cyropaedia-第67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！


virtue；　and　I　could　not　by　myself　preserve　the　good　things　that　are
yours：　I　must　have　good　comrades　to　help　me　in　goodness；　and　only　thus
can　I　be　your　defender；　and　you　likewise；　if　you　are　to　help　me；　must
be　good　yourselves　and　have　good　men　at　your　side。　＇13＇　Remember　that
I　have　not　spoken　unto　you　as　unto　slaves：　what　I　say　you　ought　to　do
I　strive　to　do　myself。　And　even　as　I　bid　you　follow　me；　so　I　would
have　you　teach　those　in　authority　under　you　to　follow　you。〃

＇14＇　Such　were　the　principles　then　laid　down　by　Cyrus；　and　to　this　day
all　the　royal　garrisons　are　appointed　in　the　same　manner；　the　gates　of
all　the　governors　are　thronged　in　the　same　way；　the　houses；　great　and
small；　are　managed　in　the　same　fashion；　everywhere　the　most
distinguished　guests　are　given　seats　of　honour；　every　province　is
visited　on　the　same　system；　and　everywhere　the　threads　of　numberless
affairs　are　gathered　into　the　hands　of　a　few　superiors。　＇15＇　Having
given　these　instructions；　Cyrus　assigned　a　body　of　troops　to　each　of
his　satraps；　and　sent　them　out　to　their　provinces；　bidding　them　to　be
ready　for　a　campaign　in　the　new　year　and　for　a　review　of　their
soldiers；　their　weapons；　their　horses；　and　their　chariots。　＇16＇　And
here　I　may　notice　another　custom；　also　instituted　by　Cyrus；　it　is
said；　and　still　in　force　to…day：　every　year　a　progress　of　inspection
is　made　by　an　officer　at　the　head　of　an　army；　to　help　any　satrap　who
may　require　aid；　or　bring　the　insolent　to　their　senses；　and；　if　there
has　been　negligence　in　the　delivery　of　tribute；　or　the　protection　of
the　inhabitants；　or　the　cultivation　of　the　soil；　or　indeed　any
omission　of　duty　whatsoever；　the　officer　is　there　to　put　the　matter
right；　or　if　he　cannot　do　so　himself；　to　report　it　to　the　king；　who
decides　what　is　to　be　done　about　the　offender。　The　announcements　so
often　made；　such　as　〃the　king's　son　is　coming　down；〃　or　〃the　king's
brother；〃　or　〃the　king's　eye；〃　refer　to　these　inspectors；　but
sometimes　no　one　appears；　for　at　any　moment　the　officer　may　be　turned
back　at　the　king's　command。　＇17＇　We　hear　of　another　arrangement；
devised　to　meet　the　huge　size　of　the　empire　and　enable　the　king　to
learn　with　great　celerity　the　state　of　affairs　at　any　distance。　Cyrus
first　ascertained　how　far　a　horse　could　travel　in　one　day　without
being　over…ridden；　and　then　he　had　a　series　of　posting…stations　built；
one　day's　ride　apart；　with　relays　of　horses；　and　grooms　to　take　care
of　them；　and　a　proper　man　in　charge　of　each　station　to　receive　the
despatches　and　hand　them　on；　take　over　the　jaded　horses　and　men；　and
furnish　fresh　ones。　＇18＇　Sometimes；　we　are　told；　this　post　does　not
even　halt　at　night：　the　night…messenger　relieves　the　day…messenger　and
rides　on。　Some　say　that；　when　this　is　done；　the　post　travels　more
quickly　than　the　crane　can　fly；　and；　whether　that　is　true　or　not；
there　is　no　doubt　it　is　the　quickest　way　in　which　a　human　being　can
travel　on　land。　To　learn　of　events　so　rapidly　and　be　able　to　deal　with
them　at　once　is　of　course　a　great　advantage。

