the history-第151章

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een　left　on　record　by　this　same　person。　　　　　Next　to　him　two　brothers；　Lacedaemonians；　are　reputed　to　have　made　themselves　conspicuous：　they　were　named　Alpheus　and　Maro；　and　were　the　sons　of　Orsiphantus。　There　was　also　a　Thespian　who　gained　greater　glory　than　any　of　his　countrymen：　he　was　a　man　called　Dithyrambus；　the　son　of　Harmatidas。　　　　　The　slain　were　buried　where　they　fell；　and　in　their　honour；　nor　less　in　honour　of　those　who　died　before　Leonidas　sent　the　allies　away；　an　inscription　was　set　up；　which　said：…

　　　　Here　did　four　thousand　men　from　Pelops'　land　　　　　Against　three　hundred　myriads　bravely　stand。

This　was　in　honour　of　all。　Another　was　for　the　Spartans　alone：…

　　　　Go；　stranger；　and　to　Lacedaemon　tell　　　　　That　here；　obeying　her　behests；　we　fell。

This　was　for　the　Lacedaemonians。　The　seer　had　the　following：…

　　　　The　great　Megistias'　tomb　you　here　may　view；　　　　　　　Whom　slew　the　Medes；　fresh　from　Spercheius'　fords。　　　　　Well　the　wise　seer　the　coming　death　foreknew；　　　　　Yet　scorned　he　to　forsake　his　Spartan　lords。

