the history-第116节

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here　is　no　man　but　thou　who　has　either　desired　to　entertain　my　army；　or　come　forward　of　his　own　free　will　to　offer　me　a　sum　of　money　for　the　war。　Thou　hast　done　both　the　one　and　the　other；　feasting　my　troops　magnificently；　and　now　making　offer　of　a　right　noble　sum。　In　return；　this　is　what　I　will　bestow　on　thee。　Thou　shalt　be　my　sworn　friend　from　this　day；　and　the　seven　thousand　staters　which　are　wanting　to　make　up　thy　four　millions　I　will　supply；　so　that　the　full　tale　may　be　no　longer　lacking；　and　that　thou　mayest　owe　the　completion　of　the　round　sum　to　me。　Continue　to　enjoy　all　that　thou　hast　acquired　hitherto；　and　be　sure　to　remain　ever　such　as　thou　now　art。　If　thou　dost；　thou　wilt　not　repent　of　it　so　long　as　thy　life　endures。〃　　　　　When　Xerxes　had　so　spoken　and　had　made　good　his　promises　to　Pythius；　he　pressed　forward　upon　his　march；　and　passing　Anaua；　a　Phrygian　city；　and　a　lake　from　which　salt　is　gathered；　he　came　to　Colossae；　a　Phrygian　city　of　great　size；　situated　at　a　spot　where　the　river　Lycus　plunges　into　a　chasm　and　disappears。　This　river；　after　running　under　ground　a　distance　of　about　five　furlongs；　reappears　once　more；　and　empties　itself；　like　the　stream　above　mentioned；　into　the　Maeander。　Leaving　Colossae；　the　army　approached　the　borders　of　Phrygia　where　it　abuts　on　Lydia；　and　here　they　came　to　a　city　called　Cydrara；　where　was　a　pillar　set　up　by　Croesus；　having　an　inscription　on　it；　showing　the　boundaries　of　the　two　countries。　　　　　Where　it　quits　Phrygia　and　enters　Lydia　the　road　separates；　the　way　on　the　left　leads　into　Caria；　while　that　on　the　right　conducts　to　Sardis。　If　you　follow　this　route；　you　must　cross　the　Maeander；　and　then　pass　by　the　city　Callatebus；　where　the　men　live　who　make　honey　out　of　wheat　and　the　fruit　of　the　tamarisk。　Xerxes；　who　chose　this　way；　found　here　a　plane…tree　so　beautiful；　that　he　presented　it　with　golden　ornaments；　and　put　it　under　the　care　of　one　of　his　Immortals。　The　day　after；　he　entered　the　Lydian　capital。　　　　　Here　his　first　care　was　to　send　off　heralds　into　Greece；　who　were　to　prefer　a　demand　for　earth　and　water；　and　to　require　that　preparations　should　be　made　everywhere　to　feast　the　king。　To　Athens　indeed　and　to　Sparta　he　sent　no　such　demand；　but　these　cities　excepted；　his　messengers　went　everywhere。　Now　the　reason　why　he　sent　for　earth　and　water　to　states　which　had　already　refused　was　this：　he　thought　that　although　they　had　refused　when　Darius　made　the　demand；　they　would　now　be　too　frightened　to　venture　to　say　him　nay。　So　he　sent　his　heralds；　wishing　to　know　for　certain　how　it　would　be。　　　　　Xerxes；　after　this；　made　preparations　to　advance　to　Abydos；　where　the　bridge　across　the　Hellespont　from　Asia　to　Europe　was　lately　finished。　Midway　between　Sestos　and　Madytus　in　the　Hellespontine　Chersonese；　and　right　over　against　Abydos；　there　is　a　rocky　tongue　of　land　which　runs　out　for　some　distance　into　the　sea。　This　is　the　place　where　no　long　time　afterwards　the　Greeks　under　Xanthippus；　the　son　of　Ariphron；　took　Artayctes　the　Persian；　who　was　at　that　time　governor　of　Sestos；　and　nailed　him　living　to　a　plank。　