cyropaedia-第53节

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＇12＇　To　this　Croesus　answered；　〃Suffer　me　then　to　tell　what　Lydians　I
please　that　I　have　won　your　promise　that　the　city　shall　not　be　sacked；
nor　their　women　and　children　made　away　with。　＇13＇　I　promise　you　in
return　that　my　men　will　bring　you　willingly　everything　that　is　costly
and　beautiful　in　Sardis。　If　I　can　announce　such　terms；　I　am　certain
there　is　not　one　treasure　belonging　to　man　or　woman　that　will　not　be
yours　to…morrow。　Further；　on　this　day　year；　the　city　will　overflow
once　more　with　wealth　and　beauty。　But　if　you　sack　it；　you　will　destroy
the　crafts　in　its　ruin；　and　they；　we　know；　are　the　well…spring　of　all
loveliness。　＇14＇　Howbeit；　you　need　not　decide　at　once；　wait　and　see
what　is　brought　to　you。　Send　first；〃　he　added；　〃to　my　own　treasuries；
and　let　your　guards　take　some　of　my　own　men　with　them。〃

To　all　this　Cyrus　consented；　and　then　he　said：

＇15＇　〃And　now；　O　Croesus；　tell　me　one　thing　more。　How　did　matters　go
between　you　and　the　oracle　at　Delphi？　It　is　said　that　you　did　much
reverence　to　Apollo　and　obeyed　him　in　all　things。〃

＇16＇　〃I　could　wish　it　had　been　so；〃　said　Croesus；　〃but；　truth　to　say；
from　the　beginning　I　have　acted　in　all　things　against　him。〃　〃How　can
that　be？〃　said　Cyrus。　〃Explain　it　to　me：　for　your　words　seem　strange
indeed。〃　＇17＇　〃Because；〃　he　answered；　〃in　the　first　place；　instead　of
asking　the　god　for　all　I　wanted　I　must　needs　put　him　to　the　test；　to
see　if　he　could　speak　the　truth。　This；〃　he　added；　〃no　man　of　honour
could　endure；　let　be　the　godhead。　Those　who　are　doubted　cannot　love
their　doubters。　＇18＇　And　yet　he　stood　the　test；　for　though　the　things
I　did　were　strange；　and　I　was　many　leagues　from　Delphi；　he　knew　them
all。　And　so　I　resolved　to　consult　him　about　my　children。　＇19＇　At　first
he　would　not　so　much　as　answer　me；　but　I　sent　him　many　an　offering；
some　of　gold　and　some　of　silver；　and　I　propitiated　him；　as　I　deemed；
by　countless　sacrifices；　and　at　last　he　answered　me　when　I　asked　him
what　I　must　do　that　sons　might　be　born　to　me。　He　said　they　should　be
born。　＇20＇　And　so　they　were；　in　that　he　uttered　no　lie；　but　they
brought　me　no　joy。　One　of　them　was　dumb　his　whole　life　long；　and　the
noblest　perished　in　the　flower　of　his　youth。　And　I；　crushed　by　these
sorrows；　sent　again　to　the　god　and　asked　him　how　I　could　live　in
happiness　for　the　rest　of　my　days；　and　he　answered：

　　〃'Know　thyself；　O　Croesus；　and　happiness　shall　be　thine。'

