agis-第5章

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ambition；　he　must　surely　choose　to　be　banished　with　so　excellent　a
woman　rather　than　without　her　to　possess　a　kingdom。
　　Cleombrotus　thus　removed；　Leonidas　proceeded　also　to　displace　the
ephors；　and　to　choose　others　in　their　room；　then　he　began　to
consider　how　he　might　entrap　Agis。　At　first；　he　endeavoured　by　fair
means　to　persuade　him　to　leave　the　sanctuary；　and　partake　with　him
in　the　kingdom。　The　people；　he　said；　would　easily　pardon　the　errors　of
a　young　man；　ambitious　of　glory；　and　deceived　by　the　craft　of
Agesilaus。　But　finding　Agis　was　suspicious；　and　not　to　be　prevailed
with　to　quit　his　sanctuary；　he　gave　up　that　design；　yet　what　could　not
then　be　effected　by　the　dissimulation　of　an　enemy；　was　soon　after
brought　to　pass　by　the　treachery　of　friends。
　　Amphares；　Damochares；　and　Arcesilaus　often　visited　Agis；　and　he
was　so　confident　of　their　fidelity　that　after　a　while　he　was　prevailed
on　to　accompany　them　to　the　baths；　which　were　not　far　distant；　they
constantly　returning　to　see　him　safe　again　in　the　temple。　They　were
all　three　his　familiars；　and　Amphares　had　borrowed　a　great　deal　of
plate　and　rich　household　stuff　from　Agesistrata；　and　hoped　if　he　could
destroy　her　and　the　whole　family；　he　might　peaceably　enjoy　those
goods。　And　he；　it　is　said；　was　the　readiest　of　all　to　serve　the
purposes　of　Leonidas；　and　being　one　of　the　ephors；　did　all　he　could　to
incense　the　rest　of　his　colleagues　against　Agis。　These　men；　therefore；
finding　that　Agis　would　not　quit　his　sanctuary；　but　on　occasion
would　venture　from　it　to　go　to　the　bath；　resolved　to　seize　him　on
the　opportunity　thus　given　them。　And　one　day　as　he　was　returning；　they
met　and　saluted　him　as　formerly；　conversing　pleasantly　by　the　way；　and
jesting；　as　youthful　friends　might；　till　coming　to　the　turning　of　a
street　which　led　to　the　prison；　Amphares；　by　virtue　of　his　office；
laid　his　hand　on　Agis；　and　told　him；　〃You　must　go　with　me；　Agis；
before　the　other　ephors；　to　answer　for　your　misdemeanours。〃　At　the
same　time　Damochares；　who　was　a　tall；　strong　man；　drew　his　cloak　tight
round　his　neck；　and　dragged　him　after　by　it；　whilst　the　others　went
behind　to　thrust　him　on。　So　that　none　of　Agis's　friend　being　near　to
assist　him；　nor　any　one　by；　they　easily　got　him　into　the　prison；　where
Leonidas　was　already　arrived；　with　a　company　of　soldiers；　who　strongly
guarded　all　the　avenues；　the　ephors　also　came　in；　with　as　many　of
the　Elders　as　they　knew　to　be　true　to　their　party；　being　desirous　to
proceed　with　some　semblance　of　justice。　And　thus　they　bade　him　give　an
account　of　his　actions。　To　which　Agis；　smiling　at　their　dissimulation；
answered　not　a　word。　Amphares　told　him　it　was　more　seasonable　to　weep；
for　now　the　time　was　come　in　which　he　should　be　punished　for　his
presumption。　Another　of　the　ephors；　as　though　he　would　be　more
favourable；　and　offering　as　it　were　an　excuse；　asked　him　whether　he
was　not　forced　to　what　he　did　by　Agesilaus　and　Lysander。　But　Agis
answered；　he　had　not　been　constrained　by　any　man；　nor　had　any　other
intent　in　what　he　did　but　only　to　follow　the　example　of　Lycurgus；
and　to　govern　conformably　to　his　laws。　The　same　ephor　asked　him
whether　now　at　least　he　did　not　repent　his　rashness。　To　which　the
young　man　answered　that　though　he　were　to　suffer　the　extremest　penalty
for　it；　yet　he　could　never　repent　of　so　just　and　so　glorious　a　design。
Upon　this　they　passed　sentence　of　death　on　him；　and　bade　the
officers　carry　him　to　the　Dechas；　as　it　is　called；　a　place　in　the
prison　where　they　strangle　malefactors。　And　when　the　officers　would
not　venture　to　lay　hands　on　him；　and　the　very　mercenary　soldiers
declined　it；　believing　it　an　illegal　and　a　wicked　act　to　lay　violent
hands　on　a　king；　Demochares；　threatening　and　reviling　them　for　it；
himself　thrust　him　into　the　room。
