Pausanias, the Spartan by Lord Lytton

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"General," replied Antagoras, "there is no hegemony over men's hearts;
thou sayest truly, as man to man, I hate thee. Wherefore? Because
as man to man, thou standest between me and happiness. Because thou
wooest, and canst only woo to dishonour, the virgin in whom I would
seek the sacred wife."

Pausanias slightly recoiled, and the courtesy he had simulated, and
which was essentially foreign to his vehement and haughty character,
fell from him like a mask. For with the words of Antagoras, jealousy
passed within him, and for the moment its agony was such that the
Chian was avenged. But he was too habituated to the stateliness of
self control, to give vent to the rage that seized him. He only said
with a whitened and writhing lip, "Thou art right; all animosities may
yield, save those which a woman's eye can kindle. Thou hatest me--be
it so--that is as man to man. But as officer to chieftain, I bid thee
henceforth beware how thou givest me cause to set this foot on the
head that lifts itself to the height of mine."

With that he rose, turned on his heel, and walked towards the stern,
where he stood apart gazing on the Athenian triremes, which by this
time were in the broad sea. And all the eyes in the fleet were turned
towards that exhibition. For marvellous was the ease and beauty with
which these ships went through their nautical movements; now as in
chase of each other, now approaching as in conflict, veering off,
darting aside, threading as it were a harmonious maze, gliding in
and out, here, there, with the undulous celerity of the serpent. The
admirable build of the ships; the perfect skill of the seamen; the
noiseless docility and instinctive comprehension by which they seemed
to seize and to obey the unforeseen signals of their Admiral--all
struck the lively Greeks that beheld the display, and universal was
the thought if not the murmur, There was the power that should command
the Grecian seas.

Pausanias was too much accustomed to the sway of masses, not to have
acquired that electric knowledge of what circles amongst them from
breast to breast, to which habit gives the quickness of an instinct.
He saw that he had committed an imprudence, and that in seeking to
divert a mutiny, he had incurred a yet greater peril.

He returned to his own ship without exchanging another word with
Antagoras, who had retired to the centre of the vessel, fearing to
trust himself to a premature utterance of that defiance which the last
warning of his chief provoked, and who was therefore arousing the
soldiers to louder shouts of admiration at the Athenian skill.

Rowing back towards the wing occupied by the Peloponnesian allies, of
whose loyalty he was assured, Pausanias then summoned on board their
principal officer, and communicated to him his policy of placing the
Ionians not only apart from the Athenians, but under the vigilance and
control of Peloponnesian vessels in the immediate neighbourhood.

"Therefore," said he, "while the Athenians will occupy this wing, I
wish you to divide yourselves; the Lacedaemonian ships will take the
way the Athenians abandon, but the Corinthian triremes will place
themselves between the ships of the Islands and the Athenians. I shall
give further orders towards distributing the Ionian navy. And thus I
trust either all chance of a mutiny is cut off, or it will be put down
at the first outbreak. Now give orders to your men to take the places
thus assigned to you. And having gratified the vanity of our friends
the Athenians by their holiday evolutions, I shall send to thank and
release them from the fatigue so gracefully borne."

All those with whom he here conferred, and who had no love for Athens
or Ionia, readily fell into the plan suggested. Pausanias then
despatched a Laconian vessel to the Athenian Admiral, with
complimentary messages and orders to cease the manoeuvres, and then
heading the rest of the Laconian contingent, made slow and stately way
towards the station deserted by the Athenians. But pausing once more
before the vessels of the Isles, he despatched orders to their several
commanders, which had the effect of dividing their array, and placing
between them the powerful Corinthian service. In the orders of the
vessels he forwarded for this change, he took especial care to
dislocate the dangerous contiguity of the Samian and Chian triremes.

The sun was declining towards the west when Pausanias had marshalled
the vessels he headed, at their new stations, and the Athenian ships
were already anchored close and secured. But there was an evident
commotion in that part of the fleet to which the Corinthian galleys
had sailed. The Ionians had received with indignant murmurs the
command which divided their strength. Under various pretexts each
vessel delayed to move; and when the Corinthian ships came to take
a vacant space, they found a formidable array,--the soldiers on the
platforms armed to the teeth. The confusion was visible to the Spartan
chief; the loud hubbub almost reached to his ears. He hastened towards
the place; but anxious to continue the gracious part he had so
unwontedly played that day, he cleared his decks of their formidable
hoplites, lest he might seem to meet menace by menace, and drafting
them into other vessels, and accompanied only by his personal
serving-men and rowers, he put forth alone, the gilded shield and the
red banner still displayed at his stern.

