cyropaedia-第61节

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upper　leathers；　and　a　fourth　will　do　nothing　but　fit　the　parts
together。　Necessarily　the　man　who　spends　all　his　time　and　trouble　on
the　smallest　task　will　do　that　task　the　best。　＇6＇　The　arts　of　the
household　must　follow　the　same　law。　If　one　and　the　same　servant　makes
the　bed；　spreads　the　table；　kneads　the　dough；　and　cooks　the　various
dishes；　the　master　must　take　things　as　they　come；　there　is　no　help　for
it。　But　when　there　is　work　enough　for　one　man　to　boil　the　pot；　and
another　to　roast　the　meat；　and　a　third　to　stew　the　fish；　and　a　fourth
to　fry　it；　while　some　one　else　must　bake　the　bread；　and　not　all　of　it
either；　for　the　loaves　must　be　of　different　kinds；　and　it　will　be
quite　enough　if　the　baker　can　serve　up　one　kind　to　perfectionit　is
obvious；　I　think；　that　in　this　way　a　far　higher　standard　of　excellence
will　be　attained　in　every　branch　of　the　work。

＇7＇　Thus　it　is　easy　to　see　how　Cyrus　could　outdo　all　competitors　in
the　grace　of　hospitality；　and　I　will　now　explain　how　he　came　to
triumph　in　all　other　services。　Far　as　he　excelled　mankind　in　the　scale
of　his　revenues；　he　excelled　them　even　more　in　the　grandeur　of　his
gifts。　It　was　Cyrus　who　set　the　fashion；　and　we　are　familiar　to　this
day　with　the　open…handedness　of　Oriental　kings。　＇8＇　There　is　no　one；
indeed；　in　all　the　world　whose　friends　are　seen　to　be　as　wealthy　as
the　friends　of　the　Persian　monarch：　no　one　adorns　his　followers　in
such　splendour　of　rich　attire；　no　gifts　are　so　well　known　as　his；　the
bracelets；　and　the　necklaces；　and　the　chargers　with　the　golden
bridles。　For　in　that　country　no　one　can　have　such　treasures　unless　the
king　has　given　them。　＇9＇　And　of　whom　but　the　Great　King　could　it　be
said　that　through　the　splendour　of　his　presents　he　could　steal　the
hearts　of　men　and　turn　them　to　himself；　away　from　brothers；　fathers；
sons？　Who　but　he　could　stretch　out　an　arm　and　take　vengeance　on　his
enemies　when　yet　they　were　months　and　months　away？　Who　but　Cyrus　ever
won　an　empire　in　war；　and　when　he　died　was　called　father　by　the　people
he　overcame？a　title　that　proclaims　the　benefactor　and　not　the
robber。　＇10＇　Indeed；　we　are　led　to　think　that　the　offices　called　〃the
king's　eyes〃　and　〃the　king's　ears〃　came　into　being　through　this　system
of　gifts　and　honours。　Cyrus'　munificence　toward　all　who　told　him　what
it　was　well　for　him　to　know　set　countless　people　listening　with　all
their　ears　and　watching　with　all　their　eyes　for　news　that　might　be　of
service　to　him。　＇11＇　Thus　there　sprang　up　a　host　of　〃king's　eyes〃　and
〃king's　ears；〃　as　they　were　called；　known　and　reputed　to　be　such。　But
it　is　a　mistake　to　suppose　that　the　king　has　one　chosen　〃eye。〃　It　is
little　that　one　man　can　see　or　one　man　hear；　and　to　hand　over　the
office　to　one　single　person　would　be　to　bid　all　others　go　to　sleep。
Moreover；　his　subjects　would　feel　they　must　be　on　their　guard　before
the　man　they　knew　was　〃the　king's　eye。〃　The　contrary　is　the　case；　the
king　will　listen　to　any　man　who　asserts　that　he　has　heard　or　seen
anything　that　needs　attention。　＇12＇　Hence　the　saying　that　the　king　has
a　thousand　eyes　and　a　thousand　ears；　and　hence　the　fear　of　uttering
anything　against　his　interest　since　〃he　is　sure　to　hear；〃　or　doing
anything　that　might　injure　him　〃since　he　may　be　there　to　see。〃　So　far；
therefore；　from　venturing　to　breathe　a　syllable　against　Cyrus；　every
man　felt　that　he　was　under　the　eye　and　within　the　hearing　of　a　king
who　was　always　present。　For　this　universal　feeling　towards　him　I　can
give　no　other　reason　than　his　resolve　to　be　a　benefactor　on　a　most
mighty　scale。

