Cyropaedia / Education of Cyrus
{"WorkMasterId":7339,"WpPageId":288076,"ParentWpPageId":193712,"Slug":"cyropaedia","Url":"https://chrisdeasy.com/theos/humanities/philosophy/philosophers/xenophon-of-athens/cyropaedia/","RelativeUrl":"theos/humanities/philosophy/philosophers/xenophon-of-athens/cyropaedia/","HasFullText":true,"RawHtmlLength":735636,"CleanHtmlLength":679938,"Kicker":"Philosophy Work","Title":"Cyropaedia / Education of Cyrus","Deck":"The Cyropaedia uses Cyrus as a philosophical-political model for education, kingship, empire, self-command, persuasion, and rule.","BackLink":{"Text":"Back to Xenophon of Athens","Url":"https://chrisdeasy.com/theos/humanities/philosophy/philosophers/xenophon-of-athens/"},"AuthorCard":{"Label":"Author","Title":"Xenophon of Athens","Url":"https://chrisdeasy.com/theos/humanities/philosophy/philosophers/xenophon-of-athens/","MediaHref":"","ImageSrc":"https://chrisdeasy.com/wp-content/uploads/xenophon-of-athens-01-bust-statue-of-xenophon-dated-to-120-ad-roman.jpg","ImageAlt":"Marble bust of Xenophon of Athens","FilterTerra":"Eastern Mediterranean","ClickText":"Xenophon of Athens","ClickHref":"https://chrisdeasy.com/theos/humanities/philosophy/philosophers/xenophon-of-athens/","Copies":["430 BCE – 354 BCE","Athens, Attica; Erchia deme tradition noted","Cistercian monk, abbot of Socratic, and medieval Christian philosopher-theologian whose theology of love, humility, grace, free choice, mystical ascent, monastic ethics, scriptural exegesis, and ecclesial counsel shaped scholastic, monastic, and political theology."]},"ContextCards":[{"Label":"Period","Key":"Period:1","Title":"Ancient History","DateText":"3000 BCE – 499 CE","Url":"https://chrisdeasy.com/theos/humanities/philosophy/eras-of-thought/philosophers-of-ancient-history/"},{"Label":"Era","Key":"Era:3","Title":"Classical Antiquity","DateText":"500 BCE – 499 CE","Url":"https://chrisdeasy.com/theos/humanities/philosophy/eras-of-thought/philosophers-of-ancient-history/philosophers-of-classical-antiquity/"},{"Label":"Composition","Title":"365 BCE","Url":"","DateText":""}],"DateNote":"Year Written -365 is a site-normalized mature-work composition estimate; it is not a publication date.","GeoCards":[{"Label":"Region","Key":"Region:1"},{"Label":"Terra Avita","Key":"TerraAvita:2"},{"Label":"Terra Avita Region","Key":"TerraAvitaRegion:8"},{"Label":"Modern Country","Key":"Country:GRC:2"}],"OriginalTitle":"Κύρου Παιδεία","Language":"Ancient Greek","DisciplineCards":[{"Label":"Primary Discipline","Key":"Discipline:political-philosophy"},{"Label":"Secondary Discipline","Key":"Discipline:ethics"}],"Tradition":"Socratic philosophy, practical ethics, political thought, military leadership, household management, and classical historiography","FullText":{"Title":"Full Text","Copy":"Public-domain full text from Project Gutenberg eBook #2085 .","Url":"","Label":"","Kicker":"","Cards":[]},"CoreThesis":["The Cyropaedia uses Cyrus as a philosophical-political model for education, kingship, empire, self-command, persuasion, and rule."],"Classification":{"AlternateTitles":"Cyropaedia; Education of Cyrus; The Education of Cyrus; Life of Cyrus","KeyConcepts":"Cyrus; kingship; education; empire; leadership; persuasion; virtue; command; political order","Methodology":"Source-backed ancient-work record; source rows are evidence only and no full text is imported.","Structure":"Work page with Greek, Latin, and English title forms, normalized BCE display year, date note, evidence note, source linkage, and no full-text badge."},"Arguments":["The Cyropaedia uses Cyrus as a philosophical-political model for education, kingship, empire, self-command, persuasion, and rule."],"Influence":{"InfluencedBy":"Socrates, Athenian civic life, Sparta, Cyrus the Younger expedition of 401 BCE, Agesilaus, classical Greek military practice, Persian kingship traditions, and Athens after the Peloponnesian War.","InfluenceOn":""},"Significance":["Accepted as a direct Xenophon work; Britannica describes it as a philosophical history, historical novel, and tract on kingship and generalship.","Xenophon remains central to Socratic studies, political leadership, virtue ethics, military history, household economy, ancient biography, and classical historiography."],"EvidenceNote":["Accepted as a direct Xenophon work; Britannica describes it as a philosophical history, historical novel, and tract on kingship and generalship."],"MainSections":[{"Kind":"RawSection","Title":"Full Versions","BodyHtml":"\u003cdiv class=\"dz-philo__full-version-grid\"\u003e\n \u003carticle class=\"dz-philo__full-version-card\"\u003e\n \u003cp class=\"dz-philo__full-version-provider\"\u003eProject Gutenberg\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003ch3 class=\"dz-philo__full-version-title\"\u003eProject Gutenberg eBook #2085\u003c/h3\u003e\n \u003cp class=\"dz-philo__full-version-meta\"\u003eHtmlText · Imported\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003ca class=\"dz-philo__full-version-link\" href=\"https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/2085\"\u003eOpen full version\u003c/a\u003e\n \u003c/article\u003e\n \u003c/div\u003e"},{"Kind":"TextSection","Title":"Core Thesis","Paragraphs":["The Cyropaedia uses Cyrus as a philosophical-political model for education, kingship, empire, self-command, persuasion, and rule."]},{"Kind":"FieldSection","Title":"Classification","Fields":[{"Label":"Alternate Titles","Value":"Cyropaedia; Education of Cyrus; The Education of Cyrus; Life of Cyrus"},{"Label":"Key Concepts","Value":"Cyrus; kingship; education; empire; leadership; persuasion; virtue; command; political order"},{"Label":"Methodology","Value":"Source-backed ancient-work record; source rows are evidence only and no full text is imported."},{"Label":"Structure","Value":"Work page with Greek, Latin, and English title forms, normalized BCE display year, date note, evidence note, source linkage, and no full-text badge."}]},{"Kind":"TextSection","Title":"Arguments","Paragraphs":["The Cyropaedia uses Cyrus as a philosophical-political model for education, kingship, empire, self-command, persuasion, and rule."]},{"Kind":"FieldSection","Title":"Influence","Fields":[{"Label":"Influenced By","Value":"Socrates, Athenian civic life, Sparta, Cyrus the Younger expedition of 401 BCE, Agesilaus, classical Greek military practice, Persian kingship traditions, and Athens after the Peloponnesian War."},{"Label":"Influence On","Value":"Socratic literature, practical ethics, political philosophy, mirror-for-princes writing, military memoir, classical historiography, leadership theory, household management, and later Greek education."}]},{"Kind":"TextSection","Title":"Significance","Paragraphs":["Accepted as a direct Xenophon work; Britannica describes it as a philosophical history, historical novel, and tract on kingship and generalship.","Xenophon remains central to Socratic studies, political leadership, virtue ethics, military history, household economy, ancient biography, and classical historiography."]},{"Kind":"TextSection","Title":"Evidence Note","Paragraphs":["Accepted as a direct Xenophon work; Britannica describes it as a philosophical history, historical novel, and tract on kingship and generalship."]},{"Kind":"RawSection","Title":"Full Text","BodyHtml":"\u003cp class=\"dz-philo__section-copy dz-philo__full-text-source\"\u003ePublic-domain full text from \u003ca href=\"https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/2085\"\u003eProject Gutenberg eBook #2085\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003carticle class=\"dz-philo__full-text-body\"\u003e\r\n\u003cpre\u003e\u003c/pre\u003e\r\n\r\n\r\n\u003cdiv class=\"pg_body_wrapper\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"pg_body_wrapper\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003ch1\u003e\r\n CYROPAEDIA\r\n\u003c/h1\u003e\r\n\u003ch2\u003e\r\nTHE EDUCATION OF CYRUS\r\n\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"pg_body_wrapper\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"pg_body_wrapper\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003ch2\u003e\r\nBy Xenophon\r\n\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"pg_body_wrapper\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"pg_body_wrapper\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003ch3\u003e\r\nTranslated By Henry Graham Dakyns\r\n\u003c/h3\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"pg_body_wrapper\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\r\n\u003ch3\u003e\r\nRevised By F. M. Stawell\r\n\u003c/h3\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cdiv class=\"pg_body_wrapper\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\r\n\u003cdiv class=\"pg_body_wrapper\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\r\n\u003chr\u003e\r\n\u003cdiv class=\"pg_body_wrapper\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\r\n\u003cdiv class=\"pg_body_wrapper\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003ch4\u003e\r\nDEDICATION\r\n\u003c/h4\u003e\r\n\u003ch4\u003e\r\nTo Clifton College\r\n\u003c/h4\u003e\r\n\r\n\r\n\u003cdiv class=\"mynote\"\u003e\r\n\r\n\r\n\u003cdiv class=\"xhtml_center\"\u003e\r\nPREPARER\u0027S NOTE\r\n\u003c/div\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nThis was typed from an Everyman\u0027s Library edition. It seems that Dakyns\r\ndied before Cyropaedia could be included as the planned fourth and final\r\nvolume of his series, \"The Works of Xenophon,\" published in the 1890s by\r\nMacmillan and Co. The works in that series can all be found in Project\r\nGutenberg under their individual titles. The complete list of Xenophon\u0027s\r\nworks (though there is doubt about some of these) is:\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cpre\u003e Work Number of books\r\n\r\n The Anabasis 7\r\n The Hellenica 7\r\n The Cyropaedia 8\r\n The Memorabilia 4\r\n The Symposium 1\r\n The Economist 1\r\n On Horsemanship 1\r\n The Sportsman 1\r\n The Cavalry General 1\r\n The Apology 1\r\n On Revenues 1\r\n The Hiero 1\r\n The Agesilaus 1\r\n The Polity of the Athenians and the Lacedaemonians 2\r\n\u003c/pre\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nText in brackets \"{}\" is my transliteration of Greek text into English\r\nusing an Oxford English Dictionary alphabet table. The diacritical marks\r\nhave been lost.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cbr\u003e\r\n\u003c/div\u003e\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\u003cdiv class=\"pg_body_wrapper\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\r\n\u003cdiv class=\"pg_body_wrapper\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\r\n\u003chr\u003e\r\n\u003cdiv class=\"pg_body_wrapper\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\r\n\u003cdiv class=\"pg_body_wrapper\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\r\n\r\n\r\n\u003ch2\u003eContents\u003c/h2\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cdiv class=\"pg_body_wrapper\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"xhtml_center\"\u003e\r\n\u003ctable\u003e\r\n\u003ctbody\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd\u003e\r\n\r\n\r\n\u003cp class=\"toc\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#id_2H_INTR\" class=\"pginternal\"\u003e\r\nINTRODUCTION\r\n\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp class=\"toc\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#id_2H_4_0002\" class=\"pginternal\"\u003e\r\nEDITOR\u0027S NOTE\r\n\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp class=\"toc\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#id_2H_4_0003\" class=\"pginternal\"\u003e\r\n\u003cspan class=\"xhtml_big\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eCYROPAEDIA\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\r\n\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp class=\"toc\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#id_2H_4_0004\" class=\"pginternal\"\u003e\r\nBOOK I\r\n\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp class=\"toc\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#id_2H_4_0005\" class=\"pginternal\"\u003e\r\nBOOK II\r\n\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp class=\"toc\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#id_2H_4_0006\" class=\"pginternal\"\u003e\r\nBOOK III\r\n\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp class=\"toc\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#id_2H_4_0007\" class=\"pginternal\"\u003e\r\nBOOK IV\r\n\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp class=\"toc\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#id_2H_4_0008\" class=\"pginternal\"\u003e\r\nBOOK V\r\n\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp class=\"toc\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#id_2H_4_0009\" class=\"pginternal\"\u003e\r\nBOOK VI\r\n\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp class=\"toc\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#id_2H_4_0010\" class=\"pginternal\"\u003e\r\nBOOK VII\r\n\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp class=\"toc\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#id_2H_4_0011\" class=\"pginternal\"\u003e\r\nBOOK VIII\r\n\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\r\n\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\r\n\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\r\n\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cdiv class=\"pg_body_wrapper\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\r\n\u003cdiv class=\"pg_body_wrapper\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\r\n\u003chr\u003e\r\n\u003cdiv class=\"pg_body_wrapper\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\r\n\u003cdiv class=\"pg_body_wrapper\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cdiv class=\"pg_body_wrapper\"\u003e\u003ca id=\"id_2H_INTR\"\u003e\u003c!– H2 anchor –\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\u003ch2\u003e\r\n INTRODUCTION\r\n\u003c/h2\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nA very few words may suffice by way of introduction to this translation\r\nof the \u003ci\u003eCyropaedia\u003c/i\u003e.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nProfessor Jowett, whose Plato represents the high-water mark of\r\nclassical translation, has given us the following reminders: \"An English\r\ntranslation ought to be idiomatic and interesting, not only to the\r\nscholar, but also to the unlearned reader. It should read as an original\r\nwork, and should also be the most faithful transcript which can be made\r\nof the language from which the translation is taken, consistently with\r\nthe first requirement of all, that it be English. The excellence of a\r\ntranslation will consist, not merely in the faithful rendering of words,\r\nor in the composition of a sentence only, or yet of a single paragraph,\r\nbut in the colour and style of the whole work.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nThese tests may be safely applied to the work of Mr. Dakyns. An\r\naccomplished Greek scholar, for many years a careful and sympathetic\r\nstudent of Xenophon, and possessing a rare mastery of English idiom,\r\nhe was unusually well equipped for the work of a translator. And\r\nhis version will, as I venture to think, be found to satisfy those\r\nrequirements of an effective translation which Professor Jowett laid\r\ndown. It is faithful to the tone and spirit of the original, and it has\r\nthe literary quality of a good piece of original English writing. For\r\nthese and other reasons it should prove attractive and interesting\r\nreading for the average Englishman.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nXenophon, it must be admitted, is not, like Plato, Thucydides, or\r\nDemosthenes, one of the greatest of Greek writers, but there are several\r\nconsiderations which should commend him to the general reader. He is\r\nmore representative of the type of man whom the ordinary Englishman\r\nspecially admires and respects, than any other of the Greek authors\r\nusually read.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nAn Athenian of good social position, endowed with a gift of eloquence\r\nand of literary style, a pupil of Socrates, a distinguished soldier,\r\nan historian, an essayist, a sportsman, and a lover of the country, he\r\nrepresents a type of country gentleman greatly honoured in English life,\r\nand this should ensure a favourable reception for one of his chief works\r\nadmirably rendered into idiomatic English. And the substance of the\r\n\u003ci\u003eCyropaedia\u003c/i\u003e, which is in fact a political romance, describing the\r\neducation of the ideal ruler, trained to rule as a benevolent despot\r\nover his admiring and willing subjects, should add a further element of\r\nenjoyment for the reader of this famous book in its English garb.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cpre\u003e J. HEREFORD.\r\n\u003c/pre\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cdiv class=\"pg_body_wrapper\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\r\n\u003cdiv class=\"pg_body_wrapper\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\r\n\u003chr\u003e\r\n\u003cdiv class=\"pg_body_wrapper\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\r\n\u003cdiv class=\"pg_body_wrapper\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cdiv class=\"pg_body_wrapper\"\u003e\u003ca id=\"id_2H_4_0002\"\u003e\u003c!– H2 anchor –\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\r\n\r\n\r\n\u003ch2\u003e\r\n EDITOR\u0027S NOTE\r\n\u003c/h2\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nIn preparing this work for the press, I came upon some notes made by Mr.\r\nDakyns on the margin of his Xenophon. These were evidently for his own\r\nprivate use, and are full of scholarly colloquialisms, impromptu words\r\nhumorously invented for the need of the moment, and individual turns of\r\nphrase, such as the references to himself under his initials in small\r\nletters, \"hgd.\" Though plainly not intended for publication, the notes\r\nare so vivid and illuminating as they stand that I have shrunk from\r\nputting them into a more formal dress, believing that here, as in the\r\nbest letters, the personal element is bound up with what is most fresh\r\nand living in the comment, most characteristic of the writer, and most\r\ndelightful both to those who knew him and to those who will wish they\r\nhad. I have, therefore, only altered a word here and there, and added\r\na note or two of my own (always in square brackets), where it seemed\r\nnecessary for the sake of clearness.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cpre\u003e F. M. S.\r\n\u003c/pre\u003e\r\n\r\n\r\n\u003cdiv class=\"pg_body_wrapper\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\r\n\u003cdiv class=\"pg_body_wrapper\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\r\n\u003chr\u003e\r\n\u003cdiv class=\"pg_body_wrapper\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"pg_body_wrapper\"\u003e\u003ca id=\"id_2H_4_0003\"\u003e\u003c!– H2 anchor –\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\r\n\u003cdiv class=\"pg_body_wrapper\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\u003ch1\u003e\r\n CYROPAEDIA\r\n\u003c/h1\u003e\r\n\u003ch2\u003e\r\nTHE EDUCATION OF CYRUS\r\n\u003c/h2\u003e\r\n\u003cdiv class=\"pg_body_wrapper\"\u003e\u003ca id=\"id_2H_4_0004\"\u003e\u003c!– H2 anchor –\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cdiv style=\"height: 4em;\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003ch2\u003e\r\n BOOK I\r\n\u003c/h2\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(C.1) We have had occasion before now to reflect how often democracies\r\nhave been overthrown by the desire for some other type of government,\r\nhow often monarchies and oligarchies have been swept away by movements\r\nof the people, how often would-be despots have fallen in their turn,\r\nsome at the outset by one stroke, while whose who have maintained their\r\nrule for ever so brief a season are looked upon with wonder as marvels\r\nof sagacity and success.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nThe same lesson, we had little doubt, was to be learnt from the family:\r\nthe household might be great or small—even the master of few could\r\nhardly count on the obedience of his little flock. (2) And so, one idea\r\nleading to another, we came to shape our reflexions thus: Drovers may\r\ncertainly be called the rulers of their cattle and horse-breeders\r\nthe rulers of their studs—all herdsmen, in short, may reasonably be\r\nconsidered the governors of the animals they guard. If, then, we were to\r\nbelieve the evidence of our senses, was it not obvious that flocks and\r\nherds were more ready to obey their keepers than men their rulers? Watch\r\nthe cattle wending their way wherever their herdsmen guide them, see\r\nthem grazing in the pastures where they are sent and abstaining from\r\nforbidden grounds, the fruit of their own bodies they yield to their\r\nmaster to use as he thinks best; nor have we ever seen one flock among\r\nthem all combining against their guardian, either to disobey him or to\r\nrefuse him the absolute control of their produce. On the contrary, they\r\nare more apt to show hostility against other animals than against\r\nthe owner who derives advantage from them. But with man the rule is\r\nconverse; men unite against none so readily as against those whom they\r\nsee attempting to rule over them. (3) As long, therefore, as we followed\r\nthese reflexions, we could not but conclude that man is by nature fitted\r\nto govern all creatures, except his fellow-man. But when we came to\r\nrealise the character of Cyrus the Persian, we were led to a change\r\nof mind: here is a man, we said, who won for himself obedience from\r\nthousands of his fellows, from cities and tribes innumerable: we must\r\nask ourselves whether the government of men is after all an impossible\r\nor even a difficult task, provided one set about it in the right way.\r\nCyrus, we know, found the readiest obedience in his subjects, though\r\nsome of them dwelt at a distance which it would take days and months to\r\ntraverse, and among them were men who had never set eyes on him, and for\r\nthe matter of that could never hope to do so, and yet they were willing\r\nto obey him. (4) Cyrus did indeed eclipse all other monarchs, before or\r\nsince, and I include not only those who have inherited their power, but\r\nthose who have won empire by their own exertions. How far he surpassed\r\nthem all may be felt if we remember that no Scythian, although\r\nthe Scythians are reckoned by their myriads, has ever succeeded in\r\ndominating a foreign nation; indeed the Scythian would be well content\r\ncould he but keep his government unbroken over his own tribe and people.\r\nThe same is true of the Thracians and the Illyrians, and indeed of all\r\nother nations within our ken; in Europe, at any rate, their condition is\r\neven now one of independence, and of such separation as would seem to\r\nbe permanent. Now this was the state in which Cyrus found the tribes and\r\npeoples of Asia when, at the head of a small Persian force, he started\r\non his career. The Medes and the Hyrcanians accepted his leadership\r\nwillingly, but it was through conquest that he won Syria, Assyria,\r\nArabia, Cappadocia, the two Phrygias, Lydia, Caria, Phoenicia, and\r\nBabylonia. Then he established his rule over the Bactrians, Indians, and\r\nCilicians, over the Sakians, Paphlagonians, and Magadidians, over a\r\nhost of other tribes the very names of which defy the memory of the\r\nchronicler; and last of all he brought the Hellenes in Asia beneath his\r\nsway, and by a descent on the seaboard Cyprus and Egypt also.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(5) It is obvious that among this congeries of nations few, if any,\r\ncould have spoken the same language as himself, or understood one\r\nanother, but none the less Cyrus was able so to penetrate that vast\r\nextent of country by the sheer terror of his personality that the\r\ninhabitants were prostrate before him: not one of them dared lift hand\r\nagainst him. And yet he was able, at the same time, to inspire them all\r\nwith so deep a desire to please him and win his favour that all they\r\nasked was to be guided by his judgment and his alone. Thus he knit to\r\nhimself a complex of nationalities so vast that it would have taxed a\r\nman\u0027s endurance merely to traverse his empire in any one direction, east\r\nor west or south or north, from the palace which was its centre. For\r\nourselves, considering his title to our admiration proved, we set\r\nourselves to inquire what his parentage might have been and his natural\r\nparts, and how he was trained and brought up to attain so high a pitch\r\nof excellence in the government of men. And all we could learn from\r\nothers about him or felt we might infer for ourselves we will here\r\nendeavour to set forth.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(C.2) The father of Cyrus, so runs the story, was Cambyses, a king\r\nof the Persians, and one of the Perseidae, who look to Perseus as\r\nthe founder of their race. His mother, it is agreed, was Mandane, the\r\ndaughter of Astyages, king of the Medes. Of Cyrus himself, even now in\r\nthe songs and stories of the East the record lives that nature made him\r\nmost fair to look upon, and set in his heart the threefold love of\r\nman, of knowledge, and of honour. He would endure all labours, he would\r\nundergo all dangers, for the sake of glory. (2) Blest by nature with\r\nsuch gifts of soul and body, his memory lives to this day in the mindful\r\nheart of ages. It is true that he was brought up according to the laws\r\nand customs of the Persians, and of these laws it must be noted that\r\nwhile they aim, as laws elsewhere, at the common weal, their guiding\r\nprinciple is far other than that which most nations follow. Most states\r\npermit their citizens to bring up their own children at their own\r\ndiscretion, and allow the grown men to regulate their own lives at their\r\nown will, and then they lay down certain prohibitions, for example, not\r\nto pick and steal, not to break into another man\u0027s house, not to strike\r\na man unjustly, not to commit adultery, not to disobey the magistrate,\r\nand so forth; and on the transgressor they impose a penalty. (3) But the\r\nPersian laws try, as it were, to steal a march on time, to make their\r\ncitizens from the beginning incapable of setting their hearts on any\r\nwickedness or shameful conduct whatsoever. And this is how they set\r\nabout their object.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nIn their cities they have an open place or square dedicated to Freedom\r\n(Free Square they call it), where stand the palace and other public\r\nbuildings. From this place all goods for sale are rigidly excluded, and\r\nall hawkers and hucksters with their yells and cries and vulgarities.\r\nThey must go elsewhere, so that their clamour may not mingle with and\r\nmar the grace and orderliness of the educated classes. (4) This square,\r\nwhere the public buildings stand, is divided into four quarters which\r\nare assigned as follows: one for the boys, another for the youths, a\r\nthird for the grown men, and the last for those who are past the age\r\nof military service. The law requires all the citizens to present\r\nthemselves at certain times and seasons in their appointed places. The\r\nlads and the grown men must be there at daybreak; the elders may, as a\r\nrule, choose their own time, except on certain fixed days, when they too\r\nare expected to present themselves like the rest. Moreover, the young\r\nmen are bound to sleep at night round the public buildings, with their\r\narms at their side; only the married men among them are exempt, and need\r\nnot be on duty at night unless notice has been given, though even in\r\ntheir case frequent absence is thought unseemly. (5) Over each of these\r\ndivisions are placed twelve governors, twelve being the number of the\r\nPersian tribes. The governors of the boys are chosen from the elders,\r\nand those are appointed who are thought best fitted to make the best of\r\ntheir lads: the governors of the youths are selected from the grown men,\r\nand on the same principle; and for the grown men themselves and their\r\nown governors; the choice falls on those who will, it is hoped, make\r\nthem most prompt to carry out their appointed duties, and fulfil\r\nthe commands imposed by the supreme authority. Finally, the elders\r\nthemselves have presidents of their own, chosen to see that they too\r\nperform their duty to the full.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(6) We will now describe the services demanded from the different\r\nclasses, and thus it will appear how the Persians endeavour to improve\r\ntheir citizens. The boys go to school and give their time to learning\r\njustice and righteousness: they will tell you they come for that\r\npurpose, and the phrase is as natural with them as it is for us to speak\r\nof lads learning their letters. The masters spend the chief part of the\r\nday in deciding cases for their pupils: for in this boy-world, as in the\r\ngrown-up world without, occasions of indictment are never far to seek.\r\nThere will be charges, we know, of picking and stealing, of violence, of\r\nfraud, of calumny, and so forth. The case is heard and the offender, if\r\nshown to be guilty, is punished. (7) Nor does he escape who is found to\r\nhave accused one of his fellows unfairly. And there is one charge the\r\njudges do not hesitate to deal with, a charge which is the source of\r\nmuch hatred among grown men, but which they seldom press in the courts,\r\nthe charge of ingratitude. The culprit convicted of refusing to repay\r\na debt of kindness when it was fully in his power meets with severe\r\nchastisement. They reason that the ungrateful man is the most likely to\r\nforget his duty to the gods, to his parents, to his fatherland, and\r\nhis friends. Shamelessness, they hold, treads close on the heels of\r\ningratitude, and thus ingratitude is the ringleader and chief instigator\r\nto every kind of baseness. (8) Further, the boys are instructed in\r\ntemperance and self-restraint, and they find the utmost help towards\r\nthe attainment of this virtue in the self-respecting behaviour of\r\ntheir elders, shown them day by day. Then they are taught to obey their\r\nrulers, and here again nothing is of greater value than the studied\r\nobedience to authority manifested by their elders everywhere. Continence\r\nin meat and drink is another branch of instruction, and they have no\r\nbetter aid in this than, first, the example of their elders, who never\r\nwithdraw to satisfy their carnal cravings until those in authority\r\ndismiss them, and next, the rule that the boys must take their food, not\r\nwith their mother but with their master, and not till the governor gives\r\nthe sign. They bring from home the staple of their meal, dry bread\r\nwith nasturtium for a relish, and to slake their thirst they bring a\r\ndrinking-cup, to dip in the running stream. In addition, they are taught\r\nto shoot with the bow and to fling the javelin.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nThe lads follow their studies till the age of sixteen or seventeen, and\r\nthen they take their places as young men.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(9) After that they spend their time as follows. For ten years they are\r\nbound to sleep at night round the public buildings, as we said before,\r\nand this for two reasons, to guard the community and to practise\r\nself-restraint; because that season of life, the Persians conceive,\r\nstands most in need of care. During the day they present themselves\r\nbefore the governors for service to the state, and, whenever necessary,\r\nthey remain in a body round the public buildings. Moreover, when the\r\nking goes out to hunt, which he will do several times a month, he takes\r\nhalf the company with him, and each man must carry bow and arrows, a\r\nsheathed dagger, or \"sagaris,\" slung beside the quiver, a light shield,\r\nand two javelins, one to hurl and the other to use, if need be, at close\r\nquarters. (10) The reason of this public sanction for the chase is not\r\nfar to seek; the king leads just as he does in war, hunting in person\r\nat the head of the field, and making his men follow, because it is felt\r\nthat the exercise itself is the best possible training for the needs of\r\nwar. It accustoms a man to early rising; it hardens him to endure heat\r\nand cold; it teaches him to march and to run at the top of his speed; he\r\nmust perforce learn to let fly arrow and javelin the moment the quarry\r\nis across his path; and, above all, the edge of his spirit must needs be\r\nsharpened by encountering any of the mightier beasts: he must deal his\r\nstroke when the creature closes, and stand on guard when it makes its\r\nrush: indeed, it would be hard to find a case in war that has not its\r\nparallel in the chase. (11) But to proceed: the young men set out\r\nwith provisions that are ampler, naturally, than the boys\u0027 fare, but\r\notherwise the same. During the chase itself they would not think of\r\nbreaking their fast, but if a halt is called, to beat up the game, or\r\nfor any hunter\u0027s reason, then they will make, as it were, a dinner of\r\ntheir breakfast, and, hunting again on the morrow till dinner-time, they\r\nwill count the two days as one, because they have only eaten one day\u0027s\r\nfood. This they do in order that, if the like necessity should arise in\r\nwar, they may be found equal to it. As relish to their bread these\r\nyoung men have whatever they may kill in the chase, or failing that,\r\nnasturtium like the boys. And if one should ask how they can enjoy the\r\nmeal with nasturtium for their only condiment and water for their only\r\ndrink, let him bethink himself how sweet barley bread and wheaten can\r\ntaste to the hungry man and water to the thirsty. (12) As for the young\r\nmen who are left at home, they spend their time in shooting and hurling\r\nthe javelin, and practising all they learnt as boys, in one long trial\r\nof skill. Beside this, public games are open to them and prizes are\r\noffered; and the tribe which can claim the greatest number of lads\r\ndistinguished for skill and courage and faithfulness is given the meed\r\nof praise from all the citizens, who honour, not only their present\r\ngovernor, but the teacher who trained them when they were boys.\r\nMoreover, these young men are also employed by the magistrates if\r\ngarrison work needs to be done or if malefactors are to be tracked or\r\nrobbers run down, or indeed on any errand which calls for strength of\r\nlimb and fleetness of foot. Such is the life of the youth. But when the\r\nten years are accomplished they are classed as grown men. (13) And from\r\nthis time forth for five-and-twenty years they live as follows.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nFirst they present themselves, as in youth, before the magistrates for\r\nservice to the state wherever there is need for strength and sound sense\r\ncombined. If an expedition be on foot the men of this grade march out,\r\nnot armed with the bow or the light shield any longer, but equipped with\r\nwhat are called the close-combat arms, a breastplate up to the throat,\r\na buckler on the left arm (just as the Persian warrior appears in\r\npictures), and for the right hand a dagger or a sword. Lastly, it\r\nis from this grade that all the magistrates are appointed except the\r\nteachers for the boys. But when the five-and-twenty years are over and\r\nthe men have reached the age of fifty years or more, then they take rank\r\nas elders, and the title is deserved. (14) These elders no longer go on\r\nmilitary service beyond the frontier; they stay at home and decide all\r\ncases, public and private both. Even capital charges are left to their\r\ndecision, and it is they who choose all the magistrates. If a youth or\r\na grown man breaks the law he is brought into court by the governors of\r\nhis tribe, who act as suitors in the case, aided by any other citizen\r\nwho pleases. The cause is heard before the elders and they pronounce\r\njudgment; and the man who is condemned is disenfranchised for the rest\r\nof his days.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(15) And now, to complete the picture of the whole Persian policy, I\r\nwill go back a little. With the help of what has been said before, the\r\naccount may now be brief; the Persians are said to number something\r\nlike one hundred and twenty thousand men: and of these no one is by\r\nlaw debarred from honour or office. On the contrary, every Persian is\r\nentitled to send his children to the public schools of righteousness\r\nand justice. As a fact, all who can afford to bring up their children\r\nwithout working do send them there: those who cannot must forego the\r\nprivilege. A lad who has passed through a public school has a right\r\nto go and take his place among the youths, but those who have not gone\r\nthrough the first course may not join them. In the same way the youths\r\nwho have fulfilled the duties of their class are entitled eventually\r\nto rank with the men, and to share in office and honour: but they\r\nmust first spend their full time among the youths; if not, they go no\r\nfurther. Finally, those who as grown men have lived without reproach may\r\ntake their station at last among the elders. Thus these elders form a\r\ncollege, every member of which has passed through the full circle\r\nof noble learning; and this is that Persian polity and that Persian\r\ntraining which, in their belief, can win them the flower of excellence.\r\n(16) And even to this day signs are left bearing witness to that ancient\r\ntemperance of theirs and the ancient discipline that preserved it.\r\nTo this day it is still considered shameful for a Persian to spit in\r\npublic, or wipe the nose, or show signs of wind, or be seen going apart\r\nfor his natural needs. And they could not keep to this standard unless\r\nthey were accustomed to a temperate diet, and were trained to exercise\r\nand toil, so that the humours of the body were drawn off in other ways.\r\nHitherto we have spoken of the Persians as a whole: we will now go back\r\nto our starting-point and recount the deeds of Cyrus from his childhood.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(C.3) Until he was twelve years old or more, Cyrus was brought up in the\r\nmanner we have described, and showed himself to be above all his fellows\r\nin his aptitude for learning and in the noble and manly performance of\r\nevery duty. But about this time, Astyages sent for his daughter and her\r\nson, desiring greatly to see him because he had heard how noble and fair\r\nhe was. So it fell out that Mandane came to Astyages, bringing her son\r\nCyrus with her. (2) And as soon as they met, the boy, when he heard\r\nthat Astyages was his mother\u0027s father, fell on his neck and kissed him\r\nwithout more ado, like the loving lad nature had made him, as though he\r\nhad been brought up at his grandfather\u0027s side from the first and the two\r\nof them had been playmates of old. Then he looked closer and saw that\r\nthe king\u0027s eyes were stencilled and his cheeks painted, and that he\r\nwore false curls after the fashion of the Medes in those days (for these\r\nadornments, and the purple robes, the tunics, the necklaces, and the\r\nbracelets, they are all Median first and last, not Persian; the Persian,\r\nas you find him at home even now-a-days, still keeps to his\r\nplainer dress and his plainer style of living.) The boy, seeing his\r\ngrandfather\u0027s splendour, kept his eyes fixed on him, and cried, \"Oh,\r\nmother, how beautiful my grandfather is!\" Then his mother asked him\r\nwhich he thought the handsomer, his father or his grandfather, and he\r\nanswered at once, \"My father is the handsomest of all the Persians, but\r\nmy grandfather much the handsomest of all the Medes I ever set eyes on,\r\nat home or abroad.\" (3) At that Astyages drew the child to his heart,\r\nand gave him a beautiful robe and bracelets and necklaces in sign of\r\nhonour, and when he rode out, the boy must ride beside him on a horse\r\nwith a golden bridle, just like King Astyages himself. And Cyrus, who\r\nhad a soul as sensitive to beauty as to honour, was pleased with the\r\nsplendid robe, and overjoyed at learning to ride, for a horse is a rare\r\nsight in Persia, a mountainous country, and one little suited to the\r\nbreed.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(4) Now Cyrus and his mother sat at meat with the king, and Astyages,\r\nwishing the lad to enjoy the feast and not regret his home, plied him\r\nwith dainties of every sort. At that, so says the story, Cyrus burst\r\nout, \"Oh, grandfather, what trouble you must give yourself reaching for\r\nall these dishes and tasting all these wonderful foods!\" \"Ah, but,\" said\r\nAstyages, \"is not this a far better meal than you ever had in Persia?\"\r\nThereupon, as the tale runs, Cyrus answered, \"Our way, grandfather, is\r\nmuch shorter than yours, and much simpler. We are hungry and wish to be\r\nfed, and bread and meat brings us where we want to be at once, but you\r\nMedes, for all your haste, take so many turns and wind about so much it\r\nis a wonder if you ever find your way to the goal that we have reached\r\nlong ago.\" (5) \"Well, my lad,\" said his grandfather, \"we are not at all\r\naverse to the length of the road: taste the dishes for yourself and see\r\nhow good they are.\" \"One thing I do see,\" the boy said, \"and that is\r\nthat you do not quite like them yourself.\" And when Astyages asked him\r\nhow he felt so sure of that, Cyrus answered, \"Because when you touch an\r\nhonest bit of bread you never wipe your hands, but if you take one of\r\nthese fine kickshaws you turn to your napkin at once, as if you were\r\nangry to find your fingers soiled.\" (6) \"Well and good, my lad, well and\r\ngood,\" said the king, \"only feast away yourself and make good cheer,\r\nand we shall send you back to Persia a fine strong fellow.\" And with the\r\nword he had dishes of meat and game set before his grandson. The boy was\r\ntaken aback by their profusion, and exclaimed, \"Grandfather, do you give\r\nme all this for myself, to do what I like with it?\" \"Certainly I do,\"\r\nsaid the king. (7) Whereupon, without more ado, the boy Cyrus took first\r\none dish and then another and gave them to the attendants who stood\r\nabout his grandfather, and with each gift he made a little speech: \"That\r\nis for you, for so kindly teaching me to ride;\" \"And that is for you, in\r\nreturn for the javelin you gave me, I have got it still;\" \"And this is\r\nfor you, because you wait on my grandfather so prettily;\" \"And this for\r\nyou, sir, because you honour my mother.\" And so on until he had got rid\r\nof all the meat he had been given. (8) \"But you do not give a single\r\npiece to Sacas, my butler,\" quoth the grandfather, \"and I honour\r\nhim more than all the rest.\" Now this Sacas, as one may guess, was a\r\nhandsome fellow, and he had the right to bring before the king all who\r\ndesired audience, to keep them back if he thought the time unseasonable.\r\nBut Cyrus, in answer to his grandfather\u0027s question retorted eagerly,\r\nlike a lad who did not know what fear meant, \"And why should you honour\r\nhim so much, grandfather?\" Then Astyages laughed and said, \"Can you not\r\nsee how prettily he mixes the cup, and with what a grace he serves the\r\nwine?\" And indeed, these royal cup-bearers are neat-handed at their\r\ntask, mixing the bowl with infinite elegance, and pouring the wine into\r\nthe beakers without spilling a drop, and when they hand the goblet they\r\npoise it deftly between thumb and finger for the banqueter to take. (9)\r\n\"Now, grandfather,\" said the boy, \"tell Sacas to give me the bowl,\r\nand let me pour out the wine as prettily as he if I can, and win your\r\nfavour.\" So the king bade the butler hand him the bowl, and Cyrus took\r\nit and mixed the wine just as he had seen Sacas do, and then, showing\r\nthe utmost gravity and the greatest deftness and grace, he brought\r\nthe goblet to his grandfather and offered it with such an air that his\r\nmother and Astyages, too, laughed outright, and then Cyrus burst out\r\nlaughing also, and flung his arms round his grandfather and kissed him,\r\ncrying, \"Sacas, your day is done! I shall oust you from your office, you\r\nmay be sure. I shall make just as pretty a cup-bearer as you—and not\r\ndrink the wine myself!\" For it is the fact that the king\u0027s butler when\r\nhe offers the wine is bound to dip a ladle in the cup first, and pour\r\na little in the hollow of his hand and sip it, so that if he has mixed\r\npoison in the bowl it will do him no good himself. (10) Accordingly,\r\nAstyages, to carry on the jest, asked the little lad why he had\r\nforgotten to taste the wine though he had imitated Sacas in everything\r\nelse. And the boy answered, \"Truly, I was afraid there might be poison\r\nin the bowl. For when you gave your birthday feast to your friends I\r\ncould see quite plainly that Sacas had put in poison for you all.\" \"And\r\nhow did you discover that, my boy?\" asked the king. \"Because I saw how\r\nyour wits reeled and how you staggered; and you all began doing what you\r\nwill not let us children do—you talked at the top of your voices, and\r\nnone of you understood a single word the others said, and then you began\r\nsinging in a way to make us laugh, and though you would not listen to\r\nthe singer you swore that it was right nobly sung, and then each of you\r\nboasted of his own strength, and yet as soon as you got up to dance, so\r\nfar from keeping time to the measure, you could barely keep your legs.\r\nAnd you seemed quite to have forgotten, grandfather, that you were\r\nking, and your subjects that you were their sovereign. Then at last I\r\nunderstood that you must be celebrating that \u0027free speech\u0027 we hear of;\r\nat any rate, you were never silent for an instant.\" (11) \"Well, but,\r\nboy,\" said Astyages, \"does your father never lose his head when he\r\ndrinks?\" \"Certainly not,\" said the boy. \"What happens then?\" asked the\r\nking. \"He quenches his thirst,\" answered Cyrus, \"and that is all. No\r\nharm follows. You see, he has no Sacas to mix his wine for him.\" \"But,\r\nCyrus,\" put in his mother, \"why are you so unkind to Sacas?\" \"Because I\r\ndo so hate him,\" answered the boy. \"Time after time when I have wanted\r\nto go to my grandfather this old villain has stopped me. Do please,\r\ngrandfather, let me manage him for three days.\" \"And how would you set\r\nabout it?\" Astyages asked. \"Why,\" said the boy, \"I will plant myself\r\nin the doorway just as he does, and then when he wants to go in to\r\nbreakfast I will say \u0027You cannot have breakfast yet: HE is busy with\r\nsome people,\u0027 and when he comes for dinner I will say \u0027No dinner yet: HE\r\nis in his bath,\u0027 and as he grows ravenous I will say \u0027Wait a little: HE\r\nis with the ladies of the court,\u0027 until I have plagued and tormented him\r\nas he torments me, keeping me away from you, grandfather, when I want to\r\ncome.\" (12) Thus the boy delighted his elders in the evening, and by\r\nday if he saw that his grandfather or his uncle wanted anything, no one\r\ncould forestall him in getting it; indeed nothing seemed to give him\r\ngreater pleasure than to please them.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(13) Now when Mandane began to think of going back to her husband,\r\nAstyages begged her to leave the boy behind. She answered that though\r\nshe wished to please her father in everything, it would be hard to leave\r\nthe boy against his will. (14) Then the old man turned to Cyrus: \"My\r\nboy, if you will stay with us, Sacas shall never stop you from coming to\r\nme: you shall be free to come whenever you choose, and the oftener you\r\ncome the better it will please me. You shall have horses to ride, my\r\nown and as many others as you like, and when you leave us you shall take\r\nthem with you. And at dinner you shall go your own away and follow your\r\nown path to your own goal of temperance just as you think right. And I\r\nwill make you a present of all the game in my parks and paradises, and\r\ncollect more for you, and as soon as you have learnt to ride you shall\r\nhunt and shoot and hurl the javelin exactly like a man. And you shall\r\nhave boys to play with and anything else you wish for: you have only to\r\nask me and it shall be yours.\" (15) Then his mother questioned the\r\nboy and asked him whether he would rather stay with his grandfather\r\nin Media, or go back home with her: and he said at once that he would\r\nrather stay. And when she went on to ask him the reason, he answered, so\r\nthe story says, \"Because at home I am thought to be the best of the lads\r\nat shooting and hurling the javelin, and so I think I am: but here I\r\nknow I am the worst at riding, and that you may be sure, mother, annoys\r\nme exceedingly. Now if you leave me here and I learn to ride, when I am\r\nback in Persia you shall see, I promise you, that I will outdo all our\r\ngallant fellows on foot, and when I come to Media again I will try and\r\nshow my grandfather that, for all his splendid cavalry, he will not have\r\na stouter horseman than his grandson to fight his battles for him.\" (16)\r\nThen said his mother, \"But justice and righteousness, my son, how can\r\nyou learn them here when your teachers are at home?\" \"Oh,\" said Cyrus,\r\n\"I know all about them already.\" \"How do you know that you do?\" asked\r\nMandane. \"Because,\" answered the boy, \"before I left home my master\r\nthought I had learnt enough to decide the cases, and he set me to try\r\nthe suits. Yes! and I remember once, said he, \"I got a whipping for\r\nmisjudgment. (17) I will tell you about that case. There were two boys,\r\na big boy and a little boy, and the big boy\u0027s coat was small and the\r\nsmall boy\u0027s coat was huge. So the big boy stripped the little boy and\r\ngave him his own small coat, while he put on the big one himself. Now in\r\ngiving judgment I decided that it was better for both parties that each\r\nshould have the coat that fitted him best. But I never got any further\r\nin my sentence, because the master thrashed me here, and said that the\r\nverdict would have been excellent if I had been appointed to say what\r\nfitted and what did not, but I had been called in to decide to whom the\r\ncoat belonged, and the point to consider was, who had a right to it: Was\r\nhe who took a thing by violence to keep it, or he who had had it made\r\nand bought it for his own? And the master taught me that what is lawful\r\nis just and what is in the teeth of law is based on violence, and\r\ntherefore, he said, the judge must always see that his verdict tallies\r\nwith the law. So you see, mother, I have the whole of justice at my\r\nfingers\u0027 ends already. And if there should be anything more I need to\r\nknow, why, I have my grandfather beside me, and he will always give me\r\nlessons.\" (18) \"But,\" rejoined his mother, \"what everyone takes to be\r\njust and righteous at your grandfather\u0027s court is not thought to be so\r\nin Persia. For instance, your own grandfather has made himself master\r\nover all and sundry among the Medes, but with the Persians equality is\r\nheld to be an essential part of justice: and first and foremost, your\r\nfather himself must perform his appointed services to the state and\r\nreceive his appointed dues: and the measure of these is not his own\r\ncaprice but the law. Have a care then, or you may be scourged to death\r\nwhen you come home to Persia, if you learn in your grandfather\u0027s school\r\nto love not kingship but tyranny, and hold the tyrant\u0027s belief that he\r\nand he alone should have more than all the rest.\" \"Ah, but, mother,\"\r\nsaid the boy, \"my grandfather is better at teaching people to have\r\nless than their share, not more. Cannot you see,\" he cried, \"how he\r\nhas taught all the Medes to have less than himself? So set your mind\r\nat rest, mother, my grandfather will never make me, or any one else, an\r\nadept in the art of getting too much.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(C.4) So the boy\u0027s tongue ran on. But at last his mother went home, and\r\nCyrus stayed behind and was brought up in Media. He soon made friends\r\nwith his companions and found his way to their hearts, and soon won\r\ntheir parents by the charm of his address and the true affection he bore\r\ntheir sons, so much so that when they wanted a favour from the king\r\nthey bade their children ask Cyrus to arrange the matter for them.\r\nAnd whatever it might be, the kindliness of the lad\u0027s heart and the\r\neagerness of his ambition made him set the greatest store on getting it\r\ndone. (2) On his side, Astyages could not bring himself to refuse his\r\ngrandson\u0027s lightest wish. For once, when he was sick, nothing would\r\ninduce the boy to leave his side; he could not keep back his tears, and\r\nhis terror at the thought that his grandfather might die was plain for\r\nevery one to see. If the old man needed anything during the night Cyrus\r\nwas the first to notice it, it was he who sprang up first to wait upon\r\nhim, and bring him what he thought would please him. Thus the old king\u0027s\r\nheart was his.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(3) During these early days, it must be allowed, the boy was something\r\ntoo much of a talker, in part, may be, because of his bringing-up. He\r\nhad been trained by his master, whenever he sat in judgment, to give a\r\nreason for what he did, and to look for the like reason from others. And\r\nmoreover, his curiosity and thirst for knowledge were such that he must\r\nneeds inquire from every one he met the explanation of this, that, and\r\nthe other; and his own wits were so lively that he was ever ready with\r\nan answer himself for any question put to him, so that talkativeness had\r\nbecome, as it were, his second nature. But, just as in the body when a\r\nboy is overgrown, some touch of youthfulness is sure to show itself\r\nand tell the secret of his age, so for all the lad\u0027s loquacity, the\r\nimpression left on the listener was not of arrogance, but of simplicity\r\nand warm-heartedness, and one would gladly have heard his chatter to the\r\nend rather than have sat beside him and found him dumb.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(4) However, as he grew in stature and the years led him to the time\r\nwhen childhood passes into youth he became more chary of his words and\r\nquieter in his tone: at times, indeed, he was so shy that he would blush\r\nin the presence of his elders, and there was little sign left of the old\r\nforwardness, the impulsiveness of the puppy who will jump up on every\r\none, master and stranger alike. Thus he grew more sedate, but his\r\ncompany was still most fascinating, and little wonder: for whenever it\r\ncame to a trial of skill between himself and his comrades he would never\r\nchallenge his mates to those feats in which he himself excelled: he\r\nwould start precisely one where he felt his own inferiority, averring\r\nthat he would outdo them all,—indeed, he would spring to horse in order\r\nto shoot or hurl the javelin before he had got a firm seat—and\r\nthen, when he was worsted, he would be the first to laugh at his own\r\ndiscomfiture. (5) He had no desire to escape defeat by giving up the\r\neffort, but took glory in the resolution to do better another time,\r\nand thus he soon found himself as good a horseman as his peers, and\r\npresently, such was his ardour, he surpassed them all, and at last the\r\nthinning of the game in the king\u0027s preserves began to show what he could\r\ndo. What with the chasing and the shooting and the spearing, the stock\r\nof animals ran so low that Astyages was hard put to it to collect enough\r\nfor him. Then Cyrus, seeing that his grandfather for all his goodwill\r\ncould never furnish him with enough, came to him one day and said,\r\n\"Grandfather, why should you take so much trouble in finding game for\r\nme? If only you would let me go out to hunt with my uncle, I could fancy\r\nevery beast we came across had been reared for my particular delight!\"\r\n(6) But however anxious the lad might be to go out to the chase, he had\r\nsomehow lost the old childish art of winning what he wanted by coaxing:\r\nand he hesitated a long time before approaching the king again. If in\r\nthe old days he had quarrelled with Sacas for not letting him in, now\r\nhe began to play the part of Sacas against himself, and could not summon\r\ncourage to intrude until he thought the right moment had come: indeed,\r\nhe implored the real Sacas to let him know when he might venture. So\r\nthat the old butler\u0027s heart was won, and he, like the rest of the world,\r\nwas completely in love with the young prince.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(7) At last when Astyages saw that the lad\u0027s heart was really set on\r\nhunting in the open country, he gave him leave to go out with his uncle,\r\ntaking care at the same time to send an escort of mounted veterans at\r\nhis heels, whose business it was to keep watch and ward over him in any\r\ndangerous place or against any savage beast. Cyrus plied his retinue\r\nwith questions about the creatures they came across, which must he avoid\r\nand which might he hunt? They told him he must be on his guard against\r\nbears and wild-boars and lions and leopards: many a man had found\r\nhimself at too close quarters with these dangerous creatures, and been\r\ntorn to pieces: but antelopes, they said, and deer and mountain sheep\r\nand wild asses were harmless enough. And the huntsman, they added, ought\r\nto be as careful about dangerous places as about the beasts themselves:\r\nmany a time horse and rider had gone headlong down a precipice to death.\r\n(8) The lad seemed to take all their lessons to heart at the time: but\r\nthen he saw a stag leap up, and forgot all the wise cautions he had\r\nheard, giving chase forthwith, noticing nothing except the beast ahead\r\nof him. His horse, in its furious plunge forward, slipped, and came down\r\non its knees, all but throwing the rider over its head. As luck would\r\nhave it the boy managed to keep his seat, and the horse recovered its\r\nfooting. When they reached the flat bottom, Cyrus let fly his javelin,\r\nand the stag fell dead, a beautiful big creature. The lad was still\r\nradiant with delight when up rode the guard and took him severely to\r\ntask. Could he not see the danger he had run? They would certainly tell\r\nhis grandfather, that they would. Cyrus, who had dismounted, stood quite\r\nstill and listened ruefully, hanging his head while they rated him. But\r\nin the middle of it all he heard the view-halloo again: he sprang to his\r\nhorse as though frenzied—a wild-boar was charging down on them, and he\r\ncharged to meet it, and drawing his bow with the surest aim possible,\r\nstruck the beast in the forehead, and laid him low. (9) But now his\r\nuncle thought it was high time to scold his nephew himself; the lad\u0027s\r\nboldness was too much. Only, the more he scolded the more Cyrus begged\r\nhe would let him take back the spoil as a present for his grandfather.\r\nTo which appeal, says the story, his uncle made reply: \"But if your\r\ngrandfather finds out that you have gone in chase yourself, he will not\r\nonly scold you for going but me for letting you go.\" \"Well, let him whip\r\nme if he likes,\" said the boy, \"when once I have given him my beasts:\r\nand you too, uncle,\" he went on, \"punish me however you choose, only do\r\nnot refuse me this.\" So Cyaxares was forced to yield:—\"Have it your own\r\nway then, you are little less than our king already.\" (10) Thus it was\r\nthat Cyrus was allowed to bring his trophies home, and in due course\r\npresented them to his grandfather. \"See, grandfather, here are some\r\nanimals I have shot for you.\" But he did not show his weapons in\r\ntriumph: he only laid them down with the gore still on them where he\r\nhoped his grandfather would see them. It is easy to guess the answer\r\nAstyages gave:—\"I must needs accept with pleasure every gift you bring\r\nme, only I want none of them at the risk of your own life.\" And Cyrus\r\nsaid, \"If you really do not want them yourself, grandfather, will you\r\ngive them to me? And I will divide them among the lads.\" \"With all my\r\nheart,\" said the old man, \"take them, or anything else you like; bestow\r\nthem where you will, and welcome.\" (11) So Cyrus carried off the spoil,\r\nand divided it with his comrades, saying all the while, \"What foolery\r\nit was, when we used to hunt in the park! It was no better than hunting\r\ncreatures tied by a string. First of all, it was such a little bit of\r\na place, and then what scarecrows the poor beasts were, one halt,\r\nand another maimed! But those real animals on the mountains and the\r\nplains—what splendid beasts, so gigantic, so sleek and glossy! Why,\r\nthe stags leapt up against the sky as though they had wings, and the\r\nwild-boars came rushing to close quarters like warriors in battle! And\r\nthanks to their breadth and bulk one could not help hitting them. Why,\r\neven as they lie dead there,\" cried he, \"they look finer than those\r\npoor walled-up creatures when alive! But you,\" he added, \"could not your\r\nfathers let you go out to hunt too?\" \"Gladly enough,\" answered they, \"if\r\nonly the king gave the order.\" (12) \"Well,\" said Cyrus, \"who will speak\r\nto Astyages for us?\" \"Why,\" answered they, \"who so fit to persuade him\r\nas yourself?\" \"No, by all that\u0027s holy, not I!\" cried Cyrus. \"I cannot\r\nthink what has come over me: I cannot speak to my grandfather any more;\r\nI cannot look him straight in the face. If this fit grows on me, I am\r\nafraid I shall become no better than an idiot. And yet, when I was a\r\nlittle boy, they tell me, I was sharp enough at talking.\" To which the\r\nother lads retorted, \"Well, it is a bad business altogether: and if you\r\ncannot bestir yourself for your friends, if you can do nothing for us\r\nin our need, we must turn elsewhere.\" (13) When Cyrus heard that he was\r\nstung to the quick: he went away in silence and urged himself to put on\r\na bold face, and so went in to his grandfather, not, however, without\r\nplanning first how he could best bring in the matter. Accordingly he\r\nbegan thus: \"Tell me, grandfather,\" said he, \"if one of your slaves were\r\nto run away, and you caught him, what would you do to him?\" \"What else\r\nshould I do,\" the old man answered, \"but clap irons on him and set him\r\nto work in chains?\" \"But if he came back of his own accord, how would\r\nyou treat him then?\" \"Why, I would give him a whipping, as a warning not\r\nto do it again, and then treat him as though nothing had happened.\" \"It\r\nis high time then,\" said the boy, \"that you began getting a birch ready\r\nfor your grandson: for I am planning to take my comrades and run away on\r\na hunting expedition.\" \"Very kind of you to tell me, beforehand,\" said\r\nAstyages. \"And now listen, I forbid you to set foot outside the palace\r\ngrounds. A pretty thing,\" he added, \"if for the sake of a day\u0027s hunting\r\nI should let my daughter\u0027s lamb get lost.\" (14) So Cyrus did as he was\r\nordered and stayed at home, but he spent his days in silence and his\r\nbrow was clouded. At last Astyages saw how bitterly the lad felt it,\r\nand he made up his mind to please him by leading out a hunting-party\r\nhimself. He held a great muster of horse and foot, and the other lads\r\nwere not forgotten: he had the beasts driven down into the flat country\r\nwhere the horses could be taken easily, and then the hunt began in\r\nsplendid style. After the royal fashion—for he was present in person\r\nhimself—he gave orders that no one was to shoot until Cyrus had hunted\r\nto his heart\u0027s content. But Cyrus would not hear of any such hindrance\r\nto the others: \"Grandfather,\" he cried, \"if you wish me to enjoy myself,\r\nlet my friends hunt with me and each of us try our best.\" (15) Thereupon\r\nAstyages let them all go, while he stood still and watched the sight,\r\nand saw how they raced to attack the quarry and how their ambition\r\nburned within them as they followed up the chase and let fly their\r\njavelins. But above all he was overjoyed to see how his grandson could\r\nnot keep silence for sheer delight, calling upon his fellows by name\r\nwhenever he came up with the quarry, like a noble young hound, baying\r\nfrom pure excitement. It gladdened the old man\u0027s heart to hear how\r\ngleefully the boy would laugh at one of his comrades and how eagerly he\r\nwould applaud another without the slightest touch of jealousy. At\r\nlength it was time to turn, and home they went, laden with their mighty\r\ntrophies. And ever afterwards, so well pleased was the king with the\r\nday\u0027s hunting, that whenever it was possible, out he must go with his\r\ngrandson, all his train behind him, and he never failed to take the boys\r\nalso, \"to please Cyrus.\" Thus did Cyrus spend his early life, sharing in\r\nand helping towards the happiness of all, and bringing no sorrow to any\r\nman.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(16) But when he was about fifteen years of age, it chanced that the\r\nyoung Prince of Assyria, who was about to marry a wife, planned a\r\nhunting-party of his own, in honour of the bridal. And, having heard\r\nthat on the frontiers of Assyria and Media there was much game to be\r\ngot, untouched and unmolested because of the war, the prince chose these\r\nmarches for his hunting-ground. But for safety sake he took with him\r\na large escort of cavalry and targeteers, who were to drive the beasts\r\ndown from their lairs into the cultivated levels below where it was\r\neasy to ride. He set out to the place where the Assyrian outposts were\r\nplanted and a garrison on duty, and there he and his men prepared to\r\ntake their supper, intending to begin the hunt with the morrow\u0027s dawn.\r\n(17) And as evening had fallen, it happened that the night-watch, a\r\nconsiderable body of horse and foot, arrived from the city to relieve\r\nthe garrison on guard. Thus the prince found that he had something like\r\na large army at his call: the two garrisons as well as the troop of\r\nhorse and foot for the hunt. And then he asked himself whether it would\r\nnot be the best of plans to drive off booty from the country of the\r\nMedes? In this way more lustre would be given to the chase, and there\r\nwould be great store of beasts for sacrifice. With this intent he rose\r\nbetimes and led his army out: the foot soldiers he massed together on\r\nthe frontier, while he himself, at the head of his cavalry, rode up to\r\nthe border fortresses of the Medes. Here he halted with the strongest\r\nand largest part of his company, to prevent the garrisons from sallying\r\nout, and meanwhile he sent picked men forward by detachments with orders\r\nto raid the country in every direction, waylay everything they chanced\r\nupon, and drive the spoil back to him.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(18) While this was going on news was brought to Astyages that the enemy\r\nwas across the border, and he hastened to the rescue at once, himself at\r\nthe head of his own body-guard, and his son with such troopers as were\r\nready to hand, leaving word for others to follow with all despatch. But\r\nwhen they were in sight of the Assyrians, and saw their serried ranks,\r\nhorse and foot, drawn up in order, compact and motionless, they came to\r\na halt themselves. (19) Now Cyrus, seeing that all the rest of the world\r\nwas off to the rescue, boot and saddle, must needs ride out too, and so\r\nput on his armour for the first time, and could scarcely believe it was\r\ntrue, he had longed so often and so ardently to wear it all. And right\r\nbeautiful it was, and right well it fitted the lad, the armour that his\r\ngrandsire had had made for him. So he put on the whole accoutrement,\r\nmounted his charger, and galloped to the front. And Astyages, though he\r\nwondered who had sent the boy, bade him stay beside him, now that he\r\nhad come. Cyrus, as he looked at the horsemen facing them, turned to\r\nhis grandfather with the question, \"Can those men yonder be our enemies,\r\ngrandfather, those who are standing so quietly beside their horses?\"\r\n\"Enemies they are too for all that,\" said the king. \"And are those\r\nenemies too?\" the boy asked, \"those who are riding over there?\" \"Yes,\r\nto be sure.\" \"Well, grandfather, a sorry set they look, and sorry jades\r\nthey ride to ravage our lands! It would be well for some of us to charge\r\nthem!\" \"Not yet, my boy,\" answered his grandfather, \"look at the mass\r\nof horsemen there. If we were to charge the others now, these friends of\r\ntheirs would charge us, for our full strength is not yet on the field.\"\r\n\"Yes, but,\" suggested the boy, \"if you stay here yourself, ready to\r\nreceive our supporters, those fellows will be afraid to stir either, and\r\nthe cattle-lifters will drop their booty quick enough, as soon as they\r\nfind they are attacked.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(20) Astyages felt there was much in what the boy said, and thinking all\r\nthe while what wonderful sense he showed and how wide-awake he was, gave\r\norders for his son to take a squadron of horse and charge the raiders.\r\n\"If the main body move to attack,\" he added, \"I will charge myself and\r\ngive them enough to do here.\" Accordingly Cyaxares took a detachment of\r\nhorse and galloped to the field. Cyrus seeing the charge, darted forward\r\nhimself, and swept to the van, leading it with Cyaxares close at his\r\nheels and the rest close behind them. As soon as the plunderers saw\r\nthem, they left their booty and took to flight. (21) The troopers, with\r\nCyrus at their head, dashed in to cut them off, and some they overtook\r\nat once and hewed down then and there; others slipped past, and then\r\nthey followed in hot pursuit, and caught some of them too. And Cyrus was\r\never in the front, like a young hound, untrained as yet but bred from\r\na gallant stock, charging a wild-boar recklessly; forward he swept,\r\nwithout eyes or thought for anything but the quarry to be captured and\r\nthe blow to be struck. But when the Assyrian army saw their friends\r\nin trouble they pushed forward, rank on rank, saying to themselves the\r\npursuit would stop when their own movement was seen. (22) But Cyrus\r\nnever slackened his pace a whit: in a transport of joy he called on his\r\nuncle by name as he pressed forward, hanging hot-foot on the fugitives,\r\nwhile Cyaxares still clung to his heels, thinking maybe what his father\r\nAstyages would say if he hung back, and the others still followed close\r\nbehind them, even the faint-hearted changed into heroes for the nonce.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nNow Astyages, watching their furious onslaught, and seeing the enemy\r\nmove steadily forward in close array to meet them, decided to advance\r\nwithout a moment\u0027s delay himself, for fear that his son and Cyrus might\r\ncome to harm, crashing in disorder against the solid battalions of the\r\nfoe. (23) The Assyrians saw the movement of the king and came to a halt,\r\nspears levelled and bows bent, expecting that, when their assailants\r\ncame within range, they would halt likewise as they had usually done\r\nbefore. For hitherto, whenever the armies met, they would only charge up\r\nto a certain distance, and there take flying shots, and so keep up the\r\nskirmish until evening fell. But now the Assyrians saw their own men\r\nborne down on them in rout, with Cyrus and his comrades at their heels\r\nin full career, while Astyages and his cavalry were already within\r\nbowshot. It was more than they could face, and they turned and fled.\r\nAfter them swept the Medes in full pursuit, and those they caught they\r\nmowed down, horse and man, and those that fell they slew. There was no\r\npause until they came up with the Assyrian foot. (24) Here at last they\r\ndrew rein in fear of some hidden ambuscade, and Astyages led his army\r\noff. The exploit of his cavalry pleased him beyond measure, but he did\r\nnot know what he could say to Cyrus. It was he to whom the engagement\r\nwas due, and the victory; but the boy\u0027s daring was on the verge of\r\nmadness. Even during the return home his behaviour was strange; he could\r\nnot forbear riding round alone to look into the faces of the slain,\r\nand those whose duty it was could hardly drag him away to lead him to\r\nAstyages: indeed, the youth was glad enough to keep them as a screen\r\nbetween himself and the king, for he saw that the countenance of his\r\ngrandfather grew stern at the sight of him.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(25) So matters passed in Media: and more and more the name of Cyrus was\r\non the lip of every man, in song and story everywhere, and Astyages,\r\nwho had always loved him, was astonished beyond all measure at the lad.\r\nMeanwhile his father, Cambyses, rejoiced to hear such tidings of his\r\nson; but, when he heard that he was already acting like a man of years,\r\nhe thought it full time to call him home again that he might complete\r\nhis training in the discipline of his fatherland. The story tells how\r\nCyrus answered the summons, saying he would rather return home at once\r\nso that his father might not be vexed or his country blame him. And\r\nAstyages, too, thought it his plain duty to send the boy back, but he\r\nmust needs give him horses to take with him, as many as he would care\r\nto choose, and other gifts beside, not only for the love he bore him\r\nbut for the high hopes he had that the boy would one day prove a man of\r\nmark, a blessing to his friends, and a terror to his foes. And when the\r\ntime came for Cyrus to go, the whole world poured out to speed him on\r\nhis journey—little children and lads of his own age, and grown men\r\nand greybeards on their steeds, and Astyages the king. And, so says the\r\nchronicle, the eyes of none were dry when they turned home again. (26)\r\nCyrus himself, they tell us, rode away in tears. He heaped gifts on all\r\nhis comrades, sharing with them what Astyages had given to himself; and\r\nat last he took off the splendid Median cloak he wore and gave it to one\r\nof them, to tell him, plainer than words could say, how his heart clung\r\nto him above the rest. And his friends, they say, took the gifts he gave\r\nthem, but they brought them all back to Astyages, who sent them to Cyrus\r\nagain. But once more Cyrus sent them back to Media with this prayer to\r\nhis grandfather:—\"If you would have me hold my head up when I come back\r\nto you again, let my friends keep the gifts I gave them.\" And Astyages\r\ndid as the boy asked.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(27) And here, if a tale of boyish love is not out of place, we might\r\ntell how, when Cyrus was just about to depart and the last good-byes\r\nwere being said, each of his kinsmen in the Persian fashion—and to this\r\nday the custom holds in Persia—kissed him on the lips as they bade him\r\ngod-speed. Now there was a certain Mede, as beautiful and brave a man\r\nas ever lived, who had been enamoured of Cyrus for many a long day,\r\nand, when he saw the kiss, he stayed behind, and after the others had\r\nwithdrawn he went up to Cyrus and said, \"Me, and me alone, of all your\r\nkindred, Cyrus, you refuse to recognize?\" And Cyrus answered, \"What, are\r\nyou my kinsman too?\" \"Yes, assuredly,\" the other answered, and the lad\r\nrejoined, \"Ah, then, that is why you looked at me so earnestly; and I\r\nhave seen you look at me like that, I think, more than once before.\"\r\n\"Yes,\" answered the Mede, \"I have often longed to approach you, but as\r\noften, heaven knows, my heart failed me.\" \"But why should that be,\" said\r\nCyrus, \"seeing you are my kinsman?\" And with the word, he leant forward\r\nand kissed him on the lips. (28) Then the Mede, emboldened by the kiss,\r\ntook heart and said, \"So in Persia it is really the custom for relatives\r\nto kiss?\" \"Truly yes,\" answered Cyrus, \"when we see each other after a\r\nlong absence, or when we part for a journey.\" \"Then the time has come,\"\r\nsaid the other, \"to give me a second kiss, for I must leave you now.\"\r\nWith that Cyrus kissed him again and so they parted. But the travellers\r\nwere not far on their way when suddenly the Mede came galloping after\r\nthem, his charger covered with foam. Cyrus caught sight of him:—\"You\r\nhave forgotten something? There is something else you wanted to say?\"\r\n\"No,\" said the Mede, \"it is only such a long, long while since we met.\"\r\n\"Such a little, little while you mean, my kinsman,\" answered Cyrus. \"A\r\nlittle while!\" repeated the other. \"How can you say that? Cannot you\r\nunderstand that the time it takes to wink is a whole eternity if it\r\nsevers me from the beauty of your face?\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nThen Cyrus burst out laughing in spite of his own tears, and bade the\r\nunfortunate man take heart of grace and be gone. \"I shall soon be back\r\nwith you again, and then you can stare at me to your heart\u0027s content,\r\nand never wink at all.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(C.5) Thus Cyrus left his grandfather\u0027s court and came home to Persia,\r\nand there, so it is said, he spent one year more as a boy among boys.\r\nAt first the lads were disposed to laugh at him, thinking he must have\r\nlearnt luxurious ways in Media, but when they saw that he could take\r\nthe simple Persian food as happily as themselves, and how, whenever they\r\nmade good cheer at a festival, far from asking for any more himself he\r\nwas ready to give his own share of the dainties away, when they saw and\r\nfelt in this and in other things his inborn nobleness and superiority to\r\nthemselves, then the tide turned and once more they were at his feet.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nAnd when this part of his training was over, and the time was come for\r\nhim to join the younger men, it was the same tale once more. Once more\r\nhe outdid all his fellows, alike in the fulfilment of his duty, in\r\nthe endurance of hardship, in the reverence he showed to age, and the\r\nobedience he paid to authority.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(2) Now in the fullness of time Astyages died in Media, and Cyaxares\r\nhis son, the brother of Cyrus\u0027 mother, took the kingdom in his stead.\r\nBy this time the king of Assyria had subdued all the tribes of Syria,\r\nsubjugated the king of Arabia, brought the Hyrcanians under his rule,\r\nand was holding the Bactrians in siege. Therefore he came to think that,\r\nif he could but weaken the power of the Medes, it would be easy for him\r\nto extend his empire over all the nations round him, since the Medes\r\nwere, without doubt, the strongest of them all. (3) Accordingly he\r\nsent his messengers to every part of his dominions: to Croesus, king\r\nof Lydia, to the king of Cappadocia, to both the Phrygias, to the\r\nPaphlagonians and the Indians, to the Carians and the Cilicians. And he\r\nbade them spread slanders abroad against the Persians and the Medes, and\r\nsay moreover that these were great and mighty kingdoms which had come\r\ntogether and made alliance by marriage with one another, and unless a\r\nman should be beforehand with them and bring down their power it could\r\nnot be but that they would fall on each of their neighbours in turn and\r\nsubdue them one by one. So the nations listened to the messengers and\r\nmade alliance with the king of Assyria: some were persuaded by what he\r\nsaid and others were won over by gifts and gold, for the riches of the\r\nAssyrian were great. (4) Now Cyaxares, the son of Astyages, was aware of\r\nthese plots and preparations, and he made ready on his side, so far as\r\nin him lay, sending word to the Persian state and to Cambyses the king,\r\nwho had his sister to wife. And he sent to Cyrus also, begging him to\r\ncome with all speed at the head of any force that might be furnished, if\r\nso be the Council of Persia would give him men-at-arms. For by this\r\ntime Cyrus had accomplished his ten years among the youths and was now\r\nenrolled with the grown men. (5) He was right willing to go, and the\r\nCouncil of Elders appointed him to command the force for Media. They\r\nbade him choose two hundred men among the Peers, each of them to choose\r\nfour others from their fellows. Thus was formed a body of a thousand\r\nPeers: and each of the thousand had orders to raise thirty men from the\r\ncommons—ten targeteers, ten slingers, and ten archers—and thus three\r\nregiments were levied, 10,000 archers, 10,000 slingers, and 10,000\r\ntargeteers, over and above the thousand Peers. The whole force was to\r\nbe put under the command of Cyrus. (6) As soon as he was appointed,\r\nhis first act had been to offer sacrifice, and when the omens were\r\nfavourable he had chosen his two hundred Peers, and each of them had\r\nchosen their four comrades. Then he called the whole body together, and\r\nfor the first time spoke to them as follows:—\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(7) \"My friends, I have chosen you for this work, but this is not the\r\nfirst time that I have formed my opinion of your worth: from my boyhood\r\nI have watched your zeal for all that our country holds to be honourable\r\nand your abhorrence for all that she counts base. And I wish to tell you\r\nplainly why I accepted this office myself and why I ask your help. (8) I\r\nhave long felt sure that our forefathers were in their time as good men\r\nas we. For their lives were one long effort towards the self-same deeds\r\nof valour as are held in honour now; and still, for all their worth,\r\nI fail to see what good they gained either for the state or for\r\nthemselves. (9) Yet I cannot bring myself to believe that there is a\r\nsingle virtue practised among mankind merely in order that the brave and\r\ngood should fare no better than the base ones of the earth. Men do\r\nnot forego the pleasures of the moment to say good-bye to all joy for\r\nevermore—no, this self-control is a training, so that we may reap the\r\nfruits of a larger joy in the time to come. A man will toil day and\r\nnight to make himself an orator, yet oratory is not the one aim of\r\nhis existence: his hope is to influence men by his eloquence and thus\r\nachieve some noble end. So too with us, and those like us, who are\r\ndrilled in the arts of war: we do not give our labours in order to fight\r\nfor ever, endlessly and hopelessly, we hope that we too one day, when we\r\nhave proved our mettle, may win and wear for ourselves and for our city\r\nthe threefold ornament of wealth, of happiness, of honour. (10) And if\r\nthere should be some who have worked hard all their lives and suddenly\r\nold-age, they find, has stolen on them unawares, and taken away their\r\npowers before they have gathered in the fruit of all their toil, such\r\nmen seem to me like those who desire to be thrifty husbandmen, and who\r\nsow well and plant wisely, but when the time of harvest comes let the\r\nfruit drop back ungarnered into the soil whence it sprang. Or as if an\r\nathlete should train himself and reach the heights where victory may be\r\nwon and at the last forbear to enter the lists—such an one, I take it,\r\nwould but meet his deserts if all men cried out upon him for a fool.\r\n(11) Let not such be our fate, my friends. Our own hearts bear us\r\nwitness that we, too, from our boyhood up, have been trained in the\r\nschool of beauty and nobleness and honour, and now let us go forward to\r\nmeet our foes. They, I know right well, when matched with us, will prove\r\nbut novices in war. He is no true warrior, though he be skilled with the\r\njavelin and the bow and ride on horseback with the best, who, when the\r\ncall for endurance comes, is found to fail: toil finds him but a novice.\r\nNor are they warriors who, when they should wake and watch, give way to\r\nslumber: sleep finds them novices. Even endurance will not avail, if a\r\nman has not learnt to deal as a man should by friends and foes: such an\r\none is unschooled in the highest part of his calling. (12) But with you\r\nit is not so: to you the night will be as the day; toil, your school\r\nhas taught you, is the guide to happiness; hunger has been your daily\r\ncondiment, and water you take to quench your thirst as the lion laps the\r\nstream. And you have that within your hearts which is the rarest of all\r\ntreasures and the most akin to war: of all sweet sounds the sweetest\r\nsound for you is the voice of fame. You are fair Honour\u0027s suitors, and\r\nyou must needs win your title to her favour. Therefore you undergo toil\r\nand danger gladly.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(13) \"Now if I said all this of you, and my heart were not in my words,\r\nI should but cheat myself. For in so far as you should fail to fulfil my\r\nhopes of you, it is on me that the shame would fall. But I have faith in\r\nyou, bred of experience: I trust in your goodwill towards me, and in our\r\nenemy\u0027s lack of wit; you will not belie my hopes. Let us go forth with a\r\nlight heart; we have no ill-fame to fear: none can say we covet\r\nanother man\u0027s goods unlawfully. Our enemy strikes the first blow in an\r\nunrighteous cause, and our friends call us to protect them. What is more\r\nlawful than self-defence? What is nobler than to succour those we love?\r\n(14) And you have another ground of confidence—in opening this campaign\r\nI have not been forgetful of the gods: you have gone in and out with me,\r\nand you know how in all things, great and small, I strive to win their\r\nblessing. And now,\" he added, \"what need of further words? I will leave\r\nyou now to choose your own men, and when all is ready you will march\r\ninto Media at their head. Meanwhile I will return to my father and start\r\nbefore you, so that I may learn what I can about the enemy as soon as\r\nmay be, and thus make all needful preparations, so that by God\u0027s help we\r\nmay win glory on the field.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(C.6) Such were his orders and they set about them at once. But Cyrus\r\nhimself went home and prayed to the gods of his father\u0027s house, to\r\nHestia and Zeus, and to all who had watched over his race. And when he\r\nhad done so, he set out for the war, and his father went with him on\r\nthe road. They were no sooner clear of the city, so says the story, than\r\nthey met with favourable omens of thunder and lightning, and after that\r\nthey went forward without further divination, for they felt that no man\r\ncould mistake the signs from the Ruler of the gods. (2) And as they went\r\non their way Cyrus\u0027 father said to him, \"My son, the gods are gracious\r\nto us, and look with favour on your journey—they have shown it in the\r\nsacrifices, and by their signs from heaven. You do not need another man\r\nto tell you so, for I was careful to have you taught this art, so that\r\nyou might understand the counsels of the gods yourself and have no need\r\nof an interpreter, seeing with your own eyes and hearing with your own\r\nears and taking the heavenly meaning for yourself. Thus you need not be\r\nat the mercy of any soothsayers who might have a mind to deceive you,\r\nspeaking contrary to the omens vouchsafed from heaven, nor yet, should\r\nyou chance to be without a seer, drift in perplexity and know not how to\r\nprofit by the heavenly signs: you yourself through your own learning can\r\nunderstand the warnings of the gods and follow them.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(3) \"Yes, father,\" answered Cyrus, \"so far as in me lies, I bear your\r\nwords in mind, and pray to the gods continually that they may show us\r\nfavour and vouchsafe to counsel us. I remember,\" he went on, \"how once I\r\nheard you say that, as with men, so with the gods, it was but natural if\r\nthe prayer of him should prevail who did not turn to flatter them only\r\nin time of need, but was mindful of them above all in the heyday of his\r\nhappiness. It was thus indeed, you said, that we ought to deal with our\r\nearthly friends.\" (4) \"True, my son,\" said his father, \"and because of\r\nall my teaching, you can now approach the gods in prayer with a lighter\r\nheart and a more confident hope that they will grant you what you ask,\r\nbecause your conscience bears you witness that you have never forgotten\r\nthem.\" \"Even so,\" said Cyrus, \"and in truth I feel towards them as\r\nthough they were my friends.\" (5) \"And do you remember,\" asked his\r\nfather, \"certain other conclusions on which we were agreed? How we\r\nfelt there were certain things that the gods had permitted us to attain\r\nthrough learning and study and training? The accomplishment of these is\r\nthe reward of effort, not of idleness; in these it is only when we have\r\ndone all that it is our duty to do that we are justified in asking for\r\nblessings from the gods.\" (6) \"I remember very well,\" said Cyrus, \"that\r\nyou used to talk to me in that way: and indeed I could not but agree\r\nwith the arguments you gave. You used to say that a man had no right to\r\npray he might win a cavalry charge if he had never learnt how to ride,\r\nor triumph over master-bowmen if he could not draw a bow, or bring\r\na ship safe home to harbour if he did not know how to steer, or be\r\nrewarded with a plenteous harvest if he had not so much as sown grain\r\ninto the ground, or come home safe from battle if he took no precautions\r\nwhatsoever. All such prayers as these, you said, were contrary to the\r\nvery ordinances of heaven, and those who asked for things forbidden\r\ncould not be surprised if they failed to win them from the gods. Even as\r\na petition in the face of law on earth would have no success with men.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(7) \"And do you remember,\" said his father, \"how we thought that it\r\nwould be a noble work enough if a man could train himself really and\r\ntruly to be beautiful and brave and earn all he needed for his household\r\nand himself? That, we said, was a work of which a man might well be\r\nproud; but if he went further still, if he had the skill and the science\r\nto be the guide and governor of other men, supplying all their wants and\r\nmaking them all they ought to be, that, it seemed to us, would be indeed\r\na marvel.\" (8) \"Yes, my father,\" answered Cyrus, \"I remember it very\r\nwell. I agreed with you that to rule well and nobly was the greatest\r\nof all works, and I am of the same mind still,\" he went on, \"whenever\r\nI think of government in itself. But when I look on the world at large,\r\nwhen I see of what poor stuff those men are made who contrive to uphold\r\ntheir rule and what sort of antagonists we are likely to find in them,\r\nthen I can only feel how disgraceful it would be to cringe before them\r\nand not to face them myself and try conclusions with them on the field.\r\nAll of them, I perceive,\" he added, \"beginning with our own friends\r\nhere, hold to it that the ruler should only differ from his subjects by\r\nthe splendour of his banquets, the wealth of gold in his coffers, the\r\nlength and depth of his slumbers, and his freedom from trouble and pain.\r\nBut my views are different: I hold that the ruler should be marked out\r\nfrom other men, not by taking life easily, but by his forethought and\r\nhis wisdom and his eagerness for work.\" (9) \"True, my son,\" the father\r\nanswered, \"but you know the struggle must in part be waged not against\r\nflesh and blood but against circumstances, and these may not be overcome\r\nso easily. You know, I take it, that if supplies were not forthcoming,\r\nfarewell to this government of yours.