the history-第51部分

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　heads；　and　leaving　their　own　wounded　in　the　palace；　partly　because　they　were　disabled；　and　partly　to　guard　the　citadel；　went　forth　from　the　gates　with　the　heads　in　their　hands；　shouting　and　making　an　uproar。　They　called　out　to　all　the　Persians　whom　they　met；　and　told　them　what　had　happened；　showing　them　the　heads　of　the　Magi；　while　at　the　same　time　they　slew　every　Magus　who　fell　in　their　way。　Then　the　Persians；　when　they　knew　what　the　seven　had　done；　and　understood　the　fraud　of　the　Magi；　thought　it　but　just　to　follow　the　example　set　them；　and；　drawing　their　daggers；　they　killed　the　Magi　wherever　they　could　find　any。　Such　was　their　fury；　that；　unless　night　had　closed　in；　not　a　single　Magus　would　have　been　left　alive。　The　Persians　observe　this　day　with　one　accord；　and　keep　it　more　strictly　than　any　other　in　the　whole　year。　It　is　then　that　they　hold　the　great　festival；　which　they　call　the　Magophonia。　No　Magus　may　show　himself　abroad　during　the　whole　time　that　the　feast　lasts；　but　all　must　remain　at　home　the　entire　day。　　　　　And　now　when　five　days　were　gone；　and　the　hubbub　had　settled　down；　the　conspirators　met　together　to　consult　about　the　situation　of　affairs。　At　this　meeting　speeches　were　made；　to　which　many　of　the　Greeks　give　no　credence；　but　they　were　made　nevertheless。　Otanes　recommended　that　the　management　of　public　affairs　should　be　entrusted　to　the　whole　nation。　〃To　me；〃　he　said；　〃it　seems　advisable；　that　we　should　no　longer　have　a　single　man　to　rule　over　us…　the　rule　of　one　is　neither　good　nor　pleasant。　Ye　cannot　have　forgotten　to　what　lengths　Cambyses　went　in　his　haughty　tyranny；　and　the　haughtiness　of　the　Magi　ye　have　yourselves　experienced。　How　indeed　is　it　possible　that　monarchy　should　be　a　well…adjusted　thing；　when　it　allows　a　man　to　do　as　he　likes　without　being　answerable？　Such　licence　is　enough　to　stir　strange　and　unwonted　thoughts　in　the　heart　of　the　worthiest　of　men。　Give　a　person　this　power；　and　straightway　his　manifold　good　things　puff　him　up　with　pride；　while　envy　is　so　natural　to　human　kind　that　it　cannot　but　arise　in　him。　But　pride　and　envy　together　include　all　wickedness…　both　of　them　leading　on　to　deeds　of　savage　violence。　True　it　is　that　kings；　possessing　as　they　do　all　that　heart　can　desire；　ought　to　be　void　of　envy；　but　the　contrary　is　seen　in　their　conduct　towards　the　citizens。　They　are　jealous　of　the　most　virtuous　among　their　subjects；　and　wish　their　death；　while　they　take　delight　in　the　meanest　and　basest；　being　ever　ready　to　listen　to　the　tales　of　slanderers。　A　king；　besides；　is　beyond　all　other　men　inconsistent　with　himself。　Pay　him　court　in　moderation；　and　he　is　angry　because　you　do　not　show　him　more　profound　respect…　show　him　profound　respect；　and　he　is　offended　again；　because　（as　he　says）　you　fawn　on　him。　But　the　worst　of　all　is；　that　he　sets　aside　the　laws　of　the　land；　puts　men　to　death　without　trial；　and　subjects　women　to　violence。　The　rule　of　the　many；　on　the　other　hand；　has；　in　the　first　place；　the　fairest　of　names；　to　wit；　isonomy；　and　further　it　is　free　from　all　those　outrages　which　a　king　is　wont　to　commit。　There；　places　are　given　by　lot；　the　magistrate　is　answerable　for　what　he　does；　and　measures　rest　with　the　commonalty。　I　vote；　therefore；　that　we　do　away　with　monarchy；　and　raise　the　people　to　power。　For　the　people　are　all　in　all。〃　　　　　Such　were　the　sentiments　of　Otanes。　