第 2 节
作者:雨霖铃      更新:2022-08-21 16:42      字数:9322
  。 He; whose youthful heat outran his experience; advancing against an adversary trained in Alexander's school; and practised in many encounters; incurred a great defeat near the town of Gaza; in which eight thousand of his men were taken and five thousand killed。 His own tent; also his money; and all his private effects and furniture; were captured。 These; however; Ptolemy sent back; together with his friends; accompanying them with the humane and courteous message; that they were not fighting for anything else but honour and dominion。 Demetrius accepted the gift praying only to the gods not to leave him long in Ptolemy's debt; but to let him have an early chance of doing the like to him。 He took his disaster; also; with the temper; not of a boy defeated in his attempt; but of an old and long…tried general familiar with reverse of fortune; he busied himself in collecting his men; replenishing his magazines; watching the allegiance of the cities; and drilling his new recruits。   Antigonus received the news of the battle with the remark that Ptolemy had beaten boys and would now have to fight with men。 But not to humble the spirit of his son; he acceded to his request; and left him to command on the next occasion。   Not long after; Cilles; Ptolemy's lieutenant; with a powerful army; took the field; and looking upon Demetrius as already defeated by the previous battle; he had in his imagination driven him out of Syria before he saw him。 But he quickly found himself deceived; for Demetrius came so unexpectedly upon him that he surprised both the general and his army; making him and seven thousand of the soldiers prisoners of war; and possessing himself of a large amount of treasure。 But his joy in the victory was not so much for the prizes he should keep; as for those he could restore; and his thankfulness was less for the wealth and glory than for the means it gave him of requiting his enemy's former generosity。 He did not; however; take it into his own hands; but wrote to his father。 And on receiving leave to do as he liked; he sent back to Ptolemy Cilles and his friends; loaded with presents。 This defeat drove Ptolemy out of Syria; and brought Antigonus from Calaenae to enjoy the victory and the sight of the son who had gained it。   Soon after; Demetrius was sent to bring the Nabathaean Arabs into obedience。 And here he got into a district without water; and incurred considerable danger; but by his resolute and composed demeanour he overawed the barbarians; and returned after receiving from them a large amount of booty and seven hundred camels。 Not long after; Seleucus; whom Antigonus had formerly chased out of Babylon; but who had afterwards recovered his dominion by his own efforts and maintained himself in it; went with large forces on an expedition to reduce the tribes on the confines of India and the provinces near Mount Caucasus。 And Demetrius; conjecturing that he had left Mesopotamia but slenderly guarded in his absence; suddenly passed the Euphrates with his army and made his way into Babylonia unexpectedly; when he succeeded in capturing one of the two citadels; out of which he expelled the garrison of Seleucus; and placed in it seven thousand men of his own。 And after allowing his soldiers to enrich themselves with all the spoil they could carry with them out of the country; he retired to the sea; leaving Seleucus more securely master of his dominions than before; as he seemed by this conduct to abandon every claim to a country which he treated like an enemy's。 However; by a rapid advance; he rescued Halicarnassus from Ptolemy; who was besieging it。 The glory which this act obtained them inspired both the father and son with a wonderful desire for freeing Greece; which Cassander and Ptolemy had everywhere reduced to slavery。 No nobler or juster war was undertaken by any of the kings; the wealth they had gained while humbling; with Greek assistance; the barbarians; being thus employed; for honour's sake and good repute; in helping the Greeks。 When the resolution was taken to begin their attempt with Athens; one of his friends told Antigonus; if they captured Athens; they must keep it safe in their own hands; as by this gangway they might step out from their ships into Greece when they pleased。 But Antigonus would not hear of it; he did not want a better or a steadier gangway than people's good…will; and from Athens; the beacon of the world; the news of their conduct would soon be handed on to all the world's inhabitants。 So Demetrius; with a sum of five thousand talents; and a fleet of two hundred and fifty ships; set sail for Athens; where Demetrius the Phalerian was governing the city for Cassander; with a garrison lodged in the port of Munychia。 