the history-第168章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


ent　of　Alexander。　　　　　（SS　1。）　When　Alexander　reached　Athens　as　the　ambassador　of　Mardonius；　he　spoke　as　follows：…　　　　　〃O　men　of　Athens；　these　be　the　words　of　Mardonius。　'The　king　has　sent　a　message　to　me；　saying；　〃All　the　trespasses　which　the　Athenians　have　committed　against　me　I　freely　forgive。　Now　then；　Mardonius；　thus　shalt　thou　act　towards　them。　Restore　to　them　their　territory；　and　let　them　choose　for　themselves　whatever　land　they　like　besides；　and　let　them　dwell　therein　as　a　free　people。　Build　up　likewise　all　their　temples　which　I　burned；　if　on　these　terms　they　will　consent　to　enter　into　a　league　with　me。〃　Such　are　the　orders　which　I　have　received；　and　which　I　must　needs　obey；　unless　there　be　a　hindrance　on　your　part。　And　now　I　say　unto　you；…　why　are　ye　so　mad　as　to　levy　war　against　the　king；　whom　ye　cannot　possibly　overcome；　or　even　resist　for　ever？　Ye　have　seen　the　multitude　and　the　bravery　of　the　host　of　Xerxes；　ye　know　also　how　large　a　power　remains　with　me　in　your　land；　suppose　then　ye　should　get　the　better　of　us；　and　defeat　this　army…　a　thing　whereof　ye　will　not；　if　ye　be　wise；　entertain　the　least　hope…　what　follows　even　then　but　a　contest　with　a　still　greater　force？　Do　not；　because　you　would　fain　match　yourselves　with　the　king；　consent　to　lose　your　country　and　live　in　constant　danger　of　your　lives。　Rather　agree　to　make　peace；　which　ye　can　now　do　without　any　tarnish　to　your　honour；　since　the　king　invites　you　to　it。　Continue　free；　and　make　an　alliance　with　us；　without　fraud　or　deceit。'　　　　　（SS　2。）　〃These　are　the　words；　O　Athenians！　which　Mardonius　had　bid　me　speak　to　you。　For　my　own　part；　I　will　say　nothing　of　the　good　will　I　bear　your　nation；　since　ye　have　not　now　for　the　first　time　to　become　acquainted　with　it。　But　I　will　add　my　intreaties　also；　and　beseech　you　to　give　ear　to　Mardonius；　for　I　see　clearly　that　it　is　impossible　for　you　to　go　on　for　ever　contending　against　Xerxes。　If　that　had　appeared　to　me　possible；　I　would　not　now　have　come　hither　the　bearer　of　such　a　message。　But　the　king's　power　surpasses　that　of　man；　and　his　arm　reaches　far。　If　then　ye　do　not　hasten　to　conclude　a　peace；　when　such　fair　terms　are　offered　you；　I　tremble　to　think　of　what　you　will　have　to　endure…　you；　who　of　all　the　allies　lie　most　directly　in　the　path　of　danger；　whose　land　will　always　be　the　chief　battleground　of　the　contending　powers；　and　who　will　therefore　constantly　have　to　suffer　alone。　Hearken　then；　I　pray　you；　to　Mardonius！　Surely　it　is　no　small　matter　that　the　Great　King　chooses　you　out　from　all　the　rest　of　the　Greeks；　to　offer　you　forgiveness　of　the　wrongs　you　have　done　him；　and　to　propose　himself　as　your　friend　and　ally！〃　　　　　Such　were　the　words　of　Alexander。　Now　the　Lacedaemonians；　when　tidings　reached　them　that　Alexander　was　gone　to　Athens　to　bring　about　a　league　between　the　Athenians　and　the　barbarians；　and　when　at　the　same　time　they　called　to　mind　the　prophecies　which　declared　that　the　Dorian　race　should　one　day　be　driven　from　the　Peloponnese　by　the　Medes　and　the　Athenians；　were　exceedingly　afraid　lest　the　Athenians　might　consent　to　the　alliance　with　Persia。　They　therefore　lost　no　time　in　sending　envoys　to　Athens；　and　it　so　happened　that　these　envoys　were　given　their　audience　at　the　same　time　with　Alexander：　for　the　Athenians　had　waited　and　made　delays；　because　they　felt　sure　that　the　Lacedaemonians　would　hear　that　an　ambassador　was　come　to　them　from　the　Persians；　and　as　soon　as　they　heard　it　would　with　all　speed　send　an　embassy。　They　contrived　matters　therefore　of　set　purpose；　so　that　the　Lacedaemonians　might　hear　them　deliver　their　sentiments　on　the　occasion。　　　　　As　soon　as　Alexander　had　finished　speaking；　the　ambassadors　from　Sparta　took　the　word　and　said；…　　　　　〃We　are　sent　here　by　the　Lacedaemonians　to　entreat　of　you　that　ye　will　not　do　a　new　thing　in　Greece；　nor　agree　to　the　terms　which　are　offered　you　by　the　barbarian。　Such　conduct　on　the　part　of　any　of　the　Greeks　were　alike　unjust　and　dishonourable；　but　in　you　'twould　be　worse　than　in　others；　for　divers　reasons。　