cyropaedia-第66节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


them　all　with　equal　care。　＇16＇　On　the　march　he　varied　the　order
constantly　to　suit　the　needs　of　the　moment；　but　for　the　camp；　as　a
rule；　he　adopted　the　plan　we　have　described。

＇17＇　And　now　when　the　march　had　brought　them　into　Media；　Cyrus　turned
aside　to　visit　Cyaxares。　After　they　had　met　and　embraced；　Cyrus　began
by　telling　Cyaxares　that　a　palace　in　Babylon；　and　an　estate；　had　been
set　aside　for　him　so　that　he　might　have　a　residence　of　his　own
whenever　he　came　there；　and　he　offered　him　other　gifts；　most　rich　and
beautiful。　＇18＇　And　Cyaxares　was　glad　to　take　them　from　his　nephew；
and　then　he　sent　for　his　daughter；　and　she　came；　carrying　a　golden
crown；　and　bracelets；　and　a　necklace　of　wrought　gold；　and　a　most
beautiful　Median　robe；　as　splendid　as　could　be。　＇19＇　The　maiden　placed
the　crown　upon　the　head　of　Cyrus；　and　as　she　did　so　Cyaxares　said：

〃I　will　give　her　to　you；　Cyrus；　my　own　daughter；　to　be　your　wife。　Your
father　wedded　the　daughter　of　my　father；　and　you　are　their　son；　and
this　is　the　little　maid　whom　you　carried　in　your　arms　when　you　were
with　us　as　a　lad；　and　whenever　she　was　asked　whom　she　meant　to　marry；
she　would　always　answer　'Cyrus。'　And　for　her　dowry　I　will　give　her　the
whole　of　Media：　since　I　have　no　lawful　son。〃

＇20＇　So　he　spoke；　and　Cyrus　answered：

〃Cyaxares；　I　can　but　thank　you　myself　for　all　you　offer　me；　the
kinship　and　the　maiden　and　the　gifts；　but　I　must　lay　the　matter　before
my　father　and　my　mother　before　I　accept；　and　then　we　will　thank　you
together。〃

That　was　what　Cyrus　said；　but　none　the　less　he　gave　the　maiden　the
gifts　he　thought　would　please　her　father。　And　when　he　had　done　so；　he
marched　on　home　to　Persia。

＇21＇　And　when　he　reached　the　borders　of　his　fatherland；　he　left　the
mass　of　his　troops　on　the　frontier；　and　went　forward　alone　with　his
friends　to　the　city；　leading　victims　enough　for　all　the　Persians　to
sacrifice　and　hold　high　festival。　And　he　brought　special　gifts　for　his
father　and　his　mother　and　his　friends　of　old；　and　for　the　high
officers　of　state；　the　elders；　and　all　the　Persian　Peers；　and　he　gave
every　Persian　man　and　every　Persian　woman　such　bounties　as　the　king
confers　to…day　whenever　he　visits　Persia。　＇22＇　After　this　Cambyses
gathered　together　the　elders　of　the　land　and　the　chief　officers；　who
have　authority　in　the　highest　matters；　and　spoke　as　follows：

