Cyropaedia: The Education of Cyrus — Book IV - Chapter 5

Such were his words; and they made obeisance and promised to do as he bade.

[C.

5] And when they were gone, Cyrus turned to the Medes and the men of Armenia, and said, "It is high time, gentlemen, that we should dine, one and all of us; food and drink are prepared for you, the best we had skill to find.

Send us, if you will, the half of the bread that has been baked; there is ample, I know, for both of us; but do not send any relish with it, nor any drink, we have quite enough at hand.

[2] And do you," he added, turning to the Hyrcanians, "conduct our friends to their quarters, the officers to the largest tents--you know where they are--and the rest where you think best.

For yourselves, you may dine where you like; your quarters are intact, and you will find everything there prepared for you exactly as it is for the others.

[3] All of you alike must understand that during the night we Persians will guard the camp outside, but you must keep an eye over what goes on within; and see that your arms are ready to hand; our messmates are not our friends as yet."

[4] So the Medes and Tigranes with his men washed away the stains of battle, and put on the apparel that was laid out for them, and fell to dinner, and the horses had their provender too.

They sent half the bread to the Persians but no relish with it and no wine, thinking that Cyrus and his men possessed a store, because he had said they had enough and to spare.

But Cyrus meant the relish of hunger, and the draught from the running river.

[5] Thus he regaled his Persians, and when the darkness fell he sent them out by fives and tens and ordered them to lie in ambush around the camp, so as to form a double guard, against attack from without, and absconders from within; any one attempting to make off with treasures would be caught in the act.

And so it befell; for many tried to escape, and all of them were seized.

[6] As for the treasures, Cyrus allowed the captors to keep them, but he had the absconders beheaded out of hand, so that for the future a thief by night was hardly to be found.

Thus the Persians passed their time.

[7] But the Medes drank and feasted and made music and took their fill of good cheer and all delights; there was plenty to serve their purpose, and work enough for those who did not sleep.

[8] Cyaxares, the king of the Medes, on the very night when Cyrus set forth, drank himself drunk in company with the officers in his own quarters to celebrate their good fortune.

Hearing uproar all about him, he thought that the rest of the Medes must have stayed behind in the camp, except perhaps a few, but the fact was that their domestics, finding the masters gone, had fallen to drinking in fine style and were making a din to their hearts' content, the more so that they had procured wine and dainties from the Assyrian camp.

[9] But when it was broad day and no one knocked at the palace gate except the guests of last night's revel, and when Cyaxares heard that the camp was deserted--the Medes gone, the cavalry gone--and when he went out and saw for himself that it was so, then he fumed with indignation against Cyrus and his own men, to think that they had gone off and left him in the lurch.

It is said that without more ado, savage and mad with anger as he was, he ordered one of his staff to take his troopers and ride at once to Cyrus and his men, and there deliver this message: [10] "I should never have dreamed that Cyrus could have acted towards me with such scant respect, or, if he could have thought of it, that the Medes could have borne to desert me in this way.

And now, whether Cyrus will or no, I command the Medes to present themselves before me without delay."

[11] Such was the message.

But he who was to take it said, "And how shall I find them, my lord?"

"Why," said Cyaxares, "as Cyrus and his men found those they went to seek."

"I only asked," continued the messenger, "because I was told that some Hyrcanians who had revolted from the enemy came here, and went off with him to act as guides."

[12] When Cyaxares heard that, he was the more enraged to think that Cyrus had never told him, and the more urgent to have his Medes removed from him at once, and he summoned them home under fiercer threats than ever; threatening the officer as well if he failed to deliver the message in full force.

[13] So the emissary set off with his troopers, about one hundred strong, fervently regretting that he had not gone with Cyrus himself.

On the way they took a turning which led them wrong, and they did not reach the Persians until they had chanced upon some of the Assyrians in retreat and forced them to be their guides, and so at last arrived, sighting the watch-fires about midnight.

[14] But though they had got to the camp, the pickets, acting on the orders of Cyrus, would not let them in till dawn.

With the first faint gleam of morning Cyrus summoned the Persian Priests, who are called Magians, and bade them choose the offerings due to the gods for the blessings they had vouchsafed.

[15] And while they were about this, Cyrus called the Peers together and said to them: "Gentlemen, God has put before us many blessings, but at present we Persians are but a scant company to keep them.

If we fail to guard what we have toiled for, it will soon fall back into other hands, and if we leave some of our number to watch our gains, it will soon be seen that we have no strength in us.

[16] I propose therefore that one of you should go home to Persia without loss of time, and explain what I need and bid them despatch an army forthwith, if they desire Persia to win the empire of Asia and the fruits thereof.

[17] Do you," said he, turning to one of the Peers, "do you, who are the eldest, go and repeat these words, and tell them that it shall be my care to provide for the soldiers they send me as soon as they are here.

And as to what we have won--you have seen it yourself--keep nothing back, and ask my father how much I ought to send home for an offering to the gods, if I wish to act in honour and according to the law, and ask the magistrates how much is due to the commonwealth.

And let them send commissioners to watch all that we do and answer all that we ask.

So, sir," he ended, "you will get your baggage together, and take your company with you as an escort.

Fare you well."

[18] With that message he turned to the Medes and at the same moment the messenger from Cyaxares presented himself, and in the midst of the whole assembly announced the anger of the king against Cyrus, and his threats against the Medes, and so bade the latter return home at once, even if Cyrus wished them to stay.

