cyropaedia-第4节

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boy；　〃tell　Sacas　to　give　me　the　bowl；　and　let　me　pour　out　the　wine　as
prettily　as　he　if　I　can；　and　win　your　favour。〃　So　the　king　bade　the
butler　hand　him　the　bowl；　and　Cyrus　took　it　and　mixed　the　wine　just　as
he　had　seen　Sacas　do；　and　then；　showing　the　utmost　gravity　and　the
greatest　deftness　and　grace；　he　brought　the　goblet　to　his　grandfather
and　offered　it　with　such　an　air　that　his　mother　and　Astyages；　too；
laughed　outright；　and　then　Cyrus　burst　out　laughing　also；　and　flung
his　arms　round　his　grandfather　and　kissed　him；　crying；　〃Sacas；　your
day　is　done！　I　shall　oust　you　from　your　office；　you　may　be　sure。　I
shall　make　just　as　pretty　a　cup…bearer　as　youand　not　drink　the　wine
myself！〃　For　it　is　the　fact　that　the　king's　butler　when　he　offers　the
wine　is　bound　to　dip　a　ladle　in　the　cup　first；　and　pour　a　little　in
the　hollow　of　his　hand　and　sip　it；　so　that　if　he　has　mixed　poison　in
the　bowl　it　will　do　him　no　good　himself。　＇10＇　Accordingly；　Astyages；
to　carry　on　the　jest；　asked　the　little　lad　why　he　had　forgotten　to
taste　the　wine　though　he　had　imitated　Sacas　in　everything　else。　And
the　boy　answered；　〃Truly；　I　was　afraid　there　might　be　poison　in　the
bowl。　For　when　you　gave　your　birthday　feast　to　your　friends　I　could
see　quite　plainly　that　Sacas　had　put　in　poison　for　you　all。〃　〃And　how
did　you　discover　that；　my　boy？〃　asked　the　king。　〃Because　I　saw　how
your　wits　reeled　and　how　you　staggered；　and　you　all　began　doing　what
you　will　not　let　us　children　doyou　talked　at　the　top　of　your　voices；
and　none　of　you　understood　a　single　word　the　others　said；　and　then　you
began　singing　in　a　way　to　make　us　laugh；　and　though　you　would　not
listen　to　the　singer　you　swore　that　it　was　right　nobly　sung；　and　then
each　of　you　boasted　of　his　own　strength；　and　yet　as　soon　as　you　got　up
to　dance；　so　far　from　keeping　time　to　the　measure；　you　could　barely
keep　your　legs。　And　you　seemed　quite　to　have　forgotten；　grandfather；
that　you　were　king；　and　your　subjects　that　you　were　their　sovereign。
Then　at　last　I　understood　that　you　must　be　celebrating　that　'free
speech'　we　hear　of；　at　any　rate；　you　were　never　silent　for　an
instant。〃　＇11＇　〃Well；　but；　boy；〃　said　Astyages；　〃does　your　father
never　lose　his　head　when　he　drinks？〃　〃Certainly　not；〃　said　the　boy。
〃What　happens　then？〃　asked　the　king。　〃He　quenches　his　thirst；〃
answered　Cyrus；　〃and　that　is　all。　No　harm　follows。　You　see；　he　has　no
Sacas　to　mix　his　wine　for　him。〃　〃But；　Cyrus；〃　put　in　his　mother；　〃why
are　you　so　unkind　to　Sacas？〃　〃Because　I　do　so　hate　him；〃　answered　the
boy。　〃Time　after　time　when　I　have　wanted　to　go　to　my　grandfather　this
old　villain　has　stopped　me。　Do　please；　grandfather；　let　me　manage　him
for　three　days。〃　〃And　how　would　you　set　about　it？〃　Astyages　asked。
〃Why；〃　said　the　boy；　〃I　will　plant　myself　in　the　doorway　just　as　he
does；　and　then　when　he　wants　to　go　in　to　breakfast　I　will　say　'You
cannot　have　breakfast　yet：　HE　is　busy　with　some　people；'　and　when　he
comes　for　dinner　I　will　say　'No　dinner　yet：　HE　is　in　his　bath；'　and　as