He　was　the　Artayctes　who　brought　women　into　the　temple　of　Protesilaus　at　Elaeus；　and　there　was　guilty　of　most　unholy　deeds。　　　　　Towards　this　tongue　of　land　then；　the　men　to　whom　the　business　was　assigned　carried　out　a　double　bridge　from　Abydos；　and　while　the　Phoenicians　constructed　one　line　with　cables　of　white　flax；　the　Egyptians　in　the　other　used　ropes　made　of　papyrus。　Now　it　is　seven　furlongs　across　from　Abydos　to　the　opposite　coast。　When；　therefore；　the　channel　had　been　bridged　successfully；　it　happened　that　a　great　storm　arising　broke　the　whole　work　to　pieces；　and　destroyed　all　that　had　been　done。　　　　　So　when　Xerxes　heard　of　it　he　was　full　of　wrath；　and　straightway　gave　orders　that　the　Hellespont　should　receive　three　hundred　lashes；　and　that　a　pair　of　fetters　should　be　cast　into　it。　Nay；　I　have　even　heard　it　said　that　he　bade　the　branders　take　their　irons　and　therewith　brand　the　Hellespont。　It　is　certain　that　he　commanded　those　who　scourged　the　waters　to　utter；　as　they　lashed　them；　these　barbarian　and　wicked　words：　〃Thou　bitter　water；　thy　lord　lays　on　thee　this　punishment　because　thou　hast　wronged　him　without　a　cause；　having　suffered　no　evil　at　his　hands。　Verily　King　Xerxes　will　cross　thee；　whether　thou　wilt　or　no。　Well　dost　thou　deserve　that　no　man　should　honour　thee　with　sacrifice；　for　thou　art　of　a　truth　a　treacherous　and　unsavoury　river。〃　While　the　sea　was　thus　punished　by　his　orders；　he　likewise　commanded　that　the　overseers　of　the　work　should　lose　their　heads。　　　　　Then　they；　whose　business　it　was；　executed　the　unpleasing　task　laid　upon　them；　and　other　master…builders　were　set　over　the　work；　who　accomplished　it　in　the　way　which　I　will　now　describe。　　　　　They　joined　together　triremes　and　penteconters；　360　to　support　the　bridge　on　the　side　of　the　Euxine　Sea；　and　314　to　sustain　the　other；　and　these　they　placed　at　right　angles　to　the　sea；　and　in　the　direction　of　the　current　of　the　Hellespont；　relieving　by　these　means　the　tension　of　the　shore　cables。　Having　joined　the　vessels；　they　moored　them　with　anchors　of　unusual　size；　that　the　vessels　of　the　bridge　towards　the　Euxine　might　resist　the　winds　which　blow　from　within　the　straits；　and　that　those　of　the　more　western　bridge　facing　the　Egean　might　withstand　the　winds　which　set　in　from　the　south　and　from　the　south…east。　A　gap　was　left　in　the　penteconters　in　no　fewer　than　three　places；　to　afford　a　passage　for　such　light　craft　as　chose　to　enter　or　leave　the　Euxine。　When　all　this　was　done；　they　made　the　cables　taut　from　the　shore　by　the　help　of　wooden　capstans。　This　time；　moreover；　instead　of　using　the　two　materials　separately；　they　assigned　to　each　bridge　six　cables；　two　of　which　were　of　white　flax；　while　four　were　of　papyrus。　Both　cables　were　of　the　same　size　and　quality；　but　the　flaxen　were　the　heavier；　weighing　not　less　than　a　talent　the　cubit。　When　the　bridge　across　the　channel　was　thus　complete；　trunks　of　trees　were　sawn　into　planks；　which　were　out　to　the　width　of　the　bridge；　and　these　were　laid　side　by　side　upon　the　tightened　cables；　and　then　fastened　on　the　top。　