the history-第56节

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d；　and　bound　him　by　a　promise　and　by　oaths　to　keep　silence　about　the　fraud　which　they　were　practising　upon　the　Persians；　and　not　discover　it　to　any　one；　and　they　pledged　themselves　that　in　this　case　they　would　give　him　thousands　of　gifts　of　every　sort　and　kind。　So　Prexaspes　agreed；　and　the　Magi；　when　they　found　that　they　had　persuaded　him　so　far；　went　on　to　another　proposal；　and　said　they　would　assemble　the　Persians　at　the　foot　of　the　palace　wall；　and　he　should　mount　one　of　the　towers　and　harangue　them　from　it；　assuring　them　that　Smerdis　the　son　of　Cyrus；　and　none　but　he；　ruled　the　land。　This　they　bade　him　do；　because　Prexaspes　was　a　man　of　great　weight　with　his　countrymen；　and　had　often　declared　in　public　that　Smerdis　the　son　of　Cyrus　was　still　alive；　and　denied　being　his　murderer。　　　　　Prexaspes　said　he　was　quite　ready　to　do　their　will　in　the　matter；　so　the　Magi　assembled　the　people；　and　placed　Prexaspes　upon　the　top　of　the　tower；　and　told　him　to　make　his　speech。　Then　this　man；　forgetting　of　set　purpose　all　that　the　Magi　had　intreated　him　to　say；　began　with　Achaeamenes；　and　traced　down　the　descent　of　Cyrus；　after　which；　when　he　came　to　that　king；　he　recounted　all　the　services　that　had　been　rendered　by　him　to　the　Persians；　from　whence　he　went　on　to　declare　the　truth；　which　hitherto　he　had　concealed；　he　said；　because　it　would　not　have　been　safe　for　him　to　make　it　known；　but　now　necessity　was　laid　on　him　to　disclose　the　whole。　Then　he　told　how；　forced　to　it　by　Cambyses；　he　had　himself　taken　the　life　of　Smerdis；　son　of　Cyrus；　and　how　that　Persia　was　now　ruled　by　the　Magi。　Last　of　all；　with　many　curses　upon　the　Persians　if　they　did　not　recover　the　kingdom；　and　wreak　vengeance　on　the　Magi；　he　threw　himself　headlong　from　the　tower　into　the　abyss　below。　Such　was　the　end　of　Prexaspes；　a　man　all　his　life　of　high　repute　among　the　Persians。　　　　　And　now　the　seven　Persians；　having　resolved　that　they　would　attack　the　Magi　without　more　delay；　first　offered　prayers　to　the　gods　and　then　set　off　for　the　palace；　quite　unacquainted　with　what　had　been　done　by　Prexaspes。　The　news　of　his　doings　reached　them　upon　their　way；　when　they　had　accomplished　about　half　the　distance。　Hereupon　they　turned　aside　out　of　the　road；　and　consulted　together。　Otanes　and　his　party　said　they　must　certainly　put　off　the　business；　and　not　make　the　attack　when　affairs　were　in　such　a　ferment。　Darius；　on　the　other　hand；　and　his　friends；　were　against　any　change　of　plan；　and　wished　to　go　straight　on；　and　not　lose　a　moment。　Now；　as　they　strove　together；　suddenly　there　came　in　sight　two　pairs　of　vultures；　and　seven　pairs　of　hawks；　pursuing　them；　and　the　hawks　tore　the　vultures　both　with　their　claws　and　bills。　At　this　sight　the　seven　with　one　accord　came　in　to　the　opinion　of　Darius；　and　encouraged　by　the　omen　hastened　on　towards　the　palace。　　　　　At　the　gate　they　were　received　as　Darius　had　foretold。　The　guards；　who　had　no　suspicion　that　they　came　for　any　ill　purpose；　and　held　the　chief　Persians　in　much　reverence；　let　them　pass　without　difficulty…　it　seemed　as　if　they　were　under　the　special　protection　of　the　gods…　none　even　asked　them　any　question。　