the history-第11节

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man　coming；　but　under　the　pressure　of　his　affliction；　did　not　care　to　avoid　the　blow；　not　minding　whether　or　no　he　died　beneath　the　stroke。　Then　this　son　of　his；　who　was　voiceless；　beholding　the　Persian　as　he　rushed　towards　Croesus；　in　the　agony　of　his　fear　and　grief　burst　into　speech；　and　said；　〃Man；　do　not　kill　Croesus。〃　This　was　the　first　time　that　he　had　ever　spoken　a　word；　but　afterwards　he　retained　the　power　of　speech　for　the　remainder　of　his　life。　　　　　Thus　was　Sardis　taken　by　the　Persians；　and　Croesus　himself　fell　into　their　hands；　after　having　reigned　fourteen　years；　and　been　besieged　in　his　capital　fourteen　days；　thus　too　did　Croesus　fulfill　the　oracle；　which　said　that　he　should　destroy　a　mighty　empire　by　destroying　his　own。　Then　the　Persians　who　had　made　Croesus　prisoner　brought　him　before　Cyrus。　Now　a　vast　pile　had　been　raised　by　his　orders；　and　Croesus；　laden　with　fetters；　was　placed　upon　it；　and　with　him　twice　seven　of　the　sons　of　the　Lydians。　I　know　not　whether　Cyrus　was　minded　to　make　an　offering　of　the　to　some　god　or　other；　or　whether　he　had　vowed　a　vow　and　was　performing　it；　or　whether；　as　may　well　be；　he　had　heard　that　Croesus　was　a　holy　man；　and　so　wished　to　see　if　any　of　the　heavenly　powers　would　appear　to　save　him　from　being　burnt　alive。　However　it　might　be；　Cyrus　was　thus　engaged；　and　Croesus　was　already　on　the　pile；　when　it　entered　his　mind　in　the　depth　of　his　woe　that　there　was　a　divine　warning　in　the　words　which　had　come　to　him　from　the　lips　of　Solon；　〃No　one　while　he　lives　is　happy。〃　When　this　thought　smote　him　he　fetched　a　long　breath；　and　breaking　his　deep　silence；　groaned　out　aloud；　thrice　uttering　the　name　of　Solon。　Cyrus　caught　the　sounds；　and　bade　the　interpreters　inquire　of　Croesus　who　it　was　he　called　on。　They　drew　near　and　asked　him；　but　he　held　his　peace；　and　for　a　long　time　made　no　answer　to　their　questionings；　until　at　length；　forced　to　say　something；　he　exclaimed；　〃One　I　would　give　much　to　see　converse　with　every　monarch。〃　Not　knowing　what　he　meant　by　this　reply；　the　interpreters　begged　him　to　explain　himself；　and　as　they　pressed　for　an　answer；　and　grew　to　be　troublesome；　he　told　them　how；　a　long　time　before；　Solon；　an　Athenian；　had　come　and　seen　all　his　splendour；　and　made　light　of　it；　and　how　whatever　he　had　said　to　him　had　fallen　out　exactly　as　he　foreshowed；　although　it　was　nothing　that　especially　concerned　him；　but　applied　to　all　mankind　alike；　and　most　to　those　who　seemed　to　themselves　happy。　Meanwhile；　as　he　thus　spoke；　the　pile　was　lighted；　and　the　outer　portion　began　to　blaze。　Then　Cyrus；　hearing　from　the　interpreters　what　Croesus　had　said；　relented；　bethinking　himself　that　he　too　was　a　man；　and　that　it　was　a　fellow…man；　and　one　who　had　once　been　as　blessed　by　fortune　as　himself；　that　he　was　burning　alive；　afraid；　moreover；　of　retribution；　and　full　of　the　thought　that　whatever　is　human　is　insecure。　So　he　bade　them　quench　the　blazing　fire　as　quickly　as　they　could；　and　take　down　Croesus　and　the　other　Lydians；　which　they　tried　to　do；　but　the　flames　were　not　to　be　mastered。　　　　　