\" \"Yes,\" Cyrus answered, \"and that\r\nis why Cyaxares is undertaking to provide for all of us who join him,\r\nwhatever our numbers are.\" \"So,\" said the father, \"and you really mean,\r\nmy son, that you are relying only on these supplies of Cyaxares for this\r\ncampaign of yours?\" \"Yes,\" answered Cyrus. \"And do you know what they\r\namount to?\" \"No,\" he said, \"I cannot say that I do.\" \"And yet,\" his\r\nfather went on, \"you are prepared to rely on what you do not know? Do\r\nyou forget that the needs of the morrow must be high, not to speak\r\nof the outlay for the day?\" \"Oh, no,\" said Cyrus, \"I am well aware of\r\nthat.\" \"Well,\" said the father, \"suppose the cost is more than Cyaxares\r\ncan bear, or suppose he actually meant to deceive you, how would your\r\nsoldiers fare?\" \"Ill enough, no doubt,\" answered he. \"And now tell\r\nme, father, while we are still in friendly country, if you know of any\r\nresources that I could make my own?\" (10) \"You want to know where you\r\ncould find resources of your own?\" repeated his father. \"And who is to\r\nfind that out, if not he who holds the keys of power? We have given you\r\na force of infantry that you would not exchange, I feel sure, for one\r\nthat was more than twice its size; and you will have the cavalry of\r\nMedia to support you, the finest in the world. I conceive there are none\r\nof the nations round about who will not be ready to serve you, whether\r\nto win your favour or because they fear disaster. These are matters\r\nyou must look into carefully, in concert with Cyaxares, so that nothing\r\nshould ever fail you of what you need, and, if only for habit\u0027s sake,\r\nyou should devise some means for supplying your revenue. Bear this maxim\r\nin mind before all others—never put off the collecting of supplies\r\nuntil the day of need, make the season of your abundance provide against\r\nthe time of dearth. You will gain better terms from those on whom you\r\nmust depend if you are not thought to be in straits, and, what is more,\r\nyou will be free from blame in the eyes of your soldiers. That in itself\r\nwill make you more respected; wherever you desire to help or to hurt,\r\nyour troops will follow you with greater readiness, so long as they have\r\nall they need, and your words, you may be sure, will carry the greater\r\nweight the fuller your display of power for weal or woe.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(11) \"Yes, father,\" Cyrus said, \"I feel all you say is true, and the\r\nmore because as things now stand none of my soldiers will thank me for\r\nthe pay that is promised them. They are well aware of the terms Cyaxares\r\nhas offered for their help: but whatever they get over and above the\r\ncovenanted amount they will look upon as a free gift, and for that they\r\nwill, in all likelihood, feel most gratitude to the giver.\" \"True,\" said\r\nthe father, \"and really for a man to have a force with which he could\r\nserve his friends and take vengeance on his foes, and yet neglect the\r\nsupplies for it, would be as disgraceful, would it not? as for a farmer\r\nto hold lands and labourers and yet allow fields to lie barren for lack\r\nof tillage.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"No such neglect,\" answered the son, \"shall ever be laid at my door.\r\nThrough friendly lands or hostile, trust me, in this business of\r\nsupplying my troops with all they need I will always play my part.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(12) \"Well, my son,\" the father resumed, \"and do you remember certain\r\nother points which we agreed must never be overlooked?\" \"Could I forget\r\nthem?\" answered Cyrus. \"I remember how I came to you for money to pay\r\nthe teacher who professed to have taught me generalship, and you gave it\r\nme, but you asked me many questions. \u0027Now, my boy,\u0027 you said, \u0027did this\r\nteacher you want to pay ever mention economy among the things a general\r\nought to understand? Soldiers, no less than servants in a house, are\r\ndependent on supplies.\u0027 And I was forced to tell the truth and admit\r\nthat not a syllable had been mentioned on that score. Then you asked\r\nme if anything had been taught about health and strength, since a true\r\ngeneral is bound to think of these matters no less than of tactics and\r\nstrategy. And when I was forced to say no, you asked me if he had taught\r\nme any of the arts which give the best aid in war. Once again I had to\r\nsay no and then you asked whether he had ever taught me how to kindle\r\nenthusiasm in my men. For in every undertaking, you said, there was all\r\nthe difference in the world between energy and lack of spirit. I shook\r\nmy head and your examination went on:—Had this teacher laid no stress\r\non the need for obedience in an army, or on the best means of securing\r\ndiscipline? (14) And finally, when it was plain that even this had been\r\nutterly ignored, you exclaimed, \u0027What in the world, then, does your\r\nprofessor claim to have taught you under the name of generalship?\u0027 To\r\nthat I could at last give a positive answer: \u0027He taught me tactics.\u0027\r\nAnd then you gave a little laugh and ran through your list point by\r\npoint:—\u0027And pray what will be the use of tactics to an army without\r\nsupplies, without health, without discipline, without knowledge of those\r\narts and inventions that are of use in war?\u0027 And so you made it clear\r\nto me that tactics and manoeuvres and drill were only a small part of all\r\nthat is implied in generalship, and when I asked you if you could teach\r\nme the rest of it you bade me betake myself to those who stood high in\r\nrepute as great generals, and talk with them and learn from their lips\r\nhow each thing should be done. (15) So I consorted with all I thought to\r\nbe of authority in these matters. As regards our present supplies I was\r\npersuaded that what Cyaxares intended to provide was sufficient, and, as\r\nfor the health of the troops, I was aware that the cities where health\r\nwas valued appointed medical officers, and the generals who cared for\r\ntheir soldiers took out a medical staff; and so when I found myself in\r\nthis office I gave my mind to the matter at once: and I flatter myself,\r\nfather,\" he added, \"that I shall have with me an excellent staff of\r\nsurgeons and physicians.\" (16) To which the father made reply, \"Well,\r\nmy son, but these excellent men are, after all, much the same as the\r\ntailors who patch torn garments. When folk are ill, your doctors can\r\npatch them up, but your own care for their health ought to go far deeper\r\nthan that: your prime object should be to save your men from falling ill\r\nat all.\" \"And pray, father,\" asked Cyrus, \"how can I succeed in that?\"\r\n\"Well,\" answered Cambyses, \"I presume if you are to stay long in one\r\nplace you will do your best to discover a healthy spot for your camp,\r\nand if you give your mind to the matter you can hardly fail to find it.\r\nMen, we know, are forever discussing what places are healthy and what\r\nare not, and their own complexions and the state of their own bodies is\r\nthe clearest evidence. But you will not content yourself with choosing a\r\nsite, you will remember the care you take yourself for your own health.\"\r\n(17) \"Well,\" said Cyrus, \"my first rule is to avoid over-feeding as most\r\noppressive to the system, and my next to work off all that enters the\r\nbody: that seems the best way to keep health and gain strength.\" \"My\r\nson,\" Cambyses answered, \"these are the principles you must apply to\r\nothers.\" \"What!\" said Cyrus; \"do you think it will be possible for the\r\nsoldiers to diet and train themselves?\" \"Not only possible,\" said the\r\nfather, \"but essential. For surely an army, if it is to fulfil its\r\nfunction at all, must always be engaged in hurting the foe or helping\r\nitself. A single man is hard enough to support in idleness, a household\r\nis harder still, an army hardest of all. There are more mouths to be\r\nfilled, less wealth to start with, and greater waste; and therefore\r\nan army should never be unemployed.\" (18) \"If I take your meaning,\"\r\nanswered Cyrus, \"you think an idle general as useless as an idle farmer.\r\nAnd here and now I answer for the working general, and promise on his\r\nbehalf that with God\u0027s help he will show you that his troops have all\r\nthey need and their bodies are all they ought to be. And I think,\" he\r\nadded, \"I know a way by which an officer might do much towards training\r\nhis men in the various branches of war. Let him propose competitions\r\nof every kind and offer prizes; the standard of skill will rise, and\r\nhe will soon have a body of troops ready to his hand for any service he\r\nrequires.\" \"Nothing could be better,\" answered the father. \"Do this, and\r\nyou may be sure you will watch your regiments at their manoeuvres with as\r\nmuch delight as if they were a chorus in the dance.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(19) \"And then,\" continued Cyrus, \"to rouse enthusiasm in the men, there\r\ncan be nothing, I take it, like the power of kindling hope?\" \"True,\"\r\nanswered his father, \"but that alone would be as though a huntsman were\r\nfor ever rousing his pack with the view-halloo. At first, of course, the\r\nhounds will answer eagerly enough, but after they have been cheated\r\nonce or twice they will end by refusing the call even when the quarry\r\nis really in sight. And so it is with hope. Let a man rouse false\r\nexpectations often enough, and in the end, even when hope is at the\r\ndoor, he may cry the good news in vain. Rather ought he to refrain from\r\nspeaking positively himself when he cannot know precisely; his agents\r\nmay step in and do it in his place; but he should reserve his own appeal\r\nfor the supreme crises of supreme danger, and not dissipate his credit.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"By heaven, a most admirable suggestion!\" cried Cyrus, \"and one much\r\nmore to my mind! (20) As for enforcing obedience, I hope I have had some\r\ntraining in that already; you began my education yourself when I was a\r\nchild by teaching me to obey you, and then you handed me over to masters\r\nwho did as you had done, and afterwards, when we were lads, my fellows\r\nand myself, there was nothing on which the governors laid more stress.\r\nOur laws themselves, I think, enforce this double lesson:—\u0027Rule thou\r\nand be thou ruled.\u0027 And when I come to study the secret of it all, I\r\nseem to see that the real incentive to obedience lies in the praise and\r\nhonour that it wins against the discredit and the chastisement which\r\nfall on the disobedient.\" (21) \"That, my son,\" said the father, \"is the\r\nroad to the obedience of compulsion. But there is a shorter way to a\r\nnobler goal, the obedience of the will. When the interests of mankind\r\nare at stake, they will obey with joy the man whom they believe to be\r\nwiser than themselves. You may prove this on all sides: you may see how\r\nthe sick man will beg the doctor to tell him what he ought to do, how a\r\nwhole ship\u0027s company will listen to the pilot, how travellers will\r\ncling to the one who knows the way better, as they believe, than they do\r\nthemselves. But if men think that obedience will lead them to disaster,\r\nthen nothing, neither penalties, nor persuasion, nor gifts, will avail\r\nto rouse them. For no man accepts a bribe to his own destruction.\" (22)\r\n\"You would have me understand,\" said Cyrus, \"that the best way to\r\nsecure obedience is to be thought wiser than those we rule?\" \"Yes,\" said\r\nCambyses, \"that is my belief.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"And what is the quickest way,\" asked Cyrus, \"to win that reputation?\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"None quicker, my lad, than this: wherever you wish to seem wise, be\r\nwise. Examine as many cases as you like, and you will find that what I\r\nsay is true. If you wished to be thought a good farmer, a good horseman,\r\na good physician, a good flute-player, or anything else whatever,\r\nwithout really being so, just imagine what a world of devices you would\r\nneed to invent, merely to keep up the outward show! And suppose you did\r\nget a following to praise you and cry you up, suppose you did burden\r\nyourself with all kinds of paraphernalia for your profession, what\r\nwould come of it all? You succeed at first in a very pretty piece of\r\ndeception, and then by and by the test comes, and the impostor stands\r\nrevealed.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(23) \"But,\" said Cyrus, \"how can a man really and truly attain to the\r\nwisdom that will serve his turn?\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"Well, my son, it is plain that where learning is the road to wisdom,\r\nlearn you must, as you learnt your battalion-drill, but when it comes to\r\nmatters which are not to be learnt by mortal men, nor foreseen by mortal\r\nminds, there you can only become wiser than others by communicating with\r\nthe gods through the art of divination. But, always, wherever you know\r\nthat a thing ought to be done, see that it is done, and done with care;\r\nfor care, not carelessness, is the mark of the wise man.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(24) \"And now,\" said Cyrus, \"to win the affection of those we rule—and\r\nthere is nothing, I take it, of greater importance—surely the path to\r\nfollow lies open to all who desire the love of their friends. We must, I\r\nmean, show that we do them good.\" \"Yes, my child, but to do good really\r\nat all seasons to those we wish to help is not always possible: only one\r\nway is ever open, and that is the way of sympathy; to rejoice with the\r\nhappy in the day of good things, to share their sorrow when ill befalls\r\nthem, to lend a hand in all their difficulties, to fear disaster for\r\nthem, and guard against it by foresight—these, rather than actual\r\nbenefits, are the true signs of comradeship. (25) And so in war; if the\r\ncampaign is in summer the general must show himself greedy for his share\r\nof the sun and the heat, and in winter for the cold and the frost, and\r\nin all labours for toil and fatigue. This will help to make him beloved\r\nof his followers.\" \"You mean, father,\" said Cyrus, \"that a commander\r\nshould always be stouter-hearted in everything than those whom he\r\ncommands.\" \"Yes, my son, that is my meaning,\" said he; \"only be well\r\nassured of this: the princely leader and the private soldier may be\r\nalike in body, but their sufferings are not the same: the pains of the\r\nleader are always lightened by the glory that is his and by the very\r\nconsciousness that all his acts are done in the public eye.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(26) \"But now, father, suppose the time has come, and you are satisfied\r\nthat your troops are well supplied, sound in wind and limb, well able to\r\nendure fatigue, skilled in the arts of war, covetous of honour, eager to\r\nshow their mettle, anxious to follow, would you not think it well to try\r\nthe chance of battle without delay?\" \"By all means,\" said the father,\r\n\"if you are likely to gain by the move: but if not, for my own part, the\r\nmore I felt persuaded of my own superiority and the power of my troops,\r\nthe more I should be inclined to stand on my guard, just as we put our\r\ngreatest treasures in the safest place we have.\" (27) \"But how can a man\r\nmake sure that he will gain?\" \"Ah, there you come,\" said the father,\r\n\"to a most weighty matter. This is no easy task, I can tell you. If your\r\ngeneral is to succeed he must prove himself an arch-plotter, a king of\r\ncraft, full of deceits and stratagems, a cheat, a thief, and a robber,\r\ndefrauding and overreaching his opponent at every turn.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"Heavens!\" said Cyrus, and burst out laughing, \"is this the kind of man\r\nyou want your son to be!\" \"I want him to be,\" said the father, \"as just\r\nand upright and law-abiding as any man who ever lived.\" (28) \"But how\r\ncomes it,\" said his son, \"that the lessons you taught us in boyhood and\r\nyouth were exactly opposed to what you teach me now?\" \"Ah,\" said the\r\nfather, \"those lessons were for friends and fellow-citizens, and for\r\nthem they still hold good, but for your enemies—do you not remember\r\nthat you were also taught to do much harm?\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"No, father,\" he answered, \"I should say certainly not.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"Then why were you taught to shoot? Or to hurl the javelin? Or to trap\r\nwild-boars? Or to snare stags with cords and caltrops? And why did you\r\nnever meet the lion or the bear or the leopard in fair fight on equal\r\nterms, but were always trying to steal some advantage over them? Can you\r\ndeny that all that was craft and deceit and fraud and greed?\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(29) \"Why, of course,\" answered the young man, \"in dealing with animals,\r\nbut with human beings it was different; if I was ever suspected of a\r\nwish to cheat another, I was punished, I know, with many stripes.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"True,\" said the father, \"and for the matter of that we did not permit\r\nyou to draw bow or hurl javelin against human beings; we taught you\r\nmerely to aim at a mark. But why did we teach you that? Not so that you\r\nmight injure your friends, either then or now, but that in war you might\r\nhave the skill to make the bodies of living men your targets. So also we\r\ntaught you the arts of deceit and craft and greed and covetousness, not\r\namong men it is true, but among beasts; we did not mean you ever to turn\r\nthese accomplishments against your friends, but in war we wished you to\r\nbe something better than raw recruits.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(30) \"But, father,\" Cyrus answered, \"if to do men good and to do men\r\nharm were both of them things we ought to learn, surely it would have\r\nbeen better to teach them in actual practice?\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(31) Then the father said, \"My son, we are told that in the days of our\r\nforefathers there was such a teacher once. This man did actually teach\r\nhis boys righteousness in the way you suggest, to lie and not to lie,\r\nto cheat and not to cheat, to calumniate and not to calumniate, to be\r\ngrasping and not grasping. He drew the distinction between our duty to\r\nfriends and our duty to enemies; and he went further still; he taught\r\nmen that it was just and right to deceive even a friend for his own\r\ngood, or steal his property. (32) And with this he must needs teach\r\nhis pupils to practise on one another what he taught them, just as the\r\npeople of Hellas, we are told, teach lads in the wrestling-school to\r\nfence and to feint, and train them by their practice with one another.\r\nNow some of his scholars showed such excellent aptitudes for deception\r\nand overreaching, and perhaps no lack of taste for common money-making,\r\nthat they did not even spare their friends, but used their arts on them.\r\n(33) And so an unwritten law was framed by which we still abide, bidding\r\nus teach our children as we teach our servants, simply and solely not to\r\nlie, and not to cheat, and not to covert, and if they did otherwise to\r\npunish them, hoping to make them humane and law-abiding citizens. (34)\r\nBut when they came to manhood, as you have come, then, it seemed, the\r\nrisk was over, and it would be time to teach them what is lawful against\r\nour enemies. For at your age we do not believe you will break out into\r\nsavagery against your fellows with whom you have been knit together\r\nsince childhood in ties of friendship and respect. In the same way we do\r\nnot talk to the young about the mysteries of love, for if lightness were\r\nadded to desire, their passion might sweep them beyond all bounds.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(35) \"Then in heaven\u0027s name, father,\" said Cyrus, \"remember that\r\nyour son is but a backward scholar and a late learner in this lore of\r\nselfishness, and teach me all you can that may help me to overreach the\r\nfoe.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"Well,\" said the father, \"you must plot and you must plan, whatever the\r\nsize of his force and your own, to catch his men in disorder when yours\r\nare all arrayed, unarmed when yours are armed, asleep when yours are\r\nawake, or you must wait till he is visible to you and you invisible\r\nto him, or till he is labouring over heavy ground and you are in your\r\nfortress and can give him welcome there.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(36) \"But how,\" asked Cyrus, \"can I catch him in all these blunders?\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"Simply because both you and he are bound to be often in some such case;\r\nboth of you must take your meals sometime; both of you must sleep; your\r\nmen must scatter in the morning to satisfy the needs of nature, and,\r\nfor better for worse, whatever the roads are like, you will be forced\r\nto make use of them. All these necessities you must lay to heart, and\r\nwherever you are weaker, there you must be most on your guard, and\r\nwherever your foe is most assailable, there you must press the attack.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(37) Then Cyrus asked, \"And are these the only cases where one can apply\r\nthe great principle of greed, or are there others?\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"Oh, yes, there are many more; indeed in these simple cases any general\r\nwill be sure to keep good watch, knowing how necessary it is. But your\r\ntrue cheat and prince of swindlers is he who can lure the enemy on\r\nand throw him off his guard, suffer himself to be pursued and get the\r\npursuers into disorder, lead the foe into difficult ground and then\r\nattack him there. (38) Indeed, as an ardent student, you must not\r\nconfine yourself to the lessons you have learnt; you must show yourself\r\na creator and discoverer, you must invent stratagems against the foe;\r\njust as a real musician is not content with the mere elements of his\r\nart, but sets himself to compose new themes. And if in music it is the\r\nnovel melody, the flower-like freshness, that wins popularity, still\r\nmore in military matters it is the newest contrivance that stands the\r\nhighest, for the simple reason that such will give you the best chance\r\nof outwitting your opponent. (39) And yet, my son, I must say that if\r\nyou did no more than apply against human beings the devices you learnt\r\nto use against the smallest game, you would have made considerable\r\nprogress in this art of overreaching. Do you not think so yourself?\r\nWhy, to snare birds you would get up by night in the depth of winter\r\nand tramp off in the cold; your nets were laid before the creatures were\r\nastir, and your tracks completely covered and you actually had birds of\r\nyour own, trained to serve you and decoy their kith and kin, while you\r\nyourself lay in some hiding-place, seeing yet unseen, and you had learnt\r\nby long practice to jerk in the net before the birds could fly away.\r\n(40) Or you might be out after hares, and for a hare you had two breeds\r\nof dogs, one to track her out by scent, because she feeds in the dusk\r\nand takes to her form by day, and another to cut off her escape and run\r\nher down, because she is so swift. And even if she escaped these, she\r\ndid not escape you; you had all her runs by heart and knew all her\r\nhiding-places, and there you would spread your nets, so that they were\r\nscarcely to be seen, and the very haste of her flight would fling her\r\ninto the snare. And to make sure of her you had men placed on the spot\r\nto keep a look-out, and pounce on her at once. And there were you at her\r\nheels, shouting and scaring her out of her wits, so that she was caught\r\nfrom sheer terror, and there lay your men, as you had taught them,\r\nsilent and motionless in their ambuscade. (41) I say, therefore, that if\r\nyou chose to act like this against human beings, you would soon have no\r\nenemies left to fight, or I am much mistaken. And even if, as well may\r\nbe, the necessity should arise for you to do battle on equal terms in\r\nopen field, even so, my son, there will still be power in those arts\r\nwhich you have studied so long and which teach you to out-villain\r\nvillainy. And among them I include all that has served to train the\r\nbodies and fire the courage of your men, all that has made them adepts\r\nin every craft of war. One thing you must ever bear in mind: if you wish\r\nyour men to follow you, remember that they expect you to plan for them.\r\n(42) Hence you must never know a careless mood; if it be night, you must\r\nconsider what your troops shall do when it is day; if day, how the night\r\nhad best be spent. (43) For the rest, you do not need me to tell you\r\nnow how you should draw up your troops or conduct your march by day or\r\nnight, along broad roads or narrow lanes, over hills or level ground, or\r\nhow you should encamp and post your pickets, or advance into battle\r\nor retreat before the foe, or march past a hostile city, or attack a\r\nfortress or retire from it, or cross a river or pass through a defile,\r\nor guard against a charge of cavalry or an attack from lancers or\r\narchers, or what you should do if the enemy comes into sight when you\r\nare marching in column and how you are to take up position against him,\r\nor how deploy into action if you are in line and he takes you in flank\r\nor rear, and how you are to learn all you can about his movements, while\r\nkeeping your own as secret as may be; these are matters on which you\r\nneed no further word of mine; all that I know about them you have\r\nheard a hundred times, and I am sure you have not neglected any other\r\nauthority on whom you thought you could rely. You know all their\r\ntheories, and you must apply them now, I take it, according to\r\ncircumstances and your need. (44) But,\" he added, \"there is one lesson\r\nthat I would fain impress on you, and it is the greatest of them all.\r\nObserve the sacrifices and pay heed to the omens; when they are against\r\nyou, never risk your army or yourself, for you must remember that men\r\nundertake enterprises on the strength of probability alone and without\r\nany real knowledge as to what will bring them happiness. (45) You may\r\nlearn this from all life and all history. How often have cities allowed\r\nthemselves to be persuaded into war, and that by advisers who were\r\nthought the wisest of men, and then been utterly destroyed by those\r\nwhom they attacked! How often have statesmen helped to raise a city or a\r\nleader to power, and then suffered the worst at the hands of those whom\r\nthey exalted! And many who could have treated others as friends and\r\nequals, giving and receiving kindnesses, have chosen to use them as\r\nslaves, and then paid the penalty at their hands; and many, not content\r\nto enjoy their own share of good, have been swept on by the craving to\r\nmaster all, and thereby lost everything that they once possessed; and\r\nmany have won the very wealth they prayed for and through it have found\r\ndestruction. (46) So little does human wisdom know how to choose the\r\nbest, helpless as a man who could but draw lots to see what he should\r\ndo. But the gods, my son, who live for ever, they know all things, the\r\nthings that have been and the things that are and the things that are to\r\nbe, and all that shall come from these; and to us mortals who ask their\r\ncounsel and whom they love they will show signs, to tell us what we\r\nshould do and what we should leave undone. Nor must we think it strange\r\nif the gods will not vouchsafe their wisdom to all men equally; no\r\ncompulsion is laid on them to care for men, unless it be their will.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cpre\u003e NOTES\r\n\u003c/pre\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(This work concludes the translation of Xenophon undertaken by Mr.\r\nDakyns. (\"The Works of Xenophon,\" with maps, introductions, and notes,\r\nVols. I.-III., Macmillan.) From references in the earlier vols. (e.g.\r\nVol. I. pp. lvii., lxx., xc., cxiii., cxxxi.; Vol. III. Part I. pp.\r\nv.-vii.) it is plain the translator considered that the historical\r\nromance of the \u003ci\u003eCyropaedia\u003c/i\u003e was written in Xenophon\u0027s old age (completed\r\n\u003ci\u003ecirca\u003c/i\u003e 365 B.C.) embodying many of his own experiences and his maturest\r\nthoughts on education, on government, on the type of man,—a rare type,\r\nalone fitted for leadership. The figure of his hero, Cyrus the Great,\r\nthe founder of the Persian empire, known to him by story and legend, is\r\nmodelled on the Spartan king Agesilaus, whom he loved and admired, and\r\nunder whom he served in Persia and in Greece (op. cit. Vol. II., see\r\nunder \u003ci\u003eAgesilaus\u003c/i\u003e, Index, and \u003ci\u003eHellenica\u003c/i\u003e, Bks. III.-V. \u003ci\u003eAgesilaus\u003c/i\u003e,\r\n\u003ci\u003ean Encomium\u003c/i\u003e, passim). Certain traits are also taken from the younger\r\nCyrus, whom Xenophon followed in his famous march against his brother,\r\nthe Persian king, up from the coast of Asia Minor into the heart of\r\nBabylonia (see the \u003ci\u003eAnabasis\u003c/i\u003e, Bk. I., especially c. ix.; op. cit. Vol.\r\nI. p. 109). Clearly, moreover, many of the customs and institutions\r\ndescribed in the work as Persian are really Dorian, and were still in\r\nvogue among Xenophon\u0027s Spartan friends (vide e.g. \u003ci\u003eHellenica\u003c/i\u003e, Bk. IV.,\r\ni. S28; op. cit. Vol. II. p. 44).)\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC2.4. Qy. Were these tribal customs of the Persians, as doubtless of the\r\nDorians, or is it all a Dorian idealisation?\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC2.13. Good specimen of the \"annotative\" style with a parenthetic\r\ncomment. The passage in brackets might be a gloss, but is it?\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC3.3. When did Xenophon himself first learn to ride? Surely this is a\r\nboyish reminiscence, full of sympathy with boy-nature.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC3.12. Beautiful description of a child subject to his parents, growing\r\nin stature and favour with God and man.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC4.2. Perhaps his own grandson, Xenophon the son of Grylus, is the\r\nprototype, and Xenophon himself a sort of ancient Victor Hugo in this\r\nmatter of fondness for children.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC4.3. Contrast Autolycus in the \u003ci\u003eSymposium\u003c/i\u003e, who had, however, reached\r\nthe more silent age (e.g. \u003ci\u003eSymp\u003c/i\u003e., c. iii., fin. tr. Works, Vol. III.\r\nPart I. p. 309).\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC4.4. The touch about the puppy an instance of Xenophon\u0027s {katharotes}\r\n(clear simplicity of style).\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC4.8. Reads like a biographical incident in some hunt of Xenophon, boy\r\nor father.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC4.9-10. The rapidity, one topic introducing and taken up by another,\r\nwave upon wave, {anerithmon lelasma} (\"the multitudinous laughter of the\r\nsea\").\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC4.12. The truth of this due to sympathy (cf. Archidamus and his father\r\nAgesilaus, \u003ci\u003eHell\u003c/i\u003e., V. c. iv.; tr. Works, Vol. II. p. 126).\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC4.22. Cyaxares recalls John Gilpin.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC4.24. An Hellenic trait; madness of battle-rage, {menis}. Something of\r\nthe fierceness of the \u003ci\u003eIliad\u003c/i\u003e here.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC5.7. Cyrus. His first speech as a general; a fine one; a spirit\r\nof athleticism breathes through it. Cf. \u003ci\u003eMemorabilia\u003c/i\u003e for a similar\r\nrationalisation of virtuous self-restraint (e.g. \u003ci\u003eMem\u003c/i\u003e., Bk. I. c. 5, 6;\r\nBk. III. c. 8). Paleyan somewhat, perhaps Socratic, not devoid of common\r\nsense. What is the end and aim of our training? Not only for an earthly\r\naim, but for a high spiritual reward, all this toil.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC5.10. This is Dakyns.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC5.11. \"Up, Guards, and at \u0027em!\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC6. This chapter might have been a separate work appended to the\r\n\u003ci\u003eMemorabilia\u003c/i\u003e on Polemics or Archics (\"Science of War\" and \"Science of\r\nRule\").\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC6.3-6. Sounds like some Socratic counsel; the righteous man\u0027s\r\nconception of prayer and the part he must himself play.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC6.7. Personal virtue and domestic economy a sufficiently hard task,\r\nlet alone that still graver task, the art of grinding masses of men into\r\nvirtue.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC6.8, fin. The false theory of ruling in vogue in Media: the \u003ci\u003eplus\u003c/i\u003e of\r\nease instead of the \u003ci\u003eplus\u003c/i\u003e of foresight and danger-loving endurance. Cf.\r\nWalt Whitman.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC6.30. Is like the logical remark of a disputant in a Socratic dialogue\r\nof the Alcibiades type, and §§ 31-33 a Socratic \u003ci\u003emythos\u003c/i\u003e to escape\r\nfrom the dilemma; the breakdown of this ideal \u003ci\u003eplus\u003c/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eminus\u003c/i\u003e\r\nrighteousness due to the hardness of men\u0027s hearts and their feeble\r\nintellects.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC6.31. Who is this ancient teacher or who is his prototype if he is an\r\nideal being? A sort of Socrates-Lycurgus? Or is Xenophon thinking of the\r\nSpartan Crypteia?\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC6.34. For \u003ci\u003epleonexia\u003c/i\u003e and deceit in war, vide \u003ci\u003eHipparch\u003c/i\u003e., c. 5 (tr.\r\nWorks, Vol. III. Part II. p. 20). Interesting and Hellenic, I think,\r\nthe mere raising of this sort of question; it might be done nowadays,\r\nperhaps, with advantage \u003ci\u003eor\u003c/i\u003e disadvantage, less cant and more plain\r\nbrutality.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC6.39. Hunting devices applied: throws light on the date of the\r\n\u003ci\u003eCyropaedia\u003c/i\u003e, after the Scilluntine days, probably. (After Xenophon was\r\nexiled from Athens, his Spartan friends gave him a house and farm\r\nat Scillus, a township in the Peloponnese, not far from Olympia. See\r\n\u003ci\u003eSketch of Xenophon\u0027s Life\u003c/i\u003e, Works, Vol. I., p. cxxvi.)\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC6.41, init. Colloquial exaggerated turn of phrase; almost \"you could\r\nwipe them off the earth.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cdiv class=\"pg_body_wrapper\"\u003e\u003ca id=\"id_2H_4_0005\"\u003e\u003c!– H2 anchor –\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cdiv style=\"height: 4em;\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003ch2\u003e\r\n BOOK II\r\n\u003c/h2\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(C.1) Thus they talked together, and thus they journeyed on until they\r\nreached the frontier, and there a good omen met them: an eagle swept\r\ninto view on the right, and went before them as though to lead the way,\r\nand they prayed the gods and heroes of the land to show them favour and\r\ngrant them safe entry, and then they crossed the boundary. And when they\r\nwere across, they prayed once more that the gods of Media might receive\r\nthem graciously, and when they had done this they embraced each other,\r\nas father and son will, and Cambyses turned back to his own city, but\r\nCyrus went forward again, to his uncle Cyaxares in the land of Media.\r\n(2) And when his journey was done and he was face to face with him and\r\nthey had greeted each other as kinsmen may, then Cyaxares asked\r\nthe prince how great an armament he had brought with him? And Cyrus\r\nanswered, \"I have 30,000 with me, men who have served with you before as\r\nmercenaries; and more are coming on behind, fresh troops, from the Peers\r\nof Persia.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"How many of those?\" asked Cyaxares. (3) And Cyrus answered, \"Their\r\nnumbers will not please you, but remember these Peers of ours, though\r\nthey are few, find it easy to rule the rest of the Persians, who are\r\nmany. But now,\" he added, \"have you any need of us at all? Perhaps\r\nit was only a false alarm that troubled you, and the enemy are not\r\nadvancing?\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"Indeed they are,\" said the other, \"and in full force.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(4) \"How do you know?\" asked Cyrus.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"Because,\" said he, \"many deserters come to us, and all of them, in one\r\nfashion or another, tell the same tale.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"Then we must give battle?\" said Cyrus.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"Needs must,\" Cyaxares replied.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"Well,\" answered Cyrus, \"but you have not told me yet how great their\r\npower is, or our own either. I want to hear, if you can tell me, so that\r\nwe may make our plans.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"Listen, then,\" said Cyaxares. (5) \"Croesus the Lydian is coming, we\r\nhear, with 10,000 horse and more than 40,000 archers and targeteers.\r\nArtamas the governor of Greater Phrygia is bringing, they say, 8000\r\nhorse, and lancers and targeteers also, 40,000 strong. Then there is\r\nAribaius the king of Cappadocia with 6000 horse and 30,000 archers\r\nand targeteers. And Aragdus the Arabian with 10,000 horse, a hundred\r\nchariots, and innumerable slingers. As for the Hellenes who dwell in\r\nAsia, it is not clear as yet whether they will send a following or not.\r\nBut the Phrygians from the Hellespont, we are told, are mustering in the\r\nCaystrian plain under Gabaidus, 6000 horse and 40,000 targeteers. Word\r\nhas been sent to the Carians, Cilicians, and Paphlagonians, but it is\r\nsaid they will not rise; the Lord of Assyria and Babylon will himself,\r\nI believe, bring not less than 20,000 horse, and I make no doubt as many\r\nas 200 chariots, and thousands upon thousands of men on foot; such at\r\nleast has been his custom whenever he invaded us before.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(6) Cyrus answered: \"Then you reckon the numbers of the enemy to be, in\r\nall, something like 60,000 horse and 200,000 archers and targeteers. And\r\nwhat do you take your own to be?\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"Well,\" he answered, \"we ourselves can furnish over 10,000 horse and\r\nperhaps, considering the state of the country, as many as 60,000 archers\r\nand targeteers. And from our neighbours, the Armenians,\" he added, \"we\r\nlook to get 4000 horse and 20,000 foot.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"I see,\" said Cyrus, \"you reckon our cavalry at less than a third of the\r\nenemy\u0027s, and our infantry at less than half.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(7) \"Ah,\" said Cyaxares, \"and perhaps you feel that the force you are\r\nbringing from Persia is very small?\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"We will consider that later on,\" answered Cyrus, \"and see then if we\r\nrequire more men or not. Tell me first the methods of fighting that the\r\ndifferent troops adopt.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"They are much the same for all,\" answered Cyaxares, \"that is to say,\r\ntheir men and ours alike are armed with bows and javelins.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"Well,\" replied Cyrus, \"if such arms are used, skirmishing at long range\r\nmust be the order of the day.\" \"True,\" said the other. (8) \"And in that\r\ncase,\" went on Cyrus, \"the victory is in the hands of the larger force;\r\nfor even if the same numbers fall on either side, the few would be\r\nexhausted long before the many.\" \"If that be so,\" cried Cyaxares, \"there\r\nis nothing left for us but to send to Persia, and make them see that if\r\ndisaster falls on Media it will fall on Persia next, and beg them for\r\na larger force.\" \"Ah, but,\" said Cyrus, \"you must remember that even if\r\nevery single Persian were to come at once, we could not outnumber our\r\nenemies.\" (9) \"But,\" said the other, \"can you see anything else to be\r\ndone?\" \"For my part,\" answered Cyrus, \"if I could have my way, I would\r\narm every Persian who is coming here in precisely the same fashion as\r\nour Peers at home, that is to say, with a corslet for the breast, a\r\nshield for the left arm, and a sword or battle-axe for the right hand.\r\nIf you will give us these you will make it quite safe for us to close\r\nwith the enemy, and our foes will find that flight is far pleasanter\r\nthan defence. But we Persians,\" he added, \"will deal with those who do\r\nstand firm, leaving the fugitives to you and to your cavalry, who must\r\ngive them no time to rally and no time to escape.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(10) That was the counsel of Cyrus, and Cyaxares approved it. He thought\r\nno more of sending for a larger force, but set about preparing the\r\nequipment he had been asked for, and all was in readiness just about the\r\ntime when the Peers arrived from Persia at the head of their own troops.\r\n(11) Then, so says the story, Cyrus called the Peers together and spoke\r\nto them as follows: \"Men of Persia, my friends and comrades, when I\r\nlooked at you first and saw the arms you bore and how you were all on\r\nfire to meet the enemy, hand to hand, and when I remembered that your\r\nsquires are only equipped for fighting on the outskirts of the field,\r\nI confess my mind misgave me. Few and forlorn they will be, I said to\r\nmyself, swallowed up in a host of enemies; no good can come of it. But\r\nto-day you are here, and your men behind you, stalwart and stout of\r\nlimb, and to-morrow they shall have armour like our own. None could find\r\nfault with their thews and sinews, and as for their spirit, it is for\r\nus to see it does not fail. A leader must not only have a stout heart\r\nhimself; he must see to it that his followers are as valiant as he.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(12) Thus Cyrus spoke, and the Peers were well satisfied at his words,\r\nfeeling that on the day of battle they would have more to help them in\r\nthe struggle. (13) And one of them said, \"Perhaps it will seem strange\r\nif I ask Cyrus to speak in our stead to our fellow-combatants when they\r\nreceive their arms, and yet I know well that the words of him who has\r\nthe greatest power for weal or woe sink deepest into the listener\u0027s\r\nheart. His very gifts, though they should be less than the gifts of\r\nequals, are valued more. These new comrades of ours,\" he went on, \"would\r\nrather be addressed by Cyrus himself than by us, and now that they are\r\nto take their place among the Peers their title will seem to them\r\nfar more secure if it is given them by the king\u0027s own son and our\r\ngeneral-in-chief. Not that we have not still our own duties left. We are\r\nbound to do our best in every way to rouse the spirit of our men. Shall\r\nwe not gain ourselves by all they gain in valour?\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(14) So it came about that Cyrus had the new armour placed before him\r\nand summoned a general meeting of the Persian soldiery, and spoke to\r\nthem as follows:\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(15) \"Men of Persia, born and bred in the same land as ourselves, whose\r\nlimbs are as stout and as strong as our own, your hearts should be as\r\nbrave. I know they are; and yet at home in the land of our fathers you\r\ndid not share our rights; not that we drove you out ourselves, but\r\nyou were banished by the compulsion that lay upon you to find your\r\nlivelihood for yourselves. Now from this day forward, with heaven\u0027s\r\nhelp, it shall be my care to provide it for you; and now, if so\r\nyou will, you have it in your power to take the armour that we wear\r\nourselves, face the same perils and win the same honours, if so be you\r\nmake any glorious deed your own. (16) In former days you were trained,\r\nlike ourselves, in the use of bow and javelin, and if you were at all\r\ninferior to us in skill, that was not to be wondered at; you had not\r\nthe same leisure for practice as we; but now in this new accoutrement we\r\nshall have no pre-eminence at all. Each of us will wear a corslet fitted\r\nto his breast and carry a shield on his left arm of the type to which we\r\nare all accustomed, and in his right hand a sabre or a battle-axe. With\r\nthese we shall smite the enemy before us, and need have no fear that we\r\nshall miss the mark. (17) How can we differ from one another with these\r\narms? There can be no difference except in daring. And daring you may\r\nfoster in your hearts as much as we in ours. What greater right have we\r\nthan you to love victory and follow after her, victory who wins for us\r\nand preserves to us all things that are beautiful and good? Why should\r\nyou, any more than we, be found lacking in that power which takes the\r\ngoods of weaklings and bestows them on the strong?\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(18) He ended: \"Now you have heard all. There lie your weapons; let him\r\nwho chooses take them up and write his name with the brigadier in the\r\nsame roll as ours. And if a man prefers to remain a mercenary, let him\r\ndo so; he carries the arms of a servant.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(19) Thus spoke Cyrus; and the Persians, every man of them, felt they\r\nwould be ashamed for the rest of their days, and deservedly, if they\r\ndrew back now, when they were offered equal honour in return for equal\r\ntoil. One and all they inscribed their names and took up the new arms.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(20) And now in the interval, before the enemy were actually at hand,\r\nbut while rumour said they were advancing, Cyrus took on himself a\r\nthree-fold task: to bring the physical strength of his men to the\r\nhighest pitch, to teach them tactics, and to rouse their spirit for\r\nmartial deeds. (21) He asked Cyaxares for a body of assistants whose\r\nduty it should be to provide each of his soldiers with all they could\r\npossibly need, thus leaving the men themselves free for the art of war.\r\nHe had learnt, he thought, that success, in whatever sphere, was only to\r\nbe won by refusing to attempt a multitude of tasks and concentrating the\r\nmind on one.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nThus in the military training itself he gave up the practice with bow\r\nand javelin, leaving his men to perfect themselves in the use of sabre,\r\nshield, and corslet, accustoming them from the very first to the thought\r\nthat they must close with the enemy, or confess themselves worthless as\r\nfellow-combatants; a harsh conclusion for those who knew that they were\r\nonly protected in order to fight on behalf of their protectors. (22) And\r\nfurther, being convinced that wherever the feeling of emulation can\r\nbe roused, there the eagerness to excel is greatest, he instituted\r\ncompetitions for everything in which he thought his soldiers should be\r\ntrained. The private soldier was challenged to prove himself prompt\r\nto obey, anxious to work, eager for danger, and yet ever mindful of\r\ndiscipline, an expert in the science of war, an artist in the conduct\r\nof his arms, and a lover of honour in all things. The petty officer\r\ncommanding a squad of five was not only to equal the leading private, he\r\nmust also do what he could to bring his men to the same perfection; the\r\ncaptain of ten must do the same for his ten, and the company\u0027s captain\r\nfor the company, while the commander of the whole regiment, himself\r\nabove reproach, must take the utmost care with the officers under him so\r\nthat they in their turn should see that their subordinates were perfect\r\nin all their duties. (23) For prizes, Cyrus announced that the brigadier\r\nin command of the finest regiment should be raised to the rank of\r\ngeneral, the captain of the finest company should be made a brigadier,\r\nthe captain of the finest squad of ten captain of a company, and the\r\ncaptain of the best five a captain of ten, while the best soldiers from\r\nthe ranks should become captains of five themselves. Every one of these\r\nofficers had the privilege of being served by those beneath him, and\r\nvarious other honours also, suited to their several grades, while ampler\r\nhopes were offered for any nobler exploits. (24) Finally prizes were\r\nannounced to be won by a regiment or a company or a squad taken as a\r\nwhole, by those who proved themselves most loyal to their leaders and\r\nmost zealous in the practice of their duty. These prizes, of course,\r\nwere such as to be suitable for men taken in the mass.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nSuch were the orders of the Persian leader, and such the exercises of\r\nthe Persian troops. (25) For their quarters, he arranged that a separate\r\nshelter should be assigned to every brigadier, and that it should be\r\nlarge enough for the whole regiment he commanded; a regiment consisting\r\nof 100 men. Thus they were encamped by regiments, and in the mere fact\r\nof common quarters there was this advantage, Cyrus thought, for the\r\ncoming struggle, that the men saw they were all treated alike, and\r\ntherefore no one could pretend that he was slighted, and no one sink to\r\nthe confession that he was a worse man than his neighbours when it came\r\nto facing the foe. Moreover the life in common would help the men to\r\nknow each other, and it is only by such knowledge, as a rule, that a\r\ncommon conscience is engendered; those who live apart, unknowing and\r\nunknown, seem far more apt for mischief, like those who skulk in the\r\ndark. (26) Cyrus thought the common life would lead to the happiest\r\nresults in the discipline of the regiments. By this system all the\r\nofficers—brigadiers, company-captains, captains of the squads—could\r\nkeep their men in as perfect order as if they were marching before them\r\nin single file. (27) Such precision in the ranks would do most to guard\r\nagainst disorder and re-establish order if ever it were broken; just as\r\nwhen timbers and stones have to be fitted together it is easy enough\r\nto put them into place, wherever they chance to lie, provided only that\r\nthey are marked so as to leave no doubt where each belongs. (28) And\r\nfinally, he felt, there was the fact that those who live together are\r\nthe less likely to desert one another; even the wild animals, Cyrus\r\nknew, who are reared together suffer terribly from loneliness when they\r\nare severed from each other.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(29) There was a further matter, to which he gave much care; he wished\r\nno man to take his meal at morning or at night till he had sweated for\r\nit. He would lead the men out to hunt, or invent games for them, or\r\nif there was work to be done, he would so conduct it that they did not\r\nleave it without sweat. He believed this regimen gave them zest for\r\ntheir food, was good for their health, and increased their powers of\r\ntoil; and the toil itself was a blessed means for making the men more\r\ngentle towards each other; just as horses that work together grow\r\ngentle, and will stand quietly side by side. Moreover the knowledge of\r\nhaving gone through a common training would increase tenfold the courage\r\nwith which they met the foe.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(30) Cyrus had his own quarters built to hold all the guests he might\r\nthink it well to entertain, and, as a rule, he would invite such of the\r\nbrigadiers as the occasion seemed to call for, but sometimes he would\r\nsend for the company-captains and the officers in command of the smaller\r\nsquads, and even the private soldiers were summoned to his board, and\r\nfrom time to time a squad of five, or of ten, or an entire company, or\r\neven a whole regiment, or he would give a special invitation by way of\r\nhonour to any one whom he knew had undertaken some work he had at heart\r\nhimself. In every case there was no distinction whatever between the\r\nmeats for himself and for his guests. (31) Further he always insisted\r\nthat the army servants should share and share alike with the soldiers\r\nin everything, for he held that those who did such service for the army\r\nwere as much to be honoured as heralds or ambassadors. They were bound,\r\nhe said, to be loyal and intelligent, alive to all a soldier\u0027s needs,\r\nactive, swift, unhesitating, and withal cool and imperturbable. Nor\r\nwas that all; he was convinced that they ought also to possess those\r\nqualities which are thought to be peculiar to what we call \"the better\r\nclasses,\" and yet never despise their work, but feel that everything\r\ntheir commander laid upon them must be fit for them to do.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(C.2) It was the constant aim of Cyrus whenever he and his soldiers\r\nmessed together, that the talk should be lively and full of grace, and\r\nat the same time do the listeners good. Thus one day he brought the\r\nconversation round to the following theme:—\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"Do you think, gentlemen,\" said he, \"that our new comrades appear\r\nsomewhat deficient in certain respects simply because they have not been\r\neducated in the same fashion as ourselves? Or will they show themselves\r\nour equals in daily life and on the field of battle when the time comes\r\nto meet the foe?\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(2) Hystaspas took up the challenge:—\"What sort of warriors they will\r\nprove I do not pretend to know, but this I do say, in private life some\r\nof them are cross-grained fellows enough. Only the other day,\" he went\r\non, \"Cyaxares sent a present of sacrificial meat to every regiment.\r\nThere was flesh enough for three courses apiece or more, and the\r\nattendant had handed round the first, beginning with myself. So when he\r\ncame in again, I told him to begin at the other end of the board, and\r\nserve the company in that order. (3) But I was greeted by a yell from\r\nthe centre: one of these men who was sitting there bawled out, \u0027Equality\r\nindeed! There\u0027s not much of it here, if we who sit in the middle\r\nare never served first at all!\u0027 It nettled me that they should fancy\r\nthemselves treated worse than we, so I called him up at once and made\r\nhim sit beside me. And I am bound to say he obeyed that order with the\r\nmost exemplary alacrity. But when the dish came round to us, we found,\r\nnot unnaturally, since we were the last to be served, that only a few\r\nscraps were left. At this my man fell into the deepest dudgeon, and made\r\nno attempt to conceal it, muttering to himself, \u0027Just like my ill-luck!\r\nTo be invited here just now and never before!\u0027 (4) I tried to comfort\r\nhim. \u0027Never mind,\u0027 I said, \u0027presently the servant will begin again with\r\nus, and then you will help yourself first and you can take the biggest\r\npiece.\u0027 Just then the third course, and, as it proved, the last, came\r\nround, and so the poor fellow took his helping, but as he did so it\r\nstruck him that the piece he had chosen first was too small, and he put\r\nit back, meaning to pick out another. But the carver, thinking he had\r\nchanged his mind and did not want any more, passed on to the next man\r\nbefore he had time to secure his second slice. (5) At this our friend\r\ntook his loss so hard that he only made matters worse: his third course\r\nwas clean gone, and now in his rage and his bad luck he somehow managed\r\nto overset the gravy, which was all that remained to him. The captain\r\nnext to us seeing how matters stood rubbed his hands with glee and went\r\ninto peals of laughter. And,\" said Hystaspas, \"I took refuge in a fit\r\nof coughing myself, for really I could not have controlled my laughter.\r\nThere, Cyrus,\" said he, \"that is a specimen of our new comrades, as\r\nnearly as I can draw his portrait.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(6) The description, as may be guessed, was greeted with shouts of\r\nlaughter, and then another brigadier took up the word: \"Well, Cyrus,\"\r\nsaid he, \"our friend here has certainly met with an absolute boor: my\r\nown experience is somewhat different. You remember the admonitions you\r\ngave us when you dismissed the regiments, and how you bade each of us\r\ninstruct his own men in the lessons we had learnt from you. Well, I,\r\nlike the rest of us, went off at once and set about instructing one of\r\nthe companies under me. I posted the captain in front with a fine young\r\nfellow behind him, and after them the others in the order I thought\r\nbest; I took my stand facing them all, and waited, with my eyes fixed on\r\nthe captain, until I thought the right moment had come, and then I gave\r\nthe order to advance. (7) And what must my fine fellow do but get in\r\nfront of the captain and march off ahead of the whole troop. I cried\r\nout, \u0027You, sir, what are you doing?\u0027 \u0027Advancing as you ordered.\u0027 \u0027I\r\nnever ordered you to advance alone,\u0027 I retorted, \u0027the order was given\r\nto the whole company.\u0027 At which he turned right round and addressed the\r\nranks: \u0027Don\u0027t you hear the officer abusing you? The orders are for all\r\nto advance!\u0027 Whereupon the rest of them marched right past their captain\r\nand up to me. (8) Of course the captain called them back, and they began\r\nto grumble and growl: \u0027Which of the two are we to obey? One tells us to\r\nadvance, the other won\u0027t let us move.\u0027\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"Well, I had to take the whole matter very quietly and begin again from\r\nthe beginning, posting the company as they were, and explaining that no\r\none in the rear was to move until the front rank man led off: all they\r\nhad to do was to follow the man in front. (9) As I was speaking, up came\r\na friend of mine; he was going off to Persia, and had come to ask me for\r\na letter I had written home. So I turned to the captain who happened to\r\nknow where I had left the letter lying, and bade him fetch it for me.\r\nOff he ran, and off ran my young fellow at his heels, breast-plate,\r\nbattle-axe, and all. The rest of the company thought they were bound to\r\nfollow suit, joined in the race, and brought my letter back in style.\r\nThat is how my company, you see, carries out your instructions to the\r\nfull.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(10) He paused, and the listeners laughed to their hearts\u0027 content, as\r\nwell as they might, over the triumphant entry of the letter under its\r\narmed escort. Then Cyrus spoke:\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"Now heaven be praised! A fine set they are, these new friends of ours,\r\na most rare race! So grateful are they for any little act of courtesy,\r\nyou may win a hundred hearts by a dish of meat! And so docile, some of\r\nthem must needs obey an order before they have understood it! For my\r\npart I can only pray to be blest with an army like them all.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(11) Thus he joined in the mirth, but he turned the laughter to the\r\npraise of his new recruits.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nThen one of the company, a brigadier called Aglaïtadas, a somewhat\r\nsour-tempered man, turned to him and said:\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"Cyrus, do you really think the tales they tell are true?\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"Certainly,\" he answered, \"why should they say what is false?\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"Why,\" repeated the other, \"simply to raise a laugh, and make a brag\r\nlike the impostors that they are.\" (12) But Cyrus cut him short, \"Hush!\r\nhush! You must not use such ugly names. Let me tell you what an impostor\r\nis. He is a man who claims to be wealthier or braver than he is in fact,\r\nand who undertakes what he can never carry out, and all this for the\r\nsake of gain. But he who contrives mirth for his friends, not for his\r\nown profit, or his hearers\u0027 loss, or to injure any man, surely, if we\r\nmust needs give him a name, we ought to call him a man of taste and\r\nbreeding and a messenger of wit.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(13) Such was the defence of Cyrus in behalf of the merrymakers. And the\r\nofficer who had begun the jest turned to Aglaïtadas and said:\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"Just think, my dear sir, if we had tried to make you weep! What\r\nfault you would have found with us! Suppose we had been like the\r\nballad-singers and story-tellers who put in lamentable tales in the hope\r\nof reducing their audience to tears! What would you have said about us\r\nthen? Why, even now, when you know we only wish to amuse you, not to\r\nmake you suffer, you must needs hold us up to shame.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(14) \"And is not the shame justified?\" Aglaïtadas replied. \"The man who\r\nsets himself to make his fellows laugh does far less for them than he\r\nwho makes them weep. If you will but think, you will admit that what\r\nI say is true. It is through tears our fathers teach self-control unto\r\ntheir sons, and our tutors sound learning to their scholars, and the\r\nlaws themselves lead the grown man to righteousness by putting him to\r\nsit in the place of penitence. But your mirth-makers, can you say they\r\nbenefit the body or edify the soul? Can smiles make a man a better\r\nmaster or a better citizen? Can he learn economy or statesmanship from a\r\ngrin?\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(15) But Hystaspas answered back:\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"Take my advice, Aglaïtadas, pluck up heart and spend this precious gift\r\nof yours on your enemies: make them sit in the seat of the sorrowful,\r\nand fling away on us, your friends, that vile and worthless laughter.\r\nYou must have an ample store of it in reserve: it cannot be said you\r\nhave squandered it on yourself, or ever wasted a smile on friend or\r\nforeigner if you could help it. So you have no excuse to be niggardly\r\nnow, and cannot refuse us a smile.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"I see,\" said Aglaïtadas, \"you are trying to get a laugh out of me, are\r\nyou not?\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nBut the brigadier interposed, \"Then he is a fool for his pains, my\r\nfriend: one might strike fire out of you, perhaps, but not a laugh, not\r\na laugh.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(16) At this sally all the others shouted with glee, and even Aglaïtadas\r\ncould not help himself: he smiled.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nAnd Cyrus, seeing the sombre face light up said:\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"Brigadier, you are very wrong to corrupt so virtuous a man, luring him\r\nto laughter, and that too when he is the sworn foe of gaiety.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nSo they talked and jested. (17) And then Chrysantas began on another\r\ntheme.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(18) \"Cyrus,\" he said, \"and gentlemen all, I cannot help seeing that\r\nwithin our ranks are men of every kind, some better and some worse, and\r\nyet if anything is won every man will claim an equal share. Now to my\r\nmind nothing is more unfair than that the base man and the good should\r\nbe held of equal account.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"Perhaps it would be best, gentlemen,\" said Cyrus in answer, \"to bring\r\nthe matter before the army in council and put it to them, whether,\r\nif God grant us success, we should let all share and share alike, or\r\ndistribute the rewards and honours in proportion to the deserts of\r\neach.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(19) \"But why,\" asked Chrysantas, \"why discuss the point? Why not simply\r\nissue a general order that you intend to do this? Was not that enough in\r\nthe case of the competitions?\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"Doubtless,\" Cyrus answered, \"but this case is different. The troops, I\r\ntake it, will feel that all they win by their services on the campaign\r\nshould belong to them in common: but they hold that the actual command\r\nof the expedition was mine by right even before we left home, so that I\r\nwas fully entitled, on their view, to appoint umpires and judges at my\r\nown will.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(20) \"And do you really expect,\" asked Chrysantas, \"that the mass of the\r\narmy will pass a resolution giving up the right of all to an equal share\r\nin order that the best men should receive the most?\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"Yes, I do,\" said Cyrus, \"partly because we shall be there to argue for\r\nthat course, but chiefly because it would seem too base to deny that\r\nhe who works the hardest and does most for the common good deserves\r\nthe highest recompense. Even the worst of men must admit that the brave\r\nshould gain the most.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(21) It was, however, as much for the sake of the Peers themselves as\r\nfor any other reason that Cyrus wished the resolution to be passed.\r\nThey would prove all the better men, he thought, if they too were to be\r\njudged by their deeds and rewarded accordingly. And this was the right\r\nmoment, he felt, to raise the question and put it to the vote, now when\r\nthe Peers were disposed to resent being put on a level with the common\r\npeople. In the end it was agreed by all the company that the question\r\nshould be raised, and that every one who claimed to call himself a man\r\nwas bound to argue in its favour.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(22) And on that one of the brigadiers smiled to himself and said: \"I\r\nknow at least one son of the soil who will be ready to agree that the\r\nprinciple of share and share alike should not be followed everywhere.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"And who is he?\" another asked.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"Well,\" said the first, \"he is a member of our quarters, I can tell you\r\nthat, and he is always hunting after the lion\u0027s share of every single\r\nthing.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"What? Of everything?\" said a third. \"Of work as well?\" \"Oh, no!\" said\r\nthe first, \"you have caught me there. I was wrong to say so much, I must\r\nconfess. When it comes to work, I must admit, he is quite ready to go\r\nshort: he will give up his own share of that, without a murmur, to any\r\nman whatever.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(23) \"For my part, gentlemen,\" said Cyrus, \"I hold that all such idlers\r\nought to be turned out of the army, that is, if we are ever to cultivate\r\nobedience and energy in our men. The bulk of our soldiers, I take it,\r\nare of the type to follow a given lead: they will seek after nobleness\r\nand valour if their leaders are valiant and noble, but after baseness if\r\nthese are base. (24) And we know that only too often the worthless will\r\nfind more friends than the good. Vice, passing lightly along her path\r\nof pleasure, wins the hearts of thousands with her gifts; but Virtue,\r\ntoiling up the steep ascent, has little skill to snare the souls of men\r\nand draw them after her, when all the while their comrades are calling\r\nto them on the easy downward way. (25) It is true there are degrees,\r\nand where the evil springs only from sloth and lethargy, I look on the\r\ncreatures as mere drones, only injuring the hive by what they cost: but\r\nthere are others, backward in toil and forward in greed, and these are\r\nthe captains in villainy: for not seldom can they show that rascality\r\nhas its advantages. Such as they must be removed, cut out from among us,\r\nroot and branch. (26) And I would not have you fill their places from\r\nour fellow-citizens alone, but, just as you choose your horses from\r\nthe best stocks, wherever you find them, not limiting yourselves to\r\nthe national breed, so you have all mankind before you, and you should\r\nchoose those, and those only, who will increase your power and add\r\nto your honour. Let me clinch my argument by examples: no chariot can\r\ntravel fast if the horses in the team are slow, or run straight if they\r\nwill not be ruled; no house can stand firm if the household is evil:\r\nbetter empty walls than traitors who will bring it to the ground.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(27) \"And be sure, my friends,\" he added, \"the removal of the bad means\r\na benefit beyond the sheer relief that they are taken away and will\r\ntrouble us no more: those who are left and were ripe for contagion are\r\npurified, and those who were worthy will cleave to virtue all the closer\r\nwhen they see the dishonour that falls on wickedness.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(28) So Cyrus spoke, and his words won the praise of all his friends,\r\nand they set themselves to do as he advised.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nBut after that Cyrus began to jest again. His eye fell on a certain\r\ncaptain who had chosen for his comrade at the feast a great hairy lad, a\r\nveritable monster of ugliness, and Cyrus called to the captain by name:\r\n\"How now, Sambulas? Have you adopted the Hellenic fashion too? And\r\nwill you roam the world together, you and the lad who sits beside you,\r\nbecause there is none so fair as he?\" \"By heaven,\" answered Sambulas,\r\n\"you are not far wrong. It is bliss to me to feast my eyes upon him.\"\r\n(29) At that all the guests turned and looked on the young man\u0027s\r\nface, but when they saw how ugly it was, they could not help laughing\r\noutright. \"Heavens, Sambulas, tell us the valiant deed that knit your\r\nsouls together! How has he drawn you to himself?\" (30) \"Listen then,\" he\r\nanswered, \"and I will tell you the whole truth. Every time I call\r\nhim, morning, noon, or night, he comes to me; never yet has he excused\r\nhimself, never been too busy to attend; and he comes at a run, he does\r\nnot walk. Whatever I have bidden him do, he has always done it, and at\r\nthe top of his speed. He has made all the petty captains under him the\r\nvery models of industry; he shows them, not by word but deed, what they\r\nought to be.\" (31) \"And so,\" said another, \"for all these virtues you\r\ngive him, I take it, the kiss of kinship?\" But the ugly lad broke out:\r\n\"Not he! He has no great love for work. And to kiss me, if it came to\r\nthat, would mean more effort than all his exercises.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(C.3) So the hours passed in the general\u0027s tent, from grave to gay,\r\nuntil at last the third libation was poured out, and the company bent\r\nin prayer to the gods—\"Grant us all that is good\"—and so broke up, and\r\nwent away to sleep.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nBut the next day Cyrus assembled the soldiers in full conclave, and\r\nspoke to them: (2) \"My men,\" he said, \"my friends, the day of struggle\r\nis at hand, and the enemy are near. The prizes of victory, if victory\r\nis to be ours—and we must believe it will be ours, we must make it\r\nours—the prizes of victory will be nothing short of the enemy himself\r\nand all that he possesses. And if the victory should be his, then, in\r\nlike manner, all the goods of the vanquished must lie at the victor\u0027s\r\nfeet. (3) Therefore I would have you take this to your hearts: wherever\r\nthose who have joined together for war remember that unless each and\r\nevery one of them play his part with zeal nothing good can follow; there\r\nwe may look for glorious success. For there nothing that ought to be\r\ndone will be left undone. But if each man thinks \u0027My neighbour will\r\ntoil and fight, even though my own heart should fail and my own arm\r\nfall slack,\u0027 then, believe me, disaster is at the door for each and all\r\nalike, and no man shall escape. (4) Such is the ordinance of God: those\r\nwho will not work out their own salvation he gives into the hands of\r\nother men to bear rule over them. And now I call on any man here,\" he\r\nadded, \"to stand up and say whether he believes that virtue will best\r\nbe nourished among us if he who bears the greatest toil and takes the\r\nheaviest risk shall receive the highest honours. Or whether we should\r\nhold that cowardice makes no difference in the end, seeing that we all\r\nmust share alike?\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(5) Thereupon Chrysantas of the Peers rose up. He was a man of\r\nunderstanding, but his bodily presence was weak. And now he spoke thus:\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"I do not imagine, Cyrus, that you put this question with any belief\r\nthat cowards ought really to receive the same share as the brave. No,\r\nyou wished to make trial of us and see whether any man would dare to\r\nclaim an equal part in all that his fellows win by their nobleness,\r\nthough he never struck a single valiant stroke himself. (6) I myself,\"\r\nhe continued, \"am neither fleet of foot nor stout of limb, and for aught\r\nI can do with my body, I perceive that on the day of trial neither the\r\nfirst place nor the second can be mine, no, nor yet the hundredth, nor\r\neven, it may be, the thousandth. But this I know right well, that if\r\nour mighty men put forth all their strength, I too shall receive such\r\nportion of our blessings as I may deserve. But if the cowards sit at\r\nease and the good and brave are out of heart, then I fear that I shall\r\nget a portion, a larger than I care to think, of something that is no\r\nblessing but a curse.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(7) And so spoke Chrysantas, and then Pheraulas stood up. He was a\r\nman of the people, but well known to Cyrus in the old days at home and\r\nwell-beloved by him: no mean figure to look at, and in soul like a man\r\nof noble birth. Now he spoke as follows:\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(8) \"Cyrus, friends, and Persians, I hold to the belief that on this\r\nday we all start equal in that race where valour is the goal. I speak of\r\nwhat I see: we are trained on the same fare; we are held worthy of the\r\nsame comradeship; we contend for the same rewards. All of us alike are\r\ntold to obey our leaders, and he who obeys most frankly never fails\r\nto meet with honour at the hands of Cyrus. Valour is no longer the\r\nprivilege of one class alone: it has become the fairest prize that can\r\nfall to the lot of any man. (9) And to-day a battle is before us where\r\nno man need teach us how to fight: we have the trick of it by nature,\r\nas a bull knows how to use his horns, or a horse his hoofs, or a dog\r\nhis teeth, or a wild boar his tusks. The animals know well enough,\" he\r\nadded, \"when and where to guard themselves: they need no master to tell\r\nthem that. (10) I myself, when I was a little lad, I knew by instinct\r\nhow to shield myself from the blow I saw descending: if I had nothing\r\nelse, I had my two fists, and used them with all my force against my\r\nfoe: no one taught me how to do it, on the contrary they beat me if they\r\nsaw me clench my fists. And a knife, I remember, I never could resist:\r\nI clutched the thing whenever I caught sight of it: not a soul showed me\r\nhow to hold it, only nature herself, I do aver. I did it, not because I\r\nwas taught to do it, but in spite of being forbidden, like many another\r\nthing to which nature drove me, in spite of my father and mother both.\r\nYes, and I was never tired of hacking and hewing with my knife whenever\r\nI got the chance: it did not seem merely natural, like walking or\r\nrunning, it was positive joy. (11) Well, to-day we are to fight in\r\nthis same simple fashion: energy, rather than skill, is called for, and\r\nglorious it will be to match ourselves against our friends, the Peers of\r\nPersia. And let us remember that the same prizes are offered to us\r\nall, but the stakes differ: our friends give up a life of honour,\r\nthe sweetest life there can be, but we escape from years of toil and\r\nignominy, and there can be no life worse than that. (12) And what fires\r\nme most of all, my friends, and sends me into the lists most gladly, is\r\nthe thought that Cyrus will be our judge: one who will give no partial\r\nverdict. I call the gods to witness when I say that he loves a valiant\r\nman as he loves his own soul: I have seen him give such an one more than\r\nhe ever keeps for himself. (13) And now,\" he added, \"I know that our\r\nfriends here pride themselves upon their breeding and what it has done\r\nfor them. They have been brought up to endure hunger and thirst, cold\r\nand nakedness, and yet they are aware that we too have been trained in\r\nthe self-same school and by a better master than they: we were taught by\r\nNecessity, and there is no teacher so good, and none so strict. (14) How\r\ndid our friends here learn their endurance? By bearing arms, weapons\r\nof war, tools that the wit of the whole human race has made as light as\r\nwell could be: but Necessity drove us, my fellows and myself, to stagger\r\nunder burdens so heavy that to-day, if I may speak for myself, these\r\nweapons of mine seem rather wings to lift me than weights to bear. (15)\r\nI for one am ready, Cyrus, to enter the lists, and, however I prove, I\r\nwill ask from you no more than I deserve: I would have you believe this.\r\nAnd you,\" he added, turning to his fellows, \"you, men of the people, I\r\nwould have you plunge into the battle and match yourselves with these\r\ngentlemen-warriors: the fine fellows must meet us now, for this is the\r\npeople\u0027s day.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(16) That is what Pheraulas said, and many rose to follow him and\r\nsupport his views. And it was resolved that each man should be honoured\r\naccording to his deserts and that Cyrus should be the judge. So the\r\nmatter ended, and all was well.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(17) Now Cyrus gave a banquet and a certain brigadier was the chief\r\nguest, and his regiment with him. Cyrus had marked the officer one\r\nday when he was drilling his men; he had drawn up the ranks in two\r\ndivisions, opposite each other, ready for the charge. They were all\r\nwearing corslets and carrying light shields, but half were equipped\r\nwith stout staves of fennel, and half were ordered to snatch up clods of\r\nearth and do what they could with these. (18) When all were ready, the\r\nofficer gave the signal and the artillery began, not without effect: the\r\nmissiles fell fast on shields and corslets, on thighs and greaves. But\r\nwhen they came to close quarters the men of the staves had their turn:\r\nthey struck at thighs and hands and legs, or, if the adversary stooped\r\nand twisted, they belaboured back and shoulders, till they put the foe\r\nto utter rout, delivering their blows with shouts of laughter and the\r\nglee of boys. Then there was an exchange of weapons, and the other side\r\nhad their revenge: they took the staves in their turn, and once more the\r\nstaff triumphed over the clod. (19) Cyrus was full of admiration, partly\r\nat the inventiveness of the commander, partly at the discipline of the\r\nmen; it was good to see the active exercise, and the gaiety of heart,\r\nand good to know that the upshot of the battle favoured those who fought\r\nin the Persian style. In every way he was pleased, and then and there\r\nhe bade them all to dinner. But at the feast many of the guests wore\r\nbandages, some on their hands, others on their legs, and Cyrus saw it\r\nand asked what had befallen them. They told him they had been bruised\r\nby the clods. (20) \"At close quarters?\" said he, \"or at long range?\" \"At\r\nlong range,\" they answered, and all the club-bearers agreed that when\r\nit came to close quarters, they had the finest sport. But here those who\r\nhad been carbonaded by that weapon broke in and protested loudly that\r\nit was anything but sport to be clubbed at short range, and in proof\r\nthereof they showed the weals on hand and neck and face. Thus they\r\nlaughed at one another as soldiers will; and on the next day the whole\r\nplain was studded with combats of this type, and whenever the army had\r\nnothing more serious in hand, this sport was their delight.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(21) Another day Cyrus noticed a brigadier who was marching his regiment\r\nup from the river back to their quarters. They were advancing in single\r\nfile on his left, and at the proper moment he ordered the second company\r\nto wheel round and draw up to the front alongside the first, and then\r\nthe third, and then the fourth; and when the company-captains were\r\nall abreast, he passed the word along, \"Companies in twos,\" and the\r\ncaptains-of-ten came into line; and then at the right moment he gave the\r\norder, \"Companies in fours,\" and the captains of five wheeled round and\r\ncame abreast, and when they reached the tent doors he called a halt,\r\nmade them fall into single file once more, and marched the first company\r\nin first, and then the second at its heels, and the third and fourth\r\nbehind them, and as he introduced them, he seated them at the table,\r\nkeeping the order of their entry. What Cyrus commended was the quiet\r\nmethod of instruction and the care the officer showed, and it was for\r\nthat he invited him and all his regiment to dinner in the royal tent.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(22) Now it chanced that another brigadier was among the guests, and\r\nhe spoke up and said to Cyrus: \"But will you never ask my men to dinner\r\ntoo? Day after day, morning and evening, whenever we come in for a meal\r\nwe do just the same as they, and when the meal is over the hindmost\r\nman of the last company leads out his men with their fighting-order\r\nreversed, and the next company follows, led by their hindmost man, and\r\nthen the third, and then the fourth: so that all of them, if they have\r\nto retire before an enemy, will know how to fall back in good order.\r\nAnd as soon as we are drawn up on the parade-ground we set off marching\r\neast, and I lead off with all my divisions behind me, in their regular\r\norder, waiting for my word. By-and-by we march west, and then the\r\nhindmost man of the last division leads the way, but they must still\r\nlook to me for commands, though I am marching last: and thus they learn\r\nto obey with equal promptitude whether I am at the head or in the rear.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(23) \"Do you mean to tell me,\" said Cyrus, \"that this is a regular rule\r\nof yours?\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"Truly yes,\" he answered, \"as regular as our meals, heaven help us!\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"Then I hereby invite you all to dinner, and for three good reasons; you\r\npractice your drill in both forms, you do this morning and evening both,\r\nand by your marching and counter-marching you train your bodies and\r\nbenefit your souls. And since you do it all twice over every day, it is\r\nonly fair to give you dinner twice.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(24) \"Not twice in one day, I beg you!\" said the officer, \"unless you\r\ncan furnish us with a second stomach apiece.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nAnd so the conversation ended for the time. But the next day Cyrus was\r\nas good as his word. He had all the regiment to dinner; and the day\r\nafter he invited them again: and when the other regiments knew of it\r\nthey fell to doing as they did.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(C.4) Now it chanced one day as Cyrus was holding a review, a messenger\r\ncame from Cyaxares to tell him that an embassy from India had just\r\narrived, and to bid him return with all despatch.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"And I bring with me,\" said the messenger, \"a suit of splendid apparel\r\nsent from Cyaxares himself: my lord wishes you to appear in all possible\r\nsplendour, for the Indians will be there to see you.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(2) At that Cyrus commanded the brigadier of the first regiment to draw\r\nup to the front with his men behind him on the left in single file, and\r\nto pass the order on to the second, and so throughout the army. Officers\r\nand men were quick to obey; so that in a trice the whole force on the\r\nfield was drawn up, one hundred deep and three hundred abreast, with\r\ntheir officers at the head. (3) When they were in position Cyrus bade\r\nthem follow his lead and off they went at a good round pace. However the\r\nroad leading to the royal quarters was too narrow to let them pass\r\nwith so wide a front and Cyrus sent word along the line that the first\r\ndetachment, one thousand strong, should follow as they were, and then\r\nthe second, and so on to the last, and as he gave the command he led\r\non without a pause and all the detachments followed in due order, one\r\nbehind the other. (4) But to prevent mistakes he sent two gallopers up\r\nto the entrance with orders to explain what should be done in case the\r\nmen were at a loss. And when they reached the gates, Cyrus told the\r\nleading brigadier to draw up his regiment round the palace, twelve deep,\r\nthe front rank facing the building, and this command he was to pass on\r\nto the second, and the second to the third, and so on till the last. (5)\r\nAnd while they saw to this he went in to Cyaxares himself, wearing his\r\nsimple Persian dress without a trace of pomp. Cyaxares was well pleased\r\nat his celerity, but troubled by the plainness of his attire, and said\r\nto him, \"What is the meaning of this, Cyrus? How could you show yourself\r\nin this guise to the Indians? I wished you to appear in splendour:\r\nit would have done me honour for my sister\u0027s son to be seen in great\r\nmagnificence.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(6) But Cyrus made answer: \"Should I have done you more honour if I had\r\nput on a purple robe, and bracelets for my arms, and a necklace about my\r\nneck, and so presented myself at your call after long delay? Or as now,\r\nwhen to show you respect I obey you with this despatch and bring you\r\nso large and fine a force, although I wear no ornament but the dust and\r\nsweat of speed, and make no display unless it be to show you these\r\nmen who are as obedient to you as I am myself.\" Such were the words of\r\nCyrus, and Cyaxares felt that they were just, and so sent for the\r\nIndian ambassadors forthwith. (7) And when they entered they gave this\r\nmessage:—The king of the Indians bade them ask what was the cause of\r\nstrife between the Assyrians and the Medes, \"And when we have heard\r\nyou,\" they said, \"our king bids us betake ourselves to the Assyrian and\r\nput the same question to him, and in the end we are to tell you both\r\nthat the king of the Indians, when he has enquired into the justice of\r\nthe case, will uphold the cause of him who has been wronged.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(8) To this Cyaxares replied:\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"Then take from me this answer: we do the Assyrian no wrong nor any\r\ninjustice whatsoever. And now go and make inquiry of him, if you are so\r\nminded, and see what answer he will give.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nThen Cyrus, who was standing by, asked Cyaxares, \"May I too say what\r\nis in my mind?\" \"Say on,\" answered Cyaxares. Then Cyrus turned to the\r\nambassadors: \"Tell your master,\" he said, \"unless Cyaxares is otherwise\r\nminded, that we are ready to do this: if the Assyrian lays any injustice\r\nto our charge we choose the king of the Indians himself to be our judge,\r\nand he shall decide between us.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(9) With that the embassy departed. And when they had gone out Cyrus\r\nturned to his uncle and began, \"Cyaxares, when I came to you I had scant\r\nwealth of my own and of the little I brought with me only a fragment is\r\nleft. I have spent it all on my soldiers. You may wonder at this,\" he\r\nadded, \"when it is you who have supported them, but, believe me, the\r\nmoney has not been wasted: it has all been spent on gifts and rewards\r\nto the soldiers who deserved it. (10) And I am sure,\" he added, \"if\r\nwe require good workers and good comrades in any task whatever, it is\r\nbetter and pleasanter to encourage them by kind speeches and kindly acts\r\nthan to drive them by pains and penalties. And if it is for war that we\r\nneed such trusty helpers, we can only win the men we want by every charm\r\nof word and grace of deed. For our true ally must be a friend and not a\r\nfoe, one who can never envy the prosperity of his leader nor betray him\r\nin the day of disaster. (11) Such is my conviction, and such being so,\r\nI do not hide from myself the need of money. But to look to you for\r\neverything, when I know that you spend so much already, would be\r\nmonstrous in my eyes. I only ask that we should take counsel together so\r\nas to prevent the failure of your funds. I am well aware that if you won\r\ngreat wealth, I should be able to help myself at need, especially if I\r\nused it for your own advantage. (12) Now I think you told me the other\r\nday that the king of Armenia has begun to despise you, because he hears\r\nwe have an enemy, and therefore he will neither send you troops nor pay\r\nthe tribute which is due.\" (13) \"Yes,\" answered Cyaxares, \"such are his\r\ntricks. And I cannot decide whether to march on him at once and try\r\nto subdue him by force, or let the matter be for the time, for fear of\r\nadding to the enemies we have.\" Then Cyrus asked, \"Are his dwellings\r\nstrongly fortified, or could they be attacked?\" And Cyaxares answered,\r\n\"The actual fortifications are not very strong: I took good care of\r\nthat. But he has the hill-country to which he can retire, and there for\r\nthe moment lie secure, knowing that he himself is safely out of reach,\r\nwith everything that he can convoy thither; unless we are prepared to\r\ncarry on a siege, as my father actually did.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(14) Thereupon Cyrus said, \"Now if you are willing to send me with\r\na moderate force of cavalry—I will not ask for many men—I believe,\r\nheaven helping me, I could compel him to send the troops and the\r\ntribute. And I even hope that in the future he may become a firmer\r\nfriend that he is now.