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teeth　of　the　rule　he　had　laid　down　for　himself。　＇14＇　Then　his　son
Tigranes　turned　to　Cyrus　and　said；　〃Tell　me；　Cyrus；　since　my　father
sits　in　doubt；　may　I　give　counsel　in　his　place　and　say　what　I　think
best　for　you？〃

Now　Cyrus　remembered　that；　in　the　old　hunting　days；　he　had　noticed　a
certain　man　of　wisdom　who　went　about　with　Tigranes　and　was　much
admired　by　him；　and　he　was　curious　to　know　what　the　youth　would　say。
So　he　readily　agreed　and　bade　him　speak　his　mind。

＇15＇　〃In　my　view；　then；〃　said　Tigranes；　〃if　you　approve　of　all　that　my
father　has　said　and　done；　certainly　you　ought　to　do　as　he　did；　but　if
you　think　he　has　done　wrong；　then　you　must　not　copy　him。〃

〃But　surely；〃　said　Cyrus；　〃the　best　way　to　avoid　copying　the　wrongdoer
is　to　practise　what　is　right？〃

〃True　enough；〃　answered　the　prince。

〃Then　on　your　own　reasoning；　I　am　bound　to　punish　your　father；　if　it
is　right　to　punish　wrong。〃

〃But　would　you　wish　your　vengeance　to　do　you　harm　instead　of　good？〃

〃Nay；〃　said　Cyrus；　〃for　then　my　vengeance　would　fall　upon　myself。〃

＇16＇　〃Even　so；〃　said　Tigranes；　〃and　you　will　do　yourself　the　greatest
harm　if　you　put　your　own　subjects　to　death　just　when　they　are　most
valuable　to　you。〃

〃Can　they　have　any　value；〃　asked　Cyrus；　〃when　they　are　detected　doing
wrong？〃

〃Yes；〃　answered　Tigranes；　〃if　that　is　when　they　turn　to　good　and　learn
sobriety。　For　it　is　my　belief；　Cyrus；　that　without　this　virtue　all
others　are　in　vain。　What　good　will　you　get　from　a　strong　man　or　a
brave　if　he　lack　sobriety；　be　he　never　so　good　a　horseman；　never　so
rich；　never　so　powerful　in　the　state？　But　with　sobriety　every　friend
is　a　friend　in　need　and　every　servant　a　blessing。〃

＇17＇　〃I　take　your　meaning；〃　answered　Cyrus；　〃your　father；　you　would
have　me　think；　has　been　changed　in　this　one　day　from　a　fool　into　a
wise　and　sober…minded　man？〃

〃Exactly；〃　said　the　prince。

〃Then　you　would　call　sober…mindedness　a　condition　of　our　nature；　such
as　pain；　not　a　matter　of　reason　that　can　be　learnt？　For　certainly；　if
he　who　is　to　be　sober…minded　must　learn　wisdom　first；　he　could　not　be
converted　from　folly　in　a　day。〃

＇18＇　〃Nay；　but；　Cyrus；〃　said　the　prince；　〃surely　you　yourself　have
known　one　man　at　least　who　out　of　sheer　folly　has　set　himself　to　fight
a　stronger　man　than　he；　and　on　the　day　of　defeat　his　senselessness　has
been　cured。　And　surely　you　have　known　a　city　ere　now　that　has
marshalled　her　battalions　against　a　rival　state；　but　with　defeat　she
changes　suddenly　and　is　willing　to　obey　and　not　resist？〃

＇19＇　〃But　what　defeat；〃　said　Cyrus；　〃can　you　find　in　your　father's
case　to　make　you　so　sure　that　he　has　come　to　a　sober　mind？〃

