to　take　her；　if　she　had　an　inclination　to　go　with　him；
but　by　no　means　to　force　her　away　against　it。　Aspasia；　therefore；
being　sent　for；　and；　contrary　to　the　king's　expectation；　making　choice
of　Darius；　he　gave　him　her　indeed；　being　constrained　by　law；　but
when　he　had　done　so；　a　little　after　he　took　her　from　him。　For　he
consecrated　her　priestess　to　Diana　of　Ecbatana；　whom　they　name
Anaitis；　that　she　might　spend　the　remainder　of　her　days　in　strict
chastity；　thinking　thus　to　punish　his　son；　not　rigorously；　but　with
moderation；　by　a　revenge　checkered　with　jest　and　earnest。　But　he
took　it　heinously；　either　that　he　was　passionately　fond　of　Aspasia；　or
because　he　looked　upon　himself　as　affronted　and　scorned　by　his　father。
Teribazus；　perceiving　him　thus　minded；　did　his　best　to　exasperate
him　yet　further；　seeing　in　his　injuries　a　representation　of　his　own；
of　which　the　following　is　the　account：　Artaxerxes；　having　many
daughters；　promised　to　give　Apama　to　Pharnabazus　to　wife；　Rhodogune　to
Orontes；　and　Amestris　to　Teribazus；　whom　alone　of　the　three　he
disappointed；　by　marrying　Amestris　himself。　However；　to　make　him
amends；　he　betrothed　his　youngest　daughter　Atossa　to　him。　But　after　he
had；　being　enamoured　of　her　too；　as　has　been　said；　married　her；
Teribazus　entertained　an　irreconcilable　enmity　against　him。　As
indeed　he　was　seldom　at　any　other　time　steady　in　his　temper；　but
uneven　and　inconsiderate；　so　that　whether　he　were　in　the　number　of　the
choicest　favourites　of　his　prince；　or　whether　he　were　offensive　and
odious　to　him；　he　demeaned　himself　in　neither　condition　with
moderation；　but　if　he　was　advanced　he　was　intolerably　insolent；　and　in
his　degradation　not　submissive　and　peaceable　in　his　deportment；　but
fierce　and　haughty。
　　And　therefore　Teribazus　was　to　the　young　prince　flame　added　upon
flame；　ever　urging　him；　and　saying；　that　in　vain　those　wear　their　hats
upright　who　consult　not　the　real　success　of　their　affairs；　and　that　he
was　ill…befriended　of　reason　if　he　imagined；　whilst　he　had　a
brother；　who；　through　the　women's　apartments；　was　seeking　a　way　to　the
supremacy；　and　a　father　of　so　rash　and　fickle　a　humour；　that　he　should
by　succession　infallibly　step　up　into　the　throne。　For　he　that　out　of
fondness　to　an　Ionian　girl　has　eluded　a　law　sacred　and　inviolable
among　the　Persians　is　not　likely　to　be　faithful　in　the　performance
of　the　most　important　promises。　He　ad