\" (15) And Cyaxares said: \"I think myself they are\r\nmore likely to listen to you than to me. I have been told that his sons\r\nwere your companions in the chase when you were lads, and possibly old\r\nhabits will return and they will come over to you. Once they were in our\r\npower, everything could be done as we desire.\" \"Then,\" said Cyrus,\r\n\"this plan of ours had better be kept secret, had it not?\" \"No doubt,\"\r\nanswered Cyaxares. \"In that way they would be more likely to fall into\r\nour hands, and if we attack them they would be taken unprepared.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(16) \"Listen then,\" said Cyrus, \"and see what you think of this. I have\r\noften hunted the marches between your country and Armenia with all\r\nmy men, and sometimes I have taken horsemen with me from our comrades\r\nhere.\" \"I see,\" said Cyaxares, \"and if you chose to do the like again\r\nit would seem only natural, but if your force was obviously larger than\r\nusual, suspicion would arise at once.\" (17) \"But it is possible,\" said\r\nCyrus, \"to frame a pretext which would find credit with us and with them\r\ntoo, if any rumour reached them. We might give out that I intend to hold\r\na splendid hunt and I might ask you openly for a troop of horse.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"Admirable!\" said Cyaxares. \"And I shall refuse to give you more than a\r\ncertain number, my reason being that I wish to visit the outposts on the\r\nSyrian side. And as a matter of fact,\" he added, \"I do wish to see them\r\nand put them in as strong a state as possible. Then, as soon as you have\r\nstarted with your men, and marched, let us say, for a couple of days,\r\nI could send you a good round number of horse and foot from my own\r\ndetachment. And when you have them at your back, you could advance at\r\nonce, and I will follow with the rest of my men as near you as I may,\r\nclose enough to appear in time of need.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(18) Accordingly, Cyaxares proceeded to muster horse and foot for his\r\nown march, and sent provision-waggons forward to meet him on the road.\r\nMeanwhile Cyrus offered sacrifice for the success of his expedition and\r\nfound an opportunity to ask Cyaxares for a troop of his junior cavalry.\r\nBut Cyaxares would only spare a few, though many wished to go. Soon\r\nafterwards he started for the outposts himself with all his horse and\r\nfoot, and then Cyrus found the omens favourable for his enterprise, and\r\nled his soldiers out as though he meant to hunt. (19) He was scarcely\r\non his way when a hare started up at their feet, and an eagle, flying on\r\nthe right, saw the creature as it fled, swooped down and struck it,\r\nbore it aloft in its talons to a cliff hard by, and did its will upon it\r\nthere. The omen pleased Cyrus well, and he bowed in worship to Zeus the\r\nKing, and said to his company, \"This shall be a right noble hunt, my\r\nfriends, if God so will.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(20) When he came to the borders he began the hunt in his usual way, the\r\nmass of horse and foot going on ahead in rows like reapers, beating out\r\nthe game, with picked men posted at intervals to receive the animals and\r\ngive them chase. And thus they took great numbers of boars and stags and\r\nantelopes and wild-asses: even to this day wild-asses are plentiful in\r\nthose parts. (21) But when the chase was over, Cyrus had touched the\r\nfrontier of the Armenian land, and there he made the evening meal. The\r\nnext day he hunted till he reached the mountains which were his goal.\r\nAnd there he halted again and made the evening meal. At this point he\r\nknew that the army from Cyaxares was advancing, and he sent secretly to\r\nthem and bade them keep about eight miles off, and take their evening\r\nmeal where they were, since that would make for secrecy. And when their\r\nmeal was over he told them to send their officers to him, and after\r\nsupper he called his own brigadiers together and addressed them thus:\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(22) \"My friends, in old days the Armenian was a faithful ally and\r\nsubject of Cyaxares, but now when he sees an enemy against us, he\r\nassumes contempt: he neither sends the troops nor pays the tribute. He\r\nis the game we have come to catch, if catch we can. And this, I think,\r\nis the way. You, Chrysantas,\" said he, \"will sleep for a few hours, and\r\nthen take half the Persians with you, make for the hill country, and\r\nseize the heights which we hear are his places of refuge when alarmed.\r\nI will give you guides. (23) The hills, they tell us, are covered with\r\ntrees and scrub, so that we may hope you will escape unseen: still you\r\nmight send a handful of scouts ahead of you, disguised as a band of\r\nrobbers. If they should come across any Armenians they can either make\r\nthem prisoners and prevent them from spreading the news, or at least\r\nscare them out of the way, so that they will not realise the whole of\r\nyour force, and only take measures against a pack of thieves. (24) That\r\nis your task, Chrysantas, and now for mine. At break of day I shall take\r\nhalf the foot and all the cavalry and march along the level straight to\r\nthe king\u0027s residence. If he resists, we must fight, if he retreats\r\nalong the plain we must run him down, if he makes for the mountains, why\r\nthen,\" said Cyrus, \"it will be your business to see that none of your\r\nvisitors escape. (25) Think of it as a hunt: we down below are the\r\nbeaters rounding up the game, and you are the men at the nets: only bear\r\nin mind that the earths must all be stopped before the game is up, and\r\nthe men at the traps must be hidden, or they will turn back the flying\r\nquarry. (26) One last word, Chrysantas: you must not behave now as I\r\nhave known you do in your passion for the chase: you must not sit up the\r\nwhole night long without a wink of sleep, you must let all your men have\r\nthe modicum of rest that they cannot do without. (27) Nor must you—just\r\nbecause you scour the hills in the hunt without a guide, following the\r\nlead of the quarry and that alone, checking and changing course wherever\r\nit leads you—you must not now plunge into the wildest paths: you must\r\ntell your guides to take you by the easiest road unless it is much the\r\nlongest. (28) In war, they say, the easiest way is the quickest. And\r\nonce more, because you can race up a mountain yourself you are not to\r\nlead on your men at the double; suit your pace to the strength of all.\r\n(29) Indeed, it were no bad thing if some of your best and bravest were\r\nto fall behind here and there and cheer the laggards on: and it would\r\nquicken the pace of all, when the column has gone ahead, to see them\r\nracing back to their places past the marching files.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(30) Chrysantas listened, and his heart beat high at the trust reposed\r\nin him. He took the guides, and gave the necessary orders for those who\r\nwere to march with him, and then he lay down to rest. And when all his\r\nmen had had the sleep he thought sufficient he set out for the hills.\r\n(31) Day dawned, and Cyrus sent a messenger to the Armenian with these\r\nwords: \"Cyrus bids you see to it that you bring your tribute and troops\r\nwithout delay.\" \"And if he asks you where Cyrus is, tell the truth and\r\nsay I am on the frontier. And if he asks whether I am advancing myself,\r\ntell the truth again and say that you do not know. And if he enquires\r\nhow many we are, bid him send some one with you to find out.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(32) Having so charged the messenger he sent him on forthwith, holding\r\nthis to be more courteous than to attack without warning. Then he drew\r\nup his troops himself in the order best suited for marching, and, if\r\nnecessary, for fighting, and so set forth. The soldiers had orders that\r\nnot a soul was to be wronged, and if they met any Armenians they were\r\nto bid them to have no fear, but open a market wherever they wished, and\r\nsell meat or drink as they chose.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cpre\u003e NOTES\r\n\u003c/pre\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC1.5. Is this historical, i.e. \u003ci\u003equasi\u003c/i\u003e-historical? Are any of the names\r\nreal or all invented to give verisimilitude?\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC1.13. Any touch of the sycophancy of the future in it? As in modern\r\nGermany, a touch of that involved in the system of royalty.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC1.15. The raw material is good, but not worked up. Important for\r\nthe conception of Hellenic democracy (cf. § 17). Daring, courage,\r\nvirtue—there is no monopoly of these things.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC1.21. (Cf. below VIII. C2.5) Worthy of Adam Smith. Xenophon has bump of\r\neconomy strongly developed; he resembles J. P.(*) in that respect. The\r\neconomic methodism, the mosaic interbedding, the architectonic structure\r\nof it all, a part and parcel of Xenophon\u0027s genius. Was Alexander\u0027s\r\narmy a highly-organised, spiritually and materially built-up, vitalised\r\nmachine of this sort? What light does Arrian, that younger Xenophon,\r\nthrow upon it?\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(* \"J. P.\" = John Percival, Bishop of Hereford (the writer of the\r\nIntroduction to this volume), at the time the notes were written\r\nHeadmaster of Clifton College.—F.M.S.)\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC1.25. Camaraderie encouraged and developed through a sense of equality\r\nand fraternity, the life \u003ci\u003eau grand jour\u003c/i\u003e in common, producing a common\r\nconsciousness (cf. Comte and J. P.; Epaminondas and the Sacred Band at\r\nThebes).\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC2. Contrast of subject enlivening the style—light concrete as a foil\r\nto the last drier abstract detail. Humorous also, with a dramatising\r\nand development of the characters, Shakespeare-wise—Hystaspas, and the\r\nrest. Aglaïtadas, a type of educator we know well (cf. Eccles. \"Cocker\r\nnot a child\"), grim, dry person with no sense of humour. Xenophon\u0027s own\r\nhumour shines out.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC2.12. The term given to the two stories {eis tagathon}. T. E. B.(*)\r\ncould do it, or Socrates, without dullness or seeming to preach. There\r\nis a crispness in the voice which is anti-pedantic.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(* \"T. E. B.\" = T. E. Brown, the Manx poet, at that time a colleague of\r\nMr. Dakyns at Clifton.—F.M.S.)\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC2.19. Cyrus recognises the ideal principle of co-operation and\r\ncollective ownership. Xenophon, Economist, ahead of the moderns.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC2.26. Xenophon\u0027s breadth of view: virtue is not confined to citizens,\r\nbut we have the pick of the whole world. Cosmopolitan Hellenism.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC3.4. Xenophon\u0027s theory of rule (cf. Ruskin): a right, inalienable,\r\nGod-bestowed, of the virtuous; subjection an inevitable consequence on\r\nlack of self-discipline.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC3.5, init. Is this a carelessness, or what? Chrysantas has been\r\nintroduced before, but here he is described as if stepping on the stage\r\nfor the first time. The sentence itself suggests the mould for the New\r\nTestament narrative.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC3.7. Pheraulas, and of him we shall hear much. A sharp contrast to\r\nChrysantas, the Peer, with his pointed plebeian similes. His speech\r\nimportant again for Xenophon\u0027s sympathetic knowledge of children and\r\nalso of the hard-working poor.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC3.10. How true to nature this. Cannot one see the little boy doubling\r\nhis little fists, a knife in his pocket, possibly a ball of string?\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC3.11. Is there a touch of flunkeyism in this? Not so; it is the\r\nclear-sighted scientific Greek, that is all.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC3.14. Very Scotch all this.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC3.21-22. \u003ci\u003eLocus classicus\u003c/i\u003e for regimental marching tactics. Qy.: Are\r\nany of these tactical improvements by Xenophon himself?\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC3.21. The \"regiment\" of a hundred men was divided into four\r\n\"companies\" of twenty-five, to each of these one company-captain and\r\ntwenty-four men, viz.: twenty privates, two captains-of-ten, and two\r\ncaptains-of-five, the two captains of ten having also especial charge\r\nover the two remaining squads of five. A condensed diagram may make\r\nthe little manoeuvre clear. An X represents one group of five plus its\r\ncaptain, either a captain-of-five or a captain-of-ten. A C represents a\r\ncompany-captain.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cpre\u003e First position—One long column. All in single file.\r\n\r\n Second position—Four columns. Single file for each company.\r\n\r\n Third position—Eight columns. Double files.\r\n\r\n Fourth position—Sixteen columns. Quadruple files.\r\n\r\n C C C C C C C\r\n X X X -\u0026gt; X X X X -\u0026gt; X X X X X X X X\r\n X -\u0026gt; X X X X X X\r\n X X X\r\n X X X\r\n C\r\n X\r\n X\r\n X\r\n X)\r\n\u003c/pre\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC4.15. Cyaxares means to kidnap them, doesn\u0027t he? That is not quite\r\nCyrus\u0027 method. If so, it contrasts Cyaxares and Cyrus again.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC4.17. Cyaxares the old fox improves upon the plan.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC4.30, init. It is these touches which give the thrilling subjective\r\nfeeling to the writings of Xenophon, or, rather, thus his nerves tingle,\r\njust as the external touches give a sense of objective health (e.g.\r\nabove, C1.29).\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC4.32. All this is entirely modern, never yet excelled, I imagine.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cdiv class=\"pg_body_wrapper\"\u003e\u003ca id=\"id_2H_4_0006\"\u003e\u003c!– H2 anchor –\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cdiv style=\"height: 4em;\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003ch2\u003e\r\n BOOK III\r\n\u003c/h2\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(C.1) Thus Cyrus made his preparations. But the Armenian, when he heard\r\nwhat the messenger had to say, was terror-stricken: he knew the wrong\r\nhe had done in neglecting the tribute and withholding the troops, and,\r\nabove all, he was afraid it would be discovered that he was beginning\r\nto put his palace in a fit state for defence. (2) Therefore, with much\r\ntrepidation, he began to collect his own forces, and at the same time\r\nhe sent his younger son Sabaris into the hills with the women, his own\r\nwife, and the wife of his elder son and his daughters, taking the best\r\nof their ornaments and furniture with them and an escort to be their\r\nguide. Meanwhile he despatched a party to discover what Cyrus was doing,\r\nand organised all the Armenian contingents as they came in. But it was\r\nnot long before other messengers arrived, saying that Cyrus himself was\r\nactually at hand. (3) Then his courage forsook him; he dared not come\r\nto blows and he withdrew. As soon as the recruits saw this they took to\r\ntheir heels, each man bent on getting his own property safely out of\r\nthe way. When Cyrus saw the plains full of them, racing and riding\r\neverywhere, he sent out messengers privately to explain that he had no\r\nquarrel with any who stayed quietly in their homes, but if he caught a\r\nman in flight, he warned them he would treat him as an enemy. Thus\r\nthe greater part were persuaded to remain, though there were some who\r\nretreated with the king.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(4) But when the escort with the women came on the Persians in the\r\nmountain, they fled with cries of terror, and many of them were taken\r\nprisoners. In the end the young prince himself was captured, and the\r\nwife of the king, and his daughters, and his daughter-in-law, and\r\nall the goods they had with them. And when the king learnt what had\r\nhappened, scarcely knowing where to turn, he fled to the summit of a\r\ncertain hill. (5) Cyrus, when he saw it, surrounded the spot with his\r\ntroops and sent word to Chrysantas, bidding him leave a force to\r\nguard the mountains and come down to him. So the mass of the army was\r\ncollected under Cyrus, and then he sent a herald to the king with this\r\nenquiry:\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"Son of Armenia, will you wait here and fight with hunger and thirst,\r\nor will you come down into the plain and fight it out with us?\" But the\r\nArmenian answered that he wished to fight with neither. (6) Cyrus sent\r\nagain and asked, \"Why do you sit there, then, and refuse to come down?\"\r\n\"Because I know not what to do,\" answered the other. \"It is simple\r\nenough,\" said Cyrus, \"come down and take your trial.\" \"And who shall try\r\nme?\" asked the king. \"He,\" answered Cyrus, \"to whom God has given the\r\npower to treat you as he lists, without a trial at all.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nThereupon the Armenian came down, yielding to necessity, and Cyrus took\r\nhim and all that he had and placed him in the centre of the camp, for\r\nall his forces were now at hand.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(7) Meanwhile Tigranes, the elder son of the king, was on his way home\r\nfrom a far country. In old days he had hunted with Cyrus and been his\r\nfriend, and now, when he heard what had happened, he came forward just\r\nas he was; but when he saw his father and his mother, his brother and\r\nsisters, and his own wife all held as prisoners, he could not keep back\r\nthe tears. (8) But Cyrus gave him no sign of friendship or courtesy, and\r\nonly said, \"You have come in time, you may be present now to hear your\r\nfather tried.\" With that he summoned the leaders of the Persians and the\r\nMedes, and any Armenian of rank and dignity who was there, nor would\r\nhe send away the women as they sat in covered carriages, but let them\r\nlisten too. (9) When all was ready he began: \"Son of Armenia, I would\r\ncounsel you, in the first place, to speak the truth, so that at least\r\nyou may stand free from what deserves the utmost hate: beyond all\r\nelse, be assured, manifest lying checks the sympathy of man and man.\r\nMoreover,\" said he, \"your own sons, your daughters, and your wife are\r\nwell aware of all that you have done, and so are your own Armenians\r\nwho are here: if they perceive that you say what is not true, they must\r\nsurely feel that out of your own lips you condemn yourself to suffer\r\nthe uttermost penalty when I learn the truth.\" \"Nay,\" answered the king,\r\n\"ask me whatever you will, and I will answer truly, come what come may.\"\r\n(10) \"Answer then,\" said Cyrus, \"did you once make war upon Astyages,\r\nmy mother\u0027s father, and his Medes?\" \"I did,\" he answered. \"And were you\r\nconquered by him, and did you agree to pay tribute and furnish troops\r\nwhenever he required, and promise not to fortify your dwellings?\" \"Even\r\nso,\" he said. \"Why is it, then, that to-day you have neither brought the\r\ntribute nor sent the troops, and are building forts?\" \"I set my heart on\r\nliberty: it seemed to me so fair a thing to be free myself and to leave\r\nfreedom to my sons.\" (11) \"And fair and good it is,\" said Cyrus, \"to\r\nfight for freedom and choose death rather than slavery, but if a man is\r\nworsted in war or enslaved by any other means and then attempts to rid\r\nhimself of his lord, tell me yourself, would you honour such a man as\r\nupright, and a doer of noble deeds, or would you, if you got him in\r\nyour power, chastise him as a malefactor?\" \"I would chastise him,\" he\r\nanswered, \"since you drive me to the truth.\" (12) \"Then answer me now,\r\npoint by point,\" said Cyrus. \"If you have an officer and he does wrong,\r\ndo you suffer him to remain in office, or do you set up another in his\r\nstead?\" \"I set up another.\" \"And if he have great riches, to you leave\r\nhim all his wealth, or do you make him a beggar?\" \"I take away from him\r\nall that he has.\" \"And if you found him deserting to your enemies, what\r\nwould you do?\" \"I would kill him,\" he said: \"why should I perish with a\r\nlie on my lips rather than speak the truth and die?\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(13) But at this his son rent his garments and dashed the tiara from his\r\nbrows, and the women lifted up their voices in wailing and tore their\r\ncheeks, as though their father was dead already, and they themselves\r\nundone. But Cyrus bade them keep silence, and spoke again. \"Son of\r\nArmenia, we have heard your own judgment in this case, and now tell us,\r\nwhat ought we to do?\" But the king sat silent and perplexed, wondering\r\nwhether he should bid Cyrus put him to death, or act in the teeth of the\r\nrule he had laid down for himself. (14) Then his son Tigranes turned to\r\nCyrus and said, \"Tell me, Cyrus, since my father sits in doubt, may I\r\ngive counsel in his place and say what I think best for you?\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nNow Cyrus remembered that, in the old hunting days, he had noticed a\r\ncertain man of wisdom who went about with Tigranes and was much admired\r\nby him, and he was curious to know what the youth would say. So he\r\nreadily agreed and bade him speak his mind.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(15) \"In my view, then,\" said Tigranes, \"if you approve of all that my\r\nfather has said and done, certainly you ought to do as he did, but if\r\nyou think he has done wrong, then you must not copy him.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"But surely,\" said Cyrus, \"the best way to avoid copying the wrongdoer\r\nis to practise what is right?\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"True enough,\" answered the prince.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"Then on your own reasoning, I am bound to punish your father, if it is\r\nright to punish wrong.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"But would you wish your vengeance to do you harm instead of good?\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"Nay,\" said Cyrus, \"for then my vengeance would fall upon myself.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(16) \"Even so,\" said Tigranes, \"and you will do yourself the greatest\r\nharm if you put your own subjects to death just when they are most\r\nvaluable to you.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"Can they have any value,\" asked Cyrus, \"when they are detected doing\r\nwrong?\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"Yes,\" answered Tigranes, \"if that is when they turn to good and learn\r\nsobriety. For it is my belief, Cyrus, that without this virtue all\r\nothers are in vain. What good will you get from a strong man or a brave\r\nif he lack sobriety, be he never so good a horseman, never so rich,\r\nnever so powerful in the state? But with sobriety every friend is a\r\nfriend in need and every servant a blessing.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(17) \"I take your meaning,\" answered Cyrus; \"your father, you would have\r\nme think, has been changed in this one day from a fool into a wise and\r\nsober-minded man?\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"Exactly,\" said the prince.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"Then you would call sober-mindedness a condition of our nature, such\r\nas pain, not a matter of reason that can be learnt? For certainly, if\r\nhe who is to be sober-minded must learn wisdom first, he could not be\r\nconverted from folly in a day.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(18) \"Nay, but, Cyrus,\" said the prince, \"surely you yourself have\r\nknown one man at least who out of sheer folly has set himself to fight\r\na stronger man than he, and on the day of defeat his senselessness has\r\nbeen cured. And surely you have known a city ere now that has marshalled\r\nher battalions against a rival state, but with defeat she changes\r\nsuddenly and is willing to obey and not resist?\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(19) \"But what defeat,\" said Cyrus, \"can you find in your father\u0027s case\r\nto make you so sure that he has come to a sober mind?\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"A defeat,\" answered the young man, \"of which he is well aware in the\r\nsecret chambers of his soul. He set his heart on liberty, and he has\r\nfound himself a slave as never before: he had designs that needed\r\nstealth and speed and force, and not one of them has he been able to\r\ncarry through. With you he knows that design and fulfilment went hand\r\nin hand; when you wished to outwit him, outwit him you did, as though he\r\nhad been blind and deaf and dazed; when stealth was needed, your stealth\r\nwas such that the fortresses he thought his own you turned into traps\r\nfor him; and your speed was such that you were upon him from miles away\r\nwith all your armament before he found time to muster the forces at his\r\ncommand.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(20) \"So you think,\" said Cyrus, \"that merely to learn another is\r\nstronger than himself is defeat enough to bring a man to his senses?\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"I do,\" answered Tigranes, \"and far more truly than mere defeat in\r\nbattle. For he who is conquered by force may fancy that if he trains\r\nhe can renew the war, and captured cities dream that with the help of\r\nallies they will fight again one day, but if we meet with men who are\r\nbetter than ourselves and whom we recognise to be so, we are ready to\r\nobey them of our own free will.\" (21) \"You imagine then,\" said\r\nCyrus, \"that the bully and the tyrant cannot recognise the man\r\nof self-restraint, nor the thief the honest man, nor the liar the\r\ntruth-speaker, nor the unjust man the upright? Has not your own father\r\nlied even now and broken his word with us, although he knew that we had\r\nfaithfully observed every jot and tittle of the compact Astyages made?\"\r\n(22) \"Ah, but,\" replied the prince, \"I do not pretend that the bare\r\nknowledge alone will bring a man to his senses, it cannot cure him\r\nunless he pays the penalty as my father pays it to-day.\" \"But,\" answered\r\nCyrus, \"your father has suffered nothing at all so far: although he\r\nfears, I know, that the worst suffering may be his.\" (23) \"Do you\r\nsuppose then,\" asked Tigranes, \"that anything can enslave a man more\r\nutterly than fear? Do you not know that even the men who are beaten with\r\nthe iron rod of war, the heaviest rod in all the world, may still be\r\nready to fight again, while the victims of terror cannot be brought to\r\nlook their conquerors in the face, even when they try to comfort them?\"\r\n\"Then, you maintain,\" said Cyrus, \"that fear will subdue a man more than\r\nsuffering?\" (24) \"Yes,\" he answered, \"and you of all men know that what\r\nI say is true: you know the despondency men feel in dread of banishment,\r\nor on the eve of battle facing defeat, or sailing the sea in peril of\r\nshipwreck—they cannot touch their food or take their rest because\r\nof their alarm: while it may often be that the exiles themselves, the\r\nconquered, or the enslaved, can eat and sleep better than men who have\r\nnot known adversity. (25) Think of those panic-stricken creatures who\r\nthrough fear of capture and death have died before their day, have\r\nhurled themselves from cliffs, hanged themselves, or set the knife to\r\ntheir throats; so cruelly can fear, the prince of horrors, bind and\r\nsubjugate the souls of men. And what, think you, does my father feel at\r\nthis moment? He, whose fears are not for himself alone, but for us all,\r\nfor his wife, and for his children.\" (26) And Cyrus said, \"To-day and\r\nat this time, it may be with him as you say: but I still think that the\r\nsame man may well be insolent in good fortune and cringing in defeat:\r\nlet such an one go free again, and he will return to his arrogance and\r\ntrouble us once more.\" (27) \"I do not deny it, Cyrus,\" said the prince.\r\n\"Our offences are such that you may well mistrust us: but you have it in\r\nyour power to set garrisons in our land and hold our strong places and\r\ntake what pledges you think best. And even so,\" he added, \"you will not\r\nfind that we fret against our chains, for we shall remember we have only\r\nourselves to blame. Whereas, if you hand over the government to some\r\nwho have not offended, they may either think that you mistrust them, and\r\nthus, although you are their benefactor, you cannot be their friend, or\r\nelse in your anxiety not to rouse their enmity you may leave no check\r\non their insolence, and in the end you will need to sober them even\r\nmore than us.\" (28) \"Nay, but by all the gods,\" cried Cyrus, \"little joy\r\nshould I ever take in those who served me from necessity alone. Only if\r\nI recognise some touch of friendship or goodwill in the help it is their\r\nduty to render, I could find it easier to forgive them all their faults\r\nthan to accept the full discharge of service paid upon compulsion by\r\nthose who hate me.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nThen Tigranes answered, \"You speak of friendship, but can you ever find\r\nelsewhere so great a friendship as you may find with us?\" \"Surely I\r\ncan,\" he answered, \"and with those who have never been my enemies, if\r\nI choose to be their benefactor as you would have me yours.\" (29) \"But\r\nto-day, and now, can you find another man in the world whom you could\r\nbenefit as you can benefit my father? Say you let a man live who has\r\nnever done you wrong, will he be grateful for the boon? Say he need not\r\nlose his children and his wife, will he love you for that more than one\r\nwho knows he well deserved the loss? Say he may not sit upon the throne\r\nof Armenia, will he suffer from that as we shall suffer? And is it not\r\nclear that the one who feels the pain of forfeiture the most will be the\r\none most grateful for the granting of the gift? (30) And if you have it\r\nat all at heart to leave matters settled here, think for yourself, and\r\nsee where tranquillity will lie when your back is turned. Will it be\r\nwith the new dynasty, or with the old familiar house? And if you want\r\nas large a force as possible at your command, where will you find a man\r\nbetter fitted to test the muster-roll than the general who has used it\r\ntime and again? If you need money, who will provide the ways and means\r\nbetter than he who knows and can command all the resources of the\r\ncountry? I warn you as a friend,\" he added, \"that if you throw us aside\r\nyou will do yourself more harm than ever my father could have done.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(31) Such were the pleadings of the prince, and Cyrus, as he listened,\r\nwas overjoyed, for he felt he would accomplish to the full all he had\r\npromised Cyaxares; his own words came back to him, \"I hope to make the\r\nArmenian a better friend than before.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nThereupon he turned to the king and said, \"Son of Armenia, if I were\r\nindeed to hearken unto you and yours in this, tell me, how large an army\r\nwould you send me and how much money for the war?\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(32) And the king replied, \"The simplest answer I can make and the most\r\nstraightforward is to tell you what my power is, and then you may take\r\nthe men you choose, and leave the rest to garrison the country. And so\r\nwith the money: it is only fair that you should know the whole of our\r\nwealth, and with that knowledge to guide you, you will take what you\r\nlike and leave what you like.\" (33) And Cyrus said, \"Tell me then, and\r\ntell me true: how great is your power and your wealth?\" Whereupon the\r\nArmenian replied: \"Our cavalry is 8000 strong and our infantry 40,000;\r\nand our wealth,\" said he, \"if I include the treasures which my father\r\nleft, amounts in silver to more than 3000 talents.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(34) And Cyrus, without more ado, said at once, \"Of your whole armament\r\nyou shall give me half, not more, since your neighbours the Chaldaeans\r\nare at war with you: but for the tribute, instead of the fifty talents\r\nwhich you paid before, you shall hand over twice as much to Cyaxares\r\nbecause you made default; and you will lend me another hundred for\r\nmyself, and I hereby promise you, if God be bountiful, I will requite\r\nyou for the loan with things of higher worth, or I will pay the money\r\nback in full, if I can; and if I cannot, you may blame me for want of\r\nability, but not for want of will.\" (35) But the Armenian cried, \"By all\r\nthe gods, Cyrus, speak not so, or you will put me out of heart. I beg\r\nyou to look on all I have as yours, what you leave behind as well as\r\nwhat you take away.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"So be it then,\" answered Cyrus, \"and to ransom your wife, how much\r\nmoney would you give?\" \"All that I have,\" said he. \"And for your sons?\"\r\n\"For them too, all that I have.\" \"Good,\" answered Cyrus, \"but is not\r\nthat already twice as much as you possess? (36) And you, Tigranes,\" said\r\nhe, \"at what price would you redeem your bride?\" Now the youth was but\r\nnewly wedded, and his wife was beyond all things dear to him. \"I would\r\ngive my life,\" said he, \"to save her from slavery.\" (37) \"Take her\r\nthen,\" said Cyrus, \"she is yours. For I hold that she has never yet been\r\nmade a prisoner, seeing that her husband never deserted us. And you,\r\nson of Armenia,\" said he, turning to the king, \"you shall take home your\r\nwife and children, and pay no ransom for them, so that they shall not\r\nfeel they come to you from slavery. But now,\" he added, \"you shall stay\r\nand sup with us, and afterwards you shall go wherever you wish.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nAnd so the Armenians stayed. (38) But when the company broke up after\r\nthe evening meal, Cyrus asked Tigranes, \"Tell me, where is that friend\r\nof yours who used to hunt with us, and whom, as it seemed to me, you\r\nadmired so much?\" \"Do you not know,\" he said, \"that my father put him\r\nto death?\" \"And why?\" said Cyrus, \"what fault did he find in him?\" \"He\r\nthought he corrupted me,\" said the youth; \"and yet, I tell you, Cyrus,\r\nhe was so gentle and so brave, so beautiful in soul, that when he came\r\nto die, he called me to him and said, \u0027Do not be angry with your father,\r\nTigranes, for putting me to death. What he does is not done from\r\nmalice, but from ignorance; and the sins of ignorance, I hold, are\r\nunintentional.\u0027\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(39) And at that Cyrus could not but say: \"Poor soul! I grieve for him.\"\r\nBut the king spoke in his own defence: \"Remember this, Cyrus, that the\r\nman who finds another with his wife kills him not simply because he\r\nbelieves that he has turned the woman to folly, but because he has\r\nrobbed him of her love. Even so I was jealous of that man who seemed to\r\nput himself between my son and me and steal away his reverence.\" (40)\r\n\"May the gods be merciful to us!\" said Cyrus, \"you did wrong, but your\r\nfault was human. And you, Tigranes,\" said he, turning to the son, \"you\r\nmust forgive your father.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nAnd so they talked in all friendliness and kindliness, as befitted\r\nthat time of reconciliation; and then the father and son mounted their\r\ncarriages, with their dear ones beside them, and drove away rejoicing.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(41) But when they were home again, they all spoke of Cyrus, one\r\npraising his wisdom, another his endurance, a third the gentleness\r\nof his nature, and a fourth his stature and his beauty. Then Tigranes\r\nturned to his wife and asked, \"Did Cyrus seem so beautiful in your\r\neyes?\" But she answered, \"Ah, my lord, he was not the man I saw.\" \"Who\r\nwas it then?\" asked Tigranes. \"He,\" she answered, \"who offered his own\r\nlife to free me from slavery.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nAnd so they took their delight together, as lovers will, after all their\r\nsufferings.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(42) But on the morrow the king of Armenia sent gifts of hospitality to\r\nCyrus and all his army, and bade his own contingent make ready to march\r\non the third day, and himself brought Cyrus twice the sum which he had\r\nnamed. But Cyrus would take no more than he had fixed, and gave the\r\nrest back to the king, only asking whether he or his son was to lead the\r\nforce. And the father answered that it should be as Cyrus chose, but the\r\nson said, \"I will not leave you, Cyrus, if I must carry the baggage to\r\nfollow you.\" (43) And Cyrus laughed and said, \"What will you take to let\r\nus tell your wife that you have become a baggage-bearer?\" \"She will not\r\nneed to be told,\" he answered, \"I mean to bring her with me, and she can\r\nsee for herself all that her husband does.\" \"Then it is high time,\" said\r\nCyrus, \"that you got your own baggage together now.\" \"We will come,\"\r\nsaid he, \"be sure of that, in good time, with whatever baggage my father\r\ngives.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nSo the soldiers were the guests of Armenia for the day, and rested for\r\nthat night.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(C.2) But on the day following Cyrus took Tigranes and the best of the\r\nMedian cavalry, with chosen followers of his own, and scoured the whole\r\ncountry to decide where he should build a fort. He halted on the top of\r\na mountain-pass and asked Tigranes where the heights lay down which the\r\nChaldaeans swept when they came to plunder. Tigranes showed him. Then\r\nCyrus asked him if the mountains were quite uninhabited. \"No, indeed,\"\r\nsaid the prince, \"there are always men on the look-out, who signal to\r\nthe others if they catch sight of anything.\" \"And what do they do,\" he\r\nasked, \"when they see the signal?\" \"They rush to the rescue,\" he said,\r\n\"as quickly as they can.\" (2) Cyrus listened and looked, and he could\r\nsee that large tracts lay desolate and untilled because of the war. That\r\nday they came back to camp and took their supper and slept. (3) But the\r\nnext morning Tigranes presented himself with all his baggage in order\r\nand ready for the march, 4000 cavalry at his back, 10,000 bowmen, and as\r\nmany targeteers. While they were marching up, Cyrus offered sacrifice,\r\nand finding that the victims were favourable, he called the leaders of\r\nthe Persians together and the chief captains of the Medes and spoke to\r\nthem thus:\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(4) \"My friends, there lie the Chaldaean hills. If we could seize\r\nthem and set a garrison to hold the pass, we should compel them both,\r\nChaldaeans and Armenians alike, to behave themselves discreetly. The\r\nvictims are favourable; and to help a man in such a work as this there\r\nis no ally half so good as speed. If we scale the heights before the\r\nenemy have time to gather, we may take the position out of hand without\r\na blow, and at most we shall only find a handful of weak and scattered\r\nforces to oppose us. (5) Steady speed is all I ask for, and surely I\r\ncould ask for nothing easier or less dangerous. To arms then! The Medes\r\nwill march on our left, half the Armenians on our right, and the rest\r\nin the van to lead the way, the cavalry in our rear, to cheer us on and\r\npush us forward and let none of us give way.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(6) With that Cyrus led the advance, the army in column behind him.\r\nAs soon as the Chaldaeans saw them sweeping up from the plain, they\r\nsignalled to their fellows till the heights re-echoed with answering\r\nshouts, and the tribesmen gathered on every side. Then Cyrus sent word\r\nalong his lines, \"Soldiers of Persia, they are signalling to us to make\r\nhaste. If only we reach the top before them, all they can do will be in\r\nvain.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(7) Now the Chaldaeans were said to be the most warlike of all the\r\ntribes in that country, and each of them was armed with a shield and a\r\nbrace of javelins. They fight for pay wherever they are needed, partly\r\nbecause they are warriors born, but partly through poverty; for their\r\ncountry is mountainous, and the fertile part of it small. (8) As Cyrus\r\nand his force drew near the head of the pass, Tigranes, who was marching\r\nat his side, said:\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"Do you know, Cyrus, that before long we shall be in the thick of the\r\nfight ourselves? Our Armenians will never stand the charge.\" Cyrus\r\nanswered that he was well aware of that, and immediately sent word that\r\nthe Persians should be ready to give chase at once, \"as soon as we see\r\nthe Armenians decoying the enemy by feigning flight and drawing them\r\nwithin our reach.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(9) Thus they marched up with the Armenians in the van: and the\r\nChaldaeans who had collected waited till they were almost on them,\r\nand then charged with a tremendous shout, as their custom was, and the\r\nArmenians, as was ever theirs, turned and ran. (10) But in the midst\r\nof the pursuit the Chaldaeans met new opponents streaming up the pass,\r\narmed with short swords, and some of them were cut to pieces at once\r\nbefore they could withdraw, while others were taken prisoners and the\r\nrest fled, and in a few moments the heights were won. From the top\r\nof the pass Cyrus and his staff looked down and saw below them the\r\nChaldaean villages with fugitives pouring from the nearest houses. (11)\r\nSoon the rest of the army came up, and Cyrus ordered them all to take\r\nthe morning meal. When it was over, and he had ascertained that the\r\nlook-out was really in a strong position, and well supplied with water,\r\nhe set about fortifying a post without more ado, and he bade Tigranes\r\nsend to his father and bid him come at once with all the carpenters and\r\nstonemasons he could fetch, and while a messenger went off to the king\r\nCyrus did all he could with what he had at hand.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(12) Meanwhile they brought up the prisoners, all of them bound in\r\nchains and some wounded. But Cyrus when he saw their plight ordered the\r\nchains to be struck off, and sent for surgeons to dress their wounds,\r\nand then he told them that he came neither to destroy them nor to war\r\nagainst them, but to make peace between them and the Armenians. \"I\r\nknow,\" he said, \"before your pass was taken you did not wish for peace.\r\nYour own land was in safety and you could harry the Armenians: but you\r\ncan see for yourselves how things stand to-day. (13) Accordingly I will\r\nlet you all go back to your homes in freedom, and I will allow you and\r\nyour fellows to take counsel together and choose whether you will have\r\nus for your enemies or your friends. If you decide on war, you had\r\nbetter not come here again without your weapons, but if you choose\r\npeace, come unarmed and welcome: it shall be my care to see that all is\r\nwell with you, if you are my friends.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(14) And when the Chaldaeans heard that, they poured out praises and\r\nthanks, and then they turned homewards and departed.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nMeanwhile the king, receiving the call of Cyrus, and hearing the\r\nbusiness that was at hand, had gathered his workmen together and took\r\nwhat he thought necessary and came with all speed. (15) And when he\r\ncaught sight of Cyrus, he cried: \"Ah, my lord, blind mortals that we\r\nare! How little can we see of the future, and how much we take in hand\r\nto do! I set myself to win freedom and I made myself a slave, and now,\r\nwhen we were captured and said to ourselves that we were utterly undone,\r\nsuddenly we find a safety we never had before. Those who troubled us are\r\ntaken now, even as I would have them. (16) Be well assured, Cyrus,\" he\r\nadded, \"that I would have paid the sum you had from me over and over\r\nagain simply to dislodge the Chaldaeans from these heights. The things\r\nof worth you promised me when you took the money have been paid in full\r\nalready, and we discover that we are not your creditors, but deep in\r\nyour debt for many kindnesses; and we shall be ashamed not to return\r\nthem, or we should be base indeed, for try as we may, we shall never be\r\nable to requite in full so great a benefactor.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(17) Such thanks the Armenian gave.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nThen the Chaldaeans came back, begging Cyrus to make peace with them.\r\nAnd Cyrus asked them: \"Am I right in thinking that you desire peace\r\nto-day because you believe it will be safer for you than war, now that\r\nwe hold these heights?\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nAnd the Chaldaeans said that so it was. (18) \"Well and good,\" said he.\r\n\"And what if other benefits were gained by peace?\" \"We should be all the\r\nbetter pleased,\" said they. \"Is there any other reason,\" he asked, \"for\r\nyour present poverty, except your lack of fertile soil?\" They said that\r\nthere was none. \"Well then,\" Cyrus went on, \"would you be willing to pay\r\nthe same dues as the Armenians, if you were allowed to cultivate as much\r\nof their land as you desired?\" And the Chaldaeans said they would, if\r\nonly they could rely on being fairly treated. (19) \"Now,\" said Cyrus,\r\nturning to the Armenian king, \"would you like that land of yours which\r\nis now lying idle to be tilled and made productive, supposing the\r\nworkers paid you the customary dues?\" \"I would, indeed,\" said the king,\r\n\"so much so that I am ready to pay a large sum for it. It would mean a\r\ngreat increase to my revenue.\" (20) \"And you, Chaldaeans,\" said Cyrus,\r\n\"with your splendid mountains, would you let the Armenians use them for\r\npasture if the graziers paid you what was fair?\" \"Surely yes,\" said the\r\nChaldaeans, \"it would mean much profit and no pains.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"Son of Armenia,\" said Cyrus, \"would you take this land for grazing,\r\nif by paying a small sum to the Chaldaeans you got a far greater return\r\nyourself?\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"Right willingly,\" said he, \"if I thought my flocks could feed in\r\nsafety.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"And would they not be safe enough,\" suggested Cyrus, \"if this pass were\r\nheld for you?\" To which the king agreed. (21) But the Chaldaeans cried,\r\n\"Heaven help us! We could not till our own fields in safety, not to\r\nspeak of theirs, if the Armenians held the pass.\" \"True,\" answered\r\nCyrus, \"but how would it be if the pass were held for you?\" \"Ah, then,\"\r\nsaid they, \"all would be well enough.\" \"Heaven help us!\" cried the\r\nArmenian in his turn, \"all might be well enough for them, but it would\r\nbe ill for us if these neighbours of ours recovered the post, especially\r\nnow that it is fortified.\" (22) Then Cyrus said, \"See, then, this is\r\nwhat I will do: I will hand over the pass to neither of you: we Persians\r\nwill guard it ourselves, and if either of you injure the other, we will\r\nstep in and side with the sufferers.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(23) Then both parties applauded the decision, and said that only thus\r\ncould they establish a lasting peace, and on these terms they exchanged\r\npledges, and a covenant was made that both nations alike were to be free\r\nand independent, but with common rights of marriage, and tillage, and\r\npasturage, and help in time of war if either were attacked. (24) Thus\r\nthe matter was concluded, and to this day the treaty holds between the\r\nChaldaeans and Armenia.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nPeace was no sooner made than both parties began building what they now\r\nconsidered their common fortress, working side by side and bringing up\r\nall that was needed. (25) And when evening fell, Cyrus summoned them all\r\nas fellow-guests to his board, saying that they were friends already.\r\nAt the supper as they sat together, one of the Chaldaeans said to Cyrus\r\nthat the mass of his nation would feel they had received all they\r\ncould desire, \"But there are men among us,\" he added, \"who live as\r\nfreebooters: they do not know how to labour in the field, and they could\r\nnot learn, accustomed as they are from youth up to get their livelihood\r\neither by plundering for themselves or serving as mercenaries, often\r\nunder the king of India, for he is a man of much wealth, but sometimes\r\nunder Astyages.\" (26) Then Cyrus said: \"Why should they not take service\r\nwith me? I undertake to give them at least as much as they ever got\r\nelsewhere.\" The Chaldaeans readily agreed with him and prophesied that\r\nhe would have many volunteers.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(27) So this matter was settled to the mind of all. But Cyrus, on\r\nhearing that the Chaldaeans were in the habit of going to India,\r\nremembered how Indian ambassadors had come to the Medes to spy out their\r\naffairs, and how they had gone on to their enemies—doubtless to do the\r\nsame there—and he felt a wish that they should hear something of\r\nwhat he had achieved himself. (28) So he said to the company: \"Son of\r\nArmenia, and men of the Chaldaeans, I have something to ask you. Tell\r\nme, if I were to send ambassadors to India, would you send some of your\r\nown folk with them to show them the way, and support them in gaining\r\nfor us all that I desire? I still need more money if I am to pay all the\r\nwages, as I wish, in full, and give rewards and make presents to such of\r\nmy soldiers as deserve them. It is for such things I need all the money\r\nI can get, for I believe them to be essential. It would be pleasanter\r\nfor me not to draw on you, because I look on you already as my friends,\r\nbut I should be glad to take from the Indian as much as he will give me.\r\nMy messenger—the one for whom I ask guides and coadjutors—will go to\r\nthe king and say: \u0027Son of India, my master has sent me to you, bidding\r\nme say that he has need of more money. He is expecting another army from\r\nPersia,\u0027 and indeed I do expect one,\" Cyrus added. \"Then my messenger\r\nwill proceed, \u0027If you can send my master all that you have at hand he\r\nwill do his best, if God grant him success, that you should feel your\r\nkindness has not been ill-advised.\u0027 (30) That is what my emissary will\r\nsay: and you must give such instructions to yours as you think fit\r\nyourselves. If I get money from the king, I shall have abundance at my\r\ndisposal: if I fail, at least we shall owe him no gratitude, and as far\r\nas he is concerned we may look to our own interests alone.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(31) So Cyrus spoke, convinced that the ambassadors from Armenia and\r\nChaldaea would speak of him as he desired all men might do. And then, as\r\nthe hour was come, they broke up the meeting and took their rest.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(C.3) But on the next day Cyrus despatched his messenger with\r\nthe instructions, and the Armenians and Chaldaeans sent their own\r\nambassadors, choosing the men they thought would help Cyrus most and\r\nspeak of his exploits in the most fitting terms. Cyrus put a strong\r\ngarrison in the fort and stored it with supplies, and left an officer in\r\ncommand, a Mede, whose appointment, he thought, would gratify Cyaxares,\r\nand then he turned homewards, taking with him not only the troops he had\r\nbrought, but the force the Armenians had furnished, and a picked body\r\nof Chaldaeans who considered themselves stronger than all the rest\r\ntogether. (2) And as he come down from the hills into the cultivated\r\nland, not one of the Armenians, man or woman, stayed indoors: with one\r\naccord they all went out to meet him, rejoicing that peace was made, and\r\nbringing him offerings from their best, driving before them the animals\r\nthey valued most. The king himself was not ill-pleased at this, for he\r\nthought that Cyrus would take delight in the honour the people showed\r\nhim. Last of all came the queen herself, with her daughters and her\r\nyounger son, bearing many gifts, and among them the golden treasure that\r\nCyrus had refused before. (3) But when he saw it he said: \"Nay, you must\r\nnot make me a mercenary and a benefactor for pay; take this treasure\r\nback and hie you home, but do not give it to your lord that he may bury\r\nit again; spend it on your son, and send him forth gloriously equipped\r\nfor war, and with the residue buy yourself and for your husband and your\r\nchildren such precious things as shall endure, and bring joy and beauty\r\ninto all your days. As for burying, let us only bury our bodies on the\r\nday when each must die.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(4) With that he rode away, the king and all his people escorting him,\r\nlike a guard of honour, calling him their saviour, their benefactor, and\r\ntheir hero, and heaping praises on him until he had left the land.\r\nAnd the king sent with him a larger army than ever he had sent before,\r\nseeing that now he had peace at home. (5) Thus Cyrus took his departure,\r\nhaving gained not only the actual money he took away with him, but a far\r\nampler store of wealth, won by his own graciousness, on which he could\r\ndraw in time of need.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nFor the first night he encamped on the borders of Armenia, but the next\r\nday he sent an army and the money to Cyaxares, who was close at hand,\r\nas he had promised to be, while he himself took his pleasure in hunting\r\nwherever he could find the game, in company with Tigranes and the flower\r\nof the Persian force.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(6) And when he came back to Media he gave gifts of money to his chief\r\nofficers, sufficient for each to reward their own subordinates, for he\r\nheld to it that, if every one made his own division worthy of praise,\r\nall would be well with the army as a whole. He himself secured anything\r\nthat he thought of value for the campaign, and divided it among the most\r\nmeritorious, convinced that every gain to the army was an adornment to\r\nhimself.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(7) At every distribution he would take occasion to address the officers\r\nand all whom he chose to honour in some such words as these: \"My\r\nfriends, the god of mirth must be with us to-day: we have found a source\r\nof plenty, and we have the wherewithal to honour whom we wish and as\r\nthey may deserve. (8) Let us call to mind, all of us, the only way\r\nin which these blessings can be won. We shall find it is by toil, and\r\nwatchfulness, and speed, and the resolve never to yield to our foes.\r\nAfter this pattern must we prove ourselves to be men, knowing that\r\nall high delights and all great joys are only gained by obedience and\r\nhardihood, and through pains endured and dangers confronted in their\r\nproper season.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(9) But presently, when Cyrus saw that his men were strong enough for\r\nall the work of war, and bold enough to meet their enemies with scorn,\r\nexpert and skilful in the use of the weapons each man bore, and all of\r\nthem perfect in obedience and discipline, the desire grew in his heart\r\nto be up and doing and achieve something against the foe. He knew well\r\nhow often a general has found delay ruin his fairest armament. (10) He\r\nnoticed, moreover, that in the eagerness of rivalry and the strain of\r\ncompetition many of the soldiers grew jealous of each other; and for\r\nthis, if for no other reason, he desired to lead them into the enemy\u0027s\r\ncountry without delay, feeling that common dangers awaken comradeship\r\namong those who are fighting in a common cause, and then all such\r\nbickerings cease, and no man is galled by the splendour of his comrade\u0027s\r\narms, or the passion of his desire for glory: envy is swallowed up\r\nin praise, and each competitor greets his rivals with delight as\r\nfellow-workers for the common good.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(11) Therefore Cyrus ordered his whole force to assemble under arms, and\r\ndrew them up into battle-array, using all his skill to make the display\r\na wonder of beauty and perfection. Then he summoned his chief officers,\r\nhis generals, his brigadiers, and his company-captains. These men were\r\nnot bound to be always in the ranks, and some were always free to\r\nwait on the commander-in-chief or carry orders along the lines without\r\nleaving the troops unofficered: for the captains-of-twelve and the\r\ncaptains-of-six stepped into the gaps, and absolute order was preserved.\r\n(12) So Cyrus assembled his staff and led them along the lines, pointing\r\nout the merits of the combined forces and the special strength of each,\r\nand thus he kindled in their hearts the passion for achievement, and\r\nthen he bade them return to their regiments and repeat the lessons he\r\nhad taught them, trying to implant in their own men the same desire for\r\naction, so that one and all might sally out in the best of heart; and\r\nthe next morning they were to present themselves at Cyaxares\u0027 gates.\r\n(13) So the officers went away and did as he commanded, and the next\r\nmorning at daybreak they assembled at the trysting-place, and Cyrus met\r\nthem and came before Cyaxares and said to him:\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"I know well that what I am about to say must often have been in your\r\nown mind, but you have shrunk from suggesting it yourself lest it seem\r\nthat you were weary of supporting us. (14) Therefore since you must keep\r\nsilence, let me speak for both of us. We are all agreed that since our\r\npreparations are complete we should not wait until the enemy invades our\r\nterritory before we give him battle, nor loiter here in a friendly land,\r\nbut attack him on his own ground with what speed we may. (15) For while\r\nwe linger here, we injure your property in spite of ourselves, but once\r\non the enemy\u0027s soil, we can damage his, and that with the best will in\r\nthe world. (16) As things are, you must maintain us, and the cost is\r\ngreat; but once launched on foreign service, we can maintain ourselves,\r\nand at our foe\u0027s expense. (17) Possibly, if it were more dangerous to go\r\nforward than to stay here, the more cautious might seem the wiser plan.\r\nBut whether we stay or whether we go, the enemy\u0027s numbers will be the\r\nsame, and so will ours, whether we receive them here or join battle with\r\nthem there. (18) Moreover, the spirit of our soldiers will be all the\r\nhigher and all the bolder if they feel that they are marching against\r\nthe foe and not cowering before him; and his alarm will be all the\r\ngreater when he hears that we are not crouching at home in terror but\r\ncoming out to meet him as soon as we have heard of his advance, eager to\r\nclose at once, not holding back until our territory suffers, but prompt\r\nto seize the moment and ravage his own land first. (19) Indeed,\" he\r\nadded, \"if we do no more than quicken our own courage and his fears, I\r\nwould reckon it a substantial gain, and count it so much the less danger\r\nfor us and so much the more for him. My father never tires of telling me\r\nwhat I have heard you say yourself, and what all the world admits, that\r\nbattles are decided more by the character of the troops than by their\r\nbodily strength.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(20) He ended, and Cyaxares answered:\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"Cyrus, both you and all my Persian friends may feel sure that I find\r\nit no trouble to maintain you; do not imagine such a thing; but I agree\r\nwith you that the time is ripe for an advance on the enemy\u0027s land.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"Then,\" said Cyrus, \"since we are all of one mind, let us make our final\r\npreparations, and, if heaven will, let us set forth without delay.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(21) So they bade the soldiers prepare for the start, and Cyrus offered\r\nsacrifices to Zeus the Lord and to the other gods in due order, and\r\nprayed, \"Look on us with favour, and be gracious to us; guide our army,\r\nstand beside us in the battle, aid us in council, help us in action, be\r\nthe comrades of the brave.\" Also he called upon the Heroes of Media,\r\nwho dwell in the land and guard it. (22) Then, when the signs were\r\nfavourable and his army was mustered on the frontier, he felt that the\r\nmoment had come, and with all good omens to support him, he invaded\r\nthe enemy\u0027s land. And so soon as he had crossed the border he offered\r\nlibations to the Earth and victims to the gods, and sought to win the\r\nfavour of the Heroes who guard Assyria. And having so done, once more he\r\nsacrificed to Zeus, the god of his fathers, and was careful to reverence\r\nevery other god who came before his mind.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(23) But when these duties were fulfilled, there was no further pause.\r\nHe pushed his infantry on at once, a short day\u0027s march, and then\r\nencamped, while the cavalry made a swift descent and captured much spoil\r\nof every kind. For the future they had only to shift their camp from\r\ntime to time, and they found supplies in abundance, and could ravage the\r\nenemy\u0027s land at their ease while waiting his approach. (24) Presently\r\nnews came of his advance: he was said to be barely ten days\u0027 off, and\r\nat that Cyrus went to Cyaxares and said: \"The hour has come, and we\r\nmust face the enemy. Let it not seem to friend or foe that we fear the\r\nencounter: let us show them that we enjoy the fight.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(25) Cyaxares agreed, and they moved forward in good order, marching\r\neach day as far as appeared desirable. They were careful to take their\r\nevening meal by daylight, and at night they lit no fires in the camp:\r\nthey made them in front of it, so that in case of attack they might see\r\ntheir assailants, while they themselves remained unseen. And often they\r\nlit other fires in their rear as well, to deceive the enemy; so that\r\nat times the Assyrian scouts actually fell in with the advance-guard,\r\nhaving fancied from the distance of the fires that they were still some\r\nway from the encampment.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(26) Meanwhile the Assyrians and their allies, as the two armies came\r\ninto touch, halted, and threw up an entrenchment, just as all barbarian\r\nleaders do to-day, whenever they encamp, finding no difficulty in the\r\nwork because of the vast numbers at their command, and knowing that\r\ncavalry may easily be thrown into confusion and become unmanageable,\r\nespecially if they are barbarians. (27) The horses must be tethered\r\nat their stalls, and in case of attack a dozen difficulties arise: the\r\nsoldier must loose his steed in the dark, bridle and saddle him, put on\r\nhis own armour, mount, and then gallop through the camp, and this\r\nlast it is quite impossible to do. Therefore the Assyrians, like all\r\nbarbarians, throw up entrenchments round their position, and the mere\r\nfact of being inside a fastness leaves them, they consider, the choice\r\nof fighting at any moment they think fit. (28) So the two armies drew\r\nnearer and nearer, and when they were about four miles apart, the\r\nAssyrians proceeded to encamp in the manner described: their position\r\nwas completely surrounded by a trench, but also perfectly visible,\r\nwhile Cyrus took all the cover he could find, screening himself behind\r\nvillages and hillocks, in the conviction that the more sudden the\r\ndisclosure of a hostile force the greater will be the enemy\u0027s alarm.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(29) During the first night neither army did more than post the\r\ncustomary guards before they went to sleep, and on the next day the\r\nking of Assyria, and Croesus, and their officers, still kept the troops\r\nwithin their lines. But Cyrus and Cyaxares drew up their men, prepared\r\nto fight if the enemy advanced.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nEre long it was plain that they would not venture out that day, and\r\nCyaxares summoned Cyrus and his staff and said:\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(30) \"I think, gentlemen, it would be well for us to march up to the\r\nbreastworks in our present order, and show them that we wish to fight.\r\nIf we do so,\" he added, \"and they refuse our challenge, it will increase\r\nthe confidence of our own men, and the mere sight of our boldness will\r\nadd to the enemy\u0027s alarm.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(31) So it seemed to Cyaxares, but Cyrus protested: \"In the name of\r\nheaven, Cyaxares, let us do no such thing. By such an advance we should\r\nonly reveal our numbers to them: they would watch us at their ease,\r\nconscious that they are safe from any danger, and when we retire without\r\ndoing them any harm they will have another look at us and despise us\r\nbecause of our inferiority in numbers, and to-morrow they will come\r\nout much emboldened. (32) At present,\" he added, \"they know that we are\r\nhere, but they have not seen us, and you may be sure they do not despise\r\nus; they are asking what all this means, and they never cease discussing\r\nthe problem; of that I am convinced. They ought not to see us until\r\nthey sally out, and in that moment we ought to come to grips with them,\r\nthankful to have caught them as we have so long desired.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(33) So Cyrus spoke, and Cyaxares and the others were convinced, and\r\nwaited. In the evening they took their meal, and posted their pickets\r\nand lit watch-fires in front of their outposts, and so turned to sleep.\r\n(34) But early the next morning Cyrus put a garland on his head and went\r\nout to offer sacrifice, and sent word to all the Peers of Persia to\r\njoin him, wearing garlands like himself. And when the rite was over, he\r\ncalled them together and said: \"Gentlemen, the soothsayers tell us, and\r\nI agree, that the gods announce by the signs in the victims that the\r\nbattle is at hand, and they assure us of victory, they promise us\r\nsalvation. (35) I should be ashamed to admonish you at such a season, or\r\ntell you how to bear yourselves: I do not forget that we have all been\r\nbrought up in the same school, you have learnt the same lessons as I,\r\nand practised them day by day, and you might well instruct others. But\r\nyou may not have noticed one point, and for this I would ask a hearing.\r\n(36) Our new comrades, the men we desire to make our peers—it may be\r\nwell to remind them of the terms on which Cyaxares has kept us and of\r\nour daily discipline, the goal for which we asked their help, and the\r\nrace in which they promised to be our friendly rivals. (37) Remind them\r\nalso that this day will test the worth of every man. With learners late\r\nin life, we cannot wonder if now and then a prompter should be needed:\r\nit is much to be thankful for if they show themselves good men and true\r\nwith the help of a reminder. (38) Moreover, while you help them you will\r\nbe putting your own powers to the test. He who can give another strength\r\nat such a crisis may well have confidence in his own, whereas one who\r\nkeeps his ideal to himself and is content with that, ought to remember\r\nthat he is only half a man. (39) There is another reason,\" he added,\r\n\"why I do not speak to them myself, but ask you to do so. I want them to\r\ntry to please you: you are nearer to them than I, each of you to the\r\nmen of his own division: and be well assured that if you show yourselves\r\nstout-hearted you will be teaching them courage, and others too, by\r\ndeeds as well as words.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(40) With that Cyrus dismissed them, and bade them break their fast and\r\nmake libation, and then take their places in the ranks, still wearing\r\ntheir garlands on their heads. As they went away he summoned the leaders\r\nof the rearguard and gave them his instructions:\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(41) \"Men of Persia, you have been made Peers and chosen for special\r\nduties, because we think you equal to the best in other matters, and\r\nwiser than most in virtue of your age. The post that you hold is every\r\nwhit as honourable as theirs who form the front: from your position in\r\nthe rear you can single out the gallant fighters, and your praise will\r\nmake them outdo themselves in valour, while if any man should be tempted\r\nto give way, your eyes will be upon him and you will not suffer it. (42)\r\nVictory will mean even more to you than to the others, because of your\r\nage and the weight of your equipment. If the men in front call on you to\r\nfollow, answer readily, and let them see that you can hold your own with\r\nthem, shout back to them, and bid them lead on quicker still. And now,\"\r\nsaid he, \"go back and take your breakfast, and then join your ranks with\r\nthe rest, wearing your garlands on your heads.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(43) Thus Cyrus and his men made their preparations, and meanwhile the\r\nAssyrians on their side took their breakfast, and then sallied forth\r\nboldly and drew up in gallant order. It was the king himself who\r\nmarshalled them, driving past in his chariot and encouraging his troops.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(44) \"Men of Assyria,\" he said, \"to-day you must show your valour.\r\nTo-day you fight for your lives and your land, the land where you were\r\nborn and the homes where you were bred, and for your wives and your\r\nchildren, and all the blessings that are yours. If you win, you\r\nwill possess them all in safety as before, but if you lose, you must\r\nsurrender them into the hands of your enemies. (45) Abide, therefore,\r\nand do battle as though you were enamoured of victory. It would be folly\r\nfor her lovers to turn their backs to the foe, sightless, handless,\r\nhelpless, and a fool is he who flies because he longs to live, for he\r\nmust know that safety comes to those who conquer, but death to those\r\nwho flee; and fools are they whose hearts are set on riches, but whose\r\nspirits are ready to admit defeat. It is the victor who preserves his\r\nown possessions and wins the property of those whom he overcomes: the\r\nconquered lose themselves and all they call their own.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(46) Thus spoke the king of Assyria.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nBut meanwhile Cyaxares sent to Cyrus saying that the moment for attack\r\nhad come. \"Although,\" he added, \"there are as yet but few of them\r\noutside the trenches, by the time we have advanced there will be quite\r\nenough. Let us not wait until they outnumber us, but charge at once\r\nwhile we are satisfied we can master them easily.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(47) But Cyrus answered him, \"Unless those we conquer are more than half\r\ntheir number, they are sure to say that we attacked when they were few,\r\nbecause we were afraid of their full force, and in their hearts they\r\nwill not feel that they are beaten; and we shall have to fight another\r\nbattle, when perhaps they will make a better plan than they have made\r\nto-day, delivering themselves into our hands one by one, to fight with\r\nas we choose.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(48) So the messengers took back his reply, but meanwhile Chrysantas and\r\ncertain other Peers came to Cyrus bringing Assyrian deserters with\r\nthem, and Cyrus, as a general would, questioned the fugitives about the\r\nenemy\u0027s doings, and they told him that the Assyrians were marching out\r\nin force and that the king himself had crossed the trenches and was\r\nmarshalling his troops, addressing them in stirring words, as all the\r\nlisteners said. (49) Then Chrysantas turned to Cyrus:\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"What if you also were to summon our men, while there is yet time, and\r\ninspire them with your words?\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(50) But Cyrus answered:\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"Do not be disturbed by the thought of the Assyrian\u0027s exhortations;\r\nthere are no words so fine that they can turn cowards into brave men\r\non the day of hearing, nor make good archers out of bad, nor doughty\r\nspearmen, nor skilful riders, no, nor even teach men to use their arms\r\nand legs if they have not learnt before.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(51) \"But,\" replied Chrysantas, \"could you not make the brave men braver\r\nstill, and the good better?\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"What!\" cried Cyrus, \"can one solitary speech fill the hearer\u0027s soul on\r\nthe selfsame day with honour and uprightness, guard him from all that is\r\nbase, spur him to undergo, as he ought, for the sake of glory every\r\ntoil and every danger, implant in him the faith that it is better to die\r\nsword in hand than to escape by flight? (52) If such thoughts are ever\r\nto be engraved in the hearts of men and there abide, we must begin with\r\nthe laws, and frame them so that the righteous can count on a life of\r\nhonour and liberty, while the bad have to face humiliation, suffering,\r\nand pain, and a life that is no life at all. (53) And then we ought to\r\nhave tutors and governors to instruct and teach and train our citizens\r\nuntil the belief is engendered in their souls that the righteous and\r\nthe honourable are the happiest of all men born, and the bad and the\r\ninfamous the most miserable. This is what our men must feel if they are\r\nto show that their schooling can triumph over their terror of the foe.\r\n(54) Surely, if in the moment of onset, amid the clash of arms, at a\r\ntime when lessons long learnt seem suddenly wiped away, it were possible\r\nfor any speaker, by stringing a few fine sentiments together, to\r\nmanufacture warriors out of hand, why, it would be the easiest thing in\r\nall the world to teach men the highest virtue man can know. (55) For my\r\nown part,\" he added, \"I would not trust our new comrades yonder, whom\r\nwe have trained ourselves, to stand firm this day unless they saw you at\r\ntheir side, to be examples unto them and to remind them if they forget.\r\nAs for men who are utterly undisciplined, I should be astonished if any\r\nspeech, however splendid, did one whit more to encourage valour in their\r\nhearts than a song well sung could do to make a musician of a man who\r\nhad no music in his soul.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(56) But while they were speaking, Cyaxares sent again, saying that\r\nCyrus did ill to loiter instead of advancing against the enemy with all\r\nspeed. And Cyrus sent back word there and then by the messengers:\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"Tell Cyaxares once more, that even now there are not as many before us\r\nas we need. And tell him this so that all may hear. But add that, if it\r\nso please him, I will advance at once.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(57) So saying and with one prayer to the gods, he led his troops into\r\nbattle.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nOnce the advance began he quickened the pace, and his men followed\r\nin perfect order, steadily, swiftly, joyously, brimful of emulation,\r\nhardened by toil, trained by their long discipline, every man in the\r\nfront a leader, and all of them alert. They had laid to heart the lesson\r\nof many a day that it was always safest and easiest to meet enemies at\r\nclose quarters, especially archers, javelin-men, and cavalry. (58) While\r\nthey were still out of range, Cyrus sent the watchword along the lines,\r\n\"Zeus our help and Zeus our leader.\" And as soon as it was returned to\r\nhim, he sounded the first notes of the battle-paean, and the men took\r\nup the hymn devoutly, in one mighty chorus. For at such times those\r\nwho fear the gods have less fear of their fellow-men. (59) And when the\r\nchant was over, the Peers of Persia went forward side by side, radiant,\r\nhigh-bred, disciplined, a band of gallant comrades; they looked into\r\neach other\u0027s eyes, they called each other by name, with many a cheery\r\ncry, \"Forward, friends, forward, gallant gentlemen!\" And the rear-ranks\r\nheard the call, and sent back a ringing cheer, bidding the van lead on.\r\nThe whole army of Cyrus was brimming with courage and zeal and strength\r\nand hardihood and comradeship and self-control; more terrible, I\r\nimagine, to an opponent than aught else could be. (60) On the Assyrian\r\nside, those in the van who fought from the chariots, as soon as the mass\r\nof the Persian force drew near, leapt back and drove to their own main\r\nbody; but the archers, javelin-men, and slingers, let fly long before\r\nthey were in range. (61) And as the Persians steadily advanced, stepping\r\nover the spent missiles, Cyrus called to his men:\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"Forward now, bravest of the brave! Show us what your pace can be!\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nThey caught the word and passed it on, and in their eagerness and\r\npassion for the fray some of the leaders broke into a run, and the whole\r\nphalanx followed at their heels. (62) Cyrus himself gave up the regular\r\nmarch and dashed forward at their head, shouting:\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"Brave men to the front! Who follows me? Who will lay the first Assyrian\r\nlow?\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nAt this the men behind took up the shout till it rang through the field\r\nlike a battle-cry: \"Who follows? Brave men to the front!\" (63) Thus the\r\nPersians closed. But the enemy could not hold their ground; they turned\r\nand fled to their entrenchments. (64) The Persians swept after them,\r\nmany a warrior falling as they crowded in at the gates or tumbled into\r\nthe trenches. For in the rout some of the chariots were carried into the\r\nfosse, and the Persians sprang down after them and slew man and horse\r\nwhere they fell. (65) Then the Median troopers, seeing how matters\r\nstood, charged the Assyrian cavalry, who swerved and broke before them,\r\nchased and slaughtered, horse and rider, by their conquerors. (66)\r\nMeanwhile the Assyrians within the camp, though they stood upon the\r\nbreastworks, had neither wit nor power to draw bow or fling spear\r\nagainst the destroyers, dazed as they were by their panic and the horror\r\nof the sight. Then came the tidings that the Persians had cut their way\r\nthrough to the gates, and at that they fled from the breastworks.\r\n(67) The women, seeing the rout in the camp, fell to wailing and\r\nlamentations, running hither and thither in utter dismay, young maidens,\r\nand mothers with children in their arms, rending their garments and\r\ntearing their cheeks and crying on all they met, \"Leave us not, save us,\r\nsave your children and yourselves!\" (68) Then the princes gathered\r\nthe trustiest men and stood at the gates, fighting on the breastworks\r\nthemselves, and urging their troops to make a stand. (69) Cyrus, seeing\r\nthis, and fearing that if his handful of Persians forced their way into\r\nthe camp they would be overborne by numbers, gave the order to fall back\r\nout of range. (70) Then was shown the perfect discipline of the Peers;\r\nat once they obeyed the order and passed it on at once. And when they\r\nwere all out of range they halted and reformed their ranks, better than\r\nany chorus could have done, every man of them knowing exactly where he\r\nought to be.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cpre\u003e NOTES\r\n\u003c/pre\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC1.6. Oriental in feeling; situation well realised. Hellenic = Oriental,\r\nalso in part perhaps. Also, we know the Oriental through the medium of\r\nGreek to a great extent (cf. Greek Testament, and earlier still LXX.).\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC1.8, init. Cf. Joseph and his brethren for this hardening of his heart.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC1.11. Hellenic political ethics = modern in this matter, apart from\r\nmodern theory of nationalism, i.e. right of nations to exist free.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC1.12. Quite after the manner of an advocate in a Greek law-court, but\r\nalso Oriental (cf. David and Nathan the seer).\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC1.24. Fear of exile; autobiographical touch? Is anything passing\r\nthrough the mind of Xenophon? I dare say there is. (Xenophon was\r\nbanished from his native city of Athens because of his friendship with\r\nSparta and with Cyrus the Younger. See Works, Vol. I. p. xcix.)\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC1.33, fin. 3000 talents. Something under £750,000.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC1.35. Cyrus drives home the conscience of indebtedness \u003ci\u003eà la\u003c/i\u003e Portia v.\r\nShylock. N.B.—Humorous also and an Oriental tinge.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC1.38. One can\u0027t help thinking of Socrates and the people of Athens\r\nhere. If so, this is a quasi-apology for the Athenian \u003ci\u003ebons pères\r\nde famille\u003c/i\u003e who condemned Socrates. Beautiful story of the sophist\r\nteacher\u0027s last injunction to Tigranes.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC1.40-41. What smiles after tears! Like a sunny day succeeding clouds\r\nand blackness. A pretty story this, of the wife of Tigranes. \u003ci\u003eXenophon\u0027s\r\nwomen:\u003c/i\u003e this one, Pantheia, Croesus\u0027 wife, the wife of Ischomachus\r\n(\u003ci\u003eEconomist\u003c/i\u003e), the daughter of Gobryas.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC2.12. Archaeologically interesting. N.B.—Humanity towards wounded,\r\nHellenic. Xenophon\u0027s own strategy in the \u003ci\u003eAnabasis\u003c/i\u003e is probably the\r\nprototype.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC2.15. For Hellenic and Xenophontine religiousness. The incalculableness\r\nof human life: God fulfils himself in many unforeseen ways. N.B.—Irony\r\nalso of the situation, since Cyrus doesn\u0027t intend the Armenian to\r\ntriumph over the Chaldaean in the way he anticipates.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC2.20. Note how Socratically it is made to work itself out.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC3. Cyrus, the Archic Man, the \"born ruler,\" is also the diplomatic man\r\n(cf., no doubt, Gladstone), a diplomacy based on organic economic sense\r\nand friendly-naturedness.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC3.10. Xenophon\u0027s theory of fraternity in action, all petty jealousies\r\nbrushed aside.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(C3.11. The \"captains-of-twelve\" and the \"captains-of-six\" are the\r\nsame officers as those called elsewhere \"captains-of-ten\" and\r\n\"captains-of-five\" (cf. above Bk. II. C2.21 note). The titles vary\r\nbecause sometimes the officers themselves are included in the squads and\r\nsometimes not.)\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC3.19. Nice touch, quoting his father as an authority.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC3.40. With garlands, like the Spartans. Was it conceivably a Persian\r\ncustom too?\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC3.44. Assyrian\u0027s speech; not a bad one, though platitudinous.\r\nXenophon\u0027s dramatic form is shown in the intellectual and emotional side\r\nof his characters, rather than by the diction in their mouths, is it\r\nnot?\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC3.51-52. Most important for Xenophon, Educationalist. Cyrus on the\r\npowerlessness of a speech to create valour in the soul of the\r\nuntrained: there must be a physical, moral, and spiritual training there\r\nbeforehand. The speech is in Xenophon\u0027s best earnest rhetorical style.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC3.57. The march into battle, \u003ci\u003evide\u003c/i\u003e Milton. A beautiful bit of\r\nword-painting.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC3.58. Cf. the Prussian army singing a hymn (in 1870).\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cdiv class=\"pg_body_wrapper\"\u003e\u003ca id=\"id_2H_4_0007\"\u003e\u003c!– H2 anchor –\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cdiv style=\"height: 4em;\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003ch2\u003e\r\n BOOK IV\r\n\u003c/h2\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(C.1) Cyrus waited, with his troops as they were, long enough to show\r\nthat he was ready to do battle again if the enemy would come out; but\r\nas they did not stir he drew the soldiers off as far as he thought well,\r\nand there encamped. He had guards posted and scouts sent forward, and\r\nthen he gathered his warriors round him and spoke to them as follows:\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(2) \"Men of Persia, first and foremost I thank the gods of heaven with\r\nall my soul and strength; and I know you render thanks with me, for we\r\nhave won salvation and victory, and it is meet and right to thank the\r\ngods for all that comes to us. But in the next place I must praise you,\r\none and all; it is through you all that this glorious work has been\r\naccomplished, and when I have learnt what each man\u0027s part has been from\r\nthose whose place it is to tell me, I will do my best to give each man\r\nhis due, in word and deed. (3) But I need none to tell me the exploits\r\nof your brigadier Chrysantas; he was next to me in the battle and I\r\ncould see that he bore himself as I believe you all have done. Moreover,\r\nat the very moment when I called on him to retire, he had just raised\r\nhis sword to strike an Assyrian down, but he heard my voice, and at once\r\nhe dropped his hand and did my bidding. He sent the word along the lines\r\nand led his division out of range before the enemy could lay one arrow\r\nto the string or let one javelin fly. Thus he brought himself and his\r\nmen safely out of action, because he had learnt to obey. (4) But some\r\nof you, I see, are wounded, and when I hear at what moment they received\r\ntheir wounds I will pronounce my opinion on their deserts. Chrysantas\r\nI know already to be a true soldier and a man of sense, able to command\r\nbecause he is able to obey, and here and now I put him at the head of a\r\nthousand troops, nor shall I forget him on the day when God may please\r\nto give me other blessings. (5) There is one reminder I would make to\r\nall. Never let slip the lesson of this day\u0027s encounter, and judge for\r\nyourselves whether it is cowardice or courage that saves a man in war,\r\nwhether the fighters or the shirkers have the better chance, and what\r\nthe joy is that victory can yield. To-day of all days you can decide,\r\nfor you have made the trial and the result is fresh. (6) With such\r\nthoughts as these in your hearts you will grow braver and better still.\r\nAnd now you may rest in the consciousness that you are dear to God and\r\nhave done your duty bravely and steadily, and so take your meal and make\r\nyour libations and sing the paean and be ready for the watchword.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nSo saying, Cyrus mounted his horse and galloped on to Cyaxares, and\r\nthe two rejoiced together as victors will. And then, after a glance at\r\nmatters there and an inquiry if aught were needed, he rode back to his\r\nown detachment. Then the evening meal was taken and the watches were\r\nposted and Cyrus slept with his men.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(8) Meanwhile the Assyrians, finding that their king was among the slain\r\nand almost all his nobles with him, fell into utter despair, and many of\r\nthem deserted during the night. And at this fear crept over Croesus and\r\nthe allies; they saw dangers on every side, and heaviest of all was the\r\nknowledge that the leading nation, the head of the whole expedition, had\r\nreceived a mortal blow. Nothing remained but to abandon the encampment\r\nunder cover of night. (9) Day broke, and the camp was seen to be\r\ndeserted, and Cyrus, without more ado, led his Persians within the\r\nentrenchments, where they found the stores that the enemy had left:\r\nherds of sheep and goats and kine, and long rows of waggons laden with\r\ngood things. Cyaxares and his Medes followed, and all arms took their\r\nbreakfast in the camp. (10) But when the meal was over, Cyrus summoned\r\nhis brigadiers and said to them:\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"Think what blessings we are flinging away now, spurning, as it were,\r\nthe very gifts of heaven! So at least it seems to me. The enemy have\r\ngiven us the slip, as you see with your own eyes. Is it likely that men\r\nwho forsook the shelter of their own fortress will ever face us in fair\r\nfield on level ground? Will those who shrink from us before they put our\r\nprowess to the test ever withstand us now when we have overthrown and\r\nshattered them? They have lost their best and bravest, and will the\r\ncowards dare to give us battle?\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(11) At that one of his officers cried, \"Why not pursue at once, if such\r\ntriumphs are before us?\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nAnd Cyrus answered, \"Because we have not the horses. The stoutest of our\r\nenemies, those whom we must seize or slay, are mounted on steeds that\r\ncould sweep past us like the wind. God helping us, we can put them to\r\nflight, but we cannot overtake them.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(12) \"Then,\" said they, \"why not go and lay the matter before Cyaxares?\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nAnd he answered, \"If so, you must all go with me, that Cyaxares may see\r\nit is the wish of all.