artaxerxes-第8章

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among　the　Persians　is　not　likely　to　be　faithful　in　the　performance
of　the　most　important　promises。　He　added；　too；　that　it　was　not　all　one
for　Ochus　not　to　attain　to；　and　for　him　to　be　put　by　his　crown；
since　Ochus　as　a　subject　might　live　happily；　and　nobody　could　hinder
him；　but　he；　being　proclaimed　king；　must　either　take　up　his　sceptre　or
lay　down　his　life。　These　words　presently　inflamed　Darius：　what
Sophocles　says　being　indeed　generally　true：…

　　　　　　　　　〃Quick　travels　the　persuasion　to　what's　wrong。〃

For　the　path　is　smooth；　and　upon　an　easy　descent；　that　leads　us　to　our
own　will；　and　the　most　part　of　us　desire　what　is　evil　through　our
strangeness　to　and　ignorance　of　good。　And　in　this　case；　no　doubt；
the　greatness　of　the　empire　and　the　jealousy　Darius　had　of　Ochus
furnished　Teribazus　with　material　for　his　persuasions。　Nor　was　Venus
wholly　unconcerned　in　the　matter；　in　regard；　namely；　of　his　loss　of
Aspasia。
　　Darius；　therefore；　resigned　himself　up　to　the　dictates　of　Teribazus；
and　many　now　conspiring　with　them；　a　eunuch　gave　information　to　the
king　of　their　plot　and　the　way　how　it　was　to　be　managed；　having
discovered　the　certainty　of　it；　that　they　had　resolved　to　break　into
his　bed…chamber　by　night；　and　there　to　kill　him　as　he　lay。　After
Artaxerxes　had　been　thus　advertised；　he　did　not　think　fit；　by
disregarding　the　discovery；　to　despise　so　great　a　danger；　nor　to
believe　it　when　there　was　little　or　no　proof　of　it。　Thus　then　he
did：　he　charged　the　eunuch　constantly　to　attend　and　accompany　the
conspirators　wherever　they　were；　in　the　meanwhile；　he　broke　down　the
party…wall　of　the　chamber　behind　his　bed；　and　placed　a　door　in　it　to
open　and　shut；　which　he　covered　up　with　tapestry；　so　the　hour
approaching；　and　the　eunuch　having　told　him　the　precise　time　in
which　the　traitors　designed　to　assassinate　him；　he　waited　for　them
in　his　bed；　and　rose　not　up　till　he　had　seen　the　faces　of　his
assailants　and　recognized　every　man　of　them。　But　as　soon　as　he　saw
them　with　their　swords　drawn　and　coming　up　to　him；　throwing　up　the
hanging；　he　made　his　retreat　into　the　inner　chamber；　and；　bolting
the　door；　raised　a　cry。　Thus　when　the　murderers　had　been　seen　by
him；　and　had　attempted　him　in　vain；　they　with　speed　went　back
through　the　same　doors　they　came　in　by；　enjoining　Teribazus　and　his
friends　to　fly；　as　their　plot　had　been　certainly　detected。　They；
therefore；　made　their　escape　different　ways；　but　Teribazus　was
seized　by　the　king's　guards；　and　after　slaying　many；　while　they　were
laying　hold　on　him；　at　length　being　struck　through　with　a　dart　at　a
distance；　fell。　As　for　Darius；　who　was　brought　to　trial　with　his
children；　the　king　appointed　the　royal　judges　to　sit　over　him；　and
because　he　was　not　himself　present；　but　accused　Darius　by　proxy；　he
commanded　his　scribes　to　write　down　the　opinion　of　every　one　of　the
judges；　and　show　it　to　him。　And　after　they　had　given　their
sentences；　all　as　one　man；　and　condemned　Darius　to　death；　the　officers
seized　on　him；　and　hurried　him　to　a　chamber　not　far　off。　To　which
place　the　executioner；　when　summoned；　came　with　a　razor　in　his　hand；
with　which　men　of　his　employment　cut　off　the　heads　of　offenders。　But
when　he　saw　that　Darius　was　the　person　thus　to　be　punished　he　was
