agis-第5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！


king　ought　to　appear；　and　to　be　heard　and　judged　by　the　people。　But
this　clamour；　instead　of　preventing；　hastened　his　death；　his　enemies
fearing；　if　the　tumult　should　increase；　he　might　be　rescued　during　the
night　out　of　their　hands。
　　Agis；　being　now　at　the　point　to　die；　perceived　one　of　the　officers
bitterly　bewailing　his　misfortune；　〃Weep　not；　friend；〃　said　he；　〃for
me；　who　die　innocent；　by　the　lawless　act　of　wicked　men。　My　condition
is　much　better　than　theirs。〃　As　soon　as　he　had　spoken　these　words；　not
showing　the　least　sign　of　fear；　he　offered　his　neck　to　the　noose。
　　Immediately　after　he　was　dead；　Amphares　went　out　of　the　prison　gate；
where　he　found　Agesistrata；　who；　believing　him　still　the　same　friend
as　before；　threw　herself　at　his　feet。　He　gently　raised　her　up；　and
assured　her；　she　need　not　fear　any　further　violence　or　danger　of　death
for　her　son；　and　that　if　pleased　she　might　go　in　and　see　him。　She
begged　her　mother　might　also　have　the　favour　to　be　admitted；　and　he
replied；　nobody　should　hinder　it。　When　they　were　entered；　he　commanded
the　gate　should　again　be　locked；　and　Archidamia；　the　grandmother；　to
be　first　introduced。　She　was　now　grown　very　old；　and　had　lived　all　her
days　in　the　highest　repute　among　her　fellows。　As　soon　as　Amphares
thought　she　was　despatched；　he　told　Agesistrata　she　might　now　go　in　if
she　pleased。　She　entered；　and　beholding　her　son's　body　stretched　on
the　ground；　and　her　mother　hanging　by　the　neck；　the　first　thing　she
did　was；　with　her　own　hands；　to　assist　the　officers　in　taking　down　the
body；　then　covering　it　decently；　she　laid　it　out　by　her　son's；　whom
then　embracing　and　kissing　his　cheeks；　〃O　my　son；〃　said　she；　〃it　was
thy　too　great　mercy　and　goodness　which　brought　thee　and　us　to　ruin。〃
Amphares；　who　stood　watching　behind　the　door；　on　hearing　this；　broke
in；　and　said　angrily　to　her；　〃Since　you　approve　so　well　of　your
son's　actions；　it　is　fit　you　should　partake　in　his　reward。〃　She；
rising　up　to　offer　herself　to　the　noose；　said　only；　〃I　pray　that　it
may　redound　to　the　good　of　Sparta。〃
　　The　three　bodies　being　now　exposed　to　view；　and　the　fact　divulged；
no　fear　was　strong　enough　to　hinder　the　people　from　expressing　their
abhorrence　of　what　was　done；　and　their　detestation　of　Leonidas　and
Amphares；　the　contrivers　of　it。　So　wicked　and　barbarous　an　act　had
never　been　committed　in　Sparta　since　first　the　Dorians　inhabited
Peloponnesus；　the　very　enemies　in　war；　they　said；　were　always　cautious
in　spilling　the　blood　of　a　Lacedaemonian　king；　insomuch　that　in　any
combat　they　would　decline；　and　endeavour　to　avoid　them；　from
feelings　of　respect　and　reverence　for　their　station。　And　certainly
we　see　that　in　the　many　battles　fought　betwixt　the　Lacedaemonians
and　the　other　Greeks；　up　to　the　time　of　Philip　of　Macedon；　not　one
of　their　kings　was　ever　killed；　except　Cleombrotus　by　a
javelin…wound　at　the　battle　of　Leuctra。　I　am　not　ignorant　that　the
Messenians　affirm；　Theopompus　was　also　slain　by　their　Aristomenes；　but
the　Lacedaemonians　deny　it；　and　say　he　was　only　wounded。
　　Be　it　as　it　will；　it　is　certain　at　least　that　Agis　was　the　first
king　put　to　death　in　Lacedaemon　by　the　ephors；　for　having　undertaken　a
design　noble　in　itself　and　worthy　of　his　country；　at　a　time　of　life
when　men's　errors　usually　meet　with　an　easy　pardon。　And　if　errors　he
did　commit；　his　enemies　certainly　had　less　reason　to　blame　him　than
had　his　friends　for　that　gentle　and　compassionate　temper　which　made
him　save　the　life　of　Leonidas　and　believe　in　other　men's　professions。




　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　END