cyropaedia-第9节

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easily。　You　know；　I　take　it；　that　if　supplies　were　not　forthcoming；
farewell　to　this　government　of　yours。〃　〃Yes；〃　Cyrus　answered；　〃and
that　is　why　Cyaxares　is　undertaking　to　provide　for　all　of　us　who　join
him；　whatever　our　numbers　are。〃　〃So；〃　said　the　father；　〃and　you　really
mean；　my　son；　that　you　are　relying　only　on　these　supplies　of　Cyaxares
for　this　campaign　of　yours？〃　〃Yes；〃　answered　Cyrus。　〃And　do　you　know
what　they　amount　to？〃　〃No；〃　he　said；　〃I　cannot　say　that　I　do。〃　〃And
yet；〃　his　father　went　on；　〃you　are　prepared　to　rely　on　what　you　do　not
know？　Do　you　forget　that　the　needs　of　the　morrow　must　be　high；　not　to
speak　of　the　outlay　for　the　day？〃　〃Oh；　no；〃　said　Cyrus；　〃I　am　well
aware　of　that。〃　〃Well；〃　said　the　father；　〃suppose　the　cost　is　more
than　Cyaxares　can　bear；　or　suppose　he　actually　meant　to　deceive　you；
how　would　your　soldiers　fare？〃　〃Ill　enough；　no　doubt；〃　answered　he。
〃And　now　tell　me；　father；　while　we　are　still　in　friendly　country；　if
you　know　of　any　resources　that　I　could　make　my　own？〃　＇10＇　〃You　want　to
know　where　you　could　find　resources　of　your　own？〃　repeated　his　father。
〃And　who　is　to　find　that　out；　if　not　he　who　holds　the　keys　of　power？
We　have　given　you　a　force　of　infantry　that　you　would　not　exchange；　I
feel　sure；　for　one　that　was　more　than　twice　its　size；　and　you　will
have　the　cavalry　of　Media　to　support　you；　the　finest　in　the　world。　I
conceive　there　are　none　of　the　nations　round　about　who　will　not　be
ready　to　serve　you；　whether　to　win　your　favour　or　because　they　fear
disaster。　These　are　matters　you　must　look　into　carefully；　in　concert
with　Cyaxares；　so　that　nothing　should　ever　fail　you　of　what　you　need；
and；　if　only　for　habit's　sake；　you　should　devise　some　means　for
supplying　your　revenue。　Bear　this　maxim　in　mind　before　all　others
never　put　off　the　collecting　of　supplies　until　the　day　of　need；　make
the　season　of　your　abundance　provide　against　the　time　of　dearth。　You
will　gain　better　terms　from　those　on　whom　you　must　depend　if　you　are
not　thought　to　be　in　straits；　and；　what　is　more；　you　will　be　free　from
blame　in　the　eyes　of　your　soldiers。　That　in　itself　will　make　you　more
respected；　wherever　you　desire　to　help　or　to　hurt；　your　troops　will
follow　you　with　greater　readiness；　so　long　as　they　have　all　they　need；
and　your　words；　you　may　be　sure；　will　carry　the　greater　weight　the
fuller　your　display　of　power　for　weal　or　woe。〃

＇11＇　〃Yes；　father；〃　Cyrus　said；　〃I　feel　all　you　say　is　true；　and　the
more　because　as　things　now　stand　none　of　my　soldiers　will　thank　me　for
the　pay　that　is　promised　them。　They　are　well　aware　of　the　terms
Cyaxares　has　offered　for　their　help：　but　whatever　they　get　over　and
above　the　covenanted　amount　they　will　look　upon　as　a　free　gift；　and
for　that　they　will；　in　all　likelihood；　feel　most　gratitude　to　the
giver。〃　〃True；〃　said　the　father；　〃and　really　for　a　man　to　have　a　force
with　which　he　could　serve　his　friends　and　take　vengeance　on　his　foes；
and　yet　neglect　the　supplies　for　it；　would　be　as　disgraceful；　would　it
not？　as　for　a　farmer　to　hold　lands　and　labourers　and　yet　allow　fields
to　lie　barren　for　lack　of　tillage。〃

