cyropaedia-第45节

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will　not　be　disturbed　in　the　outlying　parts：　he　will　scarcely　neglect
the　danger　at　his　door　to　attack　you　out　in　the　distance。〃

＇19＇　At　this　the　whole　assembly　rose　to　express　their　eagerness　and
assent；　and　Cyaxares　stood　up　with　them。　And　both　Gadatas　and　Gobryas
offered　to　fortify　a　post　if　the　allies　wished；　and　thus　provide　two
cities　of　refuge　to　start　with。

＇20＇　Finally　Cyrus；　thus　assured　of　the　general　consent　to　his
proposals；　said；　〃If　we　really　wish　to　carry　out　what　we　have　set
ourselves；　we　must　prepare　battering…rams　and　siege　engines；　and　get
together　mechanics　and　builders　for　our　own　castles。〃　＇21＇　Thereupon
Cyaxares　at　once　undertook　to　provide　an　engine　at　his　own　expense；
Gadatas　and　Gobryas　made　themselves　responsible　for　a　second；　Tigranes
for　a　third；　and　Cyrus　himself　promised　he　would　try　to　furnish　two。
＇22＇　That　done；　every　one　set　to　work　to　find　engineers　and　artisans
and　to　collect　material　for　the　machines；　and　superintendents　were
appointed　from　those　best　qualified　for　the　work。

＇23＇　Now　Cyrus　was　aware　that　all　this　would　take　some　time；　and
therefore　he　encamped　his　troops　in　the　healthiest　spot　he　could　find
and　the　easiest　to　supply；　strengthening；　wherever　necessary；　the
natural　defences　of　the　place；　so　that　the　detachment　left　in　charge
for　the　time　should　always　be　in　complete　security；　even　though　he
might　be　absent　himself　with　the　main　body　of　his　force。　＇24＇　Nor　was
this　all；　he　questioned　those　who　knew　the　country　best；　and；　learning
where　he　would　be　rewarded　for　his　pains；　he　would　lead　his　men　out　to
forage；　and　thus　procure　as　large　supplies　as　possible；　keep　his
soldiers　in　the　best　of　health　and　strength；　and　fix　their　drill　in
their　minds。

