demetrius-第4章

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nd　drawing　out　his　land　forces　along　all　the　headlands　running　out　into　sea；　went　into　action　with　a　hundred　and　eighty　galleys；　and；　attacking　with　the　utmost　boldness　and　impetuosity；　utterly　routed　Ptolemy；　who　fled　with　eight　ships；　the　sole　remnant　of　his　fleet；　seventy　having　been　taken　with　all　their　men；　and　the　rest　destroyed　in　the　battle；　while　the　whole　multitude　of　attendants；　friends；　and　women；　that　had　followed　in　the　ships　of　burden；　all　the　arms；　treasure；　and　military　engines　fell；　without　exception；　into　the　hands　of　Demetrius；　and　were　by　him　collected　and　brought　into　the　camp。　Among　the　prisoners　was　the　celebrated　Lamia；　famed　at　one　time　for　her　skill　on　the　flute；　and　afterwards　renowned　as　a　mistress。　And　although　now　upon　the　wane　of　her　youthful　beauty；　and　though　Demetrius　was　much　her　junior；　she　exercised　over　him　so　great　a　charm　that　all　other　women　seemed　to　be　amorous　of　Demetrius；　but　Demetrius　amorous　only　of　Lamia。　After　this　signal　victory；　Demetrius　came　before　Salamis；　and　Menelaus；　unable　to　make　any　resistance；　surrendered　himself　and　all　his　fleet；　twelve　hundred　horse；　and　twelve　thousand　foot；　together　with　the　place。　But　that　which　added　more　than　all　to　the　glory　and　splendour　of　the　success　was　the　humane　and　generous　conduct　of　Demetrius　to　the　vanquished。　For；　after　he　had　given　honourable　funerals　to　the　dead；　he　bestowed　liberty　upon　the　living；　and　that　he　might　not　forget　the　Athenians；　he　sent　them；　as　a　present；　complete　arms　for　twelve　hundred　men。　　　To　carry　this　happy　news；　Aristodemus　of　Miletus；　the　most　perfect　flatterer　belonging　to　the　court；　was　despatched　to　Antigonus；　and　he；　to　enhance　the　welcome　message；　was　resolved；　it　would　appear；　to　make　his　most　successful　effort。　When　he　crossed　from　Cyprus；　he　bade　the　galley　which　conveyed　him　to　come　to　anchor　off　the　land；　and；　having　ordered　all　the　ship's　crew　to　remain　aboard；　he　took　the　boat；　and　was　set　ashore　alone。　Thus　he　proceeded　to　Antigonus；　who；　one　may　well　imagine；　was　in　suspense　enough　about　the　issue；　and　suffered　all　the　anxieties　natural　to　men　engaged　in　so　perilous　a　struggle。　And　when　he　heard　that　Aristodemus　was　coming　alone；　it　put　him　into　yet　greater　trouble；　he　could　scarcely　forbear　from　going　out　to　meet　him　himself；　he　sent　messenger　on　messenger；　and　friend　after　friend；　to　inquire　what　news。　But　Aristodemus；　walking　gravely　and　with　a　settled　countenance；　without　making　any　answer；　still　proceeded　quietly　onward；　until　Antigonus；　quite　alarmed　and　no　longer　able　to　refrain；　got　up　and　met　him　at　the　gate；　whither　he　came　with　a　crowd　of　anxious　followers　now　collected　and　running　after　him。　As　soon　as　he　saw　Antigonus　within　hearing　stretching　out　his　hands；　he　accosted　him　with　the　loud　exclamation；　〃Hail；　King　Antigonus！　we　have　defeated　Ptolemy　by　sea；　and　have　taken　Cyprus　and　sixteen　thousand　eight　hundred　prisoners。〃　〃Welcome；　Aristodemus；〃　replied　Antigonus；　〃but；　as　you　chose　to　torture　us　so　long　for　your　good　news；　you　may　wait　awhile　for　the　reward　of　it。