pericles-第3节

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harangued　the　people；　and　of　his　wielding　a　dreadful　thunderbolt　in
his　tongue。
　　A　saying　also　of　Thucydides；　the　son　of　Melesias；　stands　on
record；　spoken　by　him　by　way　of　pleasantry　upon　Pericles's
dexterity。　Thucydides　was　one　of　the　noble　and　distinguished　citizens；
and　had　been　his　greatest　opponent；　and；　when　Archidamus；　the　King
of　the　Lacedaemonians；　asked　him　whether　he　or　Pericles　were　the
better　wrestler；　he　made　this　answer：　〃When　I；〃　said　he；　〃have
thrown　him　and　given　him　a　fair　fall；　by　persisting　that　he　had　no
fall；　he　gets　the　better　of　me；　and　makes　the　bystanders；　in　spite
of　their　own　eyes；　believe　him。〃　The　truth；　however；　is；　that　Pericles
himself　was　very　careful　what　and　how　he　was　to　speak；　insomuch
that；　whenever　he　went　up　to　the　hustings；　he　prayed　the　gods　that
no　one　word　might　unawares　slip　from　him　unsuitable　to　the　matter
and　the　occasion。
　　He　has　left　nothing　in　writing　behind　him；　except　some　decrees；
and　there　are　but　very　few　of　his　sayings　recorded；　one；　for
example；　is；　that　he　said　Aegina　must；　like　a　gathering　in　a　man's
eye；　be　removed　from　Piraeus；　and　another；　that　he　said　he　saw　already
war　moving　on　its　way　towards　them　out　of　Peloponnesus。　Again；　when　on
a　time　Sophocles；　who　was　his　fellow…commissioner　in　the
generalship；　was　going　on　board　with　him；　and　praised　the　beauty　of
a　youth　they　met　with　in　the　way　to　the　ship；　〃Sophocles；〃　said　he；　〃a
general　ought　not　only　to　have　clean　hands　but　also　clean　eyes。〃　And
Stesimbrotus　tells　us　that；　in　his　encomium　on　those　who　fell　in
battle　at　Samos；　he　said　they　were　become　immortal；　as　the　gods
were。　〃For；〃　said　he；　〃we　do　not　see　them　themselves；　but　only　by
the　honours　we　pay　them；　and　by　the　benefits　they　do　us；　attribute
to　them　immortality；　and　the　like　attributes　belong　also　to　those　that
die　in　the　service　of　their　country。〃
　　Since　Thucydides　describes　the　rule　of　Pericles　as　an　aristocratical
government；　that　went　by　the　name　of　a　democracy；　but　was；　indeed；　the
supremacy　of　a　single　great　man；　while　many　others　say；　on　the
contrary；　that　by　him　the　common　people　were　first　encouraged　and
led　on　to　such　evils　as　appropriations　of　subject　territory；
allowances　for　attending　theatres；　payments　for　performing　public
duties；　and　by　these　bad　habits　were；　under　the　influence　of　his
public　measures；　changed　from　a　sober；　thrifty　people；　that　maintained
themselves　by　their　own　labours；　to　lovers　of　expense；　intemperance；
and　licence；　let　us　examine　the　cause　of　this　change　by　the　actual
matters　of　fact。
　　At　the　first；　as　has　been　said；　when　he　set　himself　against
Cimon's　great　authority；　he　did　caress　the　people。　Finding　himself
come　short　of　his　competitor　in　wealth　and　money；　by　which
advantages　the　other　was　enabled　to　take　care　of　the　poor；　inviting
every　day　some　one　or　other　of　the　citizens　that　was　in　want　to
supper；　and　bestowing　clothes　on　the　aged　people；　and　breaking　down
the　hedges　and　enclosures　of　his　grounds；　that　all　that　would　might
freely　gather　what　fruit　they　pleased；　Pericles；　thus　outdone　in
popular　arts；　by　the　advice　of　one　Damonides　of　Oea；　as　Aristotle
states；　turned　to　the　distribution　of　the　public　moneys；　and　in　a
short　time　having　bought　the　people　over；　what　with　moneys　allowed　for
shows　and　for　service　on　juries；　and　what　with　other　forms　of　pay
and　largess；　he　made　use　of　them　against　the　council　of　Areopagus　of
which　he　himself　was　no　member；　as　having　never　been　appointed　by　lot…
either　chief　archon；　or　lawgiver；　or　king；　or　captain。　For　from　of　old
these　offices　were　conferred　on　persons　by　lot；　and　they　who　had
acquitted　themselves　duly　in　the　discharge　of　them　were　advanced　to
the　court　of　Areopagus。　And　so　Pericles；　having　secured　his　power　in
interest　with　the　populace；　directed　the　exertions　of　his　party
against　this　council　with　such　success；　that　most　of　these　causes
and　matters　which　had　been　used　to　be　tried　there　were；　by　the
agency　of　Ephialtes；　removed　from　its　cognisance；　Cimon；　also；　was
banished　by　ostracism　as　a　favourer　of　the　Lacedaemonians　and　a
hater　of　the　people；　though　in　wealth　and　noble　birth　he　was　among　the
first；　and　had　won　several　most　glorious　victories　over　the
barbarians；　and　had　filled　the　city　with　money　and　spoils　of　war；　as
is　recorded　in　the　history　of　his　life。　So　vast　an　authority　had
Pericles　obtained　among　the　people。
　　The　ostracism　was　limited　by　law　to　ten　years；　but　the
Lacedaemonians；　in　the　meantime；　entering　with　a　great　army　into　the
territory　of　Tanagra；　and　the　Athenians　going　out　against　them；　Cimon；
