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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？〃

＇32＇　And　the　king　replied；　〃The　simplest　answer　I　can　make　and　the
most　straightforward　is　to　tell　you　what　my　power　is；　and　then　you　may
take　the　men　you　choose；　and　leave　the　rest　to　garrison　the　country。
And　so　with　the　money：　it　is　only　fair　that　you　should　know　the　whole
of　our　wealth；　and　with　that　knowledge　to　guide　you；　you　will　take
what　you　like　and　leave　what　you　like。〃　＇33＇　And　Cyrus　said；　〃Tell　me
then；　and　tell　me　true：　how　great　is　your　power　and　your　wealth？〃
Whereupon　the　Armenian　replied：　〃Our　cavalry　is　8000　strong　and　our
infantry　40；000；　and　our　wealth；〃　said　he；　〃if　I　include　the　treasures
which　my　father　left；　amounts　in　silver　to　more　than　3000　talents。〃

＇34＇　And　Cyrus；　without　more　ado；　said　at　once；　〃Of　your　whole
armament　you　shall　give　me　half；　not　more；　since　your　neighbours　the
Chaldaeans　are　at　war　with　you：　but　for　the　tribute；　instead　of　the
fifty　talents　which　you　paid　before；　you　shall　hand　over　twice　as　much
to　Cyaxares　because　you　made　default；　and　you　will　lend　me　another
hundred　for　myself；　and　I　hereby　promise　you；　if　God　be　bountiful；　I
will　requite　you　for　the　loan　with　things　of　higher　worth；　or　I　will
pay　the　money　back　in　full；　if　I　can；　and　if　I　cannot；　you　may　blame
me　for　want　of　ability；　but　not　for　want　of　will。〃　＇35＇　But　the
Armenian　cried；　〃By　all　the　gods；　Cyrus；　speak　not　so；　or　you　will　put
me　out　of　heart。　I　beg　you　to　look　on　all　I　have　as　yours；　what　you
leave　behind　as　well　as　what　you　take　away。〃

〃So　be　it　then；〃　answered　Cyrus；　〃and　to　ransom　your　wife；　how　much
money　would　you　give？〃　〃All　that　I　have；〃　said　he。　〃And　for　your
sons？〃　〃For　them　too；　all　that　I　have。〃　〃Good；〃　answered　Cyrus；　〃but
is　not　that　already　twice　as　much　as　you　possess？　＇36＇　And　you；
Tigranes；〃　said　he；　〃at　what　price　would　you　redeem　your　bride？〃　Now
the　youth　was　but　newly　wedded；　and　his　wife　was　beyond　all　things
dear　to　him。　〃I　would　give　my　life；〃　said　he；　〃to　save　her　from
slavery。〃　＇37＇　〃Take　her　then；〃　said　Cyrus；　〃she　is　yours。　For　I　hold
that　she　has　never　yet　been　made　a　prisoner；　seeing　that　her　husband
never　deserted　us。　And　you；　son　of　Armenia；〃　said　he；　turning　to　the
king；　〃you　shall　take　home　your　wife　and　children；　and　pay　no　ransom
for　them；　so　that　they　shall　not　feel　they　come　to　you　from　slavery。
But　now；〃　he　added；　〃you　shall　stay　and　sup　with　us；　and　afterwards
you　shall　go　wherever　you　wish。〃

And　so　the　Armenians　stayed。　＇38＇　But　when　the　company　broke　up　after
the　evening　meal；　Cyrus　asked　Tigranes；　〃Tell　me；　where　is　that　friend
of　yours　who　used　to　hunt　with　us；　and　whom；　as　it　seemed　to　me；　you
admired　so　much？〃　〃Do　you　not　know；〃　he　said；　〃that　my　father　put　him
to　death？〃　〃And　why？〃　said　Cyrus；　〃what　fault　did　he　find　in　him？〃　〃He
thought　he　corrupted　me；〃　said　the　youth；　〃and　yet；　I　tell　you；　Cyrus；
he　was　so　gentle　and　so　brave；　so　beautiful　in　soul；　that　when　he　came
to　die；　he　called　me　to　him　and　said；　'Do　not　be　angry　with　your
father；　Tigranes；　for　putting　me　to　death。　What　he　does　is　not　done
from　malice；　but　from　ignorance；　and　the　sins　of　ignorance；　I　hold；
are　unintentional。'〃

