the history-第96章

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nst　them；　they　gathered　themselves　together；　and　marched　down　to　the　sea…coast；　since　they　thought　the　Persians　would　endeavour　to　enter　their　country　on　that　side。　Here　then　they　stood　in　readiness　to　oppose　the　army　of　Megabazus。　But　the　Persians；　who　knew　that　they　had　collected；　and　were　gone　to　keep　guard　at　the　pass　near　the　sea；　got　guides；　and　taking　the　inland　route　before　the　Paeonians　were　aware；　poured　down　upon　their　cities；　from　which　the　men　had　all　marched　out；　and　finding　them　empty；　easily　got　possession　of　them。　Then　the　men；　when　they　heard　that　all　their　towns　were　taken；　scattered　this　way　and　that　to　their　homes；　and　gave　themselves　up　to　the　Persians。　And　so　these　tribes　of　the　Paeonians；　to　wit；　the　Siropaeonians；　the　Paeoplians　and　all　the　others　as　far　as　Lake　Prasias；　were　torn　from　their　seats　and　led　away　into　Asia。　　　　　They　on　the　other　hand　who　dwelt　about　Mount　Pangaeum　and　in　the　country　of　the　Doberes；　the　Agrianians；　and　the　Odomantians；　and　they　likewise　who　inhabited　Lake　Prasias；　were　not　conquered　by　Megabazus。　He　sought　indeed　to　subdue　the　dwellers　upon　the　lake；　but　could　not　effect　his　purpose。　Their　manner　of　living　is　the　following。　Platforms　supported　upon　tall　piles　stand　in　the　middle　of　the　lake；　which　are　approached　from　the　land　by　a　single　narrow　bridge。　At　the　first　the　piles　which　bear　up　the　platforms　were　fixed　in　their　places　by　the　whole　body　of　the　citizens；　but　since　that　time　the　custom　which　has　prevailed　about　fixing　them　is　this：…　they　are　brought　from　a　hill　called　Orbelus；　and　every　man　drives　in　three　for　each　wife　that　he　marries。　Now　the　men　have　all　many　wives　apiece；　and　this　is　the　way　in　which　they　live。　Each　has　his　own　hut；　wherein　he　dwells；　upon　one　of　the　platforms；　and　each　has　also　a　trapdoor　giving　access　to　the　lake　beneath；　and　their　wont　is　to　tie　their　baby　children　by　the　foot　with　a　string；　to　save　them　from　rolling　into　the　water。　They　feed　their　horses　and　their　other　beasts　upon　fish；　which　abound　in　the　lake　to　such　a　degree　that　a　man　has　only　to　open　his　trap…door　and　to　let　down　a　basket　by　a　rope　into　the　water；　and　then　to　wait　a　very　short　time；　when　he　draws　it　up　quite　full　of　them。　The　fish　are　of　two　kinds；　which　they　call　the　paprax　and　the　tilon。　　　　　The　Paeonians　therefore…　at　least　such　of　them　as　had　been　conquered…　were　led　away　into　Asia。　As　for　Megabazus；　he　no　sooner　brought　the　Paeonians　under；　than　he　sent　into　Macedonia　an　embassy　of　Persians；　choosing　for　the　purpose　the　seven　men　of　most　note　in　all　the　army　after　himself。　These　persons　were　to　go　to　Amyntas；　and　require　him　to　give　earth　and　water　to　King　Darius。　Now　there　is　a　very　short　cut　from　the　Lake　Prasias　across　to　Macedonia。　Quite　close　to　the　lake　is　the　mine　which　yielded　afterwards　a　talent　of　silver　a　day　to　Alexander；　and　from　this　mine　you　have　only　to　cross　the　mountain　called　Dysorum　to　find　yourself　in　the　Macedonian　territory。　　　　　So　the　Persians　sent　upon　this　errand；　when　they　reached　the　court；　and　were　brought　into　the　presence　of　Amyntas；　required　him　to　give　earth　and　water　to　King　Darius。　And　Amyntas　not　only　gave　them　what　they　asked；　but　also　invited　them　to　come　and　feast　with　him；　after　which　he　made　ready　the　board　with　great　magnificence；　and　entertained　the　Persians　in　right　friendly　fashion。　Now　when　the　meal　was　over；　and　they　were　all　set　to　the　drinking；　the　Persians　said…　　　　　〃Dear　Macedonian；　we　Persians　have　a　custom　when　we　make　a　great　feast　to　bring　with　us　to　the　board　our　wives　and　concubines；　and　make　them　sit　beside　us。　Now　then；　as　thou　hast　received　us　so　kindly；　and　feasted　us　so　handsomely；　and　givest　moreover　earth　and　water　to　King　Darius；　do　also　after　our　custom　in　this　matter。〃　　　　　Then　Amyntas　answered…　〃O；　Persians！　we　have　no　such　custom　as　this；　but　with　us　men　and　women　are　kept　apart。　Nevertheless；　since　you；　who　are　our　lords；　wish　it；　this　also　shall　be　granted　to　you。〃　　　　　When　Amyntas　had　thus　spoken；　he　bade　some　go　and　fetch　the　women。　And　the　women　came　at　his　call　and　took　their　seats　in　a　row　over　against　the　Persians。　