＇19＇　After　a　year　had　passed；　Cyrus　collected　all　his　troops　at
Babylon；　amounting；　it　is　said；　to　one　hundred　and　twenty　thousand
horse；　two　thousand　scythe…bearing　chariots；　and　six　hundred　thousand
foot。　＇20＇　Then；　seeing　that　all　was　got　together；　he　set　out　for　that
campaign　of　his；　on　which；　the　story　says；　he　subdued　the　nations　from
the　borders　of　Syria　as　far　as　the　Red　Sea。　After　that　there　followed；
we　are　told；　the　expedition　against　Egypt　and　its　conquest。　＇21＇　From
that　time　forward　his　empire　was　bounded　on　the　east　by　the　Red　Sea；
on　the　north　by　the　Euxine；　on　the　west　by　Cyprus　and　Egypt；　and
towards　the　south　by　Ethiopia。　Of　these　outlying　districts；　some　were
scarcely　habitable；　owing　to　heat　or　cold；　drought　or　excessive　rain。
＇22＇　But　Cyrus　himself　always　lived　at　the　centre　of　his　dominions；
seven　months　in　Babylon　during　the　winter　season；　where　the　land　is
warm　and　sunny；　three　months　at　Susa　in　the　spring；　and　during　the
height　of　summer　in　Ecbatana；　so　that　for　him　it　was　springtime　all
the　year。　＇23＇　Towards　him　the　disposition　of　all　men　was　such　that
every　nation　felt　they　had　failed　unless　they　could　send　Cyrus　the
treasures　of　their　land；　plants；　or　animals；　or　works　of　art。　And
every　city　felt　the　same；　and　every　private　person　counted　himself　on
the　road　to　riches　if　he　could　do　Cyrus　some　special　service；　for
Cyrus　took　only　such　things　as　they　had　in　abundance；　and　gave　them　in
return　what　he　saw　they　lacked。

＇C。7＇　Thus　the　years　passed　on；　and　Cyrus　was　now　in　a　ripe　old　age；
and　he　journeyed　to　Persia　for　the　seventh　time　in　his　reign。　His
father　and　mother　were　long　since　dead　in　the　course　of　nature；　and
Cyrus　offered　sacrifice　according　to　the　law；　and　led　the　sacred　dance
of　his　Persians　after　the　manner　of　his　forefathers；　and　gave　gifts　to
every　man　according　to　his　wont。

＇2＇　But　one　night；　as　he　lay　asleep　in　the　royal　palace；　he　dreamt　a
dream。　It　seemed　to　him　that　some　one　met　him；　greater　than　a　man；　and
said　to　him；　〃Set　your　house　in　order；　Cyrus：　the　time　has　come；　and
you　are　going　to　the　gods。〃

With　that　Cyrus　awoke　out　of　sleep；　and　he　all　but　seemed　to　know　that
the　end　of　his　life　was　at　hand。　＇3＇　Straightway　he　took　victims　and
offered　sacrifice　to　Zeus；　the　god　of　his　fathers；　and　to　the　Sun；　and
all　the　other　gods；　on　the　high　places　where　the　Persians　sacrifice；
and　then　he　made　this　prayer：

〃Zeus；　god　of　my　fathers；　and　thou；　O　Sun；　and　all　ye　gods；　accept
this　sacrifice；　my　offering　for　many　a　noble　enterprise；　and　suffer　me
to　thank　you　for　the　grace　ye　have　shown　me；　telling　me　all　my　life；
by　victims　and　by　signs　from　heaven；　by　birds　and　by　the　voices　of
men；　what　things　I　ought　to　do　and　what　I　ought　to　refrain　from　doing。
Deep　is　my　thankfulness　that　I　was　able　to　recognise　your　care；　and
never　lifted　up　my　heart　too　high　even　in　my　prosperity。　I　beseech　you
now　to　bless　my　children　also；　and　my　wife；　and　my　friends；　and　my
fatherland；　and　for　myself；　may　my　death　be　as　my　life　has　been。〃

