pericles-第5章
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goldsmiths; ivory…workers; painters; embroiderers; turners; those
again that conveyed them to the town for use; merchants and mariners
and ship…masters by sea; and by land; cartwrights; cattle…breeders;
wagoners; rope…makers; flax…workers; shoemakers and
leather…dressers; road…makers; miners。 And every trade in the same
nature; as a captain in an army has his particular company of soldiers
under him; had its own hired company of journeymen and labourers
belonging to it banded together as in array; to be as it were the
instrument and body for the performance of the service。 Thus; to say
all in a word; the occasions and services of these public works
distributed plenty through every age and condition。
As then grew the works up; no less stately in size than exquisite in
form; the workmen striving to outvie the material and the design
with the beauty of their workmanship; yet the most wonderful thing
of all was the rapidity of their execution。
Undertakings; any one of which singly might have required; they
thought; for their completion; several successions and ages of men;
were every one of them accomplished in the height and prime of one
man's political service。 Although they say; too; that Zeuxis once;
having heard Agatharchus the painter boast of despatching his work
with speed and ease; replied; 〃I take a long time。〃 For ease and speed
in doing a thing do not give the work lasting solidity or exactness of
beauty; the expenditure of time allowed to a man's pains beforehand
for the production of a thing is repaid by way of interest with a
vital force for the preservation when once produced。 For which
reason Pericles's works are especially admired; as having been made
quickly; to last long。 For every particular piece of his work was
immediately; even at that time; for its beauty and elegance;
antique; and yet in its vigour and freshness looks to this day as if
it were just executed。 There is a sort of bloom of newness upon
those works of his; preserving them from the touch of time; as if they
had some perennial spirit and undying vitality mingled in the
composition of them。
Phidias had the oversight of all the works; and was
surveyor…general; though upon the various portions other great masters
and workmen were employed。 For Callicrates and Ictinus built the
Parthenon; the chapel at Eleusis; where the mysteries were celebrated;
was begun by Coroebus; who erected the pillars that stand upon the
floor or pavement; and joined them to the architraves; and after his
death Metagenes of Xypete added the frieze and the upper line of
columns; Xenocles of Cholargus roofed or arched the lantern on top
of the temple of Castor and Pollux; and the long wall; which
Socrates says he himself heard Pericles propose to the people; was
undertaken by Callicrates。 This work Cratinus ridicules; as long in
finishing…
〃'Tis long since Pericles; if words would do it;
Talked up the wall; yet adds not one mite to it。〃
The Odeum; or music…room; which in its interior was full of seats
and ranges of pillars; and outside had its roof made to slope and
descend from one single point at the top; was constructed; we are
told; in imitation of the King of Persia's Pavilion; this likewise
by Pericles's order; which Cratinus again; in his comedy called the
Thracian Women; made an occasion of raillery…
〃So; we see here;
Jupiter Long…pate Pericles appear;
Since ostracism time; he's laid aside his head;
And wears the new Odeum in its stead。〃
Pericles; also eager for distinction; then first obtained the decree
for a contest in musical skill to be held yearly at the Panathenaea;
and he himself; being chosen judge; arranged the order and method in
which the competitors should sing and play on the flute and on the
harp。 And both at that time; and at other times also; they sat in this
music…room to see and hear all such trials of skill。
The propylaea; or entrances to the Acropolis; were finished in
five years' time; Mnesicles being the principal architect。 A strange
accident happened in the course of building; which showed that the
goddess was not averse to the work; but was aiding and co…operating to
bring it to perfection。 One of the artificers; the quickest and the
handiest workman among them all; with a slip of his foot fell down
from a great height; and lay in a miserable condition; the
physicians having no hope of his recovery。 When Pericles was in
distress about this; Minerva appeared to him at night in a dream;
and ordered a course of treatment; which he applied; and in a short
time and with great ease cured the man。 And upon this occasion it
was that he set up a brass statue of Minerva; surnamed Health; in
the citadel near the altar; which they say was there before。 But it
was Phidias who wrought the goddess's image in gold; and he has his
name inscribed on the pedestal as the workman of it; and indeed the
whole work in a manner was under his charge; and he had; as we have
said already; the oversight over all the artists and workmen;
through Pericles's friendship for him; and this; indeed; made him much
envied; and his patron shamefully slandered with stories; as if
Phidias were in the habit of receiving; for Pericles's use; freeborn
women that came to see the works。 The comic writers of the town;
when they had got hold of this story; made much of it; and bespattered
him with all the ribaldry they could invent; charging him falsely with
the wife of Menippus; one who was his friend and served as
lieutenant under him in the wars; and with the birds kept by
Pyrilampes; an acquaintance of Pericles; who; they pretended; used
to give presents of peacocks to Pericles's female friends。 And how can
one wonder at any number of strange assertions from men whose whole
lives were devoted to mockery; and who were ready at any time to
sacrifice the reputation of their superiors to vulgar envy and
spite; as to some evil genius; when even Stesimbrotus the Thracian has
dared to lay to the charge of Pericles a monstrous and fabulous
piece of criminality with his son's wife? So very difficult a matter
is it to trace and find out the truth of anything by history; when; on
the one hand; those who afterwards write it find long periods of
time intercepting their view; and; on the other hand; the contemporary
records of any actions and lives; partly through envy and ill…will;
partly through favour and flattery; pervert and distort truth。
When the orators; who sided with Thucydides and his party; were at
one time crying out; as their custom was; against Pericles; as one who
squandered away the public money; and made havoc of the state
revenues; he rose in the open assembly and put the question to the
people; whether they thought that he had laid out much; and they
saying; 〃Too much; a great deal;〃 〃Then;〃 said he; 〃since it is so;
let the cost not go to your account; but to mine; and let the
inscription upon the buildings stand in my name。〃 When they heard
him say thus; whether it were out of a surprise to see the greatness
of his spirit or out of emulation of the glory of the works; they
cried aloud; bidding him to spend on; and lay out what he thought
fit from the public purse; and to spare no cost; till all were
finished。
At length; coming to a final contest with Thucydides which of the
two should ostracism the other out of the country; and having gone
through this peril; he threw his antagonist out; and broke up the
confederacy that had been organized against him。 So that now all
schism and division being at an end; and the city brought to
evenness and unity; he got all Athens and all affairs that pertained
to the Athenians into his own hands; their tributes; their armies; and
their galleys; the islands; the sea; and their wide…extended power;
partly over other Greeks and partly over barbarians; and all that
empire; which they possessed; founded and fortified upon subject
nations and royal friendships and alliance。
After this he was no longer the same man he had been before; nor
as tame and gentle and familiar as formerly with the populace; so as
readily to yield to their pleasures and to comply