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punish　him。　＇14＇　In　the　same　way；　beautiful　creatures　do　not　compel
others　to　love　them　or　pursue　them　when　it　is　wrong；　but　these　good…
for…nothing　scoundrels　have　no　self…control；　and　then　they　lay　the
blame　on　love。　But　the　nobler　type　of　man；　the　true　gentleman；
beautiful　and　brave；　though　he　desire　gold　and　splendid　horses　and
lovely　women；　can　still　abstain　from　each　and　all　alike；　and　lay　no
finger　on　them　against　the　law　of　honour。　＇15＇　Take　my　own　case；〃　he
added；　〃I　have　seen　this　lady　myself；　and　passing　fair　I　found　her；
and　yet　here　I　stand　before　you；　and　am　still　your　trooper　and　can
still　perform　my　duty。〃

＇16＇　〃I　do　not　deny　it；〃　said　Cyrus；　〃probably　you　came　away　in　time。
Love　takes　a　little　while　to　seize　and　carry　off　his　victim。　A　man　may
touch　fire　for　a　moment　and　not　be　burnt；　a　log　will　not　kindle　all　at
once；　and　yet　for　all　that；　I　am　not　disposed　to　play　with　fire　or
look　on　beauty。　You　yourself；　my　friend；　if　you　will　follow　my　advice；
will　not　let　your　own　eyes　linger　there　too　long；　burning　fuel　will
only　burn　those　who　touch　it；　but　beauty　can　fire　the　beholder　from
afar；　until　he　is　all　aflame　with　love。〃

＇17＇　〃Oh；　fear　me　not；　Cyrus；〃　answered　he；　〃if　I　looked　till　the　end
of　time　I　could　not　be　made　to　do　what　ill　befits　a　man。〃

〃A　fair　answer；〃　said　Cyrus。　〃Guard　her　then；　as　I　bid　you；　and　be
careful　of　her。　This　lady　may　be　of　service　to　us　all　one　day。〃

＇18＇　With　these　words　they　parted。　But　afterwards；　after　the　young　man
saw　from　day　to　day　how　marvellously　fair　the　woman　was；　and　how　noble
and　gracious　in　herself；　after　he　took　care　of　her；　and　fancied　that
she　was　not　insensible　to　what　he　did；　after　she　set　herself；　through
her　attendants；　to　care　for　his　wants　and　see　that　all　things　were
ready　for　him　when　he　came　in；　and　that　he　should　lack　for　nothing　if
ever　he　were　sick；　after　all　this；　love　entered　his　heart　and　took
possession；　and　it　may　be　there　was　nothing　surprising　in　his　fate。　So
at　least　it　was。

＇19＇　Meanwhile　Cyrus；　who　was　anxious　that　the　Medes　and　the　allies
should　stay　with　him　of　their　own　free　choice；　called　a　meeting　of
their　leading　men；　and　when　they　were　come　together　he　spoke　as
follows：

＇20＇　〃Sons　of　the　Medes　and　gentlemen　all；　I　am　well　aware　it　was　not
from　need　of　money　that　you　went　out　with　me；　nor　yet　in　order　to
serve　Cyaxares；　you　came　for　my　sake。　You　marched　with　me　by　night；
you　ran　into　danger　at　my　side；　simply　to　do　me　honour。　＇21＇　Unless　I
were　a　miscreant；　I　could　not　but　be　grateful　for　such　kindness。　But　I
must　confess　that　at　present　I　lack　the　ability　to　make　a　fit
requital。　This　I　am　not　ashamed　to　tell　you；　but　I　would　feel　ashamed
to　add；　'If　you　will　stay　with　me；　I　will　be　sure　to　repay　you；'　for
that　would　look　as　though　I　spoke　to　bribe　you　into　remaining。
Therefore　I　will　not　say　that；　I　will　say　instead；　'Even　if　you　listen
to　Cyaxares　and　go　back　to…day；　I　will　still　act　so　that　you　shall
praise　me；　I　will　not　forget　you　in　the　day　of　my　good　fortune。'　＇22＇
For　myself；　I　will　never　go　back；　I　cannot；　for　I　must　confirm　my　oath
to　the　Hyrcanians　and　the　pledge　I　gave　them；　they　are　my　friends　and
I　shall　never　be　found　a　traitor　to　them。　Moreover；　I　am　bound　to
Gobryas；　who　has　offered　us　the　use　of　his　castle；　his　territory；　and
his　power；　and　I　would　not　have　him　repent　that　he　came　to　me。　＇23＇
Last　of　all；　and　more　than　all；　when　the　great　gods　have　showered　such
blessings　on　us；　I　fear　them　and　I　reverence　them　too　much　to　turn　my
back　on　all　they　have　given　us。　This；　then；　is　what　I　myself　must　do；
it　is　for　you　to　decide　as　you　think　best；　and　you　will　acquaint　me
with　your　decision。〃

