demetrius-第2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！


。　He；　whose　youthful　heat　outran　his　experience；　advancing　against　an　adversary　trained　in　Alexander's　school；　and　practised　in　many　encounters；　incurred　a　great　defeat　near　the　town　of　Gaza；　in　which　eight　thousand　of　his　men　were　taken　and　five　thousand　killed。　His　own　tent；　also　his　money；　and　all　his　private　effects　and　furniture；　were　captured。　These；　however；　Ptolemy　sent　back；　together　with　his　friends；　accompanying　them　with　the　humane　and　courteous　message；　that　they　were　not　fighting　for　anything　else　but　honour　and　dominion。　Demetrius　accepted　the　gift　praying　only　to　the　gods　not　to　leave　him　long　in　Ptolemy's　debt；　but　to　let　him　have　an　early　chance　of　doing　the　like　to　him。　He　took　his　disaster；　also；　with　the　temper；　not　of　a　boy　defeated　in　his　attempt；　but　of　an　old　and　long…tried　general　familiar　with　reverse　of　fortune；　he　busied　himself　in　collecting　his　men；　replenishing　his　magazines；　watching　the　allegiance　of　the　cities；　and　drilling　his　new　recruits。　　　Antigonus　received　the　news　of　the　battle　with　the　remark　that　Ptolemy　had　beaten　boys　and　would　now　have　to　fight　with　men。　But　not　to　humble　the　spirit　of　his　son；　he　acceded　to　his　request；　and　left　him　to　command　on　the　next　occasion。　　　Not　long　after；　Cilles；　Ptolemy's　lieutenant；　with　a　powerful　army；　took　the　field；　and　looking　upon　Demetrius　as　already　defeated　by　the　previous　battle；　he　had　in　his　imagination　driven　him　out　of　Syria　before　he　saw　him。　But　he　quickly　found　himself　deceived；　for　Demetrius　came　so　unexpectedly　upon　him　that　he　surprised　both　the　general　and　his　army；　making　him　and　seven　thousand　of　the　soldiers　prisoners　of　war；　and　possessing　himself　of　a　large　amount　of　treasure。　But　his　joy　in　the　victory　was　not　so　much　for　the　prizes　he　should　keep；　as　for　those　he　could　restore；　and　his　thankfulness　was　less　for　the　wealth　and　glory　than　for　the　means　it　gave　him　of　requiting　his　enemy's　former　generosity。　He　did　not；　however；　take　it　into　his　own　hands；　but　wrote　to　his　father。　And　on　receiving　leave　to　do　as　he　liked；　he　sent　back　to　Ptolemy　Cilles　and　his　friends；　loaded　with　presents。　This　defeat　drove　Ptolemy　out　of　Syria；　and　brought　Antigonus　from　Calaenae　to　enjoy　the　victory　and　the　sight　of　the　son　who　had　gained　it。　　　Soon　after；　Demetrius　was　sent　to　bring　the　Nabathaean　Arabs　into　obedience。　And　here　he　got　into　a　district　without　water；　and　incurred　considerable　danger；　but　by　his　resolute　and　composed　demeanour　he　overawed　the　barbarians；　and　returned　after　receiving　from　them　a　large　amount　of　booty　and　seven　hundred　camels。　Not　long　after；　Seleucus；　whom　Antigonus　had　formerly　chased　out　of　Babylon；　but　who　had　afterwards　recovered　his　dominion　by　his　own　efforts　and　maintained　himself　in　it；　went　with　large　forces　on　an　expedition　to　reduce　the　tribes　on　the　confines　of　India　and　the　provinces　near　Mount　Caucasus。　And　Demetrius；　conjecturing　that　he　had　left　Mesopotamia　but　slenderly　guarded　in　his　absence；　suddenly　passed　the　Euphrates　with　his　army　and　made　his　way　into　Babylonia　unexpectedly；　when　he　succeeded　in　capturing　one　of　the　two　citadels；　out　of　which　he　expelled　the　garrison　of　Seleucus；　and　placed　in　it　seven　thousand　men　of　his　own。　And　after　allowing　his　soldiers　to　enrich　themselves　with　all　the　spoil　they　could　carry　with　them　out　of　the　country；　he　retired　to　the　sea；　leaving　Seleucus　more　securely　master　of　his　dominions　than　before；　as　he　seemed　by　this　conduct　to　abandon　every　claim　to　a　country　which　he　treated　like　an　enemy's。　However；　by　a　rapid　advance；　he　rescued　Halicarnassus　from　Ptolemy；　who　was　besieging　it。　The　glory　which　this　act　obtained　them　inspired　both　the　father　and　son　with　a　wonderful　desire　for　freeing　Greece；　which　Cassander　and　Ptolemy　had　everywhere　reduced　to　slavery。　No　nobler　or　juster　war　was　undertaken　by　any　of　the　kings；　the　wealth　they　had　gained　while　humbling；　with　Greek　assistance；　the　barbarians；　being　thus　employed；　for　honour's　sake　and　good　repute；　in　helping　the　Greeks。　When　the　resolution　was　taken　to　begin　their　attempt　with　Athens；　one　of　his　friends　told　Antigonus；　if　they　captured　Athens；　they　must　keep　it　safe　in　their　own　hands；　as　by　this　gangway　they　might　step　out　from　their　ships　into　Greece　when　they　pleased。　But　Antigonus　would　not　hear　of　it；　he　did　not　want　a　better　or　a　steadier　gangway　than　people's　good…will；　and　from　Athens；　the　beacon　of　the　world；　the　news　of　their　conduct　would　soon　be　handed　on　to　all　the　world's　inhabitants。　