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＇C。3＇　But　on　the　next　day　Cyrus　despatched　his　messenger　with　the
instructions；　and　the　Armenians　and　Chaldaeans　sent　their　own
ambassadors；　choosing　the　men　they　thought　would　help　Cyrus　most　and
speak　of　his　exploits　in　the　most　fitting　terms。　Cyrus　put　a　strong
garrison　in　the　fort　and　stored　it　with　supplies；　and　left　an　officer
in　command；　a　Mede；　whose　appointment；　he　thought；　would　gratify
Cyaxares；　and　then　he　turned　homewards；　taking　with　him　not　only　the
troops　he　had　brought；　but　the　force　the　Armenians　had　furnished；　and
a　picked　body　of　Chaldaeans　who　considered　themselves　stronger　than
all　the　rest　together。　＇2＇　And　as　he　come　down　from　the　hills　into　the
cultivated　land；　not　one　of　the　Armenians；　man　or　woman；　stayed
indoors：　with　one　accord　they　all　went　out　to　meet　him；　rejoicing　that
peace　was　made；　and　bringing　him　offerings　from　their　best；　driving
before　them　the　animals　they　valued　most。　The　king　himself　was　not
ill…pleased　at　this；　for　he　thought　that　Cyrus　would　take　delight　in
the　honour　the　people　showed　him。　Last　of　all　came　the　queen　herself；
with　her　daughters　and　her　younger　son；　bearing　many　gifts；　and　among
them　the　golden　treasure　that　Cyrus　had　refused　before。　＇3＇　But　when
he　saw　it　he　said：　〃Nay；　you　must　not　make　me　a　mercenary　and　a
benefactor　for　pay；　take　this　treasure　back　and　hie　you　home；　but　do
not　give　it　to　your　lord　that　he　may　bury　it　again；　spend　it　on　your
son；　and　send　him　forth　gloriously　equipped　for　war；　and　with　the
residue　buy　yourself　and　for　your　husband　and　your　children　such
precious　things　as　shall　endure；　and　bring　joy　and　beauty　into　all
your　days。　As　for　burying；　let　us　only　bury　our　bodies　on　the　day　when
each　must　die。〃

＇4＇　With　that　he　rode　away；　the　king　and　all　his　people　escorting　him；
like　a　guard　of　honour；　calling　him　their　saviour；　their　benefactor；
and　their　hero；　and　heaping　praises　on　him　until　he　had　left　the　land。
And　the　king　sent　with　him　a　larger　army　than　ever　he　had　sent　before；
seeing　that　now　he　had　peace　at　home。　＇5＇　Thus　Cyrus　took　his
departure；　having　gained　not　only　the　actual　money　he　took　away　with
him；　but　a　far　ampler　store　of　wealth；　won　by　his　own　graciousness；　on
which　he　could　draw　in　time　of　need。

For　the　first　night　he　encamped　on　the　borders　of　Armenia；　but　the
next　day　he　sent　an　army　and　the　money　to　Cyaxares；　who　was　close　at
hand；　as　he　had　promised　to　be；　while　he　himself　took　his　pleasure　in
hunting　wherever　he　could　find　the　game；　in　company　with　Tigranes　and
the　flower　of　the　Persian　force。

＇6＇　And　when　he　came　back　to　Media　he　gave　gifts　of　money　to　his　chief
officers；　sufficient　for　each　to　reward　their　own　subordinates；　for　he
held　to　it　that；　if　every　one　made　his　own　division　worthy　of　praise；
all　would　be　well　with　the　army　as　a　whole。　He　himself　secured
anything　that　he　thought　of　value　for　the　campaign；　and　divided　it
among　the　most　meritorious；　convinced　that　every　gain　to　the　army　was
an　adornment　to　himself。

