a smaller history of greece-第16部分

快捷操作: 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! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！

ted　by　fatigue　and　wounds；　this　noble　band　retired　within　the　pass；　and　seated　themselves　on　a　hillock。　　Meanwhile　the　Persian　detachment；　which　had　been　sent　across　the　mountains；　began　to　enter　the　pass　from　the　south。　　The　Spartan　heroes　were　now　surrounded　on　every　side；　overwhelmed　with　a　shower　of　missiles；　and　killed　to　a　man。

On　the　hillock；　where　the　Greeks　made　their　last　stand；　a　marble　lion　was　set　up　in　honour　of　Leonidas。　　Another　monument；　erected　near　the　spot；　contained　the　memorable　inscription：

　　〃Go；　tell　the　Spartans；　thou　that　passest　by；　　　That　here　obedient　to　their　laws　we　lie。〃

While　Leonidas　had　been　fighting　at　Thermopylae；　the　Greek　fleet　had　also　been　engaged　with　the　Persians　at　Artemisium。　　The　Persian　fleet　set　sail　from　the　gulf　of　Therma；　and　arrived　in　one　day　at　almost　the　southern　corner　of　Magnesia。　　In　this　position　they　were　overtaken　by　a　sudden　hurricane；　which　blew　upon　the　shore　with　irresistible　fury。　　For　three　days　and　three　nights　the　tempest　raged　without　intermission；　and　when　calm　at　length　returned；　the　shore　was　seen　strewed　for　many　miles　with　wrecks　and　corpses。　　At　least　four　hundred　ships　of　war　were　destroyed；　together　with　a　countless　number　of　transports；　stores；　and　treasures。　　The　Greek　fleet　had　been　seized　with　a　panic　terror　at　the　approach　of　the　Persians；　and　retreated　to　Chalcis　in　the　narrowest　part　of　the　Euboean　straits；　but　upon　hearing　of　the　disaster　of　the　Persian　fleet；　they　took　courage；　and　sailed　back　with　the　utmost　speed　to　their　former　station　at　Artemisium。　　Being　now　encouraged　to　attack　the　enemy；　they　gained　some　success。　　On　the　following　night　another　terrific　storm　burst　upon　the　Persians。　　All　night　long　it　blew　upon　the　Thessalian　coast　at　Aphetae；　where　the　Persian　ships　were　stationed；　thus　causing　little　inconvenience　to　the　Greeks　upon　the　opposite　shore。　　Notwithstanding　these　losses；　the　Persian　fleet　still　had　a　vast　superiority　of　numbers；　and　determined　to　offer　battle　to　the　Greeks。　　Quitting　the　Thessalian　coast；　they　sailed　towards　Artemisium　in　the　form　of　a　crescent。　　The　Greeks　kept　near　the　shore；　to　prevent　the　Persians　from　bringing　their　whole　fleet　into　action。　　The　battle　raged　furiously　the　whole　day；　and　each　side　fought　with　determined　valour。　　Both　parties　suffered　severely；　and　though　the　Persians　lost　a　greater　number　of　ships　and　men；　yet　so　many　of　the　Greek　vessels　were　disabled　that　they　found　it　would　be　impossible　to　renew　the　combat。　Under　these　circumstances　the　Greek　commanders　saw　that　it　would　be　necessary　to　retreat；　and　their　determination　was　hastened　by　the　news　which　they　now　received；　that　Leonidas　and　his　companions　had　fallen；　and　that　Xerxes　was　master　of　the　pass　of　Thermopylae。　　Having　sailed　through　the　Euboean　strait；　the　fleet　doubled　the　promontory　of　Sunium；　and　did　not　stop　till　it　reached　the　island　of　Salamis。

