阿里斯通与戴玛拉托斯——希罗多德讲述的斯巴达传奇

Ariston and Demaratus:The Spartan Sagas Told by Herodotus

希罗多德在其《历史》第六章追溯了斯巴达“双王制”的起源及其诸王的轶事,其中欧里庞家族的阿里斯通国王及其嗣子,后来登基为王但又被废黜,转而投靠波斯的戴玛拉托斯国王的传奇故事尤其引人入胜。文中对这两位君主的传奇展开具体案例分析,旨在说明,希罗多德讲述的斯巴达早期历史在很大程度上是以斯巴达当地的口头传说为蓝本的。这些传说是在某些史实基础上根据神话和民间故事母题和传统叙事模式重新加工塑造的历史,反映了民间的宗教观念、文化的情感与期盼以及传统的风俗,诸如畸形婴孩的处理、誓约和王室婚俗等,但与历史原貌相差甚远。此外,史家还按照“流亡者模式”塑造戴玛拉托斯,在道德上将其升华,使其扮演“明智的劝告者”角色,充当希腊文化和价值观的传声筒,借他之口表达史家自己的价值认同,满足其讲故事的文学需要。

In book VI of his Histories,Herodotus traced the dual kingship in Sparta and the anecdotes of Spartan kings, among whom Ariston, the Eurypontid king, and his heir Demaratus, who succeeded the throne but deposed later and then exiled himself in Persia, are especially fascinating. This paper conducts a specific case analysis of the sagas of these two kings, aiming to show that the early Spartan history told by Herodotus is largely modeled on the oral traditions of Sparta. These sagas are reshaped and remolded history, far from the history as it is, based on some historical facts and motifs of myths, as well as some folktales following the pattern of traditional narrative, reflecting popular religious beliefs, cultural motivations and expectations, as well as traditional customs, such as Spartans’ treatment to abnormal babies, oaths, and royal customs of marriage. In addition, the historian shaped Demaratus according to the "pattern of the exiled", sublimated him morally, made him play the role of "wise advisor" and act as a spokesman for Greek culture and values. In this way, the historian expressed his own value through Demaratus' mouth to satisfy his literary needs of story-telling.