＇25＇　So　Cyrus　spent　his　days；　and　meanwhile　the　deserters　from　Babylon
and　the　prisoners　who　were　captured　all　told　the　same　story：　they　said
that　the　king　had　gone　off　to　Lydia；　taking　with　him　store　of　gold　and
silver；　and　riches　and　treasures　of　every　kind。　＇26＇　The　mass　of　the
soldiers　were　convinced　that　he　was　storing　his　goods　away　from　fear；
but　Cyrus　knew　that　he　must　have　gone　to　raise；　if　possible；　an
opponent　who　could　face　them；　and　therefore　he　pushed　his　preparations
forward　vigorously；　feeling　that　another　battle　must　be　fought。　He
filled　up　the　Persian　cavalry　to　its　full　complement；　getting　the
horses　partly　from　the　prisoners；　partly　from　his　own　friends。　There
were　two　gifts　he　would　never　refuse；　horses　and　good　weapons。　＇27＇　He
also　procured　chariots；　taking　them　from　the　enemy　or　wherever　he
could　find　them。　The　old　Trojan　type　of　charioteering；　still　in　use　to
this　day　among　the　Cyrenaeans；　he　abolished；　before　his　time　the
Medes；　the　Syrians；　the　Arabians；　and　all　Asiatics　generally；　used
their　chariots　in　the　same　way　as　the　Cyrenaeans　do　now。　＇28＇　The
fault　of　the　system　to　his　mind　was　that　the　very　flower　of　the　army；
if　the　picked　men　were　in　the　chariots；　could　only　act　at　long　range
and　so　contribute　little　after　all　to　the　victory。　Three　hundred
chariots　meant　twelve　hundred　horses　and　three　hundred　fighting…men；
besides　the　charioteers；　who　would　naturally　be　men　above　the　common；
in　whom　the　warriors　could　place　confidence：　and　that　meant　another
three　hundred　debarred　from　injuring　the　enemy　in　any　kind　of　way。
＇29＇　Such　was　the　system　he　abolished　in　favour　of　the　war…chariot
proper；　with　strong　wheels　to　resist　the　shock　of　collision；　and　long
axles；　on　the　principle　that　a　broad　base　is　the　firmer；　while　the
driver's　seat　was　changed　into　what　might　be　called　a　turret；　stoutly
built　of　timber　and　reaching　up　to　the　elbow；　leaving　the　driver　room
to　manage　the　horses　above　the　rim。　The　drivers　themselves　were　all
fully　armed；　only　their　eyes　uncovered。　＇30＇　He　had　iron　scythes　about
two　feet　long　attached　to　the　axles　on　either　side；　and　others；　under
the　tree；　pointing　to　the　ground；　for　use　in　a　charge。　Such　was　the
type　of　chariot　invented　by　Cyrus；　and　it　is　still　in　use　to…day　among
the　subjects　of　the　Great　King。　Beside　the　chariots　he　had　a　large
number　of　camels；　collected　from　his　friends　or　captured　from　the
enemy。　＇31＇　Moreover；　he　decided　to　send　a　spy　into　Lydia　to　ascertain
the　movements　of　the　king；　and　he　thought　that　the　right　man　for　this
purpose　was　Araspas；　the　officer　in　charge　of　the　fair　lady　from　Susa。
Matters　had　gone　ill　with　Araspas：　he　had　fallen　passionately　in　love
with　his　prisoner；　and　been　led　to　entreat　her　to　be　his　paramour。
＇32＇　She　had　refused；　faithful　to　her　husband　who　was　far　away；　for
she　loved　him　dearly；　but　she　forbore　to　accuse　Araspas　to　Cyrus；
being　unwilling　to　set　friend　at　strife　with　friend。　＇33＇　But　when　at
length　Araspas；　thinking　it　would　help　him　in　his　desires；　began　to
threaten　her；　saying　that　if　she　would　not　yield　he　would　have　his
will　of　her　by　force；　then　in　her　dread　of　violence　she　could　keep　the
matter　hid　no　longer；　and　she　sent　her　eunuch　to　Cyrus　with　orders　to
tell　him　everything。　＇34＇　And　when　Cyrus　heard　it　he　smiled　over　the
man　who　had　boasted　that　he　was　superior　to　love；　and　sent　Artabazus
back　with　the　eunuch　to　tell　Araspas　that　he　must　use　no　violence
against　such　a　woman；　but　if　he　could　persuade　her；　he　might　do　so。
＇35＇　But　Artabazus；　when　he　saw　Araspas；　rebuked　him　sternly；　saying
that　the　woman　was　a　sacred　trust；　and　his　conduct　disgraceful；
impious；　and　wicked；　till　Araspas　burst　into　tears　of　misery　and
shame；　and　was　half　dead　at　the　thought　of　what　Cyrus　would　do。　＇36＇
Learning　this；　Cyrus　sent　for　him；　saw　him　alone；　and　said　to　him　face
to　face：

〃Araspas；　I　know　that　you　are　afraid　of　me　and　in　an　agony　of　shame。
Be　comforted；　we　are　told　that　the　gods　themselves　are　made　subject　to
desire；　and　I　could　tell　you　what　love　has　forced　some　men　to　undergo；
men　who　seemed　most　lofty　and　most　wise。　Did　I　not　pass　sentence　on
myself；　when　I　confessed　I　was　too　weak　to　consort　with　loveliness　and
remain　unmoved？　Indeed　it　is　I　who　am　most　to　blame　in　the　matter；　for
I　shut　you　up　myself　with　this　irresistible　power。〃

