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on　Babylon；　if　Babylon　is　the　centre　of　the　enemy's　strength。　They　are
numerous；　you　say；　and　if　they　are　in　good　heart；　we　shall　soon　know
it。　＇32＇　Now；　if　they　cannot　find　us　and　imagine　that　we　have
disappeared　from　fear　of　them；　you　may　take　it　as　certain　that　they
will　be　quit　of　the　terror　we　have　inspired。　Courage　will　spring　up　in
its　place；　and　grow　the　greater　the　longer　we　lie　hid。　But　if　we　march
straight　on　then；　we　shall　find　them　still　mourning　for　the　dead　whom
we　have　slain；　still　nursing　the　wounds　we　have　inflicted；　still
trembling　at　the　daring　of　our　troops；　still　mindful　of　their　own
discomfiture　and　flight。　＇33＇　Gobryas；〃　he　added；　〃be　assured　of　this；
men　in　the　mass；　when　aflame　with　courage；　are　irresistible；　and　when
their　hearts　fail　them；　the　more　numerous　they　are　the　worse　the　panic
that　seizes　them。　＇34＇　It　comes　upon　them　magnified　by　a　thousand
lies；　blanched　by　a　thousand　pallors；　it　gathers　head　from　a　thousand
terror…stricken　looks；　until　it　grows　so　great　that　no　orator　can
allay　it　by　his　words；　no　general　arouse　the　old　courage　by　a　charge；
or　revive　the　old　confidence　by　retreat；　the　more　their　leader　cheers
them　on；　the　worse　do　the　soldiers　take　their　case　to　be。　＇35＇　Now　by
all　means　let　us　see　exactly　how　things　stand　with　us。　If　from
henceforward　victory　must　fall　to　those　who　can　reckon　the　largest
numbers；　your　fears　for　us　are　justified；　and　we　are　indeed　in　fearful
danger；　but　if　the　old　rule　still　holds；　and　battles　are　decided　by
the　qualities　of　those　who　fight；　then；　I　say；　take　heart　and　you　will
never　fail。　You　will　find　far　more　stomach　for　the　fight　among　our
ranks　than　theirs。　＇36＇　And　to　hearten　you　the　more；　take　note　of
this：　our　enemies　are　far　fewer　now　than　when　we　worsted　them；　far
weaker　than　when　they　fled　from　us；　while　we　are　stronger　because　we
are　conquerors；　and　greater　because　fortune　has　been　ours；　yes；　and
actually　more　numerous　because　you　and　yours　have　joined　us；　for　I
would　not　have　you　hold　your　men　too　low；　now　that　they　are　side　by
side　with　us。　In　the　company　of　conquerors；　Gobryas；　the　hearts　of　the
followers　beat　high。　＇37＇　Nor　should　you　forget；〃　he　added；　〃that　the
enemy　is　well　able　to　see　us　as　it　is；　and　the　sight　of　us　will
certainly　not　be　more　alarming　if　we　wait　for　him　where　we　are　than　if
we　advance　against　him。　That　is　my　opinion；　and　now　you　must　lead　us
straight　for　Babylon。〃

＇C。3＇　And　so　the　march　continued；　and　on　the　fourth　day　they　found
themselves　at　the　limit　of　the　territory　over　which　Gobryas　ruled。
Since　they　were　now　in　the　enemy's　country　Cyrus　changed　the
disposition　of　his　men；　taking　the　infantry　immediately　under　his　own
command；　with　sufficient　cavalry　to　support　them；　and　sending　the　rest
of　the　mounted　troops　to　scour　the　land。　Their　orders　were　to　cut　down
every　one　with　arms　in　his　hands；　and　drive　in　the　rest；　with　all　the
cattle　they　could　find。　The　Persians　were　ordered　to　take　part　in　this
raid；　and　though　many　came　home　with　nothing　for　their　trouble　but　a
toss　from　their　horses；　others　brought　back　a　goodly　store　of　booty。

＇2＇　When　the　spoil　was　all　brought　in；　Cyrus　summoned　the　officers　of
the　Medes　and　the　Hyrcanians；　as　well　as　his　own　peers；　and　spoke　as
follows：

