alexander-第23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！


earchus；　came　to　him；　and　delighted　him　so　with　the　narrative　of　his　voyage；　that　he　resolved　himself　to　sail　out　of　the　mouth　of　the　Euphrates　with　a　great　fleet；　with　which　he　designed　to　go　round　by　Arabia　and　Africa；　and　so　by　Hercules's　Pillars　into　the　Mediterranean；　in　order　for　which；　he　directed　all　sorts　of　vessels　to　be　built　at　Thapsacus；　and　made　great　provisions　everywhere　of　seamen　and　pilots。　But　the　tidings　of　the　difficulties　he　had　gone　through　in　his　Indian　expedition；　the　danger　of　his　person　among　the　Mallians；　the　reported　loss　of　a　considerable　part　of　his　forces；　and　a　general　doubt　as　to　his　own　safety；　had　begun　to　give　occasion　for　revolt　among　many　of　the　conquered　nations；　and　for　acts　of　great　injustice；　avarice；　and　insolence　on　the　part　of　the　satraps　and　commanders　in　the　provinces；　so　that　there　seemed　to　be　an　universal　fluctuation　and　disposition　to　change。　Even　at　home；　Olympias　and　Cleopatra　had　raised　a　faction　against　Antipater；　and　divided　his　government　between　them；　Olympias　seizing　upon　Epirus；　and　Cleopatra　upon　Macedonia。　When　Alexander　was　told　of　it；　he　said　his　mother　had　made　the　best　choice；　for　the　Macedonians　would　never　endure　to　be　ruled　by　a　woman。　Upon　this　he　despatched　Nearchus　again　to　his　fleet；　to　carry　the　war　into　the　maritime　provinces；　and　as　he　marched　that　way　himself　he　punished　those　commanders　who　had　behaved　ill；　particularly　Oxyartes；　one　of　the　sons　of　Abuletes；　whom　he　killed　with　his　own　hand；　thrusting　him　through　the　body　with　his　spear。　And　when　Abuletes；　instead　of　the　necessary　provisions　which　he　ought　to　have　furnished；　brought　him　three　thousand　talents　in　coined　money；　he　ordered　it　to　be　thrown　to　his　horses；　and　when　they　would　not　touch　it；　〃What　good；〃　he　said；　〃will　this　provision　do　us？〃　and　sent　him　away　to　prison。　　　When　he　came　into　Persia；　he　distributed　money　among　the　women；　as　their　own　kings　had　been　wont　to　do；　who　as　often　as　they　came　thither　gave　every　one　of　them　a　piece　of　gold；　on　account　of　which　custom；　some　of　them；　it　is　said；　had　come　but　seldom；　and　Ochus　was　so　sordidly　covetous　that；　to　avoid　this　expense；　he　never　visited　his　native　country　once　in　all　his　reign。　Then　finding　Cyrus's　sepulchre　opened　and　rifled；　he　put　Polymachus；　who　did　it；　to　death；　though　he　was　a　man　of　some　distinction；　a　born　Macedonian　of　Pella。　And　after　he　had　read　the　inscription；　he　caused　it　to　be　cut　again　below　the　old　one　in　Greek　characters；　the　words　being　these：　〃O　man；　whosoever　thou　art；　and　from　whencesoever　thou　comest　（for　I　know　thou　wilt　come）；　I　am　Cyrus；　the　founder　of　the　Persian　empire；　do　not　grudge　me　this　little　earth　which　covers　my　body。〃　The　reading　of　this　sensibly　touched　Alexander；　filling　him　with　the　thought　of　the　uncertainty　and　mutability　of　human　affairs。　At　the　same　time　Calanus；　having　been　a　little　while　troubled　with　a　disease　in　the　bowels；　requested　that　he　might　have　a　funeral　pile　erected；　to　which　he　came　on　horseback；　and；　after　he　had　said　some　prayers　and　sprinkled　himself　and　cut　off　some　of　his　hair　to　throw　into　the　fire；　before　he　ascended　it；　he　embraced　and　took　leave　of　the　Macedonians　who　stood　by；　desiring　them　to　pass　that　day　in　mirth　and　good…fellowship　with　their　king；　whom　in　a　little　time；　he　said；　he　doubted　not　to　see　again　at　Babylon。　Having　this　said；　he　lay　down；　and　covering　up　his　face；　he　stirred　not　when　the　fire　came　near　him；　but　continued　still　in　the　same　posture　as　at　first；　and　so　sacrificed　himself；　as　it　was　the　ancient　custom　of　the　philosophers　in　those　countries　to　do。　