第 91 节
作者:
孤独半圆 更新:2021-02-21 16:05 字数:9322
itherto; Clisthenes made ten tribes; and parcelled out the Athenians among them。 He likewise changed the names of the tribes; for whereas they had till now been called after Geleon; Aegicores; Argades; and Hoples; the four sons of Ion; Clisthenes set these names aside; and called his tribes after certain other heroes; all of whom were native; except Ajax。 Ajax was associated because; although a foreigner; he was a neighbour and an ally of Athens。 My belief is that in acting thus he did but imitate his maternal grandfather; Clisthenes; king of Sicyon。 This king; when he was at war with Argos; put an end to the contests of the rhapsodists at Sicyon; because in the Homeric poems Argos and the Argives were so constantly the theme of song。 He likewise conceived the wish to drive Adrastus; the son of Talaus; out of his country; seeing that he was an Argive hero。 For Adrastus had a shrine at Sicyon; which yet stands in the market…place of the town。 Clisthenes therefore went to Delphi; and asked the oracle if he might expel Adrastus。 To this the Pythoness is reported to have answered… 〃Adrastus is the Sicyonians' king; but thou art only a robber。〃 So when the god would not grant his request; he went home and began to think how he might contrive to make Adrastus withdraw of his own accord。 After a while he hit upon a plan which he thought would succeed。 He sent envoys to Thebes in Boeotia; and informed the Thebans that he wished to bring Melanippus; the son of Astacus; to Sicyon。 The Thebans consenting; Clisthenes carried Melanippus back with him; assigned him a precinct within the government…house; and built him a shrine there in the safest and strongest part。 The reason for his so doing (which I must not forbear to mention) was because Melanippus was Adrastus' great enemy; having slain both his brother Mecistes and his son…in…law Tydeus。 Clisthenes; after assigning the precinct to Melanippus; took away from Adrastus the sacrifices and festivals wherewith he had till then been honoured; and transferred them to his adversary。 Hitherto the Sicyonians had paid extraordinary honours to Adrastus; because the country had belonged to Polybus; and Adrastus was Polybus' daughter's son; whence it came to pass that Polybus; dying childless; left Adrastus his kingdom。 Besides other ceremonies; it had been their wont to honour Adrastus with tragic choruses; which they assigned to him rather than Bacchus; on account of his calamities。 Clisthenes now gave the choruses to Bacchus; transferring to Melanippus the rest of the sacred rites。 Such were his doings in the matter of Adrastus。 With respect to the Dorian tribes; not choosing the Sicyonians to have the same tribes as the Argives; he changed all the old names for new ones; and here he took special occasion to mock the Sicyonians; for he drew his new names from the words 〃pig;〃 and 〃ass;〃 adding thereto the usual tribe…endings; only in the case of his own tribe he did nothing of the sort; but gave them a name drawn from his own kingly office。 For he called his own tribe the Archelai; or Rulers; while the others he named Hyatae; or Pig…folk; Oneatae; or Assfolk; and Choereatae; or Swine…folk。 The Sicyonians kept these names; not only during the reign of Clisthenes; but even after his death; by the space of sixty years: then; however; they took counsel together; and changed to the well…known names of Hyllaeans; Pamphylians; and Dymanatae; taking at the same time; as a fourth name; the title of Aegialeans; from Aegialeus the son of Adrastus。 Thus had Clisthenes the Sicyonian done。 The Athenian Clisthenes; who was grandson by the mother's side of the other; and had been named after him; resolved; from contempt (as I believe) of the Ionians; that his tribes should not be the same as theirs; and so followed the pattern set him by his namesake of Sicyon。 Having brought entirely over to his own side the common people of Athens; whom he had before disdained; he gave all the tribes new names; and made the number greater than formerly; instead of the four phylarchs he established ten; he likewise placed ten demes in each of the tribes; and he was; now that the common people took his part; very much more powerful than his adversaries。 Isagoras in his turn lost ground; and therefore; to counter…plot his enemy; he called in Cleomenes the Lacedaemonian; who had already; at the time when he was besieging the Pisistratidae; made a contract of friendship with him。 A charge is even brought against Cleomenes that he was on terms of too great familiarity with Isagoras's wife。 