Megabyzus　spoke　next；　and　advised　the　setting　up　of　an　oligarchy：…　〃In　all　that　Otanes　has　said　to　persuade　you　to　put　down　monarchy；〃　he　observed；　〃I　fully　concur；　but　his　recommendation　that　we　should　call　the　people　to　power　seems　to　me　not　the　best　advice。　For　there　is　nothing　so　void　of　understanding；　nothing　so　full　of　wantonness；　as　the　unwieldy　rabble。　It　were　folly　not　to　be　borne；　for　men；　while　seeking　to　escape　the　wantonness　of　a　tyrant；　to　give　themselves　up　to　the　wantonness　of　a　rude　unbridled　mob。　The　tyrant；　in　all　his　doings；　at　least　knows　what　is　he　about；　but　a　mob　is　altogether　devoid　of　knowledge；　for　how　should　there　be　any　knowledge　in　a　rabble；　untaught；　and　with　no　natural　sense　of　what　is　right　and　fit？　It　rushes　wildly　into　state　affairs　with　all　the　fury　of　a　stream　swollen　in　the　winter；　and　confuses　everything。　Let　the　enemies　of　the　Persians　be　ruled　by　democracies；　but　let　us　choose　out　from　the　citizens　a　certain　number　of　the　worthiest；　and　put　the　government　into　their　hands。　For　thus　both　we　ourselves　shall　be　among　the　governors；　and　power　being　entrusted　to　the　best　men；　it　is　likely　that　the　best　counsels　will　prevail　in　the　state。〃　　　　　This　was　the　advice　which　Megabyzus　gave；　and　after　him　Darius　came　forward；　and　spoke　as　follows：…　〃All　that　Megabyzus　said　against　democracy　was　well　said；　I　think；　but　about　oligarchy　he　did　not　speak　advisedly；　for　take　these　three　forms　of　government…　democracy；　oligarchy；　and　monarchy…　and　let　them　each　be　at　their　best；　I　maintain　that　monarchy　far　surpasses　the　other　two。　What　government　can　possibly　be　better　than　that　of　the　very　best　man　in　the　whole　state？　The　counsels　of　such　a　man　are　like　himself；　and　so　he　governs　the　mass　of　the　people　to　their　heart's　content；　while　at　the　same　time　his　measures　against　evil…doers　are　kept　more　secret　than　in　other　states。　Contrariwise；　in　oligarchies；　where　men　vie　with　each　other　in　the　service　of　the　commonwealth；　fierce　enmities　are　apt　to　arise　between　man　and　man；　each　wishing　to　be　leader；　and　to　carry　his　own　measures；　whence　violent　quarrels　come；　which　lead　to　open　strife；　often　ending　in　bloodshed。　Then　monarchy　is　sure　to　follow；　and　this　too　shows　how　far　that　rule　surpasses　all　others。　Again；　in　a　democracy；　it　is　impossible　but　that　there　will　be　malpractices：　these　malpractices；　however；　do　not　lead　to　enmities；　but　to　close　friendships；　which　are　formed　among　those　engaged　in　them；　who　must　hold　well　together　to　carry　on　their　villainies。　And　so　things　go　on　until　a　man　stands　forth　as　champion　of　the　commonalty；　and　puts　down　the　evil…doers。　Straightway　the　author　of　so　great　a　service　is　admired　by　all；　and　from　being　admired　soon　comes　to　be　appointed　king；　so　that　here　too　it　is　plain　that　monarchy　is　the　best　government。　Lastly；　to　sum　up　all　in　a　word；　whence；　I　ask；　was　it　that　we　got　the　freedom　which　we　enjoy？…　did　democracy　give　it　us；　or　oligarchy；　or　a　monarch？　As　a　single　man　recovered　our　freedom　for　us；　my　sentence　is　that　we　keep　to　the　rule　of　one。　Even　apart　from　this；　we　ought　not　to　change　the　laws　of　our　forefathers　when　they　work　fairly；　for　to　do　so　is　not　well。〃　　　　　Such　were　the　three　opinions　brought　forward　at　this　meeting；　the　four　other　Persians　voted　in　favour　of　the　last。　