nicias-第9节

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but　that　upon　a　message　sent　them　from　Hermocrates；　whilst　yet　the
assembly　were　sitting；　by　the　connivance　of　some　of　their　guards；　they
were　enabled　to　put　an　end　to　themselves。　Their　bodies；　however；
were　thrown　out　before　the　gates　and　offered　for　a　public　spectacle。
And　I　have　heard　that　to　this　day　in　a　temple　at　Syracuse　is　shown　a
shield；　said　to　have　been　Nicias's；　curiously　wrought　and
embroidered　with　gold　and　purple　intermixed。　Most　of　the　Athenians
perished　in　the　quarries　by　diseases　and　ill　diet；　being　allowed
only　one　pint　of　barley　every　day；　and　one　half　pint　of　water。　Many　of
them；　however；　were　carried　off　by　stealth；　or；　from　the　first；　were
supposed　to　be　servants；　and　were　sold　as　slaves。　These　latter　were
branded　on　their　foreheads　with　the　figure　of　a　horse。　There　were；
however；　Athenians　who；　in　addition　to　slavery；　had　to　endure　even
this。　But　their　discreet　and　orderly　conduct　was　an　advantage　to　them；
they　were　either　soon　set　free；　or　won　the　respect　of　their　masters
with　whom　they　continued　to　live。　Several　were　saved　for　the　sake　of
Euripides；　whose　poetry；　it　appears；　was　in　request　among　the
Sicilians　more　than　among　any　of　the　settlers　out　of　Greece。　And
when　any　travellers　arrived　that　could　tell　them　some　passage；　or　give
them　any　specimen　of　his　verses；　they　were　delighted　to　be　able　to
communicate　them　to　one　another。　Many　of　the　captives　who　got　safe
back　to　Athens　are　said；　after　they　reached　home；　to　have　gone　and
made　their　acknowledgments　to　Euripides；　relating　how　that　some　of
them　had　been　released　from　their　slavery　by　teaching　what　they
could　remember　of　his　poems；　and　others；　when　straggling　after　the
fight；　been　relieved　with　meat　and　drink　for　repeating　some　of　his
lyrics。　Nor　need　this　be　any　wonder；　for　it　is　told　that　a　ship　of
Caunus　fleeing　into　one　of　their　harbours　for　protection；　pursued　by
pirates；　was　not　received；　but　forced　back；　till　one　asked　if　they
knew　any　of　Euripides's　verses；　and　on　their　saying　they　did；　they
were　admitted；　and　their　ship　brought　into　harbour。
　　It　is　said　that　the　Athenians　would　not　believe　their　loss；　in　a
great　degree　because　of　the　person　who　first　brought　them　news　of
it。　For　a　certain　stranger；　it　seems；　coming　to　Piraeus；　and　there
sitting　in　a　barber's　shop；　began　to　talk　of　what　had　happened；　as
if　the　Athenians　already　knew　all　that　had　passed；　which　the　barber
hearing；　before　he　acquainted　anybody　else；　ran　as　fast　as　he　could　up
into　the　city；　addressed　himself　to　the　Archons；　and　presently
spread　it　about　in　the　public　Place。　On　which；　there　being　everywhere；
as　may　be　imagined；　terror　and　consternation；　the　Archons　summoned　a
general　assembly；　and　there　brought　in　the　man　and　questioned　him
how　he　came　to　know。　And　he；　giving　no　satisfactory　account；　was　taken
for　a　spreader　of　false　intelligence　and　a　disturber　of　the　city；
and　was；　therefore；　fastened　to　the　wheel　and　racked　a　long　time；　till
other　messengers　arrived　that　related　the　whole　disaster　particularly。
So　hardly　was　Nicias　believed　to　have　suffered　the　calamity　which　he
had　often　predicted。




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