he　grows　ravenous　I　will　say　'Wait　a　little：　HE　is　with　the　ladies　of
the　court；'　until　I　have　plagued　and　tormented　him　as　he　torments　me；
keeping　me　away　from　you；　grandfather；　when　I　want　to　come。〃　＇12＇　Thus
the　boy　delighted　his　elders　in　the　evening；　and　by　day　if　he　saw　that
his　grandfather　or　his　uncle　wanted　anything；　no　one　could　forestall
him　in　getting　it；　indeed　nothing　seemed　to　give　him　greater　pleasure
than　to　please　them。

＇13＇　Now　when　Mandane　began　to　think　of　going　back　to　her　husband；
Astyages　begged　her　to　leave　the　boy　behind。　She　answered　that　though
she　wished　to　please　her　father　in　everything；　it　would　be　hard　to
leave　the　boy　against　his　will。　＇14＇　Then　the　old　man　turned　to　Cyrus：
〃My　boy；　if　you　will　stay　with　us；　Sacas　shall　never　stop　you　from
coming　to　me：　you　shall　be　free　to　come　whenever　you　choose；　and　the
oftener　you　come　the　better　it　will　please　me。　You　shall　have　horses
to　ride；　my　own　and　as　many　others　as　you　like；　and　when　you　leave　us
you　shall　take　them　with　you。　And　at　dinner　you　shall　go　your　own　away
and　follow　your　own　path　to　your　own　goal　of　temperance　just　as　you
think　right。　And　I　will　make　you　a　present　of　all　the　game　in　my　parks
and　paradises；　and　collect　more　for　you；　and　as　soon　as　you　have
learnt　to　ride　you　shall　hunt　and　shoot　and　hurl　the　javelin　exactly
like　a　man。　And　you　shall　have　boys　to　play　with　and　anything　else　you
wish　for：　you　have　only　to　ask　me　and　it　shall　be　yours。〃　＇15＇　Then
his　mother　questioned　the　boy　and　asked　him　whether　he　would　rather
stay　with　his　grandfather　in　Media；　or　go　back　home　with　her：　and　he
said　at　once　that　he　would　rather　stay。　And　when　she　went　on　to　ask
him　the　reason；　he　answered；　so　the　story　says；　〃Because　at　home　I　am
thought　to　be　the　best　of　the　lads　at　shooting　and　hurling　the
javelin；　and　so　I　think　I　am：　but　here　I　know　I　am　the　worst　at
riding；　and　that　you　may　be　sure；　mother；　annoys　me　exceedingly。　Now
if　you　leave　me　here　and　I　learn　to　ride；　when　I　am　back　in　Persia　you
shall　see；　I　promise　you；　that　I　will　outdo　all　our　gallant　fellows　on
foot；　and　when　I　come　to　Media　again　I　will　try　and　show　my
grandfather　that；　for　all　his　splendid　cavalry；　he　will　not　have　a
stouter　horseman　than　his　grandson　to　fight　his　battles　for　him。〃　＇16＇
Then　said　his　mother；　〃But　justice　and　righteousness；　my　son；　how　can
you　learn　them　here　when　your　teachers　are　at　home？〃　〃Oh；〃　said　Cyrus；
〃I　know　all　about　them　already。〃　〃How　do　you　know　that　you　do？〃　asked
Mandane。　〃Because；〃　answered　the　boy；　〃before　I　left　home　my　master
thought　I　had　learnt　enough　to　decide　the　cases；　and　he　set　me　to　try
the　suits。　Yes！　and　I　remember　once；　said　he；　〃I　got　a　whipping　for
misjudgment。　＇17＇　I　will　tell　you　about　that　case。　There　were　two
boys；　a　big　boy　and　a　little　boy；　and　the　big　boy's　coat　was　small　and
the　small　boy's　coat　was　huge。　So　the　big　boy　stripped　the　little　boy
and　gave　him　his　own　small　coat；　while　he　put　on　the　big　one　himself。
Now　in　giving　judgment　I　decided　that　it　was　better　for　both　parties
that　each　should　have　the　coat　that　fitted　him　best。　But　I　never　got