But as he was thus conspicuous and solitary, and midway in the space
left between the Laconian and Ionian galleys, suddenly two ships from
the latter darted forth, passed through the centre of the Corinthian
contingent, and steered with the force of all their rowers, right
towards the Spartan's ship.

"Surely," said Pausanias, "that is the Chian's vessel. I recognize the
vine tree and the image of the Bromian god; and surely that other one
is the Chimera under Uliades, the Samian. They come hither, the Ionian
with them, to harangue against obedience to my orders."

"They come hither to assault us," exclaimed Erasinidas; "their beaks
are right upon us."

He had scarcely spoken, when the Chian's brass prow smote the gilded
shield, and rent the red banner from its staff. At the same time, the
Chimera, under Uliades, struck the right side of the Spartan ship, and
with both strokes the stout vessel reeled and dived. "Know, Spartan,"
cried Antagoras, from the platform in the midst of his soldiers, "that
we Ionians hold together. He who would separate, means to conquer,
us. We disown thy hegemony. If ye would seek us, we are with the
Athenians."

With that the two vessels, having performed their insolent and daring
feat, veered and shot off with the same rapidity with which they had
come to the assault; and as they did so, hoisted the Athenian ensign
over their own national standards. The instant that signal was given,
from the other Ionian vessels, which had been evidently awaiting it,
there came a simultaneous shout; and all, vacating their place and
either gliding through or wheeling round the Corinthian galleys,
steered towards the Athenian fleet.

The trireme of Pausanias, meanwhile, sorely damaged, part of its side
rent away, and the water rushing in, swayed and struggled alone in
great peril of sinking.

Instead of pursuing the Ionians, the Corinthian galleys made at once
to the aid of the insulted commander.

"Oh," cried Pausanias, in powerless wrath, "Oh, the accursed element!
Oh that mine enemies had attacked me on the land!"

"How are we to act?" said Aristides.

"We are citizens of a Republic, in which the majority govern,"
answered Cimon. "And the majority here tell us how we are to act. Hark
to the shouts of our men, as they are opening way for their kinsmen of
the Isles."

The sun sank, and with it sank the Spartan maritime ascendancy over
Hellas. And from that hour in which the Samian and the Chian insulted
the galley of Pausanias, if we accord weight to the authority on which
Plutarch must have based his tale, commenced the brief and glorious
sovereignty of Athens. Commence when and how it might, it was an epoch
most signal in the records of the ancient world for its results upon a
civilization to which as yet human foresight can predict no end.

END OF VOLUME I.

PAUSANIAS, THE SPARTAN

VOLUME II.

BOOK IV.

CHAPTER I.

We pass from Byzantium, we are in Sparta. In the Archeion, or office
of the Ephoralty, sate five men, all somewhat advanced in years. These
constituted that stern and terrible authority which had gradually,
and from unknown beginnings,[1] assumed a kind of tyranny over the
descendants of Hercules themselves. They were the representatives of
the Spartan people, elected without reference to rank or wealth,[2]
and possessing jurisdiction not only over the Helots and Laconians,
but over most of the magistrates. They could suspend or terminate any
office, they could accuse the kings and bring them before a court in
which they themselves were judges upon trial of life and death. They
exercised control over the armies and the embassies sent abroad; and
the king, at the head of his forces, was still bound to receive his
instructions from this Council of Five. Their duty, in fact, was to
act as a check upon the kings, and they were the representatives
of that Nobility which embraced the whole Spartan people, in
contradistinction to the Laconians and Helots.

The conference in which they were engaged seemed to rivet their
most earnest attention. And as the presiding Ephor continued the
observations he addressed to them, the rest listened with profound and
almost breathless silence.

The speaker, named Periclides, was older than the others. His frame,
still upright and, sinewy, was yet lean almost to emaciation, his face
sharp, and his dark eyes gleamed with a cunning and sinister light
under his grey brows.

"If," said he, "we are to believe these Ionians, Pausanias meditates
some deadly injury to Greece. As for the complaints of his arrogance,
they are to be received with due caution. Our Spartans, accustomed
to the peculiar discipline of the Laws of Aegimius, rarely suit the
humours of Ionians and innovators. The question to consider is not
whether he has been too imperious towards Ionians who were but the
other day subjected to the Mede, but whether he can make the command
he received from Sparta menacing to Sparta herself. We lend him iron,
he hath holpen himself to gold."

