第 139 节
作者:孤独半圆      更新:2021-02-21 16:06      字数:9322
  from their hiding…places; and smote them with a great slaughter; from which such as escaped fled straight into Boeotia。 These men; on their return; declared (as I am told) that besides the marvels mentioned above; they witnessed also other supernatural sights。 Two armed warriors; they said; of a stature more than human; pursued after their flying ranks; pressing them close and slaying them。     These men; the Delphians maintain; were two Heroes belonging to the place… by name Phylacus and Autonous… each of whom has a sacred precinct near the temple; one; that of Phylacus; hard by the road which runs above the temple of Pronaia; the other; that of Autonous; near the Castalian spring; at the foot of the peak called Hyampeia。 The blocks of stone which fell from Parnassus might still be seen in my day; they lay in the precinct of Pronaia; where they stopped; after rolling through the host of the barbarians。 Thus was this body of men forced to retire from the temple。     Meanwhile; the Grecian fleet; which had left Artemisium; proceeded to Salamis; at the request of the Athenians; and there cast anchor。 The Athenians had begged them to take up this position; in order that they might convey their women and children out of Attica; and further might deliberate upon the course which it now behoved them to follow。 Disappointed in the hopes which they had previously entertained; they were about to hold a council concerning the present posture of their affairs。 For they had looked to see the Peloponnesians drawn up in full force to resist the enemy in Boeotia; but found nothing of what they had expected; nay; they learnt that the Greeks of those parts; only concerning themselves about their own safety; were building a wall across the Isthmus; and intended to guard the Peloponnese; and let the rest of Greece take its chance。 These tidings caused them to make the request whereof I spoke; that the combined fleet should anchor at Salamis。     So while the rest of the fleet lay to off this island; the Athenians cast anchor along their own coast。 Immediately upon their arrival; proclamation was made that every Athenian should save his children and household as he best could; whereupon some sent their families to Egina; some to Salamis; but the greater number to Troezen。 This removal was made with all possible haste; partly from a desire to obey the advice of the oracle; but still more for another reason。 The Athenians say that they have in their Acropolis a huge serpent; which lives in the temple; and is the guardian of the whole place。 Nor do they only say this; but; as if the serpent really dwelt there; every month they lay out its food; which consists of a honey…cake。 Up to this time the honey…cake had always been consumed; but now it remained untouched。 So the priestess told the people what had happened; whereupon they left Athens the more readily; since they believed that the goddess had already abandoned the citadel。 As soon as all was removed; the Athenians sailed back to their station。     And now; the remainder of the Grecian sea…force; hearing that the fleet which had been at Artemisium; was come to Salamis; joined it at that island from Troezen… orders having been issued previously that the ships should muster at Pogon; the port of the Troezenians。 The vessels collected were many more in number than those which had fought at Artemisium; and were furnished by more cities。 The admiral was the same who had commanded before; to wit; Eurybiades; the son of Eurycleides; who was a Spartan; but not of the family of the kings: the city; however; which sent by far the greatest number of ships; and the best sailers; was Athens。     Now these were the nations who composed the Grecian fleet。 From the Peloponnese; the following… the Lacedaemonians with six; teen ships; the Corinthians with the same number as at Artemisium; the Sicyonians with fifteen; the Epidaurians with ten; the Troezenians with five; and the Hermionians with three。 These were Dorians and Macedonians all of them (except those from Hermione); and had emigrated last from Erineus; Pindus; and Dryopis。 The Hermionians were Dryopians; of the race which Hercules and the Malians drove out of the land now called Doris。 Such were the Peloponnesian nations。     From the mainland of Greece beyond the Peloponnese; came the Athenians with a hundred and eighty ships; a greater number than that furnished by any other people; and these were now manned wholly by themselves; for the Plataeans did not serve aboard the Athenian ships at Salamis; owing to the following reason。 