nicias-第2章

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desire　of　popularity　and　applause；　yet　from　other　qualities　and
carriages　of　the　man　one　might　believe　all　this　cost　and　public
display　to　be　the　effect　of　devotion。　For　he　was　one　of　those　who
dreaded　the　divine　powers　extremely；　and；　as　Thucydides　tells　us；
was　much　given　to　arts　of　divination。　In　one　of　Pasiphon's
dialogues；　it　is　stated　that　he　daily　sacrificed　to　the　gods；　and
keeping　a　diviner　at　his　house；　professed　to　be　consulting　always
about　the　commonwealth；　but　for　the　most　part　inquired　about　his　own
private　affairs；　more　especially　concerning　his　silver　mines；　for　he
owned　many　works　at　Laurium；　of　great　value；　but　somewhat　hazardous　to
carry　on。　He　maintained　there　a　multitude　of　slaves；　and　his　wealth
consisted　chiefly　in　silver。　Hence　he　had　many　hangers…on　about　him；
begging　and　obtaining。　For　he　gave　to　those　who　could　do　him
mischief　no　less　than　to　those　who　deserved　well。　In　short；　his
timidity　was　a　revenue　to　rogues；　and　his　humanity　to　honest　men。　We
find　testimony　in　the　comic　writers；　as　when　Teleclides；　speaking　of
one　of　the　professed　informers；　says…

　　　　　　〃Charicles　gave　the　man　a　pound；　the　matter　not　to　name；
　　　　　　　That　from　inside　a　money…bag　into　the　world　he　came；
　　　　　　　And　Nicias；　also；　paid　him　four；　I　know　the　reason　well；
　　　　　　　But　Nicias　is　a　worthy　man；　and　so　I　will　not　tell。〃

So；　also；　the　informer　whom　Eupolis　introduces　in　his　Maricas；
attacking　a　good；　simple；　poor　man：…

　　　　　　　　　〃How　long　ago　did　you　and　Nicias　meet？
　　　　　　　　　　I　did　but　see　him　just　now　in　the　street。

　　　　　　　　　　The　man　has　seen　him　and　denies　it　not；
　　　　　　　　　'Tis　evident　that　they　are　in　a　plot。

　　　　　　　　　　See　you；　O　citizens！　'tis　fact；
　　　　　　　　　　Nicias　is　taken　in　the　act。

　　　　　　　　　　Taken；　Fools！　take　so　good　a　man
　　　　　　　　　　In　aught　that's　wrong　none　will　or　can。〃

　　Cleon；　in　Aristophanes；　makes　it　one　of　his　threats：…

　　　　〃I'll　outscream　all　the　speakers；　and　make　Nicias　stand　aghast。〃

Phrynichus　also　implies　his　want　of　spirit　and　his　easiness　to　be
intimated　in　the　verses…

　　　　　　　　〃A　noble　man　he　was；　I　well　can　say；
　　　　　　　　　Nor　walked　like　Nicias；　cowering　on　his　way。〃

　　So　cautious　was　he　of　informers；　and　so　reserved；　that　he　never
would　dine　out　with　any　citizen；　nor　allowed　himself　to　indulge　in
talk　and　conversation　with　his　friends；　nor　give　himself　any　leisure
for　such　amusements；　but　when　he　was　general　he　used　to　stay　at　the
office　till　night；　and　was　the　first　that　came　to　the　council…house；
and　the　last　that　left　it。　And　if　no　public　business　engaged　him；　it
was　very　hard　to　have　access；　or　to　speak　with　him；　he　being　retired
at　home　and　locked　up。　And　when　any　came　to　the　door；　some　friend　of
his　gave　them　good　words；　and　begged　them　to　excuse　him；　Nicias　was
very　busy；　as　if　affairs　of　state　and　public　duties　still　kept　him
occupied。　He　who　principally　acted　this　part　for　him；　and
contributed　most　to　this　state　and　show；　was　Hiero；　a　man　educated
in　Nicias's　family；　and　instructed　by　him　in　letters　and　music。　He
professed　to　be　the　son　of　Dionysius；　surnamed　Chalcus；　whose　poems
are　yet　extant；　and　had　led　out　the　colony　to　Italy　and　founded
Thurii。　This　Hiero　transacted　all　his　secrets　for　Nicias　with　the
diviners；　and　gave　out　to　the　people　what　a　toilsome　and　miserable
life　he　led　for　the　sake　of　the　commonwealth。　〃He；〃　said　Hiero；　〃can
never　be　either　at　the　bath　or　at　his　meat　but　some　public　business
interferes。　Careless　of　his　own　and　zealous　for　the　public　good；　he
scarcely　ever　goes　to　bed　till　after　others　have　had　their　first
sleep。　So　that　his　health　is　impaired　and　his　body　out　of　order；　nor
is　he　cheerful　or　affable　with　his　friends；　but　loses　them　as　well
as　his　money　in　the　service　of　the　state；　while　other　men　gain　friends
by　public　speaking；　enrich　themselves；　fare　delicately　and　make
government　their　amusement。〃　And　in　fact　this　was　Nicias's　manner　of
life；　so　that　he　well　might　apply　to　himself　the　words　of　Agamemnon：…

