a smaller history of greece-第35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！
That a reformer and destroyer； like Socrates； of ancient prejudices and fallacies which passed current under the name of wisdom should have raised up a host of enemies is only what might be expected； but in his case this feeling was increased by the manner in which he fulfilled his mission。 The oracle of Delphi； in response to a question put by his friend Chaerephon； had affirmed that no man was wiser than Socrates。 No one was more perplexed at this declaration than Socrates himself； since he was conscious of possessing no wisdom at all。 However； he determined to test the accuracy of the priestess； for； though he had little wisdom； others might have still less。 He therefore selected an eminent politician who enjoyed a high reputation for wisdom； and soon elicited by his scrutinising method of cross…examination； that this statesman's reputed wisdom was no wisdom at all。 But of this he could not convince the subject of his examination； whence Socrates concluded that he was wiser than this politician； inasmuch as he was conscious of his own ignorance； and therefore exempt from the error of believing himself wise when in reality he was not so。 The same experiment was tried with the same result on various classes of men； on poets； mechanics； and especially on the rhetors and sophists； the chief of all the pretenders to wisdom。
The first indication of the unpopularity which he had incurred is the attack made upon him by Aristophanes in the 'Clouds' in the year 423 B。C。 That attack； however； seems to have evaporated with the laugh； and for many years Socrates continued his teaching without molestation。 It was not till B。C。 399 that the indictment was preferred against him which cost him his life。 In that year； Meletus； a leather…seller； seconded by Anytus； a poet； and Lycon； a rhetor； accused him of impiety in not worshipping the gods of the city； and in introducing new deities； and also of being a corrupter of youth。 With respect to the latter charge； his former intimacy with Alcibiades and Critias may have； weighed against him。 Socrates made no preparations for his defence； and seems； indeed； not to have desired an acquittal。 But although he addressed the dicasts in a bold uncompromising tone； he was condemned only by a small majority of five or six in a court composed of between five and six hundred dicasts。 After the verdict was pronounced； he was entitled； according to the practice of the Athenian courts； to make some counter…proposition in place of the penalty of death； which the accusers had demanded； and if he had done so with any show of submission it is probable that the sentence would have been mitigated。 But his tone after the verdict was higher than before。 Instead of a fine； he asserted that he ought to be maintained in the Prytaneum at the public expense； as a public benefactor。 This seems to have enraged the dicasts and he was condemned to death。
It happened that the vessel which proceeded to Delos on the annual deputation to the festival had sailed the day before his condemnation； and during its absence it was unlawful to put any one to death。 Socrates was thus kept in prison during thirty days； till the return of the vessel。 He spent the interval in philosophical conversations with his friends。 Crito； one of these； arranged a scheme for his escape by bribing the gaoler； but Socrates； as might be expected from the tone of his defence； resolutely refused to save his life by a breach of the law。 His last discourse； on the day of his death； turned on the immortality of the soul。 With a firm and cheerful countenance he drank the cup of hemlock amidst his sorrowing and weeping friends。 His last words were addressed to Crito：〃Crito； we owe a cock to AEsculapius； discharge the debt； and by no means omit it。〃
Thus perished the greatest and most original of the Grecian philosophers； whose uninspired wisdom made the nearest approach to the divine morality of the Gospel。 His teaching forms an epoch in the history of philosophy。 From his school sprang Plato； the founder of the Academic philosophy； Euclides； the founder of the Megaric school； Aristippus； the founder of the Cyrenaic school； and many other philosophers of eminence。
CHAPTER XV。
THE EXPEDITION OF THE GREEKS UNDER CYRUS； AND RETREAT OF THE TEN THOUSAND； B。C。 401…400。
The assistance which Cyrus had rendered to the Lacedaemonians in the Peloponnesian war led to a remarkable episode in Grecian history。 This was the celebrated expedition of Cyrus against his brother Artaxerxes； in which the superiority of Grecian to Asiatic soldiers was so strikingly shown。
