the history-第132节

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！


nd　the　rest　of　the　fleet。　There　was　no　cause　why　they　should　fear；　for　after　all　the　invader　was　not　a　god　but　a　man；　and　there　never　had　been；　and　never　would　be；　a　man　who　was　not　liable　to　misfortunes　from　the　very　day　of　his　birth；　and　those　misfortunes　greater　in　proportion　to　his　own　greatness。　The　assailant　therefore；　being　only　a　mortal；　must　needs　fall　from　his　glory。〃　Thus　urged；　the　Locrians　and　the　Phocians　had　come　with　their　troops　to　Trachis。　　　　　The　various　nations　had　each　captains　of　their　own　under　whom　they　served；　but　the　one　to　whom　all　especially　looked　up；　and　who　had　the　command　of　the　entire　force；　was　the　Lacedaemonian；　Leonidas。　Now　Leonidas　was　the　son　of　Anaxandridas；　who　was　the　son　of　Leo；　who　was　the　son　of　Eurycratidas；　who　was　the　son　of　Anaxander；　who　was　the　son　of　Eurycrates；　who　was　the　son　of　Polydorus；　who　was　the　son　of　Alcamenes；　who　was　the　son　of　Telecles；　who　was　the　son　of　Archelaus；　who　was　the　son　of　Agesilaus；　who　was　the　son　of　Doryssus；　who　was　the　son　of　Labotas；　who　was　the　son　of　Echestratus；　who　was　the　son　of　Agis；　who　was　the　son　of　Eurysthenes；　who　was　the　son　of　Aristodemus；　who　was　the　son　of　Aristomachus；　who　was　the　son　of　Cleodaeus；　who　was　the　son　of　Hyllus；　who　was　the　son　of　Hercules。　　　　　Leonidas　had　come　to　be　king　of　Sparta　quite　unexpectedly。　　　　　Having　two　elder　brothers；　Cleomenes　and　Dorieus；　he　had　no　thought　of　ever　mounting　the　throne。　However；　when　Cleomenes　died　without　male　offspring；　as　Dorieus　was　likewise　deceased；　having　perished　in　Sicily；　the　crown　fell　to　Leonidas；　who　was　older　than　Cleombrotus；　the　youngest　of　the　sons　of　Anaxandridas；　and；　moreover；　was　married　to　the　daughter　of　Cleomenes。　He　had　now　come　to　Thermopylae；　accompanied　by　the　three　hundred　men　which　the　law　assigned　him；　whom　he　had　himself　chosen　from　among　the　citizens；　and　who　were　all　of　them　fathers　with　sons　living。　On　his　way　he　had　taken　the　troops　from　Thebes；　whose　number　I　have　already　mentioned；　and　who　were　under　the　command　of　Leontiades　the　son　of　Eurymachus。　The　reason　why　he　made　a　point　of　taking　troops　from　Thebes；　and　Thebes　only；　was　that　the　Thebans　were　strongly　suspected　of　being　well　inclined　to　the　Medes。　Leonidas　therefore　called　on　them　to　come　with　him　to　the　war；　wishing　to　see　whether　they　would　comply　with　his　demand；　or　openly　refuse；　and　disclaim　the　Greek　alliance。　They；　however；　though　their　wishes　leant　the　other　way；　nevertheless　sent　the　men。　　　　　The　force　with　Leonidas　was　sent　forward　by　the　Spartans　in　advance　of　their　main　body；　that　the　sight　of　them　might　encourage　the　allies　to　fight；　and　hinder　them　from　going　over　to　the　Medes；　as　it　was　likely　they　might　have　done　had　they　seen　that　Sparta　was　backward。　They　intended　presently；　when　they　had　celebrated　the　Carneian　festival；　which　was　what　now　kept　them　at　home；　to　leave　a　garrison　in　Sparta；　and　hasten　in　full　force　to　join　the　army。　The　rest　of　the　allies　also　intended　to　act　similarly；　for　it　happened　that　the　Olympic　festival　fell　exactly　at　this　same　period。　