〃Men　of　Persia；　and　Cyrus；　my　son；　both　of　you　are　dear　to　me　and　must
needs　be　dear；　I　am　the　king　of　my　people　and　the　father　of　my　son；
therefore　I　am　bound　to　lay　before　you　openly　all　that　I　believe　to　be
for　the　good　of　both。　＇23＇　In　the　past　the　nation　has　done　great
things　for　Cyrus　by　giving　him　an　army　and　appointing　him　the　leader；
and　Cyrus；　God　helping　him；　has　made　my　Persians　famous　in　all　the
world　by　his　leadership；　and　crowned　you　with　glory　in　Asia。　Of　those
who　served　with　him　he　has　made　the　bravest　wealthy　for　life；　and
given　sustenance　and　full　pay　to　numbers。　By　founding　the　cavalry　he
has　won　the　plains　for　Persia。　＇24＇　If　your　hearts　are　still　the　same
in　future；　all　of　you　will　bless　each　other：　but　if　you；　my　son；　would
be　puffed　up　by　your　present　fortune　and　attempt　to　rule　the　Persians
for　your　own　advantage　as　you　rule　the　rest　of　the　world；　or　if　you；
my　people；　should　envy　this　man's　power　and　try　to　drive　him　from　his
throne；　I　tell　you；　you　will　cut　each　other　off　from　many　precious
things。　＇25＇　Therefore；　that　this　should　never　be；　and　only　good　be
yours；　I　counsel　you　to　offer　sacrifice　together；　and　call　the　gods　to
witness　and　make　a　covenant。　You；　Cyrus；　shall　vow　to　resist　with　all
your　strength　any　man　who　attacks　our　land　of　Persia　or　tries　to
overthrow　our　laws；　and　you；　my　people；　must　promise　that　if　rebels
attempt　to　depose　Cyrus　or　if　his　subjects　revolt；　you　will　render　aid
to　him　and　to　yourselves　in　whatever　way　he　wishes。　＇26＇　Now；　so　long
as　I　live；　the　kingdom　of　Persia　is　and　continues　mine；　but　when　I　die
it　passes　to　Cyrus　if　he　is　still　alive；　and　whenever　he　visits　Persia
it　should　be　a　holy　custom　for　him　to　offer　sacrifice　on　your　behalf；
even　as　I　do　now；　and　when　he　is　abroad；　it　will　be　well　for　you；　I
think；　if　the　member　of　our　family　whom　you　count　the　noblest　fulfils
the　sacred　rites。〃

＇27＇　Cambyses　ended；　and　Cyrus　and　the　officers　of　Persia　agreed　to
all　he　said。　They　made　the　covenant　and　called　the　gods　to　witness；
and　to　this　day　they　keep　it　still；　the　Persians　and　the　Great　King。
And　when　it　was　done；　Cyrus　took　his　leave　and　came　back　to　Media。
＇28＇　There；　with　the　full　consent　of　his　father　and　his　mother；　he
wedded　the　daughter　of　Cyaxares；　the　fame　of　whose　beauty　has　lasted
to　this　day。　And　after　the　marriage　his　steeds　were　yoked　and　they　set
out　for　Babylon。

＇C。6＇　When　he　was　in　Babylon　once　more；　he　thought　it　would　be　well　to
appoint　satraps　and　set　them　over　the　conquered　tribes。　Yet　he　did　not
wish　the　commandants　in　the　citadels　and　the　captains　in　charge　of　the
garrisons　throughout　the　country　to　be　under　any　authority　but　his
own。　Herein　he　showed　his　foresight；　realising　that　if　any　satrap
became　insolent　and　rebellious；　relying　on　his　own　wealth　and　the
numbers　at　his　back；　he　would　at　once　find　a　power　to　oppose　him
within　his　own　district。　＇2＇　In　order　to　carry　out　this　plan；　Cyrus
resolved　to　summon　a　council　of　the　leading　men　and　explain　the　terms
on　which　the　satraps　who　went　would　go。　In　this　way；　he　thought；　they
would　not　feel　aggrieved；　whereas；　if　a　man　found　himself　appointed
and　then　learnt　the　restrictions　for　the　first　time；　he　might　well
take　it　ill；　fancying　it　a　sign　of　personal　mistrust。　＇3＇　So　it　was
that　Cyrus　called　a　council　and　spoke　as　follows：