These　inscriptions；　and　the　pillars　likewise；　were　all　set　up　by　the　Amphictyons；　except　that　in　honour　of　Megistias；　which　was　inscribed　to　him　（on　account　of　their　sworn　friendship）　by　Simonides；　the　son　of　Leoprepes。　　　　　Two　of　the　three　hundred；　it　is　said；　Aristodemus　and　Eurytus；　having　been　attacked　by　a　disease　of　the　eyes；　had　received　orders　from　Leonidas　to　quit　the　camp；　and　both　lay　at　Alpeni　in　the　worst　stage　of　the　malady。　These　two　men　might；　had　they　been　so　minded；　have　agreed　together　to　return　alive　to　Sparta；　or　if　they　did　not　like　to　return；　they　might　have　gone　both　to　the　field　and　fallen　with　their　countrymen。　But　at　this　time；　when　either　way　was　open　to　them；　unhappily　they　could　not　agree；　but　took　contrary　courses。　Eurytus　no　sooner　heard　that　the　Persians　had　come　round　the　mountain　than　straightway　he　called　for　his　armour；　and　having　buckled　it　on；　bade　his　helot　lead　him　to　the　place　where　his　friends　were　fighting。　The　helot　did　so；　and　then　turned　and　fled；　but　Eurytus　plunged　into　the　thick　of　the　battle；　and　so　perished。　Aristodemus；　on　the　other　hand；　was　faint　of　heart；　and　remained　at　Alpeni。　It　is　my　belief　that　if　Aristodemus　only　had　been　sick　and　returned；　or　if　both　had　come　back　together；　the　Spartans　would　have　been　content　and　felt　no　anger；　but　when　there　were　two　men　with　the　very　same　excuse；　and　one　of　them　was　chary　of　his　life；　while　the　other　freely　gave　it；　they　could　not　but　be　very　wroth　with　the　former。　　　　　This　is　the　account　which　some　give　of　the　escape　of　Aristodemus。　Others　say　that　he；　with　another；　had　been　sent　on　a　message　from　the　army；　and；　having　it　in　his　power　to　return　in　time　for　the　battle；　purposely　loitered　on　the　road；　and　so　survived　his　comrades；　while　his　fellow…messenger　came　back　in　time；　and　fell　in　the　battle。　　　　　When　Aristodemus　returned　to　Lacedaemon；　reproach　and　disgrace　awaited　him；　disgrace；　inasmuch　as　no　Spartan　would　give　him　a　light　to　kindle　his　fire；　or　so　much　as　address　a　word　to　him；　and　reproach；　since　all　spoke　of　him　as　〃the　craven。〃　However　he　wiped　away　all　his　shame　afterwards　at　the　battle　of　Plataea。　　　　　Another　of　the　three　hundred　is　likewise　said　to　have　survived　the　battle；　a　man　named　Pantites；　whom　Leonidas　had　sent　on　an　embassy　into　Thessaly。　He；　they　say；　on　his　return　to　Sparta；　found　himself　in　such　disesteem　that　he　hanged　himself。　　　　　The　Thebans　under　the　command　of　Leontiades　remained　with　the　Greeks；　and　fought　against　the　barbarians；　only　so　long　as　necessity　compelled　them。　No　sooner　did　they　see　victory　inclining　to　the　Persians；　and　the　Greeks　under　Leonidas　hurrying　with　all　speed　towards　the　hillock；　than　they　moved　away　from　their　companions；　and　with　hands　upraised　advanced　towards　the　barbarians；　exclaiming；　as　was　indeed　most　true…　〃that　they　for　their　part　wished　well　to　the　Medes；　and　had　been　among　the　first　to　give　earth　and　water　to　the　king；　force　alone　had　brought　them　to　Thermopylae；　and　so　they　must　not　be　blamed　for　the　slaughter　which　had　befallen　the　king's　army。〃　These　words；　the　truth　of　which　was　attested　by　the　Thessalians；　sufficed　to　obtain　the　Thebans　the　grant　of　their　lives。　However；　their　good　fortune　was　not　without　some　drawback；　for　several　of　them　were　slain　by　the　barbarians　on　their　first　approach；　and　the　rest；　who　were　the　greater　number；　had　the　royal　mark　branded　upon　their　bodies　by　the　command　of　Xerxes…　Leontiades；　their　captain；　being　the　first　to　suffer。　（This　man's　son；　Eurymachus；　was　afterwards　slain　by　the　Plataeans；　when　he　came　with　a　band　Of　400　Thebans；　and　seized　their　city。）　　　　　Thus　fought　the　Greeks　at　Thermopylae。　And　Xerxes；　after　the　fight　was　over；　called　for　Demaratus　to　question　him；　and　began　as　follows：…　　　　　〃Demaratus；　thou　art　a　worthy　man；　thy　true…speaking　proves　it。　All　has　happened　as　thou　didst　forewarn。　Now　then；　tell　me；　how　many　Lacedaemonians　are　there　left；　and　of　those　left　how　many　are　such　brave　warriors　as　these？　Or　are　they　all　alike？〃　　　　　〃O　king！〃　replied　the　other；　〃the　whole　number　of　the　Lacedaemonians　is　very　great；　and　many　are　the　cities　which　they　inhabit。　But　I　will　tell　thee　what　thou　really　wishest　to　learn。　There　is　a　town　of　Lacedaemon　called　Sparta；　which　contains　within　it　about　eight　thousand　full…grown　men。　They　are；　one　and　all；　equal　to　those　who　have　fought　here。　The　other　Lacedaemonians　are　brave　men；　but　not　such　warriors　as　these。〃　　　　　〃Tell　me　now；　Demaratus；〃　rejoined　Xerxes；　〃how　we　may　with　least　trouble　subdue　these　men。　Thou　must　know　all　the　paths　of　their　counsels；　as　thou　wert　once　their　king。〃　　　　　Then　Demaratus　answered…　〃O　king！　since　thou　askest　my　advice　so　earnestly；　it　is　fitting　that　I　should　inform　thee　what　I　consider　to　be　the　best　course。　Detach　three　hundred　vessels　from　the　body　of　thy　fleet；　and　send　them　to　attack　the　shores　of　Laconia。　There　is　an　island　called　Cythera　in　those　parts；　not　far　from　the　coast；　concerning　which　Chilon；　one　of　our　wisest　men；　made　the　remark　that　Sparta　would　gain　if　it　were　sunk　to　the　bottom　of　the　sea…　so　constantly　did　he　expect　that　it　would　give　occasion　to　some　project　like　that　which　I　now　recommend　to　thee。　I　mean　not　to　say　that　he　had　a　foreknowledge　of　thy　attack　upon　Greece；　but　in　truth　he　feared　all　armaments。　Send　thy　ships　then　to　this　island；　and　thence　affright　the　Spartans。　If　once　they　have　a　war　of　their　own　close　to　their　doors；　fear　not　their　giving　any　help　to　the　rest　of　the　Greeks　while　thy　land　force　is　engaged　in　conquering　them。　In　this　way　may　all　Greece　be　subdued；　and　then　Sparta；　left　to　herself；　will　be　powerless。　But　if　thou　wilt　not　take　this　advice；　I　will　tell　thee　what　thou　mayest　look　to　see。　When　thou　comest　to　the　Peloponnese；　thou　wilt　find　a　narrow　neck　of　land；　where　all　the　Peloponnesians　who　are　leagued　against　thee　will　be　gathered　together；　and　there　thou　wilt　have　to　fight　bloodier　battles　than　any　which　thou　hast　yet　witnessed。　If；　however；　thou　wilt　follow　my　plan；　the　Isthmus　and　the　cities　of　Peloponnese　will　yield　to　thee　without　a　battle。〃　　　　　Achaeamenes；　who　was　present；　now　took　the　word；　and　spoke…　he　was　brother　to　Xerxes；　and；　having　the　command　of　the　fleet；　feared　lest　Xerxes　might　be　prevailed　upon　to　do　as　Demaratus　advised　〃I　perceive；　O　king〃　（he　said）；　〃that　thou　art　listening　to　the　words　of　a　man　who　is　envious　of　thy　good　fortune；　and　seeks　to　betray　thy　cause。　This　is　indeed　the　common　temper　of　the　Grecian　people…　they　envy　good　fortune；　and　hate　power　greater　than　their　own。　If　in　this　posture　of　our　affairs；　after　we　have　lost　four　hundred　vessels　by　shipwreck；　three　hundred　more　be　sent　away　to　make　a　voyage　round　the　Peloponnese；　our　enemies　will　be；　come　a　match　for　us。　But　let　us　keep　our　whole　fleet　in　one　body；　and　it　will　be　dangerous　for　them　to　venture　on　an　attack；　as　they　will　certainly　be　no　match　for　us　then。　Besides；　while　our　sea　and　land　forces　advance　together；　the　fleet　and　army　can　each　help　the　other；　but　if　they　be　parted；　no　aid　will　come　either　from　thee　to　the　fleet；　or　from　the　fleet　to　thee。　Only　order　thy　own　matters　well；　and　trouble　not　thyself　to　inquire　concerning　the　enemy…　where　they　will　fight；　or　what　they　wi