＇37＇　But　Araspas　broke　in　on　his　words：

〃Ah；　Cyrus；　you　are　ever　the　same；　gentle　and　compassionate　to　human
weaknesses。　But　all　the　rest　of　the　world　has　no　pity　on　me；　they
drown　me　in　wretchedness。　As　soon　as　the　tattlers　got　wind　of　my
misfortune；　all　my　enemies　exulted；　and　my　friends　came　to　me；
advising　me　to　make　away　with　myself　for　fear　of　you；　because　my
iniquity　was　so　great。〃

＇38＇　Then　Cyrus　said；　〃Now　listen：　this　opinion　about　you　may　be　the
means　by　which　you　can　do　me　a　great　kindness　and　your　comrades　a
great　service。〃　〃Oh；　that　it　were　possible！〃　said　Araspas；　〃for　me
ever　to　be　of　service　to　you！〃　＇39＇　〃Well；〃　said　the　other；　〃if　you
went　to　the　enemy；　feigning　that　you　had　fled　from　me；　I　think　they
would　believe　you。〃　〃I　am　sure　they　would；〃　said　Araspas；　〃I　know　even
my　own　friends　would　think　that　of　course　I　ran　away。〃　＇40＇　〃Then　you
will　come　back　to　us；〃　Cyrus　went　on；　〃with　full　information　about　the
enemy's　affairs；　for；　if　I　am　right　in　my　expectation；　they　will　trust
you　and　let　you　see　all　their　plans；　so　that　you　need　miss　nothing　of
what　we　wish　to　know。〃　〃I　will　be　off　this　moment；〃　said　Araspas；　〃it
will　be　my　best　credential　to　have　it　thought　I　was　just　in　time　to
escape　punishment　from　you。〃

＇41＇　〃Then　you　can　really　bring　yourself　to　leave　the　beautiful
Pantheia？〃

〃Yes；　Cyrus；〃　he　answered；　〃I　can；　for　I　see　now　that　we　have　two
souls。　This　is　the　lesson　of　philosophy　that　I　have　learnt　from　the
wicked　sophist　Love。　If　we　had　but　a　single　soul；　how　could　she　be　at
once　evil　and　good？　How　could　she　be　enamoured　at　once　of　nobleness
and　baseness；　or　at　once　desire　and　not　desire　one　deed　and　the　same？
No；　it　is　clear　that　we　have　two　souls；　and　when　the　beautiful　soul
prevails；　all　fair　things　are　wrought；　and　when　the　evil　soul　has　the
mastery；　she　lays　her　hand　to　shame　and　wickedness。　But　to…day　my　good
soul　conquers；　because　she　has　you　to　help　her。〃

＇42＇　〃Well；〃　said　Cyrus；　〃if　you　have　decided　on　going；　it　is　thus　you
had　better　go。　Thus　you　will　win　their　confidence；　and　then　you　must
tell　them　what　we　are　doing；　but　in　such　a　way　as　to　hinder　their　own
designs。　It　would　hinder　them；　for　example；　if　you　said　that　we　were
preparing　an　attack　on　their　territory　at　a　point　not　yet　decided；　for
this　would　check　the　concentration　of　their　forces；　each　leader　being
most　concerned　for　the　safety　of　his　own　home。　＇43＇　Stay　with　them；〃
he　added；　〃till　the　last　moment　possible：　what　they　do　when　they　are
close　at　hand　is　just　what　is　most　important　for　us　to　know。　Advise
them　how　to　dispose　their　forces　in　the　way　that　really　seems　the
best；　for　then；　after　you　are　gone　and　although　it　may　be　known　that
you　are　aware　of　their　order；　they　will　be　forced　to　keep　to　it；　they
will　not　dare　to　change　it；　and　should　they　do　so　at　the　last　moment
they　will　be　thrown　into　confusion。〃

＇44＇　Thereupon　Araspas　took　his　leave；　called　together　his　trustiest
attendants；　said　what　he　thought　necessary　for　the　occasion；　and
departed。

＇45＇　Now　Pantheia；　when　she　heard　that　Araspas　had　fled；　sent　a
messenger　to　Cyrus；　saying：

〃Griev