Persians are excessively jealous about their women; indeed, not only all
who approach and speak to one of the king's concubines, but even any one
who drives past or crosses their litters on the high road, is punished
with death. Yet, Artaxerxes, through sheer passion, had made Atossa his
wife, and kept three hundred most beautiful concubines. However, when
Darius made this request, he replied that Aspasia was a free woman, and
said that if she was willing he might take her, but that he would not
force her to go against her will. When she was sent for, as she,
contrary to the king's expectation, chose to go to Darius, the king let
her go, for the law compelled him to do so, but he soon afterwards took
her away from him again: for he appointed her priestess of the temple
of Artemis, called Anäitis, at Ekbatana, in order that she might spend
the rest of her life in chastity. This he considered to be not a harsh,
but rather a playful way of reproving his son; but Darius was much
enraged at it, either because he was so deeply enamoured of Aspasia, or
because he thought that he was being wantonly insulted by his father.
Teribazus, perceiving his anger, confirmed him in it, because he saw in
the treatment which Darius had received the counterpart of that which
had befallen himself. The king, who had several daughters, promised
Apama to Pharnabazus, Rhodogoune to Orontes, and Amestris to Teribazus.
He kept his word with the two former, but broke it to Teribazus by
marrying Amestris himself, and betrothing his youngest daughter Atossa
to him in her stead. When, as has been related, he fell in love with her
also and married her, Teribazus became bitterly enraged against him,
being of an unstable and fickle disposition, without any steady
principles. For this reason he never could bear either bad or good
fortune, but at one time he was honoured as one of the greatest men in
the kingdom, and then swaggered insufferably, while when he was
disgraced and reduced to poverty he could not bear his reverse of
fortune with a good grace, but became insolent and offensive.
XXVIII. It may be imagined that the company of Teribazus was to Darius
as fuel to fire, for Teribazus was constantly repeating to him that it
was of no use for him to wear his tiara upright if he did not mean to
advance his own interests, and that he was a fool if he imagined that he
could inherit the crown without a struggle when his brother was bringing
female influence to bear to secure his own succession, and when his
father was in such a vacillating and uncertain frame of mind. He who
could break the laws of the Persians--which may not be broken--out of his
passion for a Greek girl, cannot be urged, be trusted, to keep the most
important engagements. It was, moreover, a very different thing for
Ochus not to obtain the crown, and for him to be deprived of it, for
there was no reason why Ochus should not live happily in a private
station, whereas he, having been appointed heir to the throne, must
either become king or perish.
Generally speaking, perhaps we may say with Sophocles, "Swift runneth
evil counsel to its goal," for men find the path smooth and easy towards
what they desire, and most men desire what is wrong, because of their
ignorance and low mindedness. Yet, besides all these considerations, the
greatness of the empire, and the fear with which Ochus inspired Darius,
also afforded arguments to Teribazus. Nor was the goddess of Love
entirely blameless in the matter, for Darius was already incensed at the
loss of Aspasia.
XXIX. He, therefore, placed himself entirely in the hands of Teribazus;
and many joined in their conspiracy. But the plot was betrayed to the
king by a eunuch, who had a perfect knowledge of their plans, and knew
that they had determined to break into the king's chamber by night and
murder him in his bed. When Artaxerxes heard this he was perplexed; for
he felt that it would be wrong for him to neglect the information which
he had received of so great a danger, and yet that it would be even
worse to believe the eunuch's story without any proofs of its truth. He
therefore ordered the eunuch to join the conspirators, and to enter his
chamber with them. Meanwhile he had a door made in the wall behind his
bed, and concealed it with tapestry. When the appointed time arrived, of
which he was warned by the eunuch, he lay upon his bed, and did not rise
before he had seen the faces of the conspirators and clearly recognised
each of them. But when he saw them draw their daggers and rush upon him,
he quickly raised the tapestry, passed into the inner room, and slammed
the door, crying aloud for help. The would-be murderers, having been
seen by the king, but having effected nothing, rushed away through the
gates of the palace, and especially warned Teribazus to fly, as he had
been distinctly seen. The others dispersed and escaped, but Teribazus
was surrounded, and after killing many of the king's body guard with his
own hand was at last despatched by a javelin hurled from a distance.
