Aristobulus says that the youths asserted it was Callisthenes who instigated1 them to make the daring attempt; and Ptolemy says the same.565 Most writers, however, do 232not agree with this, but represent that Alexander readily believed the worst about Callisthenes, from the hatred2 which he already felt towards him, and because Hermolaüs was known to be exceedingly intimate with him. Some authors have also recorded the following particulars:—that Hermolaüs was brought before the Macedonians, to whom he confessed that he had conspired3 against the king’s life, because it was no longer possible for a free man to bear his insolent4 tyranny. He then recounted all his acts of despotism, the illegal execution of Philotas, the still more illegal one of his father Parmenio and of the others who were put to death at that time, the murder of Clitus in a fit of drunkenness, his assumption of the Median garb5, the introduction of the ceremony of prostration6, which had been planned and not yet relinquished7, and the drinking-bouts and lethargic8 sleep arising from them, to which he was addicting9 himself.566 He said that, being no longer able to bear these things, he wished to free both himself and the other Macedonians. These same authors say that Hermolaüs himself and those who had been arrested with him were stoned to death by those who were present. Aristobulus says that Callisthenes was carried about with the army bound with fetters10, and afterwards died a natural death; but Ptolemy, son of Lagus, says that he was stretched upon the rack and then hanged.567 Thus not even did these authors, whose narratives12 are very trustworthy, and who at the time were in intimate association with Alexander, 233give accounts consistent with each other of events so well known, and the circumstances of which could not have escaped their notice. Other writers have given many various details of these same proceedings13 which are inconsistent with each other; but I think I have written quite sufficient on this subject. Though these events took place shortly after the death of Clitus,568 I have described them among those which happened to Alexander in reference to that General, because, for the purposes of narrative11, I consider them very intimately connected with each other.
CHAPTER XV.
点击收听单词发音
1 instigated | |
v.使(某事物)开始或发生,鼓动( instigate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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2 hatred | |
n.憎恶,憎恨,仇恨 | |
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3 conspired | |
密谋( conspire的过去式和过去分词 ); 搞阴谋; (事件等)巧合; 共同导致 | |
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4 insolent | |
adj.傲慢的,无理的 | |
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5 garb | |
n.服装,装束 | |
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6 prostration | |
n. 平伏, 跪倒, 疲劳 | |
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7 relinquished | |
交出,让给( relinquish的过去式和过去分词 ); 放弃 | |
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8 lethargic | |
adj.昏睡的,懒洋洋的 | |
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9 addicting | |
使沉溺(addict的现在分词形式) | |
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10 fetters | |
n.脚镣( fetter的名词复数 );束缚v.给…上脚镣,束缚( fetter的第三人称单数 ) | |
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11 narrative | |
n.叙述,故事;adj.叙事的,故事体的 | |
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12 narratives | |
记叙文( narrative的名词复数 ); 故事; 叙述; 叙述部分 | |
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13 proceedings | |
n.进程,过程,议程;诉讼(程序);公报 | |
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