coming　from　his　banishment　before　his　time　was　out；　put　himself　in
arms　and　array　with　those　of　his　fellow…citizens　that　were　of　his
own　tribe；　and　desired　by　his　deeds　to　wipe　off　the　suspicion　of　his
favouring　the　Lacedaemonians；　by　venturing　his　own　person　along　with
his　countrymen。　But　Pericles's　friends；　gathering　in　a　body；　forced
him　to　retire　as　a　banished　man。　For　which　cause　also　Pericles　seems
to　have　exerted　himself　more　in　that　than　in　any　battle；　and　to　have
been　conspicuous　above　all　for　his　exposure　of　himself　to　danger。
All　Cimon's　friends；　also；　to　a　man；　fell　together　side　by　side；
whom　Pericles　had　accused　with　him　of　taking　part　with　the
Lacedaemonians。　Defeated　in　this　battle　on　their　own　frontiers；　and
expecting　a　new　and　perilous　attack　with　return　of　spring；　the
Athenians　now　felt　regret　and　sorrow　for　the　loss　of　Cimon；　and
repentance　for　their　expulsion　of　him。　Pericles；　being　sensible　of
their　feelings；　did　not　hesitate　or　delay　to　gratify　it；　and　himself
made　the　motion　for　recalling　him　home。　He；　upon　his　return；　concluded
a　peace　betwixt　the　two　cities；　for　the　Lacedaemonians　entertained
as　kindly　feelings　towards　him　as　they　did　the　reverse　towards
Pericles　and　the　other　popular　leaders。
　　Yet　some　there　are　who　say　that　Pericles　did　not　propose　the　order
for　Cimon's　return　till　some　private　articles　of　agreement　had　been
made　between　them；　and　this　by　means　of　Elpinice；　Cimon's　sister；　that
Cimon；　namely；　should　go　out　to　sea　with　a　fleet　of　two　hundred　ships；
and　be　commander…in…chief　abroad；　with　a　design　to　reduce　the　King
of　Persia's　territories；　and　that　Pericles　should　have　the　power　at
home。
　　This　Elpinice；　it　was　thought；　had　before　this　time　procured　some
favour　for　her　brother　Cimon　at　Pericles's　hands；　and　induced　him　to
be　more　remiss　and　gentle　in　urging　the　charge　when　Cimon　was　tried
for　his　life；　for　Pericles　was　one　of　the　committee　appointed　by　the
commons　to　plead　against　him。　And　when　Elpinice　came　and　besought
him　in　her　brother's　behalf；　he　answered；　with　a　smile；　〃O　Elpinice；
you　are　too　old　a　woman　to　undertake　such　business　as　this。〃　But；　when
he　appeared　to　impeach　him；　he　stood　up　but　once　to　speak；　merely　to
acquit　himself　of　his　commission；　and　went　out　of　court；　having　done
Cimon　the　least　prejudice　of　any　of　his　accusers。
　　How；　then；　can　one　believe　Idomeneus；　who　charges　Pericles　as　if
he　had　by　treachery　procured　the　murder　of　Ephialtes；　the　popular
statesman；　one　who　was　his　friend；　and　of　his　own　party　in　all　his
political　course；　out　of　jealousy；　forsooth；　and　envy　of　his　great
reputation？　This　historian；　it　seems；　having　raked　up　these　stories；　I
know　not　whence；　has　befouled　with　them　a　man　who；　perchance；　was
not　altogether　free　from　fault　or　blame；　but　yet　had　a　noble　spirit；
and　a　soul　that　was　bent　on　honour；　and　where　such　qualities　are；
there　can　no　such　cruel　and　brutal　passion　find　harbour　or　gain
admittance。　As　to　Ephialtes；　the　truth　of　the　story；　as　Aristotle
has　told　it；　is　this：　that　having　made　himself　formidable　to　the
oligarchical　party；　by　being　an　uncompromising　asserter　of　the
people's　rights　in　calling　to　account　and　prosecuting　those　who　any
way　wronged　them；　his　enemies；　lying　in　wait　for　him；　by　the　means
of　Aristodicus　the　Tanagraean；　privately　despatched　him。
　　Cimon；　while　he　was　admiral；　ended　his　days　in　the　Isle　of　Cyprus。
And　the　aristocratical　party；　seeing　that　Pericles　was　already
before　this　grown　to　be　the　greatest　and　foremost　man　of　all　the　city；
but　nevertheless　wishing　there　should　be　somebody　set　up　against
him；　to　blunt　and　turn　the　edge　of　his　power；　that　it　might　not
altogether　prove　a　monarchy；　put　forward　Thucydides　of　Alopece；　a
discreet　person；　and　a　near　kinsman　of　Cimon's；　to　conduct　the
opposition　against　him；　who；　indeed；　though　less　skilled　in　warlike
affairs　than　Cimon　was；　yet　was　better　versed　in　speaking　and
political　business　and　keeping　close　guard　in　the　city；　and；
engaging　with　Pericles　on　the　hustings；　in　a　short　time　brought　the
government　to　an　equality　of　parties。　For　he　would　not　suffer　those
who　were　called　the　honest　and　good　（persons　of　worth　and　distinction）
to　be　scattered　up　and　down　and　mix　themselves　and　be　lost　among　the
populace；　as　formerly；　diminishing　and　obscuring　their　superiority
amongst　the　masses；　but　taking　them　apart　by　themselves　and　uniting
them　in　one　body；　by　their　combined　weight　he　was　able；　as　it　were
upon　the　balance；　to　make　a　counterpoise　to　the　other　party。
　　For；　indeed；　there　was　from　the　beginning　a　sort　of　concealed　split；
or　seam；　as　it　might　be　i