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nSo they all went together and spoke as they thought best. (13) Now\r\nCyaxares felt, no doubt, a certain jealousy that the Persians should be\r\nthe first to broach the matter, but he may also have felt that it was\r\nreally wiser to run no further risks for the present; he had, moreover,\r\nabandoned himself to feasting and merrymaking, and he saw that most of\r\nhis Medes were in like case. Whatever the reason, this was the answer he\r\ngave:\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(14) \"My good nephew, I have always heard and always seen that you\r\nPersians of all men think it your duty never to be insatiate in the\r\npursuit of any pleasure; and I myself believe that the greater the joy\r\nthe more important is self-restraint. Now what greater joy could there\r\nbe than the good fortune which waits on us to-day? (15) When fortune\r\ncomes to us, if we guard her with discretion, we may live to grow old\r\nin peace, but if we are insatiate, if we use and abuse our pleasures,\r\nchasing first one and then another, we may well fear lest that fate be\r\nours which, the proverb tells us, falls on those mariners who cannot\r\nforgo their voyages in the pursuit of wealth, and one day the deep sea\r\nswallows them. Thus has many a warrior achieved one victory only to\r\nclutch at another and lose the first. (16) If indeed, our enemies who\r\nhave fled were weaker than we, it might be safe enough to pursue them.\r\nBut now, bethink you, how small a portion of them we have fought and\r\nconquered; the mass have had no part in the battle, and they, if we\r\ndo not force them to fight, will take themselves off through sheer\r\ncowardice and sloth. As yet they know nothing of our powers or their\r\nown, but if they learn that to fly is as dangerous as to hold their\r\nground, we run the risk of driving them to be brave in spite of\r\nthemselves. (17) You may be sure they are just as anxious to save their\r\nwives and children as you can be to capture them. Take a lesson from\r\nhunting: the wild sow when she is sighted will scamper away with her\r\nyoung, though she be feeding with the herd; but if you attack her little\r\nones she will never fly, even if she is all alone; she will turn on the\r\nhunters. (18) Yesterday the enemy shut themselves up in a fort, and then\r\nhanded themselves over to us to choose how many we cared to fight. But\r\nif we meet them in open country, and they learn how to divide their\r\nforces and take us in front and flank and rear, I wonder how many pairs\r\nof eyes and hands each man of us would need! Finally,\" he added, \"I have\r\nno great wish myself to disturb my Medes in their enjoyment, and drive\r\nthem out to further dangers.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(19) Then Cyrus took him up: \"Nay, I would not have you put pressure on\r\nany man; only let those who are willing follow me, and perhaps we shall\r\ncome back with something for all of you to enjoy. The mass of the enemy\r\nwe should not think of pursuing; indeed, how could we overtake them? But\r\nif we cut off any stragglers, we could clap hands on them and bring them\r\nback to you. (20) Remember,\" he added, \"when you sent for us, we came\r\na long way to do you service; is it not fair that you should do us a\r\nkindness in return, and let us have something to take back with us for\r\nourselves, and not stand here agape at all your treasures?\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(21) At that Cyaxares answered, \"Ah, if any will follow you of their own\r\nfree will, I can but be most grateful.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"Send some one with me then,\" said Cyrus, \"from these trusty men of\r\nyours, to carry your commands.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"Take whomever you like,\" he answered, \"and begone.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(22) Now, as it chanced, among the officers present was the Mede who\r\nhad claimed kinship with Cyrus long ago and won a kiss thereby. Cyrus\r\npointed to him and said, \"That man will do for me.\" \"He shall go with\r\nyou then,\" Cyaxares replied. And turning to the officer, \"Tell your\r\nfellows,\" he said, \"that he who lists may follow Cyrus.\" (23) Thus\r\nCyrus chose his man and went forth. And when they were outside he said,\r\n\"To-day you can show me if you spoke truth long ago when you told me\r\nthat the sight of me was your joy.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"If you say that,\" said the Mede, \"I will never leave you.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"And will you not do your best,\" added Cyrus, \"to bring me others too?\"\r\n\"By the gods in heaven,\" cried the Mede, \"that I will, until you say in\r\nyour turn that to see me is your joy.\" Thereupon, with the authority\r\nof Cyaxares to support him, the officer went to the Medes and delivered\r\nwith message with all diligence, adding that he for one would never\r\nforsake Cyrus, the bravest, noblest, and best of men, and a hero whose\r\nlineage was divine.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(C.2) While Cyrus was busied with these matters, by some strange chance\r\ntwo ambassadors arrived from the Hyrcanians. These people are neighbours\r\nof the Assyrians, and being few in number, they were held in subjection.\r\nBut they seemed then, as they seem now, to live on horseback. Hence the\r\nAssyrians used them as the Lacedaemonians employ the Skirites, for\r\nevery toil and every danger, without sparing them. In fact, at that very\r\nmoment they had ordered them to furnish a rear-guard of a thousand\r\nmen and more, so as to bear the brunt of any rear attack. (2) The\r\nHyrcanians, as they were to be the hindmost, had put their waggons and\r\nfamilies in the rear, for, like most of the tribes in Asia, they take\r\ntheir entire households with them on the march. (3) But when they\r\nthought of the sorry treatment they got from the Assyrians and when they\r\nsaw the king fallen, the army worsted and a prey to panic, the allies\r\ndisheartened and ready to desert, they judged it a fine moment to revolt\r\nthemselves, if only the Medes and Persians would make common cause with\r\nthem. So they sent an embassy to Cyrus, for after the late battle there\r\nwas no name like his. (4) They told him what good cause they had to\r\nhate the Assyrians, and how if he was willing to attack them now, they\r\nthemselves would be his allies and show him the way. At the same time\r\nthey gave a full account of the enemy\u0027s doings, being eager to get Cyrus\r\non the road. (5) \"Do you think,\" said Cyrus, \"we should overtake the\r\nAssyrians before they reach their fortresses? We look on it as a great\r\nmisfortune,\" he added, \"that they ever slipped through our fingers and\r\nescaped.\" (This he said, wishing to give his hearers as high an opinion\r\nas possible of himself and his friends.) (6) \"You should certainly catch\r\nthem,\" they answered, \"and that to-morrow, ere the day is old, if you\r\ngird up your loins: they move heavily because of their numbers and their\r\ntrain of waggons, and to-day, since they did not sleep last night,\r\nthey have only gone a little way ahead, and are now encamped for the\r\nevening.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(7) \"Can you give us any guarantee,\" said Cyrus, \"that what you say is\r\ntrue?\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"We will give you hostages,\" they said; \"we will ride off at once and\r\nbring them back this very night. Only do you on your side call the gods\r\nto witness and give us the pledge of your own right hand, that we may\r\ngive our people the assurance we have received from you ourselves.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(8) Thereupon Cyrus gave them his pledge that if they would make good\r\nwhat they promised he would treat them as his true friends and faithful\r\nfollowers, of no less account than the Persians and the Medes. And to\r\nthis day one may see Hyrcanians treated with trust and holding office on\r\nan equal footing with Persians and Medes of high distinction.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(9) Now Cyrus and his men took their supper and then while it was still\r\ndaylight he led his army out, having made the two Hyrcanians wait so\r\nthat they might go with them. The Persians, of course, were with him to\r\na man, and Tigranes was there, with his own contingent, and the Median\r\nvolunteers, who had joined for various reasons. (10) Some had been\r\nfriends of Cyrus in boyhood, others had hunted with him and learnt to\r\nadmire his character, others were grateful, feeling he had lifted a load\r\nof fear from them, others were flushed with hope, nothing doubting that\r\ngreat things were reserved for the man who had proved so brave and so\r\nfortunate already. Others remembered the time when he was brought up in\r\nMedia, and were glad to return the kindnesses that he had shown\r\nthem; many could recall the favours the boy had won for them from his\r\ngrandfather through his sheer goodness of heart; and many, now that they\r\nhad seen the Hyrcanians and heard say they were leading them to untold\r\ntreasures, went out from simple love of gain. (11) So they sallied\r\nforth, the entire body of the Persians and all the Medes, except those\r\nwho were quartered with Cyaxares: these stayed behind, and their men\r\nwith them. But all the rest went out with radiant faces and eager\r\nhearts, not following him from constraint, but offering willing service\r\nin their gratitude. (12) So, as soon as they were well afield, Cyrus\r\nwent to the Medes and thanked them, praying that the gods in their mercy\r\nmight guide them all, and that he himself might have power given him to\r\nreward their zeal. He ended by saying that the infantry would lead the\r\nvan, while they would follow with the cavalry, and whenever the column\r\nhalted on the march they were to send him gallopers to receive his\r\norders. (13) Then he bade the Hyrcanians lead the way, but they\r\nexclaimed, \"What? Are you not going to wait until we bring the hostages?\r\nThen you could begin the march with pledges from us in return for\r\nyours.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nBut he answered, as the story says, \"If I am not mistaken, we hold the\r\npledges now, in our own hearts and our own right hands. We believe that\r\nif you are true to us we can do you service, and if you play us false,\r\nyou will not have us at your mercy; God willing, we shall hold you at\r\nours. Nevertheless,\" he added, \"since you tell us your own folk follow\r\nin the Assyrian rear, point them out to us as soon as you set eyes upon\r\nthem, that we may spare their lives.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(14) When the Hyrcanians heard this they led the way as he ordered,\r\nmarvelling at his strength of soul. Their own fear of the Assyrians, the\r\nLydians, and their allies, had altogether gone; their dread now was lest\r\nCyrus should regard themselves as mere dust in the balance, and count it\r\nof no importance whether they stayed with him or not.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(15) As night closed in on their march, the legend runs that a strange\r\nlight shone out, far off in the sky, upon Cyrus and his host, filling\r\nthem with awe of the heavenly powers and courage to meet the foe.\r\nMarching as they did, their loins girt and their pace swift, they\r\ncovered a long stretch of road in little time, and with the half light\r\nof the morning they were close to the Hyrcanian rear-guard. (16) As soon\r\nas the guides saw it, they told Cyrus that these were their own men:\r\nthey knew this, they added, from the number of their fires, and the fact\r\nthat they were in the rear. (17) Therefore Cyrus sent one of the guides\r\nto them, bidding them come out at once, if they were friendly, with\r\ntheir right hands raised. And he sent one of his own men also to say,\r\n\"According as you make your approach, so shall we Persians comport\r\nourselves.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nThus one of the two messengers stayed with Cyrus while the other rode up\r\nto his fellows. (18) Cyrus halted his army to watch what the tribe would\r\ndo, and Tigranes and the Median officers rode along the ranks to ask\r\nfor orders. Cyrus explained that the troops nearest to them were the\r\nHyrcanians, and that one of the ambassadors had gone, and a Persian with\r\nhim, to bid them come out at once, if they were friendly, with their\r\nright hands raised. \"If they do so,\" he added, \"you must welcome them\r\nas they come, each of you at your post, and take them by the hand and\r\nencourage them, but if they draw sword or try to escape, you must make\r\nan example of them: not a man of them must be left.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nSuch were his orders. (19) However, as soon as the Hyrcanians heard the\r\nmessage, they were overjoyed: springing to their steeds they galloped up\r\nto Cyrus, holding out their right hands as he had bidden. Then the Medes\r\nand Persians gave them the right hand of fellowship in return, and bade\r\nthem be of courage. (20) And Cyrus spoke:\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"Sons of the Hyrcanians, we have shown our trust in you already, and\r\nyou must trust us in return. And now tell me, how far from here do\r\nthe Assyrian headquarters lie, and their main body?\" \"About four miles\r\nhence,\" they answered.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(21) \"Forward then, my men,\" said Cyrus, \"Persians, Medes, and\r\nHyrcanians. I have learnt already, you see, to call you friends and\r\ncomrades. All of you must remember that the moment has come when, if\r\nhand falters or heart fails, we meet with utter disaster: our enemies\r\nknow why we are here. But if we summon our strength and charge home,\r\nyou shall see them caught like a pack of runaway slaves, some on their\r\nknees, others in full flight, and the rest unable to do even so much for\r\nthemselves. They are beaten already, and they will see their conquerors\r\nfall on them before they dream of an approach, before their ranks are\r\nformed or their preparations made, and the sight will paralyse them.\r\n(22) If we wish to sleep and eat and live in peace and happiness from\r\nthis time forth, let us not give them leisure to take counsel or arrange\r\ndefence, or so much as see that we are men, and not a storm of shields\r\nand battle-axes and flashing swords, sweeping on them in one rain of\r\nblows. (23) You Hyrcanians must go in front of us as a screen, that we\r\nmay lie behind you as long as may be. And as soon as I close with them,\r\nyou must give me, each of you, a squadron of horse, to use in case of\r\nneed while I am waiting at the camp. (24) I would advise the older men\r\namong you and the officers, to ride in close order, so that your ranks\r\nshould not be broken, if you come across a compact body of the foe; let\r\nthe younger men give chase, and do the killing; our safest plan to-day\r\nis to leave as few of the enemy alive as possible. (25) And if we\r\nconquer,\" he added, \"we must beware of what has overset the fortune\r\nof many a conqueror ere now, I mean the lust for plunder. The man who\r\nplunders is no longer a man, he is a machine for porterage, and all\r\nwho list may treat him as a slave. (26) One thing we must bear in mind:\r\nnothing can bring such gain as victory; at one clutch the victor seizes\r\nall, men and women, and wealth, and territory. Therefore make it your\r\none object to secure the victory; if he is conquered, the greatest\r\nplunderer is caught. One more word—remember, even in the heat of\r\npursuit to rejoin me while it is still daylight, for when darkness has\r\nfallen we will not admit a soul within the lines.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(27) With these words he sent them off to their appointed stations,\r\nbidding them repeat his instructions on the way to their own\r\nlieutenants, who were posted in front to receive the orders, and make\r\neach of them pass down the word to his own file of ten. Thereupon the\r\nadvance began, the Hyrcanians leading off, Cyrus holding the centre\r\nhimself, marching with his Persians, and the cavalry in the usual way,\r\ndrawn up on either flank.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(28) As the day broke the enemy saw them for the first time: some simply\r\nstared at what was happening, others began to realise the truth, calling\r\nand shouting to each other, unfastening their horses, getting their\r\ngoods together, tearing what they needed off the beasts of burden, and\r\nothers arming themselves, harnessing their steeds, leaping to horse,\r\nothers helping the women into their carriages, or seizing their\r\nvaluables, some caught in the act of burying them, others, and by far\r\nthe greatest number, in sheer headlong flight. Many and divers were\r\ntheir shifts, as one may well conceive, save only that not one man stood\r\nat bay: they perished without a blow. (29) Now Croesus, king of Lydia,\r\nseeing that it was summer-time, had sent his women on during the night,\r\nso that they might travel more pleasantly in the cool, and he himself\r\nhad followed with his cavalry to escort them. (30) The Lord of\r\nHellespontine Phrygia, it is said, had done the same. And these two,\r\nwhen they heard what was happening from the fugitives who overtook them,\r\nfled for their lives with the rest. (31) But it was otherwise with the\r\nkings of Cappadocia and Arabia; they had not gone far, and they stood\r\ntheir ground, but they had not even time to put on their corslets, and\r\nwere cut down by the Hyrcanians. Indeed, the mass of those who fell were\r\nAssyrians and Arabians, for, being in their own country, they had\r\ntaken no precautions on the march. (32) The victorious Medes and the\r\nHyrcanians had their hands full with the chase, and meanwhile Cyrus made\r\nthe cavalry who were left with him ride all round the camp and cut down\r\nany man who left it with weapons in his hands. Then he sent a herald to\r\nthose who remained, bidding the horsemen and targeteers and archers come\r\nout on foot, with their weapons tied in bundles, and deliver them up to\r\nhim, leaving their horses in their stalls: he who disobeyed should lose\r\nhis head, and a cordon of Persian troops stood round with their swords\r\ndrawn. (33) At that the weapons were brought at once, and flung down,\r\nand Cyrus had the whole pile burnt.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(34) Meanwhile he did not forget that his own troops had come without\r\nfood or drink, that nothing could be done without provisions, and that\r\nto obtain these in the quickest way, it was necessary on every campaign\r\nto have some one to see that quarters were prepared and supplies ready\r\nfor the men on their return. (35) It occurred to him it was more than\r\nlikely that such officers, of all others, would be left behind in the\r\nAssyrian camp, because they would have been delayed by the packing.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nAccordingly, he sent out a proclamation that all the stewards should\r\npresent themselves before him, and if there was no such officer left,\r\nthe oldest man in every tent must take his place; any one failing to\r\nobey would suffer the severest penalties. The stewards, following the\r\nexample of their masters, obeyed at once. And when they came before him\r\nhe ordered those who had more than two months\u0027 rations in their quarters\r\nto sit down on the ground, and then those who had provisions for one\r\nmonth. (36) Thereupon very few were left standing. (37) Having thus got\r\nthe information he needed, he spoke to them as follows:\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"Gentlemen, if any of you dislike hard blows and desire gentle treatment\r\nat our hands, make it your business to provide twice as much meat and\r\ndrink in every tent as you have been wont to do, with all things that\r\nare needed for a fine repast. The victors, whoever they are, will be\r\nhere anon, and will expect an overflowing board. You may rest assured\r\nit will not be against your interests to give them a welcome they can\r\napprove.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(38) At that the stewards went off at once and set to work with all zeal\r\nto carry out their instructions. Then Cyrus summoned his own officers\r\nand said to them:\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"My friends, it is clear that we have it in our power, now that our\r\nallies\u0027 backs are turned, to help ourselves to breakfast, and take our\r\nchoice of the most delicate dishes and the rarest wines. But I scarcely\r\nthink this would do us so much good as to show that we study the\r\ninterest of our friends: the best of cheer will not give us half the\r\nstrength we could draw from the zeal of loyal allies whose gratitude we\r\nhad won. (39) If we forget those who are toiling for us now, pursuing\r\nour foes, slaying them, and fighting wherever they resist, if they see\r\nthat we sit down to enjoy ourselves and devour our meal before we know\r\nhow it goes with them, I fear we shall cut a sorry figure in their eyes,\r\nand our strength will turn to weakness through lack of friends. The true\r\nbanquet for us is to study the wants of those who have run the risk and\r\ndone the work, to see that they have all they need when they come home,\r\na banquet that will give us richer delight than any gorging of the\r\nbelly. (40) And remember, that even if the thought of them were not\r\nenough to shame us from it, in no case is this a moment for gluttony\r\nand drunkenness: the thing we set our minds to do is not yet done:\r\neverything is full of danger still, and calls for carefulness. We have\r\nenemies in this camp ten times more numerous than ourselves, and they\r\nare all at large: we need both to guard against them and to guard them,\r\nso that we may have servants to furnish us with supplies. Our cavalry\r\nare not yet back, and we must ask ourselves where they are and whether\r\nthey mean to stay with us when they return. (41) Therefore, gentlemen, I\r\nwould say, for the present let us above all be careful to avoid the\r\nfood and drink that leads to slumber and stupefaction. (42) And there is\r\nanother matter: this camp contains vast treasures, and I am well aware\r\nwe have it in our power to pick and choose as much as we like for\r\nourselves out of what belongs by right to all who helped in its capture.\r\nBut it does not seem to me that grasping will be so lucrative as proving\r\nourselves just toward our allies, and so binding them closer. (43) I go\r\nfurther: I say that we should leave the distribution of the spoil to the\r\nMedes, the Hyrcanians, and Tigranes, and count it gain if they allot us\r\nthe smaller share, for then they will be all the more willing to stay\r\nwith us. (44) Selfishness now could only secure us riches for the\r\nmoment, while to let these vanities go in order to obtain the very fount\r\nof wealth, that, I take it, will ensure for us and all whom we call ours\r\na far more enduring gain. (45) Was it not,\" he continued, \"for this very\r\nreason that we trained ourselves at home to master the belly and its\r\nappetites, so that, if ever the need arose, we might turn our education\r\nto account? And where, I ask, shall we find a nobler opportunity than\r\nthis, to show what we have learnt?\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(46) Such were his words and Hystaspas the Persian rose to support him,\r\nsaying:\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"Truly, Cyrus, it would be a monstrous thing if we could go fasting when\r\nwe hunt, and keep from food so often and so long merely to lay some poor\r\nbeast low, worth next to nothing, maybe, and yet, when a world of wealth\r\nis our quarry, let ourselves be baulked by one of those temptations\r\nwhich flee before the noble and rule the bad. Such conduct, methinks,\r\nwould be little worthy of our race.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(47) So Hystaspas spoke, and the rest approved him, one and all. Then\r\nCyrus said:\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"Come now, since we are all of one mind, each of you give me five of the\r\ntrustiest fellows in his company, and let them go the rounds, and see\r\nhow the supplies are furnished; let them praise the active servants,\r\nand where they see neglect, chastise them more severely than their own\r\nmasters could.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nThus they dealt with these matters.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(C.3) But it was not long before some of the Medes returned: one set had\r\novertaken the waggons that had gone ahead, seized them and turned them\r\nback, and were now driving them to the camp, laden with all that an army\r\ncould require, and others had captured the covered carriages in which\r\nthe women rode, the wives of the Assyrian grandees or their concubines,\r\nwhom they had taken with them because of their beauty. (2) Indeed, to\r\nthis day the tribes of Asia never go on a campaign without their most\r\nprecious property: they say they can fight better in the presence of\r\ntheir beloved, feeling they must defend their treasures, heart and soul.\r\nIt may be so, but it may also be that the desire for pleasure is the\r\ncause.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(3) And when Cyrus saw the feats of arms that the Medes and the\r\nHyrcanians had performed, he came near reproaching himself and those\r\nthat were with him; the others, he felt, had risen with the time, had\r\nshown their strength and won their prizes, while he and his had stayed\r\nbehind like sluggards. Indeed it was a sight to watch the victors riding\r\nhome, driving their spoil before them, pointing it out with some\r\ndisplay to Cyrus, and then dashing off again at once in search of more,\r\naccording to the instructions they had received.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nBut though he ate out his heart with envy Cyrus was careful to set all\r\ntheir booty apart; and then he summoned his own officers again, and\r\nstanding where they could all hear what he had to propose, he spoke as\r\nfollows:\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(4) \"My friends, you would all agree, I take it, that if the spoils\r\ndisplayed to us now were our own to keep, wealth would be showered on\r\nevery Persian in the land, and we ourselves, no doubt, through whom it\r\nwas won, would receive the most. But what I do not see is how we are\r\nto get possession of such prizes unless we have cavalry of our own. (5)\r\nConsider the facts,\" he continued, \"we Persians have weapons with which,\r\nwe hope, we can rout the enemy at close quarters: but when we do rout\r\nthem, what sort of horsemen or archers or light-armed troops could ever\r\nbe caught and killed, if we can only pursue them on foot? Why should\r\nthey ever be afraid to dash up and harry us, when they know full well\r\nthat they run no greater risk at our hands than if we were stumps in\r\ntheir orchards? (6) And if this be so, it is plain that the cavalry now\r\nwith us consider every gain to be as much theirs as ours, and possibly\r\neven more, God wot! (7) At present things must be so: there is no help\r\nfor it. But suppose we were to provide ourselves with as good a force\r\nas our friends, it must be pretty evident to all of us, I think, that we\r\ncould then deal with the enemy by ourselves precisely as we do now with\r\ntheir help, and then perhaps we should find that they would carry their\r\nheads less high. It would be of less importance to us whether they chose\r\nto stay or go, we should be sufficient for ourselves without them. (8)\r\nSo far then I expect that no one will disagree: if we could get a body\r\nof Persian cavalry it would make all the difference to us; but no doubt\r\nyou feel the question is, how are we to get it? Well, let us consider\r\nfirst, suppose we decide to raise the force, exactly what we have to\r\nstart with and what we need. (9) We certainly have hundreds of horses\r\nnow captured in this camp, with their bridles and all their gear.\r\nBesides these, we have all the accoutrements for a mounted force,\r\nbreast-plates to protect the trunk, and light spears to be flung or\r\nwielded at close quarters. What else do we need? It is plain we need\r\nmen. (10) But that is just what we have already at our own command. For\r\nnothing is so much ours as our own selves. Only, some will say, we have\r\nnot the necessary skill. No, of course not, and none of those who have\r\nit now had it either before they learnt to get it. Ah, you object, but\r\nthey learnt when they were boys. (11) Maybe; but are boys more capable\r\nof learning what they are taught then grown men? Which are the better at\r\nheavy physical tasks, boys or men? (12) Besides, we, of all pupils, have\r\nadvantages that neither boys nor other men possess: we have not to be\r\ntaught the use of the bow as boys have, we are skilled in that already;\r\nnor yet the use of the javelin, we are versed in that; our time has not\r\nbeen taken up like other men\u0027s with toiling on the land or labouring at\r\nsome craft or managing household matters; we have not only had leisure\r\nfor war, it has been our life. (13) Moreover, one cannot say of riding\r\nas of so many warlike exercises that it is useful but disagreeable. To\r\nride a-horseback is surely pleasanter than to trudge a-foot? And as for\r\nspeed—how pleasant to join a friend betimes whenever you wish, or\r\ncome up with your quarry be it man or beast! And then, the ease and\r\nsatisfaction of it! Whatever weapon the rider carries his horse must\r\nhelp to bear the load: \u0027wear arms\u0027 and \u0027bear arms,\u0027—they are the same\r\nthing on horseback. (14) But now, to meet the worst we can apprehend:\r\nsuppose, before we are adepts, we are called upon to run some risk, and\r\nthen find that we are neither infantry nor thoroughgoing cavalry? This\r\nmay be a danger, but we can guard against it. We have it always in our\r\npower to turn into infantry again at a moment\u0027s notice. I do not propose\r\nthat by learning to ride we should unlearn the arts of men on foot.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(15) Thus spoke Cyrus, and Chrysantas rose to support him, saying:\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"For my part I cannot say I so much desire to be a horseman as flatter\r\nmyself that once I can ride I shall be a sort of flying man. (16) At\r\npresent when I race I am quiet content if, with a fair start, I can beat\r\none of my rivals by the head, or when I sight my game I am happy if, by\r\nlaying legs to the ground, I can get close enough to let fly javelin or\r\narrow before he is clean out of range. But when once I am a horseman\r\nI shall be able to overhaul my man as far as I can see him, or come up\r\nwith the beasts I chase and knock them over myself or else spear them\r\nas though they stood stock still, for when hunter and hunted are both\r\nof them racing, if they are only side by side, it is as good as though\r\nneither of them moved. (17) And the creature I have always envied,\" he\r\ncontinued, \"the centaur—if only he had the intelligence and forethought\r\nof a man, the adroit skill and the cunning hand, with the swiftness and\r\nstrength of a horse, so as to overtake all that fled before him, and\r\noverthrow all that resisted—why, all these powers I shall collect\r\nand gather in my own person when once I am a rider. (18) Forethought I\r\nintend to keep with my human wits, my hands can wield my weapons, and my\r\nhorse\u0027s legs will follow up the foe, and my horse\u0027s rush overthrow him.\r\nOnly I shall not be tied and fettered to my steed, flesh of his flesh,\r\nand blood of his blood, like the old centaur. (19) And that I count\r\na great improvement on the breed, far better than being united to the\r\nanimal, body and soul. The old centaur, I imagine, must have been\r\nfor ever in difficulties; as a horse, he could not use the wonderful\r\ninventions of man, and as a man, he could not enjoy the proper pleasures\r\nof a horse. (20) But I, if I learn to ride, once set me astride my\r\nhorse, and I will do all that the centaur can, and yet, when I dismount,\r\nI can dress myself as a human being, and dine, and sleep in my bed, like\r\nthe rest of my kind: in short, I shall be a jointed centaur that can be\r\ntaken to pieces and put together again. (21) And I shall gain another\r\npoint or so over the original beast: he, we know, had only two eyes to\r\nsee with and two ears to hear with, but I shall watch with four eyes and\r\nwith four ears I shall listen. You know, they tell us a horse can often\r\nsee quicker than any man, and hear a sound before his master, and give\r\nhim warning in some way. Have the goodness, therefore,\" he added, \"to\r\nwrite my name down among those who want to ride.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(22) \"And ours too,\" they all cried, \"ours too, in heaven\u0027s name!\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nThen Cyrus spoke: \"Gentlemen, since we are all so well agreed, suppose\r\nwe make it a rule that every one who receives a horse from me shall\r\nbe considered to disgrace himself if he is seen trudging afoot, be his\r\njourney long or short?\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(23) Thus Cyrus put the question, and one and all assented; and hence it\r\nis that even to this day the custom is retained, and no Persian of the\r\ngentle class would willingly be seen anywhere on foot.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(C.4) In this debate their time was spent, and when it was past midday\r\nthe Median cavalry and the Hyrcanians came galloping home, bringing in\r\nmen and horses from the enemy, for they had spared all who surrendered\r\ntheir arms. (2) As they rode up the first inquiry of Cyrus was whether\r\nall of them were safe, and when they answered yes, he asked what they\r\nhad achieved. And they told their exploits in detail, and how bravely\r\nthey had borne themselves, magnifying it all. (3) Cyrus heard their\r\nstory through with a pleasant smile, and praised them for their work.\r\n\"I can see for myself,\" he said, \"that you have done gallant deeds. You\r\nseem to have grown taller and fairer and more terrible to look on than\r\nwhen we saw you last.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(4) Then he made them tell him how far they had gone, and whether they\r\nhad found the country inhabited. They said they had ridden a long way,\r\nand that the whole country was inhabited, and full of sheep and goats\r\nand cattle and horses, and rich in corn and every good thing.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(5) \"Then there are two matters,\" he said, \"to which we must attend;\r\nfirst we must become masters of those who own all this, and next we must\r\nensure that they do not run away. A well-populated country is a rich\r\npossession, but a deserted land will soon become a desert. (6) You have\r\nput the defenders to the sword, I know, and rightly—for that is the\r\nonly safe road to victory; but you have brought in as prisoners those\r\nwho laid down their arms. Now if we let these men go, I maintain we\r\nshould do the very best thing for ourselves. (7) We gain two points;\r\nfirst, we need neither be on our guard against them nor mount guard over\r\nthem nor find them victuals (and we do not propose to starve them, I\r\npresume), and in the next place, their release means more prisoners\r\nto-morrow. (8) For if we dominate the country all the inhabitants are\r\nours, and if they see that these men are still alive and at large they\r\nwill be more disposed to stay where they are, and prefer obedience to\r\nbattle. That is my own view, but if any one sees a better course, let\r\nhim point it out.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(9) However, all his hearers approved the plan proposed. Thus it came to\r\npass that Cyrus summoned the prisoners and said to them:\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(10) \"Gentlemen, you owe it to your own obedience this day that your\r\nlives are safe; and for the future if you continue in this conduct, no\r\nevil whatsoever shall befall you; true, you will not have the same ruler\r\nas before, but you will dwell in the same houses, you will cultivate the\r\nsame land, you will live with your wives and govern your children as you\r\ndo now. Moreover you will not have us to fight with, nor any one else.\r\n(11) On the contrary, if any wrong is done you, it is we who will fight\r\non your behalf. And to prevent any one from ordering you to take the\r\nfield, you will bring your arms to us and hand them over. Those who do\r\nthis can count on peace and the faithful fulfilment of our promises;\r\nthose who will not, must expect war, and that at once. (12) Further,\r\nif any man of you comes to us and shows a friendly spirit, giving\r\nus information and helping us in any way, we will treat him not as a\r\nservant, but as a friend and benefactor. This,\" he added, \"we wish you\r\nto understand yourselves and make known among your fellows. (13) And if\r\nit should appear that you yourselves are willing to comply but others\r\nhinder you, lead us against them, and you shall be their masters, not\r\nthey yours.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nSuch were his words; and they made obeisance and promised to do as he\r\nbade.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(C.5) And when they were gone, Cyrus turned to the Medes and the men of\r\nArmenia, and said, \"It is high time, gentlemen, that we should dine,\r\none and all of us; food and drink are prepared for you, the best we had\r\nskill to find. Send us, if you will, the half of the bread that has\r\nbeen baked; there is ample, I know, for both of us; but do not send any\r\nrelish with it, nor any drink, we have quite enough at hand. (2) And do\r\nyou,\" he added, turning to the Hyrcanians, \"conduct our friends to\r\ntheir quarters, the officers to the largest tents—you know where they\r\nare—and the rest where you think best. For yourselves, you may dine\r\nwhere you like; your quarters are intact, and you will find everything\r\nthere prepared for you exactly as it is for the others. (3) All of you\r\nalike must understand that during the night we Persians will guard the\r\ncamp outside, but you must keep an eye over what goes on within; and see\r\nthat your arms are ready to hand; our messmates are not our friends as\r\nyet.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(4) So the Medes and Tigranes with his men washed away the stains of\r\nbattle, and put on the apparel that was laid out for them, and fell to\r\ndinner, and the horses had their provender too. They sent half the bread\r\nto the Persians but no relish with it and no wine, thinking that Cyrus\r\nand his men possessed a store, because he had said they had enough and\r\nto spare. But Cyrus meant the relish of hunger, and the draught from the\r\nrunning river. (5) Thus he regaled his Persians, and when the darkness\r\nfell he sent them out by fives and tens and ordered them to lie in\r\nambush around the camp, so as to form a double guard, against attack\r\nfrom without, and absconders from within; any one attempting to make off\r\nwith treasures would be caught in the act. And so it befell; for many\r\ntried to escape, and all of them were seized. (6) As for the treasures,\r\nCyrus allowed the captors to keep them, but he had the absconders\r\nbeheaded out of hand, so that for the future a thief by night was hardly\r\nto be found. Thus the Persians passed their time. (7) But the Medes\r\ndrank and feasted and made music and took their fill of good cheer and\r\nall delights; there was plenty to serve their purpose, and work enough\r\nfor those who did not sleep.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(8) Cyaxares, the king of the Medes, on the very night when Cyrus set\r\nforth, drank himself drunk in company with the officers in his own\r\nquarters to celebrate their good fortune. Hearing uproar all about him,\r\nhe thought that the rest of the Medes must have stayed behind in the\r\ncamp, except perhaps a few, but the fact was that their domestics,\r\nfinding the masters gone, had fallen to drinking in fine style and\r\nwere making a din to their hearts\u0027 content, the more so that they had\r\nprocured wine and dainties from the Assyrian camp. (9) But when it was\r\nbroad day and no one knocked at the palace gate except the guests\r\nof last night\u0027s revel, and when Cyaxares heard that the camp was\r\ndeserted—the Medes gone, the cavalry gone—and when he went out and saw\r\nfor himself that it was so, then he fumed with indignation against Cyrus\r\nand his own men, to think that they had gone off and left him in the\r\nlurch. It is said that without more ado, savage and mad with anger as he\r\nwas, he ordered one of his staff to take his troopers and ride at once\r\nto Cyrus and his men, and there deliver this message:\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(10) \"I should never have dreamed that Cyrus could have acted towards\r\nme with such scant respect, or, if he could have thought of it, that the\r\nMedes could have borne to desert me in this way. And now, whether Cyrus\r\nwill or no, I command the Medes to present themselves before me without\r\ndelay.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(11) Such was the message. But he who was to take it said, \"And how\r\nshall I find them, my lord?\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"Why,\" said Cyaxares, \"as Cyrus and his men found those they went to\r\nseek.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"I only asked,\" continued the messenger, \"because I was told that some\r\nHyrcanians who had revolted from the enemy came here, and went off with\r\nhim to act as guides.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(12) When Cyaxares heard that, he was the more enraged to think that\r\nCyrus had never told him, and the more urgent to have his Medes removed\r\nfrom him at once, and he summoned them home under fiercer threats\r\nthan ever; threatening the officer as well if he failed to deliver the\r\nmessage in full force.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(13) So the emissary set off with his troopers, about one hundred\r\nstrong, fervently regretting that he had not gone with Cyrus himself. On\r\nthe way they took a turning which led them wrong, and they did not\r\nreach the Persians until they had chanced upon some of the Assyrians\r\nin retreat and forced them to be their guides, and so at last arrived,\r\nsighting the watch-fires about midnight. (14) But though they had got to\r\nthe camp, the pickets, acting on the orders of Cyrus, would not let them\r\nin till dawn. With the first faint gleam of morning Cyrus summoned\r\nthe Persian Priests, who are called Magians, and bade them choose the\r\nofferings due to the gods for the blessings they had vouchsafed. (15)\r\nAnd while they were about this, Cyrus called the Peers together and said\r\nto them:\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"Gentlemen, God has put before us many blessings, but at present we\r\nPersians are but a scant company to keep them. If we fail to guard what\r\nwe have toiled for, it will soon fall back into other hands, and if we\r\nleave some of our number to watch our gains, it will soon be seen that\r\nwe have no strength in us. (16) I propose therefore that one of you\r\nshould go home to Persia without loss of time, and explain what I need\r\nand bid them despatch an army forthwith, if they desire Persia to\r\nwin the empire of Asia and the fruits thereof. (17) Do you,\" said he,\r\nturning to one of the Peers, \"do you, who are the eldest, go and repeat\r\nthese words, and tell them that it shall be my care to provide for the\r\nsoldiers they send me as soon as they are here. And as to what we have\r\nwon—you have seen it yourself—keep nothing back, and ask my father how\r\nmuch I ought to send home for an offering to the gods, if I wish to act\r\nin honour and according to the law, and ask the magistrates how much is\r\ndue to the commonwealth. And let them send commissioners to watch all\r\nthat we do and answer all that we ask. So, sir,\" he ended, \"you will get\r\nyour baggage together, and take your company with you as an escort. Fare\r\nyou well.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(18) With that message he turned to the Medes and at the same moment the\r\nmessenger from Cyaxares presented himself, and in the midst of the whole\r\nassembly announced the anger of the king against Cyrus, and his threats\r\nagainst the Medes, and so bade the latter return home at once, even if\r\nCyrus wished them to stay. (19) The Medes listened, but were silent; for\r\nthey were sore bested; they could hardly disobey the summons, and\r\nyet they were afraid to go back after his threats, being all too well\r\nacquainted with the savage temper of their lord. (20) But Cyrus spoke:\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"Herald,\" said he, \"and sons of the Medes, I am not surprised that\r\nCyaxares, who saw the host of the enemy so lately, and knows so little\r\nof what we have done now, should tremble for us and for himself. But\r\nwhen he learns how many have fallen, and that all have been dispersed,\r\nhis fears will vanish, and he will recognise that he is not deserted on\r\nthis day of all days when his friends are destroying his foes. (21) Can\r\nwe deserve blame for doing him a service? And that not even without his\r\nown consent? I am acting as I am, only after having gained his leave\r\nto take you out; it is not as though you had come to me in your own\r\neagerness, and begged me to let you go, and so were here now; he himself\r\nordered you out, those of you who did not find it a burthen. Therefore,\r\nI feel sure, his anger will melt in the sunshine of success, and, when\r\nhis fears are gone, it will vanish too. (22) For the moment then,\" he\r\nadded, turning to the messenger, \"you must recruit yourself; you have\r\nhad a heavy task; and for ourselves,\" said he, turning to the Persians,\r\n\"since we are waiting for an enemy who will either offer us battle\r\nor render us submission, we must draw up in our finest style; the\r\nspectacle, perhaps, will bring us more than we could dare to hope. And\r\ndo you,\" he said, taking the Hyrcanian chieftain aside, \"after you\r\nhave told your officers to arm their men, come back and wait with me a\r\nmoment.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(23) So the Hyrcanian went and returned. Then Cyrus said to him, \"Son\r\nof Hyrcania, it gives me pleasure to see that you show not only\r\nfriendliness, but sagacity. It is clear that our interests are the same;\r\nthe Assyrians are my foes as well as yours, only they hate you now even\r\nmore bitterly than they hate me. (24) We must consult together and see\r\nthat not one of our present allies turns his back on us, and we must do\r\nwhat we can to acquire more. You heard the Mede summon the cavalry to\r\nreturn, and if they go, we shall be left with nothing but infantry. (25)\r\nThis is what we must do, you and I; we must make this messenger, who is\r\nsent to recall them, desirous to stay here himself. You must find him\r\nquarters where he will have a merry time and everything heart can wish,\r\nand I will offer him work which he will like far better than going back.\r\nAnd do you talk to him yourself, and dilate on all the wonders we expect\r\nfor our friends if things go well. And when you have done this, come\r\nback again and tell me.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(26) So the chieftain took the Mede away to his own quarters, and\r\nmeanwhile the messenger from Persia presented himself equipped for the\r\njourney, and Cyrus bade him tell the Persians all that had happened,\r\nas it has been set out in this story, and then he gave him a letter to\r\nCyaxares. \"I would like to read you the very words,\" he added, \"so that\r\nwhat you say yourself may agree with it, in case you have questions\r\nasked you.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(27) The letter ran as follows:—\"Cyrus to Cyaxares, greeting. We do not\r\nadmit that we have deserted you; for no one is deserted when he is being\r\nmade the master of his enemies. Nor do we consider that we put you in\r\njeopardy by our departure; on the contrary, the greater the distance\r\nbetween us the greater the security we claim to have won for you. (28)\r\nIt is not the friend at a man\u0027s elbow who serves him and puts him out of\r\ndanger, but he who drives his enemies farthest and furthest away. (29)\r\nAnd I pray you to remember what I have done for you, and you for me,\r\nbefore you blame me. I brought you allies, not limiting myself to those\r\nyou asked for, but pressing in every man that I could find; you allowed\r\nme while we were on friendly soil only to take those whom I could\r\npersuade to follow me, and now that I am in hostile territory you insist\r\nthat they must all return; you do not leave it to their own choice. (30)\r\nYesterday I felt that I owed both you and them a debt of gratitude,\r\nbut to-day you drive me to forget your share, you make me wish to repay\r\nthose, and those only, who followed me. (31) Not that I could bring\r\nmyself to return you like for like; even now I am sending to Persia for\r\nmore troops, and instructing all the men who come that, if you need them\r\nbefore we return, they must hold themselves at your service absolutely,\r\nto act not as they wish, but as you may care to use them. (32) In\r\nconclusion, I would advise you, though I am younger than yourself, not\r\nto take back with one hand what you give with the other, or else you\r\nwill win hatred instead of gratitude; nor to use threats if you wish\r\nmen to come to you speedily; nor to speak of being deserted when you\r\nthreaten an army, unless you would teach them to despise you. (33)\r\nFor ourselves, we will do our best to rejoin you as soon as we have\r\nconcluded certain matters which we believe will prove a common blessing\r\nto yourself and us. Farewell.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(34) \"Deliver this,\" said Cyrus, \"to Cyaxares, and whatever questions he\r\nputs to you, answer in accordance with it. My injunctions to you about\r\nthe Persians agree exactly with what is written here.\" With that he gave\r\nhim the letter and sent him off, bidding him remember that speed was of\r\nimportance.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(35) Then he turned to review his troops, who were already fully armed,\r\nMedes, Hyrcanians, the men Tigranes had brought, and the whole body of\r\nthe Persians. And already some of the neighbouring folk were coming up,\r\nto bring in their horses or hand over their arms. (36) The javelins\r\nwere then piled in a heap as before and burnt at his command, after his\r\ntroops had taken what they needed for themselves, but he bade the owners\r\nstay with their horses until they received fresh orders. This done,\r\nCyrus called together the officers of the Hyrcanians and of the cavalry,\r\nand spoke as follows:\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(37) \"My friends and allies, you must not be surprised that I summon\r\nyou so often. Our circumstances are so novel that much still needs\r\nadjustment, and we must expect difficulty until everything has found\r\nits place. (38) At present we have a mass of spoil, and prisoners set to\r\nguard it. But we do not ourselves know what belongs to each of us, nor\r\ncould the guards say who the owners are: and thus it is impossible for\r\nthem to be exact in their duties, since scarcely any of them know what\r\nthese duties may be. (39) To amend this, you must divide the spoil.\r\nThere will be no difficulty where a man has won a tent that is fully\r\nsupplied with meat and drink, and servants to boot, bedding, apparel,\r\nand everything to make it a comfortable home; he has only to understand\r\nthat this is now his private property, and he must look after it\r\nhimself. But where the quarters are not furnished so well, there you\r\nmust make it your business to supply what is lacking. (40) There will be\r\nmore than enough for this; of that I am sure; the enemy had a stock\r\nof everything quite out of proportion to our scanty numbers. Moreover,\r\ncertain treasurers have come to me, men who were in the service of the\r\nking of Assyria and other potentates, and according to what they tell\r\nme, they have a supply of gold coin, the produce of certain tributes\r\nthey can name. (41) You will send out a proclamation that this deposit\r\nmust be delivered up to you in your quarters; you must terrify those who\r\nfail to execute the order, and then you must distribute the money; the\r\nmounted men should have two shares apiece for the foot-soldier\u0027s one;\r\nand you should keep the surplus, so that in case of need you may have\r\nwherewith to make your purchases. (42) With regard to the camp-market,\r\nproclamation must be made at once, forbidding any injustice; the\r\nhucksters must be allowed to sell the goods they have brought, and when\r\nthese are disposed of they may bring more, so that the camp may be duly\r\nsupplied.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(43) So the proclamations were issued forthwith. But the Medes and the\r\nHyrcanians asked Cyrus:\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"How are we to distribute the spoil alone, without your men and\r\nyourself?\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(44) But Cyrus met question by question: \"Do you really think,\r\ngentlemen, that we must all preside over every detail, each and all of\r\nus together? Can I never act for you, and you for me? I could scarcely\r\nconceive a surer way of creating trouble, or of reducing results. See,\"\r\nsaid he, \"I will take a case in point. (45) We Persians guarded this\r\nbooty for you, and you believe that we guarded it well: now it is for\r\nyou to distribute it, and we will trust you to be fair. (46) And there\r\nis another benefit that I should be glad to obtain for us all. You see\r\nwhat a number of horses we have got already, and more are being brought\r\nin. If they are left riderless we shall get no profit out of them; we\r\nshall only have the burden of looking after them. But if we set riders\r\non them, we shall be quit of the trouble and add to our strength. (47)\r\nNow if you have other men in view, men whom you would choose before us\r\nto share the brunt of danger with you, by all means give these horses\r\nto them. But if you would rather have us fight at your side than any\r\nothers, bestow them upon us. (48) To-day when you dashed ahead to meet\r\ndanger all alone, great was our fear lest you might come to harm, and\r\nbitter our shame to think that where you were we were not. But if once\r\nwe have horses, we can follow at your heels. (49) And if it is clear\r\nthat we do more good so mounted, shoulder to shoulder with yourselves,\r\nwe shall not fail in zeal; or if it appears better to support you on\r\nfoot, why, to dismount is but the work of a moment, and you will have\r\nyour infantry marching by your side at once, and we will find men to\r\nhold our horses for us.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(50) To which they answered:\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"In truth, Cyrus, we have not men for these horses ourselves, and even\r\nif we had them, we should not do anything against your wish. Take them,\r\nwe beg you, and use them as you think best.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(51) \"I will,\" said he, \"and gladly, and may good fortune bless us all,\r\nyou in your division of the spoil and us in our horsemanship. In the\r\nfirst place,\" he added, \"you will set apart for the gods whatever our\r\npriests prescribe, and after that you must select for Cyaxares what you\r\nthink will please him most.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(52) At that they laughed, and said they must choose him a bevy of fair\r\nwomen. \"So let it be,\" said Cyrus, \"fair women, and anything else you\r\nplease. And when you have chosen his share, the Hyrcanians must see to\r\nit that our friends among the Medes who followed us of their own free\r\nwill shall have no cause to find fault with their own portion. (53) And\r\nthe Medes on their side must show honour to the first allies we have\r\nwon, and make them feel their decision was wise when they chose us\r\nfor their friends. And be sure to give a share of everything to the\r\nmessenger who came from Cyaxares and to his retinue; persuade him\r\nto stay on with us, say that I would like it, and that he could tell\r\nCyaxares all the better how matters stood. (54) As for my Persians,\" he\r\nadded, \"we shall be quite content with what is left over, after you are\r\nall provided for; we are not used to luxury, we were brought up in a\r\nvery simple fashion, and I think you would laugh at us if you saw us\r\ntricked out in grand attire, just as I am sure you will when you see us\r\nseated on our horses, or, rather, rolling off them.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(55) So they dispersed to make the distribution, in great mirth over the\r\nthought of the riding; and then Cyrus called his own officers and bade\r\nthem take the horses and their gear, and the grooms with them, number\r\nthem all, and then distribute them by lot in equal shares for each\r\ndivision. (56) Finally he sent out another proclamation, saying that if\r\nthere was any slave among the Syrians, Assyrians, or Arabians who was\r\na Mede, a Persian, a Bactrian, a Carian, a Cilician, or a Hellene, or a\r\nmember of any other nation, and who had been forcibly enrolled, he\r\nwas to come forward and declare himself. (57) And when they heard the\r\nherald, many came forward gladly, and out of their number Cyrus selected\r\nthe strongest and fairest, and told them they were now free, and would\r\nbe required to bear arms, with which he would furnish them, and as to\r\nnecessaries, he would see himself that they were not stinted. (58) With\r\nthat he brought them to the officers and had them enrolled forthwith,\r\nsaying they were to be armed with shields and light swords, so as to\r\nfollow the troopers, and were to receive supplies exactly as if they\r\nwere his own Persians. The Persian officers themselves, wearing corslets\r\nand carrying lances, were for the future to appear on horseback, he\r\nhimself setting the example, and each one was to appoint another of the\r\nPeers to lead the infantry for him.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(C.6) While they were concerned with these matters, an old Assyrian\r\nprince, Gobryas by name, presented himself before Cyrus, mounted on\r\nhorseback and with a mounted retinue behind him, all of them armed as\r\ncavalry. The Persian officers who were appointed to receive the weapons\r\nbade them hand over their lances and have them burnt with the rest, but\r\nGobryas said he wished to see Cyrus first. At that the adjutants led him\r\nin, but they made his escort stay where they were. (2) When the old man\r\ncame before Cyrus, he addressed him at once, saying:\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"My lord, I am an Assyrian by birth; I have a strong fortress in my\r\nterritory, and I rule over a wide domain; I have cavalry at my command,\r\ntwo thousand three hundred of them, all of which I offered to the king\r\nof Assyria; and if ever he had a friend, that friend was I. But he\r\nhas fallen at your hands, the gallant heart, and his son, who is my\r\nbitterest foe, reigns in his stead. Therefore I have come to you, a\r\nsuppliant at your feet. I am ready to be your slave and your ally, and\r\nI implore you to be my avenger. You yourself will be a son to me, for\r\nI have no male children now. (3) He whom I had, my only son, he was\r\nbeautiful and brave, my lord, and loved me and honoured me as a father\r\nrejoices to be loved. And this vile king—his father, my old master, had\r\nsent for my son, meaning to give him his own daughter in marriage; and\r\nI let my boy go, with high hopes and a proud heart, thinking that when\r\nI saw him again the king\u0027s daughter would be his bride. And the prince,\r\nwho is now king, invited him to the chase, and bade him do his best,\r\nfor he thought himself far the finer horseman of the two. So they hunted\r\ntogether, side by side, as though they were friends, and suddenly a bear\r\nappeared, and the two of them gave chase, and the king\u0027s son let fly his\r\njavelin, but alas! he missed his aim, and then my son threw—oh, that he\r\nnever had!—and laid the creature low. (4) The prince was stung to the\r\nquick, though for the moment he kept his rancour hidden. But, soon after\r\nthat, they roused a lion, and then he missed a second time—no unusual\r\nthing for him, I imagine—but my son\u0027s spear went home, and he brought\r\nthe beast down, and cried, \u0027See, I have shot but twice, and killed\r\neach time!\u0027 And at this the monster could not contain his jealousy; he\r\nsnatched a spear from one of his followers and ran my son through the\r\nbody, my only son, my darling, and took his life. (5) And I, unhappy\r\nthat I am, I, who thought to welcome a bride-groom, carried home a\r\ncorpse. I, who am old, buried my boy with the first down on his chin, my\r\nbrave boy, my well-beloved. And his assassin acted as though it were an\r\nenemy that he had done to death. He never showed one sign of remorse, he\r\nnever paid one tribute of honour to the dead, in atonement for his cruel\r\ndeed. Yet his own father pitied me, and showed that he could share the\r\nburden of my grief. (6) Had he lived, my old master, I would never have\r\ncome to you to do him harm; many a kindness have I received from\r\nhim, and many a service have I done him. But now that his kingdom has\r\ndescended to my boy\u0027s murderer—I could never be loyal to that man, and\r\nhe, I know, could never regard me as a friend. He knows too well how I\r\nfeel towards him, and how, after my former splendour, I pass my days in\r\nmourning, growing old in loneliness and grief. (7) If you can receive\r\nme, if you can give me some hope of vengeance for my dear son, I think\r\nI should grow young again, I should not feel ashamed to live, and when I\r\ncame to die I should not die in utter wretchedness.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(8) So he spoke, and Cyrus answered:\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"Gobryas, if your heart be set towards us as you say, I receive you as\r\nmy suppliant, and I promise, God helping me, to avenge your son. But\r\ntell me,\" he added, \"if we do this for you, and if we suffer you to keep\r\nyour stronghold, your land, your arms, and the power which you had, how\r\nwill you serve us in return?\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(9) And the old man answered:\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"My stronghold shall be yours, to live in as often as you come to me;\r\nthe tribute which I used to pay to Assyria shall be paid to you; and\r\nwhenever you march out to war, I will march at your side with the men\r\nfrom my own land. Moreover, I have a daughter, a well-beloved maiden,\r\nripe for marriage; once I thought of bringing her up to be the bride of\r\nthe man who is now king; but she besought me herself, with tears, not\r\nto give her to her brother\u0027s murderer, and I have no mind to oppose her.\r\nAnd now I will put her in your hands, to deal with as I shall deal with\r\nyou.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(10) So it came to pass that Cyrus said, \"On the faith that you have\r\nspoken truly and with true intent, I take your hand and I give you mine;\r\nlet the gods be witness.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nAnd when this was done, Cyrus bade the old man depart in peace, without\r\nsurrendering his arms, and then he asked him how far away he lived,\r\n\"Since,\" said he, \"I am minded to visit you.\" And Gobryas answered, \"If\r\nyou set off early to-morrow, the next day you may lodge with us.\" (11)\r\nWith that he took his own departure, leaving a guide for Cyrus.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nThen the Medes presented themselves; they had set apart for the gods\r\nwhat the Persian Priests thought right, and had left it in their hands,\r\nand they had chosen for Cyrus the finest of all the tents, and a lady\r\nfrom Susa, of whom the story says that in all Asia there was never a\r\nwoman so fair as she, and two singing-girls with her, the most skilful\r\namong the musicians. The second choice was for Cyaxares, and for\r\nthemselves they had taken their fill of all they could need on the\r\ncampaign, since there was abundance of everything. (12) The Hyrcanians\r\nhad all they wanted too, and they made the messenger from Cyaxares share\r\nand share alike with them. The tents which were left over they delivered\r\nto Cyrus for his Persians; and the coined money they said should be\r\ndivided as soon as it was all collected, and divided it was.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cpre\u003e NOTES\r\n\u003c/pre\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC1.10. Two theories of hedonism: (1) Cyaxares\u0027 \"Economise the greatest\r\njoy when you have got it,\" and by contrast (2) Cyrus\u0027 roaming from joy\r\nto joy.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC1.22. Xenophon the Artist: the \"kinsman\" of Cyrus again, and the light\r\nby-play to enliven the severe history. The economic organising genius of\r\nCyrus is also brought out.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC2.25. No looting, an order of the Duke of Wellington, Napier, Wolseley.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC2.32. Cf. modern times; humane orders, but strict.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC2.34. The question of commissariat. Would a modern force storm a camp\r\nwithout taking rations? I dare say they would.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC2.37. Notice the tone he adopts to these slaves; no bullying, but\r\nappealing to appetite and lower motives. This is doubtless Xenophontine\r\nand Hellenic.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC2.38. Important as illustrating the stern Spartan self-denial of\r\nthe man and his followers. There is a hedonistic test, but the higher\r\nhedonism prevails against the lower: ignoble and impolitic to sit here\r\nfeasting while they are fighting, and we don\u0027t even know how it fares\r\nwith them, our allies. The style rises and is at times Pauline. St.\r\nPaul, of course, is moving on a higher spiritual plane, but still—\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC2.45, fin. The Education of Cyrus, Cyropaedia, {Keroupaideia}; the name\r\njustified.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC2.46. Hystaspas\u0027 simple response: important, with other passages, to\r\nshow how naturally it came to them (i.e. the Hellenes and Xenophon)\r\nto give a spiritual application to their rules of bodily and mental\r\ntraining. These things to them are an allegory. The goal is lofty, if\r\nnot so sublime as St. Paul\u0027s or Comte\u0027s, the Christians or Positivists\r\n(there has been an alteration for the better in the spiritual plane, and\r\nSocrates helped to bring it about, I believe), but \u003ci\u003eceteris paribus\u003c/i\u003e,\r\nthe words of St. Paul are the words of Hystaspas and Xenophon. They for\r\na corruptible crown, and we for an incorruptible—and one might find a\r\nstill happier parable!\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC2.46. Fine sentiment, this \u003ci\u003enoblesse oblige\u003c/i\u003e (cf. the archangelic\r\ndignity in Milton, \u003ci\u003eParadise Lost\u003c/i\u003e, I think).\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC2.47. The aristocratic theory (cf. modern English \"nigger\" theory,\r\nAnglo-Indian, etc.).\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC3.3. Xenophon\u0027s dramatic skill. We are made to feel the touch of\r\nsomething galling in the manner of these Median and Hyrcanian troopers.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC3.4. A \u0027cute beginning rhetorically, because in the most graceful\r\nway possible, and without egotism \u003ci\u003eversus\u003c/i\u003e Medes and Hyrcanians, it\r\npostulates the Persian superiority, moral, as against the accidental\r\ninferiority of the moment caused by want of cavalry and the dependence\r\non others which that involves. I suppose it\u0027s no reflection on Cyrus\u0027\r\nmilitary acumen not to foreseen this need. It would have been premature\r\nthen, now it organically grows; and there\u0027s no great crisis to pass\r\nthrough.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC3.11. I should have thought this was a dangerous argument; obviously\r\nboys do learn better than men certain things.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC3.12. Short sharp snap of argumentative style.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC3.19. The antithetic balance and word-jingle, with an exquisite,\r\npuristic, precise, and delicate lisp, as of one tasting the flavour of\r\nhis words throughout.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC3.23. I think one sees how Xenophon built up his ideal structure on a\r\nbasis of actual living facts. The actual diverts the creator of Cyrus\r\nfrom the ideal at times, as here. It is a slight declension in the\r\ncharacter of Cyrus to lay down this law, \"equestrian once, equestrian\r\nalways.\" Xenophon has to account for the actual Persian horror of\r\npedestrianism: Cyrus himself can dismount, and so can the Persian nobles\r\nwith Cyrus the Younger, but still the rule is \"never be seen walking;\"\r\nand without the concluding paragraph the dramatic narrative that\r\nprecedes would seem a little bit unfinished and pointless: with the\r\nexplanation it floats, and we forgive \"the archic man\" his partiality to\r\nequestrianism, as later on we have to forgive him his Median get-up and\r\nartificiality generally, which again is contrary to the Xenophontine and\r\nthe ideal Spartan spirit.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC4. Xenophon has this theory of mankind: some are fit to rule, the\r\nrest to be ruled. It is parallel to the Hellenic slavery theory. Some\r\nmoderns, e.g. Carlyle (Ruskin perhaps) inherit it, and in lieu of\r\nHellenic slavery we have a good many caste-distinction crotchets still\r\nleft.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC4.13, fin. The first salaam, ominous of the advent of imperialism; the\r\nsun\u0027s rim visible, and a ray shot up to the zenith.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC5. Here the question forces itself in the midst of all this \"ironic\"\r\nwaiting on the part of the Persians in Spartan durance for a future\r\napotheosis of splendour and luxuriance,—what is the moral? \"Hunger\r\nnow and thirst, for ye shall be filled\"—is that it? Well, anyhow it\u0027s\r\nparallel to the modern popular Christianity, reward-in-heaven theory,\r\nonly on a less high level, but exactly the same logicality.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC5.6. A point, this reward to the catcher, and this rigid \u003ci\u003ecouvrefeu\u003c/i\u003e\r\nhabit (cf. modern military law).\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC5.8. A dramatic contrast, the Median Cyaxares who follows Pleasure,\r\nand the Persian Cyrus who follows Valour, \u003ci\u003evide\u003c/i\u003e Heracles\u0027 choice\r\n(\u003ci\u003eMemorabilia\u003c/i\u003e, II. i. 21). This allegorising tendency is engrained in\r\nXenophon: it is his view of life; one of the best things he got from\r\nSocrates, no doubt. Later (§ 12) the \"ironic\" suicidal self-assertion of\r\nCyaxares is contrasted with the health-giving victorious self-repression\r\nof Cyrus.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC5.9-10. Xenophon can depict character splendidly: this is the crapulous\r\n{orge} of the somewhat \"hybristic\" nature, seeing how the land lies,\r\n\u003ci\u003esiccis luminibus\u003c/i\u003e, the day after the premature revel. Theophrastus\r\ncouldn\u0027t better have depicted the irascible man. These earliest\r\nportraits of character are, according to Xenophon\u0027s genius, all sketched\r\nin the concrete, as it were. The character is not philosophised and then\r\nillustrated by concrete instances after the manner of Theophrastus,\r\nbut we see the man moving before us and are made aware of his nature at\r\nonce.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC5.17. {kalos ka nomimos}, \"in all honour, and according to the\r\nlaw,\" almost a Xenophontine motto, and important in reference to the\r\n\"questionable\" conduct on his part in exile—\"questionable\" from a\r\nmodern rather than an \"antique\" standard. (The chief reference is to\r\nXenophon\u0027s presence on the Spartan side at the battle of Coronea against\r\nhis native city of Athens. See \u003ci\u003eSketch\u003c/i\u003e, Works, Vol. I. pp. cxxiii. ff.)\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC5.20. The \"archic man\" does not recognise the littleness of soul of\r\nthe inferior nature, he winks at it, and so disarms at once and triumphs\r\nover savagery, and this not through cunning and pride, but a kind of\r\ngodlike imperturbable sympathy, as of a fearless man with a savage\r\nhound. Still there is a good dash of diplomacy.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC5.21, fin. Pretty sentence. Xenophon\u0027s words: some of these are\r\nprettily-sounding words, some are rare and choice and exquisite, some\r\nare charged with feeling, you can\u0027t touch them with your finger-tips\r\nwithout feeling an \"affective\" thrill. That is in part the \u003ci\u003egoeteia\u003c/i\u003e,\r\nthe witchery, of his style.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC5.30-31. A brilliant stroke of diplomacy worthy of the archic man. This\r\n{arkinoia} of the Hellene is the necessary sharp shrewdness of a brain,\r\nwhich, however \"affectively\" developed, is at bottom highly organised\r\nintellectually. H. S.(*) has it, all \u0027cute people and nations have it,\r\nthe Americans, e.g.—every proposition must, however else it presents\r\nitself, be apprehended in its logical bearings: the result may be\r\nlogically damaging to the supporter of it, but does not necessarily\r\nbanish an affective sympathetic attitude on the part of the common-sense\r\nantagonist, who is not bound, in other words, to be a sharp practitioner\r\nbecause he sees clearly. Affection is the inspirer, intellect the\r\nup-and-doing agent of the soul. The Hellenes and all \u0027cute people put\r\nthe agent to the fore in action, but if besides being \u0027cute they\r\nare affective, the operations of the agent will be confined within\r\nprescribed limits.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(* \"H. S.\" = Henry Sidgwick, the philosopher, author of \u003ci\u003eMethods of\r\nEthics\u003c/i\u003e, etc., a life-long friend of Mr. Dakyns.)\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC5.32. This is almost pummelling, but it\u0027s fair: it\u0027s rather, \"See, I\r\nhave you now in Chancery, I could pummel if I would.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC5.37. These constant masters\u0027 meetings!\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC5.38 ff. The mind of Xenophon: guiding principles, rule of Health, rule\r\nof Forethought. Religious trust in the divine, and for things beyond\r\nman\u0027s control; orderly masterly working out of problems within his\r\npower. Economic, diplomatic, anchinoetic, archic manhood. Moral theory,\r\nhigher hedonism.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC5.45. The archic man trusts human nature: this appeal to their good\r\nfaith is irresistible. The archic is also the diplomatic method.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC5.54. N.B.—Rhetorical artifice of winding-up a speech with a joke.\r\nThis is the popular orator. Xenophon the prototype himself perhaps.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC6.3. Is this by chance a situation in Elizabethan or other drama? It\u0027s\r\ntragic enough for anything.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC6.4. Admirable colloquial style: \"well done, me!\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC6.6, fin. Beautifully-sounding sentence (in the Greek). Like harp or\r\nviol with its dying mournful note.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC6.8. A new tributary for the archic man, and a foothold in the enemy\u0027s\r\ncountry.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC6.9, fin. As to this daughter, \u003ci\u003evide infra\u003c/i\u003e. Who do you think will win\r\nher? We like her much already.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC6.11. The first flutings of this tale. The lady of Susa,\r\nquasi-historic, or wholly imaginative, or mixed?\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cdiv class=\"pg_body_wrapper\"\u003e\u003ca id=\"id_2H_4_0008\"\u003e\u003c!– H2 anchor –\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cdiv style=\"height: 4em;\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003ch2\u003e\r\n BOOK V\r\n\u003c/h2\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(C.1) Such were the deeds they did and such the words they spoke.\r\nThen Cyrus bade them set a guard over the share chosen for Cyaxares,\r\nselecting those whom he knew were most attached to their lord, \"And what\r\nyou have given me,\" he added, \"I accept with pleasure, but I hold it at\r\nthe service of those among you who would enjoy it the most.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nAt that one of the Medes who was passionately fond of music said, \"In\r\ntruth, Cyrus, yesterday evening I listened to the singing-girls who are\r\nyours to-day, and if you could give me one of them, I would far rather\r\nbe serving on this campaign than sitting at home.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nAnd Cyrus said, \"Most gladly I will give her; she is yours. And I\r\nbelieve I am more grateful to you for asking than you can be to me for\r\ngiving; I am so thirsty to gratify you all.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nSo this suitor carried off his prize. (2) And then Cyrus called to his\r\nside Araspas the Mede, who had been his comrade in boyhood. It was he\r\nto whom Cyrus gave the Median cloak he was wearing when he went back to\r\nPersia from his grandfather\u0027s court. Now he summoned him, and asked him\r\nto take care of the tent and the lady from Susa. (3) She was the wife of\r\nAbradatas, a Susian, and when the Assyrian army was captured it happened\r\nthat her husband was away: his master had sent him on an embassy to\r\nBactria to conclude an alliance there, for he was the friend and host of\r\nthe Bactrian king. And now Cyrus asked Araspas to guard the captive\r\nlady until her husband could take her back himself. (4) To that Araspas\r\nreplied, \"Have you seen the lady whom you bid me guard?\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"No, indeed,\" said Cyrus, \"certainly I have not.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"But I have,\" rejoined the other, \"I saw here when we chose her for you.\r\nWhen we came into the tent, we did not make her out at first, for she\r\nwas seated on the ground with all her maidens round her, and she was\r\nclad in the same attire as her slaves, but when we looked at them all\r\nto discover the mistress, we soon saw that one outshone the others,\r\nalthough she was veiled and kept her eyes on the ground. (5) And when we\r\nbade her rise, all her women rose with her, and then we saw that she was\r\nmarked out from them all by her height, and her noble bearing, and her\r\ngrace, and the beauty that shone through her mean apparel. And, under\r\nher veil, we could see the big tear-drops trickling down her garments to\r\nher feet. (6) At that sight the eldest of us said, \u0027Take comfort, lady,\r\nwe know that your husband was beautiful and brave, but we have chosen\r\nyou a man to-day who is no whit inferior to him in face or form or mind\r\nor power; Cyrus, we believe, is more to be admired than any soul on\r\nearth, and you shall be his from this day forward.\u0027 But when the lady\r\nheard that, she rent the veil that covered her head and gave a pitiful\r\ncry, while her maidens lifted up their voice and wept with their\r\nmistress. (7) And thus we could see her face, and her neck, and her\r\narms, and I tell you, Cyrus,\" he added, \"I myself, and all who looked\r\non her, felt that there never was, and never had been, in broad Asia\r\na mortal woman half so fair as she. Nay, but you must see her for\r\nyourself.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(8) \"Say, rather, I must not,\" answered Cyrus, \"if she be such as you\r\ndescribe.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"And why not?\" asked the young man.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"Because,\" said he, \"if the mere report of her beauty could persuade me\r\nto go and gaze on her to-day, when I have not a moment to spare, I fear\r\nshe would win me back again and perhaps I should neglect all I have to\r\ndo, and sit and gaze at her for ever.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(9) At that the young man laughed outright and said:\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"So you think, Cyrus, that the beauty of any human creature can compel\r\na man to do wrong against his will? Surely if that were the nature of\r\nbeauty, all men would feel its force alike. (10) See how fire burns\r\nall men equally; it is the nature of it so to do; but these flowers of\r\nbeauty, one man loves them, and another loves them not, nor does every\r\nman love the same. For love is voluntary, and each man loves what he\r\nchooses to love. The brother is not enamoured of his own sister, nor the\r\nfather of his own daughter; some other man must be the lover. Reverence\r\nand law are strong enough to break the heart of passion. (11) But if a\r\nlaw were passed saying, \u0027Eat not, and thou shalt not starve; Drink not,\r\nand thou shalt not thirst; Let not cold bite thee in winter nor heat\r\ninflame thee in summer,\u0027 I say there is no law that could compel us to\r\nobey; for it is our nature to be swayed by these forces. But love is\r\nvoluntary; each man loves to himself alone, and according as he chooses,\r\njust as he chooses his cloak or his sandals.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(12) \"Then,\" said Cyrus, \"if love be voluntary, why cannot a man cease\r\nto love when he wishes? I have seen men in love,\" said he, \"who have\r\nwept for very agony, who were the very slaves of those they loved,\r\nthough before the fever took them they thought slavery the worst of\r\nevils. I have seen them make gifts of what they ill could spare, I have\r\nseen them praying, yes, praying, to be rid of their passion, as though\r\nit were any other malady, and yet unable to shake it off; they were\r\nbound hand and foot by a chain of something stronger than iron. There\r\nthey stood at the beck and call of their idols, and that without rhyme\r\nor reason; and yet, poor slaves, they make no attempt to run away, in\r\nspite of all they suffer; on the contrary, they mount guard over their\r\ntyrants, for fear these should escape.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(13) But the young man spoke in answer: \"True,\" he said, \"there are such\r\nmen, but they are worthless scamps, and that is why, though they are\r\nalways praying to die and be put out of their misery and though ten\r\nthousand avenues lie open by which to escape from life, they never\r\ntake one of them. These are the very men who are prepared to steal and\r\npurloin the goods of others, and yet you know yourself, when they do it,\r\nyou are the first to say stealing is not done under compulsion, and you\r\nblame the thief and the robber; you do not pity him, you punish him.\r\n(14) In the same way, beautiful creatures do not compel others to\r\nlove them or pursue them when it is wrong, but these good-for-nothing\r\nscoundrels have no self-control, and then they lay the blame on love.\r\nBut the nobler type of man, the true gentleman, beautiful and brave,\r\nthough he desire gold and splendid horses and lovely women, can still\r\nabstain from each and all alike, and lay no finger on them against the\r\nlaw of honour. (15) Take my own case,\" he added, \"I have seen this lady\r\nmyself, and passing fair I found her, and yet here I stand before you,\r\nand am still your trooper and can still perform my duty.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(16) \"I do not deny it,\" said Cyrus; \"probably you came away in time.\r\nLove takes a little while to seize and carry off his victim. A man may\r\ntouch fire for a moment and not be burnt; a log will not kindle all at\r\nonce; and yet for all that, I am not disposed to play with fire or look\r\non beauty. You yourself, my friend, if you will follow my advice, will\r\nnot let your own eyes linger there too long; burning fuel will only burn\r\nthose who touch it, but beauty can fire the beholder from afar, until he\r\nis all aflame with love.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(17) \"Oh, fear me not, Cyrus,\" answered he; \"if I looked till the end of\r\ntime I could not be made to do what ill befits a man.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"A fair answer,\" said Cyrus. \"Guard her then, as I bid you, and be\r\ncareful of her. This lady may be of service to us all one day.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(18) With these words they parted. But afterwards, after the young man\r\nsaw from day to day how marvellously fair the woman was, and how noble\r\nand gracious in herself, after he took care of her, and fancied that she\r\nwas not insensible to what he did, after she set herself, through her\r\nattendants, to care for his wants and see that all things were ready for\r\nhim when he came in, and that he should lack for nothing if ever he were\r\nsick, after all this, love entered his heart and took possession, and it\r\nmay be there was nothing surprising in his fate. So at least it was.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(19) Meanwhile Cyrus, who was anxious that the Medes and the allies\r\nshould stay with him of their own free choice, called a meeting of their\r\nleading men, and when they were come together he spoke as follows:\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(20) \"Sons of the Medes and gentlemen all, I am well aware it was not\r\nfrom need of money that you went out with me, nor yet in order to serve\r\nCyaxares; you came for my sake. You marched with me by night, you ran\r\ninto danger at my side, simply to do me honour. (21) Unless I were a\r\nmiscreant, I could not but be grateful for such kindness. But I must\r\nconfess that at present I lack the ability to make a fit requital. This\r\nI am not ashamed to tell you, but I would feel ashamed to add, \u0027If you\r\nwill stay with me, I will be sure to repay you,\u0027 for that would look\r\nas though I spoke to bribe you into remaining. Therefore I will not say\r\nthat; I will say instead, \u0027Even if you listen to Cyaxares and go back\r\nto-day, I will still act so that you shall praise me, I will not forget\r\nyou in the day of my good fortune.\u0027 (22) For myself, I will never go\r\nback; I cannot, for I must confirm my oath to the Hyrcanians and the\r\npledge I gave them; they are my friends and I shall never be found a\r\ntraitor to them. Moreover, I am bound to Gobryas, who has offered us the\r\nuse of his castle, his territory, and his power; and I would not have\r\nhim repent that he came to me. (23) Last of all, and more than all, when\r\nthe great gods have showered such blessings on us, I fear them and I\r\nreverence them too much to turn my back on all they have given us. This,\r\nthen, is what I myself must do; it is for you to decide as you think\r\nbest, and you will acquaint me with your decision.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(24) So he spoke, and the first to answer was the Mede who had claimed\r\nkinship with Cyrus in the old days.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"Listen to me,\" he said, \"O king! For king I take you to be by right of\r\nnature; even as the king of the hive among the bees, whom all the bees\r\nobey and take for their leader of their own free will; where he stays\r\nthey stay also, not one of them departs, and where he goes, not one of\r\nthem fails to follow; so deep a desire is in them to be ruled by him.\r\n(25) Even thus, I believe, do our men feel towards you. Do you remember\r\nthe day you left us to go home to Persia? Was there one of us, young or\r\nold, who did not follow you until Astyages turned us back? And later,\r\nwhen you returned to bring us aid, did we not see for ourselves how your\r\nfriends poured after you? And again, when you had set your heart on this\r\nexpedition, we know that the Medes flocked to your standard with one\r\nconsent. (26) To-day we have learnt to feel that even in an enemy\u0027s\r\ncountry we may be of good heart if you are with us, but, without you,\r\nwe should be afraid even to return to our homes. The rest may speak for\r\nthemselves, and tell you how they will act, but for myself, Cyrus, and\r\nfor those under me, I say we will stand by you; we shall not grow weary\r\nof gazing at you, and we will continue to endure your benefits.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(27) Thereupon Tigranes spoke:\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"Do not wonder, Cyrus, if I am silent now. The soul within me is ready,\r\nnot to offer counsel, but to do your bidding.\" (28) And the Hyrcanian\r\nchieftain said, \"For my part, if you Medes turn back to-day I shall say\r\nit was the work of some evil genius, who could not brook the fulfilment\r\nof your happiness. For no human heart could think of retiring when the\r\nfoe is in flight, refusing to receive his sword when he surrenders it,\r\nrejecting him when he offers himself and all that he calls his own;\r\nabove all, when we have a prince of men for our leader, one who, I\r\nswear it by the holy gods, takes delight to do us service, not to enrich\r\nhimself.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(29) Thereupon the Medes cried with one consent:\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"It was you, Cyrus, who led us out, and it is you who must lead us home\r\nagain, when the right moment comes.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nAnd when Cyrus heard that, he prayed aloud:\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"O most mighty Zeus, I supplicate thee, suffer me to outdo these friends\r\nof mine in courtesy and kindly dealing.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(30) Upon that he gave his orders. The rest of the army were to place\r\ntheir outposts and see to their own concerns, while the Persians took\r\nthe tents allotted to them, and divided them among their cavalry and\r\ninfantry, to suit the needs of either arm. Then they arranged for the\r\nstewards to wait on them in future, bring them all they needed, and keep\r\ntheir horses groomed, so that they themselves might be free for the work\r\nof war. Thus they spent that day.