cyropaedia-第31节

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removed　from　him　at　once；　and　he　summoned　them　home　under　fiercer
threats　than　ever；　threatening　the　officer　as　well　if　he　failed　to
deliver　the　message　in　full　force。

＇13＇　So　the　emissary　set　off　with　his　troopers；　about　one　hundred
strong；　fervently　regretting　that　he　had　not　gone　with　Cyrus　himself。
On　the　way　they　took　a　turning　which　led　them　wrong；　and　they　did　not
reach　the　Persians　until　they　had　chanced　upon　some　of　the　Assyrians
in　retreat　and　forced　them　to　be　their　guides；　and　so　at　last　arrived；
sighting　the　watch…fires　about　midnight。　＇14＇　But　though　they　had　got
to　the　camp；　the　pickets；　acting　on　the　orders　of　Cyrus；　would　not　let
them　in　till　dawn。　With　the　first　faint　gleam　of　morning　Cyrus
summoned　the　Persian　Priests；　who　are　called　Magians；　and　bade　them
choose　the　offerings　due　to　the　gods　for　the　blessings　they　had
vouchsafed。　＇15＇　And　while　they　were　about　this；　Cyrus　called　the
Peers　together　and　said　to　them：

〃Gentlemen；　God　has　put　before　us　many　blessings；　but　at　present　we
Persians　are　but　a　scant　company　to　keep　them。　If　we　fail　to　guard
what　we　have　toiled　for；　it　will　soon　fall　back　into　other　hands；　and
if　we　leave　some　of　our　number　to　watch　our　gains；　it　will　soon　be
seen　that　we　have　no　strength　in　us。　＇16＇　I　propose　therefore　that　one
of　you　should　go　home　to　Persia　without　loss　of　time；　and　explain　what
I　need　and　bid　them　despatch　an　army　forthwith；　if　they　desire　Persia
to　win　the　empire　of　Asia　and　the　fruits　thereof。　＇17＇　Do　you；〃　said
he；　turning　to　one　of　the　Peers；　〃do　you；　who　are　the　eldest；　go　and
repeat　these　words；　and　tell　them　that　it　shall　be　my　care　to　provide
for　the　soldiers　they　send　me　as　soon　as　they　are　here。　And　as　to　what
we　have　wonyou　have　seen　it　yourselfkeep　nothing　back；　and　ask　my
father　how　much　I　ought　to　send　home　for　an　offering　to　the　gods；　if　I
wish　to　act　in　honour　and　according　to　the　law；　and　ask　the
magistrates　how　much　is　due　to　the　commonwealth。　And　let　them　send
commissioners　to　watch　all　that　we　do　and　answer　all　that　we　ask。　So；
sir；〃　he　ended；　〃you　will　get　your　baggage　together；　and　take　your
company　with　you　as　an　escort。　Fare　you　well。〃

＇18＇　With　that　message　he　turned　to　the　Medes　and　at　the　same　moment
the　messenger　from　Cyaxares　presented　himself；　and　in　the　midst　of　the
whole　assembly　announced　the　anger　of　the　king　against　Cyrus；　and　his
threats　against　the　Medes；　and　so　bade　the　latter　return　home　at　once；
even　if　Cyrus　wished　them　to　stay。　＇19＇　The　Medes　listened；　but　were
silent；　for　they　were　sore　bested；　they　could　hardly　disobey　the
summons；　and　yet　they　were　afraid　to　go　back　after　his　threats；　being
all　too　well　acquainted　with　the　savage　temper　of　their　lord。　＇20＇　But
Cyrus　spoke：

