nicias-第8章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


towards　setting；　shadowed　with　the　many　weapons　and　bodies　that
moved　to　and　fro；　and　glimmering　so　as　not　to　show　an　object　plain；
but　to　make　friends　through　fear　suspected　for　foes；　the　Athenians
fell　into　utter　perplexity　and　desperation。　For；　moreover；　they　had
the　moon　at　their　backs；　and　consequently　their　own　shadows　fell
upon　them；　and　both　hid　the　number　and　the　glittering　of　their　arms；
while　the　reflection　of　the　moon　from　the　shields　of　the　enemy　made
them　show　more　numerous　and　better　appointed　than；　indeed；　they
were。　At　last；　being　pressed　on　every　side；　when　once　they　had　given
way；　they　took　to　rout；　and　in　their　flight　were　destroyed；　some　by
the　enemy；　some　by　the　hand　of　their　friends；　and　some　tumbling　down
the　rocks；　while　those　that　were　dispersed　and　straggled　about　were
picked　off　in　the　morning　by　the　horsemen　and　put　to　the　sword。　The
slain　were　two　thousand；　and　of　the　rest　few　came　off　safe　with
their　arms。
　　Upon　this　disaster；　which　to　him　was　not　wholly　an　unexpected　one；
Nicias　accused　the　rashness　of　Demosthenes；　but　he；　making　his　excuses
for　the　past；　now　advised　to　be　gone　in　all　haste；　for　neither　were
other　forces　to　come；　nor　could　the　enemy　be　beaten　with　the
present。　And；　indeed；　even　supposing　they　were　yet　too　hard　for　the
enemy　in　any　case；　they　ought　to　remove　and　quit　a　situation　which
they　understood　to　be　always　accounted　a　sickly　one；　and　dangerous　for
an　army；　and　was　more　particularly　unwholesome　now；　as　they　could
see　themselves；　because　of　the　time　of　year。　It　was　the　beginning　of
autumn；　and　many　now　lay　sick；　and　all　were　out　of　heart。
　　It　grieved　Nicias　to　hear　of　flight　and　departing　home；　not　that
he　did　not　fear　the　Syracusans；　but　he　was　worse　afraid　of　the
Athenians；　their　impeachments　and　sentences；　he　professed　that　he
apprehended　no　further　harm　there；　or　if　it　must　be；　he　would　rather
die　by　the　hand　of　an　enemy　than　by　his　fellow…citizens。　He　was　not　of
the　opinion　which　Leo　of　Byzantium　declared　to　his　fellow…citizens：　〃I
had　rather；〃　said　he；　〃perish　by　you；　than　with　you。〃　As　to　the　matter
of　place　and　quarter　whither　to　remove　their　camp；　that；　he　said；
might　be　debated　at　leisure。　And　Demosthenes；　his　former　counsel
having　succeeded　so　ill；　ceased　to　press　him　further；　others　thought
Nicias　had　reasons　for　expectation；　and　relied　on　some　assurance
from　people　within　the　city；　and　that　this　made　him　so　strongly　oppose
their　retreat；　so　they　acquiesced。　But　fresh　forces　now　coming　to
the　Syracusans　and　the　sickness　growing　worse　in　his　camp；　he；　also；
now　approved　of　their　retreat；　and　commanded　the　soldiers　to　make
ready　to　go　aboard。
　　And　when　all　were　in　readiness；　and　none　of　the　enemy　had　observed
them；　not　expecting　such　a　thing；　the　moon　was　eclipsed　in　the
night；　to　the　great　fright　of　Nicias　and　others；　who；　for　want　of
experience；　or　out　of　superstition；　felt　alarm　at　such　appearances。
That　the　sun　might　be　darkened　about　the　close　of　the　month；　this　even
ordinary　people　now　understood　pretty　well　to　be　the　effect　of　the
moon；　but　the　moon　itself　to　be　darkened；　how　that　could　come　about；
and　how；　on　the　sudden；　a　broad　full　moon　should　lose　her　light；　and
show　such　various　colours；　was　not　easy　to　be　comprehended；　they
concluded　it　to　be　ominous；　and　a　divine　intimation　of　some　heavy
calamities。　For　he　who　the　first；　and　the　most　plainly　of　any；　and
with　the　greatest　assurance　committed　to　writing　how　the　moon　is
enlightened　and　overshadowed；　was　Anaxagoras；　and　he　was　as　yet　but
recent；　nor　was　his　argument　much　known；　but　was　rather　kept　secret；
passing　only　amongst　a　few；　under　some　kind　of　caution　and　confidence。
People　would　not　then　tolerate　natural　philosophers；　and　theorists；　as
they　then　called　them；　about　things　above；　as　lessening　the　divine
power；　by　explaining　away　its　agency　into　the　operation　of
irrational　causes　and　senseless　forces　acting　by　necessity；　without
anything　of　Providence　or　a　free　agent。　Hence　it　was　that　Protagoras
was　banished；　and　Anaxagoras　cast　in　prison；　so　that　Pericles　had　much
