anabasis-第17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！


idians。　That　is　how　Xenophon　came　to　join　the　expedition；　deceived　indeed；　though　not　by　Proxenus；　who　was　equally　in　the　dark　with　the　rest　of　the　Hellenes；　not　counting　Clearchus；　as　to　the　intended　attack　upon　the　king。　Then；　though　the　majority　were　in　apprehension　of　the　journey；　which　was　not　at　all　to　their　minds；　yet；　for　very　shame　of　one　another　and　Cyrus；　they　continued　to　follow　him；　and　with　the　rest　went　Xenophon。

And　now　in　this　season　of　perplexity；　he　too；　with　the　rest；　was　in　sore　distress；　and　could　not　sleep；　but　anon；　getting　a　snatch　of　sleep；　he　had　a　dream。　It　seemed　to　him　in　a　vision　that　there　was　a　storm　of　thunder　and　lightning；　and　a　bolt　fell　on　his　father's　house；　and　thereupon　the　house　was　all　in　a　blaze。　He　sprung　up　in　terror；　and　pondering　the　matter；　decided　that　in　part　the　dream　was　good：　in　that　he　had　seen　a　great　light　from　Zeus；　whilst　in　the　midst　of　toil　and　danger。　But　partly　too　he　feared　it；　for　evidently　it　had　come　from　Zeus　the　king。　And　the　fire　kindled　all　aroundwhat　could　that　mean　but　that　he　was　hemmed　in　by　various　perplexities；　and　so　could　not　escape　from　the　country　of　the　king？　The　full　meaning；　however；　is　to　be　discovered　from　what　happened　after　the　dream。

This　is　what　took　place。　As　soon　as　he　was　fully　awake；　the　first　clear　thought　which　came　into　his　head　was；　Why　am　I　lying　here？　The　night　advances；　with　the　day；　it　is　like　enough；　the　enemy　will　be　upon　us。　If　we　are　to　fall　into　the　hands　of　the　king；　what　is　left　us　but　to　face　the　most　horrible　of　sights；　and　to　suffer　the　most　　　　　　　　　13　fearful　pains；　and　then　to　die；　insulted；　an　ignominious　death？　To　defend　ourselvesto　ward　off　that　fatenot　a　hand　stirs：　no　one　is　preparing；　none　cares；　but　here　we　lie；　as　though　it　were　time　to　rest　and　take　our　ease。　I　too！　what　am　I　waiting　for？　a　general　to　undertake　the　work？　and　from　what　city？　am　I　waiting　till　I　am　older　mysef　and　of　riper　age？　older　I　shall　never　be；　if　to…day　I　betray　myself　to　my　enemies。

Thereupon　he　got　up；　and　called　together　first　Proxenus's　officers；　and　when　they　were　met；　he　said：　〃Sleep；　sirs；　I　cannot；　nor　can　you；　I　fancy；　nor　lie　here　longer；　when　I　see　in　what　straits　we　are。　Our　enemy；　we　may　be　sure；　did　not　open　war　upon　us　till　he　felt　he　had　everything　amply　ready；　yet　none　of　us　shows　a　corresponding　anxiety　to　enter　the　lists　of　battle　in　the　bravest　style。

〃And　yet；　if　we　yield　ourselves　and　fall　into　the　king's　power；　need　we　ask　what　our　fate　will　be？　This　man；　who；　when　his　own　brother；　the　son　of　the　same　parents；　was　dead；　was　not　content　with　that；　but　severed　head　and　hand　from　the　body；　and　nailed　them　to　a　cross。　We；　then；　who　have　not　even　the　tie　of　blood　in　our　favour；　but　who　marched　against　him；　meaning　to　make　a　slave　of　him　instead　of　a　kingand　to　slay　him　if　we　could：　what　is　likely　to　be　our　fate　at　his　hands？　Will　he　not　go　all　lengths　so　that；　by　inflicting　on　us　the　extreme　of　ignominy　and　torture；　he　may　rouse　in　the　rest　of　mankind　a　terror　of　ever　marching　against　him　any　more？　There　is　no　question　but　that　our　business　is　to　avoid　by　all　means　getting　into　his　clutches。

