the history-第63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！


t　to　Italy　on　his　account；　he　added　that　it　would　content　him　if　the　Cnidians　undertook　to　obtain　his　recall。　Now　the　Cnidians　were　dose　friends　of　the　Tarentines；　which　made　him　think　there　was　no　likelier　means　of　procuring　his　return。　Darius　promised　and　performed　his　part；　for　he　sent　messenger　to　Cnidus；　and　commanded　the　Cnidians　to　restore　Gillus。　The　Cnidians　did　as　he　wished；　but　found　themselves　unable　to　persuade　the　Tarentines；　and　were　too　weak　to　attempt　force。　Such　then　was　the　course　which　this　matter　took。　These　were　the　first　Persians　who　ever　came　from　Asia　to　Greece；　and　they　were　sent　to　spy　out　the　land　for　the　reason　which　I　have　before　mentioned。　　　　　After　this；　king　Darius　besieged　and　took　Samos；　which　was　the　first　city；　Greek　or　Barbarian；　that　he　conquered。　The　cause　of　his　making　war　upon　Samos　was　the　following：…　at　the　time　when　Cambyses；　son　of　Cyrus；　marched　against　Egypt；　vast　numbers　of　Greeks　flocked　thither；　some；　as　might　have　been　looked　for；　to　push　their　trade；　others；　to　serve　in　his　army；　others　again；　merely　to　see　the　land：　among　these　last　was　Syloson；　son　of　Aeaces；　and　brother　of　Polycrates；　at　that　time　an　exile　from　Samos。　This　Syloson；　during　his　stay　in　Egypt；　met　with　a　singular　piece　of　good　fortune。　He　happened　one　day　to　put　on　a　scarlet　cloak；　and　thus　attired　to　go　into　the　market…place　at　Memphis；　when　Dariuss　who　was　one　of　Cambyses'　bodyguard；　and　not　at　that　time　a　man　of　any　account；　saw　him；　and　taking　a　strong　liking　to　the　dress；　went　up　and　offered　to　purchase　it。　Syloson　perceived　how　anxious　he　was；　and　by　a　lucky　inspiration　answered：　〃There　is　no　price　at　which　I　would　sell　my　cloak；　but　I　will　give　it　thee　for　nothing；　if　it　must　needs　be　thine。〃　Darius　thanked　him；　and　accepted　the　garment。　　　　　Poor　Syloson　felt　at　the　time　that　he　had　fooled　away　his　cloak　in　a　very　simple　manner；　but　afterwards；　when　in　the　course　of　years　Cambyses　died；　and　the　seven　Persians　rose　in　revolt　against　the　Magus；　and　Darius　was　the　man　chosen　out　of　the　seven　to　have　the　kingdom；　Syloson　learnt　that　the　person　to　whom　the　crown　had　come　was　the　very　man　who　had　coveted　his　cloak　in　Egypt；　and　to　whom　he　had　freely　given　it。　So　he　made　his　way　to　Susa；　and　seating　himself　at　the　portal　of　the　royal　palace；　gave　out　that　he　was　a　benefactor　of　the　king。　Then　the　doorkeeper　went　and　told　Darius。　Amazed　at　what　he　heard；　king　said　thus　within　himself：…　〃What　Greek　can　have　been　my　benefactor；　or　to　which　of　them　do　I　owe　anything；　so　lately　as　I　have　got　the　kingdom？　Scarcely　a　man　of　them　all　has　been　here；　not　more　than　one　or　two　certainly；　since　I　came　to　the　throne。　Nor　do　I　remember　that　I　am　in　the　debt　of　any　Greek。　However；　bring　him　in；　and　let　me　hear　what　he　means　by　his　boast。〃　So　the　doorkeeper　ushered　Syloson　into　the　presence；　and　the　interpreters　asked　him　who　he　was；　and　what　he　had　done　that　he　should　call　himself　a　benefactor　of　the　king。　Then　Syloson　told　the　whole　story　of　the　cloak；　and　said　that　it　was　he　who　had　made　Darius　the　present。　