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soul。　The　old　centaur；　I　imagine；　must　have　been　for　ever　in
difficulties；　as　a　horse；　he　could　not　use　the　wonderful　inventions　of
man；　and　as　a　man；　he　could　not　enjoy　the　proper　pleasures　of　a　horse。
＇20＇　But　I；　if　I　learn　to　ride；　once　set　me　astride　my　horse；　and　I
will　do　all　that　the　centaur　can；　and　yet；　when　I　dismount；　I　can
dress　myself　as　a　human　being；　and　dine；　and　sleep　in　my　bed；　like　the
rest　of　my　kind：　in　short；　I　shall　be　a　jointed　centaur　that　can　be
taken　to　pieces　and　put　together　again。　＇21＇　And　I　shall　gain　another
point　or　so　over　the　original　beast：　he；　we　know；　had　only　two　eyes　to
see　with　and　two　ears　to　hear　with；　but　I　shall　watch　with　four　eyes
and　with　four　ears　I　shall　listen。　You　know；　they　tell　us　a　horse　can
often　see　quicker　than　any　man；　and　hear　a　sound　before　his　master；
and　give　him　warning　in　some　way。　Have　the　goodness；　therefore；〃　he
added；　〃to　write　my　name　down　among　those　who　want　to　ride。〃

＇22＇　〃And　ours　too；〃　they　all　cried；　〃ours　too；　in　heaven's　name！〃

Then　Cyrus　spoke：　〃Gentlemen；　since　we　are　all　so　well　agreed；　suppose
we　make　it　a　rule　that　every　one　who　receives　a　horse　from　me　shall　be
considered　to　disgrace　himself　if　he　is　seen　trudging　afoot；　be　his
journey　long　or　short？〃

＇23＇　Thus　Cyrus　put　the　question；　and　one　and　all　assented；　and　hence
it　is　that　even　to　this　day　the　custom　is　retained；　and　no　Persian　of
the　gentle　class　would　willingly　be　seen　anywhere　on　foot。

＇C。4＇　In　this　debate　their　time　was　spent；　and　when　it　was　past　midday
the　Median　cavalry　and　the　Hyrcanians　came　galloping　home；　bringing　in
men　and　horses　from　the　enemy；　for　they　had　spared　all　who　surrendered
their　arms。　＇2＇　As　they　rode　up　the　first　inquiry　of　Cyrus　was　whether
all　of　them　were　safe；　and　when　they　answered　yes；　he　asked　what　they
had　achieved。　And　they　told　their　exploits　in　detail；　and　how　bravely
they　had　borne　themselves；　magnifying　it　all。　＇3＇　Cyrus　heard　their
story　through　with　a　pleasant　smile；　and　praised　them　for　their　work。
〃I　can　see　for　myself；〃　he　said；　〃that　you　have　done　gallant　deeds。
You　seem　to　have　grown　taller　and　fairer　and　more　terrible　to　look　on
than　when　we　saw　you　last。〃

＇4＇　Then　he　made　them　tell　him　how　far　they　had　gone；　and　whether　they
had　found　the　country　inhabited。　They　said　they　had　ridden　a　long　way；
and　that　the　whole　country　was　inhabited；　and　full　of　sheep　and　goats
and　cattle　and　horses；　and　rich　in　corn　and　every　good　thing。

＇5＇　〃Then　there　are　two　matters；〃　he　said；　〃to　which　we　must　attend；
first　we　must　become　masters　of　those　who　own　all　this；　and　next　we
must　ensure　that　they　do　not　run　away。　A　well…populated　country　is　a
rich　possession；　but　a　deserted　land　will　soon　become　a　desert。　＇6＇
You　have　put　the　defenders　to　the　sword；　I　know；　and　rightlyfor　that
is　the　only　safe　road　to　victory；　but　you　have　brought　in　as　prisoners
those　who　laid　down　their　arms。　Now　if　we　let　these　men　go；　I　maintain
we　should　do　the　very　best　thing　for　ourselves。　＇7＇　We　gain　two
points；　first；　we　need　neither　be　on　our　guard　against　them　nor　mount
guard　over　them　nor　find　them　victuals　（and　we　do　not　propose　to
starve　them；　I　presume）；　and　in　the　next　place；　their　release　means
more　prisoners　to…morrow。　＇8＇　For　if　we　dominate　the　country　all　the
inhabitants　are　ours；　and　if　they　see　that　these　men　are　still　alive
and　at　large　they　will　be　more　disposed　to　stay　where　they　are；　and
prefer　obedience　to　battle。　That　is　my　own　view；　but　if　any　one　sees　a
better　course；　let　him　point　it　out。〃

