the history-第155节

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　their　Greek　allies　to　begin　the　battle…　these　Greeks　had　their　own　soothsayer　in　the　person　of　Hippomachus；　a　Leucadian…　and　when　soldiers　continued　to　pour　into　the　opposite　camp　and　the　numbers　on　the　Greek　side　to　increase　continually；　Timagenidas；　the　son　of　Herpys；　a　Theban；　advised　Mardonius　to　keep　a　watch　on　the　passes　of　Cithaeron；　telling　him　how　supplies　of　men　kept　flocking　in　day　after　day；　and　assuring　him　that　he　might　cut　off　large　numbers。　　　　　It　was　eight　days　after　the　two　armies　first　encamped　opposite　to　one　another　when　this　advice　was　given　by　Timagenidas。　Mardonius；　seeing　it　to　be　good；　as　soon　as　evening　came；　sent　his　cavalry　to　that　pass　of　Mount　Cithaeron　which　opens　out　upon　Plataea；　a　pass　called　by　the　Boeotians　the　〃Three　Heads；〃　called　the　〃Oak…Heads〃　by　the　Athenians。　The　horse　sent　on　this　errand　did　not　make　the　movement　in　vain。　They　came　upon　a　body　of　five　hundred　sumpter…beasts　which　were　just　entering　the　plain；　bringing　provisions　to　the　Greek　camp　from　the　Peloponnese；　with　a　number　of　men　driving　them。　Seeing　this　prey　in　their　power；　the　Persians　set　upon　them　and　slaughtered　them；　sparing　none；　neither　man　nor　beast；　till　at　last；　when　they　had　had　enough　of　slaying；　they　secured　such　as　were　left；　and　bore　them　off　to　the　camp　to　Mardonius。　　　　　After　this　they　waited　again　for　two　days　more；　neither　army　wishing　to　begin　the　fight。　The　barbarians　indeed　advanced　as　far　as　the　Asopus；　and　endeavoured　to　tempt　the　Greeks　to　cross；　but　neither　side　actually　passed　the　stream。　Still　the　cavalry　of　Mardonius　harassed　and　annoyed　the　Greeks　incessantly；　for　the　Thebans；　who　were　zealous　in　the　cause　of　the　Medes；　pressed　the　war　forward　with　all　eagerness；　and　often　led　the　charge　till　the　lines　met；　when　the　Medes　and　Persians　took　their　place；　and　displayed；　many　of　them；　uncommon　valour。　　　　　For　ten　days　nothing　was　done　more　than　this；　but　on　the　eleventh　day　from　the　time　when　the　two　hosts　first　took　station；　one　over　against　the　other；　near　Plataea…　the　number　of　the　Greeks　being　now　much　greater　than　it　was　at　the　first；　and　Mardonius　being　impatient　of　the　delay…　there　was　a　conference　held　between　Mardonius；　son　of　Gobryas；　and　Artabazus；　son　of　Pharnaces；　a　man　who　was　esteemed　by　Xerxes　more　than　almost　any　of　the　Persians。　At　this　consultation　the　following　were　the　opinions　delivered：…　Artabazus　thought　it　would　be　best　for　them　to　break　up　from　their　quarters　as　soon　as　possible；　and　withdraw　the　whole　army　to　the　fortified　town　of　Thebes；　where　they　had　abundant　stores　of　corn　for　themselves；　and　of　fodder　for　the　sumpter…beasts。　There；　he　said；　they　had　only　to　sit　quiet；　and　the　war　might　be　brought　to　an　end　on　this　wise：…　Coined　gold　was　plentiful　in　the　camp；　and　uncoined　gold　too；　they　had　silver　moreover　in　great　abundance；　and　drinking…cups。　Let　them　not　spare　to　take　of　these；　and　distribute　them　among　the　Greeks；　especially　among　the　leaders　in　the　several　cities；　'twould　not　be　long　before　the　Greeks　gave　up　their　liberty；　without　risking　another　battle　for　it。　