＇39＇　And　at　that　Cyrus　could　not　but　say：　〃Poor　soul！　I　grieve　for
him。〃　But　the　king　spoke　in　his　own　defence：　〃Remember　this；　Cyrus；
that　the　man　who　finds　another　with　his　wife　kills　him　not　simply
because　he　believes　that　he　has　turned　the　woman　to　folly；　but　because
he　has　robbed　him　of　her　love。　Even　so　I　was　jealous　of　that　man　who
seemed　to　put　himself　between　my　son　and　me　and　steal　away　his
reverence。〃　＇40＇　〃May　the　gods　be　merciful　to　us！〃　said　Cyrus；　〃you
did　wrong；　but　your　fault　was　human。　And　you；　Tigranes；〃　said　he；
turning　to　the　son；　〃you　must　forgive　your　father。〃

And　so　they　talked　in　all　friendliness　and　kindliness；　as　befitted
that　time　of　reconciliation；　and　then　the　father　and　son　mounted　their
carriages；　with　their　dear　ones　beside　them；　and　drove　away　rejoicing。

＇41＇　But　when　they　were　home　again；　they　all　spoke　of　Cyrus；　one
praising　his　wisdom；　another　his　endurance；　a　third　the　gentleness　of
his　nature；　and　a　fourth　his　stature　and　his　beauty。　Then　Tigranes
turned　to　his　wife　and　asked；　〃Did　Cyrus　seem　so　beautiful　in　your
eyes？〃　But　she　answered；　〃Ah；　my　lord；　he　was　not　the　man　I　saw。〃　〃Who
was　it　then？〃　asked　Tigranes。　〃He；〃　she　answered；　〃who　offered　his　own
life　to　free　me　from　slavery。〃

And　so　they　took　their　delight　together；　as　lovers　will；　after　all
their　sufferings。

＇42＇　But　on　the　morrow　the　king　of　Armenia　sent　gifts　of　hospitality
to　Cyrus　and　all　his　army；　and　bade　his　own　contingent　make　ready　to
march　on　the　third　day；　and　himself　brought　Cyrus　twice　the　sum　which
he　had　named。　But　Cyrus　would　take　no　more　than　he　had　fixed；　and　gave
the　rest　back　to　the　king；　only　asking　whether　he　or　his　son　was　to
lead　the　force。　And　the　father　answered　that　it　should　be　as　Cyrus
chose；　but　the　son　said；　〃I　will　not　leave　you；　Cyrus；　if　I　must　carry
the　baggage　to　follow　you。〃　＇43＇　And　Cyrus　laughed　and　said；　〃What
will　you　take　to　let　us　tell　your　wife　that　you　have　become　a　baggage…
bearer？〃　〃She　will　not　need　to　be　told；〃　he　answered；　〃I　mean　to　bring
her　with　me；　and　she　can　see　for　herself　all　that　her　husband　does。〃
〃Then　it　is　high　time；〃　said　Cyrus；　〃that　you　got　your　own　baggage
together　now。〃　〃We　will　come；〃　said　he；　〃be　sure　of　that；　in　good
time；　with　whatever　baggage　my　father　gives。〃

So　the　soldiers　were　the　guests　of　Armenia　for　the　day；　and　rested　for
that　night。