Darius and his children were brought before a court formed of the royal
judges, who were appointed by the king to try him. As the king himself
did not appear but impeached him by proxy, he ordered clerks to write
down the decision of each judge and to bring it to him. As all decided
alike, and sentenced Darius to death, the officers of the court removed
him into a prison hard by. The executioner now came, bearing in his hand
the razor, with which the heads of criminals are cut off, but when he
saw Darius he was dismayed, and ran back to the door with his face
averted, declaring that he could not and dared not lay hands upon his
king. As, however, he was met outside by the judges, who threatened him
and ordered him to do his duty, he returned, took hold of Darius's hair
with his left hand, dragged down his head, and severed his neck with the
razor. Some historians state that the king himself was present at the
trial, and that Darius, when proved guilty, fell on his face and begged
for mercy: at which the king sprung up in anger, drew his dagger, and
stabbed him mortally. They add that Artaxerxes, after he had returned to
his palace, came forward publicly, did obeisance to the sun, and then
said aloud, "Men of Persia, be of good cheer, and go, tell the rest of
my subjects that the great Oromasdes has executed judgment upon those
who formed a wicked and treasonable plot."
XXX. This was the end of the conspiracy; and now Ochus was encouraged by
Atossa to form high hopes, though he still feared his remaining
legitimate brother Ariaspes, and his natural brother Arsames. The
Persians wished Ariaspes to be their king, not because he was older than
Ochus, but because he was of a gentle and kind disposition; while Ochus
observed that Arsames was of a keen intellect, and was especially
beloved by his father. He, therefore, plotted against both of them, and
as he was by nature both crafty and cruel, he indulged his cruelty in
his treatment of Arsames, while he made use of his cunning to ruin
Ariaspes. He kept sending to this latter eunuchs and friends of the
king, who, with an affection of secrecy, continually told him frightful
tales of how his father had determined to put him to death with every
circumstance of cruelty and insult. These messengers, by daily
communicating these fabrications to him, saying that the king was on the
very eve of carrying them into operation, threw the unhappy man into
such a terrible state of despair and excitement of mind that he ended
his life by poison. The king, on hearing of the manner of his death,
lamented for him, and had some suspicions about how he came by his end;
but as he was unable to verify them and discover the truth, on account
of his great age, he attached himself all the more warmly to Arsames, so
that he was well known to trust and confide in him above all others.
Yet, Ochus was not discouraged by this, but finding a suitable
instrument in Arpates the son of Teribazus, induced him to assassinate
Arsames. Artaxerxes, when this happened, was so old that his life hung
by a mere thread; and when this last blow fell, he could bear up no
longer, but sunk at once through grief and misery. He lived ninety-four
years, and reigned sixty-two, and was thought to be a mild prince, and a
lover of his subjects, though this was chiefly because of his successor,
Ochus, who was the most savage and cruel tyrant that ever ruled in
Persia.
LIFE OF ARATUS.
I. It seems to me, my Polykrates, that it was in order to avoid the
ill-omened sound of the old proverb, that the philosopher Chrysippus
altered it into what he thought a better version:
"Who vaunt their fathers, save the best of sons?"
but Dionysodorus of Troezene proves him to be wrong, and restores the
proverb to its original form:
"Who vaunt their fathers, save the worst of sons?"
and explains that the proverb was intended to apply to those who are
utterly worthless in themselves, but who shelter their own evil lives
behind the virtues of their ancestors, and who pride themselves on their
ancestors' glory as though it were their own. Yet, in one who, like
yourself, "by birth inherits glory from a noble race," as Pindar has it,
and who, as you do, imitates in his own life the noblest examples of his
ancestry, may well take pleasure in discoursing upon the lives of
well-born men, and in listening to the remarks of others about them.
