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！
Agesilaus
by Xenophon
Translation by H。 G。 Dakyns
Dedicated To
Rev。 B。 Jowett； M。A。
Master of Balliol College
Regius Professor of Greek in the University of Oxford
Xenophon the Athenian was born 431 B。C。 He was a
pupil of Socrates。 He marched with the Spartans；
and was exiled from Athens。 Sparta gave him land
and property in Scillus； where he lived for many
years before having to move once more； to settle
in Corinth。 He died in 354 B。C。
The Agesilaus summarises the life of his Spartan
friend and king； whom he met after the events of
the Anabasis。
AGESILAUS
An Encomium
The date of Agesilaus's death is uncertain360 B。C。 （Grote；
〃H。 G。〃 ix。 336）； 358 B。C。 （Curt。 iv。 196； Eng。 tr。）
I
To write the praises of Agesilaus in language equalling his virtue and
renown is； I know； no easy task； yet must it be essayed； since it were
but an ill requital of pre…eminence； that； on the ground of his
perfection； a good man should forfeit the tribute even of imperfect
praise。
As touching； therefore； the excellency of his birth； what weightier；
what nobler testimony can be adduced than this one fact？ To the
commemorative list of famous ancestry is added to…day the name＇1＇
Agesilaus as holding this or that numerical descent from Heracles； and
these ancestors no private persons； but kings sprung from the loins of
kings。 Nor is it open to the gainsayer to contend that they were kings
indeed but of some chance city。 Not so； but even as their family holds
highest honour in their fatherland； so too is their city the most
glorious in Hellas； whereby they hold； not primacy over the second
best； but among leaders they have leadership。
＇1＇ Or； 〃even to…day； in the proud bead…roll of his ancestry he stands
commemorated； in numerical descent from Heracles。〃
And herein it is open to us to praise both his fatherland and his
family。 It is notable that never throughout these ages has Lacedaemon；
out of envy of the privilege accorded to her kings； tried to dissolve
their rule； nor ever yet throughout these ages have her kings strained
after greater powers than those which limited their heritage of
kingship from the first。 Wherefore； while all other forms of
government； democracies and oligarchies； tyrannies and monarchies；
alike have failed to maintain their continuity unbroken； here； as the
sole exception； endures indissolubly their kingship。＇2＇
＇2＇ See 〃Cyrop。〃 I。 i。 1。
And next in token of an aptitude for kingship seen in Agesilaus；
before even he entered upon office； I note these signs。 On the death
of Agis； king of Lacedaemon； there were rival claimants to the throne。
Leotychides claimed the succession as being the son of Agis； and
Agesilaus as the son of Archidamus。 But the verdict of Lacedaemon
favoured Agesilaus as being in point of family and virtue
unimpeachable；＇3＇ and so they set him on the throne。 And yet； in this
princeliest of cities so to be selected by the noblest citizens as
worthy of highest privilege； argues； methinks conclusively； an
excellence forerunning exercise of rule。＇4＇
＇3＇ For this matter see 〃Hell。〃 III。 iii。 1…6； V。 iv。 13； Plut。
〃Ages。〃 iii。 3 （Cloigh； iv。 3 foll。）； Paus。 iii。 3。
＇4＇ See Aristides （〃Rhet。〃 776）； who quotes the passage for its
measured cadence。
And so I pass on at once to narrate the chief achievements of his
reign； since by the light of deeds the character of him who wrought
them will； if I mistake not； best shine forth。
Agesilaus was still a youth＇5＇ when he obtained the kingdom； and he
was still but a novice in his office when the news came that the king
of Persia was collecting a mighty armament by sea and land for the
invasion of Hellas。 The Lacedaemonians and their allies sat debating
these matters； when Agesilaus undertook to cross over into Asia。 He
only asked for thirty Spartans and two thousand New Citizens；＇6＇
besides a contingent of the allies six thousand strong； with these he
would cross over into Asia and endeavour to effect a peace； or； if the
barbarian preferred war； he would leave him little leisure to invade
Hellas。
＇5＇ B。C。 399； according to Plut。 （〃Ages。〃 ad fin。） he was forty…three；
and therefore still 〃not old。〃 See 〃Hell。〃 III。 iv。 1 for the
startling news； B。C。 396。
＇6＇ For the class of Neodamodes； see Arnold's note to Thuc。 v。 34
（Jowett； 〃Thuc。〃 ii。 307）； also Thuc。 vii。 58； 〃Hell。〃 I。 iii。 15。
The proposal was welcomed with enthusiasm on the part of many。 They
could not but admire the eagerness of their king to retaliate upon the
Persian for his former invasions of Hellas by counter…invasion on his
own soil。 They liked the preference also which he showed for attacking
rather than awaiting his enemy's attack； and his intention to carry on
the war at the expense of Persia rather than that of Hellas； but it
was the perfection of policy； they felt； so to change the arena of
battle； with Asia as the prize of victory instead of Hellas。 If we
pass on to the moment when he had received his army and set sail； I
can conceive no clearer exposition of his generalship than the bare
narration of his exploits。
The scene is Asia； and this his first achievement。 Tissaphernes had
sworn an oath to Agesilaus on this wise： if Agesilaus would grant him
an armistice until the return of certain ambassadors whom he would
send to the king； he （Tissaphernes） would do his utmost to procure the
independence of the Hellenic cities in Asia。 And Agesilaus took a
counter oath： without fraud or covin to observe the armistice during
the three months＇7＇ necessary to that transaction。 But the compact was
scarcely made when Tissaphernes gave the lie to the solemn undertaking
he had sworn to。 So far from effecting peace； he begged the King to
send him a large armament in addition to that which he already had。 As
to Agesilaus； though he was well aware of these proceedings； he
adhered loyally to the armistice。
＇7＇ See Grote； 〃H。 G。〃 x。 359； 〃Hell。〃 III。 iv。 5。
And for myself； I look upon this as the first glorious achievement of
the Spartan。 By displaying the perjury of Tissaphernes he robbed him
of his credit with all the world； by the exhibition of himself in
contrast as a man who ratified his oath and would not gainsay an
article of his agreement； he gave all me