〃　　　Upon　this　the　people　around　gave　Antigonus　and　Demetrius；　for　the　first　time；　the　title　of　kings。　His　friends　at　once　set　a　diadem　on　the　head　of　Antigonus；　and　he　sent　one　presently　to　his　son；　with　a　letter　addressed　to　him　as　King　Demetrius。　And　when　this　news　was　told　in　Egypt；　that　they　might　not　seem　to　be　dejected　with　the　late　defeat；　Ptolemy's　followers　also　took　occasion　to　bestow　the　style　of　king　upon　him；　and　the　rest　of　the　successors　of　Alexander　were　quick　to　follow　the　example。　Lysimachus　began　to　wear　the　diadem；　and　Seleucus；　who　had　before　received　the　name　in　all　addresses　from　the　barbarians；　now　also　took　it　upon　him　in　all　business　with　the　Greeks；　Cassander　still　retained　his　usual　superscription　in　his　letters；　but　others；　both　in　writing　and　speaking；　gave　him　the　royal　title。　Nor　was　this　the　mere　accession　of　a　name；　or　introduction　of　a　new　fashion。　The　men's　own　sentiments　about　themselves　were　disturbed；　and　their　feelings　elevated；　a　spirit　of　pomp　and　arrogance　passed　into　their　habits　of　life　and　conversation；　as　a　tragic　actor　on　the　stage　modifies；　with　a　change　of　dress；　his　steps；　his　voice；　his　motions　in　sitting　down；　his　manner　in　addressing　another。　The　punishments　they　inflicted　were　more　violent　after　they　had　thus　laid　aside　that　modest　style　under　which　they　formerly　dissembled　their　power；　and　the　influence　of　which　had　often　made　them　gentler　and　less　exacting　to　their　subjects。　A　single　flattering　voice　effected　a　revolution　in　the　world。　　　Antigonus；　extremely　elevated　with　the　success　of　his　arms　in　Cyprus；　under　the　conduct　of　Demetrius；　resolved　to　push　on　his　good　fortune；　and　to　lead　his　forces　in　person　against　Ptolemy　by　land　whilst　Demetrius　should　coast　with　a　great　fleet　along　the　shore；　to　assist　him　by　sea。　The　issue　of　the　contest　was　intimated　in　a　dream　which　Medius；　a　friend　of　Antigonus；　had　at　this　time　in　his　sleep。　He　thought　he　saw　Antigonus　and　his　whole　army　running；　as　if　it　had　been　a　race；　that；　in　the　first　part　of　the　course；　he　went　off　showing　great　strength　and　speed；　gradually；　however；　his　pace　slackened；　and　at　the　end　he　saw　him　come　lagging　up；　tired　and　almost　breathless　and　quite　spent。　Antigonus　himself　met　with　many　difficulties　by　land；　and　Demetrius；　encountering　a　great　storm　at　sea；　was　driven；　with　the　loss　of　many　of　his　ships；　upon　a　dangerous　coast　without　a　harbour。　So　the　expedition　returned　without　effecting　anything。　Antigonus；　now　nearly　eighty　years　old；　was　no　longer　well　able　to　go　through　the　fatigues　of　a　marching　campaign；　though　rather　on　account　of　his　great　size　and　corpulence　than　from　loss　of　strength；　and　for　this　reason　he　left　things　to　his　son；　whose　fortune　and　experience　appeared　sufficient　for　all　undertakings；　and　whose　luxury　and　expense　and　revelry　gave　him　no　concern。　For　though　in　peace　he　vented　himself　in　pleasures；　and；　when　there　was　nothing　to　do；　ran　headlong　into　any　excesses；　in　war　he　was　as　sober　and　abstemious　as　the　most　temperate　character。　