Hereupon　Darius　exclaimed；　〃Oh！　thou　most　generous　of　men；　art　thou　indeed　he　who；　when　I　had　no　power　at　all；　gavest　me　something；　albeit　little？　Truly　the　favour　is　as　great　as　a　very　grand　present　would　be　nowadays。　I　will　therefore　give　thee　in　return　gold　and　silver　without　stint；　that　thou　mayest　never　repent　of　having　rendered　a　service　to　Darius；　son　of　Hystaspes。　〃Give　me　not；　O　king；〃　replied　Syloson；　〃either　silver　or　gold；　but　recover　me　Samos；　my　native　land；　and　let　that　be　thy　gift　to　me。　It　belongs　now　to　a　slave　of　ours；　who；　when　Oroetes　put　my　brother　Polycrates　to　death；　became　its　master。　Give　me　Samos；　I　beg；　but　give　it　unharmed；　with　no　bloodshed…　no　leading　into　captivity。〃　　　　　When　he　heard　this；　Darius　sent　off　an　army；　under　Otanes；　one　of　the　seven；　with　orders　to　accomplish　all　that　Syloson　had　desired。　And　Otanes　went　down　to　the　coast　and　made　ready　to　cross　over。　　　　　The　government　of　Samos　was　held　at　this　time　by　Maeandrius；　son　of　Maeandrius；　whom　Polycrates　had　appointed　as　his　deputy。　This　person　conceived　the　wish　to　act　like　the　justest　of　men；　but　it　was　not　allowed　him　to　do　so。　On　receiving　tidings　of　the　death　of　Polycrates；　he　forthwith　raised　an　altar　to　love　the　Protector　of　Freedom；　and　assigned　it　the　piece　of　ground　which　may　still　be　seen　in　the　suburb。　This　done；　he　assembled　all　the　citizens；　and　spoke　to　them　as　follows：…　　　　　〃Ye　know；　friends；　that　the　sceptre　of　Polycrates；　and　all　his　power；　has　passed　into　my　hands；　and　if　I　choose　I　may　rule　over　you。　But　what　I　condemn　in　another　I　will；　if　I　may；　avoid　myself。　I　never　approved　the　ambition　of　Polycrates　to　lord　it　over　men　as　good　as　himself；　nor　looked　with　favour　on　any　of　those　who　have　done　the　like。　Now　therefore；　since　he　has　fulfilled　his　destiny；　I　lay　down　my　office；　and　proclaim　equal　rights。　All　that　I　claim　in　return　is　six　talents　from　the　treasures　of　Polycrates；　and　the　priesthood　of　Jove　the　Protector　of　Freedom；　for　myself　and　my　descendants　for　ever。　Allow　me　this；　as　the　man　by　whom　his　temple　has　been　built；　and　by　whom　ye　yourselves　are　now　restored　to　liberty。〃　As　soon　as　Maeandrius　had　ended；　one　of　the　Samians　rose　up　and　said；　〃As　if　thou　wert　fit　to　rule　us；　base…born　and　rascal　as　thou　art！　Think　rather　of　accounting　for　the　monies　which　thou　hast　fingered。〃　　　　　The　man　who　thus　spoke　was　a　certain　Telesarchus；　one　of　the　leading　citizens。　Maeandrius；　therefore；　feeling　sure　that　if　he　laid　down　the　sovereign　power　some　one　else　would　become　tyrant　in　his　room；　gave　up　the　thought　of　relinquishing　it。　Withdrawing　to　the　citadel；　he　sent　for　the　chief　men　one　by　one；　under　pretence　of　showing　them　his　accounts；　and　as　fast　as　they　came　arrested　them　and　put　them　in　irons。　So　these　men　were　bound；　and　Maeandrius　within　a　short　time　fell　sick：　whereupon　Lycaretus；　one　of　his　brothers；　thinking　that　he　was　going　to　die；　and　wishing　to　make　his　own　accession　to　the　throne　the　easier；　slew　all　the　prisoners。　It　seemed　that　the　Samians　did　not　choose　to　be　a　free　people。　　　　　