〃No　such　neglect；〃　answered　the　son；　〃shall　ever　be　laid　at　my　door。
Through　friendly　lands　or　hostile；　trust　me；　in　this　business　of
supplying　my　troops　with　all　they　need　I　will　always　play　my　part。〃

＇12＇　〃Well；　my　son；〃　the　father　resumed；　〃and　do　you　remember　certain
other　points　which　we　agreed　must　never　be　overlooked？〃　〃Could　I
forget　them？〃　answered　Cyrus。　〃I　remember　how　I　came　to　you　for　money
to　pay　the　teacher　who　professed　to　have　taught　me　generalship；　and
you　gave　it　me；　but　you　asked　me　many　questions。　'Now；　my　boy；'　you
said；　'did　this　teacher　you　want　to　pay　ever　mention　economy　among　the
things　a　general　ought　to　understand？　Soldiers；　no　less　than　servants
in　a　house；　are　dependent　on　supplies。'　And　I　was　forced　to　tell　the
truth　and　admit　that　not　a　syllable　had　been　mentioned　on　that　score。
Then　you　asked　me　if　anything　had　been　taught　about　health　and
strength；　since　a　true　general　is　bound　to　think　of　these　matters　no
less　than　of　tactics　and　strategy。　And　when　I　was　forced　to　say　no；
you　asked　me　if　he　had　taught　me　any　of　the　arts　which　give　the　best
aid　in　war。　Once　again　I　had　to　say　no　and　then　you　asked　whether　he
had　ever　taught　me　how　to　kindle　enthusiasm　in　my　men。　For　in　every
undertaking；　you　said；　there　was　all　the　difference　in　the　world
between　energy　and　lack　of　spirit。　I　shook　my　head　and　your
examination　went　on：Had　this　teacher　laid　no　stress　on　the　need　for
obedience　in　an　army；　or　on　the　best　means　of　securing　discipline？
＇14＇　And　finally；　when　it　was　plain　that　even　this　had　been　utterly
ignored；　you　exclaimed；　'What　in　the　world；　then；　does　your　professor
claim　to　have　taught　you　under　the　name　of　generalship？'　To　that　I
could　at　last　give　a　positive　answer：　'He　taught　me　tactics。'　And　then
you　gave　a　little　laugh　and　ran　through　your　list　point　by　point：
'And　pray　what　will　be　the　use　of　tactics　to　an　army　without　supplies；
without　health；　without　discipline；　without　knowledge　of　those　arts
and　inventions　that　are　of　use　in　war？'　And　so　you　made　it　clear　to　me
that　tactics　and　man？uvres　and　drill　were　only　a　small　part　of　all
that　is　implied　in　generalship；　and　when　I　asked　you　if　you　could
teach　me　the　rest　of　it　you　bade　me　betake　myself　to　those　who　stood
high　in　repute　as　great　generals；　and　talk　with　them　and　learn　from
their　lips　how　each　thing　should　be　done。　＇15＇　So　I　consorted　with　all
I　thought　to　be　of　authority　in　these　matters。　As　regards　our　present
supplies　I　was　persuaded　that　what　Cyaxares　intended　to　provide　was
sufficient；　and；　as　for　the　health　of　the　troops；　I　was　aware　that　the
cities　where　health　was　valued　appointed　medical　officers；　and　the
generals　who　cared　for　their　soldiers　took　out　a　medical　staff；　and　so
when　I　found　myself　in　this　office　I　gave　my　mind　to　the　matter　at
once：　and　I　flatter　myself；　father；〃　he　added；　〃that　I　shall　have　with
me　an　excellent　staff　of　surgeons　and　physicians。〃　＇16＇　To　which　the
father　made　reply；　〃Well；　my　son；　but　these　excellent　men　are；　after