Then；　when　the　Persians　saw　that　the　women　were　fair　and　comely；　they　spoke　again　to　Amyntas　and　said；　that　〃what　had　been　done　was　not　wise；　for　it　had　been　better　for　the　women　not　to　have　come　at　all；　than　to　come　in　this　way；　and　not　sit　by　their　sides；　but　remain　over　against　them；　the　torment　of　their　eyes。〃　So　Amyntas　was　forced　to　bid　the　women　sit　side　by　side　with　the　Persians。　The　women　did　as　he　ordered；　and　then　the　Persians；　who　had　drunk　more　than　they　ought；　began　to　put　their　hands　on　them；　and　one　even　tried　to　give　the　woman　next　him　a　kiss。　　　　　King　Amyntas　saw；　but　he　kept　silence；　although　sorely　grieved；　for　he　greatly　feared　the　power　of　the　Persians。　Alexander；　however；　Amyntas'　son；　who　was　likewise　there　and　witnessed　the　whole；　being　a　young　man　and　unacquainted　with　suffering；　could　not　any　longer　restrain　himself。　He　therefore；　full　of　wrath；　spake　thus　to　Amyntas：…　〃Dear　father；　thou　art　old　and　shouldst　spare　thyself。　Rise　up　from　table　and　go　take　thy　rest；　do　not　stay　out　the　drinking。　I　will　remain　with　the　guests　and　give　them　all　that　is　fitting。〃　　　　　Amyntas；　who　guessed　that　Alexander　would　play　some　wild　prank；　made　answer：…　〃Dear　son；　thy　words　sound　to　me　as　those　of　one　who　is　well　nigh　on　fire；　and　I　perceive　thou　sendest　me　away　that　thou　mayest　do　some　wild　deed。　I　beseech　thee　make　no　commotion　about　these　men；　lest　thou　bring　us　all　to　ruin；　but　bear　to　look　calmly　on　what　they　do。　For　myself；　I　will　e'en　withdraw　as　thou　biddest　me。〃　　　　　Amyntas；　when　he　had　thus　besought　his　son；　went　out；　and　Alexander　said　to　the　Persians；　〃Look　on　these　ladies　as　your　own；　dear　strangers；　all　or　any　of　them…　only　tell　us　your　wishes。　But　now；　as　the　evening　wears；　and　I　see　you　have　all　had　wine　enough；　let　them；　if　you　please；　retire；　and　when　they　have　bathed　they　shall　come　back　again。〃　To　this　the　Persians　agreed；　and　Alexander；　having　got　the　women　away；　sent　them　off　to　the　harem；　and　made　ready　in　their　room　an　equal　number　of　beardless　youths；　whom　he　dressed　in　the　garments　of　the　women；　and　then；　arming　them　with　daggers；　brought　them　in　to　the　Persians；　saying　as　he　introduced　them；　〃Methinks；　dear　Persians；　that　your　entertainment　has　fallen　short　in　nothing。　We　have　set　before　you　all　that　we　had　ourselves　in　store；　and　all　that　we　could　anywhere　find　to　give　you…　and　now；　to　crown　the　whole；　we　make　over　to　you　our　sisters　and　our　mothers；　that　you　may　perceive　yourselves　to　be　entirely　honoured　by　us；　even　as　you　deserve　to　be…　and　also　that　you　may　take　back　word　to　the　king　who　sent　you　here；　that　there　was　one　man；　a　Greek；　the　satrap　of　Macedonia；　by　whom　you　were　both　feasted　and　lodged　handsomely。〃　So　speaking；　Alexander　set　by　the　side　of　each　Persian　one　of　those　whom　he　had　called　Macedonian　women；　but　who　were　in　truth　men。　And　these　men；　when　the　Persians　began　to　be　rude；　despatched　them　with　their　daggers。　　　　　So　the　ambassadors　perished　by　this　death；　both　they　and　also　their　followers。　For　the　Persians　had　brought　a　great　train　with　them；　carriages；　and　attendants；　and　baggage　of　every　kind…　all　of　which　disappeared　at　the　same　time　as　the　men　themselves。　Not　very　long　afterwards　the　Persians　made　strict　search　for　their　lost　embassy；　but　Alexander；　with　much　wisdom；　hushed　up　the　business；　bribing　those　sent　on　the　errand；　partly　with　money；　and　partly　with　the　gift　of　his　own　sister　Gygaea；　whom　he　gave　in　marriage　to　Bubares；　a　Persian；　the　chief　leader　of　the　expedition　which　came　in　search　of　the　lost　men。　Thus　the　death　of　these　Persians　was　hushed　up；　and　no　more　was　said　of　it。　　　　　Now　that　the　men　of　this　family　are　Greeks；　sprung　from　Perdiccas；　as　they　themselves　affirm；　is　a　thing　which　I　can　declare　of　my　own　knowledge；　and　which　I　will　hereafter　make　plainly　evident。　That　they　are　so　has　been　already　adjudged　by　those　who　manage　the　Pan…Hellenic　contest　at　Olympia。　For　when　Alexander　wished　to　contend　in　the　games；　and　had　come　to　Olympia　with　no　other　view；　the　Greeks　who　were　about　to　run　against　him　would　have　excluded　him　from　the　contest…　saying　that　Greeks　only　were　allowed　to　contend；　and　not　barbar