＇7＇　At　every　distribution　he　would　take　occasion　to　address　the
officers　and　all　whom　he　chose　to　honour　in　some　such　words　as　these：
〃My　friends；　the　god　of　mirth　must　be　with　us　to…day：　we　have　found　a
source　of　plenty；　and　we　have　the　wherewithal　to　honour　whom　we　wish
and　as　they　may　deserve。　＇8＇　Let　us　call　to　mind；　all　of　us；　the　only
way　in　which　these　blessings　can　be　won。　We　shall　find　it　is　by　toil；
and　watchfulness；　and　speed；　and　the　resolve　never　to　yield　to　our
foes。　After　this　pattern　must　we　prove　ourselves　to　be　men；　knowing
that　all　high　delights　and　all　great　joys　are　only　gained　by　obedience
and　hardihood；　and　through　pains　endured　and　dangers　confronted　in
their　proper　season。〃

＇9＇　But　presently；　when　Cyrus　saw　that　his　men　were　strong　enough　for
all　the　work　of　war；　and　bold　enough　to　meet　their　enemies　with　scorn；
expert　and　skilful　in　the　use　of　the　weapons　each　man　bore；　and　all　of
them　perfect　in　obedience　and　discipline；　the　desire　grew　in　his　heart
to　be　up　and　doing　and　achieve　something　against　the　foe。　He　knew　well
how　often　a　general　has　found　delay　ruin　his　fairest　armament。　＇10＇　He
noticed；　moreover；　that　in　the　eagerness　of　rivalry　and　the　strain　of
competition　many　of　the　soldiers　grew　jealous　of　each　other；　and　for
this；　if　for　no　other　reason；　he　desired　to　lead　them　into　the　enemy's
country　without　delay；　feeling　that　common　dangers　awaken　comradeship
among　those　who　are　fighting　in　a　common　cause；　and　then　all　such
bickerings　cease；　and　no　man　is　galled　by　the　splendour　of　his
comrade's　arms；　or　the　passion　of　his　desire　for　glory：　envy　is
swallowed　up　in　praise；　and　each　competitor　greets　his　rivals　with
delight　as　fellow…workers　for　the　common　good。

＇11＇　Therefore　Cyrus　ordered　his　whole　force　to　assemble　under　arms；
and　drew　them　up　into　battle…array；　using　all　his　skill　to　make　the
display　a　wonder　of　beauty　and　perfection。　Then　he　summoned　his　chief
officers；　his　generals；　his　brigadiers；　and　his　company…captains。
These　men　were　not　bound　to　be　always　in　the　ranks；　and　some　were
always　free　to　wait　on　the　commander…in…chief　or　carry　orders　along
the　lines　without　leaving　the　troops　unofficered：　for　the　captains…of…
twelve　and　the　captains…of…six　stepped　into　the　gaps；　and　absolute
order　was　preserved。　＇12＇　So　Cyrus　assembled　his　staff　and　led　them
along　the　lines；　pointing　out　the　merits　of　the　combined　forces　and
the　special　strength　of　each；　and　thus　he　kindled　in　their　hearts　the
passion　for　achievement；　and　then　he　bade　them　return　to　their
regiments　and　repeat　the　lessons　he　had　taught　them；　trying　to　implant
in　their　own　men　the　same　desire　for　action；　so　that　one　and　all　might
sally　out　in　the　best　of　heart；　and　the　next　morning　they　were　to
present　themselves　at　Cyaxares'　gates。　＇13＇　So　the　officers　went　away
and　did　as　he　commanded；　and　the　next　morning　at　daybreak　they
assembled　at　the　trysting…place；　and　Cyrus　met　them　and　came　before
Cyaxares　and　said　to　him：

