artaxerxes-第6部分

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！


one　of　his　own　two　daughters；　and　that　he　concealed　and　checked　his
passion　chiefly　for　fear　of　herself；　though；　if　we　may　believe　some
writers；　he　had　privately　given　way　to　it　with　the　young　girl　already。
As　soon　as　Parysatis　suspected　it；　she　displayed　a　greater　fondness
for　the　young　girl　than　before；　and　extolled　both　her　virtue　and
beauty　to　him；　as　being　truly　imperial　and　majestic。　In　fine　she
persuaded　him　to　marry　her　and　declare　her　to　be　his　lawful　wife；
overriding　all　the　principles　and　the　laws　by　which　the　Greeks　hold
themselves　bound；　and　regarding　himself　as　divinely　appointed　for　a
law　to　the　Persians；　and　the　supreme　arbitrator　of　good　and　evil。　Some
historians　further　affirm；　in　which　number　is　Heraclides　of　Cuma；　that
Artaxerxes　married　not　only　this　one；　but　a　second　daughter　also；
Amestris；　of　whom　we　shall　speak　by　and　by。　But　he　so　loved　Atossa
when　she　became　his　consort；　that　when　leprosy　had　run　through　her
whole　body；　he　was　not　in　the　least　offended　at　it；　but　putting　up　his
prayers　to　Juno　for　her；　to　this　one　alone　of　all　the　deities　he
made　obeisance；　by　laying　his　hands　upon　the　earth；　and　his　satraps
and　favourites　made　such　offerings　to　the　goddess　by　his　direction；
that　all　along　for　sixteen　furlongs；　betwixt　the　court　and　her　temple；
the　road　was　filled　up　with　gold　and　silver；　purple　and　horses；
devoted　to　her。
　　He　waged　war　out　of　his　own　kingdom　with　the　Egyptians；　under　the
conduct　of　Pharnabazus　and　Iphicrates；　but　was　unsuccessful　by
reason　of　their　dissensions。　In　his　expedition　against　the
Cadusians；　he　went　himself　in　person　with　three　hundred　thousand
footmen　and　ten　thousand　horse；　and　making　an　incursion　into　their
country；　which　was　so　mountainous　as　scarcely　to　be　passable；　and
withal　very　misty；　producing　no　sort　of　harvest　of　corn　or　the　like；
but　with　pears；　apples；　and　other　tree…fruits　feeding　a　war…like　and
valiant　breed　of　men；　he　unawares　fell　into　great　distresses　and
dangers。　For　there　was　nothing　to　be　got；　fit　for　his　men　to　eat；　of
the　growth　of　that　place；　nor　could　anything　be　imported　from　any
other。　All　they　could　do　was　to　kill　their　beasts　of　burden；　and
thus　an　ass's　head　could　scarcely　be　bought　for　sixty　drachmas。　In
short；　the　king's　own　table　failed；　and　there　were　but　few　horses
left；　the　rest　they　had　spent　for　food。　Then　Teribazus；　a　man　often　in
great　favour　with　his　prince　for　his　valour　and　as　often　out　of　it　for
his　buffoonery；　and　particularly　at　that　time　in　humble　estate　and
neglected；　was　the　deliverer　of　the　king　and　his　army。　There　being　two
kings　amongst　the　Cadusians；　and　each　of　them　encamping　separately；
Teribazus；　after　he　had　made　his　application　to　Artaxerxes　and
imparted　his　design　to　him；　went　to　one　of　the　princes；　and　sent
away　his　son　privately　to　the　other。　So　each　of　them　deceived　his　man；
assuring　him　that　the　other　prince　had　deputed　an　ambassador　to
Artaxerxes；　suing　for　friendship　and　alliance　for　himself　alone；
and；　therefore；　if　he　were　wise；　he　told　him；　he　must　apply　himself　to
his　master　before　he　had　decreed　anything；　and　he；　he　said；　would　lend
him　his　assistance　in　all　things。　Both　of　them　gave　credit　to　these
words；　and　because　they　supposed　they　were　each　intrigued　against　by
the　other；　they　both　sent　their　envoys；　one　along　with　Teribazus；
and　the　other　with　his　son。　All　this　taking　some　time　to　transact；
fresh　surmises　and　suspicions　of　Teribazus　were　expressed　to　the　king；
who　began　to　be　out　of　heart；　sorry　that　he　had　confided　in　him；　and
ready　to　give　ear　to　his　rivals　who　impeached　him。　But　at　last　he
came；　and　so　did　his　son；　bringing　the　Cadusian　agents　along　with
them；　and　so　there　was　a　cessation　of　arms　and　a　peace　signed　with
both　the　princes。　And　Teribazus；　in　great　honour　and　distinction；
set　out　homewards　in　the　company　of　the　king；　who；　indeed；　upon　this
journey　made　it　appear　plainly　that　cowardice　and　effeminacy　are　the
effects；　not　of　delicate　and　sumptuous　living；　as　many　suppose；　but　of
a　base　and　vicious　nature；　actuated　by　false　and　bad　opinions。　For
notwithstanding　his　golden　ornaments；　his　robe　of　state；　and　the
rest　of　that　costly　attire；　worth　no　less　than　twelve　thousand
talents；　with　which　the　royal　person　was　constantly　clad；　his
labours　and　toils　were　not　a　whit　inferior　to　those　of　the　meanest
persons　in　his　army。　With　his　quiver　by　his　side　and　his　shield　on　his
arm；　he　led　them　on　foot；　quitting　his　horse；　through　craggy　and　steep
ways；　insomuch　that　the　sight　of　his　cheerfulness　and　unwearied