This　done；　brushwood　was　brought；　and　arranged　upon　the　planks；　after　which　earth　was　heaped　upon　the　brushwood；　and　the　whole　trodden　down　into　a　solid　mass。　Lastly　a　bulwark　was　set　up　on　either　side　of　this　causeway；　of　such　a　height　as　to　prevent　the　sumpter…beasts　and　the　horses　from　seeing　over　it　and　taking　fright　at　the　water。　　　　　And　now　when　all　was　prepared…　the　bridges；　and　the　works　at　Athos；　the　breakwaters　about　the　mouths　of　the　cutting；　which　were　made　to　hinder　the　surf　from　blocking　up　the　entrances；　and　the　cutting　itself；　and　when　the　news　came　to　Xerxes　that　this　last　was　completely　finished…　then　at　length　the　host；　having　first　wintered　at　Sardis；　began　its　march　towards　Abydos；　fully　equipped；　on　the　first　approach　of　spring。　At　the　moment　of　departure；　the　sun　suddenly　quitted　his　seat　in　the　heavens；　and　disappeared；　though　there　were　no　clouds　in　sight；　but　the　sky　was　clear　and　serene。　Day　was　thus　turned　into　night；　whereupon　Xerxes；　who　saw　and　remarked　the　prodigy；　was　seized　with　alarm；　and　sending　at　once　for　the　Magians；　inquired　of　them　the　meaning　of　the　portent。　They　replied…　〃God　is　foreshowing　to　the　Greeks　the　destruction　of　their　cities；　for　the　sun　foretells　for　them；　and　the　moon　for　us。〃　So　Xerxes；　thus　instructed；　proceeded　on　his　way　with　great　gladness　of　heart。　　　　　The　army　had　begun　its　march；　when　Pythius　the　Lydian；　affrighted　at　the　heavenly　portent；　and　emboldened　by　his　gifts；　came　to　Xerxes　and　said…　〃Grant　me；　O　my　lord！　a　favour　which　is　to　thee　a　light　matter；　but　to　me　of　vast　account。〃　Then　Xerxes'　who　looked　for　nothing　less　than　such　a　prayer　as　Pythius　in　fact　preferred；　engaged　to　grant　him　whatever　he　wished；　and　commanded　him　to　tell　his　wish　freely。　So　Pythius；　full　of　boldness；　went　on　to　say：…　　　　　〃O　my　lord！　thy　servant　has　five　sons；　and　it　chances　that　all　are　called　upon　to　join　thee　in　this　march　against　Greece。　I　beseech　thee；　have　compassion　upon　my　years；　and　let　one　of　my　sons；　the　eldest；　remain　behind；　to　be　my　prop　and　stay；　and　the　guardian　of　my　wealth。　Take　with　thee　the　other　four；　and　when　thou　hast　done　all　that　is　in　thy　heart；　mayest　thou　come　back　in　safety。〃　　　　　But　Xerxes　was　greatly　angered；　and　replied　to　him：　〃Thou　wretch！　darest　thou　speak　to　me　of　thy　son；　when　I　am　myself　on　the　march　against　Greece；　with　sons；　and　brothers；　and　kinsfolk；　and　friends？　Thou；　who　art　my　bond…slave；　and　art　in　duty　bound　to　follow　me　with　all　thy　household；　not　excepting　thy　wife！　Know　that　man's　spirit　dwelleth　in　his　ears；　and　when　it　hears　good　things；　straightway　it　fills　all　his　body　with　delight；　but　no　sooner　does　it　hear　the　contrary　than　it　heaves　and　swells　with　passion。　As　when　thou　didst　good　deeds　and　madest　good　offers　to　me；　thou　wert　not　able　to　boast　of　having　outdone　the　king　in　bountifulness；　so　now　when　thou　art　changed　and　grown　impudent；　thou　shalt　not　receive　all　thy　deserts；　but　less。　For　thyself　and　four　of　thy　five　sons；　the　entertainment　which　I　had　of　thee　shall　gain　protection；　but　as　for　him　to　whom　thou　clingest　above　the　rest；　the　forfeit　of　his　life　shall　be　thy　punishment。〃