Then；　the　Lydians　say　that　Croesus；　perceiving　by　the　efforts　made　to　quench　the　fire　that　Cyrus　had　relented；　and　seeing　also　that　all　was　in　vain；　and　that　the　men　could　not　get　the　fire　under；　called　with　a　loud　voice　upon　the　god　Apollo；　and　prayed　him；　if　he　ever　received　at　his　hands　any　acceptable　gift；　to　come　to　his　aid；　and　deliver　him　from　his　present　danger。　As　thus　with　tears　he　besought　the　god；　suddenly；　though　up　to　that　time　the　sky　had　been　clear　and　the　day　without　a　breath　of　wind；　dark　clouds　gathered；　and　the　storm　burst　over　their　heads　with　rain　of　such　violence；　that　the　flames　were　speedily　extinguished。　Cyrus；　convinced　by　this　that　Croesus　was　a　good　man　and　a　favourite　of　heaven；　asked　him　after　he　was　taken　off　the　pile；　〃Who　it　was　that　had　persuaded　him　to　lead　an　army　into　his　country；　and　so　become　his　foe　rather　than　continue　his　friend？〃　to　which　Croesus　made　answer　as　follows：　〃What　I　did；　oh！　king；　was　to　thy　advantage　and　to　my　own　loss。　If　there　be　blame；　it　rests　with　the　god　of　the　Greeks；　who　encouraged　me　to　begin　the　war。　No　one　is　so　foolish　as　to　prefer　war　to　peace；　in　which；　instead　of　sons　burying　their　fathers；　fathers　bury　their　sons。　But　the　gods　willed　it　so。〃　　　　　Thus　did　Croesus　speak。　Cyrus　then　ordered　his　fetters　to　be　taken　off；　and　made　him　sit　down　near　himself；　and　paid　him　much　respect；　looking　upon　him；　as　did　also　the　courtiers；　with　a　sort　of　wonder。　Croesus；　wrapped　in　thought；　uttered　no　word。　After　a　while；　happening　to　turn　and　perceive　the　Persian　soldiers　engaged　in　plundering　the　town；　he　said　to　Cyrus；　〃May　I　now　tell　thee；　oh！　king；　what　I　have　in　my　mind；　or　is　silence　best？〃　Cyrus　bade　him　speak　his　mind　boldly。　Then　he　put　this　question：　〃What　is　it；　oh！　Cyrus；　which　those　men　yonder　are　doing　so　busily？〃　〃Plundering　thy　city；〃　Cyrus　answered；　〃and　carrying　off　thy　riches。〃　〃Not　my　city；〃　rejoined　the　other；　〃nor　my　riches。　They　are　not　mine　any　more。　It　is　thy　wealth　which　they　are　pillaging。〃　　　　　Cyrus；　struck　by　what　Croesus　had　said；　bade　all　the　court　to　withdraw；　and　then　asked　Croesus　what　he　thought　it　best　for　him　to　do　as　regarded　the　plundering。　Croesus　answered；　〃Now　that　the　gods　have　made　me　thy　slave；　oh！　Cyrus；　it　seems　to　me　that　it　is　my　part；　if　I　see　anything　to　thy　advantage；　to　show　it　to　thee。　Thy　subjects；　the　Persians；　are　a　poor　people　with　a　proud　spirit。　If　then　thou　lettest　them　pillage　and　possess　themselves　of　great　wealth；　I　will　tell　thee　what　thou　hast　to　expect　at　their　hands。　The　man　who　gets　the　most；　look　to　having　him　rebel　against　thee。　Now　then；　if　my　words　please　thee；　do　thus；　oh！　king：…　Let　some　of　thy　bodyguards　be　placed　as　sentinels　at　each　of　the　city　gates；　and　let　them　take　their　booty　from　the　soldiers　as　they　leave　the　town；　and　tell　them　that　they　do　so　because　the　tenths　are　due　to　Jupiter。　So　wilt　thou　escape　the　hatred　they　would　feel　if　the　plunder　were　taken　away　from　them　by　force；　and　they；　seeing　that　what　is　proposed　is　just；　will　do　it　willingly。〃　　　　　Cyrus　was　beyond　measure　pleased　with　this　advice；　so　excellent　did　it　seem　to　him。　