〃Herald；〃　said　he；　〃and　sons　of　the　Medes；　I　am　not　surprised　that
Cyaxares；　who　saw　the　host　of　the　enemy　so　lately；　and　knows　so　little
of　what　we　have　done　now；　should　tremble　for　us　and　for　himself。　But
when　he　learns　how　many　have　fallen；　and　that　all　have　been　dispersed；
his　fears　will　vanish；　and　he　will　recognise　that　he　is　not　deserted
on　this　day　of　all　days　when　his　friends　are　destroying　his　foes。　＇21＇
Can　we　deserve　blame　for　doing　him　a　service？　And　that　not　even
without　his　own　consent？　I　am　acting　as　I　am；　only　after　having　gained
his　leave　to　take　you　out；　it　is　not　as　though　you　had　come　to　me　in
your　own　eagerness；　and　begged　me　to　let　you　go；　and　so　were　here　now；
he　himself　ordered　you　out；　those　of　you　who　did　not　find　it　a
burthen。　Therefore；　I　feel　sure；　his　anger　will　melt　in　the　sunshine
of　success；　and；　when　his　fears　are　gone；　it　will　vanish　too。　＇22＇　For
the　moment　then；〃　he　added；　turning　to　the　messenger；　〃you　must
recruit　yourself；　you　have　had　a　heavy　task；　and　for　ourselves；〃　said
he；　turning　to　the　Persians；　〃since　we　are　waiting　for　an　enemy　who
will　either　offer　us　battle　or　render　us　submission；　we　must　draw　up
in　our　finest　style；　the　spectacle；　perhaps；　will　bring　us　more　than
we　could　dare　to　hope。　And　do　you；〃　he　said；　taking　the　Hyrcanian
chieftain　aside；　〃after　you　have　told　your　officers　to　arm　their　men；
come　back　and　wait　with　me　a　moment。〃

＇23＇　So　the　Hyrcanian　went　and　returned。　Then　Cyrus　said　to　him；　〃Son
of　Hyrcania；　it　gives　me　pleasure　to　see　that　you　show　not　only
friendliness；　but　sagacity。　It　is　clear　that　our　interests　are　the
same；　the　Assyrians　are　my　foes　as　well　as　yours；　only　they　hate　you
now　even　more　bitterly　than　they　hate　me。　＇24＇　We　must　consult
together　and　see　that　not　one　of　our　present　allies　turns　his　back　on
us；　and　we　must　do　what　we　can　to　acquire　more。　You　heard　the　Mede
summon　the　cavalry　to　return；　and　if　they　go；　we　shall　be　left　with
nothing　but　infantry。　＇25＇　This　is　what　we　must　do；　you　and　I；　we　must
make　this　messenger；　who　is　sent　to　recall　them；　desirous　to　stay　here
himself。　You　must　find　him　quarters　where　he　will　have　a　merry　time
and　everything　heart　can　wish；　and　I　will　offer　him　work　which　he　will
like　far　better　than　going　back。　And　do　you　talk　to　him　yourself；　and
dilate　on　all　the　wonders　we　expect　for　our　friends　if　things　go　well。
And　when　you　have　done　this；　come　back　again　and　tell　me。〃

＇26＇　So　the　chieftain　took　the　Mede　away　to　his　own　quarters；　and
meanwhile　the　messenger　from　Persia　presented　himself　equipped　for　the
journey；　and　Cyrus　bade　him　tell　the　Persians　all　that　had　happened；
as　it　has　been　set　out　in　this　story；　and　then　he　gave　him　a　letter　to
Cyaxares。　〃I　would　like　to　read　you　the　very　words；〃　he　added；　〃so
that　what　you　say　yourself　may　agree　with　it；　in　case　you　have
questions　asked　you。〃

