the history-第103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！



Thus　a　great　multitude　were　collected　together　to　Cyrene；　and　the　Libyans　of　the　neighbourhood　found　themselves　stripped　of　large　portions　of　their　lands。　So　they；　and　their　king　Adicran；　being　robbed　and　insulted　by　the　Cyrenaeans；　sent　messengers　to　Egypt；　and　put　themselves　under　the　rule　of　Apries；　the　Egyptian　monarch；　who；　upon　this；　levied　a　vast　army　of　Egyptians；　and　sent　them　against　Cyrene。　The　inhabitants　of　that　place　left　their　walls　and　marched　out　in　force　to　the　district　of　Irasa；　where；　near　the　spring　called　Theste；　they　engaged　the　Egyptian　host；　and　defeated　it。　The　Egyptians；　who　had　never　before　made　trial　of　the　prowess　of　the　Greeks；　and　so　thought　but　meanly　of　them；　were　routed　with　such　slaughter　that　but　a　very　few　of　them　ever　got　back　home。　For　this　reason；　the　subjects　of　Apries；　who　laid　the　blame　of　the　defeat　on　him；　revolted　from　his　authority。　　　　　This　Battus　left　a　son　called　Arcesilaus；　who；　when　he　came　to　the　throne；　had　dissensions　with　his　brothers；　which　ended　in　their　quitting　him　and　departing　to　another　region　of　Libya；　where；　after　consulting　among　themselves；　they　founded　the　city；　which　is　still　called　by　the　name　then　given　to　it；　Barca。　At　the　same　time　they　endeavoured　to　induce　the　Libyans　to　revolt　from　Cyrene。　Not　long　afterwards　Arcesilaus　made　an　expedition　against　the　Libyans　who　had　received　his　brothers　and　been　prevailed　upon　to　revolt；　and　they；　fearing　his　power；　fled　to　their　countrymen　who　dwelt　towards　the　east。　Arcesilaus　pursued；　and　chased　them　to　a　place　called　Leucon；　which　is　in　Libya；　where　the　Libyans　resolved　to　risk　a　battle。　Accordingly　they　engaged　the　Cyrenaeans；　and　defeated　them　so　entirely　that　as　many　as　seven　thousand　of　their　heavy…armed　were　slain　in　the　fight。　Arcesilaus；　after　this　blow；　fell　sick；　and；　whilst　he　was　under　the　influence　of　a　draught　which　he　had　taken；　was　strangled　by　Learchus；　one　of　his　brothers。　This　Learchus　was　afterwards　entrapped　by　Eryxo；　the　widow　of　Arcesilaus；　and　put　to　death。　　　　　Battus；　Arcesilaus'　son；　succeeded　to　the　kingdom；　a　lame　man；　who　limped　in　his　walk。　Their　late　calamities　now　induced　the　Cyrenaeans　to　send　to　Delphi　and　inquire　of　the　god　what　form　of　government　they　had　best　set　up　to　secure　themselves　prosperity。　The　Pythoness　answered　by　recommending　them　to　fetch　an　arbitrator　from　Mantinea　in　Arcadia。　Accordingly　they　sent；　and　the　Mantineans　gave　them　a　man　named　Demonax；　a　person　of　high　repute　among　the　citizens；　who；　on　his　arrival　at　Cyrene；　having　first　made　himself　acquainted　with　all　the　circumstances；　proceeded　to　enrol　the　people　in　three　tribes。　One　he　made　to　consist　of　the　Theraeans　and　their　vassals；　another　of　the　Peloponnesians　and　Cretans；　and　a　third　of　the　various　islanders。　Besides　this；　he　deprived　the　king　Battus　of　his　former　privileges；　only　reserving　for　him　certain　sacred　lands　and　offices；　while；　with　respect　to　the　powers　which　had　hitherto　been　exercised　by　the　king；　he　gave　them　all　into　the　hands　of　the　people。　　　　　Thus　matters　rested　during　the　lifetime　of　this　Battus；　but　when　his　son　Arcesilaus　came　to　the　throne；　great　disturbance　arose　about　the　privileges。　For　Arcesilaus；　son　of　Battus　the　lame　and　Pheretima；　refused　to　submit　to　the　arrangements　of　Demonax　the　Mantinean；　and　claimed　all　the　powers　of　his　forefathers。　In　the　contention　which　followed　Arcesilaus　was　worsted；　whereupon　he　fled　to　Samos；　while　his　mother　took　refuge　at　Salamis　in　the　island　of　Cyprus。　Salamis　was　at　that　time　ruled　by　Evelthon；　the　same　who　offered　at　Delphi　the　censer　which　is　in　the　treasury　of　the　Corinthians；　a　work　deserving　of　admiration。　