〃A　defeat；〃　answered　the　young　man；　〃of　which　he　is　well　aware　in　the
secret　chambers　of　his　soul。　He　set　his　heart　on　liberty；　and　he　has
found　himself　a　slave　as　never　before：　he　had　designs　that　needed
stealth　and　speed　and　force；　and　not　one　of　them　has　he　been　able　to
carry　through。　With　you　he　knows　that　design　and　fulfilment　went　hand
in　hand；　when　you　wished　to　outwit　him；　outwit　him　you　did；　as　though
he　had　been　blind　and　deaf　and　dazed；　when　stealth　was　needed；　your
stealth　was　such　that　the　fortresses　he　thought　his　own　you　turned
into　traps　for　him；　and　your　speed　was　such　that　you　were　upon　him
from　miles　away　with　all　your　armament　before　he　found　time　to　muster
the　forces　at　his　command。〃

＇20＇　〃So　you　think；〃　said　Cyrus；　〃that　merely　to　learn　another　is
stronger　than　himself　is　defeat　enough　to　bring　a　man　to　his　senses？〃

〃I　do；〃　answered　Tigranes；　〃and　far　more　truly　than　mere　defeat　in
battle。　For　he　who　is　conquered　by　force　may　fancy　that　if　he　trains
he　can　renew　the　war；　and　captured　cities　dream　that　with　the　help　of
allies　they　will　fight　again　one　day；　but　if　we　meet　with　men　who　are
better　than　ourselves　and　whom　we　recognise　to　be　so；　we　are　ready　to
obey　them　of　our　own　free　will。〃　＇21＇　〃You　imagine　then；〃　said　Cyrus；
〃that　the　bully　and　the　tyrant　cannot　recognise　the　man　of　self…
restraint；　nor　the　thief　the　honest　man；　nor　the　liar　the　truth…
speaker；　nor　the　unjust　man　the　upright？　Has　not　your　own　father　lied
even　now　and　broken　his　word　with　us；　although　he　knew　that　we　had
faithfully　observed　every　jot　and　tittle　of　the　compact　Astyages
made？〃　＇22＇　〃Ah；　but；〃　replied　the　prince；　〃I　do　not　pretend　that　the
bare　knowledge　alone　will　bring　a　man　to　his　senses；　it　cannot　cure
him　unless　he　pays　the　penalty　as　my　father　pays　it　to…day。〃　〃But；〃
answered　Cyrus；　〃your　father　has　suffered　nothing　at　all　so　far：
although　he　fears；　I　know；　that　the　worst　suffering　may　be　his。〃　＇23＇
〃Do　you　suppose　then；〃　asked　Tigranes；　〃that　anything　can　enslave　a
man　more　utterly　than　fear？　Do　you　not　know　that　even　the　men　who　are
beaten　with　the　iron　rod　of　war；　the　heaviest　rod　in　all　the　world；
may　still　be　ready　to　fight　again；　while　the　victims　of　terror　cannot
be　brought　to　look　their　conquerors　in　the　face；　even　when　they　try　to
comfort　them？〃　〃Then；　you　maintain；〃　said　Cyrus；　〃that　fear　will
subdue　a　man　more　than　suffering？〃　＇24＇　〃Yes；〃　he　answered；　〃and　you
of　all　men　know　that　what　I　say　is　true：　you　know　the　despondency　men
feel　in　dread　of　banishment；　or　on　the　eve　of　battle　facing　defeat；　or
sailing　the　sea　in　peril　of　shipwreckthey　cannot　touch　their　food　or
take　their　rest　because　of　their　alarm：　while　it　may　often　be　that　the
exiles　themselves；　the　conquered；　or　the　enslaved；　can　eat　and　sleep
better　than　men　who　have　not　known　adversity。　＇25＇　Think　of　those
panic…stricken　creatures　who　through　fear　of　capture　and　death　have
died　before　their　day；　have　hurled　themselves　from　cliffs；　hanged
themselves；　or　set　the　knife　to　their　throats；　so　cruelly　can　fear；
the　prince　of　horrors；　bind　and　subjugate　the　souls　of　men。　And　what；
think　you；　does　my　father　feel　at　this　moment？　He；　whose　fears　are　not
for　himself　alone；　but　for　us　all；　for　his　wife；　and　for　his
children。〃　＇26＇　And　Cyrus　said；　〃To…day　and　at　this　time；　it　may　be
with　him　as　you　say：　but　I　still　think　that　the　same　man　may　well　be
insolent　in　good　fortune　and　cringing　in　defeat：　let　such　an　one　go
free　again；　and　he　will　return　to　his　arrogance　and　trouble　us　once
more。〃　＇27＇　〃I　do　not　deny　it；　Cyrus；〃　said　the　prince。　〃Our　offences
are　such　that　you　may　well　mistrust　us：　but　you　have　it　in　your　power
to　set　garrisons　in　our　land　and　hold　our　strong　places　and　take　what
pledges　you　think　best。　And　even　so；〃　he　added；　〃you　will　not　find
that　we　fret　against　our　chains；　for　we　shall　remember　we　have　only
ourselves　to　blame。　Whereas；　if　you　hand　over　the　government　to　some
who　have　not　offended；　they　may　either　think　that　you　mistrust　them；
and　thus；　although　you　are　their　benefactor；　you　cannot　be　their
friend；　or　else　in　your　anxiety　not　to　rouse　their　enmity　you　may
leave　no　check　on　their　insolence；　and　in　the　end　you　will　need　to
sober　them　even　more　than　us。〃　＇28＇　〃Nay；　but　by　all　the　gods；〃　cried
Cyrus；　〃little　joy　should　I　ever　take　in　those　who　served　me　from
necessity　alone。　Only　if　I　recognise　some　touch　of　friendship　or
goodwill　in　the　help　it　is　their　duty　to　render；　I　could　find　it
easier　to　forgive　them　all　their　faults　than　to　accept　the　full
discharge　of　service　paid　upon　compulsion　by　those　who　hate　me。〃

