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greatest　number　of　lads　distinguished　for　skill　and　courage　and
faithfulness　is　given　the　meed　of　praise　from　all　the　citizens；　who
honour；　not　only　their　present　governor；　but　the　teacher　who　trained
them　when　they　were　boys。　Moreover；　these　young　men　are　also　employed
by　the　magistrates　if　garrison　work　needs　to　be　done　or　if　malefactors
are　to　be　tracked　or　robbers　run　down；　or　indeed　on　any　errand　which
calls　for　strength　of　limb　and　fleetness　of　foot。　Such　is　the　life　of
the　youth。　But　when　the　ten　years　are　accomplished　they　are　classed　as
grown　men。　＇13＇　And　from　this　time　forth　for　five…and…twenty　years
they　live　as　follows。

First　they　present　themselves；　as　in　youth；　before　the　magistrates　for
service　to　the　state　wherever　there　is　need　for　strength　and　sound
sense　combined。　If　an　expedition　be　on　foot　the　men　of　this　grade
march　out；　not　armed　with　the　bow　or　the　light　shield　any　longer；　but
equipped　with　what　are　called　the　close…combat　arms；　a　breastplate　up
to　the　throat；　a　buckler　on　the　left　arm　（just　as　the　Persian　warrior
appears　in　pictures）；　and　for　the　right　hand　a　dagger　or　a　sword。
Lastly；　it　is　from　this　grade　that　all　the　magistrates　are　appointed
except　the　teachers　for　the　boys。　But　when　the　five…and…twenty　years
are　over　and　the　men　have　reached　the　age　of　fifty　years　or　more；　then
they　take　rank　as　elders；　and　the　title　is　deserved。　＇14＇　These　elders
no　longer　go　on　military　service　beyond　the　frontier；　they　stay　at
home　and　decide　all　cases；　public　and　private　both。　Even　capital
charges　are　left　to　their　decision；　and　it　is　they　who　choose　all　the
magistrates。　If　a　youth　or　a　grown　man　breaks　the　law　he　is　brought
into　court　by　the　governors　of　his　tribe；　who　act　as　suitors　in　the
case；　aided　by　any　other　citizen　who　pleases。　The　cause　is　heard
before　the　elders　and　they　pronounce　judgment；　and　the　man　who　is
condemned　is　disenfranchised　for　the　rest　of　his　days。

＇15＇　And　now；　to　complete　the　picture　of　the　whole　Persian　policy；　I
will　go　back　a　little。　With　the　help　of　what　has　been　said　before；　the
account　may　now　be　brief；　the　Persians　are　said　to　number　something
like　one　hundred　and　twenty　thousand　men：　and　of　these　no　one　is　by
law　debarred　from　honour　or　office。　On　the　contrary；　every　Persian　is
entitled　to　send　his　children　to　the　public　schools　of　righteousness
and　justice。　As　a　fact；　all　who　can　afford　to　bring　up　their　children
without　working　do　send　them　there：　those　who　cannot　must　forego　the
privilege。　A　lad　who　has　passed　through　a　public　school　has　a　right　to
go　and　take　his　place　among　the　youths；　but　those　who　have　not　gone
through　the　first　course　may　not　join　them。　In　the　same　way　the　youths
who　have　fulfilled　the　duties　of　their　class　are　entitled　eventually
to　rank　with　the　men；　and　to　share　in　office　and　honour：　but　they　must
first　spend　their　full　time　among　the　youths；　if　not；　they　go　no
further。　Finally；　those　who　as　grown　men　have　lived　without　reproach
may　take　their　station　at　last　among　the　elders。　Thus　these　elders