strength　gave　wings　to　the　soldiers；　and　so　lightened　the　journey；
that　they　made　daily　marches　of　above　two　hundred　furlongs。
　　After　they　had　arrived　at　one　of　his　own　mansions；　which　had
beautiful　ornamented　parks　in　the　midst　of　a　region　naked　and
without　trees；　the　weather　being　very　cold；　he　gave　full　commission　to
his　soldiers　to　provide　themselves　with　wood　by　cutting　down　any；
without　exception；　even　the　pine　and　cypress。　And　when　they
hesitated　and　were　for　sparing　them；　being　large　and　goodly　trees；　he；
taking　up　an　axe　himself；　felled　the　greatest　and　most　beautiful　of
them。　After　which　his　men　used　their　hatchets；　and　piling　up　many
fires；　passed　away　the　night　at　their　ease。　Nevertheless；　he
returned　not　without　the　loss　of　many　and　valiant　subjects；　and　of
almost　all　his　horses。　And　supposing　that　his　misfortunes　and　the
ill…success　of　his　expedition　made　him　despised　in　the　eyes　of　his
people；　he　looked　jealously　on　his　nobles；　many　of　whom　he　slew　in
anger；　and　yet　more　out　of　fear。　As；　indeed；　fear　is　the　bloodiest
passion　in　princes；　confidence；　on　the　other　hand；　being　merciful；
gentle；　and　unsuspicious。　So　we　see　among　wild　beasts；　the　intractable
and　least　tamable　are　the　most　timorous　and　most　easily　startled；
the　nobler　creatures；　whose　courage　makes　them　trustful；　are　ready
to　respond　to　the　advances　of　men。
　　Artaxerxes；　now　being　an　old　man；　perceived　that　his　sons　were　in
controversy　about　his　kingdom；　and　that　they　made　parties　among　his
favourites　and　peers。　Those　that　were　equitable　among　them　thought
it　fit；　that　as　he　had　received　it；　so　he　should　bequeath　it；　by　right
of　age；　to　Darius。　The　younger　brother；　Ochus；　who　was　hot　and
violent；　had　indeed　a　considerable　number　of　the　courtiers　that
espoused　his　interest；　but　his　chief　hope　was　that　by　Atossa's　means
he　should　win　his　father。　For　he　flattered　her　with　the　thoughts　of
being　his　wife　and　partner　in　the　kingdom　after　the　death　of
Artaxerxes。　And　truly　it　was　rumoured　that　already　Ochus　maintained
a　too　intimate　correspondence　with　her。　This；　however；　was　quite
unknown　to　the　king；　who；　being　willing　to　put　down　in　good　time　his
son　Ochus's　hopes；　lest；　by　his　attempting　the　same　things　his　uncle
Cyrus　did；　wars　and　contentions　might　again　afflict　his　kingdom；
proclaimed　Darius；　then　twenty…five　years　old；　his　successor；　and　gave
him　leave　to　wear　the　upright　hat；　as　they　called　it。　It　was　a　rule
and　usage　of　Persia；　that　the　heir　apparent　to　the　crown　should　beg
a　boon；　and　that　he　that　declared　him　so　should　give　whatever　he
asked；　provided　it　were　within　the　sphere　of　his　power。　Darius
therefore　requested　Aspasia；　in　former　time　the　most　prized　of　the
concubines　of　Cyrus；　and　now　belonging　to　the　king。　She　was　by　birth　a
Phocaean；　of　Ionia；　born　of　free　parents；　and　well　educated。　Once　when
Cyrus　was　at　supper；　she　was　led　in　to　him　with　other　women；　who；　when
they　were　sat　down　by　him；　and　he　began　to　sport　and　dally　and　talk
jestingly　with　them；　gave　way　freely　to　his　advances。　But　she　stood　by
in　silence；　refusing　to　come　when　Cyrus　called　her；　and　when　his
chamberlains　were　going　to　force　her　towards　him；　said；　〃Whosoever
lays　hands　on　me　shall　rue。　it；〃　so　that　she　seemed　to　the　company　a
sullen　and　rude…mannered　person。　However；　Cyrus　was　well　pleased；
and　laughed；　saying　to　the　man　that　brought　the　women；　〃Do　you　not　see
to　a　certainty　that　this　woman　alone　of　all　that　came　with　you　is
truly　noble　and　pure　in　character？〃　After　which　time　he　began　to
regard　her；　and　loved　her；　above　all　of　her　sex；　and　called　her　the
Wise。　But　Cyrus　being　slain　in　the　fight；　she　was　taken　among　the
spoils　of　his　camp。
　　Darius；　in　demanding　her；　no　doubt　much　offended　his　father；　for　the
barbarian　people　keep　a　very　jealous　and　watchful　eye　over　their
carnal　pleasures；　so　that　it　is　death　for　a　man　not　only　to　come
near　and　touch　any　concubine　of　his　prince；　but　likewise　on　a
journey　to　ride　forward　and　pass　by　the　carriages　in　which　they　are
conveyed。　And　though；　to　gratify　his　passion；　he　had　against　all　law
married　his　daughter　Atossa；　and　had　besides　her　no　less　than　three
hundred　and　sixty　concubines　selected　for　their　beauty；　yet　being
importuned　for　that　one　by　Darius；　he　urged　that　she　was　a　free…woman；
and　allowed　him　to　take　her；　if　she　had　an　inclination　to　go　with　him；
but　by　no　means　to　force　her　away　against　it。　Aspasia；　therefore；
being　sent　for；　and；　contrary　to　the　king's　expectation；　making　choice
of　Darius；　he　gave　him　her　indeed；　being　constrained　by　law；　but
when　he　had　done　so；　a　little　after　he　took　her　from　him。　For　he
consecrated　her　priestess　to　Diana　of　Ec