alexander-第17章

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acquaintance；　and　he；　as　is　usual　in　such　cases；　to　another；　till　at　last　the　story　came　to　the　ears　of　Craterus；　who　brought　the　woman　secretly　to　the　king。　When　Alexander　had　heard　what　she　had　to　say；　he　commanded　her　to　continue　her　intrigue　with　Philotas；　and　give　him　an　account　from　time　to　time　of　all　that　should　fall　from　him　to　this　purpose。　He；　thus　unwittingly　caught　in　a　snare；　to　gratify　sometimes　a　fit　of　anger；　sometimes　a　love　of　vainglory；　let　himself　utter　numerous　foolish；　indiscreet　speeches　against　the　king　in　Antigone's　hearing；　of　which；　though　Alexander　was　informed　and　convinced　by　strong　evidence；　yet　he　would　take　no　notice　of　it　at　present；　whether　it　was　that　he　confided　in　Parmenio's　affection　and　loyalty；　or　that　he　apprehended　their　authority　and　interest　in　the　army。　But　about　this　time；　one　Limnus；　a　Macedonian　of　Chalastra；　conspired　against　Alexander's　life；　and　communicated　his　design　to　a　youth　whom　he　was　fond　of；　named　Nicomachus；　inviting　him　to　be　of　the　party。　But　he　not　relishing　the　thing；　revealed　it　to　his　brother　Balinus；　who　immediately　addressed　himself　to　Philotas；　requiring　him　to　introduce　them　both　to　Alexander；　to　whom　they　had　something　of　great　moment　to　impart　which　very　nearly　concerned　him。　But　he；　for　what　reason　is　uncertain；　went　not　with　them；　professing　that　the　king　was　engaged　with　affairs　of　more　importance。　And　when　they　had　urged　him　a　second　time；　and　were　still　slighted　by　him；　they　applied　themselves　to　another；　by　whose　means　being　admitted　into　Alexander's　presence；　they　first　told　about　Limnus'　conspiracy；　and　by　the　way　let　Philotas's　negligence　appear　who　had　twice　disregarded　their　application　to　him。　Alexander　was　greatly　incensed；　and　upon　finding　that　Limnus　had　defended　himself；　and　had　been　killed　by　the　soldier　who　was　sent　to　seize　him；　he　was　still　more　discomposed；　thinking　he　had　thus　lost　the　means　of　detecting　the　plot。　As　soon　as　his　displeasure　against　Philotas　began　to　appear；　presently　all　his　old　enemies　showed　themselves；　and　said　openly；　the　king　was　too　easily　imposed　on；　to　imagine　that　one　so　inconsiderable　as　Limnus；　a　Chalastrian；　should　of　his　own　head　undertake　such　an　enterprise；　that　in　all　likelihood　he　was　but　subservient　to　the　design；　an　instrument　that　was　moved　by　some　greater　spring；　that　those　ought　to　be　more　strictly　examined　about　the　matter　whose　interest　it　was　so　much　to　conceal　it。　When　they　had　once　gained　the　king's　ear　for　insinuations　of　this　sort；　they　went　on　to　show　a　thousand　grounds　of　suspicion　against　Philotas；　till　at　last　they　prevailed　to　have　him　seized　and　put　to　the　torture；　which　was　done　in　the　presence　of　the　principal　officers；　Alexander　himself　being　placed　behind　some　tapestry　to　understand　what　passed。　Where；　when　he　heard　in　what　a　miserable　tone；　and　with　what　abject　submissions　Philotas　applied　himself　to　Hephaestion；　he　broke　out；　it　is　said；　in　this　manner：　〃Are　you　so　mean…spirited　and　effeminate；　Philotas；　and　yet　can　engage　in　so　desperate　a　design？〃　After　his　death；　he　presently　sent　into　Media；　and　put　also　Parmenio；　his　father；　to　death；　who　had　done　brave　service　under　Philip；　and　was　the　only　man　of　his　older　friends　and　counsellors　who　had　encouraged　Alexander　to　invade　Asia。　Of　three　sons　whom　he　had　had　in　the　army；　he　had　already　lost　two；　and　now　was　himself　put　to　death　with　the　third。　