The　same　thing　was　done　long　after　by　another　Indian　who　came　with　Caesar　to　Athens；　where　they　still　show　you；　〃the　Indian's　monument。〃　At　his　return　from　the　funeral　pile；　Alexander　invited　a　great　many　of　his　friends　and　principal　officers　to　supper；　and　proposed　a　drinking　match；　in　which　the　victor　should　receive　a　crown。　Promachus　drank　twelve　quarts　of　wine；　and　won　the　prize；　which　was　a　talent　from　them　all；　but　he　survived　his　victory　but　three　days；　and　was　followed；　as　Chares　says；　by　forty…one　more；　who　died　of　the　same　debauch；　some　extremely　cold　weather　having　set　in　shortly　after。　　　At　Susa；　he　married　Darius's　daughter　Statira；　and　celebrated　also　the　nuptials　of　his　friends；　bestowing　the　noblest　of　the　Persian　ladies　upon　the　worthiest　of　them；　at　the　same　time　making　it　an　entertainment　in　honour　of　the　other　Macedonians　whose　marriages　had　already　taken　place。　At　this　magnificent　festival；　it　is　reported；　there　were　no　less　than　nine　thousand　guests；　to　each　of　whom　he　gave　a　golden　cup　for　the　libations。　Not　to　mention　other　instances　of　his　wonderful　magnificence；　he　paid　the　debts　of　his　army；　which　amounted　to　nine　thousand　eight　hundred　and　seventy　talents。　But　Antigenes；　who　had　lost　one　of　his　eyes；　though　he　owed　nothing；　got　his　name　set　down　in　the　list　of　those　who　were　in　debt；　and　bringing　one　who　pretended　to　be　his　creditor；　and　to　have　supplied　him　from　the　bank；　received　the　money。　But　when　the　cheat　was　found　out；　the　king　was　so　incensed　at　it；　that　he　banished　him　from　court；　and　took　away　his　command；　though　he　was　an　excellent　soldier　and　a　man　of　great　courage。　For　when　he　was　but　a　youth；　and　served　under　Philip　at　the　siege　of　Perinthus；　where　he　was　wounded　in　the　eye　by　an　arrow　shot　out　of　an　engine；　he　would　neither　let　the　arrow　be　taken　out　nor　be　persuaded　to　quit　the　field　till　he　had　bravely　repulsed　the　enemy　and　forced　them　to　retire　into　the　town。　Accordingly　he　was　not　able　to　support　such　a　disgrace　with　any　patience；　and　it　was　plain　that　grief　and　despair　would　have　made　him　kill　himself；　but　the　king　fearing　it；　not　only　pardoned　him；　but　let　him　also　enjoy　the　benefit　of　his　deceit。　　　The　thirty　thousand　boys　whom　he　left　behind　him　to　be　taught　and　disciplined　were　so　improved　at　his　return；　both　in　strength　and　beauty；　and　performed　their　exercises　with　such　dexterity　and　wonderful　agility；　that　he　was　extremely　pleased　with　them；　which　grieved　the　Macedonians。　and　made　them　fear　he　would　have　the　less　value　for　them。　And　when　he　proceeded　to　send　down　the　infirm　and　maimed　soldiers　to　the　sea；　they　said　they　were　unjustly　and　infamously　dealt　with；　after　they　were　worn　out　in　his　service　upon　all　occasions；　now　to　be　turned　away　with　disgrace　and　sent　home　into　their　country　among　their　friends　and　relations　in　a　worse　condition　than　when　they　came　out；　therefore　they　desired　him　to　dismiss　them　one　and　all；　and　to　account　his　Macedonians　useless；　now　he　was　so　well　furnished　with　a　set　of　dancing　boys；　with　whom；　if　he　pleased；　he　might　go　on　and　conquer　the　world。　These　speeches　so　incensed　Alexander　that；　after　he　had　given　them　a　great　deal　of　reproachful　language　in　his　passion；　he　drove　them　away；　and　committed　the　watch　to　Persians；　out　of　whom　he　chose　his　guards　and　attendants。　When　the　Macedonians　saw　him　escorted　by　these　men；　and　themselves　excluded　and　shamefully　disgraced；　their　high　spirits　fell；　and　conferring　with　one　another；　they　found　that　jealousy　and　rage　had　almost　distracted　them。　But　at　last　coming　to　themselves　again；　they　went　without　their　arms；　with　only　their　under　garments　on；　crying　and　weeping　to