〃My　friends；　Gobryas　has　entertained　us　nobly；　he　has　showered　good
things　upon　us。　What　say　you　then？　After　we　have　set　aside　the
customary　portion　for　the　gods　and　a　fair　share　for　the　army；　shall　we
not　give　all　the　rest　of　the　spoil　to　him？　Would　it　not　be　a　noble
thing；　a　sign　and　symbol　at　the　outset　that　we　desire　to　outdo　in
well…doing　those　who　do　good　to　us？〃

＇3＇　At　that　all　his　hearers　with　one　consent　applauded；　and　a　certain
officer　rose　and　said：

〃By　all　means；　Cyrus；　let　us　do　so。　I　myself　cannot　but　feel　that
Gobryas　must　have　thought　us　almost　beggars　because　we　were　not　laden
with　coins　of　gold　and　did　not　drink　from　golden　goblets。　But　if　we　do
this；　he　will　understand　that　men　may　be　free　and　liberal　without　the
help　of　gold。〃

＇4＇　〃Come　then；〃　said　Cyrus；　〃let　us　pay　the　priests　our　debt　to
heaven；　select　what　the　army　requires；　and　then　summon　Gobryas　and
give　the　rest　to　him。〃

So　they　took　what　they　needed　and　gave　all　the　rest　to　Gobryas。

＇5＇　Forthwith　Cyrus　pressed　on　towards　Babylon；　his　troops　in　battle
order。　But　as　the　Assyrians　did　not　come　out　to　meet　them；　he　bade
Gobryas　ride　forward　and　deliver　this　message：

〃If　the　king　will　come　out　to　fight　for　his　land；　I；　Gobryas；　will
fight　for　him；　but；　if　he　will　not　defend　his　own　country；　we　must
yield　to　the　conquerors。〃

＇6＇　So　Gobryas　rode　forward；　just　far　enough　to　deliver　the　message　in
safety。　And　the　king　sent　a　messenger　to　answer　him：

〃Thy　master　says　to　thee：　'It　repents　me；　Gobryas；　not　that　I　slew　thy
son；　but　that　I　stayed　my　hand　from　slaying　thee。　And　now　if　ye　will
do　battle；　come　again　on　the　thirtieth　day　from　hence。　We　have　no
leisure　now；　our　preparations　are　still　on　foot。'〃

＇7＇　And　Gobryas　made　answer：

〃It　repents　thee：　may　that　repentance　never　cease！　I　have　begun　to
make　thee　suffer；　since　the　day　repentance　took　hold　on　thee。〃

＇8＇　Then　Gobryas　brought　back　the　words　of　the　king　to　Cyrus；　and
Cyrus　led　his　army　off；　and　then　he　summoned　Gobryas　and　said　to　him：

〃Surely　you　told　me　that　you　thought　the　man　who　was　made　an　eunuch　by
the　king　would　be　upon　our　side？〃