＇24＇　So　he　spoke；　and　the　first　to　answer　was　the　Mede　who　had　claimed
kinship　with　Cyrus　in　the　old　days。

〃Listen　to　me；〃　he　said；　〃O　king！　For　king　I　take　you　to　be　by　right
of　nature；　even　as　the　king　of　the　hive　among　the　bees；　whom　all　the
bees　obey　and　take　for　their　leader　of　their　own　free　will；　where　he
stays　they　stay　also；　not　one　of　them　departs；　and　where　he　goes；　not
one　of　them　fails　to　follow；　so　deep　a　desire　is　in　them　to　be　ruled
by　him。　＇25＇　Even　thus；　I　believe；　do　our　men　feel　towards　you。　Do　you
remember　the　day　you　left　us　to　go　home　to　Persia？　Was　there　one　of
us；　young　or　old；　who　did　not　follow　you　until　Astyages　turned　us
back？　And　later；　when　you　returned　to　bring　us　aid；　did　we　not　see　for
ourselves　how　your　friends　poured　after　you？　And　again；　when　you　had
set　your　heart　on　this　expedition；　we　know　that　the　Medes　flocked　to
your　standard　with　one　consent。　＇26＇　To…day　we　have　learnt　to　feel
that　even　in　an　enemy's　country　we　may　be　of　good　heart　if　you　are
with　us；　but；　without　you；　we　should　be　afraid　even　to　return　to　our
homes。　The　rest　may　speak　for　themselves；　and　tell　you　how　they　will
act；　but　for　myself；　Cyrus；　and　for　those　under　me；　I　say　we　will
stand　by　you；　we　shall　not　grow　weary　of　gazing　at　you；　and　we　will
continue　to　endure　your　benefits。〃

＇27＇　Thereupon　Tigranes　spoke：

〃Do　not　wonder；　Cyrus；　if　I　am　silent　now。　The　soul　within　me　is
ready；　not　to　offer　counsel；　but　to　do　your　bidding。〃　＇28＇　And　the
Hyrcanian　chieftain　said；　〃For　my　part；　if　you　Medes　turn　back　to…day
I　shall　say　it　was　the　work　of　some　evil　genius；　who　could　not　brook
the　fulfilment　of　your　happiness。　For　no　human　heart　could　think　of
retiring　when　the　foe　is　in　flight；　refusing　to　receive　his　sword　when
he　surrenders　it；　rejecting　him　when　he　offers　himself　and　all　that　he
calls　his　own；　above　all；　when　we　have　a　prince　of　men　for　our　leader；
one　who；　I　swear　it　by　the　holy　gods；　takes　delight　to　do　us　service；
not　to　enrich　himself。〃

＇29＇　Thereupon　the　Medes　cried　with　one　consent：

〃It　was　you；　Cyrus；　who　led　us　out；　and　it　is　you　who　must　lead　us
home　again；　when　the　right　moment　comes。〃

And　when　Cyrus　heard　that；　he　prayed　aloud：

〃O　most　mighty　Zeus；　I　supplicate　thee；　suffer　me　to　outdo　these
friends　of　mine　in　courtesy　and　kindly　dealing。〃

