the story of mankind-第12节

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while　he　spoke　（that　is　to　say　he　‘‘acted''　while　the　others　merely

stood　by　and　sang）　and　he　asked　a　lot　of　questions；　which　the

bandmaster　answered　according　to　the　roll　of　papyrus　upon

which　the　poet　had　written　down　these　answers　before　the

show　began。



This　rough　and　ready　conversationthe　dialoguewhich

told　the　story　of　Dionysos　or　one　of　the　other　Gods；　became

at　once　popular　with　the　crowd。　Henceforth　every　Dionysian

procession　had　an　‘‘acted　scene''　and　very　soon　the　‘‘acting''

was　considered　more　important　than　the　procession　and　the

meh…mehing。



AEschylus；　the　most　successful　of　all　‘‘tragedians''　who　wrote

no　less　than　eighty　plays　during　his　long　life　（from　526　to　455）

made　a　bold　step　forward　when　he　introduced　two　‘‘actors''

instead　of　one。　A　generation　later　Sophocles　increased　the

number　of　actors　to　three。　When　Euripides　began　to　write

his　terrible　tragedies　in　the　middle　of　the　fifth　century；　B。C。；

he　was　allowed　as　many　actors　as　he　liked　and　when　Aristophanes

wrote　those　famous　comedies　in　which　he　poked　fun　at

everybody　and　everything；　including　the　Gods　of　Mount　Olympus；

the　chorus　had　been　reduced　to　the　role　of　mere　bystanders

who　were　lined　up　behind　the　principal　performers

and　who　sang　‘‘this　is　a　terrible　world''　while　the　hero　in　the

foreground　committed　a　crime　against　the　will　of　the　Gods。



This　new　form　of　dramatic　entertainment　demanded　a

proper　setting；　and　soon　every　Greek　city　owned　a　theatre；　cut

out　of　the　rock　of　a　nearby　hill。　The　spectators　sat　upon

wooden　benches　and　faced　a　wide　circle　（our　present　orchestra

where　you　pay　three　dollars　and　thirty　cents　for　a　seat）。

Upon　this　half…circle；　which　was　the　stage；　the　actors　and　the

chorus　took　their　stand。　Behind　them　there　was　a　tent　where

they　made　up　with　large　clay　masks　which　hid　their　faces　and

which　showed　the　spectators　whether　the　actors　were　supposed

to　be　happy　and　smiling　or　unhappy　and　weeping。　The　Greek

word　for　tent　is　‘‘skene''　and　that　is　the　reason　why　we　talk

of　the　‘‘scenery''　of　the　stage。



When　once　the　tragedy　had　become　part　of　Greek　life；　the

people　took　it　very　seriously　and　never　went　to　the　theatre　to

give　their　minds　a　vacation。　A　new　play　became　as　important

an　event　as　an　election　and　a　successful　playwright　was

received　with　greater　honors　than　those　bestowed　upon　a　general

who　had　just　returned　from　a　famous　victory。







THE　PERSIAN　WARS



HOW　THE　GREEKS　DEFENDED　EUROPE

AGAINST　ASIATIC　INVASION　AND　DROVE

THE　PERSIANS　BACK　ACROSS　THE　AEGEAN

SEA





THE　Greeks　had　learned　the　art　of　trading　from　the

AEgeans　who　had　been　the　pupils　of　the　Phoenicians。　They

had　founded　colonies　after　the　Phoenician　pattern。　They　had

even　improved　upon　the　Phoenician　methods　by　a　more　general

use　of　money　in　dealing　with　foreign　customers。　In　the　sixth

century　before　our　era　they　had　established　themselves　firmly

along　the　coast　of　Asia　Minor　and　they　were　taking　away

trade　from　the　Phoenicians　at　a　fast　rate。　This　the　Phoenicians

of　course　did　not　like　but　they　were　not　strong　enough　to

risk　a　war　with　their　Greek　competitors。　They　sat　and　waited

nor　did　they　wait　in　vain。



In　a　former　chapter；　I　have　told　you　how　a　humble　tribe

of　Persian　shepherds　had　suddenly　gone　upon　the　warpath　and

had　conquered　the　greater　part　of　western　Asia。　The　Persians

were　too　civilised　to　plunder　their　new　subjects。　They

contented　themselves　with　a　yearly　tribute。　When　they

reached　the　coast　of　Asia　Minor　they　insisted　that　the　Greek

colonies　of　Lydia　recognize　the　Persian　Kings　as　their　over…

Lords　and　pay　them　a　stipulated　tax。　The　Greek　colonies

objected。　The　Persians　insisted。　Then　the　Greek　colonies

appealed　to　the　home…country　and　the　stage　was　set　for　a

quarrel。



For　if　the　truth　be　told；　the　Persian　Kings　regarded　the

Greek　city…states　as　very　dangerous　political　institutions　and

bad　examples　for　all　other　people　who　were　supposed　to　be　the

patient　slaves　of　the　mighty　Persian　Kings。



Of　course；　the　Greeks　enjoyed　a　certain　degree　of　safety　because

their　country　lay　hidden　beyond　the　deep　waters　of　the

AEgean。　But　here　their　old　enemies；　the　Phoenicians；　stepped

forward　with　offers　of　help　and　advice　to　the　Persians。　If　the

Persian　King　would　provide　the　soldiers；　the　Phoenicians　would

guarantee　to　deliver　the　necessary　ships　to　carry　them　to

Europe。　It　was　the　year　492　before　the　birth　of　Christ；　and

Asia　made　ready　to　destroy　the　rising　power　of　Europe。



As　a　final　warning　the　King　of　Persia　sent　messengers

to　the　Greeks　asking　for　‘‘earth　and　water''　as　a　token　of　their

submission。　The　Greeks　promptly　threw　the　messengers　into

the　nearest　well　where　they　would　find　both　‘‘earth　and　water''

