the history-第110章

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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　barbarians。　But　Alexander　proved　himself　to　be　an　Argive；　and　was　distinctly　adjudged　a　Greek；　after　which　he　entered　the　lists　for　the　foot…race；　and　was　drawn　to　run　in　the　first　pair。　Thus　was　this　matter　settled。　　　　　Megabazus；　having　reached　the　Hellespont　with　the　Paeonians；　crossed　it；　and　went　up　to　Sardis。　He　had　become　aware　while　in　Europe　that　Histiaeus　the　Milesian　was　raising　a　wall　at　Myrcinus…　the　town　upon　the　Strymon　which　he　had　obtained　from　King　Darius　as　his　guerdon　for　keeping　the　bridge。　No　sooner　therefore　did　he　reach　Sardis　with　the　Paeonians　than　he　said　to　Darius；　〃What　mad　thing　is　this　that　thou　hast　done；　sire；　to　let　a　Greek；　a　wise　man　and　a　shrewd；　get　hold　of　a　town　in　Thrace；　a　place　too　where　there　is　abundance　of　timber　fit　for　shipbuilding；　and　oars　in　plenty；　and　mines　of　silver；　and　about　which　are　many　dwellers　both　Greek　and　barbarian；　ready　enough　to　take　him　for　their　chief；　and　by　day　and　night　to　do　his　bidding！　I　pray　thee　make　this　man　cease　his　work；　if　thou　wouldest　not　be　entangled　in　a　war　with　thine　own　followers。　Stop　him；　but　with　a　gentle　message；　only　bidding　him　to　come　to　thee。　Then　when　thou　once　hast　him　in　thy　power；　be　sure　thou　take　good　care　that　he　never　get　back　to　Greece　again。〃　　　　　With　these　words　Megabazus　easily　persuaded　Darius；　who　thought　he　had　shown　true　foresight　in　this　matter。　Darius　therefore　sent　a　messenger　to　Myrcinus；　who　said；　〃These　be　the　words　of　the　king　to　thee；　O　Histiaeus！　I　have　looked　to　find　a　man　well　affectioned　towards　me　and　towards　my　greatness；　and　I　have　found　none　whom　I　can　trust　like　thee。　Thy　deeds；　and　not　thy　words　only；　have　proved　thy　love　for　me。　Now　then；　since　I　have　a　mighty　enterprise　in　hand；　I　pray　thee　come　to　me；　that　I　may　show　thee　what　I　purpose！〃　　　　　Histiaeus；　when　he　heard　this；　put　faith　in　the　words　of　the　messenger；　and；　as　it　seemed　to　him　a　grand　thing　to　be　the　king's　counsellor；　he　straightway　went　up　to　Sardis。　Then　Darius；　when　he　was　come；　said　to　him；　〃Dear　Histiaeus；　hear　why　I　hav