'Twas　by　you　that　this　war　was　kindled　at　the　first　among　us…　our　wishes　were　in　no　way　considered；　the　contest　began　by　your　seeking　to　extend　your　empire…　now　the　fate　of　Greece　is　involved　in　it。　Besides　it　was　surely　an　intolerable　thing　that　the　Athenians；　who　have　always　hitherto　been　known　as　a　nation　to　which　many　men　owed　their　freedom；　should　now　become　the　means　of　bringing　all　other　Greeks　into　slavery。　We　feel；　however；　for　the　heavy　calamities　which　press　on　you…　the　loss　of　your　harvest　these　two　years；　and　the　ruin　in　which　your　homes　have　lain　for　so　long　a　time。　We　offer　you；　therefore；　on　the　part　of　the　Lacedaemonians　and　the　allies；　sustenance　for　your　women　and　for　the　unwarlike　portion　of　your　households；　so　long　as　the　war　endures。　Be　ye　not　seduced　by　Alexander　the　Macedonian；　who　softens　down　the　rough　words　of　Mardonius。　He　does　as　is　natural　for　him　to　do…　a　tyrant　himself；　he　helps　forward　a　tyrant's　cause。　But　ye；　Athenians；　should　do　differently；　at　least　if　ye　be　truly　wise；　for　ye　should　know　that　with　barbarians　there　is　neither　faith　nor　truth。〃　　　　　Thus　spake　the　envoys。　After　which　the　Athenians　returned　this　answer　to　Alexander：…　　　　　〃We　know；　as　well　as　thou　dost；　that　the　power　of　the　Mede　is　many　times　greater　than　our　own：　we　did　not　need　to　have　that　cast　in　our　teeth。　Nevertheless　we　cling　so　to　freedom　that　we　shall　offer　what　resistance　we　may。　Seek　not　to　persuade　us　into　making　terms　with　the　barbarian…　say　what　thou　wilt；　thou　wilt　never　gain　our　assent。　Return　rather　at　once；　and　tell　Mardonius　that　our　answer　to　him　is　this：…　'So　long　as　the　sun　keeps　his　present　course；　we　will　never　join　alliance　with　Xerxes。　Nay；　we　shall　oppose　him　unceasingly；　trusting　in　the　aid　of　those　gods　and　heroes　whom　he　has　lightly　esteemed；　whose　houses　and　whose　images　he　has　burnt　with　fire。'　come　not　thou　again　to　us　with　words　like　these；　nor；　thinking　to　do　us　a　service；　persuade　us　to　unholy　actions。　Thou　art　the　guest　and　friend　of　our　nation…　we　would　not　that　thou　shouldst　receive　hurt　at　our　hands。〃　　　　　Such　was　the　answer　which　the　Athenians　gave　to　Alexander。　To　the　Spartan　envoys　they　said：…　　　　　〃'Twas　natural　no　doubt　that　the　Lacedaemonians　should　be　afraid　we　might　make　terms　with　the　barbarian；　but　nevertheless　It　was　a　base　fear　in　men　who　knew　so　well　of　what　temper　and　spirit　we　are。　Not　all　the　gold　that　the　whole　earth　contains…　not　the　fairest　and　most　fertile　of　all　lands…　would　bribe　us　to　take　part　with　the　Medes　and　help　them　to　enslave　our　countrymen。　Even　could　we　anyhow　have　brought　ourselves　to　such　a　thing；　there　are　many　very　powerful　motives　which　would　now　make　it　impossible。　The　first　and　chief　of　these　is　the　burning　and　destruction　of　our　temples　and　the　images　of　our　gods；　which　forces　us　to　make　no　terms　with　their　destroyer；　but　rather　to　pursue　him　with　our　resentment　to　the　uttermost。　Again；　there　is　our　common　brotherhood　with　the　Greeks：　our　common　language；　the　altars　and　the　sacrifices　of　which　we　all　partake；　the　common　character　which　we　bear…　did　the　Athenians　betray　all　these；　of　a　truth　it　would　not　be　well。　Know　then　now；　if　ye　have　not　known　it　before；　that　while　one　Athenian　remains　alive；　we　will　never　join　alliance　with　Xerxes。　We　thank　you；　however；　for　your　forethought　on　our　behalf；　and　for　your　wish　to　give　our　families　sustenance；　now　that　ruin　has　fallen　on　us…　the　kindness　is　complete　on　your　part；　but　for　ourselves；　we　will　endure　as　we　may；　and　not　be　burdensome　to　you。　Such　then　is　our　resolve。　Be　it　your　care　with　all　speed　to　lead　out　your　troops；　for　if　we　surmise　aright；　the　barbarian　will　not　wait　long　ere　he　invade　our　territory；　but　will　set　out　so　soon　as　he　learns　our　answer　to　be；　that　we　will　do　none　of　those　things　which　he　requires　of　us。　Now　then　is　the　time　for　us；　before　he　enters　Attica；　to　go　forth　ourselves　into　Boeotia；　and　give　him　battle。〃　　　　　When　the　Athenians　had　thus　spoken；　the　ambassadors　from　Sparta　departed；　and　returned　back　to　their　own　country。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　The　Ninth　Book；　Entitled　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　CALLIOPE

　　　　Mardonius；　when　Alexander　upon　his　return　made　known　to　him　the　answer　of　the　Athenians；　forthwith