all；　much　the　same　as　the　tailors　who　patch　torn　garments。　When　folk
are　ill；　your　doctors　can　patch　them　up；　but　your　own　care　for　their
health　ought　to　go　far　deeper　than　that：　your　prime　object　should　be
to　save　your　men　from　falling　ill　at　all。〃　〃And　pray；　father；〃　asked
Cyrus；　〃how　can　I　succeed　in　that？〃　〃Well；〃　answered　Cambyses；　〃I
presume　if　you　are　to　stay　long　in　one　place　you　will　do　your　best　to
discover　a　healthy　spot　for　your　camp；　and　if　you　give　your　mind　to
the　matter　you　can　hardly　fail　to　find　it。　Men；　we　know；　are　forever
discussing　what　places　are　healthy　and　what　are　not；　and　their　own
complexions　and　the　state　of　their　own　bodies　is　the　clearest
evidence。　But　you　will　not　content　yourself　with　choosing　a　site；　you
will　remember　the　care　you　take　yourself　for　your　own　health。〃　＇17＇
〃Well；〃　said　Cyrus；　〃my　first　rule　is　to　avoid　over…feeding　as　most
oppressive　to　the　system；　and　my　next　to　work　off　all　that　enters　the
body：　that　seems　the　best　way　to　keep　health　and　gain　strength。〃　〃My
son；〃　Cambyses　answered；　〃these　are　the　principles　you　must　apply　to
others。〃　〃What！〃　said　Cyrus；　〃do　you　think　it　will　be　possible　for　the
soldiers　to　diet　and　train　themselves？〃　〃Not　only　possible；〃　said　the
father；　〃but　essential。　For　surely　an　army；　if　it　is　to　fulfil　its
function　at　all；　must　always　be　engaged　in　hurting　the　foe　or　helping
itself。　A　single　man　is　hard　enough　to　support　in　idleness；　a
household　is　harder　still；　an　army　hardest　of　all。　There　are　more
mouths　to　be　filled；　less　wealth　to　start　with；　and　greater　waste；　and
therefore　an　army　should　never　be　unemployed。〃　＇18＇　〃If　I　take　your
meaning；〃　answered　Cyrus；　〃you　think　an　idle　general　as　useless　as　an
idle　farmer。　And　here　and　now　I　answer　for　the　working　general；　and
promise　on　his　behalf　that　with　God's　help　he　will　show　you　that　his
troops　have　all　they　need　and　their　bodies　are　all　they　ought　to　be。
And　I　think；〃　he　added；　〃I　know　a　way　by　which　an　officer　might　do
much　towards　training　his　men　in　the　various　branches　of　war。　Let　him
propose　competitions　of　every　kind　and　offer　prizes；　the　standard　of
skill　will　rise；　and　he　will　soon　have　a　body　of　troops　ready　to　his
hand　for　any　service　he　requires。〃　〃Nothing　could　be　better；〃　answered
the　father。　〃Do　this；　and　you　may　be　sure　you　will　watch　your
regiments　at　their　man？uvres　with　as　much　delight　as　if　they　were　a
chorus　in　the　dance。〃

＇19＇　〃And　then；〃　continued　Cyrus；　〃to　rouse　enthusiasm　in　the　men；
there　can　be　nothing；　I　take　it；　like　the　power　of　kindling　hope？〃
〃True；〃　answered　his　father；　〃but　that　alone　would　be　as　though　a
huntsman　were　for　ever　rousing　his　pack　with　the　view…halloo。　At
first；　of　course；　the　hounds　will　answer　eagerly　enough；　but　after
they　have　been　cheated　once　or　twice　they　will　end　by　refusing　the
call　even　when　the　quarry　is　really　in　sight。　And　so　it　is　with　hope。
Let　a　man　rouse　false　expectations　often　enough；　and　in　the　end；　even
when　hope　is　at　the　door；　he　may　cry　the　good　news　in　vain。　Rather
ought　he　to　refrain　from　speaking　positive