anabasis-第54节
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o call a meeting of the whole body； and promise them pay； and little further heed will they pay to him； they will run off with you。〃 〃How then are we to get them collected？〃 they asked。 〃Early to…morrow；〃 said Heracleides； 〃we will bring you to them； and I know；〃 he added once more； 〃as soon as they set eyes on you； they will flock to you with alacrity。〃 Thus the day ended。
The next day Seuthes and Heracleides brought the two Laconian agents to the army； and the troops were collected； and the agents made a statement as follows： 〃The Lacedaemonians have resolved on war with Tissaphernes； who did you so much wrong。 By going with us therefore you will punish your enemy； and each of you will get a daric a month； the officers twice that sum； and the generals quadruple。〃 The soldiers lent willing ears； and up jumped one of the Arcadians at once； to find fault with Xenophon。 Seuthes also was hard by； wishing to know what was going to happen。 He stood within ear shot； and his interpreter by his side； not but what he could understand most of what was said in Greek himself。 At this point the Arcadian spoke： 〃For the matter of that； Lacedaemonians； we should have been by your sides long ago； if Xenophon had not persuaded us and brought us hither。 We have never ceased campaigning； night and day； the dismal winter through； but he reaps the fruit of our toils。 Seuthes has enriched him privately； but deprives us of our honest earnings； so that； standing here as I do to address you first； all I can say is； that if I might see the fellow stoned to death as a penalty for all the long dance he has led us； I 10 should feel I had got my pay in full； and no longer grudge the pains we have undergone。〃 The speaker was followed by another and then another in the same strain； and after that Xenophon made the following speech：
〃True is the old adage； there is nothing which mortal man may not expect to see。 Here am I being accused by you to…day； just where my conscience tells me that I have displayed the greatest zeal on your behalf。 Was I not actually on my road home when I turned back？ Not； God knows； because I learned that you were in luck's way； but because I heard that you were in sore straits； and I wished to help you； if in any way I could。 I returned； and Seuthes yonder sent me messenger after messenger； and made me promise upon promise； if only I could persuade you to come to him。 Yet； as you yourselves will bear me witness； I was not to be diverted。 Instead of setting my hand to do that； I simply led you to a point from which； with least loss of time； I thought you could cross into Asia。 This I believed was the best thing for you； and you I knew desired it。
〃But when Aristarchus came with his ships of war and hindered our passage across； you will hardly quarrel with me for the step I then took in calling you together that we might advisedly consider our best course。 Having heard both sidesfirst Aristarchus； who ordered you to march to the Chersonese； then Seuthes； who pleaded with you to undertake a campaign with himselfyou all proposed to go with Seuthes； and you all gave your votes to that effect。 What wrong did I commit in bringing you； whither you were eager to go？ If； indeed； since the time when Seuthes began to tell lies and cheat us about the pay； I have supported him in this； you may justly find fault with me and hate me。 But if I； who at first was most of all his friend； to…day am more than any one else at variance with him； how can I； who have chosen you and rejected Seuthes； in fairness be blamed by you for the very thing which has been the ground of quarrel between him and me？ But you will tell me； perhaps； that I get from Seuthes what is by right yours； and that I deal subtly by you？ But is it not clear that； if Seuthes has paid me anything； he has at any rate not done so with 16 the intention of losing by what he gives me； whilst he is still your debtor？ If he gave to me； he gave in order that； by a small gift to me； he might escape a larger payment to yourselves。 But if that is what you really think has happened； you can render this whole scheme of ours null and void in an instant by exacting from him the money which is your due。 It is clear； Seuthes will demand back from me whatever I have got from him； and he will have all the more right to do so； if I have failed to secure for him what he bargained for when I took his gifts。 But indeed； I am far removed from enjoying what is yours； and I swear to you by all the gods and goddesses that I have not taken even what Seuthes promised me in private。 He is present himself and listening； and he is aware in his own heart whether I swear falsely。 And what will surprise you the more； I can swear besides； that I have not received even what the other generals have received； no； nor yet what some of the officers have received。 But how so？ why have I managed my affairs no better？ I thought； sirs； the more I helped him to bear his poverty at the time； the more I should make him my friend in the day of his power。 Whereas； it is just when I see the star of his good fortune rising； that I have come to divine the secret of his character。
〃Some one may say； are you not ashamed to be so taken in like a fool？ Yes； I should be ashamed； if it had been an open enemy who had so decieved me。 But； to my mind； when friend cheats friend； a deeper stain attaches to the perpetrator than to the victim of deceit。 Whatever precaution a man may take against his friend； that we took in full。 We certainly gave him no pretext for refusing to pay us what he promised。 We were perfectly upright in our dealings with him。 We did not dawdle over his affairs； nor did we shrink from any work to which he challenged us。
〃But you will say； I ought to have taken security of him at the time； so that had he fostered the wish； he might have lacked the ability to decieve。 To meet that retort； I must beg you to listen to certain things； which I should never have said in his presence； except for your utter want of feeling towards me； or your extraordinary ingratitude。 Try and recall the posture of your affairs； when I 24 extricated you and brought you to Seuthes。 Do you not recollect how at Perinthus Aristarchus shut the gates in your faces each time you offered to approach the town； and how you were driven to camp outside under the canopy of heaven？ It was midwinter； you were thrown upon the resources of a market wherein few were the articles offered for sale； and scanty the wherewithal to purchase them。 Yet stay in Thrace you must； for there were ships of war riding at anchor in the bay； ready to hinder your passage across； and what did that stay imply？ It meant being in a hostile country； confronted by countless cavalry； legions of light infantry。 And what had we？ A heavy infantry force certainly； with which we could have dashed at villages in a body possibly； and seized a modicum of food at most； but as to pursuing the enemy with such a force as ours； or capturing men or cattle； the thing was out of the question； for when I rejoined you your original cavalry and light infantry divisions had disappeared。 In such sore straits you lay！
〃Supposing that； without making any demands for pay whatever； I had merely won for you the alliance of Seutheswhose cavalry and light infantry were just what you neededwould you not have thought that I had planned very well for you？ I presume； it was through your partnership with him and his that you were able to find such complete stores of corn in the villages； when the Thracians were driven to take to their heels in such hot haste； and you had so large a share of captives and cattle。 Why！ from the day on which his cavalry force was attached to us； we never set eyes on a single foeman in the field； though up to that date the enemy with his cavalry and his light infantry used undauntedly to hang on our heels； and effectually prevented us from scattering in small bodies and reaping a rich harvest of provisions。 But if he who partly gave you this security has failed to pay in full the wages due to you therefrom； is not that a terrible misfortune？ So monstrous indeed that you think I ought not to go forth alive＇1＇。
＇1＇ I。e。 the fate of a scape…goat is too good for me。
〃But let me ask you； in what condition do you turn your backs on this 31 land to…day？ Have you not wintered here in the lap of plenty？ Whatever you have got from Seuthes has been surplus gain。 Your enemies have had to meet the bill of your expenses； whilst you led a merry round of existence； in which you have not once set eyes on the dead body of a comrade or lost one living man。 Again； if you have achieved any； （or rather many） noble deeds against the Asiatic barbarian； you have them safe。 And in addition to these to…day you have won for yourselves a second glory。 You undertook a campaign against the European Thracians； and have mastered them。 What I say then is； that these very matters which you make a ground of quarrel against myself； are rather blessings for which you ought to show gratitude to heaven。
〃Thus far I have confined myself to your side of the matter。 Bear with me； I beg you； while we examine mine。 When I first essayed to part with you and journey homewards； I was doubly blest。 From your lips I
