the history-第146章

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to　him。　The　slanderer　does　wrong；　forasmuch　as　he　abuses　a　man　behind　his　back；　and　the　hearer；　forasmuch　as　he　believes　what　he　has　not　searched　into　thoroughly。　The　man　slandered　in　his　absence　suffers　wrong　at　the　hands　of　both：　for　one　brings　against　him　a　false　charge；　and　the　other　thinks　him　an　evildoer。　（SS　8。）　If；　however；　it　must　needs　be　that　we　go　to　war　with　this　people；　at　least　allow　the　king　to　abide　at　home　in　Persia。　Then　let　thee　and　me　both　stake　our　children　on　the　issue；　and　do　thou　choose　out　thy　men；　and；　taking　with　thee　whatever　number　of　troops　thou　likest；　lead　forth　our　armies　to　battle。　If　things　go　well　for　the　king；　as　thou　sayest　they　will；　let　me　and　my　children　be　put　to　death；　but　if　they　fall　out　as　I　prophesy；　let　thy　children　suffer；　and　thyself　too；　if　thou　shalt　come　back　alive。　But　shouldest　thou　refuse　this　wager；　and　still　resolve　to　march　an　army　against　Greece；　sure　I　am　that　some　of　those　whom　thou　leavest　behind　thee　here　will　one　day　receive　the　sad　tidings　that　Mardonius　has　brought　a　great　disaster　upon　the　Persian　people；　and　lies　a　prey　to　dogs　and　birds　somewhere　in　the　land　of　the　Athenians；　or　else　in　that　of　the　Lacedaemonians；　unless　indeed　thou　shalt　have　perished　sooner　by　the　way；　experiencing　in　thy　own　person　the　might　of　those　men　on　whom　thou　wouldest　fain　induce　the　king　to　make　war。〃　　　　　Thus　spake　Artabanus。　But　Xerxes；　full　of　wrath；　replied　to　him：…　　　　　〃Artabanus；　thou　art　my　father's　brother…　that　shall　save　thee　from　receiving　the　due　meed　of　thy　silly　words。　One　shame　however　I　will　lay　upon　thee；　coward　and　faint…hearted　as　thou　art…　thou　shalt　not　come　with　me　to　fight　these　Greeks；　but　shalt　tarry　here　with　the　women。　Without　thy　aid　I　will　accomplish　all　of　which　I　spake。　For　let　me　not　be　thought　the　child　of　Darius；　the　son　of　Hystaspes；　the　son　of　Arsames；　the　son　of　Ariaramnes；　the　son　of　Teispes；　the　son　of　Cyrus；　the　son　of　Cambyses；　the　son　of　Teispes；　the　son　of　Achaemenes；　if　I　take　not　vengeance　on　the　Athenians。　Full　well　I　know　that；　were　we　to　remain　at　rest；　yet　would　not　they；　but　would　most　certainly　invade　our　country；　if　at　least　it　be　right　to　judge　from　what　they　have　already　done；　for；　remember；　it　was　they　who　fired　Sardis　and　attacked　Asia。　So　now　retreat　is　on　both　sides　impossible；　and　the　choice　lies　between　doing　and　suffering　injury；　either　our　empire　must　pass　under　the　dominion　of　the　Greeks；　or　their　land　become　the　prey　of　the　Persians；　for　there　is　no　middle　course　left　in　this　quarrel。　It　is　right　then　that　we；　who　have　in　times　past　received　wrong；　should　now　avenge　it；　and　that　I　should　thereby　discover　what　that　great　risk　is　which　I　run　in　marching　against　these　men…　men　whom　Pelops　the　Phrygian；　a　vassal　of　my　forefathers；　subdued　so　utterly；　that　to　this　day　both　the　land；　and　the　people　who　dwell　therein；　alike　bear　the　name　of　the　conqueror！〃　　　　　Thus　far　did　the　speaking　proceed。　Afterwards　evening　fell；　and　Xerxes　began　to　find　the　advice　of　Artabanus　greatly　disquiet　him。　So　he　thought　upon　it　during　the　night；　and　concluded　at　last　that　it　was　not　for　his　advantage　to　lead　an　army　into　Greece。　When　he　had　thus　made　up　his　mind　anew；　he　fell　asleep。　And　now　he　saw　in　the　night；　as　the　Persians　declare；　a　vision　of　this　nature…　he　thought　a　tall　and　beautiful　man　stood　over　him　and　said；　〃Hast　thou　then　changed　thy　mind；　Persian；　and　wilt　thou　not　lead　forth　thy　host　against　the　Greeks；　after　commanding　the　Persians　to　gather　together　their　levies？　Be　sure　thou　doest　not　well　to　change；　nor　is　there　a　man　here　who　will　approve　thy　conduct。　