form　a　college；　every　member　of　which　has　passed　through　the　full
circle　of　noble　learning；　and　this　is　that　Persian　polity　and　that
Persian　training　which；　in　their　belief；　can　win　them　the　flower　of
excellence。　＇16＇　And　even　to　this　day　signs　are　left　bearing　witness
to　that　ancient　temperance　of　theirs　and　the　ancient　discipline　that
preserved　it。　To　this　day　it　is　still　considered　shameful　for　a
Persian　to　spit　in　public；　or　wipe　the　nose；　or　show　signs　of　wind；　or
be　seen　going　apart　for　his　natural　needs。　And　they　could　not　keep　to
this　standard　unless　they　were　accustomed　to　a　temperate　diet；　and
were　trained　to　exercise　and　toil；　so　that　the　humours　of　the　body
were　drawn　off　in　other　ways。　Hitherto　we　have　spoken　of　the　Persians
as　a　whole：　we　will　now　go　back　to　our　starting…point　and　recount　the
deeds　of　Cyrus　from　his　childhood。

＇C。3＇　Until　he　was　twelve　years　old　or　more；　Cyrus　was　brought　up　in
the　manner　we　have　described；　and　showed　himself　to　be　above　all　his
fellows　in　his　aptitude　for　learning　and　in　the　noble　and　manly
performance　of　every　duty。　But　about　this　time；　Astyages　sent　for　his
daughter　and　her　son；　desiring　greatly　to　see　him　because　he　had　heard
how　noble　and　fair　he　was。　So　it　fell　out　that　Mandane　came　to
Astyages；　bringing　her　son　Cyrus　with　her。　＇2＇　And　as　soon　as　they
met；　the　boy；　when　he　heard　that　Astyages　was　his　mother's　father；
fell　on　his　neck　and　kissed　him　without　more　ado；　like　the　loving　lad
nature　had　made　him；　as　though　he　had　been　brought　up　at　his
grandfather's　side　from　the　first　and　the　two　of　them　had　been
playmates　of　old。　Then　he　looked　closer　and　saw　that　the　king's　eyes
were　stencilled　and　his　cheeks　painted；　and　that　he　wore　false　curls
after　the　fashion　of　the　Medes　in　those　days　（for　these　adornments；
and　the　purple　robes；　the　tunics；　the　necklaces；　and　the　bracelets；
they　are　all　Median　first　and　last；　not　Persian；　the　Persian；　as　you
find　him　at　home　even　now…a…days；　still　keeps　to　his　plainer　dress　and
his　plainer　style　of　living。）　The　boy；　seeing　his　grandfather's
splendour；　kept　his　eyes　fixed　on　him；　and　cried；　〃Oh；　mother；　how
beautiful　my　grandfather　is！〃　Then　his　mother　asked　him　which　he
thought　the　handsomer；　his　father　or　his　grandfather；　and　he　answered
at　once；　〃My　father　is　the　handsomest　of　all　the　Persians；　but　my
grandfather　much　the　handsomest　of　all　the　Medes　I　ever　set　eyes　on；
at　home　or　abroad。〃　＇3＇　At　that　Astyages　drew　the　child　to　his　heart；
and　gave　him　a　beautiful　robe　and　bracelets　and　necklaces　in　sign　of
honour；　and　when　he　rode　out；　the　boy　must　ride　beside　him　on　a　horse
with　a　golden　bridle；　just　like　King　Astyages　himself。　And　Cyrus；　who
had　a　soul　as　sensitive　to　beauty　as　to　honour；　was　pleased　with　the
splendid　robe；　and　overjoyed　at　learning　to　ride；　for　a　horse　is　a
rare　sight　in　Persia；　a　mountainous　country；　and　one　little　suited　to
the　breed。

＇4＇　Now　Cyrus　and　his　mother　sat　at　meat　with　the　king；　and　Astyages；
wishing　the　lad　to　enjoy　the　feast　and　not　regret　his　home；　plied　him