Thus　the　opinion　of　Artabazus　agreed　with　that　of　the　Thebans；　for　he　too　had　more　foresight　than　some。　Mardonius；　on　the　other　hand；　expressed　himself　with　more　fierceness　and　obstinacy；　and　was　utterly　disinclined　to　yield。　〃Their　army；〃　he　said；　〃was　vastly　superior　to　that　of　the　Greeks；　and　they　had　best　engage　at　once；　and　not　wait　till　greater　numbers　were　gathered　against　them。　As　for　Hegesistratus　and　his　victims；　they　should　let　them　pass　unheeded；　not　seeking　to　force　them　to　be　favourable；　but；　according　to　the　old　Persian　custom；　hasting　to　join　battle。〃　　　　　When　Mardonius　had　thus　declared　his　sentiments；　no　one　ventured　to　say　him　nay；　and　accordingly　his　opinion　prevailed；　for　it　was　to　him；　and　not　to　Artabazus；　that　the　king　had　given　the　command　of　the　army。　　　　　Mardonius　now　sent　for　the　captains　of　the　squadrons；　and　the　leaders　of　the　Greeks　in　his　service；　and　questioned　them：…　〃Did　they　know　of　any　prophecy　which　said　that　the　Persians　were　to　be　destroyed　in　Greece？〃　All　were　silent；　some　because　they　did　not　know　the　prophecies；　but　others；　who　knew　them　full　well；　because　they　did　not　think　it　safe　to　speak　out。　So　Mardonius；　when　none　answered；　said；　〃Since　ye　know　of　no　such　oracle；　or　do　not　dare　to　speak　of　it；　I；　who　know　it　well；　will　myself　declare　it　to　you。　There　is　an　oracle　which　says　that　the　Persians　shall　come　into　Greece；　sack　the　temple　at　Delphi；　and　when　they　have　so　done；　perish　one　and　all。　Now　we；　as　we　are　aware　of　the　prediction；　will　neither　go　against　the　temple　　nor　make　any　attempt　to　sack　it：　we　therefore　shall　not　perish　for　this　trespass。　Rejoice　then　thus　far；　all　ye　who　are　well…wishers　to　the　Persians；　and　doubt　not　we　shall　get　the　better　of　the　Greeks。〃　When　he　had　so　spoken；　he　further　ordered　them　to　prepare　themselves；　and　to　put　all　in　readiness　for　a　battle　upon　the　morrow。　　　　　As　for　the　oracle　of　which　Mardonius　spoke；　and　which　he　referred　to　the　Persians；　it　did　not；　I　am　well　assured；　mean　them；　but　the　Illyrians　and　the　Enchelean　host。　There　are；　however；　some　verses　of　Bacis　which　did　speak　of　this　battle：…

　　　　By　Thermodon's　stream；　and　the　grass…clad　hanks　of　Asopus；　　　　　See　where　gather　the　Grecians；　and　hark　to　the　foreigners'　　　　　　　war…shout…　　　　　There　in　death　shall　lie；　ere　fate　or　Lachesis　doomed　him；　　　　　Many　a　bow…bearing　Mede；　when　the　day　of　calamity　cometh。

These　verses；　and　some　others　like　them　which　Musaeus　wrote；　referred；　I　well　know；　to　the　Persians。　The　river　Thermodon　flows　between　Tanagra　and　Glisas。　　　　　After　Mardonius　had　put　his　question　about　the　prophecies；　and　spoken　the　above　words　of　encouragement；　night　drew　on　apace；　and　on　both　sides　the　watches　were　set。　As　soon　then　as　there　was　silence　throughout　the　camp；…　the　night　being　now　well　advanced；　and　the　men　seeming　to　be　in　their　deepest　sleep；…　Alexander；　the　son　of　Amyntas；　king　and　leader　of　the　Macedonians；　rode　up　on　horseback　to　the　Athenian　outposts；　and　desired　to　speak　with　the　generals。　