＇27＇　The　letter　ran　as　follows：〃Cyrus　to　Cyaxares；　greeting。　We　do
not　admit　that　we　have　deserted　you；　for　no　one　is　deserted　when　he　is
being　made　the　master　of　his　enemies。　Nor　do　we　consider　that　we　put
you　in　jeopardy　by　our　departure；　on　the　contrary；　the　greater　the
distance　between　us　the　greater　the　security　we　claim　to　have　won　for
you。　＇28＇　It　is　not　the　friend　at　a　man's　elbow　who　serves　him　and
puts　him　out　of　danger；　but　he　who　drives　his　enemies　farthest　and
furthest　away。　＇29＇　And　I　pray　you　to　remember　what　I　have　done　for
you；　and　you　for　me；　before　you　blame　me。　I　brought　you　allies；　not
limiting　myself　to　those　you　asked　for；　but　pressing　in　every　man　that
I　could　find；　you　allowed　me　while　we　were　on　friendly　soil　only　to
take　those　whom　I　could　persuade　to　follow　me；　and　now　that　I　am　in
hostile　territory　you　insist　that　they　must　all　return；　you　do　not
leave　it　to　their　own　choice。　＇30＇　Yesterday　I　felt　that　I　owed　both
you　and　them　a　debt　of　gratitude；　but　to…day　you　drive　me　to　forget
your　share；　you　make　me　wish　to　repay　those；　and　those　only；　who
followed　me。　＇31＇　Not　that　I　could　bring　myself　to　return　you　like　for
like；　even　now　I　am　sending　to　Persia　for　more　troops；　and　instructing
all　the　men　who　come　that；　if　you　need　them　before　we　return；　they
must　hold　themselves　at　your　service　absolutely；　to　act　not　as　they
wish；　but　as　you　may　care　to　use　them。　＇32＇　In　conclusion；　I　would
advise　you；　though　I　am　younger　than　yourself；　not　to　take　back　with
one　hand　what　you　give　with　the　other；　or　else　you　will　win　hatred
instead　of　gratitude；　nor　to　use　threats　if　you　wish　men　to　come　to
you　speedily；　nor　to　speak　of　being　deserted　when　you　threaten　an
army；　unless　you　would　teach　them　to　despise　you。　＇33＇　For　ourselves；
we　will　do　our　best　to　rejoin　you　as　soon　as　we　have　concluded　certain
matters　which　we　believe　will　prove　a　common　blessing　to　yourself　and
us。　Farewell。〃

＇34＇　〃Deliver　this；〃　said　Cyrus；　〃to　Cyaxares；　and　whatever　questions
he　puts　to　you；　answer　in　accordance　with　it。　My　injunctions　to　you
about　the　Persians　agree　exactly　with　what　is　written　here。〃　With　that
he　gave　him　the　letter　and　sent　him　off；　bidding　him　remember　that
speed　was　of　importance。

＇35＇　Then　he　turned　to　review　his　troops；　who　were　already　fully
armed；　Medes；　Hyrcanians；　the　men　Tigranes　had　brought；　and　the　whole
body　of　the　Persians。　And　already　some　of　the　neighbouring　folk　were
coming　up；　to　bring　in　their　horses　or　hand　over　their　arms。　＇36＇　The
javelins　were　then　piled　in　a　heap　as　before　and　burnt　at　his　command；
after　his　troops　had　taken　what　they　needed　for　themselves；　but　he
bade　the　owners　stay　with　their　horses　until　they　received　fresh
orders。　This　done；　Cyrus　called　together　the　officers　of　the
Hyrcanians　and　of　the　cavalry；　and　spoke　as　follows：

＇37＇　〃My　friends　and　allies；　you　must　not　be　surprised　that　I　summon
you　so　often。　Our　circumstances　are　so　novel　that　much　still　needs
adjustment；　and　we　must　expect　difficulty　until　everything　has　found
its　place。　＇38＇　At　present　we　have　a　mass　of　spoil；　and　prisoners　set
to　guard　it。　But　we　do　not　ourselves　know　what　belongs　to　each　of　us；
nor　could　the　guards　say　who　the　owners　are：　and　thus　it　is　impossible
for　them　to　be　exact　in　their　duties；　since　scarcely　any　of　them　know
what　these　duties　may　be。　＇39＇　To　amend　this；　you　must　divide　the
spoil。　There　will　be　no　difficulty　where　a　man　has　won　a　tent　that　is
fully　supplied　with　meat　and　drink；　and　servants　to　boot；　bedding；
apparel；　and　everything　to　make　it　a　comfortable　home；　he　ha