When the Greeks; on their withdrawal from Artemisium; arrived off Chalcis; the Plataeans disembarked upon the opposite shore of Boeotia; and set to work to remove their households; whereby it happened that they were left behind。 (The Athenians; when the region which is now called Greece was held by the Pelasgi; were Pelasgians; and bore the name of Cranaans; but under their king Cecrops; they were called Cecropidae; when Erechtheus got the sovereignty; they changed their name to Athenians; and when Ion; the son of Xuthus; became their general; they were named after him Ionians。)     The Megarians served with the same number of ships as at Artemisium; the Ambraciots came with seven; the Leucadians (who were Dorians from Corinth) with three。     Of the islanders; the Eginetans furnished thirty ships… they had a larger number equipped; but some were kept back to guard their own coasts; and only thirty; which however were their best sailers; took part in the fight at Salamis。 (The Eginetans are Dorians from Epidaurus; their island was called formerly Oenone)。 The Chalcideans came next in order; they furnished the twenty ships with which they had served at Artemisium。 The Eretrians likewise furnished their seven。 These races are Ionian。 Ceos gave its old number… the Ceans are Ionians from Attica。 Naxos furnished four: this detachment; like those from the other islands; had been sent by the citizens at home to join the Medes; but they made light of the orders given them; and joined the Greeks; at the instigation of Democritus; a citizen of good report; who was at that time captain of a trireme。 The Naxians are Ionians; of the Athenian stock。 The Styreans served with the same ships as before; the Cythnians contributed one; and likewise a penteconter… these two nations are Dryopians: the Seriphians; Siphnians; and Melians; also served; they were the only islanders who had not given earth and water to the barbarian。     All these nations dwelt inside the river Acheron and the country inhabited by the Thesprotians; for that people borders on the Ambraciots and Leucadians; who are the most remote of all those by whom the fleet was furnished。 From the countries beyond; there was only one people which gave help to the Greeks in their danger。 This was the people of Crotona; who contributed a single ship; under the command of Phayllus; a man who had thrice carried off the prize at the Pythian Games。 The Crotoniats are; by descent; Achaeans。     Most of the allies came with triremes; but the Melians; Siphnians; and Seriphians; brought penteconters。 The Melians; who draw their race from Lacedaemon; furnished two; the Siphnians and Seriphians; who are Ionians of the Athenian stock; one each。 The whole number of the ships; without counting the penteconters; was three hundred and seventy…eight。     When the captains from these various nations were come together at Salamis; a council of war was summoned; and Eurybiades proposed that any one who liked to advise; should say which place seemed to him the fittest; among those still in the possession of the Greeks; to be the scene of a naval combat。 Attica; he said; was not to be thought of now; but he desired their counsel as to the remainder。 The speakers mostly advised that the fleet should sail away to the Isthmus; and there give battle in defence of the Peloponnese; and they urged as a reason for this; that if they were worsted in a sea…fight at Salamis; they would be shut up in an island where they could get no help; but if they were beaten near the Isthmus; they could escape to their homes。     As the captains from the Peloponnese were thus advising; there came an Athenian to the camp; who brought word that the barbarians had entered Attica; and were ravaging and burning everything。 For the division of the army under Xerxes was just arrived at Athens from its march through Boeotia; where it had burnt Thespiae and Plataea… both which cities were forsaken by their inhabitants; who had fled to the Peloponnese… and now it was laying waste all the possessions of the Athenians。 Thespiae and Plataea had been burnt by the Persians; because they knew from the Thebans that neither of those cities had espoused their side。     Since the passage of the Hellespont and the commencement of the march upon Greece; a space of four months had gone by; one; while the army made the crossing; and delayed about the region of the Hellespont; and three while they proceeded thence to Attica; which they entered in the archonship of Calliades。 They found the city forsaken; a few people only remained in the temple; either keepers of the treasures; or men of the poorer sort。 These persons having fortified the citadel with planks and boar