He　praised　Croesus　highly；　and　gave　orders　to　his　bodyguard　to　do　as　he　had　suggested。　Then；　turning　to　Croesus；　he　said；　〃Oh！　Croesus；　I　see　that　thou　are　resolved　both　in　speech　and　act　to　show　thyself　a　virtuous　prince：　ask　me；　therefore；　whatever　thou　wilt　as　a　gift　at　this　moment。〃　Croesus　replied；　〃Oh！　my　lord；　if　thou　wilt　suffer　me　to　send　these　fetters　to　the　god　of　the　Greeks；　whom　I　once　honoured　above　all　other　gods；　and　ask　him　if　it　is　his　wont　to　deceive　his　benefactors…　that　will　be　the　highest　favour　thou　canst　confer　on　me。〃　Cyrus　upon　this　inquired　what　charge　he　had　to　make　against　the　god。　Then　Croesus　gave　him　a　full　account　of　all　his　projects；　and　of　the　answers　of　the　oracle；　and　of　the　offerings　which　he　had　sent；　on　which　he　dwelt　especially；　and　told　him　how　it　was　the　encouragement　given　him　by　the　oracle　which　had　led　him　to　make　war　upon　Persia。　All　this　he　related；　and　at　the　end　again　besought　permission　to　reproach　the　god　with　his　behaviour。　Cyrus　answered　with　a　laugh；　〃This　I　readily　grant　thee；　and　whatever　else　thou　shalt　at　any　time　ask　at　my　hands。〃　Croesus；　finding　his　request　allowed；　sent　certain　Lydians　to　Delphi；　enjoining　them　to　lay　his　fetters　upon　the　threshold　of　the　temple；　and　ask　the　god；　〃If　he　were　not　ashamed　of　having　encouraged　him；　as　the　destined　destroyer　of　the　empire　of　Cyrus；　to　begin　a　war　with　Persia；　of　which　such　were　the　first…fruits？〃　As　they　said　this　they　were　to　point　to　the　fetters…　and　further　they　were　to　inquire；　〃If　it　was　the　wont　of　the　Greek　gods　to　be　ungrateful？〃　　　　　The　Lydians　went　to　Delphi　and　delivered　their　message；　on　which　the　Pythoness　is　said　to　have　replied…　〃It　is　not　possible　even　for　a　god　to　escape　the　decree　of　destiny。　Croesus　has　been　punished　for　the　sin　of　his　fifth　ancestor；　who；　when　he　was　one　of　the　bodyguard　of　the　Heraclides；　joined　in　a　woman's　fraud；　and；　slaying　his　master；　wrongfully　seized　the　throne。　Apollo　was　anxious　that　the　fall　of　Sardis　should　not　happen　in　the　lifetime　of　Croesus；　but　be　delayed　to　his　son's　days；　he　could　not；　however；　persuade　the　Fates。　All　that　they　were　willing　to　allow　he　took　and　gave　to　Croesus。　Let　Croesus　know　that　Apollo　delayed　the　taking　of　Sardis　three　full　years；　and　that　he　is　thus　a　prisoner　three　years　later　than　was　his　destiny。　Moreover　it　was　Apollo　who　saved　him　from　the　burning　pile。　Nor　has　Croesus　any　right　to　complain　with　respect　to　the　oracular　answer　which　he　received。　For　when　the　god　told　him　that；　if　he　attacked　the　Persians；　he　would　destroy　a　mighty　empire；　he　ought；　if　he　had　been　wise；　to　have　sent　again　and　inquired　which　empire　was　meant；　that　of　Cyrus　or　his　own；　but　if　he　neither　understood　what　was　said；　nor　took　the　trouble　to　seek　for　enlightenment；　he　has　only　himself　to　blame　for　the　result。　Besides；　he　had　misunderstood　the　last　answer　which　had　been　given　him　about　the　mule。　Cyrus　was　that　mule。　For　the　parents　of　Cyrus　were　of　different　races；　and　of　different　conditions…　his　mother　a　Median　princess；　daughter　of　King　Astyages；　and　his　father　a　Persian　and　a　subject；　w