＇30＇　Upon　that　he　gave　his　orders。　The　rest　of　the　army　were　to　place
their　outposts　and　see　to　their　own　concerns；　while　the　Persians　took
the　tents　allotted　to　them；　and　divided　them　among　their　cavalry　and
infantry；　to　suit　the　needs　of　either　arm。　Then　they　arranged　for　the
stewards　to　wait　on　them　in　future；　bring　them　all　they　needed；　and
keep　their　horses　groomed；　so　that　they　themselves　might　be　free　for
the　work　of　war。　Thus　they　spent　that　day。

＇C。2＇　But　on　the　morrow　they　set　out　for　their　march　to　Gobryas。　Cyrus
rode　on　horseback　at　the　head　of　his　new　Persian　cavalry；　two　thousand
strong；　with　as　many　more　behind　them；　carrying　their　shields　and
swords；　and　the　rest　of　the　army　followed　in　due　order。　The　cavalry
were　told　to　make　their　new　attendants　understand　that　they　would　be
punished　if　they　were　caught　falling　behind　the　rear…guard；　or　riding
in　advance　of　the　column；　or　straggling　on　either　flank。　＇2＇　Towards
evening　of　the　second　day　the　army　found　themselves　before　the　castle
of　Gobryas；　and　they　saw　that　the　place　was　exceedingly　strong　and
that　all　preparations　had　been　made　for　the　stoutest　possible　defence。
They　noticed　also　that　great　herds　of　cattle　and　endless　flocks　of
sheep　and　goats　had　been　driven　up　under　the　shelter　of　the　castle
walls。　＇3＇　Then　Gobryas　sent　word　to　Cyrus；　bidding　him　ride　round　and
see　where　the　place　was　easiest　of　approach；　and　meanwhile　send　his
trustiest　Persians　to　enter　the　fortress　and　bring　him　word　what　they
found　within。　＇4＇　Cyrus；　who　really　wished　to　see　if　the　citadel
admitted　of　attack　in　case　Gobryas　proved　false；　rode　all　round　the
walls；　and　found　they　were　too　strong　at　every　point。　Presently　the
messengers　who　had　gone　in　brought　back　word　that　there　were　supplies
enough　to　last　a　whole　generation　and　still　not　fail　the　garrison。　＇5＇
While　Cyrus　was　wondering　what　this　could　mean；　Gobryas　himself　came
out；　and　all　his　men　behind　him；　carrying　wine　and　corn　and　barley；
and　driving　oxen　and　goats　and　swine；　enough　to　feast　the　entire　host。
＇6＇　And　his　stewards　fell　to　distributing　the　stores　at　once；　and
serving　up　a　banquet。　Then　Gobryas　invited　Cyrus　to　enter　the　castle
now　that　all　the　garrison　had　left　it；　using　every　precaution　he　might
think　wise；　and　Cyrus　took　him　at　his　word；　and　sent　in　scouts　and　a
strong　detachment　before　he　entered　the　palace　himself。　Once　within；
he　had　the　gates　thrown　open　and　sent　for　all　his　own　friends　and
officers。　＇7＇　And　when　they　joined　him；　Gobryas　had　beakers　of　gold
brought　out；　and　pitchers；　and　goblets；　and　costly　ornaments；　and
golden　coins　without　end；　and　all　manner　of　beautiful　things；　and　last
of　all　he　sent　for　his　own　daughter；　tall　and　fair；　a　marvel　of　beauty
and　stateliness；　still　wearing　mourning　for　her　brother。　And　her
father　said　to　Cyrus；　〃All　these　riches　I　bestow　on　you　for　a　gift；
and　I　put　my　daughter　in　your　hands；　to　deal　with　as　you　think　best。
We　are　your　suppliants；　I　but　three　days　gone　for　my　son；　and　she　this
day　for　her　brother；　we　beseech　you　to　avenge　him。〃

＇8＇　And　Cyrus　made　answer：

〃I　gave　you　my　promise　before　that　if　you　kept　faith　with　me　I　would
avenge　you；　so　far　as　in　me