Meanwhile　the　Peloponnesians　had　abandoned　Attica　and　the　adjoining　states　to　their　fate；　whilst　they　strained　every　nerve　to　secure　themselves　by　fortifying　the　isthmus　of　Corinth。　　The　Athenians；　relying　upon　the　march　of　a　Peloponnesian　army　into　Boeotia；　had　taken　no　measures　for　the　security　of　their　families　and　property；　and　beheld　with　terror　and　dismay　the　barbarian　host　in　full　march　towards　their　city。　　In　six　days　it　was　calculated　Xerxes　would　be　at　Athensa　short　space　to　remove　the　population　of　a　whole　city：　　but　fear　and　necessity　work　wonders。　Before　the　six　days　had　elapsed；　all　who　were　willing　to　abandon　their　homes　had　been　safely　transported；　some　to　AEgina；　and　others　to　Troezen　in　Peloponnesus；　but　many　could　not　be　induced　to　proceed　farther　than　Salamis。　　It　was　necessary　for　Themistocles　to　use　all　his　art　and　all　his　eloquence　on　this　occasion。　　The　oracle　at　Delphi　had　told　the　Athenians　that　〃the　divine　Salamis　would　make　women　childless；〃yet；　〃when　all　was　lost；　a　wooden　wall　should　still　shelter　the　Athenians。〃　Themistocles　told　his　countrymen　that　these　words　clearly　indicated　a　fleet　and　a　naval　victory　as　the　only　means　of　safety。　　Some　however　gave　to　the　words　another　meaning；　and　a　few；　especially　among　the　aged　and　the　poor；　resolved　to　shut　themselves　up　in　the　Acropolis；　and　to　fortify　its　accessible　or　western　front　with　barricades　of　timber。

On　his　march　towards　Athens；　Xerxes　sent　a　detachment　of　his　army　to　take　and　plunder　Delphi。　　But　this　attempt　proved　unsuccessful。　　The　god　of　the　most　renowned　oracle　of　the　Grecian　world　vindicated　at　once　the　majesty　of　his　sanctuary　and　the　truth　of　his　predictions。　　As　the　Persians　climbed　the　rugged　path　at　the　foot　of　Mount　Parnassus；　leading　up　to　the　shrine；　thunder　was　heard　to　roll；　and　two　crags；　suddenly　detaching　themselves　from　the　mountain；　rolled　down　upon　the　Persians；　and　spread　dismay　and　destruction　in　their　ranks；　Seized　with　a　sudden　panic；　they　turned　and　fled；　pursued；　as　they　said；　by　two　warriors　of　superhuman　size　and　prowess；　who　had　assisted　the　Delphians　in　defending　their　temple。

On　arriving　before　Athens；　Xerxes　found　the　Acropolis　occupied　by　a　handful　of　desperate　citizens；　who　made　a　brave　resistance；　but　they　were　overpowered　and　put　to　the　sword。　　The　temples　and　houses　on　the　Acropolis　were　pillaged　and　burnt；　and　Xerxes　thus　became　undisputed　master　of　Athens。

About　the　same　time　the　Persian　fleet　arrived　in　the　bay　of　Phalerum。　　Its　strength　is　not　accurately　known；　but　it　must　have　exceeded　1000　vessels。　　The　combined　Grecian　fleet　at　Salamis　consisted　of　366　ships；　of　which　200　were　Athenian。

