the history-第77节

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ne　so　in　times　past；　nor　do　I　now　fly　from　thee。　There　is　nothing　new　or　strange　in　what　I　do；　I　only　follow　my　common　mode　of　life　in　peaceful　years。　Now　I　will　tell　thee　why　I　do　not　at　once　join　battle　with　thee。　We　Scythians　have　neither　towns　nor　cultivated　lands；　which　might　induce　us；　through　fear　of　their　being　taken　or　ravaged；　to　be　in　any　hurry　to　fight　with　you。　If；　however；　you　must　needs　come　to　blows　with　us　speedily；　look　you　now；　there　are　our　fathers'　tombs…　seek　them　out；　and　attempt　to　meddle　with　them…　then　ye　shall　see　whether　or　no　we　will　fight　with　you。　Till　ye　do　this；　be　sure　we　shall　not　join　battle；　unless　it　pleases　us。　This　is　my　answer　to　the　challenge　to　fight。　As　for　lords；　I　acknowledge　only　Jove　my　ancestor；　and　Vesta；　the　Scythian　queen。　Earth　and　water；　the　tribute　thou　askedst；　I　do　not　send；　but　thou　shalt　soon　receive　more　suitable　gifts。　Last　of　all；　in　return　for　thy　calling　thyself　my　lord；　I　say　to　thee；　'Go　weep。'〃　（This　is　what　men　mean　by　the　Scythian　mode　of　speech。）　So　the　herald　departed；　bearing　this　message　to　Darius。　　　　　When　the　Scythian　kings　heard　the　name　of　slavery　they　were　filled　with　rage；　and　despatched　the　division　under　Scopasis　to　which　the　Sauromatae　were　joined；　with　orders　that　they　should　seek　a　conference　with　the　Ionians；　who　had　been　left　at　the　Ister　to　guard　the　bridge。　Meanwhile　the　Scythians　who　remained　behind　resolved　no　longer　to　lead　the　Persians　hither　and　thither　about　their　country；　but　to　fall　upon　them　whenever　they　should　be　at　their　meals。　So　they　waited　till　such　times；　and　then　did　as　they　had　determined。　In　these　combats　the　Scythian　horse　always　put　to　flight　the　horse　of　the　enemy；　these　last；　however；　when　routed；　fell　back　upon　their　foot；　who　never　failed　to　afford　them　support；　while　the　Scythians；　on　their　side；　as　soon　as　they　had　driven　the　horse　in；　retired　again；　for　fear　of　the　foot。　By　night　too　the　Scythians　made　many　similar　attacks。　　　　　There　was　one　very　strange　thing　which　greatly　advantaged　the　Persians；　and　was　of　equal　disservice　to　the　Scyths；　in　these　assaults　on　the　Persian　camp。　This　was　the　braying　of　the　asses　and　the　appearance　of　the　mules。　For；　as　I　observed　before；　the　land　of　the　Scythians　produces　neither　ass　nor　mule；　and　contains　no　single　specimen　of　either　animal；　by　reason　of　the　cold。　So；　when　the　asses　brayed；　they　frightened　the　Scythian　cavalry；　and　often；　in　the　middle　of　a　charge；　the　horses；　hearing　the　noise　made　by　the　asses；　would　take　fright　and　wheel　round；　pricking　up　their　ears；　and　showing　astonishment。　This　was　owing　to　their　having　never　heard　the　noise；　or　seen　the　form；　of　the　animal　before：　and　it　was　not　without　some　little　influence　on　the　progress　of　the　war。　　　　　The　Scythians；　when　they　perceived　signs　that　the　Persians　were　becoming　alarmed；　took　steps　to　induce　them　not　to　quit　Scythia；　in　the　hope；　if　they　stayed；　of　inflicting　on　them　the　greater　injury；　when　their　supplies　should　altogether　fail。　