The　story　is　told　that　once；　after　Lamia　had　gained　open　supremacy　over　him；　the　old　man；　when　Demetrius　coming　home　from　abroad　began　to　kiss　him　with　unusual　warmth；　asked　him　if　he　took　him　for　Lamia。　At　another　time；　Demetrius；　after　spending　several　days　in　a　debauch；　excused　himself　for　his　absence；　by　saying　he　had　had　a　violent　flux。　〃So　I　heard；〃　replied　Antigonus；　〃was　it　of　Thasian　wine；　or　Chian？〃　Once　he　was　told　his　son　was　ill；　and　went　to　see　him。　At　the　door　he　met　some　young　beauty。　Going　in；　he　sat　down　by　the　bed　and　took　his　pulse。　〃The　fever；〃　said　Demetrius；　〃has　just　left　me。〃　〃Oh　yes；〃　replied　the　father；　〃I　met　it　going　out　at　the　door。〃　Demetrius's　great　actions　made　Antigonus　treat　him　thus　easily。　The　Scythians　in　their　drinking…bouts　twang　their　bows；　to　keep　their　courage　awake　amidst　the　dreams　of　indulgence；　but　he　would　resign　his　whole　being；　now　to　pleasure；　and　now　to　action；　and　though　he　never　let　thoughts　of　the　one　intrude　upon　the　pursuit　of　the　other；　yet　when　the　time　came　for　preparing　for　war；　he　showed　as　much　capacity　as　any　man。　　　And　indeed　his　ability　displayed　itself　even　more　in　preparing　for　than　in　conducting　a　war。　He　thought　he　could　never　be　too　well　supplied　for　every　possible　occasion；　and　took　a　pleasure；　not　to　be　satiated；　in　great　improvements　in　ship…building　and　machines。　He　did　not　waste　his　natural　genius　and　power　of　mechanical　research　on　toys　and　idle　fancies；　turning；　painting；　and　playing　on　the　flute；　like　some　kings；　Aeropus；　for　example；　King　of　Macedon；　who　spent　his　days　in　making　small　lamps　and　tables；　or　Attalus　Philometor；　whose　amusement　was　to　cultivate　poisons　henbane　and　bellebore；　and　even　hemlock；　aconite；　and　dorycnium；　which　he　used　to　sow　himself　in　the　royal　gardens；　and　made　it　his　business　to　gather　the　fruits　and　collect　the　juices　in　their　season。　The　Parthian　kings　took　a　pride　in　whetting　and　sharpening　with　their　own　hands　the　points　of　their　arrows　and　javelins。　But　when　Demetrius　played　the　workman；　it　was　like　a　king；　and　there　was　magnificence　in　his　handicraft。　The　articles　he　produced　bore　marks　upon　the　face　of　them　not　of　ingenuity　only；　but　of　a　great　mind　and　a　lofty　purpose。　They　were　such　as　a　king　might　not　only　design　and　pay　for；　but　use　his　own　hands　to　make；　and　while　friends　might　be　terrified　with　their　greatness；　enemies　could　be　charmed　with　their　beauty；　a　phrase　which　is　not　so　pretty　to　the　ear　as　it　is　true　to　the　fact。　The　very　people　against　whom　they　were　to　be　employed　could　not　forbear　running　to　gaze　with　admiration　upon　his　galleys　of　five　and　six　ranges　of　oars；　as　they　passed　along　their　coasts；　and　the　inhabitants　of　besieged　cities　came　on　their　walls　to　see　the　spectacles　of　his　famous　City…takers。　Even　Lysmachus；　of　all　the　kings　of　his　time　the　greatest　enemy　of　Demetrius；　coming　to　raise　the　siege　of　Soli　in　Cilicia；　sent　first　to　desire　permission　to　see　his　galleys　and　engines；　and；　having　had　his　curiosity　gratified　by　a　view　of　them；　expressed　his　admiration　and　quitted　the　place。　The　Rhodians；　also；　whom　he　long　besieged；　begged　him；　when　they　concluded　a　peace；　to　let　them　have　some　of　his　engines；　which　they