第 19 节
作者:
这就是结局 更新:2021-02-20 14:15 字数:9322
'* 〃T。 E。 B。〃 = T。 E。 Brown; the Manx poet; at that time a colleague
of Mr。 Dakyns at Clifton。F。M。S。'
C2。19。 Cyrus recognises the ideal principle of co…operation and
collective ownership。 Xenophon; Economist; ahead of the moderns。
C2。26。 Xenophon's breadth of view: virtue is not confined to citizens;
but we have the pick of the whole world。 Cosmopolitan Hellenism。
C3。4。 Xenophon's theory of rule (cf。 Ruskin): a right; inalienable;
God…bestowed; of the virtuous; subjection an inevitable consequence on
lack of self…discipline。
C3。5; init。 Is this a carelessness; or what? Chrysantas has been
introduced before; but here he is described as if stepping on the
stage for the first time。 The sentence itself suggests the mould for
the New Testament narrative。
C3。7。 Pheraulas; and of him we shall hear much。 A sharp contrast to
Chrysantas; the Peer; with his pointed plebeian similes。 His speech
important again for Xenophon's sympathetic knowledge of children and
also of the hard…working poor。
C3。10。 How true to nature this。 Cannot one see the little boy doubling
his little fists; a knife in his pocket; possibly a ball of string?
C3。11。 Is there a touch of flunkeyism in this? Not so; it is the
clear…sighted scientific Greek; that is all。
C3。14。 Very Scotch all this。
C3。21…22。 /Locus classicus/ for regimental marching tactics。 Qy。: Are
any of these tactical improvements by Xenophon himself?
'C3。21。 The 〃regiment〃 of a hundred men was divided into four
〃companies〃 of twenty…five; to each of these one company…captain and
twenty…four men; viz。: twenty privates; two captains…of…ten; and two
captains…of…five; the two captains of ten having also especial charge
over the two remaining squads of five。 A condensed diagram may make
the little man?uvre clear。 An X represents one group of five plus its
captain; either a captain…of…five or a captain…of…ten。 A C represents
a company…captain。
First positionOne long column。 All in single file。
Second positionFour columns。 Single file for each company。
Third positionEight columns。 Double files。
Fourth positionSixteen columns。 Quadruple files。
C C C C C C C
X X X …》 X X X X …》 X X X X X X X X
X …》 X X X X X X
X X X
X X X
C
X
X
X
X'
C4。15。 Cyaxares means to kidnap them; doesn't he? That is not quite
Cyrus' method。 If so; it contrasts Cyaxares and Cyrus again。
C4。17。 Cyaxares the old fox improves upon the plan。
C4。30; init。 It is these touches which give the thrilling subjective
feeling to the writings of Xenophon; or; rather; thus his nerves
tingle; just as the external touches give a sense of objective health
(e。g。 above; C1。29)。
C4。32。 All this is entirely modern; never yet excelled; I imagine。
BOOK III
'C。1' Thus Cyrus made his preparations。 But the Armenian; when he
heard what the messenger had to say; was terror…stricken: he knew the
wrong he had done in neglecting the tribute and withholding the
troops; and; above all; he was afraid it would be discovered that he
was beginning to put his palace in a fit state for defence。 '2'
Therefore; with much trepidation; he began to collect his own forces;
and at the same time he sent his younger son Sabaris into the hills
with the women; his own wife; and the wife of his elder son and his
daughters; taking the best of their ornaments and furniture with them
and an escort to be their guide。 Meanwhile he despatched a party to
discover what Cyrus was doing; and organised all the Armenian
contingents as they came in。 But it was not long before other
messengers arrived; saying that Cyrus himself was actually at hand。
'3' Then his courage forsook him; he dared not come to blows and he
withdrew。 As soon as the recruits saw this they took to their heels;
each man bent on getting his own property safely out of the way。 When
Cyrus saw the plains full of them; racing and riding everywhere; he
sent out messengers privately to explain that he had no quarrel with
any who stayed quietly in their homes; but if he caught a man in
flight; he warned them he would treat him as an enemy。 Thus the
greater part were persuaded to remain; though there were some who
retreated with the king。
'4' But when the escort with the women came on the Persians in the
mountain; they fled with cries of terror; and many of them were taken
prisoners。 In the end the young prince himself was captured; and the
wife of the king; and his daughters; and his daughter…in…law; and all
the goods they had with them。 And when the king learnt what had