Otanes；　who　wished　to　give　his　countrymen　a　democracy；　when　he　found　the　decision　against　him；　arose　a　second　time；　and　spoke　thus　before　the　assembly：…　〃Brother　conspirators；　it　is　plain　that　the　king　who　is　to　be　chosen　will　be　one　of　ourselves；　whether　we　make　the　choice　by　casting　lots　for　the　prize；　or　by　letting　the　people　decide　which　of　us　they　will　have　to　rule　over　them；　in　or　any　other　way。　Now；　as　I　have　neither　a　mind　to　rule　nor　to　be　ruled；　I　shall　not　enter　the　lists　with　you　in　this　matter。　I　withdraw；　however；　on　one　condition…　none　of　you　shall　claim　to　exercise　rule　over　me　or　my　seed　for　ever。〃　The　six　agreed　to　these　terms；　and　Otanes　withdraw　and　stood　aloof　from　the　contest。　And　still　to　this　day　the　family　of　Otanes　continues　to　be　the　only　free　family　in　Persia；　those　who　belong　to　it　submit　to　the　rule　of　the　king　only　so　far　as　they　themselves　choose；　they　are　bound；　however；　to　observe　the　laws　of　the　land　like　the　other　Persians。　　　　　After　this　the　six　took　counsel　together；　as　to　the　fairest　way　of　setting　up　a　king：　and　first；　with　respect　to　Otanes；　they　resolved；　that　if　any　of　their　own　number　got　the　kingdom；　Otanes　and　his　seed　after　him　should　receive　year　by　year；　as　a　mark　of　special　honour；　a　Median　robe；　and　all　such　other　gifts　as　are　accounted　the　most　honourable　in　Persia。　And　these　they　resolved　to　give　him；　because　he　was　the　man　who　first　planned　the　outbreak；　and　who　brought　the　seven　together。　These　privileges；　therefore；　were　assigned　specially　to　Otanes。　The　following　were　made　common　to　them　all：…　It　was　to　be　free　to　each；　whenever　he　pleased；　to　enter　the　palace　unannounced；　unless　the　king　were　in　the　company　of　one　of　his　wives；　and　the　king　was　to　be　bound　to　marry　into　no　family　excepting　those　of　the　conspirators。　Concerning　the　appointment　of　a　king；　the　resolve　to　which　they　came　was　the　following：…　They　would　ride　out　together　next　morning　into　the　skirts　of　the　city；　and　he　whose　steed　first　neighed　after　the　sun　was　up　should　have　the　kingdom。　　　　　Now　Darius　had　a　groom；　a　sharp…witted　knave；　called　Oebares。　After　the　meeting　had　broken　up；　Darius　sent　for　him；　and　said；　〃Oebares；　this　is　the　way　in　which　the　king　is　to　be　chosen…　we　are　to　mount　our　horses；　and　the　man　whose　horse　first　neighs　after　the　sun　is　up　is　to　have　the　kingdom。　If　then　you　have　any　cleverness；　contrive　a　plan　whereby　the　prize　may　fall　to　us；　and　not　go　to　another。〃　〃Truly；　master；〃　Oebares　answered；　〃if　it　depends　on　this　whether　thou　shalt　be　king　or　no；　set　thine　heart　at　ease；　and　fear　nothing：　I　have　a　charm　which　is　sure　not　to　fail。〃　〃If　thou　hast　really　aught　of　the　kind；〃　said　Darius；　〃hasten　to　get　it　ready。　The　matter　does　not　brook　delay；　for　the　trial　is　to　be　to…morrow。〃　So　Oebares　when　he　heard　that；　did　as　follows：…　When　night　came；　he　took　one　of　the　mares；　the　chief　favourite　of　the　horse　which　Darius　rode；　and　tethering　it　in　the　suburb；　brought　his　master's　horse　to　the　place；　then；　after　leading　him　round　and　round　the　mare　several　times；　nearer　and　nearer　at　each　circuit；　he　ended　by　letting　them　come　together。　　　　　And　now；　when　the　morning　broke；　the　six　Persians；　according　to　agreement；　met　together　on　horseback；　and　rode　out　to　the　suburb。　As　they　went　along　they　neared　the　spot　where　the　mare　was　tethered　the　night　before；　whereupon　the　horse　of　Darius　sprang　forward　and　neighed。　just　at　the　same　time；　though　the　sky　was　clear　and　bright；　there　was　a　flash　of　lightning；　followed　by　a　thunderclap。　It　seemed　as　if　the　heavens　conspired　with　Darius；　and　hereby　inaugurated　him　king：　so　the　five　other　nobles　leaped　with　one　accord　fro