　　　　　　　　　〃Vain　pomp's　the　ruler　of　the　life　we　live；
　　　　　　　　　　And　a　slave's　service　to　the　crowd　we　give。〃

　　He　observed　that　the　people；　in　the　case　of　men　of　eloquence；　or
of　eminent　parts；　make　use　of　their　talents　upon　occasion；　but　were
always　jealous　of　their　abilities；　and　held　a　watchful　eye　upon
them；　taking　all　opportunities　to　humble　their　pride　and　abate　their
reputation；　as　was　manifest　in　their　condemnation　of　Pericles；　their
banishment　of　Damon；　their　distrust　of　Antiphon　the　Rhamnusian；　but
especially　in　the　case　of　Paches　who　took　Lesbos；　who　having　to　give
an　account　of　his　conduct；　in　the　very　court　of　justice　unsheathed　his
sword　and　slew　himself。　Upon　such　considerations；　Nicias　declined
all　difficult　and　lengthy　enterprises；　if　he　took　a　command；　he　was
for　doing　what　was　safe；　and　if；　as　thus　was　likely；　he　had　for　the
most　part　success；　he　did　not　attribute　it　to　any　wisdom；　conduct；
or　courage　of　his　own；　but；　to　avoid　envy；　he　thanked　fortune　for　all；
and　gave　the　glory　to　the　divine　powers。　And　the　actions　themselves
bore　testimony　in　his　favour；　the　city　met　at　that　time　with　several
considerable　reverses；　but　he　had　not　a　hand　in　any　of　them。　The
Athenians　were　routed　in　Thrace　by　the　Chalcidians；　Calliades　and
Xenophon　commanding　in　chief。　Demosthenes　was　the　general　when　they
were　unfortunate　in　Aetolia。　At　Delium　they　lost　a　thousand　citizens
under　the　conduct　of　Hippocrates；　the　plague　was　principally　laid　to
the　charge　of　Pericles；　he；　to　carry　on　the　war；　having　shut　up
close　together　in　the　town　the　crowd　of　people　from　the　country　who；
by　the　change　of　place；　and　of　their　usual　course　of　living；　bred
the　pestilence。　Nicias　stood　clear　of　all　this；　under　his　conduct
was　taken　Cythera；　an　island　most　commodious　against　Laconia；　and
occupied　by　the　Lacedaemonian　settlers；　many　places；　likewise；　in
Thrace；　which　had　revolted；　were　taken　or　won　over　by　him；　he　shutting
up　the　Megarians　within　their　town；　seized　upon　the　isle　of　Minoa；　and
soon　after；　advancing　from　thence　to　Nisaea；　made　himself　master
there；　and　then　making　a　descent　upon　the　Corinthian　territory；　fought
a　successful　battle；　and　slew　a　great　number　of　the　Corinthians　with
their　captain　Lycophron。　There　it　happened　that　two　of　his　men　were
left　by　an　oversight；　when　they　carried　off　the　dead；　which　when　he
understood；　he　stopped　the　fleet；　and　sent　a　herald　to　the　enemy　for
leave　to　carry　off　the　dead；　though　by　law　and　custom；　he　that　by　a
truce　craved　leave　to　carry　off　the　dead　was　hereby　supposed　to　give
up　all　claim　to　the　victory。　Nor　was　it　lawful　for　him　that　did　this
to　erect　a　trophy；　for　his　is　the　victory　who　is　master　of　the
field；　and　he　is　not　master　who　asks　leave；　as　wanting　power　to
take。　But　he　chose　rather　to　renounce　his　victory　and　his　glory　than
to　let　two　citizens　lie　unburied。　He　scoured　the　coast　of　Laconia
all　along；　and　beat　the　Lacedaemonians　that　made　head　against　him。
He　took　Thyrea；　occupied　by　the　Aeginetans；　and　carried　the
prisoners　to　Athens。
　　When　Demosthenes　had　fortified　Pylos；　and　the　Peloponnesians　brought
together　both　their　sea　and　land…forces　before　it；　after　the　fight；
about　the　number　of　four　hundred　native　Spartans　were　left　ashore　in
the　isle　Sphacteria。　The　Athenians　thought　it　a　great　prize；　as　indeed
it　was；　to　take　these　men　prisoners。　But　the　siege；　in　places　that
wanted　water；　being　very　difficult　and　untoward；　and　to　convey
necessaries　about　by　sea　in　summer　tedious　and　expensive；　in　winter
doubtful；　or　plainly　impossible；　they　began　to　be　annoyed；　and　to
repent　their　having　rejected　the　embassy　of　the　Lacedaemonians；　that
had　been　sent　to　propose　a　treaty　of　peace；　which　had　been　done　at　the
importunity　of　Cleon；　who　opposed　it　chiefly　out　of　a　pique　to　Nicias；
for；　being　his　enemy；　and　observing　him　to　be　extremely　solicitous
to　support　the　offers　of　the　Lacedaemonians；　he　persuaded　the　people
to　refuse　them。
　　Now；　therefore；　that　the　siege　was　protracted；　and　they　heard　of　the
difficulties　that　pressed　their　army；　they　grew　enraged　against　Cleon。
But　he　turned　all　the　blame　upon　Nicias；　charging　it　on　his　softness
and　cowardice；　that　the　besieged　were　no