difficulty　to　procure　his　liberty；　and　Socrates；　though　he　had　no
concern　whatever　with　this　sort　of　learning；　yet　was　put　to　death
for　philosophy。　It　was　only　afterwards　that　the　reputation　of　Plato；
shining　forth　by　his　life；　and　because　he　subjected　natural
necessity　to　divine　and　more　excellent　principles；　took　away　the
obloquy　and　scandal　that　had　attached　to　such　contemplations；　and
obtained　these　studies　currency　among　all　people。　So　his　friend
Dion；　when　the　moon；　at　the　time　he　was　to　embark　from　Zacynthus　to　go
against　Dionysius；　was　eclipsed；　was　not　in　the　least　disturbed；　but
went　on；　and　arriving　at　Syracuse；　expelled　the　tyrant。　But　it　so　fell
out　with　Nicias；　that　he　had　not　at　this　time　a　skilful　diviner　with
him；　his　former　habitual　adviser　who　used　to　moderate　much　of　his
superstition；　Stilbides；　had　died　a　little　before。　For；　in　fact；
this　prodigy；　as　Philochorus　observes；　was　not　unlucky　for　men　wishing
to　fly；　but　on　the　contrary　very　favourable；　for　things　done　in　fear
require　to　be　hidden；　and　the　light　is　their　foe。　Nor　was　it　usual
to　observe　signs　in　the　sun　or　moon　more　than　three　days；　as
Autoclides　states　in　his　Commentaries。　But　Nicias　persuaded　them　to
wait　another　full　course　of　the　moon；　as　if　he　had　not　seen　it　clear
again　as　soon　as　ever　it　had　passed　the　region　of　shadow　where　the
light　was　obstructed　by　the　earth。
　　In　a　manner　abandoning　all　other　cares；　he　betook　himself　wholly
to　his　sacrifices；　till　the　enemy　came　upon　them　with　their
infantry；　besieging　the　forts　and　camp；　and　placing　their　ships　in　a
circle　about　the　harbour。　Nor　did　the　men　in　the　galleys　only；　but　the
little　boys　everywhere　got　into　the　fishing…boats　and　rowed　up　and
challenged　the　Athenians；　and　insulted　over　them。　Amongst　these　a
youth　of　noble　parentage；　Heraclides　by　name；　having　ventured　out
beyond　the　rest；　an　Athenian　ship　pursued　and　well…nigh　took　him。
His　uncle　Pollichus；　in　fear　for　him；　put　out　with　ten　galleys　which
he　commanded；　and　the　rest；　to　relieve　Pollichus；　in　like　manner
drew　forth；　the　result　of　it　being　a　very　sharp　engagement；　in　which
the　Syracusans　had　the　victory；　and　slew　Eurymedon；　with　many
others。　After　this　the　Athenian　soldiers　had　no　patience　to　stay
longer；　but　raised　an　outcry　against　their　officers；　requiring　them　to
depart　by　land；　for　the　Syracusans；　upon　their　victory；　immediately
shut　and　blocked　up　the　entrance　of　the　harbour；　but　Nicias　would
not　consent　to　this；　as　it　was　a　shameful　thing　to　leave　behind　so
many　ships　of　burden；　and　galleys　little　less　than　two　hundred。
Putting；　therefore；　on　board　the　best　of　the　foot；　and　the　most
serviceable　darters；　they　filled　one　hundred　and　ten　galleys；　the　rest
wanted　oars。　The　remainder　of　his　army　Nicias　posted　along　by　the
seaside；　abandoning　the　great　camp　and　the　fortifications　adjoining
the　temple　of　Hercules；　so　the　Syracusans；　not　having　for　a　long
time　performed　their　usual　sacrifice　to　Hercules；　went　up　now；　both
priests　and　captains；　to　sacrifice。
　　And　their　galleys　being　manned；　the　diviners　predicted　from　their
sacrifices　victory　and　glory　to　the　Syracusans；　provided　they　would
not　be　the　aggressors；　but　fight　upon　the　defensive；　for　so　Hercules
overcame　all；　by　only　defending　himself　when　set　upon。　In　this
confidence　they　set　out；　and　this　proved　the　hottest　and　fiercest　of
all　their　sea…fights；　raising　no　less　concern　and　passion　in　the
beholders　than　in　the　actors；　as　they　could　oversee　the　whole　action
with　all　the　various　and　unexpected　turns　of　fortune　which；　in　a　short
space；　occurred　in　it；　the　Athenians　suffering　no　less　from　their
own　preparations；　than　from　the　enemy；　for　they　fought　against　light
and　nimble　ships；　that　could　attack　from　any　quarter；　with　theirs
laden　and　heavy。　And　they　were　thrown　at　with　stones　that　fly
indifferently　any　way；　for　which　they　could　only　return　darts　and
arrows；　the　direct　aim　of　which　the　motion　of　the　water　disturbed；
preventing　their　coming　true；　point　foremost　to　their　mark。　This　the
Syracusans　had　learned　from　Ariston　the　Corinthian　pilot；　who；
fighting　stoutly