alexander-第8节

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ed；　which　gave　him　so　much　satisfaction　that　he　made　splendid　offerings　to　Jupiter；　and　gave　the　priests　very　rich　presents。　This　is　what　most　authors　write　concerning　the　oracles。　But　Alexander；　in　a　letter　to　his　mother；　tells　her　there　were　some　secret　answers；　which　at　his　return　he　would　communicate　to　her　only。　Others　say　that　the　priest；　desirous　as　a　piece　of　courtesy　to　address　him　in　Greek；　〃O　Paidion；〃　by　a　slip　in　pronunciation　ended　with　the　s　instead　of　the　n；　and　said　〃O　Paidios；〃　which　mistake　Alexander　was　well　enough　pleased　with；　and　it　went　for　current　that　the　oracle　had　called　him　so。　　　Among　the　sayings　of　one　Psammon；　a　philosopher；　whom　he　heard　in　Egypt；　he　most　approved　of　this；　that　all　men　are　governed　by　God；　because　in　everything；　that　which　is　chief　and　commands　is　divine。　But　what　he　pronounced　himself　upon　this　subject　was　even　more　like　a　philosopher；　for　he　said　God　was　the　common　father　of　us　all；　but　more　particularly　of　the　best　of　us。　To　the　barbarians　he　carried　himself　very　haughtily；　as　if　he　were　fully　persuaded　of　his　divine　birth　and　parentage；　but　to　the　Grecians　more　moderately；　and　with　less　affectation　of　divinity；　except　it　were　once　in　writing　to　the　Athenians　about　Samos；　when　he　tells　them　that　he　should　not　himself　have　bestowed　upon　them　that　free　and　glorious　city；　〃You　received　it；〃　he　says；　〃from　the　bounty　of　him　who　at　that　time　was　called　my　lord　and　father；〃　meaning　Philip。　However；　afterwards　being　wounded　with　an　arrow；　and　feeling　much　pain；　he　turned　to　those　about　him；　and　told　them；　〃This；　my　friends；　is　real　flowing　blood；　not　Ichor…

　　　　　　　　　〃Such　as　immortal　gods　are　wont　to　shed。〃

And　another　time；　when　it　thundered　so　much　that　everybody　was　afraid；　and　Anaxarchus；　the　sophist；　asked　him　if　he　who　was　Jupiter's　son　could　do　anything　like　this；　〃Nay；〃　said　Alexander；　laughing；　〃I　have　no　desire　to　be　formidable　to　my　friends；　as　you　would　have　me；　who　despised　my　table　for　being　furnished　with　fish；　and　not　with　the　heads　of　governors　of　provinces。〃　For　in　fact　it　is　related　as　true；　that　Anaxarchus；　seeing　a　present　of　small　fishes；　which　the　king　sent　to　Hephaestion；　had　used　this　expression；　in　a　sort　of　irony；　and　disparagement　of　those　who　undergo　vast　labours　and　encounter　great　hazards　in　pursuit　of　magnificent　objects　which　after　all　bring　them　little　more　pleasure　or　enjoyment　than　what　others　have。　From　what　I　have　said　upon　this　subject；　it　is　apparent　that　Alexander　in　himself　was　not　foolishly　affected；　or　had　the　vanity　to　think　himself　really　a　god；　but　merely　used　his　claims　to　divinity　as　a　means　of　maintaining　among　other　people　the　sense　of　his　superiority。　　　At　his　return　out　of　Egypt　into　Phoenicia；　he　sacrificed　and　made　solemn　processions；　to　which　were　added　shows　of　lyric　dances　and　tragedies；　remarkable　not　merely　for　the　splendour　of　the　equipage　and　decorations；　but　for　the　competition　among　those　who　exhibited　them。　For　the　kings　of　Cyprus　were　here　the　exhibitors；　just　in　the　same　manner　as　at　Athens　those　who　are　chosen　by　lot　out　of　the　tribes。　