At　this　critical　juncture　dissension　reigned　in　the　Grecian　fleet。　　In　the　council　of　war　which　had　been　summoned　by　Eurybiades　the　Spartan　commander；　Themistocles　urged　the　assembled　chiefs　to　remain　at　Salamis；　and　give　battle　to　the　Persians　in　the　narrow　straits；　where　the　superior　numbers　of　the　Persians　would　be　of　less　consequence。　　The　Peloponnesian　commanders；　on　the　other　hand；　were　anxious　that　the　fleet　should　be　removed　to　the　isthmus　of　Corinth；　and　thus　be　put　in　communication　with　their　land…forces。　　The　council　came　to　a　vote　in　favour　of　retreat；　but　Themistocles　prevailed　upon　Eurybiades　to　convene　another　assembly　upon　the　following　day。　　When　the　council　met；　the　Peloponnesian　commanders　loudly　expressed　their　dissatisfaction　at　seeing　a　debate　re…opened　which　they　had　deemed　concluded。　　Adimantus；　the　Corinthian　admiral　broke　out　into　open　rebukes　and　menaces。　　〃Themistocles；〃　he　exclaimed；　〃those　who　rise　at　the　public　games　before　the　signal　are　whipped。〃　　〃True；〃　replied　Themistocles；　〃but　they　who　lag　behind　it　never　win　a　crown。〃　　Another　incident　in　this　discussion　has　been　immortalized　by　Plutarch。　　Eurybiades；　incensed　by　the　language　of　Themistocles；　lifted　up　his　stick　to　strike　him；　whereupon　the　Athenian　exclaimed；　〃Strike；　but　hear　me！〃　Themistocles　repeated　his　arguments　and　entreaties；　and　at　length　threatened　that　he　and　the　Athenians　would　sail　away　to　Italy　and　there　found　a　new　city；　if　the　Peloponnesians　still　determined　to　retreat。　　Eurybiades　now　gave　way　and　issued　orders　for　the　fleet　to　remain　and　fight　at　Salamis；　but　the　Peloponnesians　obeyed　the　order　with　reluctance。　　A　third　council　was　summoned　and　Themistocles；　perceiving　that　the　decision　of　the　assembly　would　be　against　him；　determined　to　effect　his　object　by　stratagem。　　He　secretly　despatched　a　trusty　slave　with　a　message　to　Xerxes；　representing　the　dissensions　which　prevailed　in　the　Grecian　fleet；　and　how　easy　a　matter　it　would　be　to　surround　and　vanquish　an　armament　both　small　and　disunited。　　Xerxes　readily　adopted　the　suggestion；　and　ordered　his　captains　to　close　up　the　straits　of　Salamis　at　both　ends　during　the　night。　　On　the　council　assembling　in　the　morning；　Aristides　arrived　with　the　news　that　the　Grecian　fleet　was　completely　surrounded　by　that　of　the　Persians；　and　that　retreat　was　no　longer　possible。　　As　the　veil　of　night　rolled　gradually　away；　the　Persian　fleet　was　discovered　stretching　as　far　as　the　eye　could　reach　along　the　coast　of　Attica。　　The　Grecian　fleet；　being　concentrated　in　the　harbour　of　Salamis；　was　thus　surrounded　by　the　Persians。　　Xerxes　had　caused　a　lofty　throne　to　be　erected　upon　one　of　the　projecting　declivities　of　Mount　AEgaleos；　opposite　the　harbour　of　Salamis；　whence　be　could　survey　the　combat；　and　stimulate　by　his　presence　the　courage　of　his　men。

As　a　battle　was　now　inevitable　the　Grecian　commanders　lost　no　time　in　making　preparations　for　the　encounter。　　The　Greek　seamen　embarked　with　alacrity；　encouraging　one　another　to　deliver　their　country；　their　wives；　and　children；　and　the　temples　of　their　gods；　from　the　grasp　of　the　barbarians。　　History　has　preserved　to　us　but　few　details　of　the　engagement。　　The　Persian　fleet；　with　the　exception　of　some　of　the　Ionic　contingents；　fought　with　courage。　　But　the　very　numbers　on　which　they　so　confidently　relied；　proved　one　of　the　chief　causes　of　their　defeat。　　Too　crowded　either　to　advance　or　to　retreat；　their　oars　broken　or　impeded　by　collision　with　one　another；　their　fleet　lay　like　an　inert　and　lifeless　mass　upon　the　water；　and　fell　an　easy　prey　to　the　Greeks。　　A　single　incident　will　illustrate　the　terror　and　confusion　which　reigned　among　the　Persians。　　Artemisia；　queen　of　Hal