They do not depend for praise upon the lives of other men, because there
is nothing to be admired in themselves, but they combine the glory of
their ancestors with their own, and honour them both as having founded
their families and as having set examples to be imitated. For this
reason I have sent to you the life of Aratus, which I have compiled, not
that I was not aware that you had carefully studied all his achievements
and were well acquainted with them, but with the hope that your sons,
Polykrates and Pythokles, might be brought up to imitate the glorious
example of their forefathers, and might learn to walk in their footsteps
by reading and discussing the history of their exploits. Indeed, to
imagine that one has already arrived at perfection, argues self-conceit
rather than true greatness of character.
II. The city of Sikyon, as soon as it lost its original oligarchic
Dorian constitution, became distracted by internal faction, and at last
fell into the hands of a series of despotic rulers. After the last of
these, named Kleon, had been put to death, the citizens placed the
government in the hands of Timokleides and Kleinias, two of their most
honourable and influential men. But as soon as a settled form of
government began to be established, Timokleides died, and Abantidas, the
son of Paseas, in order to obtain the supreme power for himself,
assassinated Kleinias, and either banished or put to death all his
relatives and friends. He endeavoured to kill Kleinias's son, Aratus,
who was left an orphan at the age of seven; however, during the
confusion which prevailed in the house, the child wandered out into the
city, and, terrified and helpless, made his way unnoticed into the house
of Soso, Abantidas's sister, whose husband was Prophantus, the brother
of Kleinias. She was naturally a high-souled lady, and thought also that
the child must have been directed by heaven to take refuge in her house.
She hid him from his enemies, and that night sent him away to Argos.
III. This adventurous escape from so terrible a danger produced in the
mind of Aratus the fiercest hatred of all despots. He was brought up by
his father's friends at Argos in a manner becoming his birth, and as he
grew up tall and strong, he devoted himself to gymnastic exercises in
the palæstra, and even gained a crown for success in the pentathlum. We
can trace the effects of this training in his statues, which represent
an intellectual and commanding countenance, and also the effects of the
liberal diet and work[586] with the spade practised by the professional
athlete. For this reason he paid less attention to oratory than became a
public man; yet he was a better speaker than some suppose, which is
proved by the study of his hastily and plainly-written memoirs.
As time went on, Deinias and Aristotle the logician formed a plot
against Abantidas, who was accustomed to come and spend his leisure time
in the open market-place with them, listening to their discourse and
arguing with them. They drew him into a discussion and assassinated him.
He was succeeded by his father, Paseas, who was soon treacherously slain
by Nikokles, who now declared himself despot of Sikyon. We are told that
this man was singularly like Periander, the son of Kypselus, just as the
Persian Orontes bore a striking resemblance to Alkmæon, the son of
Amphiaraus, and a certain young Spartan so closely resembled Hector,
that he was trampled to death by the multitudes who came to see him and
satisfy their curiosity.
IV. Nikokles reigned four months, during which time he did the city much
hurt, and very nearly lost it to the Ætolians, who had formed a plot to
surprise it. Aratus was now nearly grown up, and possessed great
influence, both on account of his noble birth, and because he was
already well known to be possessed of an enterprising spirit, combined
with a prudence beyond his years. In consequence of this, all the other
Sikyonian exiles looked upon him as their leader, and Nikokles himself
regarded him with apprehension, and quietly took precautions against
him, never supposing that he would attempt so audacious an enterprise as
he did, but thinking he would probably make overtures to some of the
successors of Alexander, who had been guests[587] and friends of his
father. Indeed, Aratus did attempt to obtain assistance from some of
them; but since Antigonus, though he promised his aid, temporised and
hesitated to act, and his hopes from Egypt and Ptolemy were too remote,
he determined to overthrow the despot alone.
V. The first persons to whom he communicated his design were
Aristomachus and Ekdelus, of whom the former was an exile from Sikyon,
while Ekdelus was an Arcadian of Megalopolis, a man of culture as well
as of action, who had been an intimate friend of Arkesilaus, the
Academic philosopher at Athens. As both these men readily accepted his
proposals, Aratus began to discuss the project with the other exiles.