None　of　them　looked　to　see　the　contest　at　Thermopylae　decided　so　speedily；　wherefore　they　were　content　to　send　forward　a　mere　advanced　guard。　Such　accordingly　were　the　intentions　of　the　allies。　　　　　The　Greek　forces　at　Thermopylae；　when　the　Persian　army　drew　near　to　the　entrance　of　the　pass；　were　seized　with　fear；　and　a　council　was　held　to　consider　about　a　retreat。　It　was　the　wish　of　the　Peloponnesians　generally　that　the　army　should　fall　back　upon　the　Peloponnese；　and　there　guard　the　Isthmus。　But　Leonidas；　who　saw　with　what　indignation　the　Phocians　and　Locrians　heard　of　this　plan；　gave　his　voice　for　remaining　where　they　were；　while　they　sent　envoys　to　the　several　cities　to　ask　for　help；　since　they　were　too　few　to　make　a　stand　against　an　army　like　that　of　the　Medes。　　　　　While　this　debate　was　going　on；　Xerxes　sent　a　mounted　spy　to　observe　the　Greeks；　and　note　how　many　they　were；　and　see　what　they　were　doing。　He　had　heard；　before　he　came　out　of　Thessaly；　that　a　few　men　were　assembled　at　this　place；　and　that　at　their　head　were　certain　Lacedaemonians；　under　Leonidas；　a　descendant　of　Hercules。　The　horseman　rode　up　to　the　camp；　and　looked　about　him；　but　did　not　see　the　whole　army；　for　such　as　were　on　the　further　side　of　the　wall　（which　had　been　rebuilt　and　was　now　carefully　guarded）　it　was　not　possible　for　him　to　behold；　but　he　observed　those　on　the　outside；　who　were　encamped　in　front　of　the　rampart。　It　chanced　that　at　this　time　the　Lacedaemonians　held　the　outer　guard；　and　were　seen　by　the　spy；　some　of　them　engaged　in　gymnastic　exercises；　others　combing　their　long　hair。　At　this　the　spy　greatly　marvelled；　but　he　counted　their　number；　and　when　he　had　taken　accurate　note　of　everything；　he　rode　back　quietly；　for　no　one　pursued　after　him；　nor　paid　any　heed　to　his　visit。　So　he　returned；　and　told　Xerxes　all　that　he　had　seen。　　　　　Upon　this；　Xerxes；　who　had　no　means　of　surmising　the　truth…　namely；　that　the　Spartans　were　preparing　to　do　or　die　manfully…　but　thought　it　laughable　that　they　should　be　engaged　in　such　employments；　sent　and　called　to　his　presence　Demaratus　the　son　of　Ariston；　who　still　remained　with　the　army。　When　he　appeared；　Xerxes　told　him　all　that　he　had　heard；　and　questioned　him　concerning　the　news；　since　he　was　anxious　to　understand　the　meaning　of　such　behaviour　on　the　part　of　the　Spartans。　Then　Demaratus　said…　　　　　〃I　spake　to　thee；　O　king！　concerning　these　men　long　since；　when　we　had　but　just　begun　our　march　upon　Greece；　thou；　however；　didst　only　laugh　at　my　words；　when　I　told　thee　of　all　this；　which　I　saw　would　come　to　pass。　Earnestly　do　I　struggle　at　all　times　to　speak　truth　to　thee；　sire；　and　now　listen　to　it　once　more。　These　men　have　come　to　dispute　the　pass　with　us；　and　it　is　for　this　that　they　are　now　making　ready。　'Tis　their　custom；　when　they　are　about　to　hazard　their　lives；　to　adorn　their　heads　with　care。　Be　assured；　however；　that　if　thou　canst　subdue　the　men　who　are　here　and　the　Lacedaemonians　who　remain　in　Sparta；　there　is　no　other　nation　in　all　the　world　which　will　venture　to　lift　a　hand　in　their　defence。　