the history-第148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！


　around　which　runs　a　range　of　lofty　hills；　impossible　to　climb；　enclosing　all　Malis　within　them；　and　called　the　Trachinian　cliffs。　The　first　city　upon　the　bay；　as　you　come　from　Achaea；　is　Anticyra；　near　which　the　river　Spercheius；　flowing　down　from　the　country　of　the　Enianians；　empties　itself　into　the　sea。　About　twenty　furlongs　from　this　stream　there　is　a　second　river；　called　the　Dyras；　which　is　said　to　have　appeared　first　to　help　Hercules　when　he　was　burning。　Again；　at　the　distance　of　twenty　furlongs；　there　is　a　stream　called　the　Melas；　near　which；　within　about　five　furlongs；　stands　the　city　of　Trachis。　　　　　At　the　point　where　this　city　is　built；　the　plain　between　the　hills　and　the　sea　is　broader　than　at　any　other；　for　it　there　measures　22；000　plethra。　South　of　Trachis　there　is　a　cleft　in　the　mountain…range　which　shuts　in　the　territory　of　Trachinia；　and　the　river　Asopus　issuing　from　this　cleft　flows　for　a　while　along　the　foot　of　the　hills。　　　　　Further　to　the　south；　another　river；　called　the　Phoenix；　which　has　no　great　body　of　water；　flows　from　the　same　hills；　and　falls　into　the　Asopus。　Here　is　the　narrowest　place　of　all；　for　in　this　part　there　is　only　a　causeway　wide　enough　for　a　single　carriage。　From　the　river　Phoenix　to　Thermopylae　is　a　distance　of　fifteen　furlongs；　and　in　this　space　is　situate　the　village　called　Anthela；　which　the　river　Asopus　passes　ere　it　reaches　the　sea。　The　space　about　Anthela　is　of　some　width；　and　contains　a　temple　of　Amphictyonian　Ceres；　as　well　as　the　seats　of　the　Amphictyonic　deputies；　and　a　temple　of　Amphictyon　himself。　　　　　King　Xerxes　pitched　his　camp　in　the　region　of　Malis　called　Trachinia；　while　on　their　side　the　Greeks　occupied　the　straits。　These　straits　the　Greeks　in　general　call　Thermopylae　（the　Hot　Gates）；　but　the　natives；　and　those　who　dwell　in　the　neighbourhood；　call　them　Pylae　（the　Gates）。　Here　then　the　two　armies　took　their　stand；　the　one　master　of　all　the　region　lying　north　of　Trachis；　the　other　of　the　country　extending　southward　of　that　place　to　the　verge　of　the　continent。　　　　　The　Greeks　who　at　this　spot　awaited　the　coming　of　Xerxes　were　the　following：…　From　Sparta；　three　hundred　men…at…arms；　from　Arcadia；　a　thousand　Tegeans　and　Mantineans；　five　hundred　of　each　people；　a　hundred　and　twenty　Orchomenians；　from　the　Arcadian　Orchomenus；　and　a　thousand　from　other　cities：　from　Corinth；　four　hundred　men；　from　Phlius；　two　hundred；　and　from　Mycenae　eighty。　Such　was　the　number　from　the　Peloponnese。　There　were　also　present；　from　Boeotia；　seven　hundred　Thespians　and　four　hundred　Thebans。　　　　　Besides　these　troops；　the　Locrians　of　Opus　and　the　Phocians　had　obeyed　the　call　of　their　countrymen；　and　sent；　the　former　all　the　force　they　had；　the　latter　a　thousand　men。　For　envoys　had　gone　from　the　Greeks　at　Thermopylae　among　the　Locrians　and　Phocians；　to　call　on　them　for　assistance；　and　to　say…　〃They　were　themselves　but　the　vanguard　of　the　host；　sent　to　precede　the　main　body；　which　might　every　day　be　expected　to　follow　them。　The　sea　was　in　good　keeping；　watched　by　the　Athenians；　the　Eginetans；　and　the　rest　of　the　fleet。　There　was　no　cause　why　they　should　fear；　for　after　all　the　invader　was　not　a　god　but　a　man；　and　there　never　had　been；　and　never　would　be；　a　man　who　was　not　liable　to　misfortunes　from　the　very　day　of　his　birth；　and　those　misfortunes　greater　in　proportion　to　his　own　greatness。　The　assailant　therefore；　being　only　a　mortal；　must　needs　fall　from　his　glory。〃　Thus　urged；　the　Locrians　and　the　Phocians　had　come　with　their　troops　to　Trachis。　　　　　The　various　nations　had　each　captains　of　their　own　under　whom　they　served；　but　the　one　to　whom　all　especially　looked　up；　and　who　had　the　command　of　the　entire　force；　was　the　Lacedaemonian；　Leonidas。　Now　Leonidas　was　the　son　of　Anaxandridas；　who　was　the　son　of　Leo；　who　was　the　son　of　Eurycratidas；　who　was　the　son　of　Anaxander；　who　was　the　son　of　Eurycrates；　who　was　the　son　of　Polydorus；　who　was　the　son　of　Alcamenes；　who　was　the　son　of　Telecles；　who　was　the　son　of　Archelaus；　who　was　the　son　of　Agesilaus；　who　was　the　son　of　Doryssus；　who　was　the　son　of　Labotas；　who　was　the　son　of　Echestratus；　who　was　the　son　of　Agis；　who　was　the　son　of　Eurysthenes；　who　was　the　son　of　Aristodemus；　who　was　the　son　of　Aristomachus；　who　was　the　son　of　Cleodaeus；　who　was　the　son　of　Hyllus；　who　was　the　son　of　Hercules。　　　　　