By good fortune and skilful management he appeared before Piraeus; on the twenty…sixth of Thargelion; before anything had been heard of him。 Indeed; when his ships were seen; they were taken for Ptolemy's and preparations were commenced for receiving them; till at last; the generals discovering their mistake; hurried down; and all was alarm and confusion; and attempts to push forward preparations to oppose the landing of this hostile force。 For Demetrius; having found the entrances of the port undefended; stood in directly; and was by this time safely inside; before the eyes of everybody; and made signals from his ship; requesting a peaceful hearing。 And on leave being given; he caused a herald with a loud voice to make proclamation that he was come thither by the command of his father; with no other design than what he prayed the gods to prosper with success; to give the Athenians their liberty; to expel the garrison; and to restore the ancient laws and constitution of the country。   The people; hearing this; at once threw down their shields; and clapping their hands; with loud acclamations entreated Demetrius to land; calling him their deliverer and benefactor。 And the Phalerian and his party; who saw that there was nothing for it but to receive the conqueror; whether he should perform his promises or not; sent; however; messengers to beg for his protection; to whom Demetrius gave a kind reception; and sent back with them Aristodemus of Miletus; one of his father's friends。 The Phalerian; under the change of government; was more afraid of his fellow…citizens than of the enemy; but Demetrius took precautions for him; and out of respect for his reputation and character; sent him with a safe conduct to Thebes; whither he desired to go。 For himself; he declared he would not; in spite of all his curiosity; put his foot in the city till he had completed his deliverance by driving out the garrison。 So blockading Munychia with a palisade and trench; he sailed off to attack Megara; where also there was one of Cassander's garrisons。 But; hearing that Cratesipolis; the wife of Alexander; son of Polysperchon; who was famous for her beauty; was well disposed to see him; he left his troops near Megara; and set out with a few light…armed attendants for Patrae; where she was now staying。 And; quitting these also; he pitched his tent apart from everybody; that the woman might pay her visit without being seen。 This some of the enemy perceived; and suddenly attacked him; and; in his alarm; he was obliged to disguise himself in a shabby cloak; and run for it; narrowly escaping the shame of being made a prisoner; in reward for his foolish passion。 And as it was; his tent and money were taken。 Megara; however; surrendered; and would have been pillaged by the soldiers; but for the urgent intercession of the Athenians。 The garrison was driven out; and the city restored to independence。 While he was occupied in this; he remembered that Stilpo; the philosopher; famous for his choice of a life of tranquillity; was residing here。 He; therefore; sent for him; and begged to know whether anything belonging to him had been taken。 〃No;〃 replied Stilpo; 〃I have not met with any one to take away knowledge。〃 Pretty nearly all the servants in the city had been stolen away; and so; when Demetrius; renewing his courtesies to Stilpo; on taking leave of him; said; 〃I leave your city; Stilpo; a city of freemen。〃 〃Certainly;〃 replied Stilpo; 〃there is not one serving man left among us all。〃   Returning from Megara; he sat down before the citadel of Munychia; which in a few days he took by assault; and caused the fortifications to be demolished; and thus having accomplished his design; upon the request and invitation of the Athenians he made his entrance into the upper city; where; causing the people to be summoned; he publicly announced to them that their ancient constitution was restored; and that they should receive from his father; Antigonus; a present of one hundred and fifty thousand measures of wheat; and such a supply of timber as would enable them to build a hundred galleys。 In this manner did the Athenians recover their popular institutions; after the space of fifteen years from the time of the war of Lamia and the battle before Cranon; during which interval of time the government had been administered nominally as an oligarchy; but really by a single man; Demetrius the Phalerian being so powerful。 But the excessive honours which the Athenians bestowed; for these noble and generous acts; upon Demetrius; created offen