＇13＇　It　is　not　surprising；　no　doubt；　that　being　the　wealthiest　of　men；
he　could　outdo　the　world　in　the　splendour　of　his　gifts。　The　remarkable
thing　was　to　find　a　king　outstrip　his　courtiers　in　courtesy　and
kindness。　There　was　nothing；　so　the　story　runs；　that　could　ever　shame
him　more　than　to　be　outdone　in　courtesy。　＇14＇　Indeed；　a　saying　of　his
is　handed　down　comparing　a　good　king　to　a　good　shepherdthe　shepherd
must　manage　his　flock　by　giving　them　all　they　need；　and　the　king　must
satisfy　the　needs　of　his　cities　and　his　subjects　if　he　is　to　manage
them。　We　need　not　wonder；　then；　that　with　such　opinions　his　ambition
was　to　excel　mankind　in　courtesy　and　care。　＇15＇　There　was　a　noble
illustration　of　his　philosophy　in　the　answer　we　are　told　he　gave　to
Croesus；　who　had　taken　him　to　task；　saying　his　lavish　gifts　would
bring　him　to　beggary；　although　he　could　lay　by　more　treasures　for
himself　than　any　man　had　ever　had　before。　Cyrus；　it　is　said；　asked　him
in　return；　〃How　much　wealth　do　you　suppose　I　could　have　amassed
already；　had　I　collected　gold；　as　you　bid　me；　ever　since　I　came　into
my　empire？〃