"Besides the booty at Plataea, they say that he has amassed much
plunder at Byzantium," said Zeuxidamus, one of the Ephors, after a
pause.

Periclides looked hard at the speaker, and the two men exchanged a
significant glance.

"For my part," said a third, a man of a severe but noble countenance,
the father of Lysander, and, what was not usual with the Ephors,
belonging to one of the highest families of Sparta, "I have always
held that Sparta should limit its policy to self-defence; that, since
the Persian invasion is over, we have no business with Byzantium. Let
the busy Athenians obtain if they will the empire of the sea. The sea
is no province of ours. All intercourse with foreigners, Asiatics
and Ionians, enervates our men and corrupts our generals. Recall
Pausanias--recall our Spartans. I have said."

"Recall Pausanias first," said Periclides, "and we shall then hear the
truth, and decide what is best to be done."

"If he has medised, if he has conspired against Greece, let us accuse
him to the death," said Agesilaus, Lysander's father.

"We may accuse, but it rests not with us to sentence," said
Periclides, disapprovingly.

"And," said a fourth Ephor, with a visible shudder, "what Spartan dare
counsel sentence of death to the descendant of the Gods?"

"I dare," replied Agesilaus, "but provided only that the descendant of
the Gods had counselled death to Greece. And for that reason, I say
that I would not, without evidence the clearest, even harbour the
thought that a Heracleid could meditate treason to his country."

Periclides felt the reproof and bit his lips.

"Besides," observed Zeuxidamus, "fines enrich the State."

Periclides nodded approvingly.

An expression of lofty contempt passed over the brow and lip of
Agesilaus. But with national self-command, he replied gravely, and
with equal laconic brevity, "If Pausanias hath committed a trivial
error that a fine can expiate, so be it. But talk not of fines till ye
acquit him of all treasonable connivance with the Mede."

At that moment an officer entered on the conclave, and approaching the
presiding Ephor, whispered in his ear.

"This is well," exclaimed Periclides aloud. "A messenger from
Pausanias himself. Your son Lysander has just arrived from Byzantium."

"My son!" exclaimed Agesilaus eagerly, and then checking himself,
added calmly, "That is a sign no danger to Sparta threatened Byzantium
when he left."

"Let him be admitted," said Periclides.

Lysander entered; and pausing at a little distance from the council
board, inclined his head submissively to the Ephors; save a rapid
interchange of glances, no separate greeting took place between son
and father.

"Thou art welcome," said Periclides. "Thou hast done thy duty since
thou hast left the city. Virgins will praise thee as the brave man;
age, more sober, is contented to say thou hast upheld the Spartan
name. And thy father without shame may take thy hand."

A warm flush spread over the young man's face. He stepped forward with
a quick step, his eyes beaming with joy. Calm and stately, his father
rose, clasped the extended hand, then releasing his own placed it an
instant on his son's bended head, and reseated himself in silence.

"Thou camest straight from Pausanias?" said Periclides.

Lysander drew from his vest the despatch entrusted to him, and gave it
to the presiding Ephor. Periclides half rose as if to take with more
respect what had come from the hand of the son of Hercules.

"Withdraw, Lysander," he said, "and wait without while we deliberate
on the contents herein."

Lysander obeyed, and returned to the outer chamber.

Here he was instantly surrounded by eager, though not noisy groups.
Some in that chamber were waiting on business connected with the civil
jurisdiction of the Ephors. Some had gained admittance for the purpose
of greeting their brave countryman, and hearing news of the distant
camp from one who had so lately quitted the great Pausanias. For men
could talk without restraint of their General, though it was but with
reserve and indirectly that they slid in some furtive question as to
the health and safety of a brother or a son.

"My heart warms to be amongst ye again," said the simple Spartan
youth. "As I came thro' the defiles from the sea-coast, and saw on the
height the gleam from the old Temple of Pallas Chalcioecus, I said to
myself, 'Blessed be the Gods that ordained me to live with Spartans or
die with Sparta!'"

"Thou wilt see how much we shall make of thee, Lysander," cried a
Spartan youth a little younger than himself, one of the superior tribe
of the Hylleans. "We have heard of thee at Plataea. It is said that
had Pausanias not been there thou wouldst have been called the bravest
Greek in the armament."

"Hush," said Lysander, "thy few years excuse thee, young friend. Save
our General, we were all equals in the day of battle."