Leonidas　had　come　to　be　king　of　Sparta　quite　unexpectedly。　　　　　Having　two　elder　brothers；　Cleomenes　and　Dorieus；　he　had　no　thought　of　ever　mounting　the　throne。　However；　when　Cleomenes　died　without　male　offspring；　as　Dorieus　was　likewise　deceased；　having　perished　in　Sicily；　the　crown　fell　to　Leonidas；　who　was　older　than　Cleombrotus；　the　youngest　of　the　sons　of　Anaxandridas；　and；　moreover；　was　married　to　the　daughter　of　Cleomenes。　He　had　now　come　to　Thermopylae；　accompanied　by　the　three　hundred　men　which　the　law　assigned　him；　whom　he　had　himself　chosen　from　among　the　citizens；　and　who　were　all　of　them　fathers　with　sons　living。　On　his　way　he　had　taken　the　troops　from　Thebes；　whose　number　I　have　already　mentioned；　and　who　were　under　the　command　of　Leontiades　the　son　of　Eurymachus。　The　reason　why　he　made　a　point　of　taking　troops　from　Thebes；　and　Thebes　only；　was　that　the　Thebans　were　strongly　suspected　of　being　well　inclined　to　the　Medes。　Leonidas　therefore　called　on　them　to　come　with　him　to　the　war；　wishing　to　see　whether　they　would　comply　with　his　demand；　or　openly　refuse；　and　disclaim　the　Greek　alliance。　They；　however；　though　their　wishes　leant　the　other　way；　nevertheless　sent　the　men。　　　　　The　force　with　Leonidas　was　sent　forward　by　the　Spartans　in　advance　of　their　main　body；　that　the　sight　of　them　might　encourage　the　allies　to　fight；　and　hinder　them　from　going　over　to　the　Medes；　as　it　was　likely　they　might　have　done　had　they　seen　that　Sparta　was　backward。　They　intended　presently；　when　they　had　celebrated　the　Carneian　festival；　which　was　what　now　kept　them　at　home；　to　leave　a　garrison　in　Sparta；　and　hasten　in　full　force　to　join　the　army。　The　rest　of　the　allies　also　intended　to　act　similarly；　for　it　happened　that　the　Olympic　festival　fell　exactly　at　this　same　period。　None　of　them　looked　to　see　the　contest　at　Thermopylae　decided　so　speedily；　wherefore　they　were　content　to　send　forward　a　mere　advanced　guard。　Such　accordingly　were　the　intentions　of　the　allies。　　　　　The　Greek　forces　at　Thermopylae；　when　the　Persian　army　drew　near　to　the　entrance　of　the　pass；　were　seized　with　fear；　and　a　council　was　held　to　consider　about　a　retreat。　It　was　the　wish　of　the　Peloponnesians　generally　that　the　army　should　fall　back　upon　the　Peloponnese；　and　there　guard　the　Isthmus。　But　Leonidas；　who　saw　with　what　indignation　the　Phocians　and　Locrians　heard　of　this　plan；　gave　his　voice　for　remaining　where　they　were；　while　they　sent　envoys　to　the　several　cities　to　ask　for　help；　since　they　were　too　few　to　make　a　stand　against　an　army　like　that　of　the　Medes。　　　　　While　this　debate　was　going　on；　Xerxes　sent　a　mounted　spy　to　observe　the　Greeks；　and　note　how　many　they　were；　and　see　what　they　were　doing。　He　had　heard；　before　he　came　out　of　Thessaly；　that　a　few　men　were　assembled　at　this　place；　and　that　at　their　head　were　certain　Lacedaemonians；　under　Leonidas；　a　descendant　of　Hercules。　The　horseman　rode　up　to　the　camp；　and　looked　about　him；　but　did　not　see　the　whole　army；　for　such　as　were　on　the　further　side　of　the　wall　（which　had　been　rebuilt　and　was　now　carefully　guarded）　it　was　not　possible　for　him　to　behold；　but　he　observed　those　on　the　outside；　who　were　encamped　in　front　of　the　rampart。　It　chanced　that　at　this　time　the　Lacedaemonians　held　the　outer　guard；　and　were　seen　by　the　spy；　some　of　them　engaged　in　gymnastic　exercises；　others　combing　their　long　hair。　At　this　the　spy　greatly　marvelled；　but　he　counted　their　number；　and　when　he　had　taken　accurate　note　of　everything；　he　rode　back　quietly；　for　no　one　pursued　after　him；　nor　paid　any　heed　to　his　visit。　So　he　returned；　and　told　Xerxes　all　that　he　had　seen。　　　　　Upon　this；　Xerxes；　who　had　no　means　of　surmising　the　truth…　namely；　that　the　Spartans　were　preparing　to　do　or　die　manfully…　but　thought　it　laughable　that　they　should　be　engaged　in　such　employments；　sent　and　called　to　his　presence　Demaratus　the　son　of　Ariston；　who　still　remained　with　the　army。　When　he　ap