When　the　Persians　whose　business　it　was　to　restore　Syloson　reached　Samos；　not　a　man　was　found　to　lift　up　his　hand　against　them。　Maeandrius　and　his　partisans　expressed　themselves　willing　to　quit　the　island　upon　certain　terms；　and　these　terms　were　agreed　to　by　Otanes。　After　the　treaty　was　made；　the　most　distinguished　of　the　Persians　had　their　thrones　brought；　and　seated　themselves　over　against　the　citadel。　　　　　Now　the　king　Maeandrius　had　a　lightheaded　brother…　Charilaus　by　name…　whom　for　some　offence　or　other　he　had　shut　up　in　prison：　this　man　heard　what　was　going　on；　and　peering　through　his　bars；　saw　the　Persians　sitting　peacefully　upon　their　seats；　whereupon　he　exclaimed　aloud；　and　said　he　must　speak　with　Maeandrius。　When　this　was　reported　to　him；　Maeandrius　gave　orders　that　Charilaus　should　be　released　from　prison　and　brought　into　his　presence。　No　sooner　did　he　arrive　than　he　began　reviling　and　abusing　his　brother；　and　strove　to　persuade　him　to　attack　the　Persians。　〃Thou　meanest…spirited　of　men；〃　he　said；　〃thou　canst　keep　me；　thy　brother；　chained　in　a　dungeon；　notwithstanding　that　I　have　done　nothing　worthy　of　bonds；　but　when　the　Persians　come　and　drive　thee　forth　a　houseless　wanderer　from　thy　native　land；　thou　lookest　on；　and　hast　not　the　heart　to　seek　revenge；　though　they　might　so　easily　be　subdued。　If　thou；　however；　art　afraid；　lend　me　thy　soldiers；　and　I　will　make　them　pay　dearly　for　their　coming　here。　I　engage　too　to　send　thee　first　safe　out　of　the　island。〃　　　　　So　spake　Charilaus；　and　Maeandrius　gave　consent；　not　（I　believe）　that　he　was　so　void　of　sense　as　to　imagine　that　his　own　forces　could　overcome　those　of　the　king；　but　because　he　was　jealous　of　Syloson；　and　did　not　wish　him　to　get　so　quietly　an　unharmed　city。　He　desired　therefore　to　rouse　the　anger　of　the　Persians　against　Samos；　that　so　he　might　deliver　it　up　to　Syloson　with　its　power　at　the　lowest　possible　ebb；　for　he　knew　well　that　if　the　Persians　met　with　a　disaster　they　would　be　furious　against　the　Samians；　while　he　himself　felt　secure　of　a　retreat　at　any　time　that　he　liked；　since　he　had　a　secret　passage　under　ground　leading　from　the　citadel　to　the　sea。　Maeandrius　accordingly　took　ship　and　sailed　away　from　Samos；　and　Charilaus；　having　armed　all　the　mercenaries；　threw　open　the　gates；　and　fell　upon　the　Persians；　who　looked　for　nothing　less；　since　they　supposed　that　the　whole　matter　had　been　arranged　by　treaty。　At　the　first　onslaught　therefore　all　the　Persians　of　most　note；　men　who　were　in　the　habit　of　using　litters；　were　slain　by　the　mercenaries；　the　rest　of　the　army；　however；　came　to　the　rescue；　defeated　the　mercenaries；　and　drove　them　back　into　the　citadel。　　　　　Then　Otanes；　the　general；　when　he　saw　the　great　calamity　which　had　befallen　the　Persians；　made　up　his　mind　to　forget　the　orders　which　Darius　had　given　him；　〃not　to　kill　or　enslave　a　single　Samian；　but　to　deliver　up　the　island　unharmed　to　Syloson；〃　and　gave　the　word　to　his　army　that　they　should　slay　the　Samians；　both　men　and　boys；　wherever　they　could　find　them。　Upon　this　some　of　his　troops　laid　siege　to　the　citadel；　while　others　began　the　massacre；　killing　all　they　met；　some　outside；　some　inside　the　temples。