[19] The Medes listened, but were silent; for they were sore bested; they could hardly disobey the summons, and yet they were afraid to go back after his threats, being all too well acquainted with the savage temper of their lord.

[20] But Cyrus spoke: "Herald," said he, "and sons of the Medes, I am not surprised that Cyaxares, who saw the host of the enemy so lately, and knows so little of what we have done now, should tremble for us and for himself.

But when he learns how many have fallen, and that all have been dispersed, his fears will vanish, and he will recognise that he is not deserted on this day of all days when his friends are destroying his foes.

[21] Can we deserve blame for doing him a service?

And that not even without his own consent?

I am acting as I am, only after having gained his leave to take you out; it is not as though you had come to me in your own eagerness, and begged me to let you go, and so were here now; he himself ordered you out, those of you who did not find it a burthen.

Therefore, I feel sure, his anger will melt in the sunshine of success, and, when his fears are gone, it will vanish too.

[22] For the moment then," he added, turning to the messenger, "you must recruit yourself; you have had a heavy task; and for ourselves," said he, turning to the Persians, "since we are waiting for an enemy who will either offer us battle or render us submission, we must draw up in our finest style; the spectacle, perhaps, will bring us more than we could dare to hope.

And do you," he said, taking the Hyrcanian chieftain aside, "after you have told your officers to arm their men, come back and wait with me a moment."

[23] So the Hyrcanian went and returned.

Then Cyrus said to him, "Son of Hyrcania, it gives me pleasure to see that you show not only friendliness, but sagacity.

It is clear that our interests are the same;

the Assyrians are my foes as well as yours, only they hate you now even more bitterly than they hate me.

[24] We must consult together and see that not one of our present allies turns his back on us, and we must do what we can to acquire more.

You heard the Mede summon the cavalry to return, and if they go, we shall be left with nothing but infantry.

[25] This is what we must do, you and I; we must make this messenger, who is sent to recall them, desirous to stay here himself.

You must find him quarters where he will have a merry time and everything heart can wish, and I will offer him work which he will like far better than going back.

And do you talk to him yourself, and dilate on all the wonders we expect for our friends if things go well.

And when you have done this, come back again and tell me."

[26] So the chieftain took the Mede away to his own quarters, and meanwhile the messenger from Persia presented himself equipped for the journey, and Cyrus bade him tell the Persians all that had happened, as it has been set out in this story, and then he gave him a letter to Cyaxares.

"I would like to read you the very words," he added, "so that what you say yourself may agree with it, in case you have questions asked you."

[27] The letter ran as follows:--"Cyrus to Cyaxares, greeting.

We do not admit that we have deserted you; for no one is deserted when he is being made the master of his enemies.

Nor do we consider that we put you in jeopardy by our departure; on the contrary, the greater the distance between us the greater the security we claim to have won for you.

[28] It is not the friend at a man's elbow who serves him and puts him out of danger, but he who drives his enemies farthest and furthest away.

[29] And I pray you to remember what I have done for you, and you for me, before you blame me.

I brought you allies, not limiting myself to those you asked for, but pressing in every man that I could find; you allowed me while we were on friendly soil only to take those whom I could persuade to follow me, and now that I am in hostile territory you insist that they must all return; you do not leave it to their own choice.

[30] Yesterday I felt that I owed both you and them a debt of gratitude, but to-day you drive me to forget your share, you make me wish to repay those, and those only, who followed me.

[31] Not that I could bring myself to return you like for like; even now I am sending to Persia for more troops, and instructing all the men who come that, if you need them before we return, they must hold themselves at your service absolutely, to act not as they wish, but as you may care to use them.

[32] In conclusion, I would advise you, though I am younger than yourself, not to take back with one hand what you give with the other, or else you will win hatred instead of gratitude; nor to use threats if you wish men to come to you speedily; nor to speak of being deserted when you threaten an army, unless you would teach them to despise you.

[33] For ourselves, we will do our best to rejoin you as soon as we have concluded certain matters which we believe will prove a common blessing to yourself and us.

Farewell."

[34] "Deliver this," said Cyrus, "to Cyaxares, and whatever questions he puts to you, answer in accordance with it.

My injunctions to you about the Persians agree exactly with what is written here."

With that he gave him the letter and sent him off, bidding him remember that speed was of importance.

[35] Then he turned to review his troops, who were already fully armed, Medes, Hyrcanians, the men Tigranes had brought, and the whole body of the Persians.

And already some of the neighbouring folk were coming up, to bring in their horses or hand over their arms.

[36] The javelins were then piled in a heap as before and burnt at his command, after his troops had taken what they needed for themselves, but he bade the owners stay with their horses until they received fresh orders.

This done, Cyrus called together the officers of the Hyrcanians and of the cavalry, and spoke as follows: [37] "My friends and allies, you must not be surprised that I summon you so often.

Our circumstances are so novel that much still needs adjustment, and we must expect difficulty until everything has found its place.

[38] At present we have a mass of spoil, and prisoners set to guard it.

But we do not ourselves know what belongs to each of us, nor could the guards say who the owners are: and thus it is impossible for them to be exact in their duties, since scarcely any of them know what these duties may be.

[39] To amend this, you must divide the spoil.

There will be no difficulty where a man has won a tent that is fully supplied with meat and drink, and servants to boot, bedding, apparel, and everything to make it a comfortable home; he has only to understand that this is now his private property, and he must look after it himself.

But where the quarters are not furnished so well, there you must make it your business to supply