When　they　were　now　in　the　great　court　they　fell　in　with　certain　of　the　eunuchs；　whose　business　it　was　to　carry　the　king's　messages；　who　stopped　them　and　asked　what　they　wanted；　while　at　the　same　time　they　threatened　the　doorkeepers　for　having　let　them　enter。　The　seven　sought　to　press　on；　but　the　eunuchs　would　not　suffer　them。　Then　these　men；　with　cheers　encouraging　one　another；　drew　their　daggers；　and　stabbing　those　who　strove　to　withstand　them；　rushed　forward　to　the　apartment　of　the　males。　　　　　Now　both　the　Magi　were　at　this　time　within；　holding　counsel　upon　the　matter　of　Prexaspes。　So　when　they　heard　the　stir　among　the　eunuchs；　and　their　loud　cries；　they　ran　out　themselves；　to　see　what　was　happening。　Instantly　perceiving　their　danger；　they　both　flew　to　arms；　one　had　just　time　to　seize　his　bow；　the　other　got　hold　of　his　lance；　when　straightway　the　fight　began。　The　one　whose　weapon　was　the　bow　found　it　of　no　service　at　all；　the　foe　was　too　near；　and　the　combat　too　close　to　allow　of　his　using　it。　But　the　other　made　a　stout　defence　with　his　lance；　wounding　two　of　the　seven；　Aspathines　in　the　leg；　and　Intaphernes　in　the　eye。　This　wound　did　not　kill　Intaphernes；　but　it　cost　him　the　sight　of　that　eye。　The　other　Magus；　when　he　found　his　bow　of　no　avail；　fled　into　a　chamber　which　opened　out　into　the　apartment　of　the　males；　intending　to　shut　to　the　doors。　But　two　of　the　seven　entered　the　room　with　him；　Darius　and　Gobryas。　Gobryas　seized　the　Magus　and　grappled　with　him；　while　Darius　stood　over　them；　not　knowing　what　to　do；　for　it　was　dark；　and　he　was　afraid　that　if　he　struck　a　blow　he　might　kill　Gobryas。　Then　Gobyras；　when　he　perceived　that　Darius　stood　doing　nothing；　asked　him；　〃why　his　hand　was　idle？〃　〃I　fear　to　hurt　thee；〃　he　answered。　〃Fear　not；〃　said　Gobryas；　〃strike；　though　it　be　through　both。〃　Darius　did　as　he　desired；　drove　his　dagger　home；　and　by　good　hap　killed　the　Magus。　　　　　Thus　were　the　Magi　slain；　and　the　seven；　cutting　off　both　the　heads；　and　leaving　their　own　wounded　in　the　palace；　partly　because　they　were　disabled；　and　partly　to　guard　the　citadel；　went　forth　from　the　gates　with　the　heads　in　their　hands；　shouting　and　making　an　uproar。　They　called　out　to　all　the　Persians　whom　they　met；　and　told　them　what　had　happened；　showing　them　the　heads　of　the　Magi；　while　at　the　same　time　they　slew　every　Magus　who　fell　in　their　way。　Then　the　Persians；　when　they　knew　what　the　seven　had　done；　and　understood　the　fraud　of　the　Magi；　thought　it　but　just　to　follow　the　example　set　them；　and；　drawing　their　daggers；　they　killed　the　Magi　wherever　they　could　find　any。　Such　was　their　fury；　that；　unless　night　had　closed　in；　not　a　single　Magus　would　have　been　left　alive。　The　Persians　observe　this　day　with　one　accord；　and　keep　it　more　strictly　than　any　other　in　the　whole　year。　It　is　then　that　they　hold　the　great　festival；　which　they　call　the　Magophonia。　No　Magus　may　show　himself　abroad　during　the　whole　time　that　the　feast　lasts；　but　all　must　remain　at　home　the　entire　day。　　　　　