＇16＇　And　Croesus　named　an　enormous　sum。　Then　Cyrus　said；　〃Listen；
Croesus；　here　is　my　friend；　Hystaspas；　and　you　must　send　with　him　a
man　that　you　can　trust。〃　Then；　turning　to　Hystaspas；　〃Do　you；〃　he
said；　〃go　round　to　my　friends　and　tell　them　that　I　need　money　for　a
certain　enterpriseand　that　is　true；　I　do　need　it。　Bid　each　of　them
write　down　the　amount　he　can　give　me；　seal　the　letter；　and　hand　it　to
the　messenger　of　Croesus；　who　will　bring　it　here。〃　＇17＇　Thereupon
Cyrus　wrote　his　wishes　and　put　his　seal　on　the　letter；　and　gave　it　to
Hystaspas　to　carry　round；　only　he　added　a　request　that　they　should　all
welcome　Hystaspas　as　a　friend　of　his。　And　when　the　messengers　came
back；　the　officer　of　Croesus　carrying　the　answers；　Hystaspas　cried；
〃Cyrus；　my　lord；　you　must　know　I　am　a　rich　man　now！　I　have　made　my
fortune；　thanks　to　your　letter！　They　have　loaded　me　with　gifts。〃　＇18＇
And　Cyrus　said；　〃There；　Croesus；　that　is　treasure　number　one；　and　now
run　through　the　rest；　and　count　what　sums　I　have　in　hand；　in　case　I
need　them。〃　And　Croesus　counted；　and　found；　so　the　story　tells　us；
that　the　sum　was　far　larger　than　the　amount　he　had　said　would　have
been　lying　in　the　treasury　if　only　Cyrus　had　made　a　hoard。　＇19＇　At
this　discovery　Cyrus　said；　so　we　are　told；　〃You　see；　Croesus；　I　have
my　treasures　too。　Only　you　advise　me　to　collect　them　and　hide　them；
and　be　envied　and　hated　because　of　them；　and　set　mercenaries　to　guard
them；　putting　my　trust　in　hirelings。　But　I　hold　to　it　that　if　I　make
my　friends　rich　they　will　be　my　treasures　themselves；　and　far　better
guards　too；　for　me　and　all　we　have；　than　if　I　set　hired　watchmen　over
my　wealth。　＇20＇　And　I　have　somewhat　else　to　say；　I　tell　you；　Croesus；
there　is　something　the　gods　have　implanted　in　our　souls；　and　there
they　have　made　us　all　beggars　alike；　something　I　can　never　overcome。
＇21＇　I　too；　like　all　the　rest；　am　insatiate　of　riches；　only　in　one
respect　I　fancy　I　am　different。　Most　men　when　they　have　more　wealth
than　they　require　bury　some　of　it　underground；　and　let　some　of　it　rot；
and　some　they　count　and　measure；　and　they　guard　it　and　they　air　it；
and　give　themselves　a　world　of　trouble；　and　yet　for　all　their　wealth
they　cannot　eat　more　than　they　have　stomach　forthey　would　burst
asunder　if　they　didnor　wear　more　clothes　than　they　can　carrythey
would　die　of　suffocationand　so　their　extra　wealth　means　nothing　but
extra　work。　＇22＇　For　my　part；　I　serve　the　gods；　and　I　stretch　out　my
hands　for　more　and　more；　only　when　I　have　got　what　is　beyond　my　own
requirements　I　piece　out　the　wants　of　my　friends；　and　so；　helping　my
fellows；　I　purchase　their　love　and　their　goodwill；　and　out　of　these　I
garner　security　and　renown；　fruits　that　can　never　rot；　rich　meats　that
can　work　no　mischief；　for　glory；　the　more　it　grows；　the　grander　it
becomes；　and　the　fairer；　and　the　lighter　to　be　borne；　it　even　gives　a
lighter　step　to　those　who　bear　it。　＇23＇　One　thing　more；　Croesus；　I
would　have　you　know；　the　happiest　men；　in　my　judgment；　are　not　the
holders　of　vast　riches　and　the　masters　who　have　the　most　to　guard；
else　the　sentinels　of　our　citadels　would　be　the　happiest　of　mortals；
seeing　they　guard　the　whole　wealth　of　the　state。　He；　I　hold；　has　won
the　crown　of　happiness　who　has　had　the　skill　to　gain　wealth　by　the
paths　of　righteousness　and　use　it　for　all　that　is　honourable　and
fair。〃

＇24＇　That　was　the　doctrine　Cyrus　preached；　and　all　men　could　see　that
his　practice　matched　his　words。

Moreover；　he　observed　that　the　majority　of　mankind；　if　they　live　in
good　health　for　long；　will　only　lay　by　such　stores　and　requisites　as
may　be　used　by　a　healthy　man；　and　hardly　care　at　all　to　have
appliances　at　hand　in　case　of　sickness。　But　Cyrus　was　at　the　pains　to
provide　these；　he　encouraged　the　ablest　physicians　of　the　day　by　his
liberal　payments；　and　if　ever　they　recommended　an　instrument　or　a　drug
or　a　special　kind　of　food　or　drink；　he　never　failed　to　procure　it　and
have　it　stored　in　the　palace。

＇25＇　And　whenever　any　one　fell　sick　among　those　who　had　peculiar
claims　on　his　attentions；　he　would　visit　them　and　bring　them　all　they
needed；　and　he　showed　especial　gratitude　to　the　doctors　if　they　cured
their　patients　by　the　help　of　his　own　stores。　＇26＇　These　measures；　and
others　like　them；　he　adopted　to　win　the　first　place　in　the　hearts　of
those　whose　friendship　he　desired。　Moreover；　the　contests　he
proclaimed　and　the　prizes　he　offered　to　awaken　ambition　and　desire　for
gallant　deeds　all　redounded　to　his　own　glory　as　a　man　who　had　the
pursuit　of　noblen