　　For　by　this　time　the　news　of　his　being　seized　had　reached　many　parts
of　the　city；　and　there　was　a　concourse　of　people　with　lights　and
torches　about　the　prison　gates；　and　in　the　midst　of　them　the　mother
and　the　grandmother　of　Agis；　crying　out　with　a　loud　voice　that　their
king　ought　to　appear；　and　to　be　heard　and　judged　by　the　people。　But
this　clamour；　instead　of　preventing；　hastened　his　death；　his　enemies
fearing；　if　the　tumult　should　increase；　he　might　be　rescued　during　the
night　out　of　their　hands。
　　Agis；　being　now　at　the　point　to　die；　perceived　one　of　the　officers
bitterly　bewailing　his　misfortune；　〃Weep　not；　friend；〃　said　he；　〃for
me；　who　die　innocent；　by　the　lawless　act　of　wicked　men。　My　condition
is　much　better　than　theirs。〃　As　soon　as　he　had　spoken　these　words；　not
showing　the　least　sign　of　fear；　he　offered　his　neck　to　the　noose。
　　Immediately　after　he　was　dead；　Amphares　went　out　of　the　prison　gate；
where　he　found　Agesistrata；　who；　believing　him　still　the　same　friend
as　before；　threw　herself　at　his　feet。　He　gently　raised　her　up；　and
assured　her；　she　need　not　fear　any　further　violence　or　danger　of　death
for　her　son；　and　that　if　pleased　she　might　go　in　and　see　him。　She
begged　her　mother　might　also　have　the　favour　to　be　admitted；　and　he
replied；　nobody　should　hinder　it。　When　they　were　entered；　he　commanded
the　gate　should　again　be　locked；　and　Archidamia；　the　grandmother；　to
be　first　introduced。　She　was　now　grown　very　old；　and　had　lived　all　her
days　in　the　highest　repute　among　her　fellows。　As　soon　as　Amphares
thought　she　was　despatched；　he　told　Agesistrata　she　might　now　go　in　if
she　pleased。　She　entered；　and　beholding　her　son's　body　stretched　on
the　ground；　and　her　mother　hanging　by　the　neck；　the　first　thing　she
did　was；　with　her　own　hands；　to　assist　the　officers　in　taking　down　the
body；　then　covering　it　decently；　she　laid　it　out　by　her　son's；　whom
then　embracing　and　kissing　his　cheeks；　〃O　my　son；〃　said　she；　〃it　was
thy　too　great　mercy　and　goodness　which　brought　thee　and　us　to　ruin。〃
Amphares；　who　stood　watching　behind　the　door；　on　hearing　this；　broke
in；　and　said　angrily　to　her；　〃Since　you　approve　so　well　of　your
son's　actions；　it　is　fit　you　should　partake　in　his　reward。〃　She；
rising　up　to　offer　herself　to　the　noose；　said　only；　〃I　pray　that　it
may　redound　to　the　good　of　Sparta。〃
　　The　three　bodies　being　now　exposed　to　view；　and　the　fact　divulged；
no　fear　was　strong　enough　to　hinder　the　people　from　expressing　their
abhorrence　of　what　was　done；　and　their　detestation　of　Leonidas　and
Amphares；　the　contrivers　of　it。　So　wicked　and　barbarous　an　act　had
never　been　committed　in　Sparta　since　first　the　Dorians　inhabited
Peloponnesus；　the　very　enemies　in　war；　they　said；　were　always　cautious
in　spilling　the　blood　of　a　Lacedaemonian　king；　insomuch　that　in　any
combat　they　would　decline；　and　endeavour　to　avoid　them；　from
feelings　of　respect　and　reverence　for　their　station。　And　certainly
we　see　that　in　the　many　battles　fought　betwixt　the　Lacedaemonians
and　the　other　Greeks；　up　to　the　time　of　Philip　of　Macedon；　not　one
of　their　kings　was　ever　killed；　except　Cleombrotus　by　a
javelin…wound　at　the　battle　of　Leuctra。　I　am　not　ignorant　that　the
Messenians　affirm；　Theopompus　was　also　slain　by　their　Aristomenes；　but
the　Lacedaemonians　deny　it；　and　say　he　was　only　wounded。
　　Be　it　as　it　will；　it　is　certain　at　least　that　Agis　was　the　first
king　put　to　death　in　Lacedaemon　by　the　ephors；　for　having　undertaken　a
design　noble　in　itself　and　worthy　of　his　country；　at　a　time　of　life
when　men's　errors　usually　meet　with　an　easy　pardon。　And　if　errors　he
did　commit；　his　enemies　certainly　had　less　reason　to　blame　him　than
had　his　friends　for　that　gentle　and　compassionate　temper　which　made
him　save　the　life　of　Leonidas　and　believe　in　other　men's　professions。




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