"So thinks not my sister Percalus," whispered the youth archly; "scold
her as thou dost me, if thou dare."

Lysander coloured, and replied in a voice that slightly trembled, "I
cannot hope that thy sister interests herself in me. Nay, when I left
Sparta, I thought--" He checked himself.

"Thought what?"

"That among those who remained behind Percalus might find her
betrothed long before I returned."

"Among those who remained _behind!_ Percalus! How meanly thou must
think of her."

Before Lysander could utter the eager assurance that he was very far
from thinking meanly of Percalus, the other bystanders, impatient
at this whispered colloquy, seized his attention with a volley of
questions, to which he gave but curt and not very relevant answers,
so much had the lad's few sentences disturbed the calm tenor of his
existing self-possession. Nor did he quite regain his presence of mind
until he was once more summoned into the presence of the Ephors.

Notes:

[1] K. O. Miller (Dorians), Book 3, c. 7, Sec. 2. According to
Aristotle, Cicero and others, the Ephoralty was founded by Theopompus
subsequently to the mythical time of Lycurgus. To Lycurgus itself it
is referred by Xenophon and Herodotus. Mueller considers rightly that,
though an ancient Doric institution, it was incompatible with the
primitive constitution of Lycurgus and had gradually acquired its
peculiar character by causes operating on the Spartan Slato alone.

[2] Aristot. Pol. ii.

CHAPTER II.

The communication of Pausanias had caused an animated discussion in
the Council, and led to a strong division of opinion. But the faces of
the Ephors, rigid and composed, revealed nothing to guide the sagacity
of Lysander, as he re-entered the chamber. He himself, by a strong
effort, had recovered the disturbance into which the words of the boy
had thrown his mind, and he stood before the Ephors intent upon the
object of defending the name, and fulfilling the commands of his
chief. So reverent and grateful was the love that he bore to
Pausanias, that he scarcely permitted himself even to blame the
deviations from Spartan austerity which he secretly mourned in his
mind; and as to the grave guilt of treason to the Hellenic cause, he
had never suffered the suspicion of it to rest upon an intellect
that only failed to be penetrating, where its sight was limited by
discipline and affection. He felt that Pausanias had entrusted to
him his defence, and though he would fain, in his secret heart, have
beheld the Regent once more in Sparta, yet he well knew that it was
the duty of obedience and friendship to plead against the sentence of
recall which was so dreaded by his chief.

With all his thoughts collected towards that end, he stood before the
Ephors, modest in demeanour, vigilant in purpose.

"Lysander," said Periclides, after a short pause, "we know thy
affection to the Regent, thy chosen friend; but we know also thy
affection for thy native Sparta; where the two may come into conflict,
it is, and it must be, thy country which will claim the preference. We
charge thee, by virtue of our high powers and authority, to speak
the truth on the questions we shall address to thee, without fear or
favour."

Lysander bowed his head. "I am in presence of Sparta my mother and
Agesilaus my father. They know that I was not reared to lie to
either."

"Thou say'st well. Now answer. Is it true that Pausanias wears the
robes of the Mede?"

"It is true."

"And has he stated to thee his reasons?

"Not only to me, but to others."

"What are they?"

"That in the mixed and half medised population of Byzantium, splendour
of attire has become so associated with the notion of sovereign
power, that the Eastern dress and attributes of pomp are essential to
authority; and that men bow before his tiara, who might rebel against
the helm and the horsehair. Outward signs have a value, O Ephors,
according to the notions men are brought up to attach to them."

"Good," said one of the Ephors. "There is in this departure from our
habits, be it right or wrong, no sign then of connivance with the
Barbarian."

"Connivance is a thing secret and concealed, and shuns all outward
signs."

"But," said Periclides, "what say the other Spartan Captains to this
vain fashion, which savours not of the Laws of Aegimius?"

"The first law of Aegimius commands us to fight and to die for the
king or the chief who has kingly sway. The Ephors may blame, but the
soldier must not question."

"Thou speakest boldly for so young a man," said Periclides harshly.

"I was commanded to speak the truth."

"Has Pausanias entrusted the command of Byzantium to Gongylus the
Eretrian, who already holds four provinces under Xerxes?"

"He has done so."

"Know you the reason for that selection?"

"Pausanias says that the Eretrian could not more show his faith to
Hellas, than by resigning Eastern satrapies so vast."

"Has he resigned them?"