To　effect　this；　they　would　leave　some　of　their　cattle　exposed　with　the　herdsmen；　while　they　themselves　moved　away　to　a　distance：　the　Persians　would　make　a　foray；　and　take　the　beasts；　whereupon　they　would　be　highly　elated。　　　　　This　they　did　several　times；　until　at　last　Darius　was　at　his　wits'　end；　hereon　the　Scythian　princes；　understanding　how　matters　stood；　despatched　a　herald　to　the　Persian　camp　with　presents　for　the　king：　these　were；　a　bird；　a　mouse；　a　frog；　and　five　arrows。　The　Persians　asked　the　bearer　to　tell　them　what　these　gifts　might　mean；　but　he　made　answer　that　he　had　no　orders　except　to　deliver　them；　and　return　again　with　all　speed。　If　the　Persians　were　wise；　he　added；　they　would　find　out　the　meaning　for　themselves。　So　when　they　heard　this；　they　held　a　council　to　consider　the　matter。　　　　　Darius　gave　it　as　his　opinion　that　the　Scyths　intended　a　surrender　of　themselves　and　their　country；　both　land　and　water；　into　his　hands。　This　he　conceived　to　be　the　meaning　of　the　gifts；　because　the　mouse　is　an　inhabitant　of　the　earth；　and　eats　the　same　food　as　man；　while　the　frog　passes　his　life　in　the　water；　the　bird　bears　a　great　resemblance　to　the　horse；　and　the　arrows　might　signify　the　surrender　of　all　their　power。　To　the　explanation　of　Darius；　Gobryas；　one　of　the　seven　conspirators　against　the　Magus；　opposed　another　which　was　as　follows：…　〃Unless；　Persians；　ye　can　turn　into　birds　and　fly　up　into　the　sky；　or　become　mice　and　burrow　under　the　ground；　or　make　yourselves　frogs；　and　take　refuge　in　the　fens；　ye　will　never　make　escape　from　this　land；　but　die　pierced　by　our　arrows。　Such　were　meanings　which　the　Persians　assigned　to　the　gifts。　　　　　The　single　division　of　the　Scyths；　which　in　the　early　part　of　the　war　had　been　appointed　to　keep　guard　about　the　Palus　Maeotis；　and　had　now　been　sent　to　get　speech　of　the　Ionians　stationed　at　the　Ister；　addressed　them；　on　reaching　the　bridge；　in　these　words…　〃Men　of　Ionia；　we　bring　you　freedom；　if　ye　will　only　do　as　we　recommend。　Darius；　we　understand；　enjoined　you　to　keep　your　guard　here　at　this　bridge　just　sixty　days；　then；　if　he　did　not　appear；　you　were　to　return　home。　Now；　therefore；　act　so　as　to　be　free　from　blame；　alike　in　his　sight；　and　in　ours。　Tarry　here　the　appointed　time；　and　at　the　end　go　your　ways。〃　Having　said　this；　and　received　a　promise　from　the　Ionians　to　do　as　they　desired；　the　Scythians　hastened　back　with　all　possible　speed。　　　　　After　the　sending　of　the　gifts　to　Darius；　the　part　of　the　Scythian　army　which　had　not　marched　to　the　Ister；　drew　out　in　battle　array　horse　and　foot　against　the　Persians；　and　seemed　about　to　come　to　an　engagement。　But　as　they　stood　in　battle　array；　it　chanced　that　a　hare　started　up　between　them　and　the　Persians；　and　set　to　running；　when　immediately　all　the　Scyths　who　saw　it；　rushed　off　in　pursuit；　with　great　confusion　and　loud　cries　and　shouts。　Darius；　hearing　the　noise；　inquired　the　cause　of　it；　and　was　told　that　the　Scythians　were　all　engaged　in　hunting　a　hare。　On　this　he　turned　to　those　with　whom　he　was　wont　to　converse；　and　said：…　〃These　men　do　indeed　despise　us　utterly：　and　now　I　see　that　Gobryas　was　right　about　the　Scythian　gifts。　