Thou　hast　now　to　deal　with　the　first　kingdom　and　town　in　Greece；　and　with　the　bravest　men。〃　　　　　Then　Xerxes；　to　whom　what　Demaratus　said　seemed　altogether　to　surpass　belief；　asked　further　〃how　it　was　possible　for　so　small　an　army　to　contend　with　his？〃　　　　　〃O　king！〃　Demaratus　answered；　〃let　me　be　treated　as　a　liar；　if　matters　fall　not　out　as　I　say。〃　　　　　But　Xerxes　was　not　persuaded　any　the　more。　Four　whole　days　he　suffered　to　go　by；　expecting　that　the　Greeks　would　run　away。　When；　however；　he　found　on　the　fifth　that　they　were　not　gone；　thinking　that　their　firm　stand　was　mere　impudence　and　recklessness；　he　grew　wroth；　and　sent　against　them　the　Medes　and　Cissians；　with　orders　to　take　them　alive　and　bring　them　into　his　presence。　Then　the　Medes　rushed　forward　and　charged　the　Greeks；　but　fell　in　vast　numbers：　others　however　took　the　places　of　the　slain；　and　would　not　be　beaten　off；　though　they　suffered　terrible　losses。　In　this　way　it　became　clear　to　all；　and　especially　to　the　king；　that　though　he　had　plenty　of　combatants；　he　had　but　very　few　warriors。　The　struggle；　however；　continued　during　the　whole　day。　　　　　Then　the　Medes；　having　met　so　rough　a　reception；　withdrew　from　the　fight；　and　their　place　was　taken　by　the　band　of　Persians　under　Hydarnes；　whom　the　king　called　his　〃Immortals〃：　they；　it　was　thought；　would　soon　finish　the　business。　But　when　they　joined　battle　with　the　Greeks；　'twas　with　no　better　success　than　the　Median　detachment…　things　went　much　as　before…　the　two　armies　fighting　in　a　narrow　space；　and　the　barbarians　using　shorter　spears　than　the　Greeks；　and　having　no　advantage　from　their　numbers。　The　Lacedaemonians　fought　in　a　way　worthy　of　note；　and　showed　themselves　far　more　skilful　in　fight　than　their　adversaries；　often　turning　their　backs；　and　making　as　though　they　were　all　flying　away；　on　which　the　barbarians　would　rush　after　them　with　much　noise　and　shouting；　when　the　Spartans　at　their　approach　would　wheel　round　and　face　their　pursuers；　in　this　way　destroying　vast　numbers　of　the　enemy。　Some　Spartans　likewise　fell　in　these　encounters；　but　only　a　very　few。　At　last　the　Persians；　finding　that　all　their　efforts　to　gain　the　pass　availed　nothing；　and　that；　whether　they　attacked　by　divisions　or　in　any　other　way；　it　was　to　no　purpose；　withdrew　to　their　own　quarters。　　　　　During　these　assaults；　it　is　said　that　Xerxes；　who　was　watching　the　battle；　thrice　leaped　from　the　throne　on　which　he　sate；　in　terror　for　his　army。　　　　　Next　day　the　combat　was　renewed；　but　with　no　better　success　on　the　part　of　the　barbarians。　The　Greeks　were　so　few　that　the　barbarians　hoped　to　find　them　disabled；　by　reason　of　their　wounds；　from　offering　any　further　resistance；　and　so　they　once　more　attacked　them。　But　the　Greeks　were　drawn　up　in　detachments　according　to　their　cities；　and　bore　the　brunt　of　the　battle　in　turns…　all　except　the　Phocians；　who　had　been　stationed　on　the　mountain　to　guard　the　pathway。　So；　when　the　Persians　found　no　difference　between　that　day　and　the　preceding；　they　again　retired　to　their　quarters。　　　　　Now；　as　the　king　was　in　great　strait；　and　knew　not　how　he　should　deal　with　the　emergency；　Ephialtes；　the　son　of　Eurydemus；　a　ma