〃And　when　I　heard　the　oracle；　I　was　comforted。　＇21＇　I　said　to　myself；
the　god　has　laid　the　lightest　of　tasks　upon　me；　and　promised　me
happiness　in　return。　Some　of　his　neighbours　a　man　may　know　and　others
not：　but　every　one　can　know　himself。　＇22＇　So　I　thought；　and　in　truth
so　long　as　I　was　at　peace　I　had　no　fault　to　find　with　my　lot　after　my
son's　death；　but　when　the　Assyrian　persuaded　me　to　march　against　you　I
encountered　every　danger。　Yet　I　was　saved；　I　came　to　no　harm。　Once
again；　therefore；　I　have　no　charge　to　bring　against　the　god：　when　I
/knew　myself/　incapable　of　warring　against　you；　he　came　to　my　help　and
saved　mine　and　me。　＇23＇　But　afterwards；　intoxicated　by　my　wealth；
cajoled　by　those　who　begged　me　to　be　their　leader；　tempted　by　the
gifts　they　showered　on　me；　flattered　by　all　who　said　that　if　I　would
but　lead　them　they　would　obey　me　to　a　man；　and　that　I　would　be　the
greatest　ruler　in　all　the　world；　and　that　all　their　kings　had　met
together　and　chosen　me　for　their　champion　in　the　war；　I　undertook　the
generalship　as　though　I　were　born　to　be　the　monarch　of　the　world；　for
I　did　not　/know　myself/。　＇24＇　I　thought　myself　able　to　fight　against
you；　you　who　are　sprung　from　the　seed　of　the　gods；　born　of　a　royal
line；　trained　in　valour　and　virtue　from　your　youth；　while　II　believe
that　the　first　of　my　ancestors　to　reign　won　his　freedom　and　his　crown
on　the　self…same　day。　For　this　dull　ignorance　of　mine　I　see　I　am
justly　punished。　＇25＇　But　now　at　last；　O　Cyrus；〃　he　cried；　〃now　I
/know　myself/。　And　tell　me；　do　you　think　the　god　will　still　speak
truth？　Do　you　think　that；　knowing　myself；　I　can　be　happy　now？　I　ask
you；　because　you　of　all　men　have　it　in　your　power　to　answer　best。
Happiness　is　yours　to　give。〃

＇26＇　Cyrus　answered；　〃Give　me　time　to　deliberate；　Croesus。　I　bear　in
mind　your　former　happiness　and　I　pity　you。　I　give　you　back　at　once
your　wife　and　your　daughters　（for　they　tell　me　you　have　daughters）；
and　your　friends　and　your　attendants；　they　are　yours　once　more。　And
yours　it　is　to　sit　at　your　own　table　as　you　used　to　live。　But　battles
and　wars　I　must　put　out　of　your　power。〃

＇27＇　〃Now　by　the　gods　above　us；〃　cried　Croesus；　〃you　need　take　no
further　thought　about　your　answer：　if　you　will　do　for　me　what　you　say；
I　shall　live　the　life　that　all　men　called　the　happiest　of　lives；　and　I
knew　that　they　were　right。〃　＇28＇　〃And　who；〃　said　Cyrus；　〃who　was　it
that　lived　that　life　of　happiness？〃　〃My　own　wife；〃　said　Croesus；　〃she
shared　all　my　good　things　with　me；　my　luxuries；　my　softest　joys；　but
in　the　cares　on　which　those　joys　were　based；　in　war　and　battle　and
strife；　she　had　no　part　or　lot。　Methinks；　you　will　provide　for　me　as　I
provided　for　her　whom　I　loved　beyond　all　others　in　the　world；　and　I
must　needs　send　to　Apollo　again；　and　send　thank…offerings。〃

＇29＇　And　as　Cyrus　listened　he　marvelled　at　the　man's　contentedness　of
soul；　and　for　the　future　wherever　he　went　he　took　Croesus　with　him；
either　because　he　thought　he　might　be　useful　or　perhaps　because　he
felt　it　was　safer　so。

＇C。3＇　So　for　that　night　they　rested。　But　the　next　day　Cyrus　called　his
friends　and　generals　together　and　told　some　to　make　an　inventory　of
their　treasures　and　others　to　receive　all　the　wealth　that　Croesus
brought　in。　First　they　were　to　set　aside　for　the　gods　all　that　the
Persian　priests　thought　fit；　and　then　store　the　rest　in　coffers；
weight　them；　and　pack　them　on　waggons；　distributing　the　waggons　by　lot
to　take　with　them　on　the　march；　so　that　they　could　receive　their
proper　share　at　any　convenient　time。　＇2＇　So　they　set　about　the　work。

Then　Cyrus　called　some　of　his　squires　and　said：

〃Tell　me；　have　any　of　you　seen　Abradatas？　I　wonder　that　he　who　used　to
come　to　me　so　often　is　nowhere　to　be　found。〃