"I know not; but I presume that when the Persian king knows that the
Eretrian is leagued against him with the other Captains of Hellas, he
will assign the Satrapies to another."

"And is it true that the Persian prisoners, Ariamanes and Datis, have
escaped from the custody of Gongylus?"

"It is true. The charge against Gongylus for that error was heard in a
council of confederate captains, and no proof against him was brought
forward. Cimon was entrusted with the pursuit of the prisoners.
Pausanias himself sent forth fifty scouts on Thessalian horses. The
prisoners were not discovered."

"Is it true," said Zeuxidamus, "that Pausanias has amassed much
plunder at Byzantium?"

"What he has won as a conqueror was assigned to him by common voice,
but he has spent largely out of his own resources in securing the
Greek sway at Byzantium."

There was a silence. None liked to question the young soldier farther;
none liked to put the direct question, whether or not the Ionian
Ambassador could have cause for suspecting the descendant of Hercules
of harm against the Greeks. At length Agesilaus said:

"I demand the word, and I claim the right to speak plainly. My son is
young, but he is of the blood of Hyllus.

"Son--Pausanias is dear to thee. Man soon dies: man's name lives for
ever. Dear to thee if Pausanias is, dearer must be his name. In
brief, the Ionian Ambassadors complain of his arrogance towards the
Confederates; they demand his recall. Cimon has addressed a private
letter to the Spartan host, with whom he lodged here, intimating that
it may be best for the honour of Pausanias, and for our weight with
the allies, to hearken to the Ionian Embassy. It is a grave question,
therefore, whether we should recall the Regent or refuse to hear these
charges. Thou art fresh from Byzantium; thou must know more of this
matter than we. Loose thy tongue, put aside equivocation. Say thy
mind, it is for us to decide afterwards what is our duty to the
State."

"I thank thee, my father," said Lysander, colouring deeply at a
compliment paid rarely to one so young, "and thus I answer thee:

"Pausanias, in seeking to enforce discipline and preserve the Spartan
supremacy, was at first somewhat harsh and severe to these Ionians,
who had indeed but lately emancipated themselves from the Persian
yoke, and who were little accustomed to steady rule. But of late he
has been affable and courteous, and no complaint was urged against him
for austerity at the time when this embassy was sent to you. Wherefore
was it then sent? Partly, it maybe, from motives of private hate, not
public zeal, out partly because the Ionian race sees with reluctance
and jealousy the Hegemony of Sparta. I would speak plainly. It is not
for me to say whether ye will or not that Sparta should retain the
maritime supremacy of Hellas, but if ye do will it, ye will not recall
Pausanias. No other than the Conqueror of Plataea has a chance of
maintaining that authority. Eager would the Ionians be upon any
pretext, false or frivolous, to rid themselves of Pausanias. Artfully
willing would be the Athenians in especial that ye listened to such
pretexts; for, Pausanias gone, Athens remains and rules. On what
belongs to the policy of the State it becomes not me to proffer a
word, O Ephors. In what I have said I speak what the whole armament
thinks and murmurs. But this I may say as soldier to whom the honour
of his chief is dear.--The recall of Pausanias may or may not be wise
as a public act, but it will be regarded throughout all Hellas as a
personal affront to your general; it will lower the royalty of Sparta,
it will be an insult to the blood of Hercules. Forgive me, O venerable
magistrates. I have fought by the side of Pausanias, and I cannot dare
to think that the great Conqueror of Plataea, the man who saved Hellas
from the Mede, the man who raised Sparta on that day to a renown which
penetrated the farthest corners of the East, will receive from you
other return than fame and glory. And fame and glory will surely make
that proud spirit doubly Spartan."

Lysander paused, breathing hard and colouring deeply--annoyed with
himself for a speech of which both the length and the audacity were
much more Ionian than Spartan.

The Ephors looked at each other, and there was again silence.

"Son of Agesilaus," said Periclides, "thou hast proved thy
Lacedaemonian virtues too well, and too high and general is thy repute
amongst our army, as it is borne to our ears, for us to doubt thy
purity and patriotism; otherwise, we might fear that whilst thou
speakest in some contempt of Ionian wolves, thou hadst learned the
arts of Ionian Agoras. But enough: thou art dismissed. Go to thy home;
glad the eyes of thy mother; enjoy the honours thou wilt find awaiting
thee amongst thy coevals. Thou wilt learn later whether thou return to
Byzantium, or whether a better field for thy valour may not be found
in the nearer war with which Arcadia threatens us."

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