第 3 节
作者:连过十一人      更新:2022-08-21 16:31      字数:9322
  which you excel (your tongues); and not by war; in which you are
  inferior。〃 Once when he was addressing them; and they would not hear
  him or let him go on; said he; 〃You may compel me to act against my
  wishes; but you shall never force me to speak against my judgment。〃
  Among the many public speakers who opposed him; Demosthenes; for
  example; once told him; 〃The Athenians; Phocion; will kill you some
  day when they once are in a rage。〃 〃And you;〃 said he; 〃if they once
  are in their senses。〃 Polyeuctus; the Sphettian; once on a hot day was
  urging war with Philip; and being a corpulent man; and out of breath
  and in a great heat with speaking; took numerous draughts of water
  as he went on。 〃Here; indeed;〃 said Phocion; 〃is a fit man to lead
  us into a war! What think you he will do when he is carrying his
  corselet and his shield to meet the enemy; if even here; delivering
  a prepared speech to you; has almost killed him with exhaustion?〃 When
  Lycurgus in the assembly made many reflections on his past conduct;
  upbraiding him above all for having advised them to deliver up the ten
  citizens whom Alexander had demanded; he replied that he had been
  the author of much safe and wholesome counsel; which had not been
  followed。
  There was a man called Archibiades; nicknamed the Lacedaemonian; who
  used to go about with a huge; over…grown beard; wearing an old
  threadbare cloak; and affecting a very stern countenance。 Phocion
  once; when attacked in council by the rest; appealed to this man for
  his support and testimony。 And when he got up and began to speak on
  the popular side; putting his hand to his beard; 〃O Archibiades;〃 said
  he; 〃it is time you should shave。〃 Aristogiton; a common accuser;
  was a terrible man of war within the assembly; always inflaming the
  people to battle; but when the muster…roll came to be produced; he
  appeared limping on a crutch; with a bandage on his leg; Phocion
  descried him afar off; coming in; and cried out to the clerk; 〃Put
  down Aristogiton; too; as lame and worthless。〃
  So that it is a little wonderful; how a man so severe and harsh upon
  all occasions should; notwithstanding; obtain the name of the Good。
  Yet; though difficult; it is not; I suppose; impossible for men's
  tempers; any more than for wines; to be at the same time harsh and
  agreeable to the taste; just as on the other hand many that are
  sweet at the first taste are found; on further use; extremely
  disagreeable and unwholesome。 Hyperides; we are told; once said to the
  people; 〃Do not ask yourselves; men of Athens; whether or not I am
  bitter; but whether or not I am paid for being so;〃 as though a
  covetous purpose were the only thing that should make a harsh temper
  insupportable; and as if men might not even more justly render
  themselves obnoxious to popular dislike and censure; by using their
  power and influence in the indulgence of their own private passions of
  pride and jealousy; anger and animosity。 Phocion never allowed himself
  from any feeling of personal hostility to do hurt to any
  fellow…citizen; nor; indeed; reputed any man his enemy; except so
  far as he could not but contend sharply with such as opposed the
  measures he urged for the public good; in which argument he was;
  indeed; a rude; obstinate; and uncompromising adversary。 For his
  general conversation; it was easy; courteous; and obliging to all;
  to that point that he would befriend his very opponents in their
  distress; and espouse the cause of those who differed most from him;
  when they needed his patronage。 His friends reproaching him for
  pleading in behalf of a man of indifferent character; he told them the
  innocent had no need of an advocate。 Aristogiton; the sycophant;
  whom we mentioned before; having; after sentence passed upon him; sent
  earnestly to Phocion to speak with him in the prison; his friends
  dissuaded him from going; 〃Nay; by your favour;〃 said he; 〃where
  should I rather choose to pay Aristogiton a visit?〃
  As for the allies of the Athenians; and the islanders; whenever
  any admiral besides Phocion was sent; they treated him as an enemy
  suspect; barricaded their gates; blocked up their havens; brought in
  from the country their cattle; slaves; wives; and children; and put
  them in garrison; but upon Phocion's arrival; they went out to welcome
  him in their private boats and barges; with streamers and garlands;
  and received him at landing with every demonstration of joy and
  pleasure。
  When King Philip was effecting his entry into Euboea; and was
  bringing over troops from Macedonia; and making himself master of