As；　therefore；　his　opinion　is　now　mine　likewise；　it　is　time　we　form　some　wise　plan　whereby　we　may　secure　ourselves　a　safe　return　to　our　homes。〃　〃Ah！　sire；〃　Gobryas　rejoined；　〃I　was　well　nigh　sure；　ere　I　came　here；　that　this　was　an　impracticable　race…　since　our　coming　I　am　yet　more　convinced　of　it；　especially　now　that　I　see　them　making　game　of　us。　My　advice　is；　therefore；　that；　when　night　falls；　we　light　our　fires　as　we　are　wont　to　do　at　other　times；　and　leaving　behind　us　on　some　pretext　that　portion　of　our　army　which　is　weak　and　unequal　to　hardship；　taking　care　also　to　leave　our　asses　tethered；　retreat　from　Scythia；　before　our　foes　march　forward　to　the　Ister　and　destroy　the　bridge；　or　the　Ionians　come　to　any　resolution　which　may　lead　to　our　ruin。〃　　　　　So　Gobryas　advised；　and　when　night　came；　Darius　followed　his　counsel；　and　leaving　his　sick　soldiers；　and　those　whose　loss　would　be　of　least　account；　with　the　asses　also　tethered　about　the　camp；　marched　away。　The　asses　were　left　that　their　noise　might　be　heard：　the　men；　really　because　they　were　sick　and　useless；　but　under　the　pretence　that　he　was　about　to　fall　upon　the　Scythians　with　the　flower　of　his　troops；　and　that　they　meanwhile　were　to　guard　his　camp　for　him。　Having　thus　declared　his　plans　to　the　men　whom　he　was　deserting；　and　having　caused　the　fires　to　be　lighted；　Darius　set　forth；　and　marched　hastily　towards　the　Ister。　The　asses；　aware　of　the　departure　of　the　host；　brayed　louder　than　ever；　and　the　Scythians；　hearing　the　sound；　entertained　no　doubt　of　the　Persians　being　still　in　the　same　place。　　　　　When　day　dawned；　the　men　who　had　been　left　behind；　perceiving　that　they　were　betrayed　by　Darius；　stretched　out　their　hands　towards　the　Scythians；　and　spoke　as。　befitted　their　situation。　The　enemy　no　sooner　heard；　than　they　quickly　joined　all　their　troops　in　one；　and　both　portions　of　the　Scythian　army…　alike　that　which　consisted　of　a　single　division；　and　that　made　up　of　two…　accompanied　by　all　their　allies；　the　Sauromatae；　the　Budini；　and　the　Geloni；　set　off　in　pursuit；　and　made　straight　for　the　Ister。　As；　however；　the　Persian　army　was　chiefly　foot；　and　had　no　knowledge　of　the　routes；　which　are　not　cut　out　in　Scythia；　while　the　Scyths　were　all　horsemen　and　well　acquainted　with　the　shortest　way；　it　so　happened　that　the　two　armies　missed　one　another；　and　the　Scythians；　getting　far　ahead　of　their　adversaries；　came　first　to　the　bridge。　Finding　that　the　Persians　were　not　yet　arrived；　they　addressed　the　Ionians；　who　were　aboard　their　ships；　in　these　words：…　〃Men　of　Ionia；　the　number　of　your　days　is　out；　and　ye　do　wrong　to　remain。　Fear　doubtless　has　kept　you　here　hitherto：　now；　however；　you　may　safely　break　the　bridge；　and　hasten　back　to　your　homes；　rejoicing　that　you　are　free；　and　thanking　for　it　the　gods　and　the　Scythians。　Your　former　lord　and　master　we　undertake　so　to　handle；　that　he　will　never　again　make　war　upon　any　one。〃　　　　　The　Ionians　now　held　a　council。　Miltiades　the　Athenian；　who　was　king　of　the　Chersonesites　upon　the　Hellespont；　and　their　commander　at　the　Ister；　recommended　the　other　generals　to　do　as　the　Scythians　wished；　and　restore