第 12 节
作者:
雨霖铃 更新:2022-08-21 16:42 字数:6017
he was giving way to an unwise humanity; the very first sight of Demetrius having been the occasion of a dangerous excitement in the army。 So; whilst Apollonides; in great delight; and after him many others; were relating to Demetrius the kind expressions of Seleucus; and he; after so many troubles and calamities; if indeed he had still any sense of his surrender of himself being a disgrace; had now; in confidence on the good hopes held out to him; entirely forgotten all such thoughts; Pausanias with a guard of a thousand horse and foot came and surrounded him; and; dispersing the rest that were with him; carried him not to the presence of Seleucus; but to the Syrian Chersonese; where he was committed to the safe custody of a strong guard。 Sufficient attendance and liberal provisions were here allowed him; space for riding and walking; a park with game for hunting; those of his friends and companions in exile who wished it had permission to see him; and messages of kindness; also; from time to time; were brought him from Seleucus; bidding him fear nothing; and intimating that; as soon as Antiochus and Stratonice should arrive; he would receive his liberty。 Demetrius; however; finding himself in this condition; sent letters to those who were with his son; and to his captains and friends at Athens and Corinth; that they should give no manner of credit to any letters written to them in his name; though they were sealed with his own signet; but that; looking upon him as if he were already dead; they should maintain the cities and whatever was left of his power for Antigonus as his successor。 Antigonus received the news of his father's captivity with great sorrow; he put himself into mourning and wrote letters to the rest of the kings; and to Seleucus himself; making entreaties; and offering not only to surrender whatever they had left; but himself to be a hostage for his father。 Many cities also and princes joined in interceding for him; only Lysimachus sent and offered a large sum of money to Seleucus to take away his life。 But he; who had always shown his aversion to Lysimachus before; thought him only the greater barbarian and monster for it。 Nevertheless; he still protracted the time; reserving the favour; as he professed; for the intercession of Antiochus and Stratonice。 Demetrius; who had sustained the first stroke of his misfortune; in time grew so familiar with it; that; by continuance; it became easy。 At first he persevered one way or other in taking exercise; in hunting; so far as he had means; and in riding。 Little by little; however; after a while; he let himself grow indolent and indisposed for them; and took to dice and drinking; in which he passed most of his time; whether it were to escape the thoughts of his present condition; with which he was haunted when sober; and to drown reflection in drunkenness; or that he acknowledged to himself that this was the real happy life he had long desired and wished for; and had foolishly let himself be seduced away from it by a senseless and vain ambition; which had only brought trouble to himself and others; that highest good which he had thought to obtain by arms and fleets and soldiers he had now discovered unexpectedly in idleness; leisure; and repose。 As; indeed; what other end or period is there of all the wars and dangers which hapless princes run into; whose misery and folly it is; not merely that they make luxury and pleasure; instead of virtue and excellence; the object of their lives; but that they do not so much as know where this luxury and pleasure are to be found? Having thus continued three years a prisoner in Chersonesus; for want of exercise; and by indulging himself in eating and drinking; he fell into a disease; of which he died at the age of fifty…four。 Seleucus was ill spoken of; and was himself greatly grieved; that he had yielded so far to his suspicions; and had let himself be so much outdone by the barbarian Dromichaetes of Thrace; who had shown so much humanity and such a kingly temper in his treatment of his prisoner Lysimachus。 There was something dramatic and theatrical in the very funeral ceremonies with which Demetrius was honoured。 For his son Antigonus; understanding that his remains were coming over from Syria; went with all his fleet to the islands to meet them。 They were there presented to him in a golden urn; which he placed in his largest admiral galley。 All the cities where they touched in their passage sent chaplets to adorn the urn; and deputed certain of their citizens to follow in mourning; to assist at the funeral solemnity。 When the fleet approached the harbour of Corinth; the urn; covered with purple; and a royal diadem upon it; was visible upon the poop; and a troop of young men attended in arms to receive it at landing。 Xenophantus; the most famous musician of the day; played on the flute his most solemn measure; to which the rowers; as the ship came in; made loud response; their oars; like the funeral beating of the breast; keeping time with the cadences of the music。 But Antigonus; in tears and mourning attire; excited among the spectators gathered on the shore the greatest sorrow and compassion。 After crowns and other honours had been offered at Corinth; the remains were conveyed to Demetrias; a city to which Demetrius had given his name; peopled from the inhabitants of small villages of Iolcus。 Demetrius left no other children by his wife Phila but Antigonus and Stratonice; but he had two other sons; both of his own name; one surnamed the Thin; by an Illyrian mother; and one who ruled in Cyrene; by Ptolemais。 He had also; by Deidamia; a son; Alexander; who lived and died in Egypt; and there are some who say that he had a son by Eurydice; named Corrhabus。 His family was continued in a succession of kings down to Perseus; the last; from whom the Romans took Macedonia。 And now; the Macedonian drama being ended; let us prepare to see the Roman。
THE END