So　Demetrius；　with　a　sum　of　five　thousand　talents；　and　a　fleet　of　two　hundred　and　fifty　ships；　set　sail　for　Athens；　where　Demetrius　the　Phalerian　was　governing　the　city　for　Cassander；　with　a　garrison　lodged　in　the　port　of　Munychia。　By　good　fortune　and　skilful　management　he　appeared　before　Piraeus；　on　the　twenty…sixth　of　Thargelion；　before　anything　had　been　heard　of　him。　Indeed；　when　his　ships　were　seen；　they　were　taken　for　Ptolemy's　and　preparations　were　commenced　for　receiving　them；　till　at　last；　the　generals　discovering　their　mistake；　hurried　down；　and　all　was　alarm　and　confusion；　and　attempts　to　push　forward　preparations　to　oppose　the　landing　of　this　hostile　force。　For　Demetrius；　having　found　the　entrances　of　the　port　undefended；　stood　in　directly；　and　was　by　this　time　safely　inside；　before　the　eyes　of　everybody；　and　made　signals　from　his　ship；　requesting　a　peaceful　hearing。　And　on　leave　being　given；　he　caused　a　herald　with　a　loud　voice　to　make　proclamation　that　he　was　come　thither　by　the　command　of　his　father；　with　no　other　design　than　what　he　prayed　the　gods　to　prosper　with　success；　to　give　the　Athenians　their　liberty；　to　expel　the　garrison；　and　to　restore　the　ancient　laws　and　constitution　of　the　country。　　　The　people；　hearing　this；　at　once　threw　down　their　shields；　and　clapping　their　hands；　with　loud　acclamations　entreated　Demetrius　to　land；　calling　him　their　deliverer　and　benefactor。　And　the　Phalerian　and　his　party；　who　saw　that　there　was　nothing　for　it　but　to　receive　the　conqueror；　whether　he　should　perform　his　promises　or　not；　sent；　however；　messengers　to　beg　for　his　protection；　to　whom　Demetrius　gave　a　kind　reception；　and　sent　back　with　them　Aristodemus　of　Miletus；　one　of　his　father's　friends。　The　Phalerian；　under　the　change　of　government；　was　more　afraid　of　his　fellow…citizens　than　of　the　enemy；　but　Demetrius　took　precautions　for　him；　and　out　of　respect　for　his　reputation　and　character；　sent　him　with　a　safe　conduct　to　Thebes；　whither　he　desired　to　go。　For　himself；　he　declared　he　would　not；　in　spite　of　all　his　curiosity；　put　his　foot　in　the　city　till　he　had　completed　his　deliverance　by　driving　out　the　garrison。　So　blockading　Munychia　with　a　palisade　and　trench；　he　sailed　off　to　attack　Megara；　where　also　there　was　one　of　Cassander's　garrisons。　But；　hearing　that　Cratesipolis；　the　wife　of　Alexander；　son　of　Polysperchon；　who　was　famous　for　her　beauty；　was　well　disposed　to　see　him；　he　left　his　troops　near　Megara；　and　set　out　with　a　few　light…armed　attendants　for　Patrae；　where　she　was　now　staying。　And；　quitting　these　also；　he　pitched　his　tent　apart　from　everybody；　that　the　woman　might　pay　her　visit　without　being　seen。　This　some　of　the　enemy　perceived；　and　suddenly　attacked　him；　and；　in　his　alarm；　he　was　obliged　to　disguise　himself　in　a　shabby　cloak；　and　run　for　it；　narrowly　escaping　the　shame　of　being　made　a　prisoner；　in　reward　for　his　foolish　passion。　And　as　it　was；　his　tent　and　money　were　taken。　Megara；　however；　surrendered；　and　would　have　been　pillaged　by　the　soldiers；　but　for　the　urgent　intercession　of　the　Athenians。　The　garrison　was　driven　out；　and　the　city　restored　to　independence。　While　he　was　occupied　in　this；　he　remembered　that　Stilpo；　the　philosopher；　famous　for　his　choice　of　a　life　of　tranquillity；　was　residing　here。　He；　therefore；　sent　for　him；　and　begged　to　know　whether　anything　belonging　to　him　had　been　taken。　〃No；〃　replied　Stilpo；　〃I　have　not　met　with　any　one　to　take　away　knowledge。〃　Pretty　nearly　all　the　servants　in　the　city　had　been　stolen　away；　and　so；　when　Demetrius；　renewing　his　courtesies　to　Stilpo；　on　taking　leave　of　him；　said；　〃I　leave　your　city；　Stilpo；　a　city　of　freemen。〃　〃Certainly；〃　replied　Stilpo；　〃there　is　not　one　serving　man　left　among　us　all。〃　　　Returning　from　Megara；　he　sat　down　before　the　citadel　of　Munychia；　which　in　a　few　days　he　took　by　assault；　and　caused　the　fortifications　to　be　demolished；　and　thus　having　accomplished　his　design；　upon　the　request　and　invitation　of　the　Athenians　he　made　his　entrance　into　the　upper　city；　where；　causing　the　people　to　be　summoned；　he　publicly　announced　to　them　that　their　ancient　constitution　was　restored；　and　that　they　should　receive　from　his　father；　Antigonus；　a　present　of　one　hundred　and　fifty　thousand　measures　of　wheat；　and　such　a　supply　of　timber　as　would　enable　them　to　build　a　hundred　galleys。　In　this　manner　did　the　Athenians　recover　their　popular　institutions；　after　the　space　of　fifteen　years　from　the　time　of　the　war　of　Lamia　and　the　battle　before　Cranon；　during　which　interval　of　time　the　government　had　been　administered　nominally　as　an　oligarchy；　but　really　by　a　single　man；　Demetrius　the　Phalerian　being　so　powerful。　But　the　excessive　honours　which　the　Athenians　bestowed；　for　these　noble　and　generous　acts；　upon　Demetrius；　created　offen