cyropaedia-第41节

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help。〃

＇38＇　When　Gadatas　heard　that；　he　breathed　again；　and　he　said：

〃Could　I　really　be　in　time　to　make　my　preparations　and　be　back　before
you　leave？　I　would　fain　take　my　mother　with　me　on　the　march。〃

〃Assuredly；〃　said　Cyrus；　〃you　will　be　in　time：　for　I　will　wait　until
you　say　that　all　is　ready。〃

＇39＇　So　it　came　to　pass　that　Gadatas　went　his　way；　and　with　the　aid　of
Cyrus　put　a　strong　garrison　in　his　fortress；　and　got　together　the
wealth　of　his　broad　estates。　And　moreover　he　brought　with　him　in　his
own　retinue　servants　he　could　trust　and　in　whom　he　took　delight；　as
well　as　many　others　in　whom　he　put　no　trust　at　all；　and　these　he
compelled　to　bring　their　wives　with　them；　and　their　sisters；　that　so
they　might　be　bound　to　his　service。

＇40＇　Thus　Gadatas　went　with　Cyrus；　and　Cyrus　kept　him　ever　at　his
side；　to　show　him　the　roads　and　the　places　for　water　and　fodder　and
food；　and　lead　them　where　there　was　most　abundance。

＇41＇　At　last　they　came　in　sight　of　Babylon　once　more；　and　it　seemed　to
Cyrus　that　the　road　they　were　following　led　under　the　very　walls。
Therefore　he　summoned　Gobryas　and　Gadatas；　and　asked　them　if　there　was
not　another　way；　so　that　he　need　not　pass　so　close　to　the　ramparts。
＇42＇　〃There　are　many　other　ways；　my　lord；〃　answered　Gobryas；　〃but　I
thought　you　would　certainly　want　to　pass　as　near　the　city　as　possible；
and　display　the　size　and　splendour　of　your　army　to　the　king。　I　knew
that　when　your　force　was　weaker　you　advanced　to　his　walls；　and　let　him
see　us；　few　as　we　were；　and　I　am　persuaded　that　if　he　has　made　any
preparation　for　battle　now；　as　he　said　he　would；　when　he　sees　the
power　you　have　brought　with　you；　he　will　think　once　more　that　he　is
unprepared。〃

＇435＇　But　Cyrus　said：

〃Does　it　seem　strange　to　you；　Gobryas；　that　when　I　had　a　far　smaller
army　I　took　it　right　up　to　the　enemy's　walls；　and　to…day　when　my　force
is　greater　I　will　not　venture　there？　＇44＇　You　need　not　think　it
strange：　to　march　up　is　not　the　same　as　to　march　past。　Every　leader
will　march　up　with　his　troops　disposed　in　the　best　order　for　battle
and　a　wise　leader　will　draw　them　off　so　as　to　secure　safety　rather
than　sped。　＇45＇　But　in　marching　past　there　is　no　means　of　avoiding
long　straggling　lines　of　waggons；　long　strings　of　baggage…bearers；　and
all　these　must　be　screened　by　the　fighting…force　so　as　never　to　leave
the　baggage　unprotected。　＇46＇　But　this　must　mean　a　thin　weak　order　for
the　fighting…men；　and　if　the　enemy　choose　to　attack　at　any　point　with
their　full　force；　they　can　strike　with　far　more　weight　than　any　of　the
troops　available　to　meet　them　at　the　moment。　＇47＇　Again；　the　length　of
line　means　a　long　delay　in　bringing　up　relief；　whereas　the　enemy　have
only　a　handsbreadth　to　cover　as　they　rush　out　from　the　walls　or
retire。　＇48＇　But　now；　if　we　leave　a　distance　between　ourselves　and
them　as　wide　as　our　line　is　long；　not　only　with　they　realise　our
numbers　plainly　enough；　but　our　veil　of　glittering　armour　will　make
the　whole　multitude　more　formidable　in　their　eyes。　＇49＇　And；　if　they
do　attack　us　anywhere；　we　shall　be　able　to　foresee　their　advance　a
long　way　off　and　be　quite　prepared　to　give　them　welcome。　But　it　is　far
more　likely；　gentlemen；〃　he　added；　〃that　they　will　not　make　the
attempt；　with　all　that　ground　to　cover　from　the　walls；　unless　they
imagine　that　their　whole　force　is　superior　to　the　whole　of　ours：　they
know　that　retreat　will　be　difficult　and　dangerous。〃