The death of Darius Nothus； king of Persia； took place B。C。 404； shortly before the battle of AEgospotami。 Cyrus； who was present at his father's death； was charged by Tissaphernes with plotting against his elder brother Artaxerxes； who succeeded to the throne。 The accusation was believed by Artaxerxes； who seized his brother； and would have put him to death； but for the intercession of their mother； Parysatis； who persuaded him not only to spare Cyrus but to confirm him in his former government。 Cyrus returned to Sardis burning with revenge； and fully resolved to make an effort to dethrone his brother。
From his intercourse with the Greeks Cyrus had become aware of their superiority to the Asiatics； and of their usefulness in such an enterprise as he now contemplated。 The peace which followed the capture of Athens seemed favourable to his projects。 Many Greeks； bred up in the practice of war during the long struggle between that city and Sparta； were now deprived of their employment； whilst many more had been driven into exile by the establishment of the Spartan oligarchies in the various conquered cities。 Under the pretence of a private war with the satrap； Tissaphernes； Cyrus enlisted large numbers of them in his service。 The Greek in whom he placed most confidence was Clearchus； a Lacedaemonian； and formerly harmost of Byzantium； who had been condemned to death by the Spartan authorities for disobedience to their orders。
It was not； however； till the beginning of the year B。C。 401 that the enterprise of Cyrus was ripe for execution。 The Greek levies were then withdrawn from the various towns in which they were distributed； and concentrated in Sardis； to the number of about 8000； and in March or April of this year Cyrus marched from Sardis with them； and with an army of 100；000 Asiatics。 The object of the expedition was proclaimed to be an attack upon the mountain…freebooters of Pisidia； its real destination was a secret to every one except Cyrus himself and Clearchus。 Among the Greek soldiers was Xenophon； an Athenian knight； to whom we owe a narrative of the expedition。 He went as a volunteer； at the invitation of his friend Proxenus； a Boeotian； and one of the generals of Cyrus。
The march of Cyrus was directed through Lydia and Phrygia。 after passing Colossae he arrived at Colaenae； where he was joined by more Greek troops； the number of whom now amounted to 11；000 hoplites and 2000 peltasts。 The line of march； which had been hitherto straight upon Pisidia； was now directed northwards。 Cyrus passed in succession the Phrygian towns of Peltae； Ceramon Agora； the Plain of Cayster； Thymbrium； Tyriaeum； and Iconium； the last city in Phrygia。 Thence he proceeded through Lycaonia to Dana； and across Mount Taurus into Cilicia。
On arriving at Tarsus； a city on the coast of Cilicia； the Greeks plainly saw that they had been deceived； and that the expedition was designed against the Persian king。 Seized with alarm at the prospect of so long a march； they sent a deputation to Cyrus to ask him what his real intentions were。 Cyrus replied that his design was to march against his enemy； Abrocomas； satrap of Syria； who was encamped on the banks of the Euphrates。 The Greeks； though they still suspected a delusion； contented themselves with this answer in the face of their present difficulties； especially as Cyrus promised to raise their pay from one Daric to one Daric and a half a month。 The whole army then marched forwards to Issus； the last town in Cilicia； seated on the gulf of the same name。 Here they met the fleet； which brought them a reinforcement of 1100 Greek soldiers； thus raising the Grecian force to about 14；000 men。
Abrocomas； who commanded for the Great King in Syria and Phoenicia； alarmed at the rapid progress of Cyrus； fled before him with all his army； reported as 300；000 strong； abandoning the impregnable pass situated one day's march from Issus； and known as the Gates of Cilicia and Syria。 Marching in safety through this pass； the army next reached Myriandrus； a seaport of Phoenicia。 From this place Cyrus struck off into the interior； over Mount Amanus。 Twelve days' march brought him to Thapsacus on the Euphrates； where for the first time he formally notified to the army that he was marching to Babylon against his brother Artaxerxes； The water happened to be very low； scarcely reaching to the breast； and Abrocomas made no attempt to dispute the passage。 The army now entered upon the desert； where the Greeks were struck with the novel sights which met their view； and at once amused and exhausted themselves in the chase of the wild ass and