appalled　and　started　back；　offering　to　go　out；　as　one　that　had　neither
power　nor　courage　enough　to　behead　a　king；　yet　at　the　threats　and
commands　of　the　judges　who　stood　at　the　prison　door；　he　returned　and
grasping　the　hair　of　his　head　and　bringing　his　face　to　the　ground　with
one　hand；　he　cut　through　his　neck　with　the　razor　he　had　in　the
other。　Some　affirm　that　sentence　was　passed　in　the　presence　of
Artaxerxes；　that　Darius；　after　he　had　been　convicted　by　clear
evidence；　falling　prostrate　before　him；　did　humbly　beg　his　pardon；
that　instead　of　giving　it；　he　rising　up　in　rage　and　drawing　his
scymetar；　smote　him　till　he　had　killed　him；　and　then；　going　forth　into
the　court；　he　worshipped　the　sun；　and　said；　〃Depart　in　peace；　ye
Persians；　and　declare　to　your　fellow…subjects　how　the　mighty　Oromasdes
hath　dealt　out　vengeance　to　the　contrivers　of　unjust　and　unlawful
things。〃
　　Such；　then；　was　the　issue　of　this　conspiracy。　And　now　Ochus　was　high
in　his　hopes；　being　confident　in　the　influence　of　Atossa；　but　yet
was　afraid　of　Ariaspes；　the　only　male　surviving；　besides　himself；　of
the　legitimate　offspring　of　his　father；　and　of　Arsames；　one　of　his
natural　sons。　For　indeed　Ariaspes　was　already　claimed　as　their
prince　by　the　wishes　of　the　Persians；　not　because　he　was　the　elder
brother；　but　because　he　excelled　Ochus　in　gentleness；　plain　dealing；
and　good…nature；　and　on　the　other　hand　Arsames　appeared；　by　his
wisdom；　fitted　for　the　throne；　and　that　he　was　dear　to　his　father
Ochus　well　knew。　So　he　laid　snares　for　them　both；　and　being　no　less
treacherous　than　bloody；　he　made　use　of　the　cruelty　of　his　nature
against　Arsames；　and　of　his　craft　and　wiliness　against　Ariaspes。　For
he　suborned　the　king's　eunuchs　and　favourites　to　convey　to　him
menacing　and　harsh　expressions　from　his　father；　as　though　he　had
decreed　to　put　him　to　a　cruel　and　ignominious　death。　When　they　daily
communicated　these　things　as　secrets；　and　told　him　at　one　time　that
the　king　would　do　so　to　him　ere　long；　and　at　another；　that　the　blow
was　actually　close　impending；　they　so　alarmed　the　young　man；　struck
such　a　terror　into　him；　and　cast　such　a　confusion　and　anxiety　upon　his
thoughts；　that；　having　prepared　some　poisonous　drugs；　he　drank　them；
that　he　might　be　delivered　from　his　life。　The　king；　on　hearing　what
kind　of　death　he　died；　heartily　lamented　him；　and　was　not　without　a
suspicion　of　the　cause　of　it。　But　being　disabled　by　his　age　to
search　into　and　prove　it；　he　was；　after　the　loss　of　this　son；　more
affectionate　than　before　to　Arsames；　did　manifestly　place　his　greatest
confidence　in　him；　and　made　him　privy　to　his　counsels。　Whereupon　Ochus
had　no　longer　patience　to　defer　the　execution　of　his　purpose；　but
having　procured　Arpates；　Teribazus's　son；　for　the　undertaking；　he
killed　Arsames　by　his　hand。　Artaxerxes　at　that　time　had　but　a　little
hold　on　life；　by　reason　of　his　extreme　age；　and　so；　when　he　heard　of
the　fate　of　Arsames；　he　could　not　sustain　it　at　all；　but　sinking　at
once　under　the　weight　of　his　grief　and　distress；　expired；　after　a　life
of　ninety…four　years；　and　a　reign　of　sixty…two。　And　then　he　seemed　a
moderate　and　gracious　governor；　more　especially　as　compared　to　his　son
Ochus；　who　outdid　all　his　predecessors　in　blood…thirstiness　and
cruelty。




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