These　actions　rendered　Alexander　an　object　of　terror　to　many　of　his　friends；　and　chiefly　to　Antipater；　who；　to　strengthen　himself；　sent　messengers　privately　to　treat　for　an　alliance　with　the　Aetolians；　who　stood　in　fear　of　Alexander；　because　they　had　destroyed　the　town　of　the　Oeniadae；　on　being　informed　of　which；　Alexander　had　said　the　children　of　the　Oeniadae　need　not　revenge　their　father's　quarrel；　for　he　would　himself　take　care　to　punish　the　Aetolians。　　　Not　long　after　this　happened；　the　deplorable　end　of　Clitus；　which；　to　those　who　barely　hear　the　matter；　may　seem　more　inhuman　than　that　of　Philotas；　but　if　we　consider　the　story　with　its　circumstance　of　time；　and　weigh　the　cause；　we　shall　find　it　to　have　occurred　rather　through　a　sort　of　mischance　of　the　king's；　whose　anger　and　over…drinking　offered　an　occasion　to　the　evil　genius　of　Clitus。　The　king　had　a　present　of　Grecian　fruit　brought　him　from　the　sea…coast；　which　was　so　fresh　and　beautiful　that　he　was　surprised　at　it；　and　called　Clitus　to　him　to　see　it；　and　to　give　him　a　share　of　it。　Clitus　was　then　sacrificing；　but　he　immediately　left　off　and　came；　followed　by　three　sheep；　on　whom　the　drink…offering　had　been　already　poured　preparatory　to　sacrificing　them。　Alexander；　being　informed　of　this；　told　his　diviners；　Aristander　and　Cleomantis　the　Lacedaemonian；　and　asked　them　what　it　meant；　on　whose　assuring　him　it　was　an　ill　omen；　he　commanded　them　in　all　haste　to　offer　sacrifices　for　Clitus'　safety；　forasmuch　as　three　days　before　he　himself　had　seen　a　strange　vision　in　his　sleep；　of　Clitus　all　in　mourning；　sitting　by　Parmenio's　sons　who　were　dead。　Clitus；　however；　stayed　not　to　finish　his　devotions；　but　came　straight　to　supper　with　the　king；　who　had　sacrificed　to　Castor　and　Pollux。　And　when　they　had　drunk　pretty　hard；　some　of　the　company　fell　a…singing　the　verses　of　one　Pranichus；　or　as　others　say　of　Pierion；　which　were　made　upon　those　captains　who　had　been　lately　worsted　by　the　barbarians；　on　purpose　to　disgrace　and　turn　them　to　ridicule。　This　gave　offence　to　the　older　men　who　were　there；　and　they　upbraided　both　the　author　and　the　singer　of　the　verses；　though　Alexander　and　the　younger　men　about　him　were　much　amused　to　hear　them；　and　encouraged　them　to　go　on；　till　at　last　Clitus；　who　had　drunk　too　much；　and　was　besides　of　a　forward　and　willful　temper；　was　so　nettled　that　he　could　hold　no　longer；　saying　it　was　not　well　done　to　expose　the　Macedonians　before　the　barbarians　and　their　enemies；　since　though　it　was　their　unhappiness　to　be　overcome；　yet　they　were　much　better　men　than　those　who　laughed　at　them。　And　when　Alexander　remarked；　that　Clitus　was　pleading　his　own　cause；　giving　cowardice　the　name　of　misfortune；　Clitus　started　up：　〃This　cowardice；　as　you　are　pleased　to　term　it；〃　said　he　to　him；　〃saved　the　life　of　a　son　of　the　gods；　when　in　flight　from　Spithridates's　sword；　it　is　by　the　expense　of　Macedonian　blood；　and　by　these　wounds；　that　you　are　now　raised　to　such　a　height　as　to　be　able　to　disown　your　father　Philip；　and　call　yourself　the　son　of　Ammon。〃　〃Thou　base　fellow；〃　said　Alexander；　who　was　now　thoroughly　exasperated；　〃dost　thou　think　to　utter　these　things　everywhere　of　me；　and　stir　up　the　Macedonians　to　sedition；　and　not　be　punished　for　it？〃　〃We　are　sufficiently　punished　already；〃　answered　Clitus；　〃if　this　be　the　recompense　of　our　toils；　and　we　must　esteem　theirs　a　happy　lot　who　have　not　lived　to　see　their　countrymen　scourged　with　Median　rods　and　forced　to　sue　to　the　Persians　to　have　access　to　their　king。〃　While　he　talked　thus　at　random；　and　those　near　Alexander　got　up　from　their　seats　and　began　to　revile　him　in　turn；　the　elder　men　did　what　they　could　to　compose　the　disorder。　Alexander；　in　the　meantime　turning　about　to　Xenodochus；　the　Pardian；　and　Artemius；　the　Colophonian；　asked　him　if　they　were　not　of　opinion　that　the　Greeks；　in