  the cities; by means of the tyrants who ruled in them; Plutarch of
  Eretria sent to request aid of the Athenians for the relief of the
  island; which was in imminent danger of falling wholly into the
  hands of the Macedonians。 Phocion was sent thither with a handful of
  men in comparison; in expectation that the Euboeans themselves would
  flock in and join him。 But when he came; he found all things in
  confusion; the country all betrayed; the whole ground; as it were;
  undermined under his feet; by the secret pensioners of King Philip; so
  that he was in the greatest risk imaginable。 To secure himself as
  far as he could; he seized a small rising ground; which was divided
  from the level plains about Tamynae by a deep watercourse; and here he
  enclosed and fortified the choicest of his army。 As for the idle
  talkers and disorderly bad citizens who ran off from his camp and made
  their way back; he bade his officers not regard them; since here
  they would have been not only useless and ungovernable themselves; but
  an actual hindrance to the rest: and further; being conscious to
  themselves of the neglect of their duty; they would be less ready to
  misrepresent the action; or raise a cry against them at their return
  home。 When the enemy drew nigh; he bade his men stand to their arms;
  until he had finished the sacrifice; in which he spent a
  considerable time; either by some difficulty of the thing itself; or
  on purpose to invite the enemy nearer。 Plutarch; interpreting this
  tardiness as a failure in his courage; fell on alone with the
  mercenaries; which the cavalry perceiving; could not be contained; but
  issuing also out of the camp; confusedly and in disorder; spurred up
  to the enemy。 The first who came up were defeated; the rest were put
  to the rout。 Plutarch himself took to flight; and a body of the
  enemy advanced in the hope of carrying the camp; supposing
  themselves to have secured the victory。 But by this time; the
  sacrifice being over; the Athenians within the camp came forward;
  and falling upon them put them to flight; and killed the greater
  number as they fled among the intrenchments; while Phocion; ordering
  his infantry to keep on the watch and rally those who came in from the
  previous flight; himself; with a body of his best men; engaged the
  enemy in a sharp and bloody fight; in which all of them behaved with
  signal courage and gallantry。 Thallus; the son of Cineas; and
  Glaucus of Polymedes; who fought near the general; gained the
  honours of the day。 Cleophanes; also; did good service in the
  battle。 Recovering the cavalry from its defeat; and with his shouts
  and encouragement bringing them up to succour the general; who was
  in danger; he confirmed the victory obtained by the infantry。
  Phocion now expelled Plutarch from Eretria; and possessed himself of
  the very important fort of Zaretra; situated where the island is
  pinched in; as it were; by the seas on each side; and its breadth most
  reduced to a narrow girth。 He released all the Greeks whom he took;
  out of fear of the public speakers at Athens; thinking they might very
  likely persuade the people in their anger into committing some act
  of cruelty。
  This affair thus despatched and settled; Phocion set sail homewards;
  and the allies had soon as good reason to regret the loss of his
  just and humane dealing as the Athenians that of his experience and
  courage。 Molossus; the commander who took his place; had no better
  success than to fall alive into the enemy's hands。
  Philip; full of great thoughts and designs; now advanced with all
  his forces into the Hellespont; to seize the Chersonesus and
  Perinthus; and after them Byzantium。 The Athenians raised a force to
  relieve them; but the popular leaders made it their business to prefer
  Chares to be general; who; sailing thither; effected nothing worthy of
  the means placed in his hands。 The cities were afraid; and would not
  receive his ships into their harbours; so that he did nothing but
  wander about; raising money from their friends; and despised by
  their enemies。 When the people; chafed by the orators; were
  extremely indignant; and repented having ever sent any help to the
  Byzantines; Phocion rose and told them they ought not to be angry with
  the allies for distrusting; but with their generals for being
  distrusted。 〃They make you suspected;〃 he said; 〃even by those who
  cannot possibly subsist without your succour。〃 The assembly being
  moved with this speech of his; changed their minds on the sudden;
  and commanded him immediately to raise another force; and go himself
  to assist their confederates in the Hellespont; an appointment
  which; in effect; contribute