＇C。2＇　But　on　the　day　following　Cyrus　took　Tigranes　and　the　best　of　the
Median　cavalry；　with　chosen　followers　of　his　own；　and　scoured　the
whole　country　to　decide　where　he　should　build　a　fort。　He　halted　on　the
top　of　a　mountain…pass　and　asked　Tigranes　where　the　heights　lay　down
which　the　Chaldaeans　swept　when　they　came　to　plunder。　Tigranes　showed
him。　Then　Cyrus　asked　him　if　the　mountains　were　quite　uninhabited。
〃No；　indeed；〃　said　the　prince；　〃there　are　always　men　on　the　look…out；
who　signal　to　the　others　if　they　catch　sight　of　anything。〃　〃And　what
do　they　do；〃　he　asked；　〃when　they　see　the　signal？〃　〃They　rush　to　the
rescue；〃　he　said；　〃as　quickly　as　they　can。〃　＇2＇　Cyrus　listened　and
looked；　and　he　could　see　that　large　tracts　lay　desolate　and　untilled
because　of　the　war。　That　day　they　came　back　to　camp　and　took　their
supper　and　slept。　＇3＇　But　the　next　morning　Tigranes　presented　himself
with　all　his　baggage　in　order　and　ready　for　the　march；　4000　cavalry　at
his　back；　10；000　bowmen；　and　as　many　targeteers。　While　they　were
marching　up；　Cyrus　offered　sacrifice；　and　finding　that　the　victims
were　favourable；　he　called　the　leaders　of　the　Persians　together　and
the　chief　captains　of　the　Medes　and　spoke　to　them　thus：

＇4＇　〃My　friends；　there　lie　the　Chaldaean　hills。　If　we　could　seize　them
and　set　a　garrison　to　hold　the　pass；　we　should　compel　them　both；
Chaldaeans　and　Armenians　alike；　to　behave　themselves　discreetly。　The
victims　are　favourable；　and　to　help　a　man　in　such　a　work　as　this　there
is　no　ally　half　so　good　as　speed。　If　we　scale　the　heights　before　the
enemy　have　time　to　gather；　we　may　take　the　position　out　of　hand
without　a　blow；　and　at　most　we　shall　only　find　a　handful　of　weak　and
scattered　forces　to　oppose　us。　＇5＇　Steady　speed　is　all　I　ask　for；　and
surely　I　could　ask　for　nothing　easier　or　less　dangerous。　To　arms　then！
The　Medes　will　march　on　our　left；　half　the　Armenians　on　our　right；　and
the　rest　in　the　van　to　lead　the　way；　the　cavalry　in　our　rear；　to　cheer
us　on　and　push　us　forward　and　let　none　of　us　give　way。〃

＇6＇　With　that　Cyrus　led　the　advance；　the　army　in　column　behind　him。　As
soon　as　the　Chaldaeans　saw　them　sweeping　up　from　the　plain；　they
signalled　to　their　fellows　till　the　heights　re…echoed　with　answering
shouts；　and　the　tribesmen　gathered　on　every　side。　Then　Cyrus　sent　word
along　his　lines；　〃Soldiers　of　Persia；　they　are　signalling　to　us　to
make　haste。　If　only　we　reach　the　top　before　them；　all　they　can　do　will
be　in　vain。〃

＇7＇　Now　the　Chaldaeans　were　said　to　be　the　most　warlike　of　all　the
tribes　in　that　country；　and　each　of　them　was　armed　with　a　shield　and　a
brace　of　javelins。　They　fight　for　pay　wherever　they　are　needed；　partly
because　they　are　warriors　born；　but　partly　through　poverty；　for　their
country　is　mountainous；　and　the　fertile　part　of　it　small。　＇8＇　As　Cyrus
and　his　force　drew　near　the　head　of　the　pass；　Tigranes；　who　was
marching　at　his　side；　said：

〃Do　you　know；　Cyrus；　that　before　long　we　shall　be　in　the　thick　of　the
fight　ourselves？　Our　Armenians　will　never　stand　the　charge。〃　Cyrus
answered　that　he　was　well　aware　of　that；　and　immediately　sent　word
that　the　Persians　should　be　ready　to　give　chase　at　once；　〃as　soon　as
we　see　the　Armenians　decoying　the　enemy　by　feigning　flight　and　drawing
them　within　our　reach。〃

＇9＇　Thus　they　marched　up　with　the　Armenians　in　the　van：　and　the
Chaldaeans　who　had　collected　waited　till　they　were　almost　on　them；　and
then　charged　with　a　tremendous　shout；　as　their　custom　was；　and　the
Armenians；　as　was　ever　theirs；　turned　and　ran。　＇10＇　But　in　the　midst
of　the　pursuit