demetrius-第2章

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e　sowed　golden　seed；　and　saw　presently　a　golden　crop　come　up；　of　which；　however；　looking　presently　again；　he　saw　nothing　remain　but　the　stubble；　without　the　ears。　And　as　he　stood　by　in　anger　and　vexation；　he　heard　some　voices　saying　Mithridates　had　cut　the　golden　harvest　and　carried　it　off　into　Pontus。　Antigonus；　much　discomposed　with　his　dream；　first　bound　his　son；　by　an　oath　not　to　speak；　and　then　related　it　to　him；　adding　that　he　had　resolved；　in　consequence；　to　lose　no　time　in　ridding　himself　of　Mithridates；　and　making　away　with　him。　Demetrius　was　extremely　distressed；　and　when　the　young　man　came；　as　usual；　to　pass　his　time　with　him；　to　keep　his　oath　he　forbore　from　saying　a　word；　but；　drawing　him　aside　little　by　little　from　the　company；　as　soon　as　they　were　by　themselves；　without　opening　his　lips；　with　the　point　of　his　javelin　he　traced　before　him　the　words　〃Fly；　Mithridates。〃　Mithridates　took　the　hint；　and　fled　by　night　into　Cappadocia；　where　Antigonus's　dream　about　him　was　quickly　brought　to　its　due　fulfillment；　for　he　got　possession　of　a　large　and　fertile　territory；　and　from　him　descended　the　line　of　the　kings　of　Pontus；　which；　in　the　eighth　generation；　was　reduced　by　the　Romans。　This　may　serve　for　a　specimen　of　the　early　goodness　and　love　of　justice　that　was　part　of　Demetrius's　natural　character。　　　But　as　in　the　elements　of　the　world；　Empedocles　tells　us；　out　of　liking　and　dislike；　there　springs　up　contention　and　warfare；　and　all　the　more；　the　closer　the　contact；　or　the　nearer　the　approach　of　the　objects；　even　so　the　perpetual　hostilities　among　the　successors　of　Alexander　were　aggravated　and　inflamed；　in　particular　cases；　by　juxtaposition　of　interests　and　of　territories；　as；　for　example；　in　the　case　of　Antigonus　and　Ptolemy。　News　came　to　Antigonus　that　Ptolemy　had　crossed　from　Cyprus　and　invaded　Syria；　and　was　ravaging　the　country　and　reducing　the　cities。　Remaining；　therefore；　himself　in　Phrygia；　he　sent　Demetrius；　now　twenty…two　years　old；　to　make　his　first　essay　as　sole　commander　in　an　important　charge。　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　t