＇50＇　So　Cyrus　spoke；　and　his　listeners　felt　that　he　was　right；　and
Gobryas　led　the　army　by　the　way　that　he　advised。　And　as　one　detachment
after　another　passed　the　city；　Cyrus　strengthened　the　protection　for
the　rear　and　so　withdrew　in　safety。

＇51＇　Marching　in　this　order；　he　came　back　at　last　to　his　first
starting…point；　on　the　frontier　between　Assyria　and　Media。　Here　he
dealt　with　three　Assyrian　fortresses：　one；　the　weakest；　he　attacked
and　took　by　force；　while　the　garrisons　of　the　other　two；　what　with　the
eloquence　of　Gadatas　and　the　terror　inspired　by　Cyrus；　were　persuaded
to　surrender。

＇C。5＇　And　now　that　his　expedition　was　completed；　Cyrus　sent　to
Cyaxares　and　urged　him　to　come　to　the　camp　in　order　that　they　might
decide　best　how　to　use　the　forts　which　they　had　taken；　and　perhaps
Cyaxares；　after　reviewing　the　army；　would　advise　him　what　the　next
move　ought　to　be；　or；　Cyrus　added　to　the　messenger；　〃if　he　bids　me；
say　I　will　come　to　him　and　take　up　my　encampment　there。〃　＇2＇　So　the
emissary　went　off　with　the　message；　and　meanwhile　Cyrus　gave　orders
that　the　Assyrian　tent　chosen　for　Cyaxares　should　be　furnished　as
splendidly　as　possible；　and　the　woman　brought　to　her　apartment　there；
and　the　two　singing…girls　also；　whom　they　had　set　aside　for　him。

＇3＇　And　while　they　were　busied　with　these　things　the　envoy　went　to
Cyaxares　and　delivered　his　message；　and　Cyaxares　listened　and　decided
it　was　best　for　Cyrus　and　his　men　to　stay　on　the　frontier。　The
Persians　whom　Cyrus　had　sent　for　had　already　arrived；　forty　thousand
bowmen　and　targeteers。　＇4＇　To　watch　these　eating　up　the　land　was　bad
enough；　and　Cyaxares　thought　he　would　rather　be　quit　of　one　horde
before　he　received　another。　On　his　side　the　officer　in　command　of　the
Persian　levy；　following　the　instructions　from　Cyrus；　asked　Cyaxares　if
he　had　any　need　of　the　men；　and　Cyaxares　said　he　had　not。　Thereupon；
and　hearing　that　Cyrus　had　arrived；　the　Persian　put　himself　at　the
head　of　his　troops　and　went　off　at　once　to　join　him。　＇5＇　Cyaxares
himself　waited　till　the　next　day　and　then　set　out　with　the　Median
troopers　who　had　stayed　behind。　And　when　Cyrus　knew　of　his　approach　he
took　his　Persian　cavalry；　who　were　now　a　large　body　of　men；　and　all
the　Medes；　Hyrcanians；　and　Armenians；　and　the　best…mounted　and　best…
armed　among　the　rest；　and　so　went　out　to　meet　Cyaxares　and　show　the
power　he　had　won。　＇6＇　But　when　Cyaxares　saw　so　large　a　following　of
gallant　gentlemen　with　Cyrus；　and　with　himself　so　small　and　mean　a
retinue；　it　seemed　to　him　an　insult；　and　mortification　filled　his
heart。　And　when　Cyrus　sprang　from　his　horse　and　came　up　to　give　him
the　kiss　of　greeting；　Cyaxares；　though　he　dismounted；　turned　away　his
head　and　gave　him　no　kiss；　while　the　tears　came　into　his　eyes。　＇7＇
Whereupon　Cyrus　told　the　others　to　stand　aside　and　rest；　and　then　he
took　Cyaxares　by　the　hand　and　led　him　apart　under　a　grove　of　palm…
trees；　and　bade　the　attendants　spread　Median　carpets　for　them；　and
made　Cyaxares　sit　down；　and　then；　seating　himself　beside　him；　he　said：