〃I　know　well　that　what　I　am　about　to　say　must　often　have　been　in　your
own　mind；　but　you　have　shrunk　from　suggesting　it　yourself　lest　it　seem
that　you　were　weary　of　supporting　us。　＇14＇　Therefore　since　you　must
keep　silence；　let　me　speak　for　both　of　us。　We　are　all　agreed　that
since　our　preparations　are　complete　we　should　not　wait　until　the　enemy
invades　our　territory　before　we　give　him　battle；　nor　loiter　here　in　a
friendly　land；　but　attack　him　on　his　own　ground　with　what　speed　we
may。　＇15＇　For　while　we　linger　here；　we　injure　your　property　in　spite
of　ourselves；　but　once　on　the　enemy's　soil；　we　can　damage　his；　and
that　with　the　best　will　in　the　world。　＇16＇　As　things　are；　you　must
maintain　us；　and　the　cost　is　great；　but　once　launched　on　foreign
service；　we　can　maintain　ourselves；　and　at　our　foe's　expense。　＇17＇
Possibly；　if　it　were　more　dangerous　to　go　forward　than　to　stay　here；
the　more　cautious　might　seem　the　wiser　plan。　But　whether　we　stay　or
whether　we　go；　the　enemy's　numbers　will　be　the　same；　and　so　will　ours；
whether　we　receive　them　here　or　join　battle　with　them　there。　＇18＇
Moreover；　the　spirit　of　our　soldiers　will　be　all　the　higher　and　all
the　bolder　if　they　feel　that　they　are　marching　against　the　foe　and　not
cowering　before　him；　and　his　alarm　will　be　all　the　greater　when　he
hears　that　we　are　not　crouching　at　home　in　terror　but　coming　out　to
meet　him　as　soon　as　we　have　heard　of　his　advance；　eager　to　close　at
once；　not　holding　back　until　our　territory　suffers；　but　prompt　to
seize　the　moment　and　ravage　his　own　land　first。　＇19＇　Indeed；〃　he
added；　〃if　we　do　no　more　than　quicken　our　own　courage　and　his　fears；　I
would　reckon　it　a　substantial　gain；　and　count　it　so　much　the　less
danger　for　us　and　so　much　the　more　for　him。　My　father　never　tires　of
telling　me　what　I　have　heard　you　say　yourself；　and　what　all　the　world
admits；　that　battles　are　decided　more　by　the　character　of　the　troops
than　by　their　bodily　strength。〃

＇20＇　He　ended；　and　Cyaxares　answered：

〃Cyrus；　both　you　and　all　my　Persian　friends　may　feel　sure　that　I　find
it　no　trouble　to　maintain　you；　do　not　imagine　such　a　thing；　but　I
agree　with　you　that　the　time　is　ripe　for　an　advance　on　the　enemy's
land。〃

〃Then；〃　said　Cyrus；　〃since　we　are　all　of　one　mind；　let　us　make　our
final　preparations；　and；　if　heaven　will；　let　us　set　forth　without
delay。〃

＇21＇　So　they　bade　the　soldiers　prepare　for　the　start；　and　Cyrus
offered　sacrifices　to　Zeus　the　Lord　and　to　the　other　gods　in　due
order；　and　prayed；　〃Look　on　us　with　favour；　and　be　gracious　to　us；
guide　our　army；　stand　beside　us　in　the　battle；　aid　us　in　council；　help
us　in　action；　be　the　comrades　of　the　brave。〃　Also　he　called　upon　the
Heroes　of　Media；　who　dwell　in　the　land　and　guard　it。　＇22＇　Then；　when
the　signs　were　favourable　and　his　army　was　mustered　on　the　frontier；
he　felt　that　the　moment　had　come；　and　with　all　good　omens　to　support
him；　he　invaded　the　enemy's　land。　And　so　soon　as　he　had　crossed　the
border　he　offered　libations　to　the　Earth　and　victims　to　the　gods；　and
sought　to　win　the　favour　of　the　Heroes　who　guard　Assyria。　And　having
so　done；　once　more　he　sacrificed　to　Zeus；　the　god　of　his　fathers；　and
was　careful　to　reverence　every　other　god　who　came　be