At this time the first thing that he did was to send a herald and require that Clisthenes; and a large number of Athenians besides; whom he called 〃The Accursed;〃 should leave Athens。 This message he sent at the suggestion of Isagoras: for in the affair referred to; the blood…guiltiness lay on the Alcmaeonidae and their partisans; while he and his friends were quite clear of it。 The way in which 〃The Accursed〃 at Athens got their name; was the following。 There was a certain Athenian called Cylon; a victor at the Olympic Games; who aspired to the sovereignty; and aided by a number of his companions; who were of the same age with himself; made an attempt to seize the citadel。 But the attack failed; and Cylon became a suppliant at the image。 Hereupon the Heads of the Naucraries; who at that time bore rule in Athens; induced the fugitives to remove by a promise to spare their lives。 Nevertheless they were all slain; and the blame was laid on the Alcmaeonidae。 All this happened before the time of Pisistratus。 When the message of Cleomenes arrived; requiring Clisthenes and 〃The Accursed〃 to quit the city; Clisthenes departed of his own accord。 Cleomenes; however; notwithstanding his departure; came to Athens; with a small band of followers; and on his arrival sent into banishment seven hundred Athenian families; which were pointed out to him by Isagoras。 Succeeding here; he next endeavoured to dissolve the council; and to put the government into the hands of three hundred of the partisans of that leader。 But the council resisted; and refused to obey his orders; whereupon Cleomenes; Isagoras; and their followers took possession of the citadel。 Here they were attacked by the rest of the Athenians; who took the side of the council; and were besieged for the space of two days: on the third day they accepted terms; being allowed… at least such of them as were Lacedaemonians… to quit the country。 And so the word which came to Cleomenes received its fulfilment。 For when he first went up into the citadel; meaning to seize it; just as he was entering the sanctuary of the goddess; in order to question her; the priestess arose from her throne; before he had passed the doors; and said… 〃Stranger from Lacedaemon; depart hence; and presume not to enter the holy place… it is not lawful for a Dorian to set foot there。〃 But he answered; 〃Oh! woman; I am not a Dorian; but an Achaean。〃 Slighting this warning; Cleomenes made his attempt; and so he was forced to retire; together with his Lacedaemonians。 The rest were cast into prison by the Athenians; and condemned to die… among them Timasitheus the Delphian; of whose prowess and courage I have great things which I could tell。 So these men died in prison。 The Athenians directly afterwards recalled Clisthenes; and the seven hundred families which Cleomenes had driven out; and; further; they sent envoys to Sardis; to make an alliance with the Persians; for they knew that war would follow with Cleomenes and the Lacedaemonians。 When the ambassadors reached Sardis and delivered their message; Artaphernes; son of Hystaspes; who was at that time governor of the Place; inquired of them 〃who they were; and in what part of the world they dwelt; that they wanted to become allies of the Persians?〃 The messengers told him; upon which he answered them shortly… that 〃if the Athenians chose to give earth and water to King Darius; he would conclude an alliance with them; but if not; they might go home again。〃 After consulting together; the envoys; anxious to form the alliance; accepted the terms; but on their return to Athens; they fell into deep disgrace on account of their compliance。 Meanwhile Cleomenes; who considered himself to have been insulted by the Athenians both in word and deed; was drawing a force together from all parts of the Peloponnese; without informing any one of his object; which was to revenge himself on the Athenians; and to establish Isagoras; who had escaped with him from the citadel; as despot of Athens。 Accordingly; with a large army; he invaded the district of Eleusis; while the Boeotians; who had concerted measures with him; took Oenoe and Hysiae; two country towns upon the frontier; and at the same time the Chalcideans; on another side; plundered divers places in Attica。 The Athenians; notwithstanding that danger threatened them from every quarter; put off all thought of the Boeotians and Chalcideans till a future time; and marched against the Peloponnesians; who were at Eleusis。 As the two hosts were about to engage; first of all the Corinthians; bethinking themselves that they were perpetrating a wrong; changed their minds; and drew off from the main army。 Then Demaratus; son of Aristo