＇3＇　Then　one　of　the　squires　made　answer；　〃My　lord；　he　is　dead：　he　fell
in　the　battle；　charging　straight　into　the　Egyptian　ranks：　the　rest；
all　but　his　own　companions；　swerved　before　their　close　array。　＇4＇　And
now；〃　he　added；　〃we　hear　that　his　wife　has　found　his　body　and　laid　it
in　her　own　car；　and　has　brought　it　here　to　the　banks　of　the　Pactolus。
＇5＇　Her　chamberlains　and　her　attendants　are　digging　a　grave　for　the
dead　man　upon　a　hill；　and　she；　they　say；　has　put　her　fairest　raiment
on　him　and　her　jewels；　and　she　is　seated　on　the　ground　with　his　head
upon　her　knees。〃

＇6＇　Then　Cyrus　smote　his　hand　upon　his　thigh　and　leapt　up　and　sprang
to　horse；　galloping　to　the　place　of　sorrow；　with　a　thousand　troopers
at　his　back。　＇7＇　He　bade　Gadatas　and　Gobryas　take　what　jewels　they
could　find　to　honour　the　dear　friend　and　brave　warrior　who　had　fallen；
and　follow　with　all　speed：　and　he　bade　the　keepers　of　the　herds；　the
cattle；　and　the　horses　drive　up　their　flocks　wherever　they　heard　he
was；　that　he　might　sacrifice　on　the　grave。

＇8＇　But　when　he　saw　Pantheia　seated　on　the　ground　and　the　dead　man
lying　there；　the　tears　ran　down　his　cheeks　and　he　cried：

〃O　noble　and　loyal　spirit；　have　you　gone　from　us？〃

Then　he　took　the　dead　man　by　the　hand；　but　the　hand　came　away　with　his
own：　it　had　been　hacked　by　an　Egyptian　blade。　＇9＇　And　when　he　saw
that；　his　sorrow　grew；　and　Pantheia　sobbed　aloud　and　took　the　hand
from　Cyrus　and　kissed　it　and　laid　it　in　its　place；　as　best　she　could；
and　said：

＇10＇　〃It　is　all　like　that；　Cyrus。　But　why　should　you　see　it？〃　And
presently　she　said；　〃All　this；　I　know；　he　suffered　for　my　sake；　and
for　yours　too；　Cyrus；　perhaps　as　much。　I　was　a　fool：　I　urged　him　so　to
bear　himself　as　became　a　faithful　friend　of　yours；　and　he；　I　know；　he
never　thought　once　of　his　own　safety；　but　only　of　what　he　might　do　to
show　his　gratitude。　Now　he　has　fallen；　without　a　stain　upon　his
valour：　and　I；　who　urged　him；　I　live　on　to　sit　beside　his　grave。〃

＇11＇　And　Cyrus　wept　silently　for　a　while；　and　then　he　said：

〃Lady；　his　end　was　the　noblest　and　the　fairest　that　could　be：　he　died
in　the　hour　of　victory。　Take　these　gifts　that　I　have　brought　and　adorn
him。〃

For　now　Gobryas　and　Gadatas　appeared　with　store　of　jewels　and　rich
apparel。　〃He　shall　not　lack　for　honour；〃　Cyrus　said；　〃many　hands　will
raise　his　monument：　it　shall　be　a　royal　one；　and　we　will　offer　such
sacrifice　as　befits　a　hero。　＇12＇　And　you；　lady；〃　he　added；　〃you　shall
not　be　left　desolate。　I　reverence　your　chastity　and　your　nobleness；
and　I　will　give　you　a　guardian　to　lead　you　withersoever　you　choose；　if
you　will　but　tell　me　to　whom　you　wish　to　go。〃

＇13＇　And　Pantheia　answered：

〃Be　at　rest；　Cyrus；　I　will　not　hide　from　you　to　whom　I　long　to　go。〃

＇14＇　Therewith　Cyrus　took　his　leave　of　her　and　went；　pitying　from　his
heart　the　woman　who　had　lost　so　brave　a　husband；　and　the　dead　man　in
his　grave；　taken　from　so　sweet　a　wife；　never　to　see　her　more。　Then
Pantheia　bade　her　chamberlains　stand　aside　〃until；〃　she　said；　〃I　have
we