the history-第142章
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Hated of all thy neighbors； beloved of the blessed Immortals； Sit thou still； with thy lance drawn inward； patiently watching； Warily guard thine head； and the head will take care of the body。
This prophecy had been given them some time before the envoys came； but still； when they afterwards arrived； it was permitted them to enter the council…house； and there deliver their message。 And this answer was returned to their demands… 〃Argos is ready to do as ye require； if the Lacedaemonians will first make a truce for thirty years； and will further divide with Argos the leadership of the allied army。 Although in strict right the whole command should be hers； she will be content to have the leadership divided equally。〃 Such； they say； was the reply made by the council； in spite of the oracle which forbade them to enter into a league with the Greeks。 For； while not without fear of disobeying the oracle； they were greatly desirous of obtaining a thirty years' truce； to give time for their sons to grow to man's estate。 They reflected； that if no such truce were concluded； and it should be their lot to suffer a second calamity at the hands of the Persians； it was likely they would fall hopelessly under the power of Sparta。 But to the demands of the Argive council the Lacedaemonian envoys made answer… 〃They would bring before the people the question of concluding a truce。 With regard to the leadership； they had received orders what to say； and the reply was that Sparta had two kings； Argos but one… it was not possible that either of the two Spartans should be stripped of his dignity… but they did not oppose the Argive king having one vote like each of them。〃 The Argives say that they could not brook this arrogance on the part of Sparta； and rather than yield one jot to it； they preferred to be under the rule of the barbarians。 So they told the envoys to be gone； before sunset； from their territory； or they should be treated as enemies。 Such is the account which is given of these matters by the Argives themselves。 There is another story； which is told generally through Greece； of a different tenor。 Xerxes； it is said； before he set forth on his expedition against Greece； sent a herald to Argos； who on his arrival spoke as follows： 〃Men of Argos； King Xerxes speaks thus to you。 We Persians deem that the Perses from whom we descend was the child of Perseus the son of Danae； and of Andromeda the daughter of Cepheus。 Hereby it would seem that we come of your stock and lineage。 So then it neither befits us to make war upon those from whom we spring； nor can it be right for you to fight； on behalf of others； against us。 Your place is to keep quiet and hold yourself aloof。 Only let matters proceed as I wish； and there is no people whom I shall have in higher esteem than you。〃 This address； says the story； was highly valued by the Argives； who therefore at the first neither gave a promise to the Greeks nor yet put forward a demand。 Afterwards； however； when the Greeks called upon them to give their aid； they made the claim which has been mentioned； because they knew well that the Lacedaemonians would never yield it； and so they would have a pretext for taking no part in the war。 Some of the Greeks say that this account agrees remarkably with what happened many years afterwards。 Callias； the son of Hipponicus； and certain others with him； had gone up to Susa； the city of Memnon； as ambassadors of the Athenians； upon a business quite distinct from this。 While they were there； it happened that the Argives likewise sent ambassadors to Susa； to ask Artaxerxes； the son of Xerxes； 〃if the friendship which they had formed with his father still continued； or if he looked upon them as his enemies？〃… to which King Artaxerxes replied； 〃Most certainly it continues； and there is no city which I reckon more my friend than Argos。〃 For my own part I cannot positively say whether Xerxes did send the herald to Argos or not； nor whether Argive ambassadors at Susa did really put this question to Artaxerxes about the friendship between them and him； neither do I deliver any opinion hereupon other than that of the Argives themselves。 This； however； I know… that if every nation were to bring all its evil deeds to a given place； in order to make an exchange with some other nation； when they had all looked carefully at their neighbours' faults； they would be truly glad to carry their own back again。 So； after all； the conduct of the Argives was not perhaps more disgraceful than that of others。 For myself； my duty is to report all that is said； but I am not obliged to believe it all alike… a remark which may be understood to apply to my whole History。 Some even go so far as to say that the Argives first invited the Persians to invade Greece； because of their ill success in the war with Lacedaemon； since they preferred anything to the smart of their actual sufferings。 Thus much concerning the Argives。 Other ambassadors； among whom was Syagrus from Lacedaemon； were sent by the allies into Sicily； with instructions to confer with Gelo。 The ancestor of this Gelo； who first settled at Gela； was a native of the isle of Telos； which lies off Triopium。 When Gela was colonised by Antiphemus and the Lindians of Rhodes； he likewise took part in the expedition。 In course of time his descendants became the high…priests of the gods who dwell below… an office which they held continually； from the time that Telines； one of Gelo's ancestors； obtained it in the way which I will now mention。 Certain citizens of Gela； worsted in a sedition； had found a refuge at Mactorium； a town situated on the heights above Gela。 Telines reinstated these men； without any human help； solely by means of the sacred rites of these deities。 From whom he received them； or how he himself acquired them； I cannot say； but certain it is that relying on their power he brought the exiles back。 For this his reward was to be the office of high…priest of those gods for himself and his seed for ever。 It surprises me especially that such a feat should have been performed by Telines； for I have always looked upon acts of this nature as beyond the abilities of common men； and only to be achieved by such as are of a bold and manly spirit； whereas Telines is said by those who dwell about Sicily to have been a soft…hearted and womanish person。 He however obtained this office in the manner above described。 Afterwards； on the death of Cleander the son of Pantares； who was slain by Sabyllus； a citizen of Gela； after he had held the tyranny for seven years； Hippocrates； Cleander's brother； mounted the throne。 During his reign； Gelo； a descendant of the high…priest Telines； served with many others… of whom Aenesidemus； son of Pataicus； was one… in the king's bodyguard。 Within a little time his merit caused him to be raised to the command of all the horse。 For when Hippocrates laid siege to Callipolis； and afterwards to Naxos； to Zancle； to Leontini； and moreover to Syracuse； and many cities of the barbarians； Gelo in every war distinguished himself above all the combatants。 Of the various cities above named； there was none but Syracuse which was not reduced to slavery。 The Syracusans were saved from this fate； after they had suffered defeat on the river Elorus； by the Corinthians and Corcyraeans； who made peace between them and Hippocrates； on condition of their ceding Camarina to him； for that city anciently belonged to Syracuse。 When； however； Hippocrates； after a reign of the same length as that of Cleander his brother； perished near the city Hybla； as he was warring with the native Sicilians； then Gelo； pretending to espouse the cause of the two sons of Hippocrates； Eucleides and Cleander； defeated the citizens who were seeking to recover their freedom； and having so done； set aside the children； and himself took the kingly power。 After this piece of good fortune； Gelo likewise became master Syracuse； in the following manner。 The Syracusan landholders； as they were called； had been driven from their city by the common people assisted by their own slaves； the Cyllyrians； and had fled to Casmenae。 Gelo brought them back to Syracuse； and so got possession of the town； for the people surre