〃For　my　part；　all　the　while　the　truce　lasted；　I　never　ceased　pitying　ourselves　and　congratulating　the　king　and　those　with　him；　as；　like　a　helpless　spectator；　I　surveyed　the　extent　and　quality　of　their　territory；　the　plenteousness　of　their　provisions；　the　multitude　of　their　dependants；　their　cattle；　their　gold；　and　their　apparel。　And　then　to　turn　and　ponder　the　condition　of　our　soldiers；　without　part　or　lot　in　these　good　things；　except　we　bought　it；　few；　I　knew；　had　any　longer　the　wherewithal　to　buy；　and　yet　our　oath　held　us　down；　so　that　we　could　not　provide　ourselves　otherwise　than　by　purchase。　I　say；　as　I　　21　reasoned　thus；　there　were　times　when　I　dreaded　the　truce　more　than　I　now　dread　war。

〃Now；　however；　that　they　have　abruptly　ended　the　truce；　there　is　an　end　also　to　their　own　insolence　and　to　our　suspicion。　All　these　good　things　of　theirs　are　now　set　as　prizes　for　the　combatants。　To　whichsoever　of　us　shall　prove　the　better　men；　will　they　fall　as　guerdons；　and　the　gods　themselves　are　the　judges　of　the　strife。　The　gods；　who　full　surely　will　be　on　our　side；　seeing　it　is　our　enemies　who　have　taken　their　names　falsely；　whilst　we；　with　much　to　lure　us；　yet　for　our　oath's　sake；　and　the　gods　who　were　our　witnesses；　sternly　held　aloof。　So　that；　it　seems　to　me；　we　have　a　right　to　enter　upon　this　contest　with　much　more　heart　than　our　foes；　and　further；　we　are　possessed　of　bodies　more　capable　than　theirs　of　bearing　cold　and　heat　and　labour；　souls　too　we　have；　by　the　help　of　heaven；　better　and　braver；　nay；　the　men　themselves　are　more　vulnerable；　more　mortal；　than　ourselves；　if　so　be　the　gods　vouchsafe　to　give　us　victory　once　again。

〃Howbeit；　for　I　doubt　not　elsewhere　similar　reflections　are　being　made；　whatsoever　betide；　let　us　not；　in　heaven's　name；　wait　for　others　to　come　and　challenge　us　to　noble　deeds；　let　us　rather　take　the　lead　in　stimulating　the　rest　to　valour。　Show　yourselves　to　be　the　bravest　of　officers；　and　among　generals；　the　worthiest　to　command。　For　myself；　if　you　choose　to　start　forwards　on　this　quest；　I　will　follow；　or；　if　you　bid　me　lead　you；　my　age　shall　be　no　excuse　to　stand　between　me　and　your　orders。　At　least　I　am　of　full　age；　I　take　it；　to　avert　misfortune　from　my　own　head。〃