＇9＇　However；　all　his　hearers　approved　the　plan　proposed。　Thus　it　came
to　pass　that　Cyrus　summoned　the　prisoners　and　said　to　them：

＇10＇　〃Gentlemen；　you　owe　it　to　your　own　obedience　this　day　that　your
lives　are　safe；　and　for　the　future　if　you　continue　in　this　conduct；　no
evil　whatsoever　shall　befall　you；　true；　you　will　not　have　the　same
ruler　as　before；　but　you　will　dwell　in　the　same　houses；　you　will
cultivate　the　same　land；　you　will　live　with　your　wives　and　govern　your
children　as　you　do　now。　Moreover　you　will　not　have　us　to　fight　with；
nor　any　one　else。　＇11＇　On　the　contrary；　if　any　wrong　is　done　you；　it
is　we　who　will　fight　on　your　behalf。　And　to　prevent　any　one　from
ordering　you　to　take　the　field；　you　will　bring　your　arms　to　us　and
hand　them　over。　Those　who　do　this　can　count　on　peace　and　the　faithful
fulfilment　of　our　promises；　those　who　will　not；　must　expect　war；　and
that　at　once。　＇12＇　Further；　if　any　man　of　you　comes　to　us　and　shows　a
friendly　spirit；　giving　us　information　and　helping　us　in　any　way；　we
will　treat　him　not　as　a　servant；　but　as　a　friend　and　benefactor。
This；〃　he　added；　〃we　wish　you　to　understand　yourselves　and　make　known
among　your　fellows。　＇13＇　And　if　it　should　appear　that　you　yourselves
are　willing　to　comply　but　others　hinder　you；　lead　us　against　them；　and
you　shall　be　their　masters；　not　they　yours。〃

Such　were　his　words；　and　they　made　obeisance　and　promised　to　do　as　he
bade。

＇C。5＇　And　when　they　were　gone；　Cyrus　turned　to　the　Medes　and　the　men
of　Armenia；　and　said；　〃It　is　high　time；　gentlemen；　that　we　should
dine；　one　and　all　of　us；　food　and　drink　are　prepared　for　you；　the　best
we　had　skill　to　find。　Send　us；　if　you　will；　the　half　of　the　bread　that
has　been　baked；　there　is　ample；　I　know；　for　both　of　us；　but　do　not
send　any　relish　with　it；　nor　any　drink；　we　have　quite　enough　at　hand。
＇2＇　And　do　you；〃　he　added；　turning　to　the　Hyrcanians；　〃conduct　our
friends　to　their　quarters；　the　officers　to　the　largest　tentsyou　know
where　they　areand　the　rest　where　you　think　best。　For　yourselves；　you
may　dine　where　you　like；　your　quarters　are　intact；　and　you　will　find
everything　there　prepared　for　you　exactly　as　it　is　for　the　others。　＇3＇
All　of　you　alike　must　understand　that　during　the　night　we　Persians
will　guard　the　camp　outside；　but　you　must　keep　an　eye　over　what　goes
on　within；　and　see　that　your　arms　are　ready　to　hand；　our　messmates　are
not　our　friends　as　yet。〃