Then　Tigranes　answered；　〃You　speak　of　friendship；　but　can　you　ever
find　elsewhere　so　great　a　friendship　as　you　may　find　with　us？〃　〃Surely
I　can；〃　he　answered；　〃and　with　those　who　have　never　been　my　enemies；
if　I　choose　to　be　their　benefactor　as　you　would　have　me　yours。〃　＇29＇
〃But　to…day；　and　now；　can　you　find　another　man　in　the　world　whom　you
could　benefit　as　you　can　benefit　my　father？　Say　you　let　a　man　live　who
has　never　done　you　wrong；　will　he　be　grateful　for　the　boon？　Say　he
need　not　lose　his　children　and　his　wife；　will　he　love　you　for　that
more　than　one　who　knows　he　well　deserved　the　loss？　Say　he　may　not　sit
upon　the　throne　of　Armenia；　will　he　suffer　from　that　as　we　shall
suffer？　And　is　it　not　clear　that　the　one　who　feels　the　pain　of
forfeiture　the　most　will　be　the　one　most　grateful　for　the　granting　of
the　gift？　＇30＇　And　if　you　have　it　at　all　at　heart　to　leave　matters
settled　here；　think　for　yourself；　and　see　where　tranquillity　will　lie
when　your　back　is　turned。　Will　it　be　with　the　new　dynasty；　or　with　the
old　familiar　house？　And　if　you　want　as　large　a　force　as　possible　at
your　command；　where　will　you　find　a　man　better　fitted　to　test　the
muster…roll　than　the　general　who　has　used　it　time　and　again？　If　you
need　money；　who　will　provide　the　ways　and　means　better　than　he　who
knows　and　can　command　all　the　resources　of　the　country？　I　warn　you　as
a　friend；〃　he　added；　〃that　if　you　throw　us　aside　you　will　do　yourself
more　harm　than　ever　my　father　could　have　done。〃

＇31＇　Such　were　the　pleadings　of　the　prince；　and　Cyrus；　as　he　listened；
was　overjoyed；　for　he　felt　he　would　accomplish　to　the　full　all　he　had
promised　Cyaxares；　his　own　words　came　back　to　him；　〃I　hope　to　make　the
Armenian　a　better　friend　than　before。〃

Thereupon　he　turned　to　the　king　and　said；　〃Son　of　Armenia；　if　I　were
indeed　to　hearken　unto　you　and　yours　in　this；　tell　me；　how　large　an
army　would　you　send　me　and　how　much　money　for　the　war？