And　now　when　five　days　were　gone；　and　the　hubbub　had　settled　down；　the　conspirators　met　together　to　consult　about　the　situation　of　affairs。　At　this　meeting　speeches　were　made；　to　which　many　of　the　Greeks　give　no　credence；　but　they　were　made　nevertheless。　Otanes　recommended　that　the　management　of　public　affairs　should　be　entrusted　to　the　whole　nation。　〃To　me；〃　he　said；　〃it　seems　advisable；　that　we　should　no　longer　have　a　single　man　to　rule　over　us…　the　rule　of　one　is　neither　good　nor　pleasant。　Ye　cannot　have　forgotten　to　what　lengths　Cambyses　went　in　his　haughty　tyranny；　and　the　haughtiness　of　the　Magi　ye　have　yourselves　experienced。　How　indeed　is　it　possible　that　monarchy　should　be　a　well…adjusted　thing；　when　it　allows　a　man　to　do　as　he　likes　without　being　answerable？　Such　licence　is　enough　to　stir　strange　and　unwonted　thoughts　in　the　heart　of　the　worthiest　of　men。　Give　a　person　this　power；　and　straightway　his　manifold　good　things　puff　him　up　with　pride；　while　envy　is　so　natural　to　human　kind　that　it　cannot　but　arise　in　him。　But　pride　and　envy　together　include　all　wickedness…　both　of　them　leading　on　to　deeds　of　savage　violence。　True　it　is　that　kings；　possessing　as　they　do　all　that　heart　can　desire；　ought　to　be　void　of　envy；　but　the　contrary　is　seen　in　their　conduct　towards　the　citizens。　They　are　jealous　of　the　most　virtuous　among　their　subjects；　and　wish　their　death；　while　they　take　delight　in　the　meanest　and　basest；　being　ever　ready　to　listen　to　the　tales　of　slanderers。　A　king；　besides；　is　beyond　all　other　men　inconsistent　with　himself。　Pay　him　court　in　moderation；　and　he　is　angry　because　you　do　not　show　him　more　profound　respect…　show　him　profound　respect；　and　he　is　offended　again；　because　（as　he　says）　you　fawn　on　him。　But　the　worst　of　all　is；　that　he　sets　aside　the　laws　of　the　land；　puts　men　to　death　without　trial；　and　subjects　women　to　violence。　The　rule　of　the　many；　on　the　other　hand；　has；　in　the　first　place；　the　fairest　of　names；　to　wit；　isonomy；　and　further　it　is　free　from　all　those　outrages　which　a　king　is　wont　to　commit。　There；　places　are　given　by　lot；　the　magistrate　is　answerable　for　what　he　does；　and　measures　rest　with　the　commonalty。　I　vote；　therefore；　that　we　do　away　with　monarchy；　and　raise　the　people　to　power。　For　the　people　are　all　in　all。〃　　　　　Such　were　the　sentiments　of　Otanes。　Megabyzus　spoke　next；　and　advised　the　setting　up　of　an　oligarchy：…　〃In　all　that　Otanes　has　said　to　persuade　you　to　put　down　monarchy；〃　he　observed；　〃I　fully　concur；　but　his　recommendation　that　we　should　call　the　people　to　power　seems　to　me　not　the　best　advice。　For　there　is　nothing　so　void　of　understanding；　nothing　so　full　of　wantonness；　as　the　unwieldy　rabble。　It　were　folly　not　to　be　borne；　for　men；　while　seeking　to　escape　the　wantonness　of　a　tyrant；　to　give　themselves　up　to　the　wantonness　of　a　rude　unbridled　mob。　The　tyrant；　in　all　his　doings；　at　least　knows　what　is　he　about；　but　a　mob　is　altogether　devoid　of　knowledge；　for　how　should　there　be　any　knowledge　in　a　rabble；　untaught；　and　with　no　natural　sense　of　what　is　right　and　fit？　It　rushes　wildly　into　state　affairs　with　all　the　fury　of　a　stream　swollen　in　the