〃Gentlemen　and　friends　of　mine；　you　are　aware　that　we　have　garrisons
and　commandants　in　the　cities　we　conquered；　stationed　there　at　the
time。　I　left　them　with　orders　simply　to　guard　the　fortifications　and
not　meddle　with　anything　else。　Now　I　do　not　wish　to　remove　them　from
their　commands；　for　they　have　done　their　duty　nobly；　but　I　propose　to
send　others；　satraps；　who　will　govern　the　inhabitants；　receive　the
tribute；　give　the　garrisons　their　pay；　and　discharge　all　necessary
dues。　＇4＇　Further；　I　think　it　right　that　certain　of　you　who　live　here
and　yet　on　whom　I　may　lay　the　task　of　travelling　to　these　nations　and
working　for　me　among　them；　should　possess　houses　there　and　estates；
where　tribute　may　be　brought　them；　and　where　they　may　find　a　place　of
their　own　to　lodge　in。〃

＇5＇　With　these　words　he　assigned　houses　and　districts　to　many　of　his
friends　among　the　lands　he　had　subdued：　and　to　this　day　their
descendants　possess　the　estates；　although　they　reside　at　court
themselves。　＇6＇　〃Now；〃　he　added；　〃we　must　choose　for　the　satraps　who
are　to　go　abroad　persons　who　will　not　forget　to　send　us　anything　of
value　in　their　districts；　so　that　we　who　are　at　home　may　share　in　all
the　wealth　of　the　world。　For　if　any　danger　comes；　it　is　we　who　must
ward　it　off。〃

＇7＇　With　that　he　ended　for　the　time；　but　later　on　when　he　came　to　know
what　friends　of　his　were　ready　and　willing　to　go　on　the　terms
prescribed；　he　selected　those　he　thought　best　qualified　for　the　work；
and　sent　Magabazus　to　Arabia；　Artabatas　to　Cappadocia；　Artacamas　to
Greater　Phrygia；　Chrysantas　to　Lydia　and　Susia；　Adousius；　whom　the
Carians　had　asked　for　themselves；　to　Caria；　and　Pharnouchus　to　Aeolia
and　Phrygia　by　the　Hellespont。

＇8＇　But　to　Cilicia；　Cyprus；　and　Paphlagonia；　Cyrus　sent　no　satraps；
because　they　had　shown　their　willingness　to　march　against　Babylon；
tribute；　however；　was　imposed　on　them　as　on　the　others。　＇9＇　In
accordance　with　the　rules　then　laid　down　by　Cyrus；　the　citadel
garrisons　and　the　captains…of…the…guard　are　to　this　day　appointed
directly　by　the　king；　and　have　their　names　on　the　royal　list。　＇10＇　All
satraps　whom　Cyprus　sent　out　were　ordered　to　do　as　they　saw　him　doing：
each　was　to　raise　a　body　of　cavalry　and　a　chariot…force　from　the
Persians　and　the　allies　who　went　out　with　him；　and　all　who　received
grants　of　land　and　official　residences　were　to　present　themselves　at
the　palace…gates；　study　temperance　and　self…control；　and　hold
themselves　in　readiness　for　the　service　of　their　satrap。　Their　boys
were　to　be　educated　at　the　gates；　as　with　Cyrus；　and　the　satrap　was　to
lead　his　nobles　out　to　hunt；　and　train　himself　and　his　followers　in
the　art　of　war。　＇11＇　〃Whichever　of　you；〃　Cyrus　added；　〃can　show　the
greatest　number　of　chariots　in　proportion　to　his　power；　and　the
largest　and　finest　body　of　cavalry；　I　will　honour　him　as　my　best　ally
and　most　faithful　fellow…guardian　of　the　Persian　empire。　Let　the　best
men　always　have　the　preference　at　your　courts　as　they　have　at　mine；
give　them　seats　of　honour　as　I　do；　and　let　your　table　be　spread；　as
mine　is；　not　only　for　your　own　household；　but　for　your　friends　also；
and　for　the　honour　of　him　who　may　accomplish　any　noble　deed。　＇12＇　You
must　lay　out　parks　and　breed　game；　and　never　touch　food　until　you　have
toiled　for　it；　nor　give　your　horses　fodder　until　they　have　been
exercised。　I　am　but　a　single　man；　with　only　human　strength　and　human
virtue；　and　I　could　not　by　myself　preserve　the　good　things　that　are
yours：　I　must　have　good　comrad