Some few felt ashamed to abandon all hope of restoration to their
country, and joined Aratus, but most of them tried to hinder him from
making the attempt, alleging that his daring was the result of
inexperience. While Aratus was meditating whether he could not seize
some strong place within the territory of Sikyon, and make it the base
of his operations against the despot, there came to Argos a certain
Sikyonian who had escaped from prison. This man was the brother of
Xenokles, one of the exiles; and when brought to Aratus by his brother,
told him that the city wall, at the place where he himself climbed over
it and made his escape, was very nearly level with the ground on the
inside, as it was built up against high and rocky ground, while on the
outside it was not so high as to be beyond the reach of scaling-ladders.
Aratus, when he heard this, sent Xenokles with two of his own servants,
named Seuthas and Technon, to reconnoitre the spot, for he was
determined, if possible, to risk everything by one sudden and secret
assault, rather than openly to engage in what might prove a long and
tedious war, waged, as it would be by a private man against the despotic
ruler of a state. Xenokles, on his return, reported that he had measured
the height of the walls, and that the ground presented no difficulties
for their attempt, but he said that it would be difficult to reach the
place unobserved, because of the dogs of a gardener who dwelt near,
which, though small, were peculiarly ferocious and savage. Upon hearing
this, Aratus at once began to prepare for the attempt.
VI. The use of arms was, at that period, familiar to all men, because of
the constant marauding incursions which each state continually made upon
the territory of its neighbours. The scaling-ladders were made openly by
Euphranor the carpenter, one of the exiles, whose trade enabled him to
construct them without exciting suspicion.
The Argive friends of Aratus each contributed ten men from their own
households; while he himself was able to arm thirty slaves of his own.
He also hired from Xenokrilus, the well-known captain of robbers, a
small band of soldiers, who were told that the object of the incursion
into the Sikyonian territory was to carry off some horses belonging to
King Antigonus. Most of the band were ordered to make their way in
scattered parties to the tower of Polygnotus, and there to wait for
their leaders. Kaphisias, in light marching order, with four others, was
sent on in advance, with instructions to present himself at the house of
the gardener about nightfall. Under the pretext of being wayfaring men
seeking for hospitality, they were to obtain lodgings there for the
night, and secure both the man and his dogs, for unless this was done it
would be impossible to reach the walls. The scaling-ladders, which were
made to take to pieces, were packed in chests, covered over, and sent
forward in waggons. Meanwhile, as several spies sent by Nikokles had
appeared in Argos, who were said to be quietly watching the movements of
Aratus, he rose at daybreak, and spent the day in the open market-place,
conversing with his friends. Towards evening he anointed himself in the
palæstra, and then went home, taking with him several of the companions
with whom he was accustomed to drink and amuse himself. Soon after this
his servants were seen crossing the market-place, one carrying garlands,
another buying torches, and another bargaining with the female musicians
who were wont to attend at banquets. The spies, seeing all these
preparations, were deceived and laughingly said to one another, "Surely
there is nothing more cowardly than a tyrant, if Nikokles, with such a
city and armed force at his disposal, really fears this youth, who
wastes the income on which he has to subsist in exile, on amusements and
on wine parties before it is even dark."
VII. Thus the spies were thrown off their guard; but Aratus, immediately
after supper, sallied forth, met his men at the tower of Polygnotus, and
led them to Nemea where he explained, to most of them for the first
time, what he was about to attempt. After promising them rewards in case
of success, and addressing to them a few words of encouragement, he gave
Propitious Apollo as the watchword, and proceeded towards the city,
regulating his march according to the moon, so that he was able to make
use of its light to march by, and when it was setting arrived at the
garden outside the walls. Here Kaphisias met him, with the news that he
had not been able to secure the dogs, which had run away, but that he
had locked up the gardener in his house. On hearing this most of the
conspirators became disheartened, and demanded to be led back again; but
Aratus pacified them by promising that, if the dogs attacked them and
gave the alarm, he would give up the attempt. He now sent forward a
party with the scaling-ladders, under the command of Ekdelus and
Mnesitheus, and himself proceeded at a leisurely pace. The dogs at once
set upon the party under Ekdelus, and kept up a continuous barking;
nevertheless they reached the wall and placed the ladders against it
undisturbed. While the foremost were mounting, the officer who was being
relieved by the morning guard passed that way carrying a bell, and there
was a great flashing of lights and trampling of marching soldiers. The
conspirators remained where they were, crouching upon their ladders, and
without difficulty escaped the notice of this patrol, but they were
terribly near being discovered by a second body of guards marching in
the opposite direction. As soon as this also had passed by without
noticing them, the leaders, Mnesitheus and Ekdelus, at once mounted upon
the walls, secured the passage along the walls both on the right and on
the left, and despatched Technon to Aratus, bidding him hasten to the
spot.