any　further　in　my　sentence；　because　the　master　thrashed　me　here；　and
said　that　the　verdict　would　have　been　excellent　if　I　had　been
appointed　to　say　what　fitted　and　what　did　not；　but　I　had　been　called
in　to　decide　to　whom　the　coat　belonged；　and　the　point　to　consider　was；
who　had　a　right　to　it：　Was　he　who　took　a　thing　by　violence　to　keep　it；
or　he　who　had　had　it　made　and　bought　it　for　his　own？　And　the　master
taught　me　that　what　is　lawful　is　just　and　what　is　in　the　teeth　of　law
is　based　on　violence；　and　therefore；　he　said；　the　judge　must　always
see　that　his　verdict　tallies　with　the　law。　So　you　see；　mother；　I　have
the　whole　of　justice　at　my　fingers'　ends　already。　And　if　there　should
be　anything　more　I　need　to　know；　why；　I　have　my　grandfather　beside　me；
and　he　will　always　give　me　lessons。〃　＇18＇　〃But；〃　rejoined　his　mother；
〃what　everyone　takes　to　be　just　and　righteous　at　your　grandfather's
court　is　not　thought　to　be　so　in　Persia。　For　instance；　your　own
grandfather　has　made　himself　master　over　all　and　sundry　among　the
Medes；　but　with　the　Persians　equality　is　held　to　be　an　essential　part
of　justice：　and　first　and　foremost；　your　father　himself　must　perform
his　appointed　services　to　the　state　and　receive　his　appointed　dues：
and　the　measure　of　these　is　not　his　own　caprice　but　the　law。　Have　a
care　then；　or　you　may　be　scourged　to　death　when　you　come　home　to
Persia；　if　you　learn　in　your　grandfather's　school　to　love　not　kingship
but　tyranny；　and　hold　the　tyrant's　belief　that　he　and　he　alone　should
have　more　than　all　the　rest。〃　〃Ah；　but；　mother；〃　said　the　boy；　〃my
grandfather　is　better　at　teaching　people　to　have　less　than　their
share；　not　more。　Cannot　you　see；〃　he　cried；　〃how　he　has　taught　all　the
Medes　to　have　less　than　himself？　So　set　your　mind　at　rest；　mother；　my
grandfather　will　never　make　me；　or　any　one　else；　an　adept　in　the　art
of　getting　too　much。〃

＇C。4＇　So　the　boy's　tongue　ran　on。　But　at　last　his　mother　went　home；
and　Cyrus　stayed　behind　and　was　brought　up　in　Media。　He　soon　made
friends　with　his　companions　and　found　his　way　to　their　hearts；　and
soon　won　their　parents　by　the　charm　of　his　address　and　the　true
affection　he　bore　their　sons；　so　much　so　that　when　they　wanted　a
favour　from　the　king　they　bade　their　children　ask　Cyrus　to　arrange　the
matter　for　them。　And　whatever　it　might　be；　the　kindliness　of　the　lad's
heart　and　the　eagerness　of　his　ambition　made　him　set　the　greatest
store　on　getting　it　done。　＇2＇　On　his　side；　Astyages　could　not　bring
himself　to　refuse　his　grandson's　lightest　wish。　For　once；　when　he　was
sick；　nothing　would　induce　the　boy　to　leave　his　side；　he　could　not
keep　back　his　tears；　and　his　terror　at　the　thought　that　his
grandfather　might　die　was　plain　for　every　one　to　see。　If　the　old　man
needed　anything　during　the　night　Cyrus　was　the　first　to　notice　it；　it
was　he　who　sprang　up　first　to　wait　upon　him；　and　bring　him　what　he
thought　would　please　him。　Thus　the　old　king's　heart　was　his。

＇3＇　During　these　early　days；　it　must　be　allowed；　the　boy　was　something
too　much　of　a　talker；　in　part；　may　be