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(C.2) But on the morrow they set out for their march to Gobryas. Cyrus\r\nrode on horseback at the head of his new Persian cavalry, two thousand\r\nstrong, with as many more behind them, carrying their shields and\r\nswords, and the rest of the army followed in due order. The cavalry were\r\ntold to make their new attendants understand that they would be punished\r\nif they were caught falling behind the rear-guard, or riding in advance\r\nof the column, or straggling on either flank. (2) Towards evening of the\r\nsecond day the army found themselves before the castle of Gobryas, and\r\nthey saw that the place was exceedingly strong and that all preparations\r\nhad been made for the stoutest possible defence. They noticed also that\r\ngreat herds of cattle and endless flocks of sheep and goats had been\r\ndriven up under the shelter of the castle walls. (3) Then Gobryas\r\nsent word to Cyrus, bidding him ride round and see where the place was\r\neasiest of approach, and meanwhile send his trustiest Persians to enter\r\nthe fortress and bring him word what they found within. (4) Cyrus, who\r\nreally wished to see if the citadel admitted of attack in case Gobryas\r\nproved false, rode all round the walls, and found they were too strong\r\nat every point. Presently the messengers who had gone in brought back\r\nword that there were supplies enough to last a whole generation and\r\nstill not fail the garrison. (5) While Cyrus was wondering what this\r\ncould mean, Gobryas himself came out, and all his men behind him,\r\ncarrying wine and corn and barley, and driving oxen and goats and\r\nswine, enough to feast the entire host. (6) And his stewards fell to\r\ndistributing the stores at once, and serving up a banquet. Then Gobryas\r\ninvited Cyrus to enter the castle now that all the garrison had left it,\r\nusing every precaution he might think wise; and Cyrus took him at his\r\nword, and sent in scouts and a strong detachment before he entered the\r\npalace himself. Once within, he had the gates thrown open and sent for\r\nall his own friends and officers. (7) And when they joined him, Gobryas\r\nhad beakers of gold brought out, and pitchers, and goblets, and costly\r\nornaments, and golden coins without end, and all manner of beautiful\r\nthings, and last of all he sent for his own daughter, tall and fair,\r\na marvel of beauty and stateliness, still wearing mourning for her\r\nbrother. And her father said to Cyrus, \"All these riches I bestow on\r\nyou for a gift, and I put my daughter in your hands, to deal with as you\r\nthink best. We are your suppliants; I but three days gone for my son,\r\nand she this day for her brother; we beseech you to avenge him.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(8) And Cyrus made answer:\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"I gave you my promise before that if you kept faith with me I would\r\navenge you, so far as in me lay, and to-day I see the debt is due, and\r\nthe promise I made to you I repeat to your daughter; God helping me, I\r\nwill perform it. As for these costly gifts,\" he added, \"I accept them,\r\nand I give them for a dowry to your daughter, and to him who may win her\r\nhand in marriage. One gift only I will take with me when I go, but\r\nthat is a thing so precious that if I changed it for all the wealth of\r\nBabylon or the whole world itself I could not go on my way with half so\r\nblithe a heart.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(9) And Gobryas wondered what this rare thing could be, half suspecting\r\nit might be his daughter. \"What is it, my lord?\" said he. And Cyrus\r\nanswered, \"I will tell you. A man may hate injustice and impiety\r\nand lies, but if no one offers him vast wealth or unbridled power or\r\nimpregnable fortresses or lovely children, he dies before he can show\r\nwhat manner of man he is. (10) But you have placed everything in my\r\nhands to-day, this mighty fortress, treasures of every kind, your own\r\npower, and a daughter most worthy to be won. And thus you have shown\r\nall men that I could not sin against my friend and my host, nor act\r\nunrighteously for the sake of wealth, nor break my plighted word of my\r\nown free will. (11) This is your gift, and, so long as I am a just man\r\nand known to be such, receiving the praise of my fellow-men, I will\r\nnever forget it; I will strive to repay you with every honour I can\r\ngive. (12) Doubt not,\" he added, \"but that you will find a husband\r\nworthy of your daughter. I have many a good man and true among my\r\nfriends, and one of them will win her hand; but I could not say whether\r\nhe will have less wealth, or more, than what you offer me. Only of one\r\nthing you may be certain; there are those among them who will not admire\r\nyou one whit the more because of the splendour of your gifts; they will\r\nonly envy me and supplicate the gods that one day it will be given to\r\nthem to show that they too are loyal to their friends, that they too\r\nwill never yield to their foes while life is in them, unless some god\r\nstrike them down; that they too would never sacrifice virtue and fair\r\nrenown for all the wealth you proffer and all the treasure of Syria and\r\nAssyria to boot. Such is the nature, believe me, of some who are seated\r\nhere.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(13) And Gobryas smiled. \"By heaven, I wish you would point them out to\r\nme, and I would beg you to give me one of them to be my son-in-law.\" And\r\nCyrus said, \"You will not need to learn their names from me; follow us,\r\nand you will be able to point them out yourself.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(14) With these words he rose, clasped the hand of Gobryas, and went\r\nout, all his men behind him. And though Gobryas pressed him to stay and\r\nsup in the citadel, he would not, but took his supper in the camp and\r\nconstrained Gobryas to take his meal with them. (15) And there, lying on\r\na couch of leaves, he put this question to him, \u0027Tell me, Gobryas, who\r\nhas the largest store of coverlets, yourself, or each of us?\" And the\r\nAssyrian answered, \"You, I know, have more than I, more coverlets, more\r\ncouches, and a far larger dwelling-place, for your home is earth and\r\nheaven, and every nook may be a couch, and for your coverlets you need\r\nnot count the fleeces of your flocks, but the brushwood, and the herbage\r\nof hill and plain.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(16) Nevertheless, when the meal began, it must be said that Gobryas,\r\nseeing the poverty of what was set before him, thought at first that his\r\nown men were far more open-handed than the Persians. (17) But his mood\r\nchanged as he watched the grace and decorum of the company; and saw that\r\nnot a single Persian who had been schooled would ever gape, or snatch at\r\nthe viands, or let himself be so absorbed in eating that he could attend\r\nto nothing else; these men prided themselves on showing their good sense\r\nand their intelligence while they took their food, just as a perfect\r\nrider sits his horse with absolute composure, and can look and listen\r\nand talk to some purpose while he puts him through his paces. To be\r\nexcited or flustered by meat and drink was in their eyes something\r\naltogether swinish and bestial. (18) Nor did Gobryas fail to notice that\r\nthey only asked questions which were pleasant to answer, and only jested\r\nin a manner to please; all their mirth was as far from impertinence and\r\nmalice as it was from vulgarity and unseemliness. (19) And what struck\r\nhim most was their evident feeling that on a campaign, since the danger\r\nwas the same for all, no one was entitled to a larger share than any\r\nof his comrades; on the contrary, it was thought the perfection of the\r\nfeast to perfect the condition of those who were to share the fighting.\r\n(20) And thus when he rose to return home, the story runs that he said:\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"I begin to understand, Cyrus, how it is that while we have more goblets\r\nand more gold, more apparel and more wealth than you, yet we ourselves\r\nare not worth as much. We are always trying to increase what we possess,\r\nbut you seem to set your hearts on perfecting your own souls.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(21) But Cyrus only answered:\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"My friend, be here without fail to-morrow, and bring all your cavalry\r\nin full armour, so that we may see your power, and then lead us through\r\nyour country and show us who are hostile and who are friendly.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(22) Thus they parted for the time and each saw to his own concerns.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nBut when the day dawned Gobryas appeared with his cavalry and led the\r\nway. And Cyrus, as a born general would, not only supervised the march,\r\nbut watched for any chance to weaken the enemy and add to his own\r\nstrength. (23) With this in view, he summoned the Hyrcanian chief and\r\nGobryas himself; for they were the two he thought most likely to give\r\nhim the information that he needed.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"My friends,\" said he, \"I think I shall not err if I trust to your\r\nfidelity and consult you about the campaign. You, even more than I, are\r\nbound to see that the Assyrians do not overpower us. For myself, if I\r\nfail, there may well be some loophole of escape. But for you, if\r\nthe king conquers, I see nothing but enmity on every side. (24) For,\r\nalthough he is my enemy, he bears me no malice, he only feels that it is\r\nagainst his interest for me to be powerful and therefore he attacks me.\r\nBut you he hates with a bitter hatred, believing he is wronged by you.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nTo this his companions answered that he must finish what he had to say;\r\nthey were well aware of the facts, and had the deepest interest in the\r\nturn events might take.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(25) Thereupon Cyrus put his questions: \"Does the king suppose that\r\nyou alone are his enemies, or do you know of others who hate him too?\"\r\n\"Certainly we do,\" replied the Hyrcanian, \"the Cadousians are his\r\nbitterest foes, and they are both numerous and warlike. Then there are\r\nthe Sakians, our neighbours, who have suffered severely at his hands,\r\nfor he tried to subdue them as he subdued us.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(26) \"Then you think,\" said Cyrus, \"that they would be glad to attack\r\nhim in our company?\" \"Much more than glad,\" answered they; \"if they\r\ncould manage to join us.\" \"And what stands in their way?\" asked he. \"The\r\nAssyrians themselves,\" said they, \"the very people among whom you are\r\nmarching now.\" (27) At that Cyrus turned to Gobryas:\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"And what of this lad who is now on the throne? Did you not charge him\r\nwith unbridled insolence?\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"Even so,\" replied Gobryas, \"and I think he gave me cause.\" \"Tell me,\"\r\nsaid Cyrus, \"were you the only man he treated thus, or did others suffer\r\ntoo?\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(28) \"Many others,\" said Gobryas, \"but some of them were weak, and why\r\nshould I weary you with the insults they endured? I will tell you of a\r\nyoung man whose father was a much greater personage than I, and who was\r\nhimself, like my own son, a friend and comrade of the prince. One day\r\nat a drinking-bout this monster had the youth seized and mutilated, and\r\nwhy? Some say simply because a paramour of his own had praised the boy\u0027s\r\nbeauty and said his bride was a woman to be envied. The king himself now\r\nasserts it was because he had tried to seduce his paramour. That young\r\nman, eunuch as he is, is now at the head of his province, for his father\r\nis dead.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(29) \"Well,\" rejoined Cyrus, \"I take it, you believe he would welcome\r\nus, if he thought we came to help him?\" \"I am more than sure of that,\"\r\nsaid Gobryas, \"but it is not so easy to set eyes on him.\" \"And why?\"\r\nasked Cyrus. \"Because if we are to join him at all, we must march right\r\npast Babylon itself.\" (30) \"And where is the difficulty in that?\" said\r\nCyrus. \"Heaven help us!\" cried Gobryas. \"The city has only to open\r\nher gates, and she can send out an army ten thousand times as large as\r\nyours. That is why,\" he added, \"the Assyrians are less prompt than they\r\nwere at bringing in their weapons and their horses, because those who\r\nhave seen your army think it so very small, and their report has got\r\nabout. So that in my opinion it would be better to advance with the\r\nutmost care.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(31) Cyrus listened and replied.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"You do well, Gobryas, my friend, in urging as much care as possible.\r\nBut I cannot myself see a safer route for us than the direct advance\r\non Babylon, if Babylon is the centre of the enemy\u0027s strength. They are\r\nnumerous, you say, and if they are in good heart, we shall soon know it.\r\n(32) Now, if they cannot find us and imagine that we have disappeared\r\nfrom fear of them, you may take it as certain that they will be quit of\r\nthe terror we have inspired. Courage will spring up in its place, and\r\ngrow the greater the longer we lie hid. But if we march straight on\r\nthen, we shall find them still mourning for the dead whom we have slain,\r\nstill nursing the wounds we have inflicted, still trembling at the\r\ndaring of our troops, still mindful of their own discomfiture and\r\nflight. (33) Gobryas,\" he added, \"be assured of this; men in the mass,\r\nwhen aflame with courage, are irresistible, and when their hearts fail\r\nthem, the more numerous they are the worse the panic that seizes them.\r\n(34) It comes upon them magnified by a thousand lies, blanched by a\r\nthousand pallors, it gathers head from a thousand terror-stricken looks,\r\nuntil it grows so great that no orator can allay it by his words, no\r\ngeneral arouse the old courage by a charge, or revive the old confidence\r\nby retreat; the more their leader cheers them on, the worse do the\r\nsoldiers take their case to be. (35) Now by all means let us see exactly\r\nhow things stand with us. If from henceforward victory must fall\r\nto those who can reckon the largest numbers, your fears for us are\r\njustified, and we are indeed in fearful danger; but if the old rule\r\nstill holds, and battles are decided by the qualities of those who\r\nfight, then, I say, take heart and you will never fail. You will find\r\nfar more stomach for the fight among our ranks than theirs. (36) And to\r\nhearten you the more, take note of this: our enemies are far fewer now\r\nthan when we worsted them, far weaker than when they fled from us, while\r\nwe are stronger because we are conquerors, and greater because fortune\r\nhas been ours; yes, and actually more numerous because you and yours\r\nhave joined us, for I would not have you hold your men too low, now that\r\nthey are side by side with us. In the company of conquerors, Gobryas,\r\nthe hearts of the followers beat high. (37) Nor should you forget,\" he\r\nadded, \"that the enemy is well able to see us as it is, and the sight of\r\nus will certainly not be more alarming if we wait for him where we are\r\nthan if we advance against him. That is my opinion, and now you must\r\nlead us straight for Babylon.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(C.3) And so the march continued, and on the fourth day they found\r\nthemselves at the limit of the territory over which Gobryas ruled. Since\r\nthey were now in the enemy\u0027s country Cyrus changed the disposition of\r\nhis men, taking the infantry immediately under his own command, with\r\nsufficient cavalry to support them, and sending the rest of the mounted\r\ntroops to scour the land. Their orders were to cut down every one with\r\narms in his hands, and drive in the rest, with all the cattle they could\r\nfind. The Persians were ordered to take part in this raid, and though\r\nmany came home with nothing for their trouble but a toss from their\r\nhorses, others brought back a goodly store of booty.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(2) When the spoil was all brought in, Cyrus summoned the officers of\r\nthe Medes and the Hyrcanians, as well as his own peers, and spoke as\r\nfollows:\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"My friends, Gobryas has entertained us nobly; he has showered good\r\nthings upon us. What say you then? After we have set aside the customary\r\nportion for the gods and a fair share for the army, shall we not give\r\nall the rest of the spoil to him? Would it not be a noble thing, a sign\r\nand symbol at the outset that we desire to outdo in well-doing those who\r\ndo good to us?\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(3) At that all his hearers with one consent applauded, and a certain\r\nofficer rose and said:\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"By all means, Cyrus, let us do so. I myself cannot but feel that\r\nGobryas must have thought us almost beggars because we were not laden\r\nwith coins of gold and did not drink from golden goblets. But if we do\r\nthis, he will understand that men may be free and liberal without the\r\nhelp of gold.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(4) \"Come then,\" said Cyrus, \"let us pay the priests our debt to heaven,\r\nselect what the army requires, and then summon Gobryas and give the rest\r\nto him.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nSo they took what they needed and gave all the rest to Gobryas.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(5) Forthwith Cyrus pressed on towards Babylon, his troops in battle\r\norder. But as the Assyrians did not come out to meet them, he bade\r\nGobryas ride forward and deliver this message:\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"If the king will come out to fight for his land, I, Gobryas, will fight\r\nfor him, but, if he will not defend his own country, we must yield to\r\nthe conquerors.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(6) So Gobryas rode forward, just far enough to deliver the message in\r\nsafety. And the king sent a messenger to answer him:\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"Thy master says to thee: \u0027It repents me, Gobryas, not that I slew thy\r\nson, but that I stayed my hand from slaying thee. And now if ye will do\r\nbattle, come again on the thirtieth day from hence. We have no leisure\r\nnow, our preparations are still on foot.\u0027\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(7) And Gobryas made answer:\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"It repents thee: may that repentance never cease! I have begun to make\r\nthee suffer, since the day repentance took hold on thee.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(8) Then Gobryas brought back the words of the king to Cyrus, and Cyrus\r\nled his army off, and then he summoned Gobryas and said to him:\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"Surely you told me that you thought the man who was made an eunuch by\r\nthe king would be upon our side?\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"And I am sure he will,\" answered Gobryas, \"for we have spoken freely to\r\neach other many a time, he and I.\" (9) \"Then,\" said Cyrus, \"you must go\r\nto him when you think the right moment has come: and you must so act at\r\nfirst that only he and you may know what he intends, and when you are\r\ncloseted with him, if you find he really wishes to be a friend, you\r\nmust contrive that his friendship remain a secret: for in war a man can\r\nscarcely do his friends more good than by a semblance of hostility, or\r\nhis enemies more harm than under the guise of friendship.\" (10) \"Aye,\"\r\nanswered Gobryas, \"and I know that Gadatas would pay a great price to\r\npunish the king of Assyria. But it is for us to consider what he can\r\nbest do.\" (11) \"Tell me now,\" rejoined Cyrus, \"you spoke of an outpost,\r\nbuilt against the Hyrcanians and the Sakians, which was to protect\r\nAssyria in time of war,—could the eunuch be admitted there by the\r\ncommandant if he came with a force at his back?\" \"Certainly he could,\"\r\nsaid Gobryas, \"if he were as free from suspicion as he is to-day.\"\r\n(12) \"And free he would be,\" Cyrus went on, \"if I were to attack his\r\nstrongholds as though in earnest, and he were to repel me in force.\r\nI might capture some of his men, and he some of my soldiers, or some\r\nmessengers sent by me to those you say are the enemies of Assyria, and\r\nthese prisoners would let it be known that they were on their way to\r\nfetch an army with scaling-ladders to attack this fortress, and the\r\neunuch, hearing their story, would pretend that he came to warn the\r\ncommandant in time.\" (13) \"Undoubtedly,\" said Gobryas, \"if things went\r\nthus, the commandant would admit him; he would even beg him to stay\r\nthere until you withdrew.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"And then,\" Cyrus continued, \"once inside the walls, he could put the\r\nplace into our hands?\" (14) \"We may suppose so,\" said Gobryas. \"He\r\nwould be there to settle matters within, and you would be redoubling the\r\npressure from without.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"Then be off at once,\" said Cyrus, \"and do your best to teach him his\r\npart, and when you have arranged affairs, come back to me; and as for\r\npledges of good faith, you could offer him none better than those you\r\nreceived from us yourself.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(15) Then Gobryas made haste and was gone, and the eunuch welcomed\r\nhim gladly; he agreed to everything and helped to arrange all that was\r\nneeded. Presently Gobryas brought back word that he thought the eunuch\r\nhad everything in readiness, and so, without more ado, Cyrus made his\r\nfeigned attack on the following day, and was beaten off. (16) But on\r\nthe other hand there was a fortress, indicated by Gadatas himself, that\r\nCyrus took. The messengers Cyrus had sent out, telling them exactly\r\nwhere to go, fell into the hands of Gadatas: some were allowed\r\nto escape—their business was to fetch the troops and carry the\r\nscaling-ladders—but the rest were narrowly examined in the presence of\r\nmany witnesses, and when Gadatas heard the object of their journey he\r\ngot his equipment together and set out in the night at full speed\r\nto take the news. (17) In the end he made his way into the fortress,\r\ntrusted and welcomed as a deliverer, and for a time he helped the\r\ncommandant to the best of his ability. But as soon as Cyrus appeared he\r\nseized the place, aided by the Persian prisoners he had taken. (18) This\r\ndone, and having set things in order within the fortress, Gadatas went\r\nout to Cyrus, bowed before him according to the custom of his land, and\r\nsaid, \"Cyrus, may joy be yours!\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(19) \"Joy is mine already,\" answered he, \"for you, God helping you, have\r\nbrought it to me. You must know,\" he added, \"that I set great store by\r\nthis fortress, and rejoice to leave it in the hands of my allies here.\r\nAnd for yourself, Gadatas,\" he added, \"if the Assyrian has robbed you of\r\nthe ability to beget children, remember he has not stolen your power to\r\nwin friends; you have made us yours, I tell you, by this deed, and we\r\nwill stand by as faithfully as sons and grandsons of your own.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(20) So Cyrus spoke. And at that instant the Hyrcanian chief, who had\r\nonly just learnt what had happened, came running up to him, and seizing\r\nhim by the hand cried out:\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"O Cyrus, you godsend to your friends! How often you make me thank the\r\ngods for bringing me to you!\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(21) \"Off with you, then,\" said Cyrus, \"and occupy this fortress for\r\nwhich you bless me so. Take it and make the best use of it you can, for\r\nyour own nation, and for all our allies, and above all for Gadatas, our\r\nfriend, who won it and surrenders it to us.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(22) \"Then,\" said the chieftain, \"as soon as the Cadousians arrive and\r\nthe Sakians and my countrymen, we must, must we not? call a council of\r\nthem all, so that we may consult together, and see how best to turn it\r\nto account.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(23) Cyrus thought the proposal good, and when they met together it was\r\ndecided to garrison the post with a common force, chosen from all who\r\nwere concerned that it should remain friendly and be an outer balwark to\r\noverawe the Assyrians. (24) This heightened the enthusiasm of them all,\r\nCadousians, Sakians, and Hyrcanians, and their levies rose high, until\r\nthe Cadousians sent in 20,000 light infantry and 4000 cavalry, and\r\nthe Sakians 11,000 bowmen, 10,000 on foot and 1000 mounted, while the\r\nHyrcanians were free to despatch all their reserves of infantry and make\r\nup their horsemen to a couple of thousand strong, whereas previously\r\nthe larger portion of their cavalry had been left at home to support the\r\nCadousians and Sakians against Assyria.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(25) And while Cyrus was kept in the fortress, organising and arranging\r\neverything, many of the Assyrians from the country round brought in\r\ntheir horses and handed over their arms, being by this time in great\r\ndread of their neighbours.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(26) Soon after this Gadatas came to Cyrus and told him that messengers\r\nhad come to say that the king of Assyria, learning what had happened to\r\nthe fortress, was beside himself with anger, and was preparing to attack\r\nhis territory. \"If you, Cyrus,\" said he, \"will let me go now, I will try\r\nto save my fortresses: the rest is of less account.\" (27) Cyrus said,\r\n\"If you go now, when will you reach home?\" And Gadatas answered, \"On the\r\nthird day from this I can sup in my own house.\" \"Do you think,\" asked\r\nCyrus, \"that you will find the Assyrian already there?\" \"I am sure of\r\nit,\" he answered, \"for he will make haste while he thinks you are still\r\nfar off.\" (28) \"And I,\" said Cyrus, \"when could I be there with my\r\narmy?\" But to this Gadatas made answer, \"The army you have now, my lord,\r\nis very large, and you could not reach my home in less than six days or\r\nseven.\" \"Well,\" Cyrus replied, \"be off yourself: make all speed, and I\r\nwill follow as best I can.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(29) So Gadatas was gone, and Cyrus called together all the officers of\r\nthe allies, and a great and goodly company they seemed, noble gentlemen,\r\nbeautiful and brave. And Cyrus stood up among them all and said:\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(30) \"My allies and my friends, Gadatas has done deeds that we all feel\r\nworthy of high reward, and that too before ever he had received any\r\nbenefit from us. The Assyrians, we hear, have now invaded his territory,\r\nto take vengeance for the monstrous injury they consider he has done\r\nthem, and moreover, they doubtless argue that if those who revolt to us\r\nescape scot-free, while those who stand by them are cut to pieces, ere\r\nlong they will not have a single supporter on their side. (31) To-day,\r\ngentlemen, we may do a gallant deed, if we rescue Gadatas, our friend\r\nand benefactor; and truly it is only just and right thus to repay\r\ngift for gift, and boon for boon. Moreover, as it seems to me, what we\r\naccomplish will be much to our own interest. (32) If all men see that we\r\nare ready to give blow for blow and sting for sting, while we outdo our\r\nbenefactors in generous deeds, it is only natural that multitudes will\r\nlong to be our friends, and no man care to be our foe. (33) Whereas, if\r\nit be thought that we left Gadatas in the lurch, how in heaven\u0027s name\r\nshall we persuade another to show us any kindness? How shall we dare to\r\nthink well of ourselves again? How shall one of us look Gadatas in\r\nthe face, when all of us, so many and so strong, showed ourselves less\r\ngenerous than he, one single man and in so sore a plight?\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(34) Thus Cyrus spoke, and all of them assented right willingly, and\r\nsaid it must be done.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"Come then,\" concluded Cyrus, \"since you are all of one mind with me,\r\nlet each of us choose an escort for our waggons and beasts of burden.\r\n(35) Let us leave them behind us, and put Gobryas at their head. He is\r\nacquainted with the roads, and for the rest he is a man of skill. But we\r\nourselves will push on with our stoutest men and our strongest horses,\r\ntaking provision for three days and no more: the lighter and cheaper\r\nour gear the more gaily shall we break our fast and take our supper and\r\nsleep on the road. (36) And now,\" said he, \"let us arrange the order\r\nof the march. You, Chrysantas, must lead the van with your cuirassiers,\r\nsince the road is broad and smooth, and you must put your brigadiers\r\nin the first line, each regiment marching in file, for if we keep close\r\norder we shall travel all the quicker and be all the safer. (37) I put\r\nthe cuirassiers in the front,\" he added, \"because they are our heaviest\r\ntroops, and if the heaviest are leading, the lighter cannot find it hard\r\nto follow: whereas where the swiftest lead and the march is at night,\r\nit is no wonder if the column fall to pieces: the vanguard is always\r\nrunning away. (38) And behind the cuirassiers,\" he went on, \"Artabazas\r\nis to follow with the Persian targeteers and the bowmen, and behind\r\nthem Andamyas the Mede with the Median infantry, and then Embas and\r\nthe Armenian infantry, and then Artouchas with the Hyrcanians, and\r\nthen Thambradas with the Sakian foot, and finally Datamas with the\r\nCadousians. (39) All these officers will put their brigadiers in the\r\nfirst line, their targeteers on the right, and their bowmen on the left\r\nof their own squares: this is the order in which they will be of most\r\nuse. (40) All the baggage-bearers are to follow in the rear: and their\r\nofficers must see that they get everything together before they sleep,\r\nand present themselves betimes in the morning, with all their gear,\r\nand always keep good order on the march. (41) In support of the\r\nbaggage-train,\" he added, \"there will be, first, Madatas the Persian\r\nwith the Persian cavalry, and he too must put his brigadiers in the\r\nfront, each regiment following in single file, as with the infantry.\r\n(42) Behind them Rambacas the Mede and his cavalry, in the same order,\r\nand then you, Tigranes, and yours, and after you the other cavalry\r\nleaders with the men they brought. The Sakians will follow you, and last\r\nof all will come the Cadousians, who were the last to join us, and\r\nyou, Alkeunas, who are to command them, for the present you will take\r\ncomplete control of the rear, and allow no one to fall behind your men.\r\n(43) All of you alike, officers, and all who respect yourselves, must be\r\nmost careful to march in silence. At night the ears, and not the eyes,\r\nare the channels of information and the guides for action, and at night\r\nany confusion is a far more serious matter than by day, and far more\r\ndifficult to put right. For this reason silence must be studied and\r\norder absolutely maintained. (44) Whenever you mean to rise before\r\ndaybreak, you must make the night-watches as short and as numerous as\r\npossible, so that no one may suffer on the march because of his long\r\nvigil before it; and when the hour for the start arrives the horn must\r\nbe blown. (45) Gentlemen, I expect you all to present yourselves on\r\nthe road to Babylon with everything you require, and as each detachment\r\nstarts, let them pass down the word for those in the rear to follow.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(46) So the officers went to their quarters, and as they went they\r\ntalked of Cyrus, and what a marvellous memory he had, always naming\r\neach officer as he assigned him his post. (47) The fact was Cyrus took\r\nspecial pains over this: it struck him as odd that a mere mechanic could\r\nknow the names of all his tools, and a physician the names of all his\r\ninstruments, but a general be such a simpleton that he could not name\r\nhis own officers, the very tools he had to depend on each time he wanted\r\nto seize a point or fortify a post or infuse courage or inspire terror.\r\nMoreover it seemed to him only courteous to address a man by name when\r\nhe wished to honour him. (48) And he was sure that the man who feels he\r\nis personally known to his commander is more eager to be seen performing\r\nsome noble feat of arms, and more careful to refrain from all that is\r\nunseemly and base. (49) Cyrus thought it would be quite foolish for him\r\nto give his orders in the style of certain householders: \"Somebody fetch\r\nthe water, some one split the wood.\" (50) After a command of that kind,\r\nevery one looks at every one else, and no one carries it out, every one\r\nis to blame, and no one is ashamed or afraid, because there are so many\r\nbeside himself. Therefore Cyrus always named the officers whenever he\r\ngave an order.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(51) That, then, was his view of the matter. The army now took supper\r\nand posted their guards and got their necessaries together and went to\r\nrest. (52) And at midnight the horn was blown. Cyrus had told Chrysantas\r\nhe would wait for him at a point on the road in advance of the troops,\r\nand therefore he went on in front himself with his own staff, and\r\nwaited till Chrysantas appeared shortly afterwards at the head of his\r\ncuirassiers. (53) Then Cyrus put the guides under his command, and told\r\nhim to march on, but to go slowly until he received a message, for all\r\nthe troops were not yet on the road. This done, Cyrus took his stand on\r\nthe line of march, and as each division came up, hurried it forward to\r\nits place, sending messengers meanwhile to summon those who were still\r\nbehind. (54) When all had started, he despatched gallopers to Chrysantas\r\nto tell him that the whole army was now under way, and that he might\r\nlead on as quick as he could. (55) Then he galloped to the front\r\nhimself, reined up, and quietly watched the ranks defile before him.\r\nWhenever a division advanced silently and in good order, he would ride\r\nup and ask their names and pay them compliments; and if he saw any sign\r\nof confusion he would inquire the reason and restore tranquillity. (56)\r\nOne point remains to add in describing his care that night; he sent\r\nforward a small but picked body of infantry, active fellows all of them,\r\nin advance of the whole army. They were to keep Chrysantas in sight, and\r\nhe was not to lose sight of them; they were to use their ears and all\r\ntheir wits, and report at once to Chrysantas if they thought there\r\nwas any need. They had an officer to direct their movements, announce\r\nanything of importance, and not trouble about trifles.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(57) Thus they pressed forward through the night, and when day broke\r\nCyrus ordered the mass of the cavalry to the front, the Cadousians alone\r\nremaining with their own infantry, who brought up the rear, and who\r\nwere as much in need as others of cavalry support. But the rest of the\r\nhorsemen he sent ahead because it was ahead that the enemy lay, and in\r\ncase of resistance he was anxious to oppose them in battle-order, while\r\nif they fled he wished no time to be lost in following up the pursuit.\r\n(58) It was always arranged who were to give chase and who were to stay\r\nwith himself: he never allowed the whole army to be broken up. (59) Thus\r\nCyrus conducted the advance, but it is not to be thought that he kept\r\nto one particular spot; he was always galloping backwards and forwards,\r\nfirst at one point and then at another, supervising everything and\r\nsupplying any defect as it arose. Thus Cyrus and his men marched\r\nforward.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(C.4) Now there was a certain officer in the cavalry with Gadatas, a man\r\nof power and influence, who, when he saw that his master had revolted\r\nfrom Assyria, thought to himself, \"If anything should happen to him, I\r\nmyself could get from the king all that he possessed.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nAccordingly he sent forward a man he could trust, with instructions\r\nthat, if he found the Assyrian army already in the territory of Gadatas,\r\nhe was to tell the king that he could capture Gadatas and all who were\r\nwith him, if he thought fit to make an ambuscade. (2) And the messenger\r\nwas also to say what force Gadatas had at his command and to announce\r\nthat Cyrus was not with him. Moreover, the officer stated the road by\r\nwhich Gadatas was coming. Finally, to win the greater confidence, he\r\nsent word to his own dependents and bade them deliver up to the king of\r\nAssyria the castle which he himself commanded in the province, with all\r\nthat it contained: he would come himself, he added, if possible, after\r\nhe had slain Gadatas, and, even if he failed in that, he would always\r\nstand by the king.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(3) Now the emissary rode as hard as he could and came before the king\r\nand told his errand, and, hearing it, the king at once took over the\r\ncastle and formed an ambuscade, with a large body of horse and many\r\nchariots, in a dense group of villages that lay upon the road. (4)\r\nGadatas, when he came near the spot, sent scouts ahead to explore,\r\nand the king, as soon as he sighted them, ordered two or three of his\r\nchariots and a handful of horsemen to dash away as though in flight,\r\ngiving the impression that they were few in number and panic-stricken.\r\nAt this the scouting party swept after them, signalling to Gadatas, who\r\nalso fell into the trap and gave himself up to the chase.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nThe Assyrians waited till the quarry was within their grasp and then\r\nsprang out from their ambuscade. (5) The men, with Gadatas, seeing\r\nwhat had happened, turned back and fled, as one might expect, with\r\nthe Assyrians at their heels, while the officer who had planned it all\r\nstabbed Gadatas himself. He struck him in the shoulder, but the blow was\r\nnot mortal. Thereupon the traitor fled to the pursuers, and when\r\nthey found out who he was he galloped on with them, his horse at full\r\nstretch, side by side with the king. (6) Naturally the men with the\r\nslower horses were overtaken by the better mounted, and the fugitives,\r\nalready wearied by their long journey, were at the last extremity when\r\nsuddenly they caught sight of Cyrus advancing at the head of his army,\r\nand were swept into safety, as glad and thankful, we may well believe,\r\nas shipwrecked mariners into port.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(7) The first feeling of Cyrus was sheer astonishment, but he soon saw\r\nhow matters stood. The whole force of the Assyrian cavalry was rolling\r\non him, and he met it with his own army in perfect order, till the\r\nenemy, realising what had happened, turned and fled. Then Cyrus ordered\r\nhis pursuing party to charge, while he followed more slowly at the pace\r\nhe thought the safest. (8) The enemy were utterly routed: many of the\r\nchariots were taken, some had lost their charioteers, others were seized\r\nin the sudden change of front, others surrounded by the Persian cavalry.\r\nRight and left the conquerors cut down their foes, and among them fell\r\nthe officer who had dealt the blow at Gadatas. (9) But of the Assyrian\r\ninfantry, those who were besieging the fortress of Gadatas escaped\r\nto the stronghold that had revolted from him, or managed to reach an\r\nimportant city belonging to the king, where he himself, his horsemen,\r\nand his chariots had taken refuge.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(10) After this exploit Cyrus went on to the territory of Gadatas, and\r\nas soon as he had given orders to those who guarded the prisoners, he\r\nwent himself to visit the eunuch and see how it was with him after his\r\nwound. Gadatas came out to meet him, his wound already bandaged. And\r\nCyrus was gladdened and said, \"I came myself to see how it was with\r\nyou.\" (11) \"And I,\" said Gadatas, \"heaven be my witness, I came out to\r\nsee how a man would look who had a soul like yours. I cannot tell what\r\nneed you had of me, or what promise you ever gave me, to make you do as\r\nyou have done. I had shown you no kindness for your private self: it was\r\nbecause you thought I had been of some little service to your friends,\r\nthat you came to help me thus, and help me you did, from death to life.\r\nLeft to myself I was lost. (12) By heaven above, I swear it, Cyrus, if\r\nI had been a father as I was born to be, God knows whether I could\r\nhave found in the son of my loins so true a friend as you. I know of\r\nsons—this king of ours is such an one, who has caused his own father\r\nten thousand times more trouble than ever he causes you.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(13) And Cyrus made answer:\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"You have overlooked a much more wonderful thing, Gadatas, to turn and\r\nwonder at me.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"Nay,\" said Gadatas, \"what could that be?\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"That all these Persians,\" he answered, \"are so zealous in your behalf,\r\nand all these Medes and Hyrcanians, and every one of our allies,\r\nArmenians, Sakians, Cadousians.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(14) Then Gadatas prayed aloud:\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"O Father Zeus, may the gods heap blessings on them also, but above\r\nall on him who has made them what they are! And now, Cyrus, that I may\r\nentertain as they deserve these men you praise, take the gifts I bring\r\nyou as their host, the best I have it in my power to bring.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nAnd with the word he brought out stores of every kind, enough for all\r\nto over sacrifice who listed; and the whole army was entertained in a\r\nmanner worthy of their feat and their success.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(15) Meanwhile the Cadousians had been always in the rear, unable to\r\nshare in the pursuit, and they longed to achieve some exploit of their\r\nown. So their chieftain, with never a word to Cyrus, led them forth\r\nalone, and raided the country towards Babylon. But, as soon as they\r\nwere scattered the Assyrians came out from their city of refuge in good\r\nbattle-order. (16) When they saw that the Cadousians were unsupported\r\nthey attacked them, killing the leader himself and numbers of his men,\r\ncapturing many of their horses and retaking the spoil they were in the\r\nact of driving away. The king pursued as far as he thought safe, and\r\nthen turned back, and the Cadousians at last found safety in their own\r\ncamp, though even the vanguard only reached it late in the afternoon.\r\n(17) When Cyrus saw what had happened he went out to meet them,\r\nsuccouring every wounded man and sending him off to Gadatas at once, to\r\nhave his wounds dressed, while he helped to house the others in their\r\nquarters, and saw that they had all they needed, his Peers aiding him,\r\nfor at such times noble natures will give help with all their hearts.\r\n(18) Still it was plain to see that he was sorely vexed, and when the\r\nhour for dinner came, and the others went away, he was still there on\r\nthe ground with the attendants and the surgeons; not a soul would he\r\nleave uncared for if anything could be done: he either saw to it himself\r\nor sent for the proper aid.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(19) So for that night they rested. But with daybreak Cyrus sent out\r\na herald and summoned a gathering of all the officers and the whole\r\nCadousian army, and spoke as follows:\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"My friends and allies, what has happened is only natural; for it is\r\nhuman nature to err, and I cannot find it astonishing. Still we may gain\r\nat least one advantage from what has occurred, if we learn that we must\r\nnever cut off from our main body a detachment weaker than the force of\r\nthe enemy. (20) I do not say that one is never to march anywhere, if\r\nnecessary, with an even smaller fraction than the Cadousians had; but,\r\nbefore doing so you must communicate with some one able to bring up\r\nreinforcements, and then, though you may be trapped yourself, it is at\r\nleast probable that your friends behind you may foil the foilers, and\r\ndivert them from your own party: there are fifty ways in which one can\r\nembarrass the enemy and save one\u0027s friends. Thus separation need not\r\nmean isolation, and union with the main force may still be kept, whereas\r\nif you sally forth without telling your plan, you are no better off than\r\nif you were alone in the field. (21) However, God willing, we shall take\r\nour revenge for this ere long; indeed, as soon as you have breakfasted,\r\nI will lead you out to the scene of yesterday\u0027s skirmish, and there we\r\nwill bury those who fell, and show our enemies that the very field where\r\nthey thought themselves victorious is held by those who are stronger\r\nthan they: they shall never look again with joy upon the spot where they\r\nslew our comrades. Or else, if they refuse to come out and meet us, we\r\nwill burn their villages and harry all their land, so that in lieu of\r\nrejoicing at the sight of what they did to us, they shall gnash their\r\nteeth at the spectacle of their own disasters. (22) Go now,\" said\r\nhe, \"the rest of you, and take your breakfast forthwith, but let the\r\nCadousians first elect a leader in accordance with their own laws, and\r\none who will guide them well and wisely, by the grace of God, and with\r\nour human help, if they should need it. And when you have chosen your\r\nleader, and had your breakfast, send him hither to me.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(23) So they did as Cyrus bade them, and when he led the army out, he\r\nstationed their new general close to his own person, and told him to\r\nkeep his detachment there, \"So that you and I,\" said he, \"may rekindle\r\nthe courage in their souls.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nIn this order they marched out, and thus they buried the Cadousian dead\r\nand ravaged the country. Which done, they went back to the province of\r\nGadatas, laden with supplies taken from the foe.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(24) Now Cyrus felt that those who had come over to his side and who\r\ndwelt in the neighbourhood of Babylon would be sure to suffer unless he\r\nwere constantly there himself, and so he bade all the prisoners he set\r\nfree take a message to the king, and he himself despatched a herald\r\nto say that he would leave all the tillers of the soil unmolested and\r\nunhurt if the Assyrian would let those who had come over to him continue\r\ntheir work in peace. (25) \"And remember,\" he added, \"that even if you\r\ntry to hinder my friends, it is only a few whom you could stop, whereas\r\nthere is a vast territory of yours that I could allow to be cultivated.\r\nAs for the crops,\" he added, \"if we have war, it will be the conqueror,\r\nI make no doubt, who will reap them, but if we have peace, it will be\r\nyou. If, however, any of my people take up arms against you, or any of\r\nyours against me, we must, of course, each of us, defend ourselves as\r\nbest we can.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(26) With this message Cyrus despatched the herald, and when the\r\nAssyrians heard it, they urged the king to accept the proposal, and so\r\nlimit the war as much as possible. (27) And he, whether influenced by\r\nhis own people or because he desired it himself, consented to the terms.\r\nSo an agreement was drawn up, proclaiming peace to the tillers of the\r\nsoil and war to all who carried arms.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(28) Thus Cyrus arranged matters for the husbandmen, and he asked his\r\nown supporters among the drovers to bring their herds, if they liked,\r\ninto his dominions and leave them there, while he treated the enemy\u0027s\r\ncattle as booty wherever he could, so that his allies found attraction\r\nin the campaign. For the risk was no greater if they took what they\r\nneeded, while the knowledge that they were living at the enemy\u0027s expense\r\ncertainly seemed to lighten the labour of the war.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(29) When the time came for Cyrus to go back, and the final preparations\r\nwere being made, Gadatas brought him gifts of every kind, the produce\r\nof a vast estate, and among the cattle a drove of horses, taken from\r\ncavalry of his own, whom he distrusted owing to the late conspiracy.\r\n(30) And when he brought them he said, \"Cyrus, this day I give you these\r\nfor your own, and I would pray you to make such use of them as you think\r\nbest, but I would have you remember that all else which I call mine\r\nis yours as well. For there is no son of mine, nor can there ever be,\r\nsprung from my own loins, to whom I may leave my wealth: when I die\r\nmyself, my house must perish with me, my family and my name. (31) And I\r\nmust suffer this, Cyrus, I swear to you by the great gods above us, who\r\nsee all things and hear all things, though never by word or deed did I\r\ncommit injustice or foulness of any kind.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nBut here the words died on his lips; he burst into tears over his\r\nsorrows, and could say no more. (32) Cyrus was touched with pity at his\r\nsuffering and said to him:\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"Let me accept the horses, for in that I can help you, if I set loyal\r\nriders on them, men of a better mind, methinks, than those who had them\r\nbefore, and I myself can satisfy a wish that has long been mine, to\r\nbring my Persian cavalry up to ten thousand men. But take back, I pray\r\nyou, all these other riches, and guard them safely against the time\r\nwhen you may find me able to vie with you in gifts. If I left you now so\r\nhugely in your debt, heaven help me if I could hold up my head again for\r\nvery shame.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(33) Thereto Gadatas made answer, \"In all things I trust you, and will\r\ntrust you, for I see your heart. But consider whether I am competent\r\nto guard all this myself. (34) While I was at peace with the king, the\r\ninheritance I had from my father was, it may be, the fairest in all the\r\nland: it was near that mighty Babylon, and all the good things that can\r\nbe gathered from a great city fell into our laps, and yet from all the\r\ntrouble of it, the noise and the bustle, we could be free at once by\r\nturning our backs and coming home here. But now that we are at war, the\r\nmoment you have left us we are sure to be attacked, ourselves and all\r\nour wealth, and methinks we shall have a sorry life of it, our enemies\r\nat our elbow and far stronger than ourselves. (35) I seem to hear\r\nsome one say, why did you not think of this before you revolted? But I\r\nanswer, Cyrus, because the soul within me was stung beyond endurance by\r\nmy wrongs; I could not sit and ponder the safest course, I was always\r\nbrooding over one idea, always in travail of one dream, praying for\r\nthe day of vengeance on the miscreant, the enemy of God and man, whose\r\nhatred never rested, once aroused, once he suspected a man, not of\r\ndoing wrong, but of being better than himself. (36) And because he is a\r\nvillain, he will always find, I know, worse villains that himself to\r\naid him, but if one day a nobler rival should appear—have no concern,\r\nCyrus, you will never need to do battle with such an one, yonder fiend\r\nwould deal with him and never cease to plot against him until he had\r\ndragged him in the dust, only because he was the better man. And to work\r\nme trouble and disaster, he and his wicked tools will, I fear me, have\r\nstrength enough and to spare.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(37) Cyrus thought there was much in what he said, and he answered\r\nforthwith:\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"Tell me, Gadatas, did we not put a stout garrison in your fortress,\r\nso as to make it safe for you whenever you needed it, and are you not\r\ntaking the field with us now, so that, if the gods be on our side as\r\nthey are to-day, that scoundrel may fear you, not you him? Go now, bring\r\nwith you all you have that is sweet to look on and to love, and then\r\njoin our march: you shall be, I am persuaded, of the utmost service to\r\nme, and I, so far as in me lies, will give you help for help.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(38) When Gadatas heard that, he breathed again, and he said:\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"Could I really be in time to make my preparations and be back before\r\nyou leave? I would fain take my mother with me on the march.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"Assuredly,\" said Cyrus, \"you will be in time: for I will wait until you\r\nsay that all is ready.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(39) So it came to pass that Gadatas went his way, and with the aid of\r\nCyrus put a strong garrison in his fortress, and got together the\r\nwealth of his broad estates. And moreover he brought with him in his own\r\nretinue servants he could trust and in whom he took delight, as well as\r\nmany others in whom he put no trust at all, and these he compelled to\r\nbring their wives with them, and their sisters, that so they might be\r\nbound to his service.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(40) Thus Gadatas went with Cyrus, and Cyrus kept him ever at his side,\r\nto show him the roads and the places for water and fodder and food, and\r\nlead them where there was most abundance.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(41) At last they came in sight of Babylon once more, and it seemed\r\nto Cyrus that the road they were following led under the very walls.\r\nTherefore he summoned Gobryas and Gadatas, and asked them if there was\r\nnot another way, so that he need not pass so close to the ramparts. (42)\r\n\"There are many other ways, my lord,\" answered Gobryas, \"but I thought\r\nyou would certainly want to pass as near the city as possible, and\r\ndisplay the size and splendour of your army to the king. I knew that\r\nwhen your force was weaker you advanced to his walls, and let him\r\nsee us, few as we were, and I am persuaded that if he has made any\r\npreparation for battle now, as he said he would, when he sees the\r\npower you have brought with you, he will think once more that he is\r\nunprepared.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(435) But Cyrus said:\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"Does it seem strange to you, Gobryas, that when I had a far smaller\r\narmy I took it right up to the enemy\u0027s walls, and to-day when my force\r\nis greater I will not venture there? (44) You need not think it strange:\r\nto march up is not the same as to march past. Every leader will march up\r\nwith his troops disposed in the best order for battle and a wise leader\r\nwill draw them off so as to secure safety rather than sped. (45) But\r\nin marching past there is no means of avoiding long straggling lines of\r\nwaggons, long strings of baggage-bearers, and all these must be screened\r\nby the fighting-force so as never to leave the baggage unprotected. (46)\r\nBut this must mean a thin weak order for the fighting-men, and if the\r\nenemy choose to attack at any point with their full force, they can\r\nstrike with far more weight than any of the troops available to meet\r\nthem at the moment. (47) Again, the length of line means a long delay in\r\nbringing up relief, whereas the enemy have only a handsbreadth to cover\r\nas they rush out from the walls or retire. (48) But now, if we leave\r\na distance between ourselves and them as wide as our line is long,\r\nnot only with they realise our numbers plainly enough, but our veil of\r\nglittering armour will make the whole multitude more formidable in\r\ntheir eyes. (49) And, if they do attack us anywhere, we shall be able to\r\nforesee their advance a long way off and be quite prepared to give them\r\nwelcome. But it is far more likely, gentlemen,\" he added, \"that they\r\nwill not make the attempt, with all that ground to cover from the walls,\r\nunless they imagine that their whole force is superior to the whole of\r\nours: they know that retreat will be difficult and dangerous.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(50) So Cyrus spoke, and his listeners felt that he was right, and\r\nGobryas led the army by the way that he advised. And as one detachment\r\nafter another passed the city, Cyrus strengthened the protection for the\r\nrear and so withdrew in safety.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(51) Marching in this order, he came back at last to his first\r\nstarting-point, on the frontier between Assyria and Media. Here he dealt\r\nwith three Assyrian fortresses: one, the weakest, he attacked and took\r\nby force, while the garrisons of the other two, what with the eloquence\r\nof Gadatas and the terror inspired by Cyrus, were persuaded to\r\nsurrender.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(C.5) And now that his expedition was completed, Cyrus sent to Cyaxares\r\nand urged him to come to the camp in order that they might decide best\r\nhow to use the forts which they had taken, and perhaps Cyaxares, after\r\nreviewing the army, would advise him what the next move ought to be, or,\r\nCyrus added to the messenger, \"if he bids me, say I will come to him\r\nand take up my encampment there.\" (2) So the emissary went off with the\r\nmessage, and meanwhile Cyrus gave orders that the Assyrian tent chosen\r\nfor Cyaxares should be furnished as splendidly as possible, and the\r\nwoman brought to her apartment there, and the two singing-girls also,\r\nwhom they had set aside for him.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(3) And while they were busied with these things the envoy went to\r\nCyaxares and delivered his message, and Cyaxares listened and decided\r\nit was best for Cyrus and his men to stay on the frontier. The Persians\r\nwhom Cyrus had sent for had already arrived, forty thousand bowmen and\r\ntargeteers. (4) To watch these eating up the land was bad enough, and\r\nCyaxares thought he would rather be quit of one horde before he received\r\nanother. On his side the officer in command of the Persian levy,\r\nfollowing the instructions from Cyrus, asked Cyaxares if he had any need\r\nof the men, and Cyaxares said he had not. Thereupon, and hearing that\r\nCyrus had arrived, the Persian put himself at the head of his troops and\r\nwent off at once to join him. (5) Cyaxares himself waited till the next\r\nday and then set out with the Median troopers who had stayed behind. And\r\nwhen Cyrus knew of his approach he took his Persian cavalry, who were\r\nnow a large body of men, and all the Medes, Hyrcanians, and Armenians,\r\nand the best-mounted and best-armed among the rest, and so went out to\r\nmeet Cyaxares and show the power he had won. (6) But when Cyaxares saw\r\nso large a following of gallant gentlemen with Cyrus, and with\r\nhimself so small and mean a retinue, it seemed to him an insult, and\r\nmortification filled his heart. And when Cyrus sprang from his horse\r\nand came up to give him the kiss of greeting, Cyaxares, though he\r\ndismounted, turned away his head and gave him no kiss, while the tears\r\ncame into his eyes. (7) Whereupon Cyrus told the others to stand aside\r\nand rest, and then he took Cyaxares by the hand and led him apart under\r\na grove of palm-trees, and bade the attendants spread Median carpets for\r\nthem, and made Cyaxares sit down, and then, seating himself beside him,\r\nhe said:\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(8) \"Uncle of mine, tell me, in heaven\u0027s name, I implore you, why are\r\nyou angry with me? What bitter sight have you seen to make you feel such\r\nbitterness?\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nAnd then Cyaxares answered:\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"Listen, Cyrus; I have been reputed royal and of royal lineage as far\r\nback as the memory of man can go; my father was a king and a king I\r\nmyself was thought to be; and now I see myself riding here, meanly\r\nand miserably attended, while you come before me in splendour and\r\nmagnificence, followed by the retinue that once was mine and all your\r\nother forces. (9) That would be bitter enough, methinks, from the hand\r\nof an enemy, but—O gods above us!—how much more bitter at the hands of\r\nthose from whom we least deserve it! Far rather would I be swallowed in\r\nthe earth than live to be seen so low, aye, and to see my own kinsfolk\r\nturn against me and make a mock of me. And well I know,\" said he, \"that\r\nnot only you but my own slaves are now stronger and greater than myself:\r\nthey come out equipt to do me far more mischief than ever I could\r\nrepay.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(10) But here he stopped, overcome by a passion of weeping, so much so\r\nthat for very pity Cyrus\u0027 own eyes filled with tears. There was silence\r\nbetween them for a while, and then Cyrus said:\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"Nay, Cyaxares, what you say is not true, and what you think is not\r\nright, if you imagine that because I am here, your Medes have been\r\nequipt to do you any harm. (11) I do not wonder that you are pained, and\r\nI will not ask if you have cause or not for your anger against them:\r\nyou will ill brook apologies for them from me. Only it seems to me a\r\ngrievous error in a ruler to quarrel with all his subjects at once.\r\nWidespread terror must needs be followed by widespread hate: anger with\r\nall creates unity among all. (12) It was for this reason, take my word\r\nfor it, that I would not send them back to you without myself, fearing\r\nthat your wrath might be the cause of what would injure all of us.\r\nThrough my presence here and by the blessing of heaven, all is safe for\r\nyou: but that you should regard yourself as wronged by me,—I cannot but\r\nfeel it bitter, when I am doing all in my power to help my friends, to\r\nbe accused of plotting against them. (13) However,\" he continued, \"let\r\nus not accuse each other in this useless way; if possible, let us see\r\nexactly in what I have offended. And as between friend and friend, I\r\nwill lay down the only rule that is just and fair: if I can be shown to\r\nhave done you harm, I will confess I am to blame, but if it appears that\r\nI have never injured you, not even in thought, will you not acquit me of\r\nall injustice towards you?\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"Needs must I,\" answered Cyaxares.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(14) \"And if I can show that I have done you service, and been zealous\r\nin your cause to the utmost of my power, may I not claim, instead of\r\nrebuke, some little meed of praise?\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"That were only fair,\" said Cyaxares.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(15) \"Then,\" said Cyrus, \"let us go through all I have done, point by\r\npoint, and see what is good in it and what is evil. (16) Let us begin\r\nfrom the time when I assumed my generalship, if that is early enough.\r\nI think I am right in saying that it was because you saw your enemies\r\ngathering together against you, and ready to sweep over your land and\r\nyou, that you sent to Persia asking for help, and to me in private,\r\npraying me to come, if I could, myself, at the head of any forces they\r\nmight send. Was I not obedient to your word? Did I not come myself with\r\nthe best and bravest I could bring?\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(17) \"You did indeed,\" answered Cyaxares.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"Tell me, then, before we go further, did you see any wrong in this? Was\r\nit not rather a service and a kindly act?\" \"Certainly,\" said Cyaxares,\r\n\"so far as that went, I saw nothing but kindliness.\" (18) \"Well, after\r\nthe enemy had come, and we had to fight the matter out, did you ever see\r\nme shrink from toil or try to escape from danger?\" \"That I never did,\"\r\nsaid Cyaxares, \"quite the contrary.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(19) \"And afterwards, when, through the help of heaven, victory was\r\nours, and the enemy retreated, and I implored you to let us pursue them\r\ntogether, take vengeance on them together, win together the fruits\r\nof any gallant exploit we might achieve, can you accuse me then of\r\nself-seeking or self-aggrandisement?\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(20) But at that Cyaxares was silent. Then Cyrus spoke again. \"If you\r\nwould rather not reply to that, tell me if you thought yourself injured\r\nbecause, when you considered pursuit unsafe, I relieved you of the risk,\r\nand only begged you to lend me some of your cavalry? If my offence lay\r\nin asking for that, when I had already offered to work with you, side by\r\nside, you must prove it to me; and it will need some eloquence.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(21) He paused, but Cyaxares still kept silence. \"Nay,\" said Cyrus, \"if\r\nyou will not answer that either, tell me at least if my offence lay in\r\nwhat followed, when you said that you did not care to stop your Medes in\r\ntheir merry-making and drive them out into danger, do you think it was\r\nwrong in me, without waiting to quarrel on that score, to ask you for\r\nwhat I knew was the lightest boon you could grant and the lightest\r\ncommand you could lay on your soldiers? For I only asked that he who\r\nwished it might be allowed to follow me. (22) And thus, when I had\r\nwon your permission, I had won nothing, unless I could win them too.\r\nTherefore I went and tried persuasion, and some listened to me, and with\r\nthese I set off on my march, holding my commission from your own self.\r\nSo that, if you look on this act as blameworthy, it would seem that not\r\neven the acceptance of your own gifts can be free from blame. (23) It\r\nwas thus we started, and after we had gone, was there, I ask you, a\r\nsingle deed of mine that was not done in the light of day? Has not the\r\nenemy\u0027s camp been taken? Have not hundreds of your assailants fallen?\r\nAnd hundreds been deprived of their horses and their arms? Is not the\r\nspoiler spoiled? The cattle and the goods of those who harried your land\r\nare now in the hands of your friends, they are brought to you, or to\r\nyour subjects. (24) And, above all and beyond all, you see your own\r\ncountry growing great and powerful and the land of your enemy brought\r\nlow. Strongholds of his are in your power, and your own that were torn\r\nfrom you in other days by the Syrian domination are now restored to you\r\nagain. I cannot say I should be glad to learn that any of these things\r\ncan be bad for you, or short of good, but I am ready to listen, if so it\r\nis. (25) Speak, tell me your judgment of it all.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nThen Cyrus paused, and Cyaxares made answer:\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"To call what you have done evil, Cyrus, is impossible. But your\r\nbenefits are of such a kind that the more they multiply upon me, the\r\nheavier burden do they bring. (26) I would far rather,\" he went on,\r\n\"have made your country great by own power than see mine exalted in this\r\nway by you. These deeds of yours are a crown of glory to you; but they\r\nbring dishonour to me. (27) And for the wealth, I would rather have made\r\nlargess of it to yourself than receive it at your hands in the way\r\nyou give it now. Goods so gotten only leave me the poorer. And for my\r\nsubjects—I think I would have suffered less if you had injured them\r\na little than I suffer now when I see how much they owe you. (28)\r\nPerhaps,\" he added, \"you find it inhuman of me to feel thus, but I would\r\nask you to forget me and imagine that you are in my place and see how it\r\nwould appear to you then. Suppose a friend of yours were to take care of\r\nyour dogs, dogs that you bred up to guard yourself and your house, such\r\ncare that he made them fonder of him than of yourself, would you be\r\npleased with him for his attention? (29) Or take another instance, if\r\nthat one seems too slight: suppose a friend of yours were to do so much\r\nfor your own followers, men you kept to guard you and to fight for\r\nyou, that they would rather serve in his train than yours, would you be\r\ngrateful to him for his kindness? (30) Or let me take the tenderest of\r\nhuman ties: suppose a friend of yours paid court to the wife of your\r\nbosom so that in the end he made her love him more than yourself, would\r\nhe rejoice your heart by his courtesy? Far from it, I trow; he who did\r\nthis, you would say, did you the greatest wrong in all the world. (31)\r\nAnd now, to come nearest to my own case, suppose some one paid such\r\nattention to your Persians that they learnt to follow him instead of\r\nyou, would you reckon that man your friend? No; but a worse enemy\r\nthan if he had slain a thousand. (32) Or again, say you spoke in all\r\nfriendship to a friend and bade him take what he wished, and straightway\r\nhe took all he could lay hands on and carried it off, and so grew rich\r\nwith your wealth, and you were left in utter poverty, could you say that\r\nfriend was altogether blameless? (33) And I, Cyrus, I feel that you have\r\ntreated me, if not in that way, yet in a way exactly like it. What you\r\nsay is true enough: I did allow you to take what you liked and go, and\r\nyou took the whole of my power and went, leaving me desolate, and to-day\r\nyou bring the spoil you have won with my forces, and lay it so grandly\r\nat my feet—magnificent! And you make my country great through the help\r\nof my own might, while I have no part or lot in the performance, but\r\nmust step in at the end, like a woman, to receive your favours, while in\r\nthe eyes of all men, not least my faithful subjects yonder, you are the\r\nman, and I—I am not fit to wear a crown. (34) Are these, I ask you,\r\nCyrus, are these the deeds of a benefactor? Nay, had you been kind as\r\nyou are kin, above all else you would have been careful not to rob me\r\nof my dignity and honour. What advantage is it to me for my lands to be\r\nmade broad if I myself am dishonoured? When I ruled the Medes, I ruled\r\nthem not because I was stronger than all of them, but because they\r\nthemselves thought that our race was in all things better than theirs.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(35) But while he was still speaking Cyrus broke in on his words,\r\ncrying:\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"Uncle of mine, by the heaven above us, if I have ever shown you any\r\nkindness, be kind to me now. Do not find fault with me any more, wait,\r\nand put me to the test, and learn how I feel towards you, and if you see\r\nthat what I have done has really brought you good, then, when I embrace\r\nyou, embrace me in return and call me your benefactor, and if not, you\r\nmay blame me as you please.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(36) \"Perhaps,\" answered Cyaxares, \"you are right. I will do as you\r\nwish.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"Then I may kiss you?\" said Cyrus.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"Yes, if it pleases you. \"And you will not turn aside as you did just\r\nnow?\" \"No, I will not turn aside.\" And he kissed him.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(37) And when the Medes saw it and the Persians and all the allies—for\r\nall were watching to see how matters would shape—joy came into their\r\nhearts and gladness lit up their faces. Then Cyrus and Cyaxares mounted\r\ntheir horses and rode back, and the Medes fell in behind Cyaxares, at\r\na nod from Cyrus, and behind Cyrus the Persians, and the others behind\r\nthem. (38) And when they reached the camp and brought Cyaxares to the\r\nsplendid tent, those who were appointed made everything ready for him,\r\nand while he was waiting for the banquet his Medes presented themselves,\r\nsome of their own accord, it is true, but most were sent by Cyrus.\r\n(39) And they brought him gifts; one came with a beautiful cup-bearer,\r\nanother with an admirable cook, a third with a baker, a fourth with a\r\nmusician, while others brought cups and goblets and beautiful apparel;\r\nalmost every one gave something out of the spoils they had won. (40) So\r\nthat the mood of Cyaxares changed, and he seemed to see that Cyrus had\r\nnot stolen his subjects from him, and that they made no less account of\r\nhim than they used to do.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(41) Now when the hour came for the banquet, Cyaxares sent to Cyrus and\r\nbegged him to share it: it was so long, he said, since they had met.\r\nBut Cyrus answered, \"Bid me not to the feast, good uncle. Do you not see\r\nthat all these soldiers of ours have been raised by us to the pitch of\r\nexpectation? And it were ill on my part if I seemed to neglect them for\r\nthe sake of my private pleasure. If soldiers feel themselves neglected\r\neven the good become faint-hearted, and the bad grow insolent. (42) With\r\nyourself it is different, you have come a long journey and you must fall\r\nto without delay, and if your subjects do you honour, welcome them and\r\ngive them good cheer, that there may be confidence between you and them,\r\nbut I must go and attend to the matters of which I speak. (43)\r\nEarly to-morrow morning,\" he added, \"our chief officers will present\r\nthemselves at your gate to hear from you what you think our next step\r\nought to be. You will tell us whether we ought to pursue the campaign\r\nfurther or whether the time has now come to disband our army.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(44) Thereupon Cyaxares betook himself to the banquet and Cyrus called\r\na council of his friends, the shrewdest and the best fitted to act with\r\nhim, and spoke to them as follows:\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"My friends, thanks to the gods, our first prayers are granted. Wherever\r\nwe set foot now we are the masters of the country: we see our enemies\r\nbrought low and ourselves increasing day by day in numbers and in\r\nstrength. (45) And if only our present allies would consent to stay with\r\nus a little longer, our achievements could be greater still, whether\r\nforce were needed or persuasion. Now it must be your work as much as\r\nmine to make as many of them as possible willing and anxious to remain.\r\n(46) Remember that, just as the soldier who overthrows the greatest\r\nnumber in the day of battle is held to be the bravest, so the speaker,\r\nwhen the time has come for persuasion, who brings most men to his side\r\nwill be thought the most eloquent, the best orator and the ablest man of\r\naction. (47) Do not, however, prepare your speeches as though we asked\r\nyou to give a rhetorical display: remember that those whom you convince\r\nwill show it well enough by what they do. (48) I leave you then,\" he\r\nadded, \"to the careful study of your parts: mine is to see, so far as in\r\nme lies, that our troops are provided with all they need, before we hold\r\nthe council of war.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cpre\u003e NOTES\r\n\u003c/pre\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC.1. Cyrus\u0027 generosity: he is not cold, not incapable of soft pleasure,\r\nbut too pre-occupied with greater things. On the whole, if a hedonist,\r\nthis type of man, a hedonist that = a stoic (cf. Socrates, H. Sidgwick,\r\nalso J. P.).\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC1.4, init. Well told: we feel the character of Araspas at once, as soon\r\nas he opens his lips.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC1.4, med. An Eastern picture. She is one of the Bible women, as Gadatas\r\nand Gobryas are brothers of Barzillai; she is sister of Ruth or Susanna\r\nor Judith or Bathsheba. Perhaps she is nobler than any of them. She\r\nis also the sister of the Greek tragedy women, Antigone, Alcestis;\r\nespecially Euripidean is she: no doubt she is sister to the great women\r\nof all lands.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC1.10 ff. Xenophon, Moralist. Cf. \u003ci\u003eMemorabilia\u003c/i\u003e for a similar\r\nphilosophical difficulty about the will and knowledge. And for this\r\nraising of ethical problems in an artistic setting of narrative, cf.\r\nLyly. I see a certain resemblance between the times and the writers\u0027\r\nminds. \u003ci\u003eVide\u003c/i\u003e J. A. Symonds on the predecessors of Shakespeare.\r\nAraspas\u0027 point is that these scamps have only themselves to blame, being\r\n{akrateis}, and then they turn round and accuse love. (We are thrown\r\nback on the origin of {akrasia}: \u003ci\u003evide Memorabilia\u003c/i\u003e (e.g. I. ii. v.; IV.\r\nv.) for such answer as we can get to that question.) Whereas the {kaloi\r\nkagathoi} desire strongly but can curb their desires.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC1.13. Shows a confidence in the healthy action of the will. When\r\nAraspas himself is caught later on he develops the theory of a double\r\nself, a higher and a lower (so hgd., and so, I think, Xenophon and\r\nSocrates. \u003ci\u003eVide Memorabilia\u003c/i\u003e).\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC1.16, fin. Cyrus || Socrates, his prototype here.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC1.18. Very natural and beautiful. Xenophon sympathetic with such a\r\nbeautiful humanity. The woman\u0027s nature brought out by these touches.\r\nXenophon, Dramatist: the moral problem is subordinate, that is to say,\r\nis made to grow out of the dramatic action and characterisation.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC1.20. Notice the absolutely fair and warrantable diplomatic advantage\r\ngiven to the archic man: each step he takes opens up new avenues of\r\nprogress. Herein is fulfilled \"to him who hath shall be given,\" but\r\nCyrus plays his part also, he has the wisdom of serpents with the\r\ngentleness of doves.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC1.21. This is the true rhetoric, the right road to persuasiveness, to\r\nbe absolutely frank.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC1.24. The desire to be ruled by the archic man, which the\r\narchomenoi—i.e. all men—feel, is thus manifest. Notice again how the\r\nMede\u0027s own character is maintained: he speaks as he felt then.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC2.8. The bridegroom will be found to be Hystaspas; but we have no\r\nsuspicion as yet, without looking on.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC2.9. In this interview Cyrus\u0027 character still further developed. \u003ci\u003eEx\r\nore Cyri.\u003c/i\u003e, Xenophon propounds his theory of the latent virtue in man,\r\nwhich only needs an opportunity to burst forth, but, this lacking,\r\nremains unrevealed. Now it is a great godsend to get such a chance. It\r\nis thoroughly Hellenic, or Xenophon-Socratic, this feeling, \"Give me\r\na chance to show my virtue.\" (But has Cyrus a touch of superhuman\r\nconscious rectitude?)\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC2.12. The same thought again: it is full of delicacy and spiritual\r\ndiscernment: the more one ponders it the more one feels that.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC2.12, fin. For Hellenic or Xenophontine or old-world theory of the\r\nmisfortunes which befall the virtuous, \u003ci\u003evide\u003c/i\u003e Homer, \u003ci\u003evide\u003c/i\u003e Book of Job\r\n(Satan), \u003ci\u003evide\u003c/i\u003e Tragedians.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC2.15. Cf. the \u003ci\u003eEconomist\u003c/i\u003e for praise of rural simplicity. It is\r\nXenophon \u003ci\u003eipsissimus\u003c/i\u003e.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC2.17. Whose bad manners is Xenophon thinking of? Thebans\u0027?\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC2.20, fin. A very noble sentence. The man who utters it and the people\r\nwhose heart and mind it emanates from must be of a high order; and in\r\nthe \u003ci\u003eMemorabilia\u003c/i\u003e Socrates has this highest praise, that he studied to\r\nmake himself and \u003ci\u003eall others also\u003c/i\u003e as good as possible.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC2.21. Notice the practical answer of Cyrus to this panegyric (cf. J.\r\nP.).\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC2.32. Prolix, Xenophontic.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC3.6 ff. Here also I feel the mind of Xenophon shimmering under\r\nvarious lights. The \u003ci\u003eCyropaedia\u003c/i\u003e is shot with Orientalism. Homeric\r\nEpicism—antique Hellenism and modern Hellenism are both there. Spartan\r\nsimplicity and Eastern quaintness both say their say. In this passage\r\nthe biblical element seems almost audible.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC3.7. This is in the grand style, Oriental, dilatory, ponderous,\r\nsavouring of times when battles were affairs of private arrangement\r\nbetween monarchs and hedged about by all the punctilios of an affair of\r\nhonour.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC3.12. N.B.—The archic man shows a very ready wit and inventiveness in\r\nthe great art of \"grab\" in war, though as he said to his father he was\r\n\"a late learner\" in such matters. Cf. in modern times the duties of a\r\ndetective or some such disagreeable office. G. O. Trevelyan as Irish\r\nsecretary. Interesting for \u003ci\u003ewar ethics\u003c/i\u003e in the abstract, and for\r\nXenophon\u0027s view, which is probably Hellenic. Cyrus now has the\r\nopportunity of carrying out the selfish decalogue, the topsy-turvy\r\nmorality set forth in I. C.6, C.26 ff.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC3.13. Cf. Old Testament for the sort of subterfuges and preparations,\r\ne.g. the Gibeonites.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC3.15. The archic man has no time. Cyrus {ou skholazei}. Cf. J. P. It\r\ncomes from energy combined with high gifts of organisation, economic,\r\narchitectonic.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC3.19. Nice, I think, this contrasting of spiritual and natural\r\nproductiveness.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC3.32. Here is the rule of conduct clearly expressed, nor do I see how a\r\nmilitary age could frame for itself any other. Christianity only emerged\r\n\u003ci\u003esub pace Romana\u003c/i\u003e, which for fraternal brotherhood was the fullness of\r\ntime; and even in the commercial age the nations tumble back practically\r\ninto the old system.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC3.36 ff. An army on forced march: are there any novelties here?\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC3.53. These minute details probably not boring at the time, but\r\ninteresting rather, perhaps useful.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC4.13. Cyrus resembles Fawcett in his unselfish self-estimate. Gadatas\r\nis like the British public, or hgd.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC4.16. Here we feel that the Assyrian is not a mere weakling: he can\r\nplay his part well enough if he gets a good chance. It needs an Archic\r\nand Strategic Man to overpower him.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC4.17. ANCIENT and MODERN parallelism in treatment of wounded.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC4.24. Hellenic war ethics: non-combatant tillers of the soil to be let\r\nalone. Is this a novelty? If not, what is the prototype? Did the modern\r\nrights of non-combatants so originate?\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC4.27, fin. A touch which gives the impression of real history: that is\r\nthe art of it.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC4.34. Almost autobiographical: the advantage of having a country\r\nseat in the neighbourhood of a big town. Here we feel the MODERNISM\r\nof XENOPHON. The passage which Stevenson chose for the motto to his\r\n\u003ci\u003eSilverado Squatters\u003c/i\u003e would suit Xenophon very well (Cicero, De Off. I.\r\nxx.). Xenophon || Alfred Tennyson. (Mr. Dakyns used the geometric sign\r\n|| to indicate parallelism of any sort. The passage from Cicero might\r\nbe translated thus: \"Some have lived in the country, content with the\r\nhappiness of home. These men have enjoyed all that kings could claim,\r\nneeding nothing, under the dominion of no man, untrammelled and in\r\nfreedom; for the free man lives as he chooses.\")\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC4.36. The wicked man as conceived in Hellenico-Xenophontine fashion,\r\ncharged with the spirit of meanness, envy, and hatred, which cannot\r\nbrook the existence of another better than itself.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC4.38. A nice touch: we learn to know Gadatas and Xenophon also, and the\r\nHellenic mind.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC5.10. Pathos well drawn: \u003ci\u003evide\u003c/i\u003e Richard II. and Bolingbroke. Euripidean\r\nquality.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC5.12. The archic man has got so far he can play the part of intercessor\r\nbetween Cyaxares and his Medes. The discussion involves the whole\r\ndifficulty of suppression (\"he must increase, but I must decrease\" is\r\none solution, not touched here).\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC5.34. Perhaps this is the very point which Xenophon, Philosopher,\r\nwishes to bring out, the pseudo-archic man and the archic man\r\ncontrasted, but Xenophon, lover of man and artist, draws the situation\r\nadmirably and truthfully without any doctrinal purpose. It is\r\n{anthropinon} human essentially, this jealousy and humiliation of\r\nspirit.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC5.35. Cyrus\u0027 tone of voice and manner must have some compelling charm\r\nin them: the dialectic debate is not pursued, but by a word and look the\r\narchic man wins his way.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC5.36. Oriental and antique Hellenic, also \u003ci\u003emodern\u003c/i\u003e, formalities. I can\r\nimagine some of those crowned heads, emperors of Germany and Austria,\r\ngoing through similar ceremonies, walking arm-in-arm, kissing on both\r\ncheeks fraternally, etc.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC5.39-40. This reveals the incorrigible weakness of Cyaxares. He can\r\nnever hold his own against the archic man. As a matter of philosophic\r\n\"historising,\" probably Xenophon conceives the Median element as the\r\ncorrupting and sapping one in the Persian empire (\u003ci\u003evide\u003c/i\u003e Epilogue), only\r\nhe to some extent justifies and excuses Cyrus in his imitations of it.\r\nThat is a difficulty.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC5.41. The archic man shows self-command again: his energy somewhat\r\nrelieves ignobler actors of responsibility and so far saps their wills.\r\nHis up-and-doingness a foil to their indolence.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cdiv class=\"pg_body_wrapper\"\u003e\u003ca id=\"id_2H_4_0009\"\u003e\u003c!– H2 anchor –\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cdiv style=\"height: 4em;\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003ch2\u003e\r\n BOOK VI\r\n\u003c/h2\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(C.1) So the day ended, and they supped and went to rest. But early\r\nthe next morning all the allies flocked to Cyaxares\u0027 gates, and while\r\nCyaxares dressed and adorned himself, hearing that a great multitude\r\nwere waiting, Cyrus gave audience to the suitors his own friends had\r\nbrought. First came the Cadousians, imploring him to stay, and then\r\nthe Hyrcanians, and after them the Sakians, and then some one presented\r\nGobryas, and Hystaspas brought in Gadatas the eunuch, whose entreaty was\r\nstill the same. (2) At that Cyrus, who knew already that for many a day\r\nGadatas had been half-dead with fear lest the army should be disbanded,\r\nlaughed outright and said, \"Ah, Gadatas, you cannot conceal it: you have\r\nbeen bribed by my friend Hystaspas to take this view.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(3) But Gadatas lifted up his hands to heaven and swore most solemnly\r\nthat Hystaspas had not influenced him.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"Nay,\" said he, \"it is because I know myself that, if you depart, I am\r\nruined utterly. And therefore it was that I took it upon me to speak\r\nwith Hystaspas myself, and ask him if he knew what was in your mind\r\nabout the disbanding of the army.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(4) And Cyrus said, \"It would be unjust then, I suppose, to lay the\r\nblame on Hystaspas.\" \"Yes, Cyrus, most unjust,\" said Hystaspas, \"for I\r\nonly said to Gadatas that it would be impossible for you to carry on the\r\ncampaign, as your father wanted you home, and had sent for you.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(5) \"What?\" cried Cyrus, \"you dared to let that be known whether I\r\nwished it or not?\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"Certainly I did,\" he answered, \"for I can see that you are mad to be\r\nhome in Persia, the cynosure of every eye, telling your father how you\r\nwrought this and accomplished that.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"Well,\" said Cyrus, \"are you not longing to go home yourself?\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"No,\" said the other. \"I am not. Nor have I any intention of going: here\r\nI shall stay and be general-in-chief until I make our friend Gadatas the\r\nlord and the Assyrian his slave.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(6) Thus half in jest and half in earnest they played with one another,\r\nand meanwhile Cyaxares had finished adorning himself and came forth in\r\ngreat splendour and solemnity, and sat down on a Median throne. And when\r\nall were assembled and silence was proclaimed, Cyaxares said:\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"My friends and allies, perhaps, since I am present and older than\r\nCyrus, it is suitable that I should address you first. It appears to me\r\nthat the moment has come to discuss one question before all others,\r\nthe question whether we ought to go on with the campaign or disband the\r\narmy. Be pleased,\" he added, \"to state your opinions on the matter.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(7) Then the leader of the Hyrcanians stood up at once and said:\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"Friends and allies, I hardly think that words are needed when facts\r\nthemselves show us the path to take. All of us know that while we stand\r\ntogether we give our enemy more trouble than we get: but when we stood\r\nalone it was they who dealt with us as they liked best and we liked\r\nleast.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(8) Then the Cadousian followed.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"The less we talk,\" said he, \"about breaking-up and going home\r\nseparately the better; separation has done us anything but good, it\r\nseems to me, even on the march. My men and I, at any rate, very soon\r\npaid the penalty for private excursions; as I dare say you have not\r\nforgotten.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(9) Upon that Artabazus rode, the Mede who had claimed kinship with\r\nCyrus in the old days.