happened; scarcely knowing where to turn; he fled to the summit of a
certain hill。 '5' Cyrus; when he saw it; surrounded the spot with his
troops and sent word to Chrysantas; bidding him leave a force to guard
the mountains and come down to him。 So the mass of the army was
collected under Cyrus; and then he sent a herald to the king with this
enquiry:
〃Son of Armenia; will you wait here and fight with hunger and thirst;
or will you come down into the plain and fight it out with us?〃 But
the Armenian answered that he wished to fight with neither。 '6' Cyrus
sent again and asked; 〃Why do you sit there; then; and refuse to come
down?〃 〃Because I know not what to do;〃 answered the other。 〃It is
simple enough;〃 said Cyrus; 〃come down and take your trial。〃 〃And who
shall try me?〃 asked the king。 〃He;〃 answered Cyrus; 〃to whom God has
given the power to treat you as he lists; without a trial at all。〃
Thereupon the Armenian came down; yielding to necessity; and Cyrus
took him and all that he had and placed him in the centre of the camp;
for all his forces were now at hand。
'7' Meanwhile Tigranes; the elder son of the king; was on his way home
from a far country。 In old days he had hunted with Cyrus and been his
friend; and now; when he heard what had happened; he came forward just
as he was; but when he saw his father and his mother; his brother and
sisters; and his own wife all held as prisoners; he could not keep
back the tears。 '8' But Cyrus gave him no sign of friendship or
courtesy; and only said; 〃You have come in time; you may be present
now to hear your father tried。〃 With that he summoned the leaders of
the Persians and the Medes; and any Armenian of rank and dignity who
was there; nor would he send away the women as they sat in covered
carriages; but let them listen too。 '9' When all was ready he began:
〃Son of Armenia; I would counsel you; in the first place; to speak the
truth; so that at least you may stand free from what deserves the
utmost hate: beyond all else; be assured; manifest lying checks the
sympathy of man and man。 Moreover;〃 said he; 〃your own sons; your
daughters; and your wife are well aware of all that you have done; and
so are your own Armenians who are here: if they perceive that you say
what is not true; they must surely feel that out of your own lips you
condemn yourself to suffer the uttermost penalty when I learn the
truth。〃 〃Nay;〃 answered the king; 〃ask me whatever you will; and I
will answer truly; come what come may。〃 '10' 〃Answer then;〃 said
Cyrus; 〃did you once make war upon Astyages; my mother's father; and
his Medes?〃 〃I did;〃 he answered。 〃And were you conquered by him; and
did you agree to pay tribute and furnish troops whenever he required;
and promise not to fortify your dwellings?〃 〃Even so;〃 he said。 〃Why
is it; then; that to…day you have neither brought the tribute nor sent
the troops; and are building forts?〃 〃I set my heart on liberty: it
seemed to me so fair a thing to be free myself and to leave freedom to
my sons。〃 '11' 〃And fair and good it is;〃 said Cyrus; 〃to fight for
freedom and choose death rather than slavery; but if a man is worsted
in war or enslaved by any other means and then attempts to rid himself
of his lord; tell me yourself; would you honour such a man as upright;
and a doer of noble deeds; or would you; if you got him in your power;
chastise him as a malefactor?〃 〃I would chastise him;〃 he answered;
〃since you drive me to the truth。〃 '12' 〃Then answer me now; point by
point;〃 said Cyrus。 〃If you have an officer and he does wrong; do you
suffer him to remain in office; or do you set up another in his
stead?〃 〃I set up another。〃 〃And if he have great riches; to you leave
him all his wealth; or do you make him a beggar?〃 〃I take away from
him all that he has。〃 〃And if you found him deserting to your enemies;
what would you do?〃 〃I would kill him;〃 he said: 〃why should I perish
with a lie on my lips rather than speak the truth and die?〃
'13' But at this his son rent his garments and dashed the tiara from
his brows; and the women lifted up their voices in wailing and tore
their cheeks; as though their father was dead already; and they
themselves undone。 But Cyrus bade them keep silence; and spoke again。
〃Son of Armenia; we have heard your own judgment in this case; and now
tell us; what ought we to do?〃 But the king sat silent and perplexed;
wondering whether he should bid Cyrus put him to death; or act in the
teeth of the rule he had laid down for himself。 '14' Then his son
T