＇4＇　Then　Cyrus　went　home　again　and　lay　down　on　his　bed；　for　he　longed
to　rest。　And　when　the　hour　was　come；　his　attendants　came　to　him　and
bade　him　take　his　bath。　But　he　said　he　would　rather　rest。　And　others
came　afterwards；　at　the　usual　time；　to　set　the　meal　before　him；　but　he
could　not　bring　himself　to　take　food：　he　seemed　only　to　thirst；　and
drank　readily。　＇5＇　It　was　the　same　the　second　day；　and　the　third；　and
then　he　called　his　sons　to　his　sideit　chanced　they　had　followed　him
to　Persiaand　he　summoned　his　friends　also　and　the　chief　magistrates
of　the　land；　and　when　they　were　all　met；　he　began：

＇6＇　〃My　sons；　and　friends　of　mine；　the　end　of　my　life　is　at　hand：　I
know　it　by　many　signs。　And　when　I　am　dead；　you　must　show　by　word　and
deed　that　you　think　of　me　as　happy。　When　I　was　a　child；　I　had　all　the
joys　and　triumphs　of　a　child；　and　I　reaped　the　treasures　of　youth　as　I
grew　up；　and　all　the　glories　of　a　man　when　I　came　to　man'e　estate。　And
as　the　years　passed；　I　seemed　to　find　my　powers　grow　with　them；　so
that　I　never　felt　my　old　age　weaker　than　my　youth；　nor　can　I　think　of
anything　I　attempted　or　desired　wherein　I　failed。　＇7＇　Moreover；　I　have
seen　my　friends　made　happy　by　my　means；　and　my　enemies　crushed　beneath
my　hand。　This　my　fatherland；　which　was　once　of　no　account　in　Asia；　I
leave　at　the　height　of　power；　and　of　all　that　I　won　I　think　I　have
lost　nothing。　Throughout　my　whole　life　I　have　fared　as　I　prayed　to
fare；　and　the　dread　that　was　ever　with　me　lest　in　days　to　come　I　might
see　or　hear　or　suffer　evil；　this　dread　would　never　let　me　think　too
highly　of　myself；　or　rejoice　as　a　fool　rejoices。　＇8＇　And　if　I　die　now；
I　leave　my　sons　behind　me；　the　sons　the　gods　have　given　me；　and　I
leave　my　fatherland　in　happiness；　and　my　friends。　Surely　I　may　hope
that　men　will　count　me　blessed　and　cherish　my　memory。　＇9＇　And　now　I
must　leave　instructions　about　my　kingdom；　that　there　may　be　no　dispute
among　you　after　my　death。　Sons　of　mine；　I　love　you　both　alike；　but　I
choose　the　elder…born；　the　one　whose　experience　of　life　is　the
greater；　to　be　the　leader　in　council　and　the　guide　in　action。　＇10＇
Thus　was　I　trained　myself；　in　the　fatherland　that　is　yours　and　mine；
to　yield　to　my　elders；　my　brothers　or　my　fellow…citizens；　in　the
street；　or　in　the　place　of　meeting；　or　in　the　assembly　for　debate。　And
thus　have　I　trained　both　of　you；　to　honour　your　elders　and　be　honoured
by　those　who　are　younger　than　yourselves。　These　are　the　principles
that　I　leave　with　you；　sanctioned　by　time；　ingrained　in　our　customs；
embodied　in　our　laws。　＇11＇　The　sovereignty　is　yours；　Cambyses；　the
gods　have　given　it　to　you；　and　I　also；　as　far　as　in　me　lies；　and　to
you；　Tanaoxares；　I　give　the　satrapy　over　the　Medes　and　the　Armenians
and　the　Cadousians；　these　three；　and　though　I　leave　your　elder　brother
a　larger　empire　and　the　name　of　king；　your　inheritance　will　bring　you；
I　believe；　more　perfect　happiness　than　his。　＇12＇　I　ask　myself　what
human　joy　will　be　lacking　to　you：　all　things　which　gladden　the　hearts
of　men　will　be　yoursbut　the　craving　for　what　is　out　of　reach；　the
load　of　cares；　the　restless　passion　to　rival　m