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"Cyaxares,\" said he, \"in one respect I differ from those who have spoken\r\nbefore me: they think we should stay here in order to go on with the\r\ncampaign, but I think I am always on campaign at home. (10) I was for\r\never out on some expedition or other, because our people were being\r\nharried, or our fortresses threatened, and a world of trouble I had,\r\nwhat with fears within and fighting without, and all too at my own\r\nexpense. As it is now, I occupy the enemy\u0027s forts, my fear of them is\r\ngone, I make good cheer on their own good things, and I drink their own\r\ngood wine. Since home means fighting and service here means feasting, I\r\nam not in favour myself,\" said he, \"of breaking up the company.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(11) Then Gobryas spoke.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"Friends,\" said he, \"I have trusted Cyrus\u0027 word and had no fault to\r\nfind with him: what he promises that he performs: but if he leaves the\r\ncountry now, the Assyrian will be reprieved, he will never be punished\r\nfor the wrongs he tried to inflict on you and did inflict on me: I shall\r\nbe punished instead, because I have been your friend.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(12) At that Cyrus rose at last and said:\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"Gentlemen, I am well aware that the disbanding of our forces must mean\r\nthe decrease of our power and the increase of theirs. If some of them\r\nhave given up their weapons, they will soon procure others; if some have\r\nlost their horses, the loss will soon be made good; if some have fallen\r\nin battle, others, younger and stronger, will take their place. We need\r\nnot be surprised if they are soon in a condition to cause us trouble\r\nagain. (13) Why, then, did I ask Cyaxares to put the question to debate?\r\nBecause, I answer, I am afraid of the future. I see opponents against\r\nus whom we cannot fight, if we conduct the campaign as we are doing now.\r\n(14) Winter is advancing against us, and though we may have shelter for\r\nourselves we have nothing, heaven knows, for our horses and our servants\r\nand the great mass of our soldiery, without whom we cannot even think\r\nof a campaign. As to provisions, up to the limits of our advance and\r\nbecause of that advance they have been exhausted; and beyond that line,\r\nowing to the terror we inspire, the inhabitants will have stowed their\r\nsupplies away in strong places where they can enjoy them and we cannot\r\nget them. (15) Where is the warrior, stout of heart and strong of will,\r\nwho can wage war with cold and hunger? If our style of soldiering is to\r\nbe only what it has been, I say we ought to disband at once of our own\r\naccord, and not wait to be driven from the field against our will by\r\nsheer lack of means. If we do wish to go forward, this is what we must\r\ndo: we must detach from the enemy all the fortresses we can and secure\r\nall we can for our own: if this is done, the larger supply will be in\r\nthe hands of those who can stow away the larger store, and the weaker\r\nwill suffer siege. (16) At present we are like mariners on the ocean:\r\nthey may sail on for ever, but the seas they have crossed are no\r\nmore theirs than those that are still unsailed. But if we hold the\r\nfortresses, the enemy will find they are living in a hostile land,\r\nwhile we have halcyon weather. (17) Some of you may dread the thought of\r\ngarrison duty far from home; if so, dispel your doubts. We Persians,\r\nwho must, as it is, be exiles for the time, will undertake the positions\r\nthat are nearest to the foe, while it will be for you to occupy the land\r\non the marches between Assyria and yourselves and put it under tillage.\r\n(18) For, if we can hold his inner line, your peace will not be\r\ndisturbed in the outlying parts: he will scarcely neglect the danger at\r\nhis door to attack you out in the distance.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(19) At this the whole assembly rose to express their eagerness and\r\nassent, and Cyaxares stood up with them. And both Gadatas and Gobryas\r\noffered to fortify a post if the allies wished, and thus provide two\r\ncities of refuge to start with.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(20) Finally Cyrus, thus assured of the general consent to his\r\nproposals, said, \"If we really wish to carry out what we have set\r\nourselves, we must prepare battering-rams and siege engines, and get\r\ntogether mechanics and builders for our own castles.\" (21) Thereupon\r\nCyaxares at once undertook to provide an engine at his own expense,\r\nGadatas and Gobryas made themselves responsible for a second, Tigranes\r\nfor a third, and Cyrus himself promised he would try to furnish two.\r\n(22) That done, every one set to work to find engineers and artisans and\r\nto collect material for the machines; and superintendents were appointed\r\nfrom those best qualified for the work.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(23) Now Cyrus was aware that all this would take some time, and\r\ntherefore he encamped his troops in the healthiest spot he could find\r\nand the easiest to supply, strengthening, wherever necessary, the\r\nnatural defences of the place, so that the detachment left in charge for\r\nthe time should always be in complete security, even though he might be\r\nabsent himself with the main body of his force. (24) Nor was this all;\r\nhe questioned those who knew the country best, and, learning where he\r\nwould be rewarded for his pains, he would lead his men out to forage,\r\nand thus procure as large supplies as possible, keep his soldiers in the\r\nbest of health and strength, and fix their drill in their minds.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(25) So Cyrus spent his days, and meanwhile the deserters from Babylon\r\nand the prisoners who were captured all told the same story: they said\r\nthat the king had gone off to Lydia, taking with him store of gold and\r\nsilver, and riches and treasures of every kind. (26) The mass of the\r\nsoldiers were convinced that he was storing his goods away from fear,\r\nbut Cyrus knew that he must have gone to raise, if possible, an opponent\r\nwho could face them, and therefore he pushed his preparations forward\r\nvigorously, feeling that another battle must be fought. He filled up the\r\nPersian cavalry to its full complement, getting the horses partly from\r\nthe prisoners, partly from his own friends. There were two gifts he\r\nwould never refuse, horses and good weapons. (27) He also procured\r\nchariots, taking them from the enemy or wherever he could find them.\r\nThe old Trojan type of charioteering, still in use to this day among the\r\nCyrenaeans, he abolished; before his time the Medes, the Syrians, the\r\nArabians, and all Asiatics generally, used their chariots in the same\r\nway as the Cyrenaeans do now. (28) The fault of the system to his mind\r\nwas that the very flower of the army, if the picked men were in the\r\nchariots, could only act at long range and so contribute little after\r\nall to the victory. Three hundred chariots meant twelve hundred horses\r\nand three hundred fighting-men, besides the charioteers, who would\r\nnaturally be men above the common, in whom the warriors could place\r\nconfidence: and that meant another three hundred debarred from injuring\r\nthe enemy in any kind of way. (29) Such was the system he abolished in\r\nfavour of the war-chariot proper, with strong wheels to resist the shock\r\nof collision, and long axles, on the principle that a broad base is the\r\nfirmer, while the driver\u0027s seat was changed into what might be called\r\na turret, stoutly built of timber and reaching up to the elbow,\r\nleaving the driver room to manage the horses above the rim. The drivers\r\nthemselves were all fully armed, only their eyes uncovered. (30) He had\r\niron scythes about two feet long attached to the axles on either side,\r\nand others, under the tree, pointing to the ground, for use in a charge.\r\nSuch was the type of chariot invented by Cyrus, and it is still in use\r\nto-day among the subjects of the Great King. Beside the chariots he had\r\na large number of camels, collected from his friends or captured\r\nfrom the enemy. (31) Moreover, he decided to send a spy into Lydia to\r\nascertain the movements of the king, and he thought that the right man\r\nfor this purpose was Araspas, the officer in charge of the fair lady\r\nfrom Susa. Matters had gone ill with Araspas: he had fallen passionately\r\nin love with his prisoner, and been led to entreat her to be his\r\nparamour. (32) She had refused, faithful to her husband who was far\r\naway, for she loved him dearly, but she forbore to accuse Araspas to\r\nCyrus, being unwilling to set friend at strife with friend. (33) But\r\nwhen at length Araspas, thinking it would help him in his desires, began\r\nto threaten her, saying that if she would not yield he would have his\r\nwill of her by force, then in her dread of violence she could keep the\r\nmatter hid no longer, and she sent her eunuch to Cyrus with orders to\r\ntell him everything. (34) And when Cyrus heard it he smiled over the man\r\nwho had boasted that he was superior to love, and sent Artabazus back\r\nwith the eunuch to tell Araspas that he must use no violence against\r\nsuch a woman, but if he could persuade her, he might do so. (35) But\r\nArtabazus, when he saw Araspas, rebuked him sternly, saying that the\r\nwoman was a sacred trust, and his conduct disgraceful, impious, and\r\nwicked, till Araspas burst into tears of misery and shame, and was half\r\ndead at the thought of what Cyrus would do. (36) Learning this, Cyrus\r\nsent for him, saw him alone, and said to him face to face:\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"Araspas, I know that you are afraid of me and in an agony of shame.\r\nBe comforted; we are told that the gods themselves are made subject to\r\ndesire, and I could tell you what love has forced some men to undergo,\r\nmen who seemed most lofty and most wise. Did I not pass sentence on\r\nmyself, when I confessed I was too weak to consort with loveliness and\r\nremain unmoved? Indeed it is I who am most to blame in the matter, for I\r\nshut you up myself with this irresistible power.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(37) But Araspas broke in on his words:\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"Ah, Cyrus, you are ever the same, gentle and compassionate to human\r\nweaknesses. But all the rest of the world has no pity on me; they drown\r\nme in wretchedness. As soon as the tattlers got wind of my misfortune,\r\nall my enemies exulted, and my friends came to me, advising me to make\r\naway with myself for fear of you, because my iniquity was so great.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(38) Then Cyrus said, \"Now listen: this opinion about you may be the\r\nmeans by which you can do me a great kindness and your comrades a great\r\nservice.\" \"Oh, that it were possible!\" said Araspas, \"for me ever to\r\nbe of service to you!\" (39) \"Well,\" said the other, \"if you went to the\r\nenemy, feigning that you had fled from me, I think they would believe\r\nyou.\" \"I am sure they would,\" said Araspas, \"I know even my own friends\r\nwould think that of course I ran away.\" (40) \"Then you will come back\r\nto us,\" Cyrus went on, \"with full information about the enemy\u0027s affairs;\r\nfor, if I am right in my expectation, they will trust you and let you\r\nsee all their plans, so that you need miss nothing of what we wish to\r\nknow.\" \"I will be off this moment,\" said Araspas; \"it will be my best\r\ncredential to have it thought I was just in time to escape punishment\r\nfrom you.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(41) \"Then you can really bring yourself to leave the beautiful\r\nPantheia?\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"Yes, Cyrus,\" he answered, \"I can; for I see now that we have two souls.\r\nThis is the lesson of philosophy that I have learnt from the wicked\r\nsophist Love. If we had but a single soul, how could she be at once evil\r\nand good? How could she be enamoured at once of nobleness and baseness,\r\nor at once desire and not desire one deed and the same? No, it is clear\r\nthat we have two souls, and when the beautiful soul prevails, all fair\r\nthings are wrought, and when the evil soul has the mastery, she lays her\r\nhand to shame and wickedness. But to-day my good soul conquers, because\r\nshe has you to help her.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(42) \"Well,\" said Cyrus, \"if you have decided on going, it is thus you\r\nhad better go. Thus you will win their confidence, and then you must\r\ntell them what we are doing, but in such a way as to hinder their own\r\ndesigns. It would hinder them, for example, if you said that we were\r\npreparing an attack on their territory at a point not yet decided; for\r\nthis would check the concentration of their forces, each leader being\r\nmost concerned for the safety of his own home. (43) Stay with them,\" he\r\nadded, \"till the last moment possible: what they do when they are close\r\nat hand is just what is most important for us to know. Advise them how\r\nto dispose their forces in the way that really seems the best, for then,\r\nafter you are gone and although it may be known that you are aware of\r\ntheir order, they will be forced to keep to it, they will not dare to\r\nchange it, and should they do so at the last moment they will be thrown\r\ninto confusion.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(44) Thereupon Araspas took his leave, called together his trustiest\r\nattendants, said what he thought necessary for the occasion, and\r\ndeparted.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(45) Now Pantheia, when she heard that Araspas had fled, sent a\r\nmessenger to Cyrus, saying:\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"Grieve not, Cyrus, that Araspas has gone to join the foe: I will\r\nbring you a far trustier friend than he, if you will let me send for my\r\nhusband, and I know he will bring with him all the power that he has. It\r\nis true that the old king was my husband\u0027s friend, but he who reigns now\r\ntried to tear us two asunder, and my husband knows him for a tyrant and\r\na miscreant, and would gladly be quit of him and take service with such\r\na man as you.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(46) When Cyrus heard that, he bade Pantheia send word to her husband,\r\nand she did so. Now when Abradatas saw the tokens from his wife, and\r\nlearnt how matters stood, he was full of joy, and set out for Cyrus\u0027\r\ncamp immediately, with a thousand horsemen in his train. And when he\r\ncame to the Persian outposts he sent to Cyrus saying who he was, and\r\nCyrus gave orders that he should be taken to Pantheia forthwith. (47) So\r\nhusband and wife met again after hope had well-nigh vanished, and were\r\nin each other\u0027s arms once more. And then Pantheia spoke of Cyrus,\r\nhis nobleness, his honour, and the compassion he had shown her, and\r\nAbradatas cried:\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"Tell me, tell me, how can I repay him all I owe him in your name and\r\nmine!\" And she answered:\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"So deal with him, my husband, as he has dealt with you.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(48) And thus Abradatas went to Cyrus, and took him by the hand, and\r\nsaid:\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"Cyrus, in return for the kindness you have shown us, I can say no more\r\nthan this: I give myself to you, I will be your friend, your servant,\r\nand your ally: whatever you desire, I will help you to win, your\r\nfellow-worker always, so far as in me lies.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(49) Then Cyrus answered:\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"And I will take your gift: but for the moment you must leave me, and\r\nsup with your wife: another day you will let me play the host, and give\r\nyou lodging with your friends and mine.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(50) Afterwards Abradatas perceived how much Cyrus had at heart the\r\nscythe-bearing chariots and the cavalry and the war-horses with their\r\narmour, and he resolved to equip a hundred chariots for him out of his\r\nown cavalry force. (51) These he proposed to lead himself in a chariot\r\nof his own, four-poled and drawn by eight horses, all the eight\r\nprotected by chest-plates of bronze. (52) So Abradatas set to work, and\r\nthis four-poled chariot of his gave Cyrus the idea of making a car\r\nwith eight poles, drawn by eight yoke of oxen, to carry the lowest\r\ncompartment of the battering engines, which stood, with its wheels,\r\nabout twenty-seven feet from the ground. (53) Cyrus felt that he had a\r\nseries of such towers brought into the field at a fair pace they would\r\nbe of immense service to him, and inflict as much damage on the enemy.\r\nThe towers were built with galleries and parapets, and each of them\r\ncould carry twenty men. (54) When the whole was put together he tested\r\nit and found that the eight yoke of oxen could draw the whole tower with\r\nthe men more easily than one yoke by itself could manage the ordinary\r\nweight of baggage, which came to about five-and-twenty talents apiece,\r\nwhereas the tower, build of planks about as thick as the boards for\r\na stage, weighed less than fifteen for each yoke. (55) Thus, having\r\nsatisfied himself that the attempt was perfectly possible, he arranged\r\nto take the towers into action, believing that in war selfishness meant\r\nsalvation, justice, and happiness.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(C.2) About this time ambassadors came to Cyrus from India with gifts of\r\ncourtesy and a message from their king, saying:\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"I send you greeting, Cyrus, and I rejoice that you told me of your\r\nneeds. I desire to be your friend and I offer you gifts; and if you have\r\nneed of anything more, I bid you say the word, and it shall be yours. I\r\nhave told my men to do whatever you command.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(2) Then Cyrus answered:\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"This, then, is my bidding: the rest of you shall stay where you have\r\npitched your tents; you shall guard your treasures and live as you\r\nchoose: but three of you shall go to the enemy and make believe that you\r\nhave come to him about an alliance with your king, and thus you shall\r\nlearn how matters stand, and all they say and all they do, and so bring\r\nme word again with speed. And if you serve me well in this, I shall owe\r\nyou even more than I could owe you for these gifts. There are some spies\r\nwho are no better than slaves, and have no skill to find out anything\r\nmore than is known already, but there are men of another sort, men of\r\nyour stamp, who can discover plans that are not yet disclosed.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(3) The Indians listened gladly, and for the moment made themselves at\r\nhome as the guests of Cyrus: but the next day they got ready and set\r\noff on their journey, promising to find out as much as they could of the\r\nenemy\u0027s secrets and bring him word again with all possible speed.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(4) Meanwhile Cyrus continued his preparations for the war on\r\na magnificent scale, like one who meant to accomplish no small\r\nachievement. Not only did he carry out all the resolutions of the\r\nallies, but he breathed a spirit of emulation into his own friends\r\nand followers, till each strove to outshine his fellows in arms\r\nand accoutrements, in horsemanship and spearmanship and archery, in\r\nendurance of toil and danger. (5) Cyrus would lead them out to the\r\nchase, and show especial honour to those who distinguished themselves in\r\nany way: he would whet the ambition of the officers by praising all who\r\ndid their best to improve their men, and by gratifying them in every way\r\nhe could. (6) At every sacrifice and festival he instituted games and\r\ncontests in all martial exercises, and lavished prizes on the victors,\r\ntill the whole army was filled with enthusiasm and confidence. (7) By\r\nthis time Cyrus had almost everything in readiness for the campaign,\r\nexcept the battering-machines. The Persian cavalry was made up to its\r\nfull number of ten thousand men, and the scythed chariots were complete,\r\na hundred of his own, and a hundred that Abradatas of Susa had provided.\r\n(8) Beside these there were a hundred of the old Median chariots which\r\nCyrus had persuaded Cyaxares to remodel on his own type, giving up\r\nthe Trojan and Lydian style. The camels were ready also, each animal\r\ncarrying a couple of mounted archers.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nThe bulk of the great army felt almost as though they had already\r\nconquered, and the enemy\u0027s power was held of no account.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(9) While matters were thus, the Indians whom Cyrus had sent out\r\nreturned with their report. Croesus had been chosen leader and\r\ngeneral-in-chief; a resolution had been passed, calling on all the\r\nallied kings to bring up their entire forces, raise enormous sums for\r\nthe war, and spend them in hiring mercenaries where they could and\r\nmaking presents where they must. (10) Large numbers of Thracians, armed\r\nwith the short sword, had already been enrolled, and a body of Egyptians\r\nwere coming by sea, amounting—so said the Indians—to 120,000 men,\r\narmed with long shields reaching to their feet, huge spears (such as\r\nthey carry to this day), and sabres. Beside these, an army was expected\r\nfrom Cyprus, and there were already on the spot all the Cilicians, the\r\nmen of both the Phrygias, of Lycaonia, Paphlagonia, and Cappadocia,\r\nthe Arabians, the Phoenicians, and all the Assyrians under the king of\r\nBabylon. Moreover, the Ionians, and Aeolians, and indeed nearly all the\r\nHellenic colonists on the coast were compelled to follow in the train of\r\nCroesus. (11) Croesus himself had already sent to Lacedaemon to propose\r\nan alliance with the Spartans. The armament was mustering on the banks\r\nof the Pactolus, and they were to push forward presently to Thymbrara\r\n(the place which is still the mustering-ground for all the Asiatic\r\nsubjects of the Great King west of Syria), and orders had been issued to\r\nopen a market there. This report agreed with the accounts given by the\r\nprisoners, for Cyrus was always at pains to gave men captured from\r\nwhom he could get some information, and he would also send out spies\r\ndisguised as runaway slaves.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(12) Such were the tidings, and when the army heard the news there was\r\nmuch anxiety and concern, as one may well suppose. The men went about\r\ntheir work with an unusual quietness, their faces clouded over, or\r\ngathered in knots and clusters everywhere, anxiously asking each other\r\nthe news and discussing the report. (13) When Cyrus saw that fear was in\r\nthe camp, he called a meeting of his generals, and indeed of all\r\nwhose dejection might injure the cause and whose confidence assist it.\r\nMoreover, he sent word that any of the attendants, or any of the rank\r\nand file, who wished to hear what he had to say, would be allowed to\r\ncome and listen. When they met, he spoke as follows:\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(14) \"My friends and allies, I make no secret of the reason I have\r\ncalled you here. It was because I saw that some of you, when the reports\r\nof the enemy reached us, looked like men who were panic-stricken. But I\r\nmust say I am astonished that any of you should feel alarm because the\r\nenemy is mustering his forces, and not be reassured by remembering that\r\nour own is far larger than it was when we conquered him before, and far\r\nbetter provided, under heaven, with all we need. (15) I ask you how you\r\nwould have felt, you who are afraid now, if you had been told that a\r\nforce exactly like our own was marching upon us, if you had heard that\r\nmen who had conquered us already were coming now, carrying in their\r\nhearts the victory they had won, if you knew that those who made short\r\nwork then of all our bows and javelins were advancing again, and others\r\nwith them, ten thousand times as many? (16) Suppose you heard that the\r\nvery men who had routed our infantry once were coming on now equipt as\r\nbefore, but this time on horseback, scorning arms and javelins, each man\r\narmed with one stout spear, ready to charge home? (17) Suppose you heard\r\nof chariots, made on a new pattern, not to be kept motionless, standing,\r\nas hitherto, with their backs turned to the foe as if for flight, but\r\nwith the horses shielded by armour, and the drivers sheltered by wooden\r\nwalls and protected by breastplates and helmets, and the axles fitted\r\nwith iron scythes so that they can charge straight into the ranks of the\r\nfoe? (18) And suppose you heard that they have camels to ride on, each\r\none of which would scare a hundred horses, and that they will bring\r\nup towers from which to help their own friends, and overwhelm us with\r\nvolleys of darts so that we cannot fight them on level ground? (19) If\r\nthis were what you had heard of the enemy, I as you, once again, you who\r\nare now so fearful what would you have done? You who turn pale when\r\ntold that Croesus has been chosen commander-in-chief, Croesus who proved\r\nhimself so much more cowardly than the Syrians, that when they were\r\nworsted in battle and fled, instead of helping them, his own allies, he\r\ntook to his heels himself. (20) We are told, moreover, that the enemy\r\nhimself does not feel equal to facing you alone, he is hiring others\r\nto fight for him better than he could for himself. I can only say,\r\ngentlemen, that if any individual considers our position as I describe\r\nit alarming or unfavourable, he had better leave us. Let him join our\r\nopponents, he will do us far more service there than here.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(21) When Cyrus had ended, Chrysantas the Persian stood up and said:\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"Cyrus, you must not wonder if the faces of some were clouded when they\r\nheard the news. The cloud was a sign of annoyance, not of fear. Just as\r\nif,\" he went on, \"a company were expecting breakfast immediately, and\r\nthen were told there was some business that must be got through first, I\r\ndo not suppose any of them would be particularly pleased. Here we were,\r\nsaying to ourselves that our fortunes were made, and now we are informed\r\nthere is still something to be done, and of course our countenances\r\nfell, not because we were afraid, but because we could have wished it\r\nall over and done with. (22) However, since it now appears that Syria\r\nis not to be the only prize—though there is much to be got in Syria,\r\nflocks and herds and corn and palm-trees yielding fruit—but Lydia as\r\nwell, Lydia the land of wine and oil and fig-trees, Lydia, to whose\r\nshores the sea brings more good things than eyes can feast on, I say\r\nthat once we realise this we can mope no longer, our spirits will rise\r\napace, and we shall hasten to lay our hands on the Lydian wealth without\r\ndelay.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nSo he spoke, and the allies were well pleased at his words and gave him\r\nloud applause.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(23) \"Truly, gentlemen,\" said Cyrus, \"as Chrysantas says, I think we\r\nought to march without delay, if only to be beforehand with our foes,\r\nand reach their magazines before they do themselves; and besides, the\r\nquicker we are, the fewer resources we shall find with them. (24) That\r\nis how I put the matter, but if any one sees a safer or an easier way,\r\nlet him instruct us.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nBut many speakers followed, all urging an immediate march, without one\r\nspeech in opposition, and so Cyrus took up the word again and said:\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(25) \"My friends and allies, God helping us, our hearts, our bodies,\r\nand our weapons have now been long prepared: all that remains is to get\r\ntogether what we need for ourselves and our animals on a march of at\r\nleast twenty days. I reckon that the journey itself must take more than\r\nfifteen, and not a vestige of food shall we find from end to end. It has\r\nall been made away with, partly by ourselves, partly by our foes, so far\r\nas they could. (26) We must collect enough corn, without which one can\r\nneither fight nor live: and as for wine, every man must carry just\r\nso much as will accustom him to drink water: the greater part of the\r\ncountry will be absolutely devoid of wine, and the largest supply we\r\ncould take with us would not hold out. (27) But to avoid too sudden a\r\nchange and the sickness that might follow, this is what we must do. We\r\nmust begin by taking water with our food: we can do this without any\r\ngreat change in our habits. (28) For every one who eats porridge has\r\nthe oatmeal mixed with water, and every one who eats bread has the wheat\r\nsoaked in water, and all boiled meat is prepared in water. We shall not\r\nmiss the wine if we drink a little after the meal is done. (29) Then we\r\nmust gradually lessen the amount, until we find that, without knowing\r\nit, we have become water-drinkers. Gradual change enables every creature\r\nto go through a complete conversion; and this is taught us by God, who\r\nleads us little by little out of winter until we can bear the blazing\r\nheat of summer, and out of heat back again into the depths of winter. So\r\nshould we follow God, and take one step after another until we reach our\r\ngoal. (30) What you might spend on heavy rugs and coverlets spend rather\r\non food: any superfluity there will not be wasted: and you will not\r\nsleep less soundly for lack of bedclothes; if you do, I give you leave\r\nto blame me. But with clothing the case is different: a man can hardly\r\nhave too much of that in sickness or in health. (31) And for seasoning\r\nyou should take what is sharp and dry and salted, for such meats\r\nare more appetising and more satisfying. And since we may come into\r\ndistricts as yet unravaged where we may find growing corn, we ought to\r\ntake handmills for grinding: these are the lightest machines for\r\nthe purpose. (32) Nor must we forget to supply ourselves with\r\nmedicines—they are small in bulk and, if need arises, invaluable. And\r\nwe ought to have a large supply of straps—I wonder what is not fastened\r\nby a strap to man or horse? But straps wear out and get broken and then\r\nthings are at a standstill unless there are spare ones to be had. (33)\r\nSome of you have learnt to shave spears, so that it would be as well not\r\nto forget a plane, and also to carry a rasp, for the man who sharpens a\r\nspearhead will sharpen his spirit too. He will feel ashamed to whet the\r\nedge and be a coward. And we must take plenty of timber for chariots and\r\nwaggons; there is bound to be many a breakdown on the road. (34) Also\r\nwe shall need the most necessary tools for repairs, since smiths and\r\ncarpenters are not to be found at every turn, but there are few who\r\ncannot patch up a makeshift for the time. Then there should be a mattock\r\nand a shovel apiece for every waggon, and on every beast of burden a\r\nbillhook and an axe, always useful to the owner and sometimes a boon\r\nto all. (35) The provisions must be seen to by the officers of the\r\nfighting-line; they must inspect the men under their command and see\r\nthat nothing is omitted which any man requires; the omission would be\r\nfelt by us all. Those of you who are in command of the baggage-train\r\nwill inspect what I have ordered for the animals and insist upon every\r\nman being provided who is not already supplied. (36) You, gentlemen, who\r\nare in command of the road-makers, you have the lists of the soldiers I\r\nhave disqualified from serving as javelin-men, bowmen, or slingers, and\r\nyou will make the old javelin men march with axes for felling timber,\r\nthe bowmen with mattocks, and the slingers with shovels. They will\r\nadvance by squads in front of the waggons so that if there is any\r\nroad-making to be done you may set to work at once, and in case of need\r\nI may know where to get the men I want. (37) I mean also to take a corps\r\nof smiths, carpenters, and cobblers, men of military age, provided with\r\nthe proper tools, to supply any possible need. These men will not be\r\nin the fighting-line, but they will have a place assigned to them where\r\nthey can be hired by any one who likes. (38) If any huckster wishes\r\nto follow the army with his wares, he may do so, but if caught selling\r\nanything during the fifteen days for which provisions have been ordered,\r\nhe will be deprived of all his goods: after the fifteen days are done he\r\nmay sell what he likes. Any merchant who offers us a well-stocked market\r\nwill receive recompense and honour from the allies and myself. (39)\r\nAnd if any one needs an advance of money for trading, he must send me\r\nguarantors who will undertake that he will march with the army, and then\r\nhe can draw on our funds. These are the general orders: and I will ask\r\nany of you who think that anything has been omitted to point it out\r\nto me. (40) You will now go back to your quarters and make your\r\npreparations, and while you do so I will offer sacrifice for our journey\r\nand when the signs are favourable we will give the signal. At that\r\nyou must present yourselves, with everything I have ordered, at the\r\nappointed place, under your own officers. (41) And you, gentlemen,\" said\r\nhe, turning to the officers, \"when your divisions are all in line, you\r\nwill come to me in a body to receive your final orders.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(C.3) With these instructions the army went to make their preparations\r\nwhile Cyrus offered sacrifice.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nAs soon as the victims were favourable, he set out with his force.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nOn the first day they encamped as near by as possible, so that anything\r\nleft behind could easily be fetched and any omission readily supplied.\r\n(2) Cyaxares stayed in Media with a third of the Median troops in order\r\nnot to leave their own country undefended. Cyrus himself pushed forward\r\nwith all possible speed, keeping his cavalry in the van and constantly\r\nsending explorers and scouts ahead to some look-out. Behind the cavalry\r\ncame the baggage, and on the plains he had long strings of waggons and\r\nbeasts of burden, and the main army behind them, so that if any of the\r\nbaggage-train fell back, the officers who caught them up would see that\r\nthey did not lose their places in the march. (3) But where the road was\r\nnarrower the fighting-men marched on either side with the baggage in the\r\nmiddle, and in case of any block it was the business of the soldiers\r\non the spot to attend to the matter. As a rule, the different regiments\r\nwould be marching alongside their own baggage, orders having been\r\ngiven that all members of the train should advance by regiments\r\nunless absolutely prevented. (4) To help matters the brigadier\u0027s own\r\nbody-servant led the way with an ensign known to his men, so that each\r\nregiment marched together, the men doing their best to keep up with\r\ntheir comrades. Thus there was no need to search for each other,\r\neverything was to hand, there was greater security, and the soldiers\r\ncould get what they wanted more quickly.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(5) After some days the scouts ahead thought they could see people in\r\nthe plain collecting fodder and timber, and then they made out beasts of\r\nburden, some grazing and others already laden, and as they scanned the\r\ndistance they felt sure they could distinguish something that was either\r\nsmoke rising or clouds of dust; and from all this they concluded\r\nthat the enemy\u0027s army was not far off. (6) Whereupon their commander\r\ndespatched a messenger with the news to Cyrus, who sent back word that\r\nthe scouts should stay where they were, on their look-out, and tell him\r\nif they saw anything more, while he ordered a squadron of cavalry to\r\nride forward, and intercept, if they could, some of the men on the plain\r\nand so discover the actual state of affairs. (7) While the detachment\r\ncarried out this order Cyrus halted the rest of his army to make such\r\ndispositions as he thought necessary before coming to close quarters.\r\nHis first order was for the troops to take their breakfast: after\r\nbreakfast they were to fall in and wait for the word of command. (8)\r\nWhen breakfast was over he sent for all the officers from the cavalry,\r\nthe infantry, and the chariot brigade, and for the commanders of the\r\nbattering engines and the baggage train, and they came to him. (9)\r\nMeanwhile the troop of horse had dashed into the plain, cut off some\r\nof the men, and now brought them in captive. The prisoners, on being\r\nquestioned by Cyrus, said they belonged to the camp and had gone out\r\nto forage or cut wood and so had passed beyond their own pickets, for,\r\nowing to the size of their army, everything was scarce.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(10) \"How far is your army from here?\" asked Cyrus. \"About seven miles,\"\r\nsaid they. \"Was there any talk about us down there?\" said he. \"We should\r\nthink there was,\" they answered; \"it was all over the camp that you were\r\ncoming.\" \"Ah,\" said Cyrus, \"I suppose they were glad to hear we were\r\ncoming so soon?\" (putting this question for his officers to hear the\r\nanswer). \"That they were not,\" said the prisoners, \"they were anything\r\nbut glad; they were miserable.\" (11) \"And what are they doing now?\"\r\nasked Cyrus. \"Forming their line of battle,\" answered they; \"yesterday\r\nand the day before they did the same.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"And their commander?\" said Cyrus, \"who is he?\" \"Croesus himself,\" said\r\nthey, \"and with him a Greek, and also another man, a Mede, who is said\r\nto be a deserter from you.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"Ah,\" cried Cyrus, \"is that so? Most mighty Zeus, may I deal with him as\r\nI wish!\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(12) Then he had the prisoners led away and turned to speak to his\r\nofficers, but at this moment another scout appeared, saying that a large\r\nforce of cavalry was in the plain. \"We think,\" he added, \"that they are\r\ntrying to get a sight of our army. For about thirty of them are riding\r\nahead at a good round pace and they seem to be coming straight for our\r\nlittle company, perhaps to capture our look-out if they can, for there\r\nare only ten of us there.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(13) At that Cyrus sent off a detachment from his own bodyguard,\r\nbidding them gallop up to the place, unseen by the enemy, and stay there\r\nmotionless. \"Wait,\" he said, \"until our own ten must leave the spot and\r\nthen dash out on the thirty as they come up the hill. And to prevent any\r\ninjury from the larger body, do you, Hystaspas,\" said he, turning to the\r\nlatter, \"ride out with a thousand horse, and let them see you suddenly,\r\nface to face. But remember not to pursue them out of sight, come back as\r\nsoon as you have secured our post. And if any of your opponents ride up\r\nwith their right hands raised, welcome them as friends.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(14) Accordingly Hystaspas went off and got under arms, while the\r\nbodyguard galloped to the spot. But before they reached the scouts, some\r\none met them with his squires, the man who had been sent out as a spy,\r\nthe guardian of the lady from Susa, Araspas himself. (15) When the news\r\nreached Cyrus, he sprang up from his seat, went to meet him himself,\r\nand clasped his hand, but the others, who of course knew nothing, were\r\nutterly dumbfounded, until Cyrus said:\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"Gentlemen, the best of our friends has come back to us. It is high\r\ntime that all men should know what he has done. It was not through any\r\nbaseness, or any weakness, or any fear of me, that he left us; it was\r\nbecause I sent him to be my messenger, to learn the enemy\u0027s doings and\r\nbring us word. (16) Araspas, I have not forgotten what I promised you,\r\nI will repay you, we will all repay you. For, gentlemen, it is only\r\njust that all of you should pay him honour. Good and true I call him who\r\nrisked himself for our good, and took upon himself a reproach that was\r\nheavy to bear.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(17) At that all crowded round Araspas and took him by the hand and made\r\nhim welcome. Then Cyrus spoke again:\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"Enough, my friends, Araspas has news for us, and it is time to hear it.\r\nTell us your tale, Araspas, keep back nothing of the truth, and do not\r\nmake out the power of the enemy less than it really is. It is far better\r\nthat we should find it smaller than we looked for rather than strong\r\nbeyond our expectations.\" (18) \"Well,\" began Araspas, \"in order to\r\nlearn their numbers, I managed to be present at the marshalling of their\r\ntroops.\" \"Then you can tell us,\" said Cyrus, \"not only their numbers but\r\ntheir disposition in the field.\" \"That I can,\" answered Araspas, \"and\r\nalso how they propose to fight.\" \"Good,\" said Cyrus, \"but first let us\r\nhear their numbers in brief.\" (19) \"Well,\" he answered, \"they are drawn\r\nup thirty deep, infantry and cavalry alike, all except the Egyptians,\r\nand they cover about five miles; for I was at great pains,\" he added,\r\n\"to find out how much ground they occupied.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(20) \"And the Egyptians?\" Cyrus said, \"how are they drawn up? I noticed\r\nyou said, \u0027all except the Egyptians.\u0027\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"The Egyptians,\" he answered, \"are drawn up in companies of ten\r\nthousand, under their own officers, a hundred deep, and a hundred\r\nbroad: that, they insisted, was their usual formation at home. Croesus,\r\nhowever, was very loth to let them have their own way in this: he wished\r\nto outflank you as much as possible.\" \"Why?\" Cyrus asked, \"what was his\r\nobject?\" \"To encircle you, I imagine, with his wings.\" \"He had better\r\ntake care,\" said Cyrus, \"or his circle may find itself in the centre.\r\n(21) But now you have told us what we most needed to know, and you,\r\ngentlemen,\" said he to the officers, \"on leaving this meeting, you will\r\nlook to your weapons and your harness. It often happens that the lack\r\nof some little thing makes man or horse or chariot useless. To-morrow\r\nmorning early, while I am offering sacrifice, do you take your breakfast\r\nand give your steeds their provender, so that when the moment comes to\r\nstrike you may not be found wanting. And then you, Araspas, must hold\r\nthe right wing in the position it has now, and the rest of you who\r\ncommand a thousand men must do the same with your divisions: it is no\r\ntime to be changing horses when the race is being run; and you will send\r\nword to the brigadiers and captains under you to draw up the phalanx\r\nwith each company two deep.\" (Now a company consisted of four-and-twenty\r\nmen.)\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(22) Then one of the officers, a captain of ten thousand, said:\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"Do you think, Cyrus, that with so shallow a depth we can stand against\r\ntheir tremendous phalanx?\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"But do you suppose,\" rejoined he, \"that any phalanx so deep that the\r\nrear-ranks cannot close with the enemy could do much either for friend\r\nor foe? (23) I myself,\" he added, \"would rather this heavy infantry of\r\ntheirs were drawn up, not a hundred, but ten thousand deep: we should\r\nhave all the fewer to fight. Whereas with the depth that I propose, I\r\nbelieve we shall not waste a man: every part of our army will work with\r\nevery other. (24) I will post the javelin-men behind the cuirassiers,\r\nand the archers behind them: it would be absurd to place in the van\r\ntroops who admit that they are not made for hand-to-hand fighting;\r\nbut with the cuirassiers thrown in front of them they will stand firm\r\nenough, and harass the enemy over the heads of our own men with their\r\narrows and their darts. And every stroke that falls on the enemy means\r\nso much relief to our friends. (25) In the very rear of all I will post\r\nour reserve. A house is useless without a foundation as well as a roof,\r\nand our phalanx will be no use unless it has a rear-guard and a van, and\r\nboth of them good. (26) You,\" he added, \"will draw up the ranks to suit\r\nthese orders, and you who command the targeteers will follow with your\r\ncompanies in the same depth, and you who command the archers will follow\r\nthe targeteers. (27) Gentlemen of the reserve, you will hold your men in\r\nthe rear, and pass the word down to your own subordinates to watch the\r\nmen in front, cheer on those who do their duty, threaten him who plays\r\nthe coward, and if any man show signs of treachery, see that he dies the\r\ndeath. It is for those in the van to hearten those behind them by word\r\nand deed; it is for you, the reserve, to make the cowards dread you more\r\nthan the foe. (28) You know your work, and you will do it. Euphratus,\"\r\nhe added, turning to the officer in command of the artillery, \"see that\r\nthe waggons with the towers keep as close to the phalanx as possible.\r\n(29) And you, Daouchus, bring up the whole of your baggage-train under\r\ncover of the towers and make your squires punish severely any man who\r\nbreaks the line. (30) You, Carouchas, keep the women\u0027s carriages close\r\nbehind the baggage-train. This long line of followers should give\r\nan impression of vast numbers, allow our own men opportunity for\r\nambuscades, and force the enemy, if he try to surround us, to widen his\r\ncircuit, and the wider he makes it the weaker he will be. (31) That,\r\nthen, is your business; and you, gentlemen, Artaozus and Artagersas,\r\neach of you take your thousand foot and guard the baggage. (32) And you,\r\nPharnouchus and Asiadatas, neither of you must lead your thousand horse\r\ninto the fighting-line, you must get them under arms by themselves\r\nbehind the carriages: and then come to me with the other officers as\r\nfully-equipt as if you were to be the first to fight. (53) You, sir, who\r\ncommand the camel-corps will take up your post behind the carriages\r\nand look for further orders to Artagersas. (34) Officers of the\r\nwar-chariots, you will draw lots among yourselves, and he on whom the\r\nlot falls will bring his hundred chariots in front of the fighting-line,\r\nwhile the other two centuries will support our flanks on the right and\r\nleft.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(35) Such were the dispositions made by Cyrus; but Abradatas, the lord\r\nof Susa, cried:\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"Cyrus, let me, I pray you, volunteer for the post in front.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(36) And Cyrus, struck with admiration for the man, took him by the\r\nhand, and turning to the Persians in command of the other centuries\r\nsaid:\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"Perhaps, gentlemen, you will allow this?\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nBut they answered that it was hard to resign the post of honour, and so\r\nthey all drew lots, and the lot fell on Abradatas, and his post was\r\nface to face with the Egyptians. Then the officers left the council and\r\ncarried out the orders given, and took their evening meal and posted the\r\npickets and went to rest.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(C.4) But early on the morrow Cyrus offered sacrifice, and meanwhile the\r\nrest of the army took their breakfast, and after the libation they armed\r\nthemselves, a great and goodly company in bright tunics and splendid\r\nbreastplates and shining helmets. All the horses had frontlets and\r\nchest-plates, the chargers had armour on their shoulders, and the\r\nchariot-horses on their flanks; so that the whole army flashed with\r\nbronze, and shone like a flower with scarlet. (2) The eight-horse\r\nchariot of Abradatas was a marvel of beauty and richness; and just as he\r\nwas about to put on the linen corslet of his native land, Pantheia came,\r\nbringing him a golden breastplate and a helmet of gold, and armlets and\r\nbroad bracelets for his wrists, and a full flowing purple tunic, and\r\na hyacinth-coloured helmet-plume. All these she had made for him in\r\nsecret, taking the measure of his armour without his knowledge. (3) And\r\nwhen he saw them, he gazed in wonder and said:\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"Dear wife, and did you destroy your own jewels to make this armour for\r\nme?\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nBut she said, \"No, my lord, at least not the richest of them all, for\r\nyou shall be my loveliest jewel, when others see you as I see you now.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nAs she spoke, she put the armour on him, but then, though she tried to\r\nhide it, the tears rolled down her cheeks.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(4) And truly, when Abradatas was arrayed in the new panoply, he, who\r\nhad been fair enough to look upon before, was now a sight of splendour,\r\nnoble and beautiful and free, as indeed his nature was. (5) He took the\r\nreins from the charioteer, and was about to set foot on the car, when\r\nPantheia bade the bystanders withdraw, and said to him, \"My own lord,\r\nlittle need to tell you what you know already, yet this I say, if any\r\nwoman loved her husband more than her own soul, I am of her company. Why\r\nshould I try to speak? Our lives say more than any words of mine. (6)\r\nAnd yet, feeling for you what you know, I swear to you by the love\r\nbetween us that I would rather go down to the grave beside you after a\r\nhero\u0027s death than live on with you in shame. I have thought you worthy\r\nof the highest, and believed myself worthy to follow you. (7) And I\r\nbear in mind the great gratitude we owe to Cyrus, who, when I was his\r\ncaptive, chosen for his spoil, was too high-minded to treat me as a\r\nslave, or dishonour me as a free woman; he took me and saved me for\r\nyou, as though I had been his brother\u0027s wife. (8) And when Araspas, my\r\nwarder, turned from him, I promised, if he would let me send for you,\r\nI would bring him a friend in the other\u0027s place, far nobler and more\r\nfaithful.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(9) And as Pantheia spoke, Abradatas listened with rapture to her words,\r\nand when she ended, he laid his hand upon her head, and looking up to\r\nheaven he prayed aloud:\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"O most mighty Zeus, make me worthy to be Pantheia\u0027s husband, and the\r\nfriend of Cyrus who showed us honour!\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(10) Then he opened the driver\u0027s seat and mounted the car, and the\r\ndriver shut the door, and Pantheia could not take him in her arms again,\r\nso she bent and kissed the chariot-box. Then the car rolled forward and\r\nshe followed unseen till Abradatas turned and saw her and cried, \"Be\r\nstrong, Pantheia, be of a good heart! Farewell, and hie thee home!\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(11) Thereupon her chamberlains and her maidens took her and brought her\r\nback to her own carriage, and laid her down and drew the awning. But\r\nno man, of all who was there that day, splendid as Abradatas was in his\r\nchariot, had eyes to look on him until Pantheia had gone.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(12) Meanwhile Cyrus had found the victims favourable, and his army was\r\nalready drawn up in the order he had fixed. He had scouts posted ahead,\r\none behind the other, and then he called his officers together for his\r\nfinal words:\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(13) \"Gentlemen, my friends and allies, the sacred signs from heaven are\r\nas they were the day the gods gave us victory before, and I would call\r\nto your minds thoughts to bring you gladness and confidence for the\r\nfight. (14) You are far better trained than your enemies, you have\r\nlived together and worked together far longer than they, you have won\r\nvictories together. What they have shared with one another has been\r\ndefeat, and those who have not fought as yet feel they have traitors to\r\nright and left of them, while our recruits know that they enter battle\r\nin company with men who help their allies. (15) Those who trust each\r\nother will stand firm and fight without flinching, but when confidence\r\nhas gone no man thinks of anything but flight. (16) Forward then,\r\ngentlemen, against the foe; drive our scythed chariots against their\r\ndefenceless cars, let our armed cavalry charge their unprotected horse,\r\nand charge them home. (17) The mass of their infantry you have met\r\nbefore; and as for the Egyptians, they are armed in much the same way as\r\nthey are marshalled; they carry shields too big to let them stir or see,\r\nthey are drawn up a hundred deep, which will prevent all but the merest\r\nhandful fighting. (18) If they count on forcing us back by their weigh,\r\nthey must first withstand our steel and the charge of our cavalry. And\r\nif any of them do hold firm, how can they fight at once against cavalry,\r\ninfantry, and turrets of artillery? For our men on the towers will be\r\nthere to help us, they will smite the enemy until he flies instead of\r\nfighting. (19) If you think there is anything wanting, tell me now; God\r\nhelping us, we will lack nothing. And if any man wishes to say anything,\r\nlet him speak now; if not, go to the altar and there pray to the gods to\r\nwhom we have sacrificed, and then fall in. (20) Let each man say to his\r\nown men what I have said to him, let him show the men he rules that he\r\nis fit to rule, let them see the fearlessness in his face, his bearing,\r\nand his words.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cpre\u003e NOTES\r\n\u003c/pre\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC1.9. Artabazus \"the kinsman\" named now for the first time, why?\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC1.11. Cf. Anglicè \"his word\": a delicate appeal to a man of honour. It\r\nsuits G.\u0027s character.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC1.14-15. Speech full of metaphor: winter stalking on, with hunter and\r\nfrost attendant on either side; a stealthy, but august advance.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC1.16. A happy simile: \u003ci\u003evide\u003c/i\u003e Book of Wisdom (c. 5, 10, \"And as a ship\r\nthat passeth over the waves of the water,\" etc.).\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC1.38. How a fault may be turned to account: Hellenic stool of\r\nrepentance.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC1.41. Theory of two souls, to account for the yielding to base desires.\r\nIt works, but is it not the theory of a man whose will is weak, as we\r\nsay, or whose sympathetic nature has been developed at the expense\r\nof his self-regulative? There is another way of putting it in\r\n\u003ci\u003eMemorabilia\u003c/i\u003e, Bk. I. c. ii., §§ 19-28. Xenophon is not more a\r\nphilosopher than a \"philanthropist.\" He is full of compassion for human\r\nweaknesses.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC1.44. Exit Araspas, to be baptised under this cloud of ignominy into\r\nthe sunshine of recognised joyous serviceableness.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC1.45. We grow fonder than ever of Pantheia.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC1.50. Irony: the chariots that are to cost Abradatas his life\r\nhereafter. Is this tale \"historic\" at all? I mean, did Xenophon find\r\nor hear any such story current? What is the relation, if any, to it of\r\nXenophon Ephesius, Antheia, and Abrocomas? (\u003ci\u003eXenophon Ephesius\u003c/i\u003e, a late\r\nwriter of romances.) Had that writer any echo of the names in his head?\r\nWhat language are \"Pantheia\" and \"Abradatas\"?\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC1.52. All very well, but the author hasn\u0027t told us anything about the\r\nconstruction of these {mekhanai}, these battering engines, before, to\r\nprepare us for this. Is that a slip, or how explainable? I think he\r\nis betrayed into the description by reason of his interest in such\r\nstrategic matters. The expression is intelligible enough to any one\r\nwho knows about engines, just as we might speak of the butt or the\r\nstanchion, or whatever it be.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC2.1-3. The Medians bring back the bread that was cast upon the waters.\r\nCyrus turns this gain to new account. He sacrifices the present natural\r\ngain, i.e. the wealth, to the harder spiritual gain, viz., their\r\npositive as opposed to their merely negative alliance. Cyrus \u003ci\u003eis\u003c/i\u003e the\r\narchic man.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC2.4. I have a sort of idea, or feeling that here the writer takes up\r\nhis pen afresh after a certain interval. C4-6 are a reduplication, not\r\nunnatural indeed, but \u003ci\u003epro tanto\u003c/i\u003e tautological.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC2.7. Semi-historical basis. Prototype, when Agesilaus meditated the\r\nadvance on Persia, just before his recall. (See \u003ci\u003eHellenica\u003c/i\u003e, III. iv.,\r\nWorks II. p. 29.)\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC2.13 foll. The archic man can by a word of his mouth still the flutter\r\nand incipient heave of terror-stricken hearts.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC2.15-18. A review of the improvements amounting to a complete\r\nrevolution in arms and attack effected by Cyrus. This is imagined as an\r\nideal accompaniment to the archic man and conqueror. Xenophon nowadays\r\non the relative advantages of the bayonet and the sword, cavalry and\r\ninfantry, etc., would have been very interesting. Cf. a writer like\r\nForbes.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(C2.19. \"Syrians.\" The word is used loosely, including the Assyrians\r\nand their kindred. See below C.22. \"Syria\" = Assyria and the adjacent\r\ncountry.)\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC2.21, fin. Xenophon has more than once witnessed this clouding of the\r\nbrow, the scowl or sulk of the less stalwart moral-fibred men (notably\r\nin \u003ci\u003eHellenica\u003c/i\u003e).\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC2.26 ff. How to give up wine: the art in it. Now listen, all you\r\nblue-ribbonists! Xenophon, Hygienist.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC2.37. One would like to know how the price was regulated. Does any\r\nlearned German know? Note the orderliness and economy of it all. Is it,\r\nas far as the army goes, novel in any respect, do you suppose, or only\r\nidealised Hellenic? Spartan?\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC3.14. A slight (intentional?) aposiopesis. Did H. have to drive back\r\nthe great cavalry division of the enemy?\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC3.17. How quickly the archic man passes on! Cf. J. P.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC3.19. Notice the part given to the Egyptians to play. Why? (Agesilaus\r\ndied on his last campaign in Egypt.)\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC3.25. Is it dramatic to make Cyrus speak in this way as if he were\r\nlecturing a class on strategics?\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC3.30. The advantage even of sutlers and women. This\r\nseveral-times-repeated remark surprises me. But no doubt the arrangement\r\nwould give the enemy pause, and waste his time in out-flanking\r\nmovements: violà tout, hgd. At Cunaxa, however, the Persian did get\r\nbehind the Greek camp. No prototype there, then. (Xenophon, \u003ci\u003eAnabasis\u003c/i\u003e,\r\nBk. I. c. 10.)\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC4.2. We are more and more enamoured of Pantheia.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC4.7. As delicate as any modern in the respect for wedded womanhood.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC4.13 ff. Notice how in this stirring and inspiriting speech Cyrus by\r\ndealing with the Egyptians (the only unknown quantity) strikes a new\r\nnote and sets up a new motive, as it were, preparing us for the tragic\r\nstruggle which is to come, which will cost Abradatas and other good\r\nmen dear, not to speak of the brave Egyptians themselves (cf. Sudanese\r\nArabs). Also note Xenophon\u0027s enthusiasm in reference to the new arming\r\nand the odds of encounter between cavalry and infantry (cf. Napier,\r\nForbes, etc.).\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cdiv class=\"pg_body_wrapper\"\u003e\u003ca id=\"id_2H_4_0010\"\u003e\u003c!– H2 anchor –\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cdiv style=\"height: 4em;\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003ch2\u003e\r\n BOOK VII\r\n\u003c/h2\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(C.1) So they prayed to the gods and went to their place, and the\r\nsquires brought food and drink to Cyrus and his staff as they stood\r\nround the sacrifice. And he took his breakfast where he stood, after\r\nmaking the due offering, sharing what he had with all who needed it, and\r\nhe poured out the libation and prayed, and then drank, and his men with\r\nhim.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nThen he supplicated Zeus, the god of his fathers, to be his leader and\r\nhelper in the fight, and so he mounted his horse and bade those about\r\nhim follow. (2) All his squires were equipped as he was, with scarlet\r\ntunics, breastplates of bronze, and brazen helmets plumed with white,\r\nshort swords, and a lance of cornel-wood apiece. Their horses had\r\nfrontlets, chest-plates, and armour for their shoulders, all of bronze,\r\nand the shoulder-pieces served as leg-guards for the riders. In one\r\nthing only the arms of Cyrus differed from the rest: theirs was covered\r\nwith a golden varnish and his flashed like a mirror. (3) As he sat on\r\nhis steed, gazing into the distance, where he meant to go, a peal of\r\nthunder rang out on the right, and he cried, \"We will follow thee, O\r\nZeus most high!\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nSo he set forth with Chrysantas on his right at the head of cavalry and\r\nArsamas on his left with infantry. (4) And the word went down the lines,\r\n\"Eyes on the standard and steady marching.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nThe standard was a golden eagle, with outspread wings, borne aloft on\r\na long spear-shaft, and to this day such is the standard of the Persian\r\nking.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nBefore they came in full sight of the Assyrians Cyrus halted the army\r\nthrice. (5) And when they had gone about two miles or more, they began\r\nto see the enemy advancing. As soon as both armies were in full view\r\nof each other, and the Assyrians could see how much they outflanked\r\nthe Persians on either side, Croesus halted, in order to prepare an\r\nencircling movement, and pushed out a column on the right wing and the\r\nleft, so that the Persian forces might be attacked on every side at\r\nonce.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(6) Cyrus saw it, but gave no sign of stopping; he led straight on as\r\nbefore. Meanwhile he noticed that the turning-point where the Assyrians\r\nhad pushed out on either flank was an immense distance from their\r\ncentre, and he said to Chrysantas:\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"Do you see where they have fixed their angle?\" \"Yes, I do,\" answered\r\nChrysantas, \"and I am surprised at it: it seems to me they are drawing\r\ntheir wings too far away from their centre.\" \"Just so,\" said Cyrus,\r\n\"and from ours too.\" (7) \"Why are they doing that?\" asked the other.\r\n\"Clearly,\" said Cyrus, \"they are afraid we shall attack, if their wings\r\nare in touch with us while their centre is still some way off.\"\r\n\"But,\" went on Chrysantas, \"how can they support each other at such a\r\ndistance?\" \"Doubtless,\" said Cyrus, \"as soon as their wings are opposite\r\nour flanks, they will wheel round, and then advance at once on every\r\nside and so set us fighting everywhere at once.\" (8) \"Well,\" said\r\nChrysantas, \"do you think the movement wise?\" \"Yes,\" said Cyrus, \"it\r\nis good enough in view of what they can see, but, in view of what they\r\ncannot, it is worse for them than if they had advanced in a single\r\ncolumn. Do you,\" he said, turning to Arsamas, \"advance with your\r\ninfantry, slowly, taking your pace from me, and do you, Chrysantas,\r\nmarch beside him with your cavalry, step for step. I will make for their\r\nangle myself, where I propose to join battle, first riding round the\r\narmy to see how things are with all our men. (9) When I reach the point,\r\nand we are on the verge of action, I will raise the paean and then\r\nyou must quicken your pace. You will know when we have closed with the\r\nenemy, the din will be loud enough. At the same moment Abradatas will\r\ndash out upon them: such will be his orders; your duty is to follow,\r\nkeeping as close to the chariots as possible. Thus we shall fall on the\r\nenemy at the height of his confusion. And, God helping me, I shall be\r\nwith you also, cutting my way through the rout by the quickest road I\r\ncan.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(10) So he spoke, and sent the watchword down the lines, \"Zeus our\r\nsaviour, and Zeus our leader,\" and went forward. As he passed between\r\nthe chariots and the cuirassiers, he would say to some, \"My men, the\r\nlook on your faces rejoices my heart,\" and to others, \"You understand,\r\ngentlemen, that this battle is not for the victory of a day, but for all\r\nthat we have won ere now, and for all our happiness to come.\" (11) And\r\nto others, \"My friends, we can never reproach the gods again: to-day\r\nthey have put all blessings in our hands. (12) Let us show ourselves\r\ngood men and true.\" Or else, \"Gentlemen, can we invite each other to a\r\nmore glorious feast than this? This day all gallant hearts are bidden;\r\nthis day they may feast their friends.\" (13) Or again, \"You know, I\r\nthink, the prizes in this game: the victors pursue and smite and slay,\r\nand win wealth and fame and freedom and empire: the cowards lose them\r\nall. He who loves his own soul let him fight beside me: for I will have\r\nno disgrace.\" (14) But if he met soldiers who had fought for him before,\r\nhe only said, \"To you, gentlemen, what need I say? You know the brave\r\nman\u0027s part in battle, and the craven\u0027s.\" (15) And when he came to\r\nAbradatas, he halted, and Abradatas gave the reins to his charioteer\r\nand came up to him, and others gathered round from the infantry and the\r\nchariots, and Cyrus said:\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"God has rewarded you, Abradatas, according to your prayer, you and\r\nyours. You hold the first rank among our friends. And you will not\r\nforget, when the moment for action comes, that those who watch you will\r\nbe Persians, and those who follow you, and they will not let you bear\r\nthe brunt alone.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(16) And Abradatas answered:\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"Even so, Cyrus; and with us here, methinks, all looks well enough: but\r\nthe state of our flanks troubles me: the enemy\u0027s wings are strong and\r\nstretch far: he has chariots there, and every kind of arm as well, while\r\nwe have nothing else with which to oppose him. So that for myself,\" said\r\nhe, \"if I had not won by lot the post I hold, I should feel ashamed to\r\nbe here in the safest place of all.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(17) \"Nay,\" answered Cyrus, \"if it is well with you, have no concern for\r\nthe rest. God willing, I mean to relieve our flanks. But you yourself,\r\nI conjure you, do not attack until you see the rout of those detachments\r\nthat you fear.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nSo much of boasting did Cyrus allow himself on the eve of action, though\r\nhe was the last man to boast at other times.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"When you see them routed,\" he said, \"you may take it that I am there,\r\nand then make your rush, for that is the moment when you will find the\r\nenemy weakest and your own men strongest. (18) And while there is time,\r\nAbradatas, be sure to drive along your front and prepare your men for\r\nthe charge, kindle their courage by your looks, lift up their hearts by\r\nyour hopes. Breathe a spirit of emulation into them, to make them prove\r\nthemselves the flower of the chariot-force. Be assured if things go well\r\nwith us all men will say nothing is so profitable as valour.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(19) Accordingly Abradatas mounted his chariot and drove along the lines\r\nto do as Cyrus bade.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nMeanwhile Cyrus went on to the left where Hystaspas was posted with half\r\nthe Persian cavalry, and he called to him and said:\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"Hystaspas, here is work to test your pace! If we are quick enough in\r\ncutting off their heads, none of us will be slaughtered first.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(20) And Hystaspas answered with a laugh:\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"Leave it to us! We\u0027ll see to the men opposite. But set some one to deal\r\nwith the fellows on our flank: it would be a pity for them to be idle.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nAnd Cyrus answered, \"I am going to them myself. But remember, Hystaspas,\r\nto which ever of us God grants the victory, so long as a single foeman\r\nis on the field, attack we must, again and again, until the last has\r\nyielded.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(21) With that he passed on, and as he came to the flank he went up to\r\nthe officer in command of the chariots and said to him:\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"Good, I intend to support you myself. And when you hear me fall on\r\nthe wing, at that instant do your best to charge straight through your\r\nopponents; you will be far safer once outside their ranks than if you\r\nare caught half-way.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(22) Then he went on to the rear and the carriages, where the two\r\ndetachments were stationed, a thousand horse and a thousand foot, and\r\ntold Artagersas and Pharnouchus, their leaders, to keep the men where\r\nthey were.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"But when,\" he added, \"you see me close with the enemy on our right,\r\nthen set upon those in front of you: take them in flank, where they are\r\nweakest, while you advance in line, at your full strength. Their lines,\r\nas you see, are closed by cavalry; hurl your camels at these, and you\r\nmay be sure, even before the fighting begins, they will cut a comic\r\nfigure.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(23) Thus, with all his dispositions made, Cyrus rode round the head\r\nof his right. By this time Croesus, believing that the centre, where he\r\nhimself was marching, must be nearer the enemy than the distant wings,\r\nhad the signal raised for them to stop their advance, halt, and wheel\r\nround where they were. When they were in position opposite the Persian\r\nforce, he signalled for them to charge, and thus three columns came at\r\nonce against Cyrus, one facing his front and one on either flank. (24)\r\nA tremor ran through the whole army; it was completely enclosed, like a\r\nlittle brick laid within a large, with the forces of the enemy all\r\nround it, on every side except the rear, cavalry and heavy infantry,\r\ntargeteers, archers, and chariots. (25) None the less, the instant\r\nCyrus gave the word they swung round to confront the foe. There was deep\r\nsilence through the ranks as they realised what they had to face, and\r\nthen Cyrus, when the moment came, began the battle-hymn and it thundered\r\nthrough the host. (26) And as it died away the war-cry rang out unto the\r\nGod of Battles, and Cyrus swooped forward at the head of his cavalry,\r\nstraight for the enemy\u0027s flank, and closed with them then and there,\r\nwhile the infantry behind him followed, swift and steady, wave on wave,\r\nsweeping out on either side, far out-flanking their opponents, for they\r\nattacked in line and the foe were in column, to the great gain of Cyrus.\r\nA short struggle, and the ranks broke and fled before him headlong. (27)\r\nArtagersas, seeing that Cyrus had got to work, made his own charge on\r\nthe left, hurling his camels forward as Cyrus had advised. Even at a\r\ndistance the horses could not face the camels: they seemed to go mad\r\nwith fear, and galloped off in terror, rearing and falling foul of one\r\nanother: such is the strange effect of camels upon horses. (28) So that\r\nArtagersas, his own troops well in hand, had easy work with the enemy\u0027s\r\nbewildered masses. At the same moment the war-chariots dashed in, right\r\nand left, so that many, flying from the chariots, were cut down by the\r\ntroopers, and many, flying from these, were caught by the chariots.\r\n(29) And now Abradatas could wait no longer. \"Follow me, my friends,\"\r\nhe shouted, and drove straight at the enemy, lashing his good steeds\r\nforward till their flanks were bloody with the goad, the other\r\ncharioteers racing hard behind him. The enemy\u0027s chariots fled before\r\nthem instantly, some not even waiting to take up their fighting-men.\r\n(30) But Abradatas drove on through them, straight into the main body of\r\nthe Egyptians, his rush shared by his comrades on either hand. And then,\r\nwhat has often been shown elsewhere was shown here, namely, that of\r\nall strong formations the strongest is a band of friends. His\r\nbrothers-in-arms and his mess-mates charged with him, but the others,\r\nwhen they saw that the solid ranks of the Egyptians stood firm, swung\r\nround and pursued the flying chariots. (31) Meanwhile Abradatas and his\r\ncompanions could make no further way: there was not a gap through the\r\nEgyptian lines on either hand, and they could but charge the single\r\nsoldiers where they stood, overthrow them by the sheer weight of horse\r\nand car, and crush them and their arms beneath the hoofs and wheels. And\r\nwhere the scythes caught them, men and weapons were cut to shreds. (32)\r\nIn the midst of indescribable confusion, the chariots rocking among the\r\nweltering mounds, Abradatas was thrown out and some of his comrades with\r\nhim. There they stood, and fought like men, and there they were cut\r\ndown and died. The Persians, pouring in after them, dealt slaughter\r\nand destruction where Abradatas and his men had charged and shaken the\r\nranks, but elsewhere the Egyptians, who were still unscathed, and they\r\nwere many, moved steadily on to meet them.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(33) There followed a desperate struggle with lance and spear and sword,\r\nand still the Egyptians had the advantage, because of their numbers and\r\ntheir weapons. Their spears were immensely stout and long, such as they\r\ncarry to this day, and the huge shield not only gave more protection\r\nthan corslet and buckler, but aided the thrust of the fighter, slung as\r\nit was from the shoulder.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(34) Shield locked into shield, they thrust their way forward; and the\r\nPersians could not drive them back, with their light bucklers borne on\r\nthe forearm only. Step by step they gave ground, dealing blow for blow,\r\ntill they came under cover of their own artillery. Then at last a second\r\nshower of blows fell on the Egyptians, while the reserves would allow no\r\nflight of the archers or the javelin-men: at the sword\u0027s point they made\r\nthem do their duty. (35) Thick was the slaughter, and loud the din of\r\nclashing weapons and whirring darts, and shouting warriors, cheering\r\neach other and calling on the gods.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(36) At this moment Cyrus appeared, cutting his way through his own\r\nopponents. To see the Persians thrust from their position was misery\r\nto him, but he knew he could check the enemy\u0027s advance most quickly by\r\ngalloping round to their rear, and thither he dashed, bidding his troops\r\nfollow, and there they fell upon them and smote them as they were gazing\r\nahead, and there they mowed them down.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(37) The Egyptians, seeing what had happened, cried out that the enemy\r\nhad taken them in the rear, and wheeled round under a storm of blows. At\r\nthis the confusion reached its height, cavalry and infantry struggling\r\nall together. An Egyptian fell under Cyrus\u0027 horse, and as the hoofs\r\nstruck him he stabbed the creature in the belly. The charger reared\r\nat the blow and Cyrus was thrown. (38) Then was seen what it is for\r\na leader to be loved by his men. With a terrible cry the men dashed\r\nforward, conquering thrust with thrust and blow with blow. One of his\r\nsquires leapt down and set Cyrus on his own charger. (39) And as Cyrus\r\nsprang on the horse he saw the Egyptians worsted everywhere. For by now\r\nHystaspas was on the ground with his cavalry, and Chrysantas also. Still\r\nCyrus would not allow them to charge the Egyptian phalanx: the archers\r\nand javelin-men were to play on them from outside. Then he made his way\r\nalong the lines to the artillery, and there he mounted one of the towers\r\nto take a survey of the field, and see if any of the foe still held\r\ntheir ground and kept up the fight. (40) But he saw the plain one chaos\r\nof flying horses and men and chariots, pursuers and pursued, conquerors\r\nand conquered, and nowhere any who still stood firm, save only the\r\nEgyptians. These, in sore straits as they were, formed themselves into\r\na circle behind a ring of steel, and sat down under cover of their\r\nenormous shields. They no longer attempted to act, but they suffered,\r\nand suffered heavily. (41) Cyrus, in admiration and pity, unwilling that\r\nmen so brave should be done to death, drew off his soldiers who were\r\nfighting round them, and would not let another man lift sword.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nThen he sent them a herald asking if they wished to be cut to pieces for\r\nthe sake of those who had betrayed them, or save their lives and keep\r\ntheir reputation for gallantry? And they answered, \"Is it possible that\r\nwe can be saved and yet keep our reputation untarnished?\" (42) And Cyrus\r\nsaid, \"Surely yes, for we ourselves have seen that you alone have held\r\nyour ground and been ready to fight.\" \"But even so,\" said the Egyptians,\r\n\"how can we act in honour if we save ourselves?\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"By betraying none of those at whose side you fought,\" answered Cyrus:\r\n\"only surrender your arms to us, and become our friends, the friends of\r\nmen who chose to save you when they might have destroyed you.\" (43) \"And\r\nif we become your friends,\" said they, \"how will you treat us?\" \"As you\r\ntreat us,\" answered he, \"and the treatment shall be good.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"And what will that good treatment be?\" they asked once more. \"This,\"\r\nsaid Cyrus: \"better pay than you have had, so long as the war lasts, and\r\nwhen peace comes, if you choose to stay with me, lands and cities and\r\nwomen and servants.\" (44) Then they asked him if he would excuse them\r\nfrom one duty, service against Croesus. Croesus, they said, was the only\r\nleader who knew them; for the rest, they were content to agree. And so\r\nthey came to terms, and took and gave pledges of good faith. (45) Thus\r\nit came about that their descendants are to this day faithful subjects\r\nof the king, and Cyrus gave them cities, some in the interior, which are\r\nstill called the cities of the Egyptians, beside Larissa and Kyllene and\r\nKyme on the coast, still held by their descendants.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nWhen this matter was arranged darkness had already fallen, and Cyrus\r\ndrew off his army and encamped at Thymbrara.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(46) In this engagement the Egyptians alone among the enemy won\r\nthemselves renown, and of the troops under Cyrus the Persian cavalry was\r\nheld to have done the best, so much so that to this day they are still\r\narmed in the manner that Cyrus devised. (47) High praise also was given\r\nto the scythe-bearing chariots, and this engine of war is still employed\r\nby the reigning king. (48) As for the camels, all they did was to scare\r\nthe horses; their riders could take no part in the slaughter, and were\r\nnever touched themselves by the enemy\u0027s cavalry. For not a horse would\r\ncome near the camels. (49) It was a useful arm, certainly, but no\r\ngallant gentleman would dream of breeding camels for his own use or\r\nlearning to fight on camel-back. And so they returned to their old\r\nposition among the baggage-train.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(C.2) Then Cyrus and his men took their evening meal and posted their\r\npickets and went to rest. But Croesus and his army fled in haste to\r\nSardis, and the other tribes hurried away homewards under cover of\r\nnight as fast and as far as they could. (2) When day broke Cyrus marched\r\nstraight for Sardis, and when he came before the citadel he set up\r\nhis engines as though for the assault and got out his ladders. But the\r\nfollowing night he sent a scaling party of Persians and Chaldaeans to\r\nclimb the fortifications at the steepest point. The guide was a Persian\r\nwho had served as a slave to one of the garrison in the citadel, and who\r\nknew a way down to the river by which one could get up. (4) As soon as\r\nit became clear that the heights had been taken, all the Lydians without\r\nexception fled from the walls and hid wherever they could. At daybreak\r\nCyrus entered the city and gave orders that not a man was to leave the\r\nranks. (5) Croesus, who had shut himself up inside his palace, cried\r\nout on Cyrus, and Cyrus left a guard round the building while he himself\r\nwent to inspect the captured citadel. Here he found the Persians keeping\r\nguard in perfect order, but the Chaldaean quarters were deserted, for\r\nthe men had rushed down to pillage the town. Immediately he summoned\r\ntheir officers, and bade them leave his army at once. (6) \"I could never\r\nendure,\" he said, \"to have undisciplined fellows seizing the best of\r\neverything. You know well enough,\" he added, \"all that was in store for\r\nyou. I meant to make all who served with me the envy of their fellows;\r\nbut now,\" he said, \"you cannot be surprised if you encounter some one\r\nstronger than yourselves on your way home.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(7) Fear fell on the Chaldaeans at this, and they intreated him to lay\r\naside his anger and vowed they would give back all the booty they had\r\ntaken. He answered that he had no need of it himself. \"But if,\" he\r\nadded, \"you wish to appease me, you will hand it over to those who\r\nstayed and guarded the citadel. For if my soldiers see that discipline\r\nmeans reward, all will be well with us.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(8) So the Chaldaeans did as he bade them, and the faithful and obedient\r\nreceived all manner of good things.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nThen Cyrus made his troops encamp in the most convenient quarter of\r\nthe town, and told them to stay at their posts and take their breakfast\r\nthere. (9) That done, he gave orders that Croesus should be brought to\r\nhim, and when he came into his presence, Croesus cried:\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"Hail, Cyrus, my lord and master! Fate has given you that title from now\r\nhenceforward, and thus must I salute you.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(20) \"All hail to you likewise,\" answered Cyrus: \"we are both of us men.\r\nAnd tell me now,\" he continued, \"would you be more willing to advise me\r\nas a friend?\" \"I should be more than glad,\" said Croesus, \"to do you\r\nany good. It would mean good for myself, I know.\" (11) \"Listen, then,\"\r\nanswered Cyrus: \"I see that my soldiers have endured much toil and\r\nencountered many dangers, and now they are persuaded that they have\r\ntaken the wealthiest city in all Asia, after Babylon. I would not have\r\nthem cheated of their recompense, seeing that if they win nothing by\r\ntheir labour, I know not how I can keep them obedient to me for long.\r\nYet I am unwilling to give them this city over to plunder. I believe\r\nit would be utterly destroyed, and moreover I know full well that in\r\nplunder the worst villains win the most.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(12) To this Croesus answered, \"Suffer me then to tell what Lydians I\r\nplease that I have won your promise that the city shall not be sacked,\r\nnor their women and children made away with. (13) I promise you in\r\nreturn that my men will bring you willingly everything that is costly\r\nand beautiful in Sardis. If I can announce such terms, I am certain\r\nthere is not one treasure belonging to man or woman that will not be\r\nyours to-morrow. Further, on this day year, the city will overflow once\r\nmore with wealth and beauty. But if you sack it, you will destroy\r\nthe crafts in its ruin, and they, we know, are the well-spring of all\r\nloveliness. (14) Howbeit, you need not decide at once, wait and see what\r\nis brought to you. Send first,\" he added, \"to my own treasuries, and let\r\nyour guards take some of my own men with them.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nTo all this Cyrus consented, and then he said:\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(15) \"And now, O Croesus, tell me one thing more. How did matters go\r\nbetween you and the oracle at Delphi? It is said that you did much\r\nreverence to Apollo and obeyed him in all things.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(16) \"I could wish it had been so,\" said Croesus, \"but, truth to say,\r\nfrom the beginning I have acted in all things against him.\" \"How can\r\nthat be?\" said Cyrus. \"Explain it to me: for your words seem strange\r\nindeed.\" (17) \"Because,\" he answered, \"in the first place, instead of\r\nasking the god for all I wanted I must needs put him to the test, to see\r\nif he could speak the truth. This,\" he added, \"no man of honour could\r\nendure, let be the godhead. Those who are doubted cannot love their\r\ndoubters. (18) And yet he stood the test; for though the things I did\r\nwere strange, and I was many leagues from Delphi, he knew them all. And\r\nso I resolved to consult him about my children. (19) At first he would\r\nnot so much as answer me, but I sent him many an offering, some of gold\r\nand some of silver, and I propitiated him, as I deemed, by countless\r\nsacrifices, and at last he answered me when I asked him what I must do\r\nthat sons might be born to me. He said they should be born. (20) And so\r\nthey were; in that he uttered no lie, but they brought me no joy. One\r\nof them was dumb his whole life long, and the noblest perished in the\r\nflower of his youth. And I, crushed by these sorrows, sent again to the\r\ngod and asked him how I could live in happiness for the rest of my days,\r\nand he answered:\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cpre\u003e \"\u0027Know thyself, O Croesus, and happiness shall be thine.\u0027\r\n\u003c/pre\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"And when I heard the oracle, I was comforted. (21) I said to myself,\r\nthe god has laid the lightest of tasks upon me, and promised me\r\nhappiness in return. Some of his neighbours a man may know and others\r\nnot: but every one can know himself. (22) So I thought, and in truth so\r\nlong as I was at peace I had no fault to find with my lot after my\r\nson\u0027s death; but when the Assyrian persuaded me to march against you\r\nI encountered every danger. Yet I was saved, I came to no harm. Once\r\nagain, therefore, I have no charge to bring against the god: when I\r\n\u003ci\u003eknew myself\u003c/i\u003e incapable of warring against you, he came to my help\r\nand saved mine and me. (23) But afterwards, intoxicated by my wealth,\r\ncajoled by those who begged me to be their leader, tempted by the gifts\r\nthey showered on me, flattered by all who said that if I would but lead\r\nthem they would obey me to a man, and that I would be the greatest ruler\r\nin all the world, and that all their kings had met together and chosen\r\nme for their champion in the war, I undertook the generalship as though\r\nI were born to be the monarch of the world, for I did not \u003ci\u003eknow myself\u003c/i\u003e.\r\n(24) I thought myself able to fight against you, you who are sprung from\r\nthe seed of the gods, born of a royal line, trained in valour and virtue\r\nfrom your youth, while I—I believe that the first of my ancestors to\r\nreign won his freedom and his crown on the self-same day. For this dull\r\nignorance of mine I see I am justly punished. (25) But now at last, O\r\nCyrus,\" he cried, \"now I \u003ci\u003eknow myself\u003c/i\u003e. And tell me, do you think the\r\ngod will still speak truth? Do you think that, knowing myself, I can be\r\nhappy now? I ask you, because you of all men have it in your power to\r\nanswer best. Happiness is yours to give.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(26) Cyrus answered, \"Give me time to deliberate, Croesus. I bear in\r\nmind your former happiness and I pity you. I give you back at once your\r\nwife and your daughters (for they tell me you have daughters), and your\r\nfriends and your attendants; they are yours once more. And yours it is\r\nto sit at your own table as you used to live. But battles and wars I\r\nmust put out of your power.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(27) \"Now by the gods above us,\" cried Croesus, \"you need take no\r\nfurther thought about your answer: if you will do for me what you say,\r\nI shall live the life that all men called the happiest of lives, and I\r\nknew that they were right.\" (28) \"And who,\" said Cyrus, \"who was it that\r\nlived that life of happiness?\" \"My own wife,\" said Croesus; \"she shared\r\nall my good things with me, my luxuries, my softest joys; but in the\r\ncares on which those joys were based, in war and battle and strife, she\r\nhad no part or lot. Methinks, you will provide for me as I provided for\r\nher whom I loved beyond all others in the world, and I must needs send\r\nto Apollo again, and send thank-offerings.