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aratus-第5节

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the crags; leading to the wall with many windings and turnings; but
the moon immediately; and as if by miracle; it is said; dispersing the
clouds; shone out and gave light to the most difficult part of the
way; until he got to that part of the wall he desired; and there she
overshadowed and hid him; the clouds coming together again。 Those
soldiers whom Aratus had left outside the gate; near Juno's temple; to
the number of three hundred; entering the town; now full of tumult and
lights; and not knowing the way by which the former had gone; and
finding no track of them; slunk aside; and crowded together in one
body under a flank of the cliff that cast a strong shadow; and there
stood and waited in great distress and perplexity。 For; by this
time; those that had gone with Aratus were attacked with missiles from
the citadel; and were busy fighting; and a sound of cries of battle
came down from above; and a loud noise; echoed back and back from
the mountain sides; and therefore confused and uncertain whence it
proceeded; was heard on all sides。 They being thus in doubt which
way to turn themselves; Archelaus; the commander of Antigonus's
troops; having a great number of soldiers with him; made up towards
the castle with great shouts and noise of trumpets to fall upon
Aratus's people; and passed by the three hundred; who; as if they
had risen out of an ambush; immediately charged him; killing the first
they encountered; and so affrighted the rest; together with Archelaus;
that they put them to flight and pursued them until they had quite
broken and dispersed them about the city。 No sooner were these
defeated; but Erginus came to them from those that were fighting
above; to acquaint them that Aratus was engaged with the enemy; who
defended themselves very stoutly; and there was a fierce conflict at
the very wall; and need of speedy help。 They therefore desired him
to lead them on without delay; and; marching up; by their shouts
made their friends understand who they were; and encouraged them;
and the full moon; shining on their arms; made them; in the long
line by which they advanced; appear more in number to the enemy than
they were; and the echo of the night multiplied their shouts。 In
short; falling on with the rest; they made the enemy give way; and
were masters of the castle and garrison; day now beginning to be
bright; and the rising sun shining out upon their success。 By this
time; also; the rest of his army came up to Aratus from Sicyon; the
Corinthians joyfully receiving them at the gates and helping them to
secure the king's party。
  And now; having put all things into a safe posture; he came down
from the castle to the theatre; an infinite number of people
crowding thither to see him and to hear what he would say to the
Corinthians。 Therefore drawing up the Achaeans on each side of the
stage…passages; he came forward himself upon the stage; with his
corselet still on; and his face showing the effects of all his hard
work and want of sleep; so that his natural exultation and
joyfulness of mind were overborne by the weariness of his body。 The
people; as soon as he came forth; breaking out into great applauses
and congratulations; he took his spear in his right hand; and; resting
his body upon it with his knee a little bent; stood a good while in
that posture; silently receiving their shouts and acclamations;
while they extolled his valour and wondered at his fortune; which
being over; standing up; he began an oration in the name of the
Achaeans; suitable to the late action; persuading the Corinthians to
associate themselves to the Achaeans; and withal delivered up to
them the keys of their gates; which had never been in their power
since the time of King Philip。 Of the captains of Antigonus; he
dismissed Archelaus; whom he had taken prisoner; and Theophrastus; who
refused to quit his post; he put to death。 As for Persaeus; when he
saw the castle was lost; he had got away to Cenchreae; where; some
time after; discoursing with one that said to him that the wise man
only is a true general; 〃Indeed;〃 he replied; 〃none of Zeno's maxims
once pleased me better than this; but I have been converted to another
opinion by the young man of Sicyon。〃 This is told by many of Persaeus。
Aratus immediately after made himself master of the temple of Juno and
haven of Lechaeum; seized upon five…and…twenty of the king's ships;
together with five hundred horses and four hundred Syrians: these he
sold。 The Achaeans kept guard in the Acro…Corinthus with a body of
four hundred soldiers; and fifty dogs with as many keepers。
  The Romans; extolling Philopoemen; called him the last of the
Grecians; as if no great man had ever since his time been bred amongst
them。 But I should call this capture of the Acro…Corinthus the last of
the Grecian exploits; being comparable to the best of them; both for
the daringness of it; and the success; as was presently seen by the
consequences。 For the Megarians; revolting from Antigonus; joined
Aratus; and the Troezenians and Epidaurians enrolled themselves in the
Achaean community; and issuing forth for the first time; he entered
Attica; and passing over into Salamis; he plundered the island;
turning the Achaean force every way; as if it were just let loose
out of prison and set at liberty。 All freemen whom he took he sent
back to the Athenians without ransom; as a sort of first invitation to
them to come over to the league。 He made Ptolemy become a
confederate of the Achaeans; with the privilege of command both by sea
and land。 And so great was his power with them; that since he could
not by law be chosen their general every year; yet every other year he
was; and by his counsels and actions was in effect always so。 For they
perceived that neither riches nor reputation; nor the friendship of
kings; nor the private interest of his own country; nor anything
else was so dear to him as the increase of the Achaeans' power and
greatness。 For he believed that the cities; weak individually; could
be preserved by nothing else but a mutual assistance under the closest
bond of the common interest; and; as the members of the body live
and breathe by the union of all in a single natural growth; and on the
dissolution of this; when once they separate; pine away and putrefy;
in the same manner are cities ruined by being dissevered; as well as
preserved when; as the members of one great body; they enjoy the
benefit of that province and counsel that govern the whole。
  Now being distressed to see that; whereas the chief neighbouring
cities enjoyed their own laws and liberties; the Argives were in
bondage; he took counsel for destroying their tyrant; Aristomachus;
being very desirous both to pay his debt of gratitude to the city
where he had been bred up; by restoring it its liberty; and to add
so considerable a town to the Achaeans。 Nor were there some wanting
who had the courage to undertake the thing; of whom Aeschylus and
Charimenes the soothsayer were the chief。 But they wanted swords;
for the tyrant had prohibited the keeping of any under a great
penalty。 Therefore Aratus; having provided some small daggers at
Corinth and hidden them in the pack…saddles of some pack…horses that
carried ordinary ware; sent them to Argos。 But Charimenes letting
another person into the design; Aeschylus and his partners were
angry at it; and henceforth would have no more to do with him; and
took their measures by themselves; and Charimenes; on finding this;
went; out of anger; and informed against them; just as they were on
their way to attack the tyrant; however; the most of them made a shift
to escape out of the market…place; and fled to Corinth。 Not long
after; Aristomachus was slain by some slaves; and Aristippus; a
worse tyrant than he; seized the government。 Upon this; Aratus;
mustering all the Achaeans present that were of age; hurried away to
the aid of the city; believing that he should find the people ready to
join with him。 But the greater number being by this time habituated to
slavery and content to submit; and no one coming to join him; he was
obliged to retire; having moreover exposed the Achaeans to the
charge of committing acts of hostility in the midst of peace; upon
which account they were sued before the Mantineans; and; Aratus not
making his appearance; Aristippus gained the cause; and had damages
allowed him to the value of thirty minae。 And now hating and fearing
Aratus; he sought means to kill him; having the assistance herein of
King Antigonus; so that Aratus was perpetually dogged and watched by
those that waited for an opportunity to do this service。 But there
is no such safeguard of a ruler as the sincere and steady good…will of
his subjects; for where both the common people and the principal
citizens have their fears not of; but for; their governor; he sees
with many eyes and hears with many ears whatsoever is doing。 Therefore
I cannot but here stop short a little in the course of my narrative to
describe the manner of life which the so much envied arbitrary power
and the so much celebrated and admired pomp and pride of absolute
government obliged Aristippus to lead。
  For though Antigonus was his f

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