Of　him　Pheretima　made　request　that　he　would　give　her　an　army　whereby　she　and　her　son　might　regain　Cyrene。　But　Evelthon；　preferring　to　give　her　anything　rather　than　an　army；　made　her　various　presents。　Pheretima　accepted　them　all；　saying；　as　she　took　them：　〃Good　is　this　too；　O　king！　but　better　were　it　to　give　me　the　army　which　I　crave　at　thy　hands。〃　Finding　that　she　repeated　these　words　each　time　that　he　presented　her　with　a　gift；　Evelthon　at　last　sent　her　a　golden　spindle　and　distaff；　with　the　wool　ready　for　spinning。　Again　she　uttered　the　same　speech　as　before；　whereupon　Evelthon　rejoined…〃These　are　the　gifts　I　present　to　women；　not　armies。〃　　　　　At　Samos；　meanwhile；　Arcesilaus　was　collecting　troops　by　the　promise　of　granting　them　lands。　Having　in　this　way　drawn　together　a　vast　host；　he　sent　to　Delphi　to　consult　the　oracle　about　his　restoration。　The　answer　of　the　Pythoness　was　this：　〃Loxias　grants　thy　race　to　rule　over　Cyrene；　till　four　kings　Battus；　four　Arcesilaus　by　name；　have　passed　away。　Beyond　this　term　of　eight　generations　of　men；　he　warns　you　not　to　seek　to　extend　your　reign。　Thou；　for　thy　part；　be　gentle；　when　thou　art　restored。　If　thou　findest　the　oven　full　of　jars；　bake　not　the　jars；　but　be　sure　to　speed　them　on　their　way。　If；　however；　thou　heatest　the　oven；　then　avoid　the　island　else　thou　wilt　die　thyself；　and　with　thee　the　most　beautiful　bull。〃　　　　　So　spake　the　Pythoness。　Arcesilaus　upon　this　returned　to　Cyrene；　taking　with　him　the　troops　which　he　had　raised　in　Samos。　There　he　obtained　possession　of　the　supreme　power；　whereupon；　forgetful　of　the　oracle；　he　took　proceedings　against　those　who　had　driven　him　into　banishment。　Some　of　them　fled　from　him　and　quitted　the　country　for　good；　others　fell　into　his　hands　and　were　sent　to　suffer　death　in　Cyprus。　These　last　happening　on　their　passage　to　put　in　through　stress　of　weather　at　Cnidus；　the　Cnidians　rescued　them；　and　sent　them　off　to　Thera。　Another　body　found　a　refuge　in　the　great　tower　of　Aglomachus；　a　private　edifice；　and　were　there　destroyed　by　Arcesilaus；　who　heaped　wood　around　the　place；　and　burnt　them　to　death。　Aware；　after　the　deed　was　done；　that　this　was　what　the　Pythoness　meant　when　she　warned　him；　if　he　found　the　jars　in　the　oven；　not　to　bake　them；　he　withdrew　himself　of　his　own　accord　from　the　city　of　Cyrene；　believing　that　to　be　the　island　of　the　oracle；　and　fearing　to　die　as　had　been　prophesied。　Being　married　to　a　relation　of　his　own；　a　daughter　of　Alazir；　at　that　time　king　of　the　Barcaeans；　he　took　up　his　abode　with　him。　At　Barca；　however；　certain　of　the　citizens；　together　with　a　number　of　Cyrenaean　exiles；　recognising　him　as　he　walked　in　the　forum；　killed　him；　they　slew　also　at　the　same　time　Alazir；　his　father…in…law。　So　Arcesilaus；　wittingly　or　unwittingly；　disobeyed　the　oracle；　and　thereby　fulfilled　his　destiny。　　　　　Pheretima；　the　mother　of　Arcesilaus；　during　the　time　that　her　son；　after　working　his　own　ruin；　dwelt　at　Barca；　continued　to　enjoy　all　his　privileges　at　Cyrene；　managing　the　government；　and　taking　her　seat　at　the　council…board。　No　sooner；　however；　did　she　hear　of　the　death　of　her　son　at　Barca；　than　leaving　Cyrene；　she　fled　in　haste　to　Egypt。　Arcesilaus　had　claims　for　service　done　to　Cambyses；　son　of　Cyrus；　since　it　was　by　him　that　Cyrene　was　put　under　the　Persian　yoke；　and　a　rate　of　tribute　agreed　upon。　Pheretima　therefore　went　straight　to　Egypt；　and　presenting　herself　as　a　suppliant　before　Aryandes；　entreated　him　to　avenge　her　wrongs。　Her　son；　she　said；　had　met　his　death　on　account　of　his　being　so　well　affected　towards　the　Medes。　　　　　Now　Aryandes　ha