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(29) And as Cyrus listened he marvelled at the man\u0027s contentedness of\r\nsoul, and for the future wherever he went he took Croesus with him,\r\neither because he thought he might be useful or perhaps because he felt\r\nit was safer so.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(C.3) So for that night they rested. But the next day Cyrus called his\r\nfriends and generals together and told some to make an inventory of\r\ntheir treasures and others to receive all the wealth that Croesus\r\nbrought in. First they were to set aside for the gods all that the\r\nPersian priests thought fit, and then store the rest in coffers, weight\r\nthem, and pack them on waggons, distributing the waggons by lot to take\r\nwith them on the march, so that they could receive their proper share at\r\nany convenient time. (2) So they set about the work.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nThen Cyrus called some of his squires and said:\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"Tell me, have any of you seen Abradatas? I wonder that he who used to\r\ncome to me so often is nowhere to be found.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(3) Then one of the squires made answer, \"My lord, he is dead: he fell\r\nin the battle, charging straight into the Egyptian ranks: the rest, all\r\nbut his own companions, swerved before their close array. (4) And now,\"\r\nhe added, \"we hear that his wife has found his body and laid it in her\r\nown car, and has brought it here to the banks of the Pactolus. (5) Her\r\nchamberlains and her attendants are digging a grave for the dead man\r\nupon a hill, and she, they say, has put her fairest raiment on him\r\nand her jewels, and she is seated on the ground with his head upon her\r\nknees.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(6) Then Cyrus smote his hand upon his thigh and leapt up and sprang to\r\nhorse, galloping to the place of sorrow, with a thousand troopers at his\r\nback. (7) He bade Gadatas and Gobryas take what jewels they could find\r\nto honour the dear friend and brave warrior who had fallen, and follow\r\nwith all speed: and he bade the keepers of the herds, the cattle, and\r\nthe horses drive up their flocks wherever they heard he was, that he\r\nmight sacrifice on the grave.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(8) But when he saw Pantheia seated on the ground and the dead man lying\r\nthere, the tears ran down his cheeks and he cried:\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"O noble and loyal spirit, have you gone from us?\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nThen he took the dead man by the hand, but the hand came away with his\r\nown: it had been hacked by an Egyptian blade. (9) And when he saw that,\r\nhis sorrow grew, and Pantheia sobbed aloud and took the hand from Cyrus\r\nand kissed it and laid it in its place, as best she could, and said:\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(10) \"It is all like that, Cyrus. But why should you see it?\" And\r\npresently she said, \"All this, I know, he suffered for my sake, and for\r\nyours too, Cyrus, perhaps as much. I was a fool: I urged him so to bear\r\nhimself as became a faithful friend of yours, and he, I know, he never\r\nthought once of his own safety, but only of what he might do to show his\r\ngratitude. Now he has fallen, without a stain upon his valour: and I,\r\nwho urged him, I live on to sit beside his grave.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(11) And Cyrus wept silently for a while, and then he said:\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"Lady, his end was the noblest and the fairest that could be: he died\r\nin the hour of victory. Take these gifts that I have brought and adorn\r\nhim.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nFor now Gobryas and Gadatas appeared with store of jewels and rich\r\napparel. \"He shall not lack for honour,\" Cyrus said; \"many hands will\r\nraise his monument: it shall be a royal one; and we will offer such\r\nsacrifice as befits a hero. (12) And you, lady,\" he added, \"you shall\r\nnot be left desolate. I reverence your chastity and your nobleness, and\r\nI will give you a guardian to lead you withersoever you choose, if you\r\nwill but tell me to whom you wish to go.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(13) And Pantheia answered:\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"Be at rest, Cyrus, I will not hide from you to whom I long to go.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(14) Therewith Cyrus took his leave of her and went, pitying from his\r\nheart the woman who had lost so brave a husband, and the dead man in his\r\ngrave, taken from so sweet a wife, never to see her more. Then Pantheia\r\nbade her chamberlains stand aside \"until,\" she said, \"I have wept over\r\nhim as I would.\" But she made her nurse stay with her and she said:\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"Nurse, when I am dead, cover us with the same cloak.\" And the nurse\r\nentreated and besought her, but she could not move her, and when she\r\nsaw that she did but vex her mistress, she sat down and wept in silence.\r\nThen Pantheia took the scimitar, that had been ready for her so long,\r\nand drew it across her throat, and dropped her head upon her husband\u0027s\r\nbreast and died. And the nurse cried bitterly, but she covered the two\r\nwith one cloak as her mistress had bidden her.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(15) And when Cyrus heard what Pantheia had done he rushed out in horror\r\nto see if he could save her. And when the three chamberlains saw what\r\nhad happened they drew their own scimitars and killed themselves, there\r\nwhere she had bidden them stand. (16, 17) And when Cyrus came to that\r\nplace of sorrow, he looked with wonder and reverence on the woman, and\r\nwept for her and went his way and saw that all due honour was paid to\r\nthose who lay there dead, and a mighty sepulchre was raised above them,\r\nmightier, men say, than had been seen in all the world before.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(C.4) After this the Carians, who were always at war and strife with one\r\nanother, because their dwellings were fortified, sent to Cyrus and\r\nasked for aid. Cyrus himself was unwilling to leave Sardis, where he\r\nwas having engines of artillery made and battering-rams to overthrow\r\nthe walls of those who would not listen to him. But he sent Adousius, a\r\nPersian, in his place, a man of sound judgment and a stout soldier\r\nand withal a person of winning presence. He gave him an army; and the\r\nCilicians and Cypriotes were very ready to serve under him. (2) That\r\nwas why Cyrus never sent a Persian satrap to govern either Cilicia or\r\nCyprus; he was always satisfied with the native kings; only he exacted\r\ntribute and levied troops whenever he needed them.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(3) So Adousius took his army and marched into Caria, where he was met\r\nby the men of both parties, ready to receive him inside their walls to\r\nthe detriment of their opponents. Adousius treated each in exactly the\r\nsame way, he told whichever side was pleading that he thought their case\r\nwas just, but it was essential that the others should not realise he\r\nwas their friend, \"for thus, you perceive, I will take them unprepared\r\nwhenever I attack.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nHe insisted they should give him pledges of good faith, and the Carians\r\nhad to swear they would receive him without fraud or guile within their\r\nwalls and for the welfare of Cyrus and the Persians; and on his side he\r\nwas willing to swear that he would enter without fraud or guile himself\r\nand for the welfare of those who received him. (4) Having imposed these\r\nterms on either party without the knowledge of the other, he fixed on\r\nthe same night with both, entered the walls, and had the strongholds\r\nof both parties in his hands. At break of day he took his place in the\r\nmidst with his army, and sent for the leading men on either side. Thus\r\nconfronted with each other they were more than a little vexed, and both\r\nimagined they had been cheated. (5) However, Adousius began:\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"Gentlemen, I took an oath to you that I would enter your walls without\r\nfraud or guile and for the welfare of those who received me. Now if I am\r\nforced to destroy either of you, I am persuaded I shall have entered to\r\nthe detriment of the Carians. But if I give you peace, so that you can\r\ntill your lands in safety, I imagine I shall have come for your welfare.\r\nTherefore from this day forwards you must meet on friendly terms,\r\ncultivate your fields without fear, give your children to each other,\r\nand if any one offends against these laws, Cyrus and ourselves will be\r\nhis enemies.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(6) At that the city gates were flung wide open, the roads were filled\r\nwith folk hurrying to one another, the fields were thronged with\r\nlabourers. They held high festival together, and the land was full of\r\npeace and joyfulness.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(7) Meanwhile messengers came from Cyrus inquiring whether there was\r\nneed for more troops or siege-engines, but Adousius answered, on the\r\ncontrary his present force was at Cyrus\u0027 service to employ elsewhere\r\nif he wished, and so drew off his army, only leaving a garrison in the\r\ncitadels. Thereupon the Carians implored him to remain, and when he\r\nwould not, they sent to Cyrus begging him to make Adousius their satrap.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(8) Meanwhile Cyrus had sent Hystaspas with an army into Phrygia on\r\nthe Hellespont, and when Adousius came back he bade him follow, for the\r\nPhrygians would be more willing to obey Hystaspas if they heard that\r\nanother army was advancing.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(9) Now the Hellenes on the seaboard offered many gifts and bargained\r\nnot to receive the Asiatics within their walls, but only to pay tribute\r\nand serve wherever Cyrus commanded. (10) But the king of Phrygia made\r\npreparations to hold his fortresses and not yield, and sent out orders\r\nto that effect. However, when his lieutenants deserted him and he found\r\nhimself all alone, he had to put himself in the hands of Hystaspas, and\r\nleave his fate to the judgment of Cyrus. Then Hystaspas stationed strong\r\nPersian garrisons in all the citadels, and departed, taking with him not\r\nonly his own troops but many mounted men and targeteers from Phrygia.\r\n(11) And Cyrus sent word to Adousius to join Hystaspas, put himself at\r\nthe head of those who had submitted and allow them to retain their arms,\r\nwhile those who showed a disposition to resist were to be deprived of\r\ntheir horses and their weapons and made to follow the army as slingers.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(12) While his lieutenants were thus employed, Cyrus set out from\r\nSardis, leaving a large force of infantry to garrison the place, and\r\ntaking Croesus with him, and a long train of waggons laden with riches\r\nof every kind. Croesus presented an accurate inventory of everything in\r\neach waggon, and said, as he delivered the scrolls:\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"With these in your possession, Cyrus, you can tell whether your\r\nofficers are handing over their freights in full or not.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(13) And Cyrus answered:\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"It was kindly done, Croesus, on your part, to take thought for this:\r\nbut I have arranged that the freights should be in charge of those who\r\nare entitled to them, so that if the men steal, they steal their own\r\nproperty.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nWith these words he handed the documents to his friends and officers to\r\nserve as checks on their own stewards.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(14) Cyrus also took Lydians in his train; allowing some to carry arms,\r\nthose, namely, who were at pains to keep their weapons in good order,\r\nand their horses and chariots, and who did their best to please him, but\r\nif they gave themselves ungracious airs, he took away their horses and\r\nbestowed them on the Persians who had served him from the beginning of\r\nthe campaign, burnt their weapons, and forced them to follow the army\r\nas slingers. (15) Indeed, as a rule, he compelled all the subject\r\npopulation who had been disarmed to practise the use of the sling: it\r\nwas, he considered, a weapon for slaves. No doubt there are occasions\r\nwhen a body of slingers, working with other detachments, can do\r\nexcellent service, but, taken alone, not all the slingers in the world\r\ncould face a mere handful armed with steel.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(16) Cyrus was marching to Babylon, but on his way he subdued the\r\nPhrygians of Greater Phrygia and the Cappadocians, and reduced the\r\nArabians to subjection. These successes enabled him to increase his\r\nPersian cavalry till it was not far short of forty thousand men, and he\r\nhad still horses left over to distribute among his allies at large.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nAt length he came before Babylon with an immense body of cavalry,\r\narchers, and javelin-men, beside slingers innumerable.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(C.5) When Cyrus reached the city he surrounded it entirely with his\r\nforces, and then rode round the walls himself, attended by his friends\r\nand the leading officers of the allies. (2) Having surveyed the\r\nfortifications, he prepared to lead off his troops, and at that moment\r\na deserter came to inform him that the Assyrians intended to attack as\r\nsoon as he began to withdraw, for they had inspected his forces from the\r\nwalls and considered them very weak. This was not surprising, for the\r\ncircuit of the city was so enormous that it was impossible to surround\r\nit without seriously thinning the lines. (3) When Cyrus heard of their\r\nintention, he took up his post in the centre of his troops with his own\r\nstaff round him and sent orders to the infantry for the wings to double\r\nback on either side, marching past the stationary centre of the line,\r\nuntil they met in the rear exactly opposite himself. (4) Thus the men\r\nin front were immediately encouraged by the doubling of their depth,\r\nand those who retired were equally cheered, for they saw that the others\r\nwould encounter the enemy first. The two wings being united, the power\r\nof the whole force was strengthened, those behind being protected by\r\nthose in front and those in front supported by those behind. (5) When\r\nthe phalanx was thus folded back on itself, both the front and the rear\r\nranks were formed of picked men, a disposition that seemed calculated\r\nto encourage valour and check flight. On the flanks, the cavalry and the\r\nlight infantry were drawn nearer and nearer to the commander as the line\r\ncontracted. (6) When the whole phalanx was in close order, they fell\r\nback from the walls, slowly, facing the foe, until they were out of\r\nrange; then they turned, marched a few paces, and then wheeled round\r\nagain to the left, and halted, facing the walls, but the further they\r\ngot the less often they paused, until, feeling themselves secure, they\r\nquickened their pace and went off in an uninterrupted march until they\r\nreached their quarters.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(7) When they were encamped, Cyrus called a council of his officers and\r\nsaid, \"My friends and allies, we have surveyed the city on every side,\r\nand for my part I fail to see any possibility of taking by assault walls\r\nso lofty and so strong: on the other hand, the greater the population\r\nthe more quickly must they yield to hunger, unless they come out to\r\nfight. If none of you have any other scheme to suggest, I propose that\r\nwe reduce them by blockade.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(8) Then Chrysantas spoke:\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"Does not the river flow through the middle of the city, and it is not\r\nat least a quarter of a mile in width?\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"To be sure it is,\" answered Gobryas, \"and so deep that the water would\r\ncover two men, one standing on the other\u0027s shoulders; in fact the city\r\nis even better protected by its river than by its walls.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(9) At which Cyrus said, \"Well, Chrysantas, we must forego what is\r\nbeyond our power: but let us measure off at once the work for each of\r\nus, set to, and dig a trench as wide and as deep as we can, that we may\r\nneed as few guards as possible.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(10) Thereupon Cyrus took his measurements all round the city, and,\r\nleaving a space on either bank of the river large enough for a lofty\r\ntower, he had a gigantic trench dug from end to end of the wall, his\r\nmen heaping up the earth on their own side. (11) Then he set to work\r\nto build his towers by the river. The foundations were of palm-trees, a\r\nhundred feet long and more—the palm-tree grows to a greater height than\r\nthat, and under pressure it will curve upwards like the spine of an\r\nass beneath a load. (12) He laid these foundations in order to give the\r\nimpression that he meant to besiege the town, and was taking precautions\r\nso that the river, even if it found its way into his trench, should not\r\ncarry off his towers. Then he had other towers built along the mound,\r\nso as to have as many guard-posts as possible. (13) Thus his army was\r\nemployed, but the men within the walls laughed at his preparations,\r\nknowing they had supplies to last them more than twenty years. When\r\nCyrus heard that, he divided his army into twelve, each division to keep\r\nguard for one month in the year. (14) At this the Babylonians laughed\r\nlouder still, greatly pleased at the idea of being guarded by Phrygians\r\nand Lydians and Arabians and Cappadocians, all of whom, they thought,\r\nwould be more friendly to themselves than to the Persians.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(15) However by this time the trenches were dug. And Cyrus heard that it\r\nwas a time of high festival in Babylon when the citizens drink and make\r\nmerry the whole night long. As soon as the darkness fell, he set his\r\nmen to work. (16) The mouths of the trenches were opened, and during the\r\nnight the water poured in, so that the river-bed formed a highway into\r\nthe heart of the town.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(17) When the great stream had taken to its new channel, Cyrus ordered\r\nhis Persian officers to bring up their thousands, horse and foot alike,\r\neach detachment drawn up two deep, the allies to follow in their old\r\norder. (18) They lined up immediately, and Cyrus made his own bodyguard\r\ndescend into the dry channel first, to see if the bottom was firm enough\r\nfor marching. (19) When they said it was, he called a council of all his\r\ngenerals and spoke as follows:\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(20) \"My friends, the river has stepped aside for us; he offers us a\r\npassage by his own high-road into Babylon. We must take heart and enter\r\nfearlessly, remembering that those against whom we are to march this\r\nnight are the very men we have conquered before, and that too when they\r\nhad their allies to help them, when they were awake, alert, and sober,\r\narmed to the teeth, and in their battle order. (21) To-night we go\r\nagainst them when some are asleep and some are drunk, and all are\r\nunprepared: and when they learn that we are within the walls, sheer\r\nastonishment will make them still more helpless than before. (22) If any\r\nof you are troubled by the thought of volleys from the roofs when the\r\narmy enters the city, I bid you lay these fears aside: if our enemies\r\ndo climb their roofs we have a god to help us, the god of Fire. Their\r\nporches are easily set aflame, for the doors are made of palm-wood and\r\nvarnished with bitumen, the very food of fire. (23) And we shall come\r\nwith the pine-torch to kindle it, and with pitch and tow to feed it.\r\nThey will be forced to flee from their homes or be burnt to death. (24)\r\nCome, take your swords in your hand: God helping me, I will lead you on.\r\nDo you,\" he said, turning to Gadatas and Gobryas, \"show us the streets,\r\nyou know them; and once we are inside, lead us straight to the palace.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(25) \"So we will,\" said Gobryas and his men, \"and it would not surprise\r\nus to find the palace-gates unbarred, for this night the whole city is\r\ngiven over to revelry. Still, we are sure to find a guard, for one is\r\nalways stationed there.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"Then,\" said Cyrus, \"there is no time for lingering; we must be off at\r\nonce and take them unprepared.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(26) Thereupon they entered: and of those they met some were struck down\r\nand slain, and others fled into their houses, and some raised the hue\r\nand cry, but Gobryas and his friends covered the cry with their shouts,\r\nas though they were revellers themselves. And thus, making their way by\r\nthe quickest route, they soon found themselves before the king\u0027s palace.\r\n(27) Here the detachment under Gobryas and Gadatas found the gates\r\nclosed, but the men appointed to attack the guards rushed on them as\r\nthey lay drinking round a blazing fire, and closed with them then and\r\nthere. (28) As the din grew louder and louder, those within became aware\r\nof the tumult, till, the king bidding them see what it meant, some of\r\nthem opened the gates and ran out. (29) Gadatas and his men, seeing the\r\ngates swing wide, darted in, hard on the heels of the others who fled\r\nback again, and they chased them at the sword\u0027s point into the presence\r\nof the king.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(30) They found him on his feet, with his drawn scimitar in his hand. By\r\nsheer weight of numbers they overwhelmed him: and not one of his retinue\r\nescaped, they were all cut down, some flying, others snatching up\r\nanything to serve as a shield and defending themselves as best they\r\ncould. (31) Cyrus sent squadrons of cavalry down the different roads\r\nwith orders to kill all they found in the street, while those who knew\r\nAssyrian were to warn the inhabitants to stay indoors under pain of\r\ndeath. (32) While they carried out these orders, Gobryas and Gadatas\r\nreturned, and first they gave thanks to the gods and did obeisance\r\nbecause they had been suffered to take vengeance on their unrighteous\r\nking, and then they fell to kissing the hands and feet of Cyrus,\r\nshedding tears of joy and gratitude. (33) And when it was day and those\r\nwho held the heights knew that the city was taken and the king slain,\r\nthey were persuaded to surrender the citadel themselves. (34) Cyrus took\r\nit over forthwith, and sent in a commandant and a garrison, while he\r\ndelivered the bodies of the fallen to their kinsfolk for burial, and\r\nbade his heralds make proclamation that all the citizens must deliver\r\nup their arms: wherever weapons were discovered in any house all the\r\ninmates would be put to death. So the arms were surrendered, and Cyrus\r\nhad them placed in the citadel for use in case of need. (35) When all\r\nwas done he summoned the Persian priests and told them the city was the\r\ncaptive of his spear and bade them set aside the first-fruits of the\r\nbooty as an offering to the gods and mark out land for sacred demesnes.\r\nThen he distributed the houses and the public buildings to those whom\r\nhe counted his partners in the exploit; and the distribution was on\r\nthe principle accepted, the best prizes to the bravest men: and if any\r\nthought they had not received their deserts they were invited to come\r\nand tell him. (36) At the same time he issued a proclamation to the\r\nBabylonians, bidding them till the soil and pay the dues and render\r\nwilling service to those under whose rule they were placed. As for his\r\npartners the Persians, and such of his allies as elected to remain\r\nwith him, he gave them to understand they were to treat as subjects the\r\ncaptives they received.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(37) After this Cyrus felt that the time was come to assume the style\r\nand manner that became a king: and he wished this to be done with the\r\ngoodwill and concurrence of his friends and in such a way that, without\r\nseeming ungracious, he might appear but seldom in public and always with\r\na certain majesty. Therefore he devised the following scheme. At break\r\nof day he took his station at some convenient place, and received all\r\nwho desired speech with him, and then dismissed them. (38) The people,\r\nwhen they heard that he gave audience, thronged to him in multitudes,\r\nand in the struggle to gain access there was much jostling and scheming\r\nand no little fighting. (39) His attendants did their best to divide\r\nthe suitors, and introduce them in some order, and whenever any of his\r\npersonal friends appeared, thrusting their way through the crowd, Cyrus\r\nwould stretch out his hand and draw them to his side and say, \"Wait, my\r\nfriends, until we have finished with this crowd, and then we can talk at\r\nour ease.\" So his friends would wait, but the multitude would pour on,\r\ngrowing greater and greater, until the evening would fall before there\r\nhad been a moment\u0027s leisure for his friends. (40) All that Cyrus could\r\ndo then was to say, \"Perhaps, gentlemen, it is a little late this\r\nevening and time that we broke up. Be sure to come early to-morrow. I am\r\nvery anxious myself to speak with you.\" With that his friends were only\r\ntoo glad to be dismissed, and made off without more ado. They had done\r\npenance enough, fasting and waiting and standing all day long. (41) So\r\nthey would get to rest at last, but the next morning Cyrus was at the\r\nsame spot and a much greater concourse of suitors round him than before,\r\nalready assembled long before his friends arrived. Accordingly Cyrus had\r\na cordon of Persian lancers stationed round him, and gave out that no\r\none except his personal friends and the generals were to be allowed\r\naccess, and as soon as they were admitted he said:\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(42) \"My friends, we cannot exclaim against the gods as though they had\r\nfailed to fulfil our prayers. They have granted all we asked. But if\r\nsuccess means that a man must forfeit his own leisure and the good\r\ncompany of all his friends, why, to that kind of happiness I would\r\nrather bid farewell. (43) Yesterday,\" he added, \"I make no doubt you\r\nobserved yourselves that from early dawn till late evening I never\r\nceased listening to petitioners, and to-day you see this crowd before\r\nus, larger still than yesterday\u0027s, ready with business for me. (44) If\r\nthis must be submitted to, I calculate that what you will get of me\r\nand I of you will be little enough, and what I shall get of myself will\r\nsimply be nothing at all. Further,\" he added, \"I foresee another absurd\r\nconsequence. (45) I, personally, have a feeling towards you which I need\r\nnot state, but, of that audience yonder, scarcely one of them do I know\r\nat all, and yet they are all prepared to thrust themselves in front of\r\nyou, transact their business, and get what they want out of me before\r\nany of you have a chance. I should have thought it more suitable myself\r\nthat men of that class, if they wanted anything from me, should pay some\r\ncourt to you, my friends, in the hopes of an introduction. (46) Perhaps\r\nyou will ask why I did not so arrange matters from the first, instead of\r\nalways appearing in public. Because in war it is the first business of\r\na commander not to be behindhand in knowing what ought to be done and\r\nseeing that it is done, and the general who is seldom seen is apt to let\r\nthings slip. (47) But to-day, when war with its insatiable demands is\r\nover, I feel as if I had some claim myself to rest and refreshment. I am\r\nin some perplexity, however, as to how I can arrange matters so that\r\nall goes well, not only with you and me, but also with those whom we are\r\nbound to care for. Therefore I seek your advice and counsel, and I would\r\nbe glad to learn from any of you the happiest solution.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(48) Cyrus paused, and up rose Artabazus the Mede, who had claimed to be\r\nhis kinsman, and said:\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"You did well, Cyrus, to open this matter. Years ago, when you were\r\nstill a boy, from the very first I longed to be your friend, but I saw\r\nyou did not need me, and so I shrank from approaching you. (49) Then\r\ncame a lucky moment when you did have need of me to be your good\r\nmessenger among the Medes with the order from Cyaxares, and I said to\r\nmyself that if I did the work well, if I really helped you, I might\r\nbecome your comrade and have the right to talk with you as often as I\r\nwished. (50) Well, the work was done, and done so as to win your praise.\r\nAfter that the Hyrcanians joined us, the first friends we made, when we\r\nwere hungry and thirsty for allies, and we loved them so much we almost\r\ncarried them about with us in our arms wherever we went. Then the\r\nenemy\u0027s camp was taken, and I scarcely think you had the leisure to\r\ntrouble your head with me—oh, I quite forgave you. (51) The next thing\r\nwas that Gobryas became your friend, and I had to take my leave, and\r\nafter him Gadatas, and by that time it was a real task to get hold of\r\nyou. Then came the alliances with the Sakians, and the Cadousians, and\r\nno doubt you had to pay them court; if they danced attendance on you,\r\nyou must dance attendance on them. (52) So that there I was, back again\r\nat my starting-point, and yet all the while, as I saw you busy with\r\nhorses and chariots and artillery, I consoled myself by thinking, \u0027when\r\nhe is done with this he will have a little leisure for me.\u0027 And then\r\ncame the terrible news that the whole world was gathering in arms\r\nagainst us; I could not deny that these were important matters, but\r\nstill I felt certain, if all went well, a time would come at last when\r\nyou need not grudge me your company, and we should be together to\r\nmy heart\u0027s content, you and I. (53) Now, the day has come; we have\r\nconquered in the great battle; we have taken Sardis and Babylon; the\r\nworld is at our feet, and yesterday, by Mithras! unless I had used my\r\nfists a hundred times, I swear I could never have got near you at all.\r\nWell, you grasped my hand and gave me greeting, and bade me wait beside\r\nyou, and there I waited, the cynosure of every eye, the envy of every\r\nman, standing there all day long, without a scrap to eat or a drop to\r\ndrink. (54) So now, if any way can be found by which we who have served\r\nyou longest can get the most of you, well and good: but, if not, pray\r\nsend me as your messenger once more, and this time I will tell them they\r\ncan all leave you, except those who were your friends of old.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(55) This appeal set them all laughing, Cyrus with the rest. Then\r\nChrysantas the Persian stood up and spoke as follows:\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"Formerly, Cyrus, it was natural and right that you should appear in\r\npublic, for the reasons you have given us yourself, and also because\r\nwe were not the folk you had to pay your court to. We did not need\r\ninviting: we were with you for our own sakes. It was necessary to win\r\nover the masses by every means, if they were to share our toils and our\r\ndangers willingly. (56) But now you have won them, and not them alone;\r\nyou have it in your power to gain others, and the moment has come when\r\nyou ought to have a house to yourself. What would your empire profit\r\nyou if you alone were left without hearth or home? Man has nothing more\r\nsacred than his home, nothing sweeter, nothing more truly his. And do\r\nyou not think,\" he added, \"that we ourselves would be ashamed if we saw\r\nyou bearing the hardships of the camp while we sat at home by our own\r\nfiresides? Should we not feel we had done you wrong, and taken advantage\r\nof you?\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(57) When Chrysantas had spoken thus, many others followed him, and all\r\nto the same effect. And so it came about that Cyrus entered the palace,\r\nand those in charge brought the treasures from Sardis thither, and\r\nhanded them over. And Cyrus when he entered sacrificed to Hestia, the\r\ngoddess of the Hearth, and to Zeus the Lord, and to any other gods named\r\nby the Persian priests.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(58) This done, he set himself to regulate the matters that remained.\r\nThinking over his position, and the attempt he was making to govern an\r\nenormous multitude, preparing at the same time to take up his abode in\r\nthe greatest of all famous cities, but yet a city that was as hostile to\r\nhim as a city could be, pondering all this, he concluded that he could\r\nnot dispense with a bodyguard for himself. (59) He knew well enough that\r\na man can most easily be assassinated at his meals, or in his bath, or\r\nin bed, or when he is asleep, and he asked himself who were most to\r\nbe trusted of those he had about him. A man, he believed, can never be\r\nloyal or trustworthy who is likely to love another more than the one\r\nwho requires his guardianship. (60) He knew that men with children, or\r\nwives, or favourites in whom they delight, must needs love them most:\r\nwhile eunuchs, who are deprived of all such dear ones, would surely make\r\nmost account of him who could enrich them, or help them if they were\r\ninjured, or crown them with honour. And in the conferring of such\r\nbenefits he was disposed to think he could outbid the world. (61)\r\nMoreover the eunuch, being degraded in the eyes of other men, is driven\r\nto seek the assistance of some lord and master. Without some such\r\nprotection there is not a man in the world who would not think he\r\nhad the right to over-reach a eunuch: while there was every reason to\r\nsuppose that the eunuch would be the most faithful of all servants. (62)\r\nAs for the customary notion that the eunuch must be weak and cowardly,\r\nCyrus was not disposed to accept it. He studied the indications to be\r\nobserved in animals: a vicious horse, if gelded, will cease to bite and\r\nbe restive, but he will charge as gallantly as ever; a bull that has\r\nbeen cut will become less fierce and less intractable, but he will not\r\nlose his strength, he will be as good as ever for work; castration\r\nmay cure a dog of deserting his master, but it will not ruin him as a\r\nwatch-dog or spoil him for the chase. (63) So, too, with men; when cut\r\noff from this passion, they become gentler, no doubt, but not less quick\r\nto obey, not less daring as horsemen, not less skilful with the javelin,\r\nnot less eager for honour. (64) In war and in the chase they show\r\nplainly enough that the fire of ambition is still burning in their\r\nhearts. And they have stood the last test of loyalty in the downfall\r\nof their masters. No men have shown more faithfulness than eunuchs when\r\nruin has fallen on their lords. (65) In bodily strength, perhaps, the\r\neunuchs seem to be lacking, but steel is a great leveller, and makes\r\nthe weak man equal to the strong in war. Holding this in mind, Cyrus\r\nresolved that his personal attendants, from his doorkeepers onwards,\r\nshould be eunuchs one and all.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(66) This guard, however, he felt was hardly sufficient against the\r\nmultitude of enemies, and he asked himself whom he could choose among\r\nthe rest. (67) He remembered how his Persians led the sorriest of lives\r\nat home owing to their poverty, working long and hard on the niggard\r\nsoil, and he felt sure they were the men who would most value the life\r\nat his court. (68) Accordingly he selected ten thousand lancers from\r\namong them, to keep guard round the palace, night and day, whenever\r\nhe was at home, and to march beside him whenever he went abroad. (69)\r\nMoreover, he felt that Babylon must always have an adequate garrison,\r\nwhether he was in the country or not, and therefore he stationed a\r\nconsiderable body of troops in the city; and he bade the Babylonians\r\nprovide their pay, his object being to make the citizens helpless,\r\nand therefore humble and submissive. (70) This royal guard that he\r\nestablished there, and the city guard for Babylon, survive to this day\r\nunaltered.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nLastly, as he pondered how the whole empire was to be kept together, and\r\npossibly another added to it, he felt convinced that his mercenaries did\r\nnot make up for the smallness of their numbers by their superiority\r\nto the subject peoples. Therefore he must keep together those brave\r\nwarriors, to whom with heaven\u0027s help the victory was due, and he must\r\ntake all care that they did not lose their valour, hardihood, and skill.\r\n(71) To avoid the appearance of dictating to them and to bring it about\r\nthat they should see for themselves it was best to stay with him and\r\nremember their valour and their training, he called a council of the\r\nPeers and of the leading men who seemed to him most worthy of sharing\r\ntheir dangers and their rewards. (72) And when they were met he began:\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"Gentlemen, my friends and allies, we owe the utmost thanks to the gods\r\nbecause they have given us what we believed that we deserved. We are\r\nmasters to-day of a great country and a good; and those who till it will\r\nsupport us; we have houses of our own, and all the furniture that is in\r\nthem is ours. (73) For you need not think that what you hold belongs to\r\nothers. It is an eternal law the wide world over, that when a city is\r\ntaken in war, the citizens, their persons, and all their property fall\r\ninto the hands of the conquerors. It is not by injustice, therefore,\r\nthat you hold what you have taken, rather it is through your own human\r\nkindness that the citizens are allowed to keep whatever they do retain.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(74) \"Yet I foresee that if we betake ourselves to the life of indolence\r\nand luxury, the life of the degenerate who think that labour is the\r\nworst of evils and freedom from toil the height of happiness, the day\r\nwill come, and speedily, when we shall be unworthy of ourselves, and\r\nwith the loss of honour will come the loss of wealth. (75) Once to have\r\nbeen valiant is not enough; no man can keep his valour unless he watch\r\nover it to the end. As the arts decay through neglect, as the body, once\r\nhealthy and alert, will grow weak through sloth and indolence, even so\r\nthe powers of the spirit, temperance, self-control, and courage, if we\r\ngrow slack in training, fall back once more to rottenness and death.\r\n(76) We must watch ourselves; we must not surrender to the sweetness\r\nof the day. It is a great work, methinks, to found an empire, but a\r\nfar greater to keep it safe. To seize it may be the fruit of daring and\r\ndaring only, but to hold it is impossible without self-restraint and\r\nself-command and endless care. (77) We must not forget this; we must\r\ntrain ourselves in virtue from now henceforward with even greater\r\ndiligence than before we won this glory, remembering that the more a man\r\npossesses, the more there are to envy him, to plot against him, and\r\nbe his enemies, above all when the wealth he wins and the services\r\nhe receives are yielded by reluctant hands. But the gods, we need not\r\ndoubt, will be upon our side; we have not triumphed through injustice;\r\nwe were not the aggressors, it was we who were attacked and we avenged\r\nourselves. (78) The gods are with us, I say; but next to that supreme\r\nsupport there is a defence we must provide out of our own powers alone;\r\nand that is the righteous claim to rule our subjects because we are\r\nbetter men than they. Needs must that we share with our slaves in heat\r\nand cold and food and drink and toil and slumber, and we must strive to\r\nprove our superiority even in such things as these, and first in these.\r\n(79) But in the science of war and the art of it we can admit no share;\r\nthose whom we mean to make our labourers and our tributaries can have no\r\npart in that; we will set ourselves to defraud them there; we know that\r\nsuch exercises are the very tools of freedom and happiness, given by the\r\ngods to mortal men. We have taken their arms away from our slaves,\r\nand we must never lay our own aside, knowing well that the nearer the\r\nsword-hilt the closer the heart\u0027s desire. So. Does any man ask himself\r\nwhat profit he has gained from the fulfilment of his dreams, if he must\r\nstill endure, still undergo hunger and thirst and toil and trouble and\r\ncare? Let him learn the lesson that a man\u0027s enjoyment of all good things\r\nis in exact proportion to the pains he has undergone to gain them.\r\nToil is the seasoning of delight; without desire and longing, no dish,\r\nhowever costly, could be sweet. (81) Yes, if some spirit were to set\r\nbefore us what men desire most, and we were left to add for ourselves\r\nthat final touch of sweetness, I say that we could only gain above the\r\npoorest of the poor in so far as we could bring hunger for the most\r\ndelicious foods, and thirst for the richest wines, and weariness to make\r\nus woo the deepest slumber. (82) Therefore, we must strain every nerve\r\nto win and to keep manhood and nobleness; so that we may gain that\r\nsatisfaction which is the sweetest and the best, and be saved from the\r\nbitterest of sorrows; since to fail of good altogether is not so hard as\r\nto lose the good that has once been ours. (83) And let us ask ourselves\r\nwhat excuse we could offer for being unworthy of our past. Shall we say\r\nit is because we have won an empire? Surely it is hardly fitting that\r\nthe ruler should be baser than the ruled. Or is it that we seem to\r\nbe happier to-day than heretofore? Is cowardice, then, an adjunct of\r\nhappiness? Or is it simply because we have slaves and must punish them\r\nif they do wrong? But by what right can a man, who is bad himself,\r\npunish others for badness or stupidity? (84) Remember, too, that we have\r\narranged for the maintenance of a whole multitude, to guard our persons\r\nand our houses, and it would be shameful for us to depend for safety on\r\nthe weapons of others and refuse to carry weapons for ourselves. Surely\r\nwe ought to know that there can be no defence so strong as a man\u0027s own\r\ngallantry. Courage should be our companion all our days. For if virtue\r\nleave us, nothing else whatever can go well with us. (85) What, then,\r\nwould I have you do? How are we to remember our valour and train our\r\nskill? Gentlemen, I have nothing novel to suggest; at home in Persia the\r\nPeers spend their days at the public buildings and here we should do the\r\nsame. Here we are the men of rank and honour, as we are there, and we\r\nshould hold to the same customs. You must keep your eyes on me and watch\r\nwhether I am diligent in my duty, and I shall give heed to you, and\r\nhonour him who trains himself in what is beautiful and brave. (86) And\r\nhere too let us educate our sons, if sons are born to us. We cannot but\r\nbecome better ourselves if we strive to set the best example we can to\r\nour children, and our children could hardly grow up to be unworthy, even\r\nif they wished, when they see nothing base before them, and hear nothing\r\nshameful, but live in the practice of all that is beautiful and good.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cpre\u003e NOTES\r\n\u003c/pre\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC1. Notice the epic tone now adopted, or rather swum into, or rather\r\nwhich floats the writer up of its own motion.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC1.2 ff. On the whole this description of the battle is, for Xenophon,\r\nobscure.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC1.5-6. Xenophon, Artist. This military criticism and technical\r\ndiscussion juxtaposed to the epic prelude and the epic sequel is a\r\nclever device enough. We are pleased.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC1.8-9. Final injunctions somewhat obscure, I think.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC1.24 ff. The epic and Homeric vein.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC1.33. The Egyptians have the advantage. This is noticeable in reference\r\nto Cyrus\u0027 criticisms of their arms before battle. That is not a slip,\r\nbut a dramatic touch on the part of the author, I think. And Cyrus is\r\nspeaking of cavalry there, and anticipates the result.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC1.34 fin. A singular feature this in ancient battles. Is it simply\r\nand solely Oriental, or general, and Hellenic also? Has it any analogue\r\nnowadays anywhere? Probably with Egyptian troops in the Soudan it has\r\n(hgd. 1884).\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC2.6-7. The archic man through an act of bad discipline makes good\r\ndiscipline more acceptable.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC2.13. The civilised method of dealing with a conquered city. Instead of\r\npillage and rapine, an indemnity, which will bring in to the conquerors\r\nwealth, and yet not destroy the arts of the population, which are the\r\nfountain-heads of beauty. || Modern. So the archic man asserts his\r\nsuperiority once more.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC2.24. Is this also Xenophon\u0027s view? If so, it throws light on his\r\ntheory of rank and caste.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC3.2. Curious Cyrus should be so little suspicious of Abradatas\u0027 death,\r\nis it not? Because the victory was not bloodless. Notice, too,\r\nhow little is said of the bloodshed; that is Hellenic as well as\r\nXenophontine, I fancy.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC3.7. Something epic in all this. Cf. Archilles sacrificing at the tomb\r\nof Patroklos.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC3.8 ff. The pathos of the situation and the \u003ci\u003eEironeia\u003c/i\u003e at its maximum.\r\n\"Euripidean\" touches throughout.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC3.16. (This is bracketed in most editions, no doubt rightly, as an\r\ninterpolation. It was not translated in Mr. Dakyns\u0027 manuscript, but his\r\nmarginal note is characteristic, and evidently he would have translated\r\nthe section in a footnote. It may be rendered thus: \"It is said that a\r\nmonument was raised above the eunuchs and is in existence to this day.\r\nOn the upper slab the names of the husband and the wife are written\r\nin Syrian letters, and below are three other slabs, inscribed \u0027To the\r\nchamberlains.\u0027\")\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC3.16. Interesting, especially if of later insertion, and perhaps given\r\nthe historical basis of the story in some monument on the Pactolus,\r\nknown to Xenophon. I wish a new Schliemann would find it. hgd.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC4. Semi-historical? The version is to be found, I think, in C4.2, which\r\nis the \u003ci\u003epièce justicative\u003c/i\u003e. The episode itself is full of humour, as\r\ngood as a play: Xenophon has seen these duplicities often. Brer Fox\r\noutwitted by Brer Rabbit.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC4.4. Can these rival fastnesses of the Carians be identified? All this\r\ncountry is well known to Xenophon (\u003ci\u003evide Hellenica\u003c/i\u003e, III. c. 4, etc.).\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC4.6. Beautiful renewal of the peaceful arts, festivals, and\r\nmerry-makings after the internecine party strife.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC4.9. This again is a district Xenophon is well acquainted with. Has he\r\none eye on the old insurrection against Persia, \u003ci\u003etempore\u003c/i\u003e Histiaeus, and\r\nanother on the new arrangements, \u003ci\u003etempore\u003c/i\u003e Antalcidas?\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC4.12-13. Croesus and his bills of lading. Some humour. It also brings\r\nout the archic man in opposition to the shop-keeper man of the mere\r\nbusiness type. But still the bills of lading are needed. Croesus only\r\ndoesn\u0027t \"twig\" the right persons to check. It\u0027s the opposition between\r\nDespot and true Ruler.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC5.9. Cyrus has an idea, the nature of which we shall discover later.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC5.15. Belshazzar\u0027s feast, \u003ci\u003evide\u003c/i\u003e Daniel, cf. Hdt. Why plural, \"the\r\ntrenches\"? Is Xenophon obscure? His obscurity is mostly this: he expects\r\nhis reader intelligently to follow him.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC5.32. Jars somewhat on our feelings, perhaps, in its thirst for\r\nrevenge: but cf. the feeling against the assassins of Lord Frederick\r\nCavendish and Mr. Burke. (Written at the time of the Phoenix Park\r\nmurders.)\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC5.37. Is a turning-point in the rise of the archic man (and yet hardly\r\nyet, but at C5.58 we shall come to bodyguards and eunuchs). At this\r\nhighest pinnacle of {arkhe} Cyrus desires to furnish himself as befits\r\na king. It is an historical difficulty which Xenophon has to get over\r\nor round, or is Xenophon himself in the same condemnation, so to speak?\r\nDoes he also desire his archic man to be got up in a manner befitting\r\nroyalty at a certain date? Consider.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC5.42-47. These sections pose the difficulty well, and it is a\r\ndifficulty, and no mistake.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC5.42 ff. Xenophon-Hellenic theory of life. The leisure to invite\r\none\u0027s own soul and see one\u0027s friends which is needed to make life worth\r\nliving, versus \u003ci\u003enegotia\u003c/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003enegotia\u003c/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003enegotia\u003c/i\u003e. How far are we to be\r\nconsciously self-regarding? Cyrus versus Buddha. The Hellenic hero is\r\nnot equal to absolute non-self-regarding devotion to mere work. The\r\nBuddha might be.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC5.48. Perhaps nothing is cleverer in the neat and skilful mosaic work\r\nof this composition than the fitting-in here of Artabazus\u0027 personal view\r\nwith the—at last necessary—impersonal or public theory of leadership.\r\nIt is pretty also that Artabazus should at length get his reward, and\r\nhumorous that he doesn\u0027t, after all, get it in the old form.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC5.49 ff. He keenly remembers each tantalizing moment of approach and\r\nseparation. A splendid speech of the humorous type. Xenophon himself\r\nmust be credited with so much fun, and real fun it is.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC5.56 ff. Curious on this page (a) Xenophon\u0027s domestic hearth theory\r\nwithout which {arkhe} is a tinkling cymbal and empire no burthen to\r\nbe borne. His feeling for the sweetness of home || modern. In this the\r\nsecret of his happiness, || hgd. (b) His \u003ci\u003ejustification\u003c/i\u003e or \u003ci\u003eraison\r\nd\u0027être\u003c/i\u003e explanation of the eunuch system. Why doesn\u0027t he point out its\r\nhollowness also? Not from any lack of sympathy with this barren mankind.\r\nCf. Gadatas. I think this all logically follows if the {arkhon} is\r\nto rule political enemies as well as friends: to do so {epistamenos}\r\n(\"asian expert\") some strange devices must be resorted to—what think\r\nyou, Dakyns?\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC5.58. The need of a bodyguard. The dragon-fly must wing his flight in\r\narmour cased: that is the law of his development. So Cyrus must be in\r\nthe end an ideal \"tyrannus,\" the one spoken of by Simonides the poet to\r\nHiero (\u003ci\u003evide\u003c/i\u003e the dialogue \u003ci\u003eHiero\u003c/i\u003e, and the notes thereto in Mr. Dakyns\u0027\r\ntranslation, Vol. III.).\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC5.64. The faithfulness of the eunuch has its parallel in that of the\r\nold negro slave.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC5.67. These are the sort of fellows Xenophon would have chosen himself,\r\nI take it. Again the historical basis has to be taken account of.\r\nXenophon has to explain to himself the existence of their body and how\r\nthe archic man came to invent it. Throughout we must compare the\r\n\u003ci\u003eHiero\u003c/i\u003e for Xenophon\u0027s own political theory apart from his romantic and\r\nphilosophical interest in Cyrus.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC5.69. Not a pleasant picture of subject and ruling race. Cf. the\r\nAustrians in Italy.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC5.73. The Hellenic || the modern theory, but more rudely expressed. The\r\nconquerors right to the land he has taken, and what Cyrus proceeds to\r\nsay is quite up to the modern mark.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC5.74. Of course this is precisely what the Persians as they degenerated\r\ndid come to, nor did the good example of the archic man nor his precepts\r\nnor his institutions save them.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC5.77-79. \"Military\" theory of virtue: almost barbaric (\u003ci\u003eex mea\r\nsententia\u003c/i\u003e hgd.). But Xenophon is not absolutely = Cyrus.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC5.80 ff. This is the Socratico-Xenophontine hedonism-and-stoicism\r\ncombined.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC5.82 ff. A noble sermon on the need of straining every nerve to\r\nvirtuous training. Splendidly rhetorical and forceful.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC5.84. Cyrus (i.e. Xenophon) is aware of the crisis he and his are going\r\nthrough. If externalism has to be adopted to hedge royalty, still\r\na further inner change is demanded: there must be a corresponding\r\nspiritual growth.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC5.86. One of the noblest sayings in all Xenophon. The one somehow which\r\ntouches me most. The best way to improve ourselves is to see that we set\r\nour boys the best examples.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cdiv class=\"pg_body_wrapper\"\u003e\u003ca id=\"id_2H_4_0011\"\u003e\u003c!– H2 anchor –\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cdiv style=\"height: 4em;\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003ch2\u003e\r\n BOOK VIII\r\n\u003c/h2\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(C.1) Such were the words of Cyrus; and Chrysantas rose up after him,\r\nsaying, \"Gentlemen, this is not the first time I have had occasion to\r\nobserve that a good ruler differs in no respect from a good father. Even\r\nas a father takes thought that blessings may never fail his children,\r\nso Cyrus would commend to us the ways by which we can preserve our\r\nhappiness. And yet, on one point, it seemed to me he had spoken less\r\nfully than he might; and I will try to explain it for the benefit of\r\nthose who have not learnt it. (2) I would have you ask yourselves, was\r\never a hostile city captured by an undisciplined force? Did ever an\r\nundisciplined garrison save a friendly town? When discipline was gone,\r\ndid ever an army conquer? Is ever disaster nearer than when each solider\r\nthinks about his private safety only? Nay, in peace as in war, can any\r\ngood be gained if men will not obey their betters? What city could be at\r\nrest, lawful, and orderly? What household could be safe? What ship sail\r\nhome to her haven? (3) And we, to what do we owe our triumph, if not to\r\nour obedience? We obeyed; we were ready to follow the call by night and\r\nday; we marched behind our leader, ranks that nothing could resist; we\r\nleft nothing half-done of all we were told to do. If obedience is the\r\none path to win the highest good, remember it is also the one way to\r\npreserve it. (4) Now in the old days, doubtless, many of us ruled no one\r\nelse, we were simply ruled. But to-day you find yourselves rulers, one\r\nand all of you, some over many and some over few. And just as you would\r\nwish your subjects to obey you, so we must obey those who are set over\r\nus. Yet there should be this difference between ourselves and slaves; a\r\nslave renders unwilling service to his lord, but we, if we claim to be\r\nfreemen, must do of our own free will that which we see to be the best.\r\nAnd you will find,\" he added, \"that even when no single man is ruler,\r\nthat city which is most careful to obey authority is the last to bow to\r\nthe will of her enemies. (5) Let us listen to the words of Cyrus. Let\r\nus gather round the public buildings and train ourselves, so that we may\r\nkeep our hold on all we care for, and offer ourselves to Cyrus for his\r\nnoble ends. Of one thing we may be sure: Cyrus will never put us to any\r\nservice which can make for his own good and not for ours. Our needs are\r\nthe same as his, and our foes the same.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(6) When Chrysantas had said his say, many others followed to support\r\nhim, Persians and allies alike, and it was agreed that the men of rank\r\nand honour should be in attendance continually at the palace gates,\r\nready for Cyrus to employ, until he gave them their dismissal. That\r\ncustom is still in force, and to this day the Asiatics under the Great\r\nKing wait at the door of their rulers. (7) And the measures that Cyrus\r\ninstituted to preserve his empire, as set forth in this account, are\r\nstill the law of the land, maintained by all the kings who followed him.\r\n(8) Only as in other matters, so here; with a good ruler, the government\r\nis pure; with a bad one, corrupt. Thus it came about that the nobles of\r\nCyrus and all his honourable men waited at his gates, with their weapons\r\nand their horses, according to the common consent of the gallant men who\r\nhad helped to lay the empire at his feet.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(9) Then Cyrus turned to other matters, and appointed various overseers:\r\nhe had receivers of revenue, controllers of finance, ministers of works,\r\nguardians of property, superintendents of the household. Moreover, he\r\nchose managers for his horses and his dogs, men who could be trusted\r\nto keep the creatures in the best condition and ready for use at\r\nany moment. (10) But when it came to those who were to be his\r\nfellow-guardians for the commonwealth, he would not leave the care and\r\nthe training of these to others; he regarded that as his own personal\r\ntask. He knew, if he were ever to fight a battle, he would have to\r\nchoose his comrades and supporters, the men on his right hand and\r\nleft, from these and these alone; it was from them he must appoint his\r\nofficers for horse and foot. (11) If he had to send out a general alone\r\nit would be from them that one must be sent: he must depend on them for\r\nsatraps and governors over cities and nations; he would require them for\r\nambassadors, and an embassy was, he knew, the best means for obtaining\r\nwhat he wanted without war. (12) He foresaw that nothing could go well\r\nif the agents in his weightiest affairs were not what they ought to be,\r\nwhile, if they were, everything would prosper. This charge, therefore,\r\nhe took upon his own shoulders, and he was persuaded that the training\r\nhe demanded of others should also be undergone by himself. No man could\r\nrouse others to noble deeds if he fell short of what he ought to be\r\nhimself. (13) The more he pondered the matter, the more he felt the need\r\nof leisure, if he were to deal worthily with the highest matters.\r\nIt was, he felt, impossible to neglect the revenues, in view of the\r\nenormous funds necessary for so vast an empire, yet he foresaw that if\r\nhe was always to be occupied with the multitude of his possessions he\r\nwould never have time to watch over the safety of the whole. (14) As\r\nhe pondered how he could compass both objects, the prosperity of the\r\nfinances and the leisure he required, the old military organisation\r\ncame into his mind. He remembered how the captains of ten supervised the\r\nsquads of ten, and were supervised themselves by the company-captains,\r\nand they by the captains of the thousands, and these by the captains\r\nof ten thousand, and thus even with hundreds of thousands not a man\r\nwas left without supervision, and when the general wished to employ his\r\ntroops one order to the captains of ten thousand was enough. (15) On\r\nthis principle Cyrus arranged his finances and held his departments\r\ntogether; in this way, by conferring with a few officers he could keep\r\nthe whole system under his control, and actually have more leisure for\r\nhimself than the manager of a single household or the master of a single\r\nship. Finally, having thus ordered his own affairs, he taught those\r\nabout him to adopt the same system.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(16) Accordingly, having gained the leisure he needed for himself\r\nand his friends, he could devote himself to his work of training his\r\npartners and colleagues. In the first place he dealt with those who,\r\nenabled as they were to live on the labour of others, yet failed to\r\npresent themselves at the palace; he would send for them and seek them\r\nout, convinced that attendance would be wholesome for them; they would\r\nbe unwilling to do anything base or evil in the presence of their king\r\nand under the eye of their noblest men; those who were absent were so\r\nthrough self-indulgence or wrong-doing or carelessness. (17) And I will\r\nnow set forth how he brought them to attend. He would go to one of\r\nhis most intimate friends and bid him lay hands on the property of the\r\noffender, asserting that it was his own. Then of course the truants\r\nwould appear at once crying out that they had been robbed. (18) But\r\nsomehow for many days Cyrus could never find leisure to hear their\r\ncomplaints, and when he did listen he took care to defer judgment for\r\nmany more. (19) This was one way he had of teaching them to attend;\r\nanother was to assign the lightest and most profitable tasks to\r\nthose who were punctual, and a third to give nothing whatever to the\r\noffenders. (20) But the most effective of all, for those who paid no\r\nheed to gentler measures, was to deprive the truant of what he possessed\r\nand bestow it on him who would come when he was needed. By this process\r\nCyrus gave up a useless friend and gained a serviceable one. To this\r\nday the king sends for and seeks out those who do not present themselves\r\nwhen they should.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(21) Such was his method with the truants; with those who came forward\r\nhe felt, since he was their rightful leader, that he could best incite\r\nthem to noble deeds by trying to show that he himself had all the\r\nvirtues that became a man. (22) He believed that men do grow better\r\nthrough written laws, and he held that the good ruler is a living law\r\nwith eyes that see, inasmuch as he is competent to guide and also to\r\ndetect the sinner and chastise him. (23) Thus he took pains to show\r\nthat he was the more assiduous in his service to the gods the higher\r\nhis fortunes rose. It was at this time that the Persian priests, the\r\nMagians, were first established as an order, and always at break of day\r\nCyrus chanted a hymn and sacrificed to such of the gods as they might\r\nname. (24) And the ordinances he established service to this day at the\r\ncourt of the reigning king. These were the first matters in which the\r\nPersians set themselves to copy their prince; feeling their own fortune\r\nwould be the higher if they did reverence to the gods, following the man\r\nwho was fortune\u0027s favourite and their own monarch. At the same time, no\r\ndoubt, they thought they would please Cyrus by this. (25) On his side\r\nCyrus looked on the piety of his subjects as a blessing to himself,\r\nreckoning as they do who prefer to sail in the company of pious men\r\nrather than with those who are suspected of wicked deeds, and he\r\nreckoned further that if all his partners were god-fearing, they would\r\nbe the less prone to crime against each other or against himself, for he\r\nknew he was the benefactor of his fellows. (26) And by showing plainly\r\nhis own deep desire never to be unfair to friend or fellow-combatant or\r\nally, but always to fix his eyes on justice and rectitude, he believed\r\nhe could induce others to keep from base actions and walk in the paths\r\nof righteousness. (27) And he would bring more modesty, he hoped, into\r\nthe hearts of all men if it were plain that he himself reverenced all\r\nthe world and would never say a shameful word to any man or woman or do\r\na shameful deed. (28) He looked for this because he saw that, apart\r\nfrom kings and governors who may be supposed to inspire fear, men will\r\nreverence the modest and not the shameless, and modesty in women will\r\ninspire modesty in the men who behold them. (29) And his people, he\r\nthought, would learn to obey if it were plain that he honoured frank and\r\nprompt obedience even above virtues that made a grander show and were\r\nharder to attain. (30) Such was his belief, and his practice went with\r\nit to the end. His own temperance and the knowledge of it made others\r\nmore temperate. When they saw moderation and self-control in the man who\r\nabove all others had licence to be insolent, lesser men were the more\r\nready to abjure all insolence of their own. (31) But there was this\r\ndifference, Cyrus held, between modesty and self-control: the modest\r\nman will do nothing shameful in the light of day, but the man of\r\nself-control nothing base, not even in secret. (32) Self-restrain, he\r\nbelieved, would best be cultivated if he made men see in himself one who\r\ncould not be dragged from the pursuit of virtue by the pleasure of the\r\nmoment, one who chose to toil first for the happy-hearted joys that go\r\nhand-in-hand with beauty and nobleness. (33) Thus, being the man he\r\nwas, he established at his gates a stately company, where the lower gave\r\nplace to the higher, and they in their turn showed reverence to each\r\nother, and courtesy, and perfect harmony. Among them all there was never\r\na cry of anger to be heard, nor a burst of insolent laughter; to look at\r\nthem was to know that they lived for honour and loveliness.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(34) Such was the life at the palace-gates, and to practise his nobles\r\nin martial exercises he would lead them out to the hunt whenever he\r\nthought it well, holding the chase to be the best training for war and\r\nthe surest way to excellence in horsemanship. (35) A man learns to keep\r\nhis seat, no matter what the ground may be, as he follows the flying\r\nquarry, learns to hurl and strike on horseback in his eagerness to bring\r\ndown the game and win applause. (36) And here, above all, was the field\r\nin which to inure his colleagues to toil and hardship and cold and heat\r\nand hunger and thirst. Thus to this day the Persian monarch and his\r\ncourt spend their leisure in the chase. (37) From all that has been\r\nsaid, it is clear Cyrus was convinced that no one has a right to rule\r\nwho is not superior to his subjects, and he held that by imposing\r\nsuch exercises as these on those about him, he would lead them to\r\nself-control and bring to perfection the art and discipline of war. (38)\r\nAccordingly he would put himself at the head of the hunting-parties and\r\ntake them out himself unless he was bound to stay at home, and, if he\r\nwas, he would hunt in his parks among the wild creatures he had reared.\r\nHe would never touch the evening meal himself until he had sweated for\r\nit, nor give his horses their corn until they had been exercised, and\r\nhe would invite his own mace-bearers to join him in the chase. (39)\r\nTherefore he excelled in all knightly accomplishments, he and those\r\nabout him, because of their constant practice. Such was the example he\r\nset before his friends. But he also kept his eye on others, and would\r\nsingle out those who worshipped noble deeds, and reward them with gifts,\r\nand high commands, and seats at festivals, and every kind of honour.\r\nAnd thus their hearts were filled with ambition, and every man longed to\r\noutdo his fellows in the eyes of Cyrus.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(40) But we seem to learn also that Cyrus thought it necessary for the\r\nruler not only to surpass his subjects by his own native worth, but also\r\nto charm them through deception and artifice. At any rate he adopted the\r\nMedian dress, and persuaded his comrades to do likewise; he thought it\r\nconcealed any bodily defect, enhancing the beauty and stature of the\r\nwearer. (41) The shoe, for instance, was so devised that a sole could be\r\nadded without notice, and the man would seem taller than he really was.\r\nSo also Cyrus encouraged the use of ointments to make the eyes more\r\nbrilliant and pigments to make the skin look fairer. (42) And he trained\r\nhis courtiers never to spit or blow the nose in public or turn aside\r\nto stare at anything; they were to keep the stately air of persons\r\nwhom nothing can surprise. These were all means to one end; to make it\r\nimpossible for the subjects to despise their rulers.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(43) Thus he moulded the men he considered worthy of command by his own\r\nexample, by the training he gave them, and by the dignity of his own\r\nleadership. But the treatment of those he prepared for slavery was\r\nwidely different. Not one of them would he incite to any noble toil, he\r\nwould not even let them carry arms, and he was careful that they should\r\nnever lack food or drink in any manly sort. (44) When the beaters drove\r\nthe wild creatures into the plain he would allow food to be brought for\r\nthe servants, but not for the free men; on a march he would lead the\r\nslaves to the water-springs as he led the beasts of burden. Or when it\r\nwas the hour of breakfast he would wait himself till they had taken a\r\nsnatch of food and stayed their wolfish hunger; and the end of it was\r\nthey called him their father even as the nobles did, because he cared\r\nfor them, but the object of his care was to keep them slaves for ever.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(45) Thus he secured the safety of the Persian empire. He himself, he\r\nfelt sure, ran no danger from the massages of the conquered people; he\r\nsaw they had no courage, no unity, and no discipline, and, moreover, not\r\none of them could ever come near him, day or night. (46) But there were\r\nothers whom he knew to be true warriors, who carried arms, and who\r\nheld by one another, commanders of horse and foot, many of them men of\r\nspirit, confident, as he could plainly see, of their own power to rule,\r\nmen who were in close touch with his own guards, and many of them in\r\nconstant intercourse with himself; as indeed was essential if he was\r\nto make any use of them at all. It was from them that danger was to be\r\nfeared; and that in a thousand ways. (47) How was he to guard against\r\nit? He rejected the idea of disarming them; he thought this unjust,\r\nand that it would lead to the dissolution of the empire. To refuse them\r\nadmission into his presence, to show them his distrust, would be, he\r\nconsidered, a declaration of war. (48) But there was one method, he\r\nfelt, worth all the rest, an honourable method and one that would secure\r\nhis safety absolutely; to win their friendship if he could, and make\r\nthem more devoted to himself than to each other. I will now endeavour\r\nto set forth the methods, so far as I conceive them, by which he gained\r\ntheir love.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(C.2) In the first place he never lost an opportunity of showing\r\nkindliness wherever he could, convinced that just as it is not easy to\r\nlove those who hate us, so it is scarcely possible to feel enmity for\r\nthose who love us and wish us well. (2) So long as he had lacked the\r\npower to confer benefits by wealth, all he could do then was to show\r\nhis personal care for his comrades and his soldiers, to labour in their\r\nbehalf, manifest his joy in their good fortune and his sympathy in their\r\nsorrows, and try to win them in that way. But when the time came for the\r\ngifts of wealth, he realised that of all the kindnesses between man\r\nand man none come with a more natural grace than the gifts of meat and\r\ndrink. (3) Accordingly he arranged that his table should be spread every\r\nday for many guests in exactly the same way as for himself; and all that\r\nwas set before him, after he and his guests had dined, he would send out\r\nto his absent friends, in token of affection and remembrance. He would\r\ninclude those who had won his approval by their work on guard, or in\r\nattendance on himself, or in any other service, letting them see that no\r\ndesire to please him could ever escape his eyes. (4) He would show the\r\nsame honour to any servant he wished to praise; and he had all the\r\nfood for them placed at his own board, believing this would win their\r\nfidelity, as it would a dog\u0027s. Or, if he wished some friend of his to be\r\ncourted by the people, he would single him out for such gifts; even to\r\nthis day the world will pay court to those who have dishes sent them\r\nfrom the Great King\u0027s table, thinking they must be in high favour at\r\nthe palace and can get things done for others. But no doubt there was\r\nanother reason for the pleasure in such gifts, and that was the sheer\r\ndelicious taste of the royal meats. (5) Nor should that surprise us;\r\nfor if we remember to what a pitch of perfection the other crafts are\r\nbrought in great communities, we ought to expect the royal dishes to be\r\nwonders of finished art. In a small city the same man must make beds\r\nand chairs and ploughs and tables, and often build houses as well; and\r\nindeed he will be only too glad if he can find enough employers in all\r\ntrades to keep him. Now it is impossible that a single man working at a\r\ndozen crafts can do them all well; but in the great cities, owing to the\r\nwide demand for each particular thing, a single craft will suffice for a\r\nmeans of livelihood, and often enough even a single department of that;\r\nthere are shoe-makers who will only make sandals for men and others only\r\nfor women. Or one artisan will get his living merely by stitching shoes,\r\nanother by cutting them out, a third by shaping the upper leathers, and\r\na fourth will do nothing but fit the parts together. Necessarily the man\r\nwho spends all his time and trouble on the smallest task will do that\r\ntask the best. (6) The arts of the household must follow the same law.\r\nIf one and the same servant makes the bed, spreads the table, kneads the\r\ndough, and cooks the various dishes, the master must take things as they\r\ncome, there is no help for it. But when there is work enough for one man\r\nto boil the pot, and another to roast the meat, and a third to stew the\r\nfish, and a fourth to fry it, while some one else must bake the bread,\r\nand not all of it either, for the loaves must be of different kinds,\r\nand it will be quite enough if the baker can serve up one kind to\r\nperfection—it is obvious, I think, that in this way a far higher\r\nstandard of excellence will be attained in every branch of the work.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(7) Thus it is easy to see how Cyrus could outdo all competitors in the\r\ngrace of hospitality, and I will now explain how he came to triumph\r\nin all other services. Far as he excelled mankind in the scale of his\r\nrevenues, he excelled them even more in the grandeur of his gifts. It\r\nwas Cyrus who set the fashion; and we are familiar to this day with the\r\nopen-handedness of Oriental kings. (8) There is no one, indeed, in all\r\nthe world whose friends are seen to be as wealthy as the friends of the\r\nPersian monarch: no one adorns his followers in such splendour of\r\nrich attire, no gifts are so well known as his, the bracelets, and the\r\nnecklaces, and the chargers with the golden bridles. For in that country\r\nno one can have such treasures unless the king has given them. (9) And\r\nof whom but the Great King could it be said that through the splendour\r\nof his presents he could steal the hearts of men and turn them to\r\nhimself, away from brothers, fathers, sons? Who but he could stretch out\r\nan arm and take vengeance on his enemies when yet they were months and\r\nmonths away? Who but Cyrus ever won an empire in war, and when he died\r\nwas called father by the people he overcame?—a title that proclaims the\r\nbenefactor and not the robber. (10) Indeed, we are led to think that the\r\noffices called \"the king\u0027s eyes\" and \"the king\u0027s ears\" came into being\r\nthrough this system of gifts and honours. Cyrus\u0027 munificence toward\r\nall who told him what it was well for him to know set countless people\r\nlistening with all their ears and watching with all their eyes for news\r\nthat might be of service to him. (11) Thus there sprang up a host of\r\n\"king\u0027s eyes\" and \"king\u0027s ears,\" as they were called, known and reputed\r\nto be such. But it is a mistake to suppose that the king has one chosen\r\n\"eye.\" It is little that one man can see or one man hear, and to hand\r\nover the office to one single person would be to bid all others go to\r\nsleep. Moreover, his subjects would feel they must be on their guard\r\nbefore the man they knew was \"the king\u0027s eye.\" The contrary is the case;\r\nthe king will listen to any man who asserts that he has heard or seen\r\nanything that needs attention. (12) Hence the saying that the king has\r\na thousand eyes and a thousand ears; and hence the fear of uttering\r\nanything against his interest since \"he is sure to hear,\" or doing\r\nanything that might injure him \"since he may be there to see.\" So far,\r\ntherefore, from venturing to breathe a syllable against Cyrus, every man\r\nfelt that he was under the eye and within the hearing of a king who was\r\nalways present. For this universal feeling towards him I can give no\r\nother reason than his resolve to be a benefactor on a most mighty scale.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(13) It is not surprising, no doubt, that being the wealthiest of men,\r\nhe could outdo the world in the splendour of his gifts. The remarkable\r\nthing was to find a king outstrip his courtiers in courtesy and\r\nkindness. There was nothing, so the story runs, that could ever shame\r\nhim more than to be outdone in courtesy. (14) Indeed, a saying of his is\r\nhanded down comparing a good king to a good shepherd—the shepherd must\r\nmanage his flock by giving them all they need, and the king must satisfy\r\nthe needs of his cities and his subjects if he is to manage them. We\r\nneed not wonder, then, that with such opinions his ambition was to excel\r\nmankind in courtesy and care. (15) There was a noble illustration of his\r\nphilosophy in the answer we are told he gave to Croesus, who had\r\ntaken him to task, saying his lavish gifts would bring him to beggary,\r\nalthough he could lay by more treasures for himself than any man had\r\never had before. Cyrus, it is said, asked him in return, \"How much\r\nwealth do you suppose I could have amassed already, had I collected\r\ngold, as you bid me, ever since I came into my empire?\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(16) And Croesus named an enormous sum. Then Cyrus said, \"Listen,\r\nCroesus, here is my friend, Hystaspas, and you must send with him a man\r\nthat you can trust.\" Then, turning to Hystaspas, \"Do you,\" he said,\r\n\"go round to my friends and tell them that I need money for a certain\r\nenterprise—and that is true, I do need it. Bid each of them write down\r\nthe amount he can give me, seal the letter, and hand it to the messenger\r\nof Croesus, who will bring it here.\" (17) Thereupon Cyrus wrote his\r\nwishes and put his seal on the letter, and gave it to Hystaspas to carry\r\nround, only he added a request that they should all welcome Hystaspas\r\nas a friend of his. And when the messengers came back, the officer of\r\nCroesus carrying the answers, Hystaspas cried, \"Cyrus, my lord, you must\r\nknow I am a rich man now! I have made my fortune, thanks to your letter!\r\nThey have loaded me with gifts.\" (18) And Cyrus said, \"There, Croesus,\r\nthat is treasure number one; and now run through the rest, and count\r\nwhat sums I have in hand, in case I need them.\" And Croesus counted,\r\nand found, so the story tells us, that the sum was far larger than the\r\namount he had said would have been lying in the treasury if only Cyrus\r\nhad made a hoard. (19) At this discovery Cyrus said, so we are told,\r\n\"You see, Croesus, I have my treasures too. Only you advise me to\r\ncollect them and hide them, and be envied and hated because of them, and\r\nset mercenaries to guard them, putting my trust in hirelings. But I\r\nhold to it that if I make my friends rich they will be my treasures\r\nthemselves, and far better guards too, for me and all we have, than if I\r\nset hired watchmen over my wealth. (20) And I have somewhat else to say;\r\nI tell you, Croesus, there is something the gods have implanted in our\r\nsouls, and there they have made us all beggars alike, something I can\r\nnever overcome. (21) I too, like all the rest, am insatiate of riches,\r\nonly in one respect I fancy I am different. Most men when they have more\r\nwealth than they require bury some of it underground, and let some of it\r\nrot, and some they count and measure, and they guard it and they air\r\nit, and give themselves a world of trouble, and yet for all their\r\nwealth they cannot eat more than they have stomach for—they would burst\r\nasunder if they did—nor wear more clothes than they can carry—they\r\nwould die of suffocation—and so their extra wealth means nothing but\r\nextra work. (22) For my part, I serve the gods, and I stretch out my\r\nhands for more and more; only when I have got what is beyond my own\r\nrequirements I piece out the wants of my friends, and so, helping my\r\nfellows, I purchase their love and their goodwill, and out of these I\r\ngarner security and renown, fruits that can never rot, rich meats that\r\ncan work no mischief; for glory, the more it grows, the grander it\r\nbecomes, and the fairer, and the lighter to be borne; it even gives a\r\nlighter step to those who bear it. (23) One thing more, Croesus, I would\r\nhave you know; the happiest men, in my judgment, are not the holders\r\nof vast riches and the masters who have the most to guard; else the\r\nsentinels of our citadels would be the happiest of mortals, seeing they\r\nguard the whole wealth of the state. He, I hold, has won the crown\r\nof happiness who has had the skill to gain wealth by the paths of\r\nrighteousness and use it for all that is honourable and fair.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(24) That was the doctrine Cyrus preached, and all men could see that\r\nhis practice matched his words.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nMoreover, he observed that the majority of mankind, if they live in good\r\nhealth for long, will only lay by such stores and requisites as may be\r\nused by a healthy man, and hardly care at all to have appliances at hand\r\nin case of sickness. But Cyrus was at the pains to provide these; he\r\nencouraged the ablest physicians of the day by his liberal payments, and\r\nif ever they recommended an instrument or a drug or a special kind of\r\nfood or drink, he never failed to procure it and have it stored in the\r\npalace.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(25) And whenever any one fell sick among those who had peculiar claims\r\non his attentions, he would visit them and bring them all they needed,\r\nand he showed especial gratitude to the doctors if they cured their\r\npatients by the help of his own stores. (26) These measures, and others\r\nlike them, he adopted to win the first place in the hearts of those\r\nwhose friendship he desired. Moreover, the contests he proclaimed and\r\nthe prizes he offered to awaken ambition and desire for gallant deeds\r\nall redounded to his own glory as a man who had the pursuit of nobleness\r\nat heart, while they bred strife and bitter rivalry among the champions\r\nthemselves. (27) Further, he laid it down that in every matter needing\r\narbitration, whether it were a suit-at-law or a trial of skill, the\r\nparties should concur in their choice of a judge. Each would try to\r\nsecure the most powerful man he knew and the one most friendly to\r\nhimself, and if he lost he envied his successful rival and hated the\r\njudge who had declared against him, while the man who won claimed to win\r\nbecause his case was just and felt he owed no gratitude to anybody.\r\n(28) Thus all who wished to be first in the affections of Cyrus, just as\r\nothers in democratic states, were full of rancour against each other, in\r\nfact most of them would sooner have seen their rivals exterminated than\r\njoin with them for any common good. Such are some of the devices by\r\nwhich he made the ablest of his subjects more attached to himself than\r\nto one another.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(C.3) I will now describe the first public progress that Cyrus made. For\r\nthe very solemnity of the ceremony was one of the artifices by which\r\nhe won reverence for his government. The day before it he summoned the\r\nofficers of state, the Persians and the others, and gave them all the\r\nsplendid Median dress. This was the first time the Persians wore it,\r\nand as they received the robes he said that he wished to drive in his\r\nchariot to the sacred precincts and offer sacrifice with them. (2) \"You\r\nwill present yourselves at my gates,\" he added, \"before the sun rises,\r\nattired in these robes, and you will take your places where Pheraulas\r\nthe Persian bids you on my behalf. As soon as I lead the way you will\r\nfollow in your appointed order. And if any of you should think of some\r\nchange to heighten the beauty and stateliness of our procession, you\r\nwill acquaint me with it, I pray, on our return; it is for us to see\r\nthat all is done in the manner you feel to be most beautiful and best.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(3) With that Cyrus gave the most splendid robes to his chief notables,\r\nand then he brought out others, for he had stores of Median garments,\r\npurple and scarlet and crimson and glowing red, and gave a share to each\r\nof his generals and said to them, \"Adorn your friends, as I have adorned\r\nyou.\" (4) Then one of them asked him, \"And you, O Cyrus, when will you\r\nadorn yourself?\" But he answered, \"Is it not adornment enough for me\r\nto have adorned you? If I can but do good to my friends, I shall look\r\nglorious enough, whatever robe I wear.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(5) So his nobles took their leave, and sent for their friends and\r\nput the splendid raiment on them. Meanwhile Cyrus summoned Pheraulas,\r\nknowing that, while he was a man of the people, he was also\r\nquick-witted, a lover of the beautiful, prompt to understand and to\r\nobey, and one who had ever an eye to please his master. It was he who\r\nhad supported Cyrus long ago when he proposed that honour should be\r\ngiven in proportion to desert. And now Cyrus asked him how he thought\r\nthe procession might be made most beautiful in the eyes of friends and\r\nmost formidable in the sight of foes. (6) So they took counsel and were\r\nof the same mind, and Cyrus bade Pheraulas see that all was done on the\r\nmorrow as they had agreed.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"I have issued orders,\" he added, \"for all to obey you in the matter,\r\nbut to make them the more willing, take these tunics yourself and give\r\nthem to the captains of the guard, and these military cloaks for the\r\ncavalry officers, and these tunics for those who command the chariots.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(7) So Pheraulas took the raiment and departed, and when the generals\r\nsaw him, they met him with shouts and cries, \"A monstrous fine fellow\r\nyou are, Pheraulas!\" said one: \"you are to give us our orders, it\r\nseems!\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"Oh, yes,\" said Pheraulas, \"and carry your baggage too. Here I come with\r\ntwo cloaks as it is, one for you and another for somebody else: you must\r\nchoose whichever you like the best.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(8) At that the officer put out his hand to take the cloak; he had clean\r\nforgotten his jealousy, and fell to asking Pheraulas which he had\r\nbetter choose. And Pheraulas gave his advice, adding, \"But if you inform\r\nagainst me, and let out that I gave you the choice, the next time I have\r\nto wait upon you you will find me a very different sort of serving-man.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nThus he distributed the gifts he brought, and then he saw to the\r\narrangements for the procession so that everything should be as far as\r\npossible.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(9) On the morrow all things were ready before day-break, ranks lining\r\nthe road on either hand, as they do to this day when the king is\r\nexpected to ride abroad—no one may pass within the lines unless he is\r\na man of mark—and constables were posted with whips, to use at any sign\r\nof disturbance.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nIn front of the palace stood the imperial guard of lancers, four\r\nthousand strong, drawn up four deep on either side of the gates. (10)\r\nAnd all the cavalry were there, the men standing beside their horses,\r\nwith their hands wrapped in their cloaks, as is the custom to this day\r\nfor every subject when the king\u0027s eye is on him. The Persians stood on\r\nthe right, and the allies on the left, and the chariots were posted in\r\nthe same way, half on one side and half on the other. (11) Presently the\r\npalace-gates were flung open, and at the head of the procession were\r\nled out the bulls for sacrifice, beautiful creatures, four and four\r\ntogether. They were to be offered to Zeus and to any other gods that the\r\nPersian priests might name. For the Persians think it of more importance\r\nto follow the guidance of the learned in matters pertaining to the gods\r\nthan in anything else whatever.