And；　indeed；　they　showed　the　greatest　emulation　to　outvie　each　other；　especially　Nicocreon；　King　of　Salamis；　and　Pasicrates　of　Soli；　who　furnished　the　chorus；　and　defrayed　the　expenses　of　the　two　most　celebrated　actors；　Athenodorus　and　Thessalus；　the　former　performing　for　Pasicrates；　and　the　latter　for　Nicocrean。　Thessalus　was　most　favoured　by　Alexander；　though　it　did　not　appear　till　Athenodorus　was　declared　victor　by　the　plurality　of　votes。　For　then　at　his　going　away；　he　said　the　judges　deserved　to　be　commended　for　what　they　had　done；　but　that　he　would　willingly　have　lost　part　of　his　kingdom　rather　than　to　have　seen　Thessalus　overcome。　However；　when　he　understood　Athenodorus　was　fined　by　the　Athenians　for　being　absent　at　the　festivals　of　Bacchus；　though　he　refused　his　request　that　he　would　write　a　letter　in　his　behalf；　he　gave　him　a　sufficient　sum　to　satisfy　the　penalty。　Another　time；　when　Lycon　of　Scarphia　happened　to　act　with　great　applause　in　the　theatre；　and　in　a　verse　which　he　introduced　into　the　comic　part　which　he　was　acting；　begged　for　a　present　of　ten　talents；　he　laughed　and　gave　him　the　money。　　　Darius　wrote　him　a　letter；　and　sent　friends　to　intercede　with　him；　requesting　him　to　accept　as　a　ransom　of　his　captives　the　sum　of　a　thousand　talents；　and　offering　him　in　exchange　for　his　amity　and　alliance　all　the　countries　on　this　side　the　river　Euphrates；　together　with　one　of　his　daughters　in　marriage。　These　propositions　he　communicated　to　his　friends；　and　when　Parmenio　told　him　that；　for　his　part；　if　he　were　Alexander；　he　should　readily　embrace　them；　〃So　would　I；〃　said　Alexander；　〃if　I　were　Parmenio。〃　Accordingly；　his　answer　to　Darius　was；　that　if　he　would　come　and　yield　himself　up　into　his　power　he　would　treat　him　with　all　possible　kindness；　if　not；　he　was　resolved　immediately　to　go　himself　and　seek　him。　But　the　death　of　Darius's　wife　in　childbirth　made　him　soon　after　regret　one　part　of　this　answer；　and　he　showed　evident　marks　of　grief　at　thus　deprived　of　a　further　opportunity　of　exercising　his　clemency　and　good　nature；　which　he　manifested；　however；　as　far　as　he　could；　by　giving　her　a　most　sumptuous　funeral。　　　Among　the　eunuchs　who　waited　in　the　queen's　chamber；　and　were　taken　prisoners　with　the　women；　there　was　one　Tireus；　who；　getting　out　of　the　camp；　fled　away　on　horseback　to　Darius；　to　inform　him　of　his　wife's　death。　He；　when　he　heard　it；　beating　his　head；　and　bursting　into　tears　and　lamentations；　said；　〃Alas！　how　great　is　the　calamity　of　the　Persians！　Was　it　not　enough　that　their　king's　consort　and　sister　was　a　prisoner　in　her　lifetime；　but　she　must；　now　she　is　dead；　also　be　but　meanly　and　obscurely　buried？〃　〃O　king；〃　replied　the　eunuch；　〃as　to　her　funeral　rites；　or　any　respect　or　honour　that　should　have　been　shown　in　them；　you　have　not　the　least　reason　to　accuse　the　ill　fortune　of　your　country；　for　to　my　knowledge　neither　your　queen　Statira　when　alive；　nor　your　mother；　nor　children；　wanted　anything　of　their　former　happy　condition；　unless　it　were　the　light　of　your　countenance；　which　I　doubt　not　but　the　lord　Oromasdes　will　yet　restore　to　its　former　glory。　