VIII. At no great distance from the garden there stood a tower upon the
walls, in which a great hound was kept for a watch. This hound had not
noticed the approach of the escalading party, either because he was dull
of hearing, or because he was tired with exercise the day before. When,
however, the gardener's little dogs roused him by their clamour at the
foot of the wall, he at first set up a low growling, and then, as the
party drew nearer, began to bark furiously. He made so much noise that
the sentry on the next tower called out in a loud voice to the huntsman
in charge of the dog, asking him at what the hound was barking so
savagely, and whether anything was wrong. The huntsman replied from his
tower that all was well, only that the hound had been disturbed by the
lights of the patrol and the sound of their bell. This gave great
encouragement to Aratus's party, who imagined that the huntsman spoke
thus because he had seen them and wished to screen them from observation
and assist their plot, and that many others in the city might be willing
to do the same. Yet, the scaling of the walls was a long and dangerous
operation, as the ladders were too weak to bear the weight of more than
one man mounting slowly at a time, yet time pressed, for the cocks had
already begun to crow, and soon the country people might be expected to
arrive, bringing their wares to market. So, now, Aratus, himself hastily
mounted, after forty of his men had reached the top, and while the
remainder were still mounting, he marched straight to the despot's
house, and the guard-room in which his mercenary troops passed the
night. By a sudden assault he took them all prisoners without killing
one of them, and at once sent messengers to summon his own friends from
their houses. Day was breaking while they assembled, and soon the
theatre was filled with an excited crowd without any distinct idea of
what was happening, until a herald came forward and announced to the
people that Aratus, the son of Kleinias, invited his fellow-citizens to
regain their liberty.
IX. The people now, at last, believed that their long-looked-for
deliverers had indeed come, and rushed in a body to set fire to the
despot's house. The burning house made such a prodigious blaze that it
was seen as far as Corinth, where the citizens were so much astonished,
that they were within a little of setting out to rescue Sikyon from the
flames. Nikokles himself escaped by a subterranean passage, and got
clear away from the city, and his soldiers, with the assistance of the
citizens, put out the fire and plundered his house. Aratus did not
attempt to stop this proceeding, and distributed the remainder of the
despot's treasure among the citizens. No one was killed or wounded,
either of the attacking or defending party, but by good fortune this
great exploit was accomplished without spilling a drop of blood. Aratus
now restored the citizens whom Nikokles had banished, who were eighty in
number, and also those who had been driven into exile by his
predecessors, who amounted to no less than five hundred. These latter
had been forced to wander from place to place for a period of nearly
fifty years. They now returned, very poor for the most part, and at once
laid claim to the property which had once been theirs. Their attempts to
gain possession of their houses and lands caused the greatest
disquietude to Aratus, who saw the city plotted against from without,
and viewed with dislike by Antigonus on account of its free
constitution, while within it was full of faction and disturbance. Under
these circumstances he did what he thought was best, by making the city
a member of the Achæan league: and the people of Sikyon, Dorians as they
were, willingly adopted the name and entered into the confederacy of the
Achæans, who at that time were neither famous nor powerful. Most of them
dwelt in small towns, and their territory was both confined and
unproductive, while the sea-shore, near which they lived, was without
harbours, and for the most part exposed to a terrible surf. Yet these
men, more than any others, proved that Greeks are invincible wherever
they are collected into regularly organised communities, and with a
capable general to lead them. They were but an insignificant fraction of
the mighty Greece of former times, and had not altogether the strength
of one single considerable city; yet, by wise counsel and agreement
among themselves, and by following and obeying their greatest man,
instead of being jealous of his power, they not only preserved their own
liberties, although surrounded by so many powerful cities and despots,
but were constantly able to assist the rest of the Greeks in recovering
and defending their freedom.