第 8 节
作者:缘圆      更新:2024-07-17 14:41      字数:9322
  putting over to Cyprus; which does not seem to be probable。 But;
  whichever of the two was his intention; it seems to have been a
  miscalculation。 For on his departure; Melissus; the son of
  Ithagenes; a philosopher; being at that time the general in Samos;
  despising either the small number of the ships that were left or the
  inexperience of the commanders; prevailed with the citizens to
  attack the Athenians。 And the Samians having won the battle; and taken
  several of the men prisoners; and disabled several of the ships;
  were masters of the sea; and brought into port all necessaries they
  wanted for the war; which they had not before。 Aristotle says; too;
  that Pericles had been once before this worsted by this Melissus in
  a sea…fight。
  The Samians; that they might requite an affront which had before
  been put upon them; branded the Athenians; whom they took prisoners;
  in their foreheads; with the figure of an owl。 For so the Athenians
  had marked them before with a Samaena; which is a sort of ship; low
  and flat in the prow; so as to look snub…nosed; but wide and large and
  well…spread in the hold; by which it both carries a large cargo and
  sails well。 And it was so called; because the first of that kind was
  seen at Samos; having been built by order of Polycrates the tyrant。
  These brands upon the Samians' foreheads; they say; are the allusion
  in the passage of Aristophanes; where he says…
  〃For; oh; the Samians are a lettered people。〃
  Pericles; as soon as news was brought him of the disaster that had
  befallen his army; made all the haste he could to come in to their
  relief; and having defeated Melissus; who bore up against him; and put
  the enemy to flight; he immediately proceeded to hem them in with a
  wall; resolving to master them and take the town; rather with some
  cost and time than with the wounds and hazards of his citizens。 But as
  it was a hard matter to keep back the Athenians; who were vexed at the
  delay; and were eagerly bent to fight; he divided the whole
  multitude into eight parts; and arranged by lot that that part which
  had the white bean should have leave to feast and take their ease
  while the other seven were fighting。 And this is the reason; they say;
  that people; when at any time they have been merry; and enjoyed
  themselves; called it white day; in allusion to this white bean。
  Ephorus the historian tells us besides; that Pericles made use of
  engines of battery in this siege; being much taken with the
  curiousness of the invention; with the aid and presence of Artemon
  himself; the engineer; who; being lame; used to be carried about in
  a litter; where the works required his attendance; and for that reason
  was called Periphoretus。 But Heraclides Ponticus disproves this out of
  Anacreon's poems; where mention is made of this Artemon Periphoretus
  several ages before the Samian war; or any of these occurrences。 And
  he says that Artemon; being a man who loved his ease; and had a
  great apprehension of danger; for the most part kept close within
  doors; having two of his servants to hold a brazen shield over his
  head; that nothing might fall upon him from above; and if he were at
  any time forced upon necessity to go abroad; that he was carried about
  in a little hanging bed; close to the very ground; and that for this
  reason he was called Periphoretus。
  In the ninth month; the Samians surrendering themselves and
  delivering up the town; Pericles pulled down their walls; and seized
  their shipping; and set a fine of a large sum of money upon them; part
  of which they paid down at once; and they agreed to bring in the
  rest by a certain time; and gave hostages for security。 Duris the
  Samian makes a tragical drama out of these events; charging the
  Athenians and Pericles with a great deal of cruelty; which neither
  Thucydides; nor Ephorus; nor Aristotle have given any relation of; and
  probably with little regard to truth; how; for example; he brought the
  captains and soldiers of the alleys into the market…place at
  Miletus; and there having bound them fast to boards for ten days;
  then; when they were already all but half dead; gave order to have
  them killed by beating out their brains with clubs; and their dead
  bodies to be flung out into the open streets and fields; unburied。
  Duris however; who; even where he has no private feeling concerned; is
  not wont to keep his narratives within the limits of truth; is the
  more likely upon this occasion to have exaggerated the calamities
  which befell his country; to create odium against the Athenians。
  Pericles however; after the reduction of Samos; returning back to