The　course　that　thou　didst　determine　on　during　the　day；　let　that　be　followed。〃　After　thus　speaking　the　man　seemed　to　Xerxes　to　fly　away。　　　　　Day　dawned；　and　the　king　made　no　account　of　this　dream；　but　called　together　the　same　Persians　as　before；　and　spake　to　them　as　follows：…　　　　　〃Men　of　Persia；　forgive　me　if　I　alter　the　resolve　to　which　I　came　so　lately。　Consider　that　I　have　not　yet　reached　to　the　full　growth　of　my　wisdom；　and　that　they　who　urge　me　to　engage　in　this　war　leave　me　not　to　myself　for　a　moment。　When　I　heard　the　advice　of　Artabanus；　my　young　blood　suddenly　boiled；　and　I　spake　words　against　him　little　befitting　his　years：　now　however　I　confess　my　fault；　and　am　resolved　to　follow　his　counsel。　Understand　then　that　I　have　changed　my　intent　with　respect　to　carrying　war　into　Greece；　and　cease　to　trouble　yourselves。〃　　　　　When　they　heard　these　words；　the　Persians　were　full　of　joy；　and；　falling　down　at　the　feet　of　Xerxes；　made　obeisance　to　him。　　　　　But　when　night　came；　again　the　same　vision　stood　over　Xerxes　as　he　slept；　and　said；　〃Son　of　Darius；　it　seems　thou　hast　openly　before　all　the　Persians　renounced　the　expedition；　making　light　of　my　words；　as　though　thou　hadst　not　heard　them　spoken。　Know　therefore　and　be　well　assured；　that　unless　thou　go　forth　to　the　war；　this　thing　shall　happen　unto　thee　thou　art　grown　mighty　and　puissant　in　a　short　space；　so　likewise　shalt　thou　within　a　little　time　be　brought　low　indeed。〃　　　　　Then　Xerxes；　greatly　frightened　at　the　vision　which　he　had　seen；　sprang　from　his　couch；　and　sent　a　messenger　to　call　Artabanus；　who　came　at　the　summons；　when　Xerxes　spoke　to　him　in　these　words：…　　　　　〃Artabanus；　at　the　moment　I　acted　foolishly；　when　I　gave　thee　ill　words　in　return　for　thy　good　advice。　However　it　was　not　long　ere　I　repented；　and　was　convinced　that　thy　counsel　was　such　as　I　ought　to　follow。　But　I　may　not　now　act　in　this　way；　greatly　as　I　desire　to　do　so。　For　ever　since　I　repented　and　changed　my　mind　a　dream　has　haunted　me；　which　disapproves　my　intentions；　and　has　now　just　gone　from　me　with　threats。　Now　if　this　dream　is　sent　to　me　from　God；　and　if　it　is　indeed　his　will　that　our　troops　should　march　against　Greece；　thou　too　wilt　have　the　same　dream　come　to　thee　and　receive　the　same　commands　as　myself。　And　this　will　be　most　sure　to　happen；　I　think；　if　thou　puttest　on　the　dress　which　I　am　wont　to　wear；　and　then；　after　taking　thy　seat　upon　my　throne；　liest　down　to　sleep　on　my　bed。〃　　　　　Such　were　the　words　of　Xerxes。　Artabanus　would　not　at　first　yield　to　the　command　of　the　king；　for　he　deemed　himself　unworthy　to　sit　upon　the　royal　throne。　At　the　last　however　he　was　forced　to　give　way；　and　did　as　Xerxes　bade　him；　but　first　he　spake　thus　to　the　king　（SS　1。）：…　　　　　〃To　me；　sire；　it　seems　to　matter　little　whether　a　man　is　wise　himself　or　willing　to　hearken　to　such　as　give　good　advice。　In　thee　truly　are　found　both　but　the　counsels　of　evil　men　lead　thee　astray：　they　are　like　the　gales　of　wind　which　vex　the　sea…　else　the　most　useful　thing　for　man　in　the　whole　world…　and　suffer　it　not　to　follow　the　bent　of　its　own　nature。　For　myself；　it　irked　me　not　so　much　to　be　reproached　by　thee；　as　to　observe　that　when　two　courses　were　placed　before　the　Persian　people；　one　of　a　nature　to　increase　their　pride；　the　other　to　humble　it；　by　showing　them　how　hurtful　it　is　to　allow　one's　heart　always　to　covet　more　than　one　at　present　possesses；　thou　madest　choice　of　that　which　was　the　worse　both　for　thyself　and　for　the　Persians。　（SS　2。）　Now　thou　sayest　that　from　the　time　when　thou　didst　approve　the　better　course；　and　give　up　the　thought　of　warring　against　Greece；　a　dream　has　haunt