with　dainties　of　every　sort。　At　that；　so　says　the　story；　Cyrus　burst
out；　〃Oh；　grandfather；　what　trouble　you　must　give　yourself　reaching
for　all　these　dishes　and　tasting　all　these　wonderful　foods！〃　〃Ah；
but；〃　said　Astyages；　〃is　not　this　a　far　better　meal　than　you　ever　had
in　Persia？〃　Thereupon；　as　the　tale　runs；　Cyrus　answered；　〃Our　way；
grandfather；　is　much　shorter　than　yours；　and　much　simpler。　We　are
hungry　and　wish　to　be　fed；　and　bread　and　meat　brings　us　where　we　want
to　be　at　once；　but　you　Medes；　for　all　your　haste；　take　so　many　turns
and　wind　about　so　much　it　is　a　wonder　if　you　ever　find　your　way　to　the
goal　that　we　have　reached　long　ago。〃　＇5＇　〃Well；　my　lad；〃　said　his
grandfather；　〃we　are　not　at　all　averse　to　the　length　of　the　road：
taste　the　dishes　for　yourself　and　see　how　good　they　are。〃　〃One　thing　I
do　see；〃　the　boy　said；　〃and　that　is　that　you　do　not　quite　like　them
yourself。〃　And　when　Astyages　asked　him　how　he　felt　so　sure　of　that；
Cyrus　answered；　〃Because　when　you　touch　an　honest　bit　of　bread　you
never　wipe　your　hands；　but　if　you　take　one　of　these　fine　kickshaws　you
turn　to　your　napkin　at　once；　as　if　you　were　angry　to　find　your　fingers
soiled。〃　＇6＇　〃Well　and　good；　my　lad；　well　and　good；〃　said　the　king；
〃only　feast　away　yourself　and　make　good　cheer；　and　we　shall　send　you
back　to　Persia　a　fine　strong　fellow。〃　And　with　the　word　he　had　dishes
of　meat　and　game　set　before　his　grandson。　The　boy　was　taken　aback　by
their　profusion；　and　exclaimed；　〃Grandfather；　do　you　give　me　all　this
for　myself；　to　do　what　I　like　with　it？〃　〃Certainly　I　do；〃　said　the
king。　＇7＇　Whereupon；　without　more　ado；　the　boy　Cyrus　took　first　one
dish　and　then　another　and　gave　them　to　the　attendants　who　stood　about
his　grandfather；　and　with　each　gift　he　made　a　little　speech：　〃That　is
for　you；　for　so　kindly　teaching　me　to　ride；〃　〃And　that　is　for　you；　in
return　for　the　javelin　you　gave　me；　I　have　got　it　still；〃　〃And　this　is
for　you；　because　you　wait　on　my　grandfather　so　prettily；〃　〃And　this
for　you；　sir；　because　you　honour　my　mother。〃　And　so　on　until　he　had
got　rid　of　all　the　meat　he　had　been　given。　＇8＇　〃But　you　do　not　give　a
single　piece　to　Sacas；　my　butler；〃　quoth　the　grandfather；　〃and　I
honour　him　more　than　all　the　rest。〃　Now　this　Sacas；　as　one　may　guess；
was　a　handsome　fellow；　and　he　had　the　right　to　bring　before　the　king
all　who　desired　audience；　to　keep　them　back　if　he　thought　the　time
unseasonable。　But　Cyrus；　in　answer　to　his　grandfather's　question
retorted　eagerly；　like　a　lad　who　did　not　know　what　fear　meant；　〃And
why　should　you　honour　him　so　much；　grandfather？〃　Then　Astyages　laughed
and　said；　〃Can　you　not　see　how　prettily　he　mixes　the　cup；　and　with
what　a　grace　he　serves　the　wine？〃　And　indeed；　these　royal　cup…bearers
are　neat…handed　at　their　task；　mixing　the　bowl　with　infinite　elegance；
and　pouring　the　wine　into　the　beakers　without　spilling　a　drop；　and
when　they　hand　the　goblet　they　poise　it　deftly　between　thumb　and
finger　for　the　banqueter　to　take。　＇9＇　〃Now；　grandfather；〃　said　the
boy；　〃tell　Sacas　to　give　me　the　bowl；　and　let　me　pour　out　the　wine　as
prettily　as　he　if　I