＇8＇　〃Uncle　of　mine；　tell　me；　in　heaven's　name；　I　implore　you；　why　are
you　angry　with　me？　What　bitter　sight　have　you　seen　to　make　you　feel
such　bitterness？〃

And　then　Cyaxares　answered：

〃Listen；　Cyrus；　I　have　been　reputed　royal　and　of　royal　lineage　as　far
back　as　the　memory　of　man　can　go；　my　father　was　a　king　and　a　king　I
myself　was　thought　to　be；　and　now　I　see　myself　riding　here；　meanly　and
miserably　attended；　while　you　come　before　me　in　splendour　and
magnificence；　followed　by　the　retinue　that　once　was　mine　and　all　your
other　forces。　＇9＇　That　would　be　bitter　enough；　methinks；　from　the　hand
of　an　enemy；　butO　gods　above　us！how　much　more　bitter　at　the　hands
of　those　from　whom　we　least　deserve　it！　Far　rather　would　I　be
swallowed　in　the　earth　than　live　to　be　seen　so　low；　aye；　and　to　see　my
own　kinsfolk　turn　against　me　and　make　a　mock　of　me。　And　well　I　know；〃
said　he；　〃that　not　only　you　but　my　own　slaves　are　now　stronger　and
greater　than　myself：　they　come　out　equipt　to　do　me　far　more　mischief
than　ever　I　could　repay。〃

＇10＇　But　here　he　stopped；　overcome　by　a　passion　of　weeping；　so　much　so
that　for　very　pity　Cyrus'　own　eyes　filled　with　tears。　There　was
silence　between　them　for　a　while；　and　then　Cyrus　said：

〃Nay；　Cyaxares；　what　you　say　is　not　true；　and　what　you　think　is　not
right；　if　you　imagine　that　because　I　am　here；　your　Medes　have　been
equipt　to　do　you　any　harm。　＇11＇　I　do　not　wonder　that　you　are　pained；
and　I　will　not　ask　if　you　have　cause　or　not　for　your　anger　against
them：　you　will　ill　brook　apologies　for　them　from　me。　Only　it　seems　to
me　a　grievous　error　in　a　ruler　to　quarrel　with　all　his　subjects　at
once。　Widespread　terror　must　needs　be　followed　by　widespread　hate：
anger　with　all　creates　unity　among　all。　＇12＇　It　was　for　this　reason；
take　my　word　for　it；　that　I　would　not　send　them　back　to　you　without
myself；　fearing　that　your　wrath　might　be　the　cause　of　what　would
injure　all　of　us。　Through　my　presence　here　and　by　the　blessing　of
heaven；　all　is　safe　for　you：　but　that　you　should　regard　yourself　as
wronged　by　me；I　cannot　but　feel　it　bitter；　when　I　am　doing　all　in　my
power　to　help　my　friends；　to　be　accused　of　plotting　against　them。　＇13＇
However；〃　he　continued；　〃let　us　not　accuse　each　other　in　this　useless
way；　if　possible；　let　us　see　exactly　in　what　I　have　offended。　And　as
between　friend　and　friend；　I　will　lay　down　the　only　rule　that　is　just
and　fair：　if　I　can　be　shown　to　have　done　you　harm；　I　will　confess　I　am
to　blame；　but　if　it　appears　that　I　have　never　injured　you；　not　even　in
thought；　will　you　not　acquit　me　of　all　injustice　towards　you？〃

〃Needs　must　I；〃　answered　Cyaxares。

＇14＇　〃And　if　I　can　show　that　I　have　done　you　service；　and　been　zealous
in