〃And　I　am　sure　he　will；〃　answered　Gobryas；　〃for　we　have　spoken　freely
to　each　other　many　a　time；　he　and　I。〃　＇9＇　〃Then；〃　said　Cyrus；　〃you
must　go　to　him　when　you　think　the　right　moment　has　come：　and　you　must
so　act　at　first　that　only　he　and　you　may　know　what　he　intends；　and
when　you　are　closeted　with　him；　if　you　find　he　really　wishes　to　be　a
friend；　you　must　contrive　that　his　friendship　remain　a　secret：　for　in
war　a　man　can　scarcely　do　his　friends　more　good　than　by　a　semblance　of
hostility；　or　his　enemies　more　harm　than　under　the　guise　of
friendship。〃　＇10＇　〃Aye；〃　answered　Gobryas；　〃and　I　know　that　Gadatas
would　pay　a　great　price　to　punish　the　king　of　Assyria。　But　it　is　for
us　to　consider　what　he　can　best　do。〃　＇11＇　〃Tell　me　now；〃　rejoined
Cyrus；　〃you　spoke　of　an　outpost；　built　against　the　Hyrcanians　and　the
Sakians；　which　was　to　protect　Assyria　in　time　of　war；could　the
eunuch　be　admitted　there　by　the　commandant　if　he　came　with　a　force　at
his　back？〃　〃Certainly　he　could；〃　said　Gobryas；　〃if　he　were　as　free
from　suspicion　as　he　is　to…day。〃　＇12＇　〃And　free　he　would　be；〃　Cyrus
went　on；　〃if　I　were　to　attack　his　strongholds　as　though　in　earnest；
and　he　were　to　repel　me　in　force。　I　might　capture　some　of　his　men；　and
he　some　of　my　soldiers；　or　some　messengers　sent　by　me　to　those　you　say
are　the　enemies　of　Assyria；　and　these　prisoners　would　let　it　be　known
that　they　were　on　their　way　to　fetch　an　army　with　scaling…ladders　to
attack　this　fortress；　and　the　eunuch；　hearing　their　story；　would
pretend　that　he　came　to　warn　the　commandant　in　time。〃　＇13＇
〃Undoubtedly；〃　said　Gobryas；　〃if　things　went　thus；　the　commandant
would　admit　him；　he　would　even　beg　him　to　stay　there　until　you
withdrew。〃

〃And　then；〃　Cyrus　continued；　〃once　inside　the　walls；　he　could　put　the
place　into　our　hands？〃　＇14＇　〃We　may　suppose　so；〃　said　Gobryas。　〃He
would　be　there　to　settle　matters　within；　and　you　would　be　redoubling
the　pressure　from　without。〃

〃Then　be　off　at　once；〃　said　Cyrus；　〃and　do　your　best　to　teach　him　his
part；　and　when　you　have　arranged　affairs；　come　back　to　me；　and　as　for
pledges　of　good　faith；　you　could　offer　him　none　better　than　those　you
received　from　us　yourself。〃

＇15＇　Then　Gobryas　made　haste　and　was　gone；　and　the　eunuch　welcomed　him
gladly；　he　agreed　to　everything　and　helped　to　arrange　all　that　was
needed。　Presently　Gobryas　brought　back　word　that　he　thought　the　eunuch
had　everything　in　readiness；　and　so；　without　more　ado；　Cyrus　made　his
feigned　attack　on　the　following　day；　and　was　beaten　off。　＇16＇　But　on
the　other　hand　there　was　a　fortress；　indicated　by　Gadatas　himself；
that　Cyrus　took。　The　messengers　Cyrus　had　sent　out；　telling　them
exactly　where　to　go；　fell　into　the　hands　of　Gadatas：　some　were　allowed
to　escapetheir　business　was　to　fetch　the　troops　and　carry　the
scaling…laddersbut　the　rest　were　narrowly　examined　in　the　presence
of　many　witnesses；　and　when　Gadatas　heard　the　object　of　their　journey
he　got　his　equipment　together　and　set　out　in　the　night　at　full　speed
to　take　the　news。　＇17＇　In　the　end　he　made　his　way　into　the　fortress；
trusted　and　welcomed　as　a　deliverer；　and　for　a　time　he　helped　the
commandant　to　the　best　of　his　ability。　But　as　soon　as　Cyrus　appeared
he　seized　the　place；　aided　by　the　Persian　prisoners　he　had　taken。　＇18＇
This　done；　and　having　set　things　in　order　within　the　fortress；　Gadatas
went　out　to　Cyrus；　bowed　before　him　according　to　the　custom　of　his
land；　and　said；　〃Cyrus；　may　joy　be　yours！〃

＇19＇　〃Joy　is　mine　already；〃　answered　he；　〃for　you；　God　helping　you；
have　brought　it　to　me。　You　must　know；〃　he　added；　〃that　I　set　great
store　by　this　fortress；　and　rejoice　to　leave　it　in　the　hands　of　my
allies　here。　And　for　yourself；　Gadatas；〃　he　added；　〃if　the　Assyrian
has　robbed　you　of　the　ability　to　beget　children；　remember　he　has　not