Hereupon；　while　the　greater　part　continued　on　guard；　some　of　the　watch　ran　to　the　chiefs；　and　told　them；　〃There　had　come　a　horseman　from　the　Median　camp　who　would　not　say　a　word；　except　that　he　wished　to　speak　with　the　generals；　of　whom　he　mentioned　the　names。〃　　　　　They　at　once；　hearing　this；　made　haste　to　the　outpost；　where　they　found　Alexander；　who　addressed　them　as　follows：…　　　　　〃Men　of　Athens；　that　which　I　am　about　to　say　I　trust　to　your　honour；　and　I　charge　you　to　keep　it　secret　from　all　excepting　Pausanias；　if　you　would　not　bring　me　to　destruction。　Had　I　not　greatly　at　heart　the　common　welfare　of　Greece；　I　should　not　have　come　to　tell　you；　but　I　am　myself　a　Greek　by　descent；　and　I　would　not　willingly　see　Greece　exchange　freedom　for　slavery。　Know　then　that　Mardonius　and　his　army　cannot　obtain　favourable　omens；　had　it　not　been　for　this；　they　would　have　fought　with　you　long　ago。　Now；　however；　they　have　determined　to　let　the　victims　pass　unheeded；　and；　as　soon　as　day　dawns；　to　engage　in　battle。　Mardonius；　I　imagine；　is　afraid　that；　if　he　delays；　you　will　increase　in　number。　Make　ready　then　to　receive　him。　Should　he　however　still　defer　the　combat；　do　you　abide　where　you　are；　for　his　provisions　will　not　hold　out　many　more　days。　If　ye　prosper　in　this　war；　forget　not　to　do　something　for　my　freedom；　consider　the　risk　I　have　run；　out　of　zeal　for　the　Greek　cause；　to　acquaint　you　with　what　Mardonius　intends；　and　to　save　you　from　being　surprised　by　the　barbarians。　I　am　Alexander　of　Macedon。〃　　　　　As　soon　as　he　had　said　this；　Alexander　rode　back　to　the　camp；　and　returned　to　the　station　assigned　him。　　　　　Meanwhile　the　Athenian　generals　hastened　to　the　right　wing；　and　told　Pausanias　all　that　they　had　learnt　from　Alexander。　Hereupon　Pausanias；　who　no　sooner　heard　the　intention　of　the　Persians　than　he　was　struck　with　fear；　addressed　the　generals；　and　said；…　　　　　〃Since　the　battle　is　to　come　with　to…morrow's　dawn；　it　were　well　that　you　Athenians　should　stand　opposed　to　the　Persians；　and　we　Spartans　to　the　Boeotians　and　the　other　Greeks；　for　ye　know　the　Medes　and　their　manner　of　fight；　since　ye　have　already　fought　with　them　once　at　Marathon；　but　we　are　quite　ignorant　and　without　any　experience　of　their　warfare。　While；　however；　there　is　not　a　Spartan　here　present　who　has　ever　fought　against　a　Mede；　of　the　Boeotians　and　Thessalians　we　have　had　experience。　Take　then　your　arms；　and　march　over　to　our　post　upon　the　right；　while　we　supply　your　place　in　the　left　wing。〃　　　　　Hereto　the　Athenians　replied…　〃We；　too；　long　ago；　when　we　saw　that　the　Persians　were　drawn　up　to　face　you；　were　minded　to　suggest　to　you　the　very　course　which　you　have　now　been　the　first　to　bring　forward。　We　feared；　however；　that　perhaps　our　words　might　not　be　pleasing　to　you。　But；　as　you　have　now　spoken　of　these　things　yourselves；　we　gladly　give　our　consent；　and　are　ready　to　do　as　ye　have　said。〃　　　　　Both　sides　agreeing　hereto；　at　the　dawn　of　day　the　Spartans　and　Athenians　changed　places。　But　the　movement　was　perceived　by　the　Boeotians；　and　they　gave　notice　of　it　to　Mardonius；　who　at　once；　on　hearing　what　had　been　done；　made　a　change　in　the　disposition　of　his　own　forces；　and　brought　the　Persians　to　face　the　Lacedaem