in　large　abundance　and　thereafter　of　course　peace　was　impossible。



But　the　Gods　of　High　Olympus　watched　over　their　children

and　when　the　Phoenician　fleet　carrying　the　Persian　troops

was　near　Mount　Athos；　the　Storm…God　blew　his　cheeks　until

he　almost　burst　the　veins　of　his　brow；　and　the　fleet　was　destroyed

by　a　terrible　hurricane　and　the　Persians　were　all

drowned。



Two　years　later　they　returned。　This　time　they　sailed

straight　across　the　AEgean　Sea　and　landed　near　the　village　of

Marathon。　As　soon　as　the　Athenians　heard　this　they　sent

their　army　of　ten　thousand　men　to　guard　the　hills　that

surrounded　the　Marathonian　plain。　At　the　same　time　they

despatched　a　fast　runner　to　Sparta　to　ask　for　help。　But　Sparta

was　envious　of　the　fame　of　Athens　and　refused　to　come　to　her

assistance。　The　other　Greek　cities　followed　her　example　with

the　exception　of　tiny　Plataea　which　sent　a　thousand　men。　On

the　twelfth　of　September　of　the　year　490；　Miltiades；　the　Athenian

commander；　threw　this　little　army　against　the　hordes　of　the

Persians。　The　Greeks　broke　through　the　Persian　barrage　of

arrows　and　their　spears　caused　terrible　havoc　among　the　disorganised

Asiatic　troops　who　had　never　been　called　upon　to　resist

such　an　enemy。



That　night　the　people　of　Athens　watched　the　sky　grow

red　with　the　flames　of　burning　ships。　Anxiously　they　waited

for　news。　At　last　a　little　cloud　of　dust　appeared　upon　the

road　that　led　to　the　North。　It　was　Pheidippides；　the　runner。

He　stumbled　and　gasped　for　his　end　was　near。　Only　a　few

days　before　had　he　returned　from　his　errand　to　Sparta。　He

had　hastened　to　join　Miltiades。　That　morning　he　had　taken

part　in　the　attack　and　later　he　had　volunteered　to　carry　the

news　of　victory　to　his　beloved　city。　The　people　saw　him　fall

and　they　rushed　forward　to　support　him。　‘‘We　have　won；''

he　whispered　and　then　he　died；　a　glorious　death　which　made　him

envied　of　all　men。



As　for　the　Persians；　they　tried；　after　this　defeat；　to　land

near　Athens　but　they　found　the　coast　guarded　and　disappeared；

and　once　more　the　land　of　Hellas　was　at　peace。



Eight　years　they　waited　and　during　this　time　the　Greeks

were　not　idle。　They　knew　that　a　final　attack　was　to　be　expected

but　they　did　not　agree　upon　the　best　way　to　avert　the　danger。

Some　people　wanted　to　increase　the　army。　Others　said　that

a　strong　fleet　was　necessary　for　success。　The　two　parties　led　by

Aristides　（for　the　army）　and　Themistocles　（the　leader　of　the

bigger…navy　men）　fought　each　other　bitterly　and　nothing　was

done　until　Aristides　was　exiled。　Then　Themistocles　had　his

chance　and　he　built　all　the　ships　he　could　and　turned　the　Piraeus

into　a　strong　naval　base。



In　the　year　481　B。C。　a　tremendous　Persian　army　appeared

in　Thessaly；　a　province　of　northern　Greece。　In　this　hour　of

danger；　Sparta；　the　great　military　city　of　Greece；　was　elected

commander…in…chief。　But　the　Spartans　cared　little　what　happened

to　northern　Greece　provided　their　own　country　was　not

invaded；　They　neglected　to　fortify　the　passes　that　led　into

Greece。



A　small　detachment　of　Spartans　under　Leonidas　had　been

told　to　guard　the　narrow　road　between　the　high　mountains　and

the　sea　which　connected　Thessaly　with　the　southern　provinces。

Leonidas　obeyed　his　orders。　He　fought　and　held　the　pass　with

unequalled　bravery。　But　a　traitor　by　the　name　of　Ephialtes

who　knew　the　little　byways　of　Malis　guided　a　regiment　of　Persians

through　the　hills　and　made　it　possible　for　them　to　attack

Leonidas　in　the　rear。　Near　the　Warm　Wellsthe　Thermopylae

a　terrible　battle　was　fought。



When　night　came　Leonidas　and　his　faithful　soldiers　lay　dead

under　the　corpses　of　their　enemies。



But　the　pass　had　been　lost　and　the　greater　part　of　Greece

fell　into　the　hands　of　the　Persians。　They　marched　upon

Athens；　threw　the　garrison　from　the　rocks　of　the　Acropolis　and

burned　the　city。　The　people　fled　to　the　Island　of　Salamis。　All

seemed　lost。　But　on　the　20th　of　September　of　the　year　480

Themistocles　forced　the　Persian　fleet　to　give　battle　within　the

narrow　straits　which　separated　the　Island　of　Salamis　from　the

mainland　and　within　a　few　hours　he　destroyed　three　quarters

of　the　Persian　shi