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(12) After the oxen came horses, an offering to the Sun, then a white\r\nchariot with a golden yoke, hung with garlands and dedicated to Zeus,\r\nand after that the white car of the Sun, wreathed like the one before\r\nit, and then a third chariot, the horses of which were caparisoned with\r\nscarlet trappings, and behind walked men carrying fire upon a mighty\r\nhearth. (13) And then at last Cyrus himself was seen, coming forth from\r\nthe gates in his chariot, wearing his tiara on his head, and a purple\r\ntunic shot with white, such as none but the king may wear, and trews of\r\nscarlet, and a cloak of purple. Round his tiara he wore a diadem, and\r\nhis kinsmen wore the same, even as the custom is to this day. (14)\r\nAnd the king\u0027s hands hung free outside his cloak. Beside him stood a\r\ncharioteer—he was a tall man, but he seemed to be dwarfed by Cyrus;\r\nwhether it was really so, or whether there was some artifice at work,\r\nCyrus towered above him. At the sight of the king, the whole company\r\nfell on their faces. Perhaps some had been ordered to do this and so\r\nset the fashion, or perhaps the multitude were really overcome by the\r\nsplendour of the pageant and the sight of Cyrus himself, stately and\r\ntall and fair. (15) For hitherto none of the Persians had done obeisance\r\nto Cyrus.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nAnd now, as the chariot moved onwards, the four thousand lancers went\r\nbefore it, two thousand on either side, and close behind came the\r\nmace-bearers, mounted on horseback, with javelins in their hands, three\r\nhundred strong. (16) Then the royal steeds were led past, with golden\r\nbridles and striped housings, two hundred and more, and then followed\r\ntwo thousand spearmen and after them the squadron of cavalry first\r\nformed, ten thousand men, a hundred deep and a hundred riding abreast,\r\nwith Chrysantas at their head. (17) And behind them the second body\r\nof the Persian horse, ten thousand more, in the same order, under\r\nHystaspas, and then again ten thousand under Datamas, and others behind\r\nthem under Gadatas. (18) And after them the Median cavalry, and then\r\nthe Armenians, the Hyrcanians, the Cadousians, and the Sakians in their\r\norder; and after the cavalry a squadron of war-chariots, drawn up four\r\ndeep, with Artabatas the Persian in command.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(19) All along the route thousands of men followed, outside the\r\nbarriers, with petitions to Cyrus. Accordingly he sent his mace-bearers,\r\nwho rode beside him for the purpose, three on either side of his\r\nchariot, bidding them tell the crowd of suitors, if they had need of\r\nanything, to acquaint one of the cavalry officers and he would speak for\r\nthem. So the petitioners withdrew, and fell to marching along the\r\nlines of the cavalry, considering whom they should address. (20) Cyrus\r\nmeanwhile would send messengers to the friends he wished to be courted,\r\nsaying to them, \"If any man appeals to you and you think nothing of what\r\nhe says, pay no heed to him, but if his request seems just, report it to\r\nme, and we will discuss it together and arrange matters for him.\" (21)\r\nAs a rule the officers so summoned did not loiter, but dashed up at\r\nfull speed, glad to enhance the authority of Cyrus and to show their\r\nown allegiance. But there was a certain Daïpharnes, a person of somewhat\r\nboorish manners, who fancied that he would make a show of greater\r\nindependence if he did not hurry himself. (22) Cyrus noted this, and\r\nquietly, before the man could reach him, sent another messenger to say\r\nhe had no further need of him; and that was the last time Daïpharnes\r\nwas ever summoned. (23) And when the next officer rode up, in front of\r\nDaïpharnes though sent for after him, Cyrus presented him with a horse\r\nfrom his train and bade one of the mace-bearers lead it wherever he\r\nwished. The people saw in this a high mark of honour; and a greater\r\ncrowd than ever paid their court to the favoured man.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(24) When the procession reached the sacred precincts, sacrifice\r\nwas offered to Zeus, a whole burnt-offering of bulls, and a whole\r\nburnt-offering of horses to the Sun; and then they sacrificed to the\r\nEarth, slaying the victims as the Persian priests prescribed, and then\r\nto the heroes who hold the Syrian land. (25) And when the rites were\r\ndone, Cyrus, seeing that the ground was suitable for racing, marked out\r\na goal, and a course half-a-mile in length, and bade the cavalry and\r\nthe chariots match their horses against each other, tribe by tribe. He\r\nhimself raced among his Persians, and won with ease, for he was far the\r\nbest horseman there. The winner among the Medes was Artabazus, the\r\nhorse he rode being a gift from Cyrus. The Syrian race was won by their\r\nchieftain, the Armenian by Tigranes, the Hyrcanian by the general\u0027s son,\r\nand the Sakian by a private soldier who left all his rivals half the\r\ncourse behind him.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(26) Cyrus, so the story says, asked the young man if he would take a\r\nkingdom for his horse.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"No kingdom for me,\" answered the soldier, \"but I would take the thanks\r\nof a gallant fellow.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(27) \"Well,\" said Cyrus, \"I would like to show you where you could\r\nhardly fail to hit one, even if you shut your eyes.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"Be so good as to show me now,\" said the Sakian, \"and I will take aim\r\nwith this clod,\" picking up one from the ground.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(28) Then Cyrus pointed to a group of his best friends, and the other\r\nshut his eyes and flung the clod, and it struck Pheraulas as he galloped\r\nby, bearing some message from Cyrus. But he never so much as turned,\r\nflashing past on his errand. (29) Then the Sakian opened his eyes and\r\nasked whom he had hit?\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"Nobody, I assure you,\" said Cyrus, \"who is here.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"And nobody who is not, of course,\" said the young man.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"Oh yes, you did,\" answered Cyrus, \"you hit that officer over there who\r\nis riding so swiftly paste the chariot-lines.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(30) \"And how is it,\" asked the other, \"that he does not even turn his\r\nhead?\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"Half-witted, probably,\" said Cyrus.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nWhereat the young man rode off to see who it was, and found Pheraulas,\r\nwith his chin and beard all begrimed and bloody, gore trickling from his\r\nnostrils were the clod had struck him. (31) The Sakian cried out to know\r\nif he was hit.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"As you see,\" answered Pheraulas.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"Then,\" said the other, \"let me give you my horse.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"But why?\" asked Pheraulas.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nAnd so the Sakian had to tell him all about the matter, adding, \"And\r\nafter all, you see, I did not miss a gallant fellow.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(32) \"Ah,\" said Pheraulas, \"if you had been wise, you would have chosen\r\na richer one; but I take your gift with all my thanks. And I pray the\r\ngods,\" he added, \"who let me be your target, to help me now and see that\r\nyou may never regret your gift. For the present, mount my horse yourself\r\nand ride back; I will be with you shortly.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nSo they exchanged steeds and parted.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nThe winner of the Cadousian race was Rathines.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(33) Then followed chariot-races, tribe by tribe as before: and to all\r\nthe winners Cyrus gave goblets of price, and oxen, that they might have\r\nthe wherewithal for sacrifice and feasting. He himself took an ox for\r\nhis own meed, but he gave all the goblets to Pheraulas to show his\r\napproval of the arrangements for the march. (34) And the manner of that\r\nprocession, then first established by Cyrus, continues to this day, the\r\nsame in all things, save that the victims are absent when there is no\r\nsacrifice. And when it was over, the soldiers went back to the city, and\r\ntook up their quarters for the night, some in houses and some with their\r\nregiments.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(35) Now Pheraulas had invited the Sakian who had given him the horse,\r\nand he entertained him with the best he had, and set before him a full\r\nboard, and after they had dined he filled the goblets Cyrus had given\r\nhim, and drank to his guest, and offered them all to him. (36) And\r\nthe Sakian looked round on the rich and costly rugs, and the beautiful\r\nfurniture, and the train of servants, and cried:\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"Tell me, Pheraulas, do you belong to wealthy folk at home?\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(37) \"Wealthy folk indeed!\" cried Pheraulas, \"men who live by their\r\nhands, you mean. My father, I can tell you, had work enough to rear me\r\nand get me a boy\u0027s schooling; he had to toil hard and live sparely, and\r\nwhen I grew to be a lad he could not afford to keep me idle, he took me\r\nto a farm in the country and set me there to work it. (38) Then it was\r\nmy turn, and I supported him while he lived, digging with my own hands\r\nand sowing the seed in a ridiculous little plot of ground, and yet it\r\nwas not a bad bit of soil either, but as good and as honest earth as\r\never you saw: whatever seed it got from me, it paid me back again, and\r\nso prettily and carefully and duly, principal and interest both; not\r\nthat the interest was very much, I won\u0027t say it was, though once or\r\ntwice, out of pure generosity, that land gave me twice was much as I put\r\ninto it. That\u0027s how I used to live at home, in the old days: to-day it\u0027s\r\ndifferent, and all that you see here I owe to Cyrus.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(39) Then the Sakian cried:\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"O lucky fellow! Lucky in everything, and most of all in coming to\r\nwealth from beggary! I know your riches must taste the sweeter, because\r\nyou hungered for them first and now are full.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(40) But Pheraulas answered:\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"Do you really think, my friend, that my joy in life has grown with the\r\ngrowth of my wealth? Do you not know,\" he went on, \"that I neither eat\r\nnor drink nor sleep with any more zest than I did when I was poor? What\r\nI get by all these goods is simply this: I have more to watch over, more\r\nto distribute, and more trouble in looking after more. (41) I have a\r\nhost of servants now, one set asking me for food, another for drink,\r\nanother for clothing, and some must have the doctor, and then a herdsman\r\ncomes, carrying the carcase of some poor sheep mangled by the wolves, or\r\nperhaps with an ox that has fallen down a precipice, or maybe he has to\r\ntell me that a murrain has broken out among my flocks. It seems to me,\"\r\nPheraulas ended, \"that I suffer more to-day through having much than\r\never I did before through having nothing.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(42) \"But—Heaven help us!\" cried the Sakian, \"surely, when it is all\r\nsafe, to see so much of your own must make you much happier than me?\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"I assure you, my friend,\" said Pheraulas, \"the possession of riches\r\nis nothing like so sweet as the loss of them is painful. And here is a\r\nproof for you: no rich man lies awake from pure joy at his wealth, but\r\ndid you ever know a man who could close his eyes when he was losing?\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(43) \"No,\" said the Sakian, \"nor yet one who could drop asleep when he\r\nwas winning.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(44) \"True enough,\" answered the other, \"and if having were as sweet as\r\ngetting, the rich would be a thousand times more happy than the poor.\r\nAnd remember, stranger,\" he added, \"a man who has much must spend much\r\non the gods and his friends and his guests, and if he takes intense\r\ndelight in his riches, spending will cause him intense annoyance.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(45) \"Upon my word,\" said the Sakian, \"for myself, I am not that sort\r\nof man at all: to have much and to spend much is just my idea of perfect\r\nhappiness.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(46) \"Heavens!\" cried Pheraulas, \"what a chance for us both! You can win\r\nperfect happiness now, this instant, and make me happy too! Here, take\r\nall these things for your own, make what use of them you please; and\r\nas for me, you can keep me as your guest, only much more cheaply if\r\nyou like: it will be quite enough for me to share whatever you have\r\nyourself.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"You are jesting,\" said the Sakian.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(47) But Pheraulas swore with all solemnity that he spoke in earnest.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"Yes, my friend,\" he added, \"and there are other matters that I can\r\narrange for you with Cyrus: freedom from military service or attendance\r\nat the gates. All you will have to do will be to stay at home and grow\r\nrich: I will do the rest on your behalf and mine. And if I win any\r\ntreasure through my service at court or on the field, I will bring it\r\nhome to you, and you will be lord of more; only,\" he added, \"you must\r\nfree me from the responsibility of looking after it, for if you give me\r\nleisure from these cares I believe you will be of great use to Cyrus and\r\nmyself.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(48) So the talk ended and they struck a bargain on these terms, and\r\nkept it. And the Sakian thought he had found happiness because he was\r\nthe master of much wealth, and the other felt he was in bliss because he\r\nhad got a steward who would leave him leisure to do what he liked\r\nbest. (49) For the character of Pheraulas was amiable: he was a loving\r\ncomrade, and no service seemed so sweet to him or so helpful as the\r\nservice of man. Man, he believed, was the noblest of the animals and the\r\nmost grateful: praise, Pheraulas saw, will reap counter-praise, kindness\r\nwill stir kindness in return, and goodwill goodwill; those whom men know\r\nto love them they cannot hate, and, in a way no other animals will, they\r\ncherish their parents in life and in death and requite their care. All\r\nother creatures, in short, compared with man, are lacking in gratitude\r\nand heart.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(50) Thus Pheraulas was overjoyed to feel that he could now be quit of\r\nanxiety for his wealth, and devote himself to his friends, while the\r\nSakian was delighted with all that he had and all that he could use. The\r\nSakian loved Pheraulas because he was for ever adding something to the\r\nstore, and Pheraulas loved the Sakian because he was willing to assume\r\nthe entire burden, and however much the cares increased he never broke\r\ninto the other\u0027s leisure. Thus those two lived their lives.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(C.4) Now Cyrus offered sacrifice and held high festival for his\r\nvictories, and he summoned to the feast those of his friends who bore\r\nhim most affection and had shown most desire to exalt him. With them\r\nwere bidden Artabazus the Mede, and Tigranes the Armenian, and the\r\ncommander of the Hyrcanian cavalry, and Gobryas. (2) Gadatas was the\r\nchief of the mace-bearers, and the whole household was arranged as he\r\nadvised. When there were guests at dinner, Gadatas would not sit down,\r\nbut saw to everything, and when they were alone he sat at meat with\r\nCyrus, who took delight in his company, and in return for all his\r\nservices he was greatly honoured by Cyrus and that led to more honours\r\nfor others. (3) As the guests entered, Gadatas would show each man to\r\nhis seat, and the places were chosen with care: the friend whom Cyrus\r\nhonoured most was placed on his left hand (for that was the side\r\nmost open to attack), the second on his right, the third next to the\r\nleft-hand guest, and the fourth next to the right, and so on, whatever\r\nthe number of guests might be. (4) Cyrus thought it well it should be\r\nknown how much each man was honoured, for he saw that where the world\r\nbelieves merit will win no crown and receive no proclamation, there the\r\nspirit of emulation dies, but if all see that the best man gains most,\r\nthen the rivalry grows keen. (5) Thus it was that Cyrus marked out the\r\nmen he favoured by the seat of honour and the order of precedence. Nor\r\ndid he assign the honourable place to one friend for all time; he made\r\nit a law that by good deeds a man might rise into a higher seat or\r\nthrough sloth descend into a lower; and he would have felt ashamed if it\r\nwere not known that the guest most honoured at his table received most\r\nfavours at his hands. These customs that arose in the reign of Cyrus\r\ncontinue to our time, as we can testify.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(6) While they were at the feast that day it struck Gobryas that though\r\nthere was nothing surprising in the abundance and variety at the table\r\nof one who was lord over so vast an empire, yet it was strange that\r\nCyrus, who had done such mighty deeds, should never keep any dainty for\r\nhimself, but must always be at pains to share it with the company. More\r\nthan once also he saw Cyrus send off to an absent friend some dish that\r\nhad chanced to please him. (7) So that by the time they had finished\r\ntheir meal all the viands had been given away by Cyrus, and the board\r\nwas bare.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nThen Gobryas said, \"Truly, Cyrus, until to-day I used to think it was in\r\ngeneralship that you outshone other men the most, but, by heaven! I say\r\nnow it is not in generalship at all, it is generosity.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(8) \"Maybe,\" said Cyrus, \"at least I take far more pride in this work\r\nthan in the other.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"How can that be?\" asked Gobryas.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"Because,\" said he, \"the one does good to man and the other injury.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(9) Presently as the wine went round and round, Hystaspas turned to\r\nCyrus and said:\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"Would you be angry, Cyrus, if I asked something I long to know?\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"On the contrary,\" answered Cyrus, \"I should be vexed if I saw you\r\nsilent when you longed to ask.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"Tell me then,\" said the other, \"have you ever called me and found I\r\nrefused to come?\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"What a question!\" said Cyrus, \"of course not.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"Well, have I ever been slow in coming?\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"No, never.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"Or failed to do anything you ordered?\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"No,\" said Cyrus, \"I have no fault to find at all.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"Whatever I had to do, I always did it eagerly and with all my heart,\r\ndid I not?\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"Most assuredly,\" answered Cyrus.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(10) \"Then why, Cyrus, why, in heaven\u0027s name, have you singled out\r\nChrysantas for a more honourable seat than me?\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"Shall I really tell you?\" asked Cyrus in his turn.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"By all means,\" said the other.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"And you will not be annoyed if I tell you the plain truth?\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(11) \"On the contrary, it will comfort me to know I have not been\r\nwronged.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"Well, then, Chrysantas never waited to be called; he came of his own\r\naccord on our behalf, and he made it his business to do, not merely what\r\nhe was ordered, but whatever he thought would help us. When something\r\nhad to be said to the allies, he would not only suggest what was fitting\r\nfor me to say myself, he would guess what I wanted the allies to know\r\nbut could not bring myself to utter, since it was about myself, and\r\nhe would say it for me as though it were his own opinion; in fact, for\r\neverything of the kind he was nothing less to me than a second and a\r\nbetter self. And now he is always insisting that what he has already\r\ngot is quite enough for himself, and always trying to discover something\r\nmore for me: he takes a greater pride and joy in all my triumphs than I\r\ndo myself.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(12) \"By Hera,\" said Hystaspas, \"I am right glad I asked you. Only one\r\nthing puzzles me: how am I to show my joy at your success? Shall I clap\r\nmy hands and laugh, or what shall I do?\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"Dance the Persian dance, of course,\" said Artabazus. And all the\r\ncompany laughed.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(13) And as the drinking deepened Cyrus put a question to Gobryas.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"Tell me, Gobryas, would you be better pleased to give your daughter to\r\none of our company to-day than the day when you met us first?\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"Well,\" said Gobryas, \"am I also to tell the truth?\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"Certainly,\" said Cyrus, \"no question looks for a lie.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"Then,\" said Gobryas, \"I assure you, I would far rather give her in\r\nmarriage to-day.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"Can you tell us why?\" said Cyrus.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"That I can,\" said he.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(14) \"Say on, then.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"At that time, I saw, it is true, the gallant manner in which your men\r\nendured toil and danger, but to-day I see the modesty with which they\r\nbear success. And I believe, Cyrus, that the man who takes good-fortune\r\nwell is further to seek than he who can endure adversity; for success\r\nengenders insolence in many hearts, while suffering teaches sobriety and\r\nfortitude.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(15) And Cyrus said, \"Hystaspas, did you hear the saying of Gobryas?\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"I did indeed,\" he answered, \"and if he has many more as good, he will\r\nfind me a suitor for his daughter, a far more eager one than if he had\r\nshown me all his goblets.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(16) \"Well,\" said Gobryas, \"I have many such written down at home,\r\nand you may have them all if you take my daughter to wife. And as for\r\ngoblets,\" he added, \"since it seems you cannot away with them, perhaps\r\nI might give them to Chrysantas to punish him for having filled your\r\nseat.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(17) \"Listen to me,\" said Cyrus, \"Hystaspas, and all of you. If you\r\nwill but tell me, any of you, when you propose to marry, you would soon\r\ndiscover what a clever advocate you had in me.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(18) But Gobryas interposed, \"And if one of us wants to give his\r\ndaughter in marriage, to whom should he apply?\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"To me also,\" answered Cyrus; \"I assure you, I am adept in the art.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"What art is that?\" Chrysantas inquired.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(19) \"The art of discerning the wife to suit each man.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"Then by all the gods,\" said Chrysantas, \"tell me what sort of wife\r\nwould do for me?\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(20) \"In the first place,\" he answered, \"she must be short, for you are\r\nnot tall yourself, and if you married a tall maiden and wanted to give\r\nher a kiss when she stood up straight, you would have to jump to reach\r\nher like a little dog.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"Your advice is straight enough,\" said Chrysantas; \"and I am but a sorry\r\njumper at the best.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(21) \"In the next place,\" Cyrus went on, \"a flat nose would suit you\r\nvery well.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"A flat nose?\" said the other, \"why?\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"Because your own is high enough, and flatness, you may be sure, will go\r\nbest with height.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"You might as well say,\" retorted Chrysantas, \"that one who has dined\r\nwell, like myself, is best matched with the dinnerless.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"Quite so,\" answered Cyrus, \"a full stomach is high and an empty paunch\r\nis flat.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(22) \"And now,\" said Chrysantas, \"in heaven\u0027s name, tell us the bride\r\nfor a flat king?\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nBut at this Cyrus laughed outright, and all the others with him. (23)\r\nAnd the laughter still rang loud when Hystaspas said:\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"There is one thing, Cyrus, that I envy in your royal state more than\r\nall the rest.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"And what is that?\" said Cyrus.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"That though you are flat, you can raise a laugh.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"Ah,\" said Cyrus, \"what would you give to have as much said of you? To\r\nhave it reported on all sides and wherever you wished to stand well that\r\nyou were a man of wit?\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nThus they bantered each other and gave jest for jest.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(24) Then Cyrus brought out a woman\u0027s attire and ornaments of price\r\nand gave them to Tigranes as a present for his wife, because she had\r\nfollowed her husband so manfully to the war, and he gave a golden goblet\r\nto Artabazus, and a horse to the Hyrcanian leader, and many another\r\nsplendid gift among the company.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"And to you, Gobryas,\" said he, \"I will give a husband for your\r\ndaughter.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(25) \"Let me be the gift,\" said Hystaspas, \"and then I shall get those\r\nwritings.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"But have you a fortune on your side,\" asked Cyrus, \"to match the\r\nbride\u0027s?\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"Certainly, I have,\" he answered, \"I may say twenty times as great.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"And where,\" asked Cyrus, \"may those treasures be?\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"At the foot of your throne,\" he answered, \"my gracious lord.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"I ask no more,\" said Gobryas, and held out his right hand. \"Give him to\r\nme, Cyrus,\" he said; \"I accept him.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(26) At that Cyrus took the right hand of Hystaspas and laid it in the\r\nhand of Gobryas, and the pledge was given and received. Then Cyrus gave\r\nbeautiful gifts to Hystaspas for his bride, but he drew Chrysantas to\r\nhis breast and kissed him. (27) Thereupon Artabazus cried:\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"Heaven help us, Cyrus! The goblet you gave me is not of the fine gold\r\nyou have given Chrysantas now!\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"Well,\" said Cyrus, \"you shall have the same one day.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"When?\" asked the other.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"Thirty years hence,\" said Cyrus.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"I will wait,\" said Artabazus: \"I will not die: be ready for me.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nAnd then the banquet came to an end: the guests rose, and Cyrus stood up\r\nwith them and conducted them to the door.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(28) But on the morrow he arranged that all the allies and all who had\r\nvolunteered should be sent back to their homes, all except those who\r\nwished to take up their abode with him. To these he gave grants of land\r\nand houses, still held by their descendants, Medes for the greater part,\r\nand Hyrcanians. And to those who went home he gave many gifts and\r\nsent them away well content, both officers and men. (29) After this\r\nhe distributed among his own soldiers all the wealth he had taken at\r\nSardis, choice gifts for the captains of ten thousand and for his own\r\nstaff in proportion to their deserts, and the rest in equal shares,\r\ndelivering to every captain one share with orders to divide it among\r\ntheir subordinates as he had divided the whole among them. (30)\r\nThereupon each officer gave to the officers directly under him, judging\r\nthe worth of each, until it came to the captains of six, who considered\r\nthe cases of the privates in their own squads, and gave each man what\r\nhe deserved: and thus every soldier in the army received an equitable\r\nshare. (31) But after the distribution of it all there were some who\r\nsaid:\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"How rich Cyrus must be, to have given us all so much!\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"Rich?\" cried others, \"what do you mean? Cyrus is no money-maker: he is\r\nmore glad to give than to get.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(32) When Cyrus heard of this talk and the opinions held about him, he\r\ngathered together his friends and the chief men of the state and spoke\r\nas follows:\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"Gentlemen and friends of mine, I have known men who were anxious to\r\nhave it thought they possessed more than they really had, thinking this\r\nwould give them an air of freedom and nobility. But in my opinion the\r\nresult was the very opposite of what they wished. If it is thought that\r\na man has great riches and does not help his friends in proportion to\r\nhis wealth, he cannot but appear ignoble and niggardly. (33) There are\r\nothers,\" he went on, \"who would have their wealth forgotten, and these I\r\nlook upon as traitors to their friends: for it must often happen that\r\na comrade is in need and yet hesitates to tell them because he does\r\nnot know how much they have, and so he is kept in the dark and left to\r\nstarve. (34) The straightforward course, it seems to me, is always to\r\nmake no secret of our own resources, but to use them all, whatever they\r\nare, in our efforts to win the crown of honour. Accordingly I am anxious\r\nto show you all my possessions so far as they can be seen, and to give\r\nyou a list of the rest.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(35) With these words he proceeded to point out his visible treasures,\r\nand he gave an exact account of those that could not be shown. He ended\r\nby saying:\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(36) \"All these things, gentlemen, you must consider yours as much as\r\nmine. I have collected them, not that I might spend them on myself or\r\nwaste them in my own use: I could not do that if I tried. I keep them to\r\nreward him who does a noble deed, and to help any of you who may be in\r\nwant of anything, so that you may come to me and take what ou require.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nSuch were the words of Cyrus.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(C.5) But now that all was well in Babylon and Cyrus felt he might leave\r\nthe land, he began to prepare for a march to Persia, and sent out orders\r\nto his men. And when he had all he needed, the steeds were yoked, and\r\nhe set off. (2) And here we will explain how it was that so vast a host\r\ncould unpack and pack again without a break of order, and take up a\r\nposition with such speed wherever it was desired. When the king is on\r\nthe march his attendants, of course, are provided with tents and encamp\r\nwith him, winter and summer alike. (3) From the first the Cyrus made it\r\na custom to have his tent pitched facing east, and later on he fixed the\r\nspace to be left between himself and his lancers, and then he stationed\r\nhis bakers on the right and his cooks on the left, the cavalry on the\r\nright again, and the baggage-train on the left. Everything else was so\r\narranged that each man knew his own quarters, their position and their\r\nsize. (4) When the army was packing up after a halt, each man put\r\ntogether the baggage he used himself, and others placed it on the\r\nanimals: so that at one and the same moment all his bearers came to the\r\nbaggage-train and each man laid his load on his own beasts. Thus all the\r\ntents could be struck in the same time as one. (5) And it was the\r\nsame when the baggage had to be unpacked. Again, in order that the\r\nnecessaries should be prepared in time, each man was told beforehand\r\nwhat he had to do: and thus all the divisions could be provided for as\r\nspeedily as one. (6) And, just as the serving-men had their appointed\r\nplaces, so the different regiments had their own stations, adapted to\r\ntheir special style of fighting, and each detachment knew their quarters\r\nand went to them without hesitation. (7) Even in a private house,\r\norderliness, Cyrus knew, was a most excellent thing: every one, if he\r\nneeded anything, would then know where to get it; but he held it still\r\nmore desirable for the arrangement of an army, seeing that the moment\r\nfor action passes far more quickly in war and the evil from being too\r\nlate is far more grave. Therefore he gave more thought and care to order\r\nand arrangement than to anything else.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(8) His own position, to begin with, must be at the centre of the\r\ncamp, as this was the safest place, and next to him must come his most\r\nfaithful followers, as their habit was. Beyond these, in a ring, lay the\r\ncavalry and the charioteers. (9) For Cyrus held to it that these troops\r\nalso needed a safe position: their equipment could not be kept at\r\nhand for them, and if they were to be of any use at all they needed\r\nconsiderable time for arming. (10) The targeteers were placed to\r\nleft and right of the cavalry, and the bowmen in front and rear. (11)\r\nFinally, the heavy-armed troops and those who carried the huge shields\r\nsurrounded the whole encampment like a wall; so that in case of need, if\r\nthe cavalry had to mount, the steadiest troops would stand firm in front\r\nand let them arm in safety. (12) He insisted that the targeteers and\r\narchers should, like the soldiers of the line, sleep at their posts, in\r\ncase of alarm at night, and be ready at any moment, while the infantry\r\ndealt with the assailant at close quarters, to hurl darts and javelins\r\nat them over the others\u0027 heads. (13) Moreover, all the generals had\r\nstandards on their tents; and just as an intelligent serving-man in a\r\ncity will know most of the houses, at any rate of the most important\r\npeople, so the squires of Cyrus knew the ways of the camp and the\r\nquarters of the generals and the standards of each. Thus, if Cyrus\r\nneeded any one they had not to search and seek, but could run by\r\nthe shortest road and summon him at once. (14) Owing to this clear\r\narrangement, it was easy to see where good discipline was kept and where\r\nduty was neglected. With these dispositions Cyrus felt that if an attack\r\nshould be made, by night or day, the enemy would find not so much a\r\ncamp as an ambuscade. (15) Nor was it enough, he considered, for a real\r\nmaster of tactics to know how to extend his front without confusion, or\r\ndeepen his ranks, or get from column into line, or wheel round quickly\r\nwhen the enemy appeared on the right or the left or in the rear: the\r\ntrue tactician must also be able to break up his troops into small\r\nbodies, whenever necessary, and place each division exactly where it\r\nwould be of the greatest use; he must know how to quicken speed when\r\nit was essential to forestall the enemy; these and a hundred other\r\noperations are part of his science, and Cyrus studied them all with\r\nequal care. (16) On the march he varied the order constantly to suit the\r\nneeds of the moment, but for the camp, as a rule, he adopted the plan we\r\nhave described.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(17) And now when the march had brought them into Media, Cyrus turned\r\naside to visit Cyaxares. After they had met and embraced, Cyrus began by\r\ntelling Cyaxares that a palace in Babylon, and an estate, had been set\r\naside for him so that he might have a residence of his own whenever he\r\ncame there, and he offered him other gifts, most rich and beautiful.\r\n(18) And Cyaxares was glad to take them from his nephew, and then\r\nhe sent for his daughter, and she came, carrying a golden crown, and\r\nbracelets, and a necklace of wrought gold, and a most beautiful Median\r\nrobe, as splendid as could be. (19) The maiden placed the crown upon the\r\nhead of Cyrus, and as she did so Cyaxares said:\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"I will give her to you, Cyrus, my own daughter, to be your wife. Your\r\nfather wedded the daughter of my father, and you are their son; and this\r\nis the little maid whom you carried in your arms when you were with us\r\nas a lad, and whenever she was asked whom she meant to marry, she would\r\nalways answer \u0027Cyrus.\u0027 And for her dowry I will give her the whole of\r\nMedia: since I have no lawful son.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(20) So he spoke, and Cyrus answered:\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"Cyaxares, I can but thank you myself for all you offer me, the kinship\r\nand the maiden and the gifts, but I must lay the matter before my father\r\nand my mother before I accept, and then we will thank you together.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nThat was what Cyrus said, but none the less he gave the maiden the gifts\r\nhe thought would please her father. And when he had done so, he marched\r\non home to Persia.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(21) And when he reached the borders of his fatherland, he left the mass\r\nof his troops on the frontier, and went forward alone with his friends\r\nto the city, leading victims enough for all the Persians to sacrifice\r\nand hold high festival. And he brought special gifts for his father and\r\nhis mother and his friends of old, and for the high officers of state,\r\nthe elders, and all the Persian Peers; and he gave every Persian man and\r\nevery Persian woman such bounties as the king confers to-day whenever he\r\nvisits Persia. (22) After this Cambyses gathered together the elders\r\nof the land and the chief officers, who have authority in the highest\r\nmatters, and spoke as follows:\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"Men of Persia, and Cyrus, my son, both of you are dear to me and must\r\nneeds be dear; I am the king of my people and the father of my son;\r\ntherefore I am bound to lay before you openly all that I believe to be\r\nfor the good of both. (23) In the past the nation has done great things\r\nfor Cyrus by giving him an army and appointing him the leader, and\r\nCyrus, God helping him, has made my Persians famous in all the world by\r\nhis leadership, and crowned you with glory in Asia. Of those who served\r\nwith him he has made the bravest wealthy for life, and given sustenance\r\nand full pay to numbers. By founding the cavalry he has won the plains\r\nfor Persia. (24) If your hearts are still the same in future, all of you\r\nwill bless each other: but if you, my son, would be puffed up by your\r\npresent fortune and attempt to rule the Persians for your own advantage\r\nas you rule the rest of the world, or if you, my people, should envy\r\nthis man\u0027s power and try to drive him from his throne, I tell you, you\r\nwill cut each other off from many precious things. (25) Therefore, that\r\nthis should never be, and only good be yours, I counsel you to offer\r\nsacrifice together, and call the gods to witness and make a covenant.\r\nYou, Cyrus, shall vow to resist with all your strength any man who\r\nattacks our land of Persia or tries to overthrow our laws; and you, my\r\npeople, must promise that if rebels attempt to depose Cyrus or if\r\nhis subjects revolt, you will render aid to him and to yourselves in\r\nwhatever way he wishes. (26) Now, so long as I live, the kingdom of\r\nPersia is and continues mine, but when I die it passes to Cyrus if he\r\nis still alive, and whenever he visits Persia it should be a holy custom\r\nfor him to offer sacrifice on your behalf, even as I do now; and when he\r\nis abroad, it will be well for you, I think, if the member of our family\r\nwhom you count the noblest fulfils the sacred rites.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(27) Cambyses ended, and Cyrus and the officers of Persia agreed to all\r\nhe said. They made the covenant and called the gods to witness, and to\r\nthis day they keep it still, the Persians and the Great King. And when\r\nit was done, Cyrus took his leave and came back to Media. (28) There,\r\nwith the full consent of his father and his mother, he wedded the\r\ndaughter of Cyaxares, the fame of whose beauty has lasted to this\r\nday. And after the marriage his steeds were yoked and they set out for\r\nBabylon.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(C.6) When he was in Babylon once more, he thought it would be well to\r\nappoint satraps and set them over the conquered tribes. Yet he did not\r\nwish the commandants in the citadels and the captains in charge of the\r\ngarrisons throughout the country to be under any authority but his own.\r\nHerein he showed his foresight, realising that if any satrap became\r\ninsolent and rebellious, relying on his own wealth and the numbers at\r\nhis back, he would at once find a power to oppose him within his own\r\ndistrict. (2) In order to carry out this plan, Cyrus resolved to summon\r\na council of the leading men and explain the terms on which the\r\nsatraps who went would go. In this way, he thought, they would not feel\r\naggrieved, whereas, if a man found himself appointed and then learnt the\r\nrestrictions for the first time, he might well take it ill, fancying it\r\na sign of personal mistrust. (3) So it was that Cyrus called a council\r\nand spoke as follows:\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"Gentlemen and friends of mine, you are aware that we have garrisons and\r\ncommandants in the cities we conquered, stationed there at the time. I\r\nleft them with orders simply to guard the fortifications and not\r\nmeddle with anything else. Now I do not wish to remove them from their\r\ncommands, for they have done their duty nobly, but I propose to send\r\nothers, satraps, who will govern the inhabitants, receive the tribute,\r\ngive the garrisons their pay, and discharge all necessary dues. (4)\r\nFurther, I think it right that certain of you who live here and yet on\r\nwhom I may lay the task of travelling to these nations and working for\r\nme among them, should possess houses there and estates, where tribute\r\nmay be brought them, and where they may find a place of their own to\r\nlodge in.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(5) With these words he assigned houses and districts to many of\r\nhis friends among the lands he had subdued: and to this day their\r\ndescendants possess the estates, although they reside at court\r\nthemselves. (6) \"Now,\" he added, \"we must choose for the satraps who are\r\nto go abroad persons who will not forget to send us anything of value in\r\ntheir districts, so that we who are at home may share in all the wealth\r\nof the world. For if any danger comes, it is we who must ward it off.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(7) With that he ended for the time, but later on when he came to\r\nknow what friends of his were ready and willing to go on the terms\r\nprescribed, he selected those he thought best qualified for the work,\r\nand sent Magabazus to Arabia, Artabatas to Cappadocia, Artacamas to\r\nGreater Phrygia, Chrysantas to Lydia and Susia, Adousius, whom the\r\nCarians had asked for themselves, to Caria, and Pharnouchus to Aeolia\r\nand Phrygia by the Hellespont.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(8) But to Cilicia, Cyprus, and Paphlagonia, Cyrus sent no satraps,\r\nbecause they had shown their willingness to march against Babylon;\r\ntribute, however, was imposed on them as on the others. (9) In\r\naccordance with the rules then laid down by Cyrus, the citadel garrisons\r\nand the captains-of-the-guard are to this day appointed directly by\r\nthe king, and have their names on the royal list. (10) All satraps whom\r\nCyprus sent out were ordered to do as they saw him doing: each was to\r\nraise a body of cavalry and a chariot-force from the Persians and the\r\nallies who went out with him; and all who received grants of land and\r\nofficial residences were to present themselves at the palace-gates,\r\nstudy temperance and self-control, and hold themselves in readiness\r\nfor the service of their satrap. Their boys were to be educated at the\r\ngates, as with Cyrus, and the satrap was to lead his nobles out to hunt,\r\nand train himself and his followers in the art of war. (11) \"Whichever\r\nof you,\" Cyrus added, \"can show the greatest number of chariots in\r\nproportion to his power, and the largest and finest body of cavalry, I\r\nwill honour him as my best ally and most faithful fellow-guardian of\r\nthe Persian empire. Let the best men always have the preference at your\r\ncourts as they have at mine, give them seats of honour as I do, and let\r\nyour table be spread, as mine is, not only for your own household, but\r\nfor your friends also, and for the honour of him who may accomplish any\r\nnoble deed. (12) You must lay out parks and breed game, and never touch\r\nfood until you have toiled for it, nor give your horses fodder until\r\nthey have been exercised. I am but a single man, with only human\r\nstrength and human virtue, and I could not by myself preserve the good\r\nthings that are yours: I must have good comrades to help me in goodness,\r\nand only thus can I be your defender; and you likewise, if you are to\r\nhelp me, must be good yourselves and have good men at your side. (13)\r\nRemember that I have not spoken unto you as unto slaves: what I say you\r\nought to do I strive to do myself. And even as I bid you follow me, so I\r\nwould have you teach those in authority under you to follow you.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(14) Such were the principles then laid down by Cyrus, and to this day\r\nall the royal garrisons are appointed in the same manner, the gates of\r\nall the governors are thronged in the same way, the houses, great\r\nand small, are managed in the same fashion, everywhere the most\r\ndistinguished guests are given seats of honour, every province is\r\nvisited on the same system, and everywhere the threads of numberless\r\naffairs are gathered into the hands of a few superiors. (15) Having\r\ngiven these instructions, Cyrus assigned a body of troops to each of his\r\nsatraps, and sent them out to their provinces, bidding them to be ready\r\nfor a campaign in the new year and for a review of their soldiers, their\r\nweapons, their horses, and their chariots. (16) And here I may notice\r\nanother custom, also instituted by Cyrus, it is said, and still in force\r\nto-day: every year a progress of inspection is made by an officer at the\r\nhead of an army, to help any satrap who may require aid, or bring the\r\ninsolent to their senses; and, if there has been negligence in the\r\ndelivery of tribute, or the protection of the inhabitants, or the\r\ncultivation of the soil, or indeed any omission of duty whatsoever, the\r\nofficer is there to put the matter right, or if he cannot do so himself,\r\nto report it to the king, who decides what is to be done about the\r\noffender. The announcements so often made, such as \"the king\u0027s son is\r\ncoming down,\" or \"the king\u0027s brother,\" or \"the king\u0027s eye,\" refer to\r\nthese inspectors, but sometimes no one appears, for at any moment\r\nthe officer may be turned back at the king\u0027s command. (17) We hear of\r\nanother arrangement, devised to meet the huge size of the empire and\r\nenable the king to learn with great celerity the state of affairs at any\r\ndistance. Cyrus first ascertained how far a horse could travel in\r\none day without being over-ridden, and then he had a series of\r\nposting-stations built, one day\u0027s ride apart, with relays of horses, and\r\ngrooms to take care of them, and a proper man in charge of each station\r\nto receive the despatches and hand them on, take over the jaded horses\r\nand men, and furnish fresh ones. (18) Sometimes, we are told, this\r\npost does not even halt at night: the night-messenger relieves the\r\nday-messenger and rides on. Some say that, when this is done, the post\r\ntravels more quickly than the crane can fly, and, whether that is true\r\nor not, there is no doubt it is the quickest way in which a human being\r\ncan travel on land. To learn of events so rapidly and be able to deal\r\nwith them at once is of course a great advantage.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(19) After a year had passed, Cyrus collected all his troops at Babylon,\r\namounting, it is said, to one hundred and twenty thousand horse, two\r\nthousand scythe-bearing chariots, and six hundred thousand foot. (20)\r\nThen, seeing that all was got together, he set out for that campaign of\r\nhis, on which, the story says, he subdued the nations from the borders\r\nof Syria as far as the Red Sea. After that there followed, we are told,\r\nthe expedition against Egypt and its conquest. (21) From that time\r\nforward his empire was bounded on the east by the Red Sea, on the north\r\nby the Euxine, on the west by Cyprus and Egypt, and towards the south\r\nby Ethiopia. Of these outlying districts, some were scarcely habitable,\r\nowing to heat or cold, drought or excessive rain. (22) But Cyrus himself\r\nalways lived at the centre of his dominions, seven months in Babylon\r\nduring the winter season, where the land is warm and sunny, three months\r\nat Susa in the spring, and during the height of summer in Ecbatana,\r\nso that for him it was springtime all the year. (23) Towards him the\r\ndisposition of all men was such that every nation felt they had failed\r\nunless they could send Cyrus the treasures of their land, plants,\r\nor animals, or works of art. And every city felt the same, and every\r\nprivate person counted himself on the road to riches if he could do\r\nCyrus some special service, for Cyrus took only such things as they had\r\nin abundance, and gave them in return what he saw they lacked.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(C.7) Thus the years passed on, and Cyrus was now in a ripe old age, and\r\nhe journeyed to Persia for the seventh time in his reign. His father and\r\nmother were long since dead in the course of nature, and Cyrus offered\r\nsacrifice according to the law, and led the sacred dance of his Persians\r\nafter the manner of his forefathers, and gave gifts to every man\r\naccording to his wont.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(2) But one night, as he lay asleep in the royal palace, he dreamt a\r\ndream. It seemed to him that some one met him, greater than a man, and\r\nsaid to him, \"Set your house in order, Cyrus: the time has come, and you\r\nare going to the gods.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nWith that Cyrus awoke out of sleep, and he all but seemed to know that\r\nthe end of his life was at hand. (3) Straightway he took victims and\r\noffered sacrifice to Zeus, the god of his fathers, and to the Sun, and\r\nall the other gods, on the high places where the Persians sacrifice, and\r\nthen he made this prayer:\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n\"Zeus, god of my fathers, and thou, O Sun, and all ye gods, accept this\r\nsacrifice, my offering for many a noble enterprise, and suffer me to\r\nthank you for the grace ye have shown me, telling me all my life, by\r\nvictims and by signs from heaven, by birds and by the voices of men,\r\nwhat things I ought to do and what I ought to refrain from doing. Deep\r\nis my thankfulness that I was able to recognise your care, and never\r\nlifted up my heart too high even in my prosperity. I beseech you now to\r\nbless my children also, and my wife, and my friends, and my fatherland;\r\nand for myself, may my death be as my life has been.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(4) Then Cyrus went home again and lay down on his bed, for he longed\r\nto rest. And when the hour was come, his attendants came to him and bade\r\nhim take his bath. But he said he would rather rest. And others came\r\nafterwards, at the usual time, to set the meal before him; but he could\r\nnot bring himself to take food: he seemed only to thirst, and drank\r\nreadily. (5) It was the same the second day, and the third, and then\r\nhe called his sons to his side—it chanced they had followed him to\r\nPersia—and he summoned his friends also and the chief magistrates of\r\nthe land, and when they were all met, he began:\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(6) \"My sons, and friends of mine, the end of my life is at hand: I know\r\nit by many signs. And when I am dead, you must show by word and deed\r\nthat you think of me as happy. When I was a child, I had all the joys\r\nand triumphs of a child, and I reaped the treasures of youth as I grew\r\nup, and all the glories of a man when I came to man\u0027e estate. And as the\r\nyears passed, I seemed to find my powers grow with them, so that I never\r\nfelt my old age weaker than my youth, nor can I think of anything I\r\nattempted or desired wherein I failed. (7) Moreover, I have seen my\r\nfriends made happy by my means, and my enemies crushed beneath my hand.\r\nThis my fatherland, which was once of no account in Asia, I leave at\r\nthe height of power, and of all that I won I think I have lost nothing.\r\nThroughout my whole life I have fared as I prayed to fare, and the dread\r\nthat was ever with me lest in days to come I might see or hear or suffer\r\nevil, this dread would never let me think too highly of myself, or\r\nrejoice as a fool rejoices. (8) And if I die now, I leave my sons\r\nbehind me, the sons the gods have given me; and I leave my fatherland\r\nin happiness, and my friends. Surely I may hope that men will count me\r\nblessed and cherish my memory. (9) And now I must leave instructions\r\nabout my kingdom, that there may be no dispute among you after my death.\r\nSons of mine, I love you both alike, but I choose the elder-born, the\r\none whose experience of life is the greater, to be the leader in\r\ncouncil and the guide in action. (10) Thus was I trained myself, in the\r\nfatherland that is yours and mine, to yield to my elders, my brothers or\r\nmy fellow-citizens, in the street, or in the place of meeting, or in the\r\nassembly for debate. And thus have I trained both of you, to honour your\r\nelders and be honoured by those who are younger than yourselves. These\r\nare the principles that I leave with you, sanctioned by time, ingrained\r\nin our customs, embodied in our laws. (11) The sovereignty is yours,\r\nCambyses; the gods have given it to you, and I also, as far as in me\r\nlies; and to you, Tanaoxares, I give the satrapy over the Medes and the\r\nArmenians and the Cadousians, these three; and though I leave your elder\r\nbrother a larger empire and the name of king, your inheritance will\r\nbring you, I believe, more perfect happiness than his. (12) I ask myself\r\nwhat human joy will be lacking to you: all things which gladden the\r\nhearts of men will be yours—but the craving for what is out of reach,\r\nthe load of cares, the restless passion to rival my achievements, the\r\nplots and counterplots, they will follow him who wears the crown,\r\nand they are things, be well assured, that leave little leisure for\r\nhappiness. (13) And you, Cambyses, you know of yourself, without words\r\nfrom me, that your kingdom is not guarded by this golden sceptre, but\r\nby faithful friends; their loyalty is your true staff, a sceptre which\r\nshall not fail. But never think that loyal hearts grow up by nature as\r\nthe grass grows in the field: if that were so, the same men would be\r\nloyal to all alike, even as all natural objects are the same to all\r\nmankind. No, every leader must win his own followers for himself, and\r\nthe way to win them is not by violence but by loving-kindness. (14) And\r\nif you would seek for friends to stand by you and guard your throne, who\r\nso fit to be the first of them as he who is sprung from the self-same\r\nloins? Our fellow-citizens are nearer to us than foreigners, and our\r\nmess-mates dearer than strangers, and what of those who are sprung from\r\nthe same seed, suckled at the same breast, reared in the same home,\r\nloved by the same parents, the same mother, the same father? (15) What\r\nthe gods have given to be the seal of brotherhood do not make of none\r\neffect yourselves. But build upon it: make it the foundation for other\r\nloving deeds, and thus the love between you shall never be overcome. The\r\nman who takes thought for his brother cares for his own self. For who\r\nbut a brother can win glory from a brother\u0027s greatness? Who can be\r\nhonoured as a brother can through a brother\u0027s power? Or who so safe from\r\ninjury as the brother of the great? (16) Let no one, Tanaoxares, be more\r\neager than yourself to obey your brother and support him: to no one can\r\nhis triumph or his danger come so near. Ask yourself from whom you could\r\nwin a richer reward for any kindness. Who could give you stouter help\r\nin return for your own support? And where is coldness so ugly as between\r\nbrothers? Or where is reverence so beautiful? And remember, Cambyses,\r\nonly the brother who holds pre-eminence in a brother\u0027s heart can be safe\r\nfrom the jealousy of the world. (17) I implore you both, my sons, by the\r\ngods of our fathers, hold each other in honour, if you care at all to do\r\nme pleasure: and none of you can say you know that I shall cease to be\r\nwhen I cease to live this life of ours. With your bodily eyes you have\r\nnever seen my soul, and yet you have discerned its presence through its\r\nworking. (18) And have you never marked the terrors which the spirits\r\nof those who have suffered wrong can send into the hearts of their\r\nmurderers, and the avenging furies they let loose upon the wicked?\r\nThink you the honours of the dead would still abide, if the souls of the\r\ndeparted were altogether powerless? (19) Never yet, my sons, could I\r\nbe persuaded that the soul only lives so long as she dwells within this\r\nmortal body, and falls dead so soon as she is quit of that. Nay, I\r\nsee for myself that it is the soul which lends life to it, while she\r\ninhabits there. (20) I cannot believe that she must lose all sense on\r\nher separation from the senseless body, but rather that she will reach\r\nher highest wisdom when she is set free, pure and untrammelled at last.\r\nAnd when this body crumbles in dissolution, we see the several parts\r\nthereof return to their kindred elements, but we do not see the soul,\r\nwhether she stays or whether she departs. (21) Consider,\" he went on,\r\n\"how these two resemble one another, Death and his twin-brother Sleep,\r\nand it is in sleep that the soul of a man shows her nature most divine,\r\nand is able to catch a glimpse of what is about to be, for it is then,\r\nperhaps, that she is nearest to her freedom. (22) Therefore, if these\r\nthings are as I believe, and the spirit leaves the body behind and is\r\nset free, reverence my soul, O sons of mine, and do as I desire. And\r\neven if it be not so, if the spirit must stay with the body and perish,\r\nyet the everlasting gods abide, who behold all things, with whom is\r\nall power, who uphold the order of this universe, unmarred, unaging,\r\nunerring, unfathomable in beauty and in splendour. Fear them, my sons,\r\nand never yield to sin or wickedness, in thought or word or deed. (23)\r\nAnd after the gods, I would have you reverence the whole race of man,\r\nas it renews itself for ever; for the gods have not hidden you in the\r\ndarkness, but your deeds will be manifest in the eyes of all mankind,\r\nand if they be righteous deeds and pure from iniquity, they will blazon\r\nforth your power: but if you meditate evil against each other, you will\r\nforfeit the confidence of every man. For no man can trust you, even\r\nthough he should desire it, if he sees you wrong him whom above all\r\nyou are bound to love. (24) Therefore, if my words are strong enough to\r\nteach you your duty to one another, it is well. But, if not, let history\r\nteach you, and there is no better teacher. For the most part, parents\r\nhave shown kindness to their children and brothers to their brothers,\r\nbut it has been otherwise with some. Look, then, and see which conduct\r\nhas brought success, choose to follow that, and your choice will be\r\nwise. (25) And now maybe I have said enough of this. As for my body,\r\nwhen I am dead, I would not have you lay it up in gold or silver or any\r\ncoffin whatsoever, but give it back to the earth with all speed. What\r\ncould be more blessed than to lie in the lap of Earth, the mother of all\r\nthings beautiful, the nurse of all things good? I have been a lover of\r\nmen all my life, and methinks I would fain become a part of that which\r\ndoes good to man. (26) And now,\" he added, \"now it seems to me that my\r\nlife begins to ebb; I feel my spirit slipping away from those parts she\r\nleaves the first. If you would take my hand once more, or look into my\r\neyes while life is there, draw near me now; but when I have covered my\r\nface, let no man look on me again, not even you, my sons. (27) But you\r\nshall bid the Persians come, and all our allies, to my sepulchre; and\r\nyou shall rejoice with me and congratulate me that I am safe at last,\r\nfree from suffering or sorrow, whether I am with God or whether I have\r\nceased to be. Give all who come the entertainment that is fitting in\r\nhonour of a man whose life on earth was happy, and so send them away.\r\n(28) Remember my last saying: show kindness to your friends, and then\r\nshall you have it in your power to chastise your enemies. Good-bye, my\r\ndear sons, bid your mother good-bye for me. And all my friends, who are\r\nhere or far away, good-bye.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nAnd with these words he gave his hand to them, and then he covered his\r\nface and died.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cpre\u003e EPILOGUE\r\n\u003c/pre\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(C.8) Of all the powers in Asia, the kingdom of Cyrus showed itself to\r\nbe the greatest and most glorious. On the east it was bounded by the Red\r\nSea, on the north by the Euxine, on the west by Cyprus and Egypt, and\r\non the south by Ethiopia. And yet the whole of this enormous empire was\r\ngoverned by the mind and will of a single man, Cyrus: his subjects he\r\ncared for and cherished as a father might care for his children, and\r\nthey who came beneath his rule reverenced him like a father.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(2) But no sooner was he dead than his sons were at strife, cities and\r\nnations revolted, and all things began to decay. I can show that what I\r\nsay is true, and first I will speak of their impiety. In the early days,\r\nI am aware, the king and those beneath him never failed to keep the\r\noaths they had sworn and fulfil the promises they had given, even to the\r\nworst of criminals. (3) In fact, if such had not been their character\r\nand such their reputation, none of the Hellenic generals who marched\r\nup with the younger Cyrus could have felt the confidence they did: they\r\nwould not have trusted a Persian any more than one trusts them to-day,\r\nnow that their perfidy is known. As it was, they relied on their old\r\nreputation and put themselves in their power, and many were taken up to\r\nthe king and there beheaded. And many of the Asiatics who served in the\r\nsame war perished as they did, deluded by one promise or another.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(4) In other ways also the Persians have degenerated. Noble achievement\r\nin the old days was the avenue to fame: the man was honoured who risked\r\nhis life for the king, or brought a city or nation beneath his sway. But\r\nnow, if some Mithridates has betrayed his father Ariobarzanes, or some\r\nReomithres has left his wife and children and the sons of his friend as\r\nhostages at the court of Egypt, and then has broken the most solemn of\r\nall pledges—it is they and their like who are loaded with the highest\r\nhonours, if only they are thought to have gained some advantage for the\r\nking. (5) With such examples before them, all the Asiatics have turned\r\nto injustice and impiety. For what the leaders are, that, as a rule,\r\nwill the men below them be. Thus has lawlessness increased and grown\r\namong them. (6) And injustice has grown, and thieving. Not only\r\ncriminals, but men who are absolutely innocent are arrested and forced\r\nto pay fines for no reason whatsoever: to be known to have wealth is\r\nmore dangerous than guilt, so that the rich do not care to have any\r\ndealings with the powerful, and dare not even risk appearing at the\r\nmuster of the royal troops. (7) Therefore, when any man makes war on\r\nPersia, whoever he may be, he can roam up and down the country to his\r\nheart\u0027s content without striking a blow, because they have forgotten the\r\ngods and are unjust to their fellow-men. In every way their hearts and\r\nminds are lower than in days gone by.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(8) Nor do they care for their bodies as they did of old. It was always\r\ntheir custom neither to spit nor blow the nose, only it is clear this\r\nwas instituted not from concern for the humours of the body, but in\r\norder to strengthen themselves by toil and sweat. But nowadays, though\r\nthis habit is still in vogue, to harden the body by exercise has quite\r\ngone out of fashion. (9) Again, from the first it was their rule only to\r\ntake a single meal in the day, which left them free to give their time\r\nto business and exercise. The single meal is still the rule, but it\r\ncommences at the earliest hour ever chosen for breakfast, and the eating\r\nand drinking goes on till the last moment which the latest reveller\r\nwould choose for bed. (10) It was always forbidden to bring chamber-pots\r\ninto the banquet-hall, but the reason lay in their belief that the\r\nright way to keep body and brain from weakness was to avoid drinking\r\nin excess. But to-day, though as in the old time no such vessels may be\r\ncarried in, they drink so deep that they themselves are carried out, too\r\nweak to stand on their own legs. (11) It was a national custom from the\r\nfirst not to eat and drink on the march nor be seen satisfying the wants\r\nof nature, but nowadays, though they still abstain, they make each march\r\nso short that no man need wonder at their abstinence.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(12) In the old time they went out to hunt so often that the chase gave\r\nenough exercise and training for man and horse alike. But when the day\r\ncame that Artaxerxes and all his court were the worse for wine, the old\r\ncustom of the king leading the hunt in person began to pass away. And if\r\nany eager spirits hunted with their own followers it was easy to see the\r\njealousy, and even the hatred, aroused by such superiority.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(13) It is still the habit to bring up the boys at the palace-gates, but\r\nfine horsemanship has disappeared, for there is no place where the lads\r\ncan win applause by their skill. The old belief that the children of\r\nPersia would learn justice by hearing the judges decide the cases has\r\nbeen turned upside down: the children have only to use their eyes and\r\nthey see that the verdict goes to the man with the longest purse. (14)\r\nChildren in former times were taught the properties of plants in order\r\nto use the wholesome and avoid the harmful; but now they seem to learn\r\nit for the mere sake of doing harm: at any rate, there is no country\r\nwhere deaths from poison are so common. (15) And the Persian to-day is\r\nfar more luxurious than he was in the time of Cyrus. Then they still\r\nclung to the Persian style of education and the Persian self-restraint,\r\nmerely adopting the Median dress and a certain grace of life. But now\r\nthe old Persian hardihood may perish for all they care, if only they\r\npreserve the softness of the Mede. (16) I might give instances of their\r\nluxury. They are not content with soft sheets and rugs for their beds,\r\nthey must have carpets laid under the bed-posts to prevent any jarring\r\nfrom the floor. They have given up none of the cooked dishes invented\r\nin former days; on the contrary, they are always devising new ones, and\r\ncondiments to boot: in fact, they keep men for the very purpose. (17) In\r\nthe winter it is not enough to have the body covered, and the head and\r\nthe feet, they must have warm sleeves as well and gloves for the hands:\r\nand in the summer they are not content with the shade from the trees or\r\nthe rocks, they must have servants standing beside them with artificial\r\nscreens. (18) To have an endless array of cups and goblets is their\r\nspecial pride: and if these are come by unjustly, and all the world\r\nknows it, why, there is nothing to blush for in that: injustice has\r\ngrown too common among them, and ill-gotten gain. (19) Formerly no\r\nPersian was ever to be seen on foot, but the sole object of the custom\r\nwas to make them perfect horsemen. Now they lay more rugs on their\r\nhorses\u0027 backs than on their own beds; it is not a firm seat they care\r\nfor, but a soft saddle.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(20) As soldiers we may imagine how they have sunk below the ancient\r\nstandard; in past times it was a national institution that the\r\nland-owner should furnish troopers from his own estate, and men were\r\nbound to go on active service, while the garrison troops in the country\r\nreceived regular pay; but now the Persian grandees have manufactured\r\na new type of cavalry, who earn their pay as butlers and cooks and\r\nconfectioners and cupbearers and bathmen and flunkeys to serve at table\r\nor remove the dishes, and serving-men to put their lords to bed and help\r\nthem to rise, and perfumers to anoint them and rub them and make them\r\nbeautiful. (21) In numbers they make a very splendid show, but they are\r\nno use for fighting; as may be seen by what actually takes place: an\r\nenemy can move about their country more freely than the inhabitants\r\nthemselves. (22) It will be remembered that Cyrus put a stop to the\r\nold style of fighting at long range, and by arming men and horses with\r\nbreastplates and giving each trooper a short spear he taught them to\r\nfight at close quarters. But nowadays they will fight in neither one\r\nstyle nor the other. (23) The infantry still carry the large shields,\r\nthe battle-axes, and the swords, as if they meant to do battle as they\r\ndid in Cyrus\u0027 day. (24) But they will never close with the enemy. Nor do\r\nthey use the scythe-bearing chariots as Cyrus intended. By the\r\nhonours he gave he raised the dignity and improved the quality of his\r\ncharioteers till he had a body of men who would charge right into the\r\nenemy\u0027s ranks; but the generals of to-day, though they do not even know\r\nthe charioteers by sight, flatter themselves that untrained men will\r\nserve their purpose quite as well as trained. (25) So the charioteers\r\nwill dash off, but before they reach the enemy half the men have fallen\r\nfrom their boxes, and the others will jump out of their own accord,\r\nand the teams, left without their drivers, will do more harm to their\r\nfriends than to their foes. (26) And since in their hearts the Persians\r\nof to-day are well aware what their fighting condition really is, they\r\nalways give up the struggle, and now none of them will take the field\r\nat all without Hellenes to help them, whether they are fighting among\r\nthemselves or whether Hellenes are in arms against them: even then it\r\nis a settled thing that they must have the aid of other Hellenes to face\r\nthem.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(27) I venture to think I have shown the truth of the statement that I\r\nmade. I asserted that the Persians of to-day and their allies are less\r\nreligious than they were of old, less dutiful to their kindred, less\r\njust and righteous towards other men, and less valiant in war. And if\r\nany man doubts me, let him examine their actions for himself, and he\r\nwill find full confirmation of all I say.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cpre\u003e NOTES\r\n\u003c/pre\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC1. Xenophon puts into the mouth of Chrysantas his favourite theory of\r\nmonarchism, the relationship strongly cemented by obedience and trust\r\nbetween subjects and king.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC1.4, med. On \u003ci\u003ewilling\u003c/i\u003e service. This again is one of the best\r\nutterances in all Xenophon. It has a deep spiritual import.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC1.4, fin. He is thinking of Athens, perhaps. It is a choice: obey the\r\nruler or knock under to foreign foes.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC1.8. Surely a remark of the author. It is an old inveterate thought of\r\nhis: \"the Master\u0027s eye.\" I feel the \u003ci\u003eold\u003c/i\u003e man at times.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC1.9-10. This side of the Persian state-machine strongly impressed the\r\nmind and imagination of Xenophon. Hence he works it into the treatise\r\non economy as well as here. In fact his expansion of the Socratic\r\nreflections into the \u003ci\u003eEconomist\u003c/i\u003e has to do, I believe, with these\r\nreflections on state economy.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC1.13. Hellenic aristocratic theory of existence. Leisure for the grand\r\nduties which devolve on the lords of mankind. It doesn\u0027t seem to\r\nstrike Xenophon that this rigid system of self-absorption in the higher\r\nselfhood of the social system might be destructive of individual life.\r\nOf course he would say, \"No, it enlarges the individual life.\"\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC1.17-20. Seems to me to show Xenophon struggling with the hard parts\r\nof the later Persian system. The theory of Persian feudalism is too\r\nhigh-strung for these grand satraps, rulers of provinces as big as\r\nordinary kingdoms. It tends to snap, and from the beginning did. The\r\narchic man has no charm to compel his followers to archic virtue. It is\r\na negative {episteme} after all. Does Xenophon realise this, or is hgd.\r\nwrong?\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC1.21. Cf. headmasters with preposters in a public school, based on the\r\nsame system of high aims and duties corresponding to rights.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC1.23, init. Cf. Louis Napoleon in Browning\u0027s poem (\u003ci\u003ePrince\r\nHohensteil-Schwangau\u003c/i\u003e).\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC1.23, med. The Magians, the Persian order of priests. Yet we have heard\r\nof them throughout.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC1.27. A very true saying and very nice the feeling it gives us towards\r\nXenophon. We think of him with his wife and his little sons and his\r\nfriends and their friends.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC1.28. How true of women!\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC1.33. A reduplication of the description in Bk. I., and also a\r\nsumming-up of Xenophon\u0027s own earthly paradise—quite Tennysonian.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC1.37. An important point or principle in Xenophon\u0027s political\r\ntheory—indeed the key and tone of it: no one has a right to command\r\nexcept by virtue of personal superiority.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC1.40 foll. \"How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the\r\nmorning!\" The section, if, as I think it is, by Xenophon, throws\r\nlight on the nature and composition of the book. The author isn\u0027t so\r\ndisengaged from \"history\" that he can set aside obviously integral\r\nparts of the Persian system traceable to Cyrus, or at any rate probably\r\noriginal, and their false-seeming and bamboozling mode of keeping up\r\ndignity has to be taken account of. It has its analogy in the admission\r\nof thaumaturgy on the part of religious teachers, and no doubt a good\r\ndeal can be said for it. The archic man in low spirits, if he ever is\r\nso, has some need of bamboozling himself. Titles do give some moral\r\nsupport even nowadays to certain kinds of minds.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC1.46-48. The archic man\u0027s dealings by those of his subjects who are apt\r\nto rule, the men of high thoughts and ambitions, with whom he must come\r\ninto constant personal contact. With them the spiritual dominance alone\r\nwill do. They shall be made to love him rather than themselves.\r\n(The only thing just here that jars is a sort of Machiavellian\r\nself-consciousness, resented in the archic man).\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC1.46. A cumbrous disjointed sentence, but the thought of it is clear\r\nenough. Even Xenophon\u0027s style breaks down when he tries to say in\r\na breath more than he naturally can. Is it a sign of senility, or\r\nhalf-thought-out ideas, or what?\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC2.2, fin. Does Xenophon feel the bathos of this, or is hdg. wrong and\r\nthere is no bathos? It may be said that the sacramental and spiritual\r\nside is not in abeyance. Xenophon has to account for the \"common board\"\r\nand he has the Spartan Lycurgan \"common board\" to encourage him, so that\r\nimaginatively he provides this royal being with a sumptuous table at\r\nwhich thousands will share alike.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC2.3. How far was this a custom among Hellenes? It reveals a curious\r\nstate of society, real or imaginary; but I suppose that at Rome in\r\nimperial days (cf. \u003ci\u003epanem et circenses\u003c/i\u003e) the theory of meat and drink\r\nlargesses being the best would hold.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC2.4, fin. The last remark is so silly (?) I am almost disposed to\r\nfollow Lincke and admit interpolation. Yet on the whole I think it is\r\nthe voice of the old man explaining in his Vicar-of-Wakefield style,\r\nto his admiring auditors, wife, children, and grandsons, I fancy, and\r\nslaves, the \u003ci\u003eraison d\u0027être\u003c/i\u003e of Persian dinner-largesse customs.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC2.6. Qy.: What was Xenophon\u0027s manner of composing? The style here\r\nis loose, like that of a man talking. Perhaps he lectured and the\r\namanuensis took down what he said.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC2.8. Ineptitudes. One does somewhat sniff an editor here, I think, but\r\nI am not sure. There\u0027s a similar touch of ineptitude (senility, perhaps)\r\nin the \u003ci\u003eMemorabilia\u003c/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003ead fin\u003c/i\u003e. On the other hand I can imagine Xenophon\r\npurring over this side of Orientalism quite naturally.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC2.12. This slipshod style, how accounted for? The most puzzling thing\r\nof all is the sort of mental confusion between Cyrus and the king in\r\ngeneral.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC2.15-16. Thoroughly Xenophontine and Ruskinian and eternal.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC2.24. Here is the germ of benefit societies and clubs and insurances\r\nand hospitals. Xenophon probably learns it all from Ctesias, and others\r\nof the sort. Cyrus provides doctors and instruments and medicines and\r\ndiet, in fact, all the requisites of a hospital, in his palace. Nor does\r\nhe forget to be grateful to the doctors who cured the sick. (Ctesias,\r\nthe Greek physician to the Persian king. See \u003ci\u003eAnabasis\u003c/i\u003e, I. viii. Works,\r\nVol. I. p. 108.)\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC2.26 ff. Xenophon\u0027s Machiavellianism. Does it work?\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC2.17-28. It seems to me that all this is too elaborate for an\r\ninterpolator: it smacks of Xenophon in his arm-chair, theorising and\r\nhalf-dreaming over his political philosophy.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC3.2. Prototype, a procession to Eleusis or elsewhere: the Panathenaic,\r\npossibly. Xenophon\u0027s sumptuous taste and love of bright colours.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC3.3, fin., C3.4. What a curious prototypic sound! Truly this is the\r\nvery \u003ci\u003emodus\u003c/i\u003e of the evangelist\u0027s type of sentence. His narrative must\r\nrun in this mould.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC3.4, fin. This is the old Cyrus. It comes in touchingly here, this\r\nrefrain of the old song, now an echo of the old life.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC3.14. Xenophon delights somewhat in this sort of scene. It is a\r\nturning-point, a veritable moral peripety, though the decisive step was\r\ntaken long ago. What is Xenophon\u0027s intention with regard to it? Has he\r\nany \u003ci\u003eparti pris\u003c/i\u003e, for or against? Does he wish us to draw conclusions?\r\nOr does it correspond to a moral meeting of the waters in his own mind?\r\nHere love of Spartan simplicity, and there of splendour and regality\r\nand monarchism? He does not give a hint that the sapping of the system\r\nbegins here, when the archic man ceases to depend on his own spiritual\r\narchic qualities and begins to eke out his dignity by artificial means\r\nand external shows of reverence.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC3.20. Is this worthy of the archic man? It is a method, no doubt,\r\nof {arkhe}, but has it any spiritual \"last\" in it? The incident of\r\nDaïpharnes somewhat diverts our attention from the justice of the system\r\nin reference to the suitors. On the whole, I think Xenophon can\u0027t get\r\nfurther. He is blinded and befogged by two things: (1) his (i.e. their)\r\naristocratism, and again (2) his satisfaction in splendour and get-up,\r\nprovided it is attached to moral greatness. We are in the same maze, I\r\nfancy. Jesus was not, nor is Walt Whitman.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC3.23. Cyrus is made to behave rather like the autocratic father of a\r\ngoody story-book.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC3.25. Realistic and vivid detailing: our curiosity is satisfied. \"Who\r\nhas won?\" we ask. \"Oh, so-and-so, Smith.\" Well, it\u0027s something to know\r\nthat Smith has won. Xenophon, the artist, \u0027cutely introduces the Sakian\r\nto us. One scene takes up another, just as in real life. Quite soon\r\nwe know a great deal more about this young man, a mere Sakian private\r\nsoldier, who wins the race so easily on his splendid horse. Cyrus\r\nand good fortune introduce him to the very man he is suited to: viz.\r\nPheraulas.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC3.37. Pheraulas\u0027 boyhood has already been sketched by himself (II.\r\nC3.7), the active sturdy little youngster, snatching at a knife, and\r\nhacking away \u003ci\u003econ amore\u003c/i\u003e. We know him well: Xenophon\u0027s modernism comes\r\nout in these things. Here we have the old father, a heart of oak, like\r\nthe old Acharnian in Aristophanes. One of the prettiest morsels in all\r\nXenophon. Xenophon\u0027s own father, is he there?\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC3.47. The desire for \"leisure\" is as strong in Xenophon as in hgd. or\r\nS. T. I., I think. (S. T. Irwin, also a master at Clifton.)\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC4.1. Why is the Hyrcanian never named? Is it conceivable that Xenophon\r\nshrinks from using a proper name except when he has some feeling for the\r\nsound of the language? (Sic. Sakians, Cadousians, Indians, etc.)\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC4.4 The \"mark\" system again which Xenophon believes in, but hgd. not.\r\nShows how he tried to foster competitiveness. It\u0027s after all a belief\r\nin the central sun, a species of monarch-worship, logical and consistent\r\nenough.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC4.8. Xenophon reveals himself and the Hellenic feeling with regard to\r\nwar and its use. The \u003ci\u003epax Romana\u003c/i\u003e is anticipated in their minds.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC4.9. Hystaspas is rather like the sons of Zebedee or the elder brother\r\nof the Prodigal.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC4.12, fin. Looks rather like a Greek joke. But what is the joke?\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC4.13-23. Broad type of joke, but not unhealthy or prurient. Prototype\r\nprobably Agesilaus and the younger Cyrus at the supper-table, with just\r\nthis touch of coarseness.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC4.32-36. This is = to the Comtist theory of the duties of capitalists,\r\nand is one of the noblest disquisitions in all Xenophon, {os g\u0027 emoi\r\ndokei}. Cyrus\u0027 theory is based on fraternal feeling among the \u003ci\u003eelite\u003c/i\u003e of\r\nthe world, and that is the sole difference, a large one doubtless,\r\nand measures the gap between Xenophon and A. C. and our advance in\r\nDemocracy.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC5.17. How far is this historical, i.e. semi-historical? I can\u0027t help\r\nsupposing that the commoner notion of a conquest of Media by Persia was\r\ncurrent and familiar to Xenophon apart from any other account, which for\r\nhis present purpose he chose to go upon and possibly believed in.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC5.18-20. Will Cyrus take her to wife, his old playmate? All this shows\r\nonce more Xenophon\u0027s love of children.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC5.23-25. The Persian Magna Charta, parallel to that between the Spartan\r\nking and the ephorate.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC6.1-3. (a) Satraps; to be counterpoised by (b) military governors in\r\nthe citadels, and (c) visitors living at court, but possessed of lands\r\nin the provinces. The object is, no doubt, to create a common\r\ninterest between the nobles and the king which will keep the satrap in\r\ncounterpoise.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC6.11. The Oriental feeling again.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC6.12, fin. One of the nicest (monarchical) remarks ever uttered.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC6.13. Marked Greek Testament parallel S. Joan. 13, 13. Surely the\r\nevangelist had read this at school: I mean, the Greek scribe who\r\nHellenised the evangel.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC6.23. Free trade or favoured-nation principle and commercial treaty.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC7.10. Prototype: Socrates and his sons. Perhaps also Xenophon and his.\r\nOne seems to hear his own voice addressing Gryllus.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC7.14. A very noble passage.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC7.27. That\u0027s also nice: \"Summon the Persians to rejoice with me at my\r\njoyous release;\" a refined form of funeral festival—\"nothing is here\r\nfor tears\"—nor have we, perhaps, arrived beyond it.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\nC7.28. His last remark is Xenophon-Hellenic, but less edifying;\r\nfortunately it is only the penultimate, for there is the final\r\n{khairete} (good-bye) and message to his wife. Why was she not present?\r\nI suppose she was at home in Babylon.\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\r\n(C8. It has been doubted whether C8 is by Xenophon at all. C8.3, with\r\nits reference to the \u003ci\u003eAnabasis\u003c/i\u003e, certainly looks as though it might have\r\nbeen written after his death. Some scholars have also thought the style\r\nunlike Xenophon\u0027s, but it is clear from his marginal notes that Mr.\r\nDakyns did not lean towards this view. To stress the degeneracy of the\r\nPersians is, no doubt, to make a curious comment on the institutions of\r\n\"the born ruler,\" but on the other hand the preceding chapter (C7) is\r\nfull of grave warnings, and, throughout, Xenophon has been at pains to\r\ninsist that everything depends on the continuous and united effort of\r\nthe ruling classes towards virtue and self-control. Again, as Mr. Dakyns\r\npointed out (in his \u003ci\u003eSketch of Xenophon\u0027s Life\u003c/i\u003e, Works, Vol. I. p.\r\ncxxxvii.), the epilogue bears a marked analogy to the account of Spartan\r\ndegeneracy in c. xiv. of the \u003ci\u003eLaconian Polity\u003c/i\u003e (see Vol. II. p. 322), a\r\nchapter he took to be genuine. On the whole, therefore, we may conclude\r\nthat he would have considered this epilogue to be genuine also.—F.M.S.)\r\n\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\r\n\u003cdiv class=\"pg_body_wrapper\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"pg_body_wrapper\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"pg_body_wrapper\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"pg_body_wrapper\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\u003cpre\u003e\u003c/pre\u003e\r\n\u003c/article\u003e"}],"SectionSequence":["Back Link","Work Title","Deck","Author","Period","Era","Composition","Date Note","Region","Terra Avita","Terra Avita Region","Modern Country","Original Title","Language","Primary Discipline","Secondary Discipline","Tradition","Full Versions","Core Thesis","Classification","Arguments","Influence","Significance","Evidence Note","Full Text"],"Counts":{"ContextCards":3,"GeoCards":4,"DisciplineCards":2,"Links":11,"Sections":25,"Styles":3,"Scripts":1}}