＇4＇　So　the　Medes　and　Tigranes　with　his　men　washed　away　the　stains　of
battle；　and　put　on　the　apparel　that　was　laid　out　for　them；　and　fell　to
dinner；　and　the　horses　had　their　provender　too。　They　sent　half　the
bread　to　the　Persians　but　no　relish　with　it　and　no　wine；　thinking　that
Cyrus　and　his　men　possessed　a　store；　because　he　had　said　they　had
enough　and　to　spare。　But　Cyrus　meant　the　relish　of　hunger；　and　the
draught　from　the　running　river。　＇5＇　Thus　he　regaled　his　Persians；　and
when　the　darkness　fell　he　sent　them　out　by　fives　and　tens　and　ordered
them　to　lie　in　ambush　around　the　camp；　so　as　to　form　a　double　guard；
against　attack　from　without；　and　absconders　from　within；　any　one
attempting　to　make　off　with　treasures　would　be　caught　in　the　act。　And
so　it　befell；　for　many　tried　to　escape；　and　all　of　them　were　seized。
＇6＇　As　for　the　treasures；　Cyrus　allowed　the　captors　to　keep　them；　but
he　had　the　absconders　beheaded　out　of　hand；　so　that　for　the　future　a
thief　by　night　was　hardly　to　be　found。　Thus　the　Persians　passed　their
time。　＇7＇　But　the　Medes　drank　and　feasted　and　made　music　and　took
their　fill　of　good　cheer　and　all　delights；　there　was　plenty　to　serve
their　purpose；　and　work　enough　for　those　who　did　not　sleep。

＇8＇　Cyaxares；　the　king　of　the　Medes；　on　the　very　night　when　Cyrus　set
forth；　drank　himself　drunk　in　company　with　the　officers　in　his　own
quarters　to　celebrate　their　good　fortune。　Hearing　uproar　all　about
him；　he　thought　that　the　rest　of　the　Medes　must　have　stayed　behind　in
the　camp；　except　perhaps　a　few；　but　the　fact　was　that　their　domestics；
finding　the　masters　gone；　had　fallen　to　drinking　in　fine　style　and
were　making　a　din　to　their　hearts'　content；　the　more　so　that　they　had
procured　wine　and　dainties　from　the　Assyrian　camp。　＇9＇　But　when　it　was
broad　day　and　no　one　knocked　at　the　palace　gate　except　the　guests　of
last　night's　revel；　and　when　Cyaxares　heard　that　the　camp　was　deserted
the　Medes　gone；　the　cavalry　goneand　when　he　went　out　and　saw　for
himself　that　it　was　so；　then　he　fumed　with　indignation　against　Cyrus
and　his　own　men；　to　think　that　they　had　gone　off　and　left　him　in　the
lurch。　It　is　said　that　without　more　ado；　savage　and　mad　with　anger　as
he　was；　he　ordered　one　of　his　staff　to　take　his　troopers　and　ride　at
once　to　Cyrus　and　his　men；　and　there　deliver　this　message：

＇10＇　〃I　should　never　have　dreamed　that　Cyrus　could　have　acted　towards
me　with　such　scant　respect；　or；　if　he　could　have　thought　of　it；　that
the　Medes　could　have　borne　to　desert　me　in　this　way。　And　now；　whether
Cyrus　will　or　no；　I　command　the　Medes　to　present　themselves　before　me
without　delay。〃

＇11＇　Such　was　the　message。　But　he　who　was　to　take　it　said；　〃And　how
shall　I　find　them；　my　lord？〃

〃Why；〃　said　Cyaxares；　〃as　Cyrus　and　his　men　found　those　they　went　to
seek。〃

〃I　only　asked；〃　continued　the　messenger；　〃because　I　was　told　that　some
Hyrcanians　who　had　revolted　from　the　enemy　came　here；　and　went　off
with　him　to　act　as　guides。〃

＇12＇　When　Cyaxares　heard　that；　he　was　the　more　enraged　to　think　that
Cyrus　had　never　told　him；　and　the　more　urgent　to　have　his　Medes
removed　from　him　at　once；　and　he　summoned　them　home　under　fiercer
threats　than　ever；　threatening　the　officer　as　well　if　he　f