Such　were　the　speaker's　words；　and　the　officers；　when　they　heard；　all；　with　one　exception；　called　upon　him　to　put　himself　at　their　head。　This　was　a　certain　Apollonides　there　present；　who　spoke　in　the　Boeotian　dialect。　This　man's　opinion　was　that　it　was　mere　nonsense　for　any　one　to　pretend　they　could　obtain　safety　otherwise　than　by　an　appeal　to　the　king；　if　he　had　skill　to　enforce　it；　and　at　the　same　time　he　began　to　dilate　on　the　difficulties。　But　Xenophon　cut　him　short。　〃O　most　marvellous　of　men！　though　you　have　eyes　to　see；　you　do　not　perceive；　though　you　have　ears　to　hear；　you　do　not　recollect。　You　were　present　　　　27　with　the　rest　of　us　now　here　when；　after　the　death　of　Cyrus；　the　king；　vaunting　himself　on　that　occurrence；　sent　dictatorially　to　bid　us　lay　down　our　arms。　But　when　we；　instead　of　giving　up　our　arms；　put　them　on　and　went　and　pitched　our　camp　near　him；　his　manner　changed。　It　is　hard　to　say　what　he　did　not　do；　he　was　so　at　his　wit's　end；　sending　us　embassies　and　begging　for　a　truce；　and　furnishing　provisions　the　while；　until　he　had　got　it。　Or　to　take　the　contrary　instance；　when　just　now；　acting　precisely　on　your　principles；　our　generals　and　captains　went；　trusting　to　the　truce；　unarmed　to　a　conference　with　them；　what　came　of　it？　what　is　happening　at　this　instant？　Beaten；　goaded　with　pricks；　insulted；　poor　souls；　they　cannot　even　die：　though　death；　I　ween；　would　be　very　sweet。　And　you；　who　know　all　this；　how　can　you　say　that　it　is　mere　nonsense　to　talk　of　self…defence？　how　can　you　bid　us　go　again　and　try　the　arts　of　persuasion？　In　my　opinion；　sirs；　we　ought　not　to　admit　this　fellow　to　the　same　rank　with　ourselves；　rather　ought　we　to　deprive　him　of　his　captaincy；　and　load　him　with　packs　and　treat　him　as　such。　The　man　is　a　disgrace　to　his　own　fatherland　and　the　whole　of　Hellas；　that；　being　a　Hellene；　he　is　what　he　is。〃

Here　Agasias　the　Stymphalian　broke　in；　exclaiming：　〃Nay；　this　fellow　has　no　connection　either　with　Boeotia　or　with　Hellas；　none　whatever。　I　have　noted　both　his　ears　bored　like　a　Lydian's。〃　And　so　it　was。　Him　then　they　banished。　But　the　rest　visited　the　ranks；　and　wherever　a　general　was　left；　they　summoned　the　general；　where　he　was　gone；　the　lieutenant…general；　and　where　again　the　captain　alone　was　left；　the　captain。　As　soon　as　they　were　all　met；　they　seated　themselves　in　front　of　the　place　d'armes：　the　assembled　generals　and　officers；　numbering　about　a　hundred。　It　was　nearly　midnight　when　this　took　place。

Thereupon　Hieronymous　the　Eleian；　the　eldest　of　Proxenus's　captains；　commenced　speaking　as　follows：　〃Generals　and　captains；　it　seemed　right　to　us；　in　view　of　the　present　crisis；　ourselves　to　assemble　and　to　summon　you；　that　we　might　advise　upon　some　practicable　course。　Would　you；　Xenophon；　repeat　what　you　said　to　us？〃

Thereupon　Xenophon　spoke　as　follows：　〃We　all　know　only　too　well；　that　　　34　the　king　and　Tissaphernes　have　seized　as　many　of　us　as　they　could；　and　it　is　clear　they　are　plotting　to　destroy　the　rest　of　us　if　they　can。　Our　business　is　plain：　it　is　to　do　all　we　can　to　avoid　getting　into　the　power　of　the　barbarians；　rather；　if　we　can；　we　will　get　them　into　our　power。　Rely　upon　this　then；　all　you　who　are　here　assembled；　now　is　your　great　opportunity。　The　soldiers　outside　have　their　eyes　fixed　upon　you；　if　they　think　that　you　are　faint…hearted；　they　will　turn　cowards；　but　if　you　show　them　that　you　are　making　your　own　preparations　to　attack　the　enemy；　and　setting　an　example　to　the　restfollow　you；　be　assured；　they　will：　imitate　you　they　will。　May　be；　it　is　but　right　and　fair　that　you　should　somewhat　excel　them；　for　you　are　generals；　you　are　commanders　of　brigades　or　regiments；　and　if；　while　it　was　peace；　you　had　the　advantage　in　wealth　and　position；　so　now；　when　it　is　war；　you　are　expected　to　rise　superior　to　the　common　herdto　think　for　them；　to　toil　for　them；　whenever　there　be　need。

〃At　t