And　after　her　decease；　I　assure　you；　she　had　not　only　all　due　funeral　ornaments；　but　was　honoured　also　with　the　tears　of　your　very　enemies；　for　Alexander　is　as　gentle　after　victory　as　he　is　terrible　in　the　field。〃　At　the　bearing　of　these　words；　such　was　the　grief　and　emotion　of　Darius's　mind；　that　they　carried　him　into　extravagant　suspicions；　and　taking　Tireus　aside　into　a　more　private　part　of　his　tent；　〃Unless　thou　likewise；〃　said　he　to　him；　〃hast　deserted　me；　together　with　the　good　fortune　of　Persia；　and　art　become　a　Macedonian　in　thy　heart；　if　thou　yet　ownest　me　for　thy　master　Darius；　tell　me；　I　charge　thee；　by　the　veneration　thou　payest　the　light　of　Mithras；　and　this　right　hand　of　thy　king；　do　I　not　lament　the　least　of　Statira's　misfortunes　in　her　captivity　and　death？　Have　I　not　suffered　something　more　injurious　and　deplorable　in　her　lifetime？　And　had　I　not　been　miserable　with　less　dishonour　if　I　had　met　with　a　more　severe　and　inhuman　enemy？　For　how　is　it　possible　a　young　man　as　he　is　should　treat　the　wife　of　his　opponent　with　so　much　distinction；　were　it　not　from　some　motive　that　does　me　disgrace？〃　Whilst　he　was　yet　speaking；　Tireus　threw　himself　at　his　feet；　and　besought　him　neither　to　wrong　Alexander　so　much；　nor　his　dead　wife　and　sister；　as　to　give　utterance　to　any　such　thoughts；　which　deprived　him　of　the　greatest　consolation　left　him　in　his　adversity；　the　belief　that　he　was　overcome　by　a　man　whose　virtues　raised　him　above　human　nature；　that　he　ought　to　look　upon　Alexander　with　love　and　admiration；　who　had　given　no　less　proofs　of　his　continence　towards　the　Persian　women；　than　of　his　valour　among　the　men。　The　eunuch　confirmed　all　he　said　with　solemn　and　dreadful　oaths；　and　was　further　enlarging　upon　Alexander's　moderation　and　magnanimity　on　other　occasions；　when　Darius；　breaking　away　from　him　into　the　other　division　of　the　tent；　where　his　friends　and　courtiers　were；　lifted　up　his　hands　to　heaven　and　uttered　this　prayer；　〃Ye　gods；〃　said　he；　〃of　my　family；　and　of　my　kingdom；　if　it　be　possible；　I　beseech　you　to　restore　the　declining　affairs　of　Persia；　that　I　may　leave　them　in　as　flourishing　a　condition　as　I　found　them；　and　have　it　in　my　power　to　make　a　grateful　return　to　Alexander　for　the　kindness　which　in　my　adversity　he　has　shown　to　those　who　are　dearest　to　me。　But　if；　indeed；　the　fatal　time　be　come；　which　is　to　give　a　period　to　the　Persian　monarchy；　if　our　ruin　be　a　debt　that　must　be　paid　to　the　divine　jealousy　and　the　vicissitude　of　things；　then　I　beseech　you　grant　that　no　other　man　but　Alexander　may　sit　upon　the　throne　of　Cyrus。〃　Such　is　the　narrative　given　by　the　greater　number　of　the　historians。　　　But　to　return　to　Alexander。　After　he　had　reduced　all　Asia　on　this　side　the　Euphrates；　he　advanced　towards　Darius；　who　was　coming　down　against　him　with　a　million　of　men。　In　his　march　a　very　ridiculous　passage　happened。　The　servants　who　followed　the　camp　for　sport's　sake　divided　themselves　into　two　parties；　and　named　the　commander　of　one　of　them　Alexander；　and　the　other　Darius。　At　first　they　only　pelted　one　another　with　clods