  Athens; took care that those who died in the war should be
  honourably buried; and made a funeral harangue; as the custom is; in
  their commendation at their graves; for which he gained great
  admiration。 As he came down from the stage on which he spoke; the rest
  of the women came and complimented him; taking him by the hand; and
  crowning him with garlands and ribbons; like a victorious athlete in
  the games; but Elpinice; coming near to him; said; 〃These are brave
  deeds; Pericles; that you have done; and such as deserve our chaplets;
  who have lost us many a worthy citizen; not in a war with
  Phoenicians or Medes; like my brother Cimon; but for the overthrow
  of an allied and kindred city。〃 As Elpinice spoke these words; he;
  smiling quietly; as it is said; returned her answer with this verse:…
  〃Old women should not seek to be perfumed。〃
  Ion says of him; that upon this exploit of his; conquering the
  Samians; he indulged very high and proud thoughts of himself:
  whereas Agamemnon was ten years taking a barbarous city; he had in
  nine months' time vanquished and taken the greatest and most
  powerful of the Ionians。 And indeed it was not without reason that
  he assumed this glory to himself; for; in real truth; there was much
  uncertainty and great hazard in this great war; if so be; as
  Thucydides tells us; the Samian state were within a very little of
  wresting the whole power and dominion of the sea out of the Athenians'
  hands。
  After this was over; the Peloponnesian war beginning to break out in
  full tide; he advised the people to send help to the Corcyraeans;
  who were attacked by the Corinthians; and to secure to themselves an
  island possessed of great naval resources; since the Peloponnesians
  were already all but in actual hostilities against them。 The people
  readily consenting to the motion; and voting an aid and succour for
  them; he despatched Lacedaemonius; Cimon's son; having only ten
  ships with him; as it were out of a design to affront him; for there
  was a great kindness and friendship betwixt Cimon's family and the
  Lacedaemonians; so; in order that Lacedaemonius might lie the more
  open to a charge; or suspicion at least; of favouring the
  Lacedaemonians and playing false; if he performed no considerable
  exploit in this service; he allowed him a small number of ships; and
  sent him out against his will; and indeed he made it somewhat his
  business to hinder Cimon's sons from rising in the state; professing
  that by their very names they were not to be looked upon as native and
  true Athenians; but foreigners and strangers; one being called
  Lacedaemonius; another Thessalus; and the third Eleus and they were
  all three of them; it was thought; born of an Arcadian woman。 Being;
  however; ill spoken of on account of these ten galleys; as having
  afforded but a small supply to the people that were in need; and yet
  given a great advantage to those who might complain of the act of
  intervention; Pericles sent out a larger force afterwards to
  Corcyra; which arrived after the fight was over。 And when now the
  Corinthians; angry and indignant with the Athenians; accused them
  publicly at Lacedaemon; the Megarians joined with them; complaining
  that they were; contrary to common right and the articles of peace
  sworn to among the Greeks; kept out and driven away from every
  market and from all ports under the control of the Athenians。 The
  Aeginetans; also; professing to be ill…used and treated with violence;
  made supplications in private to the Lacedaemonians for redress;
  though not daring openly to call the Athenians in question。 In the
  meantime; also; the city Potidaea; under the dominion of the
  Athenians; but a colony formerly of the Corinthians; had revolted; and
  was beset with a formal siege; and was a further occasion of
  precipitating the war。
  Yet notwithstanding all this; there being embassies sent to
  Athens; and Archidamus; the King of the Lacedaemonians; endeavouring
  to bring the greater part of the complaints and matters in dispute
  to a fair determination; and to pacify and allay the heats of the
  allies; it is very likely that the war would not upon any other
  grounds of quarrel have fallen upon the Athenians; could they have
  been prevailed with to repeal the ordinance against the Megarians; and
  to be reconciled to them。 Upon which account; since Pericles was the
  man who mainly opposed it; and stirred up the people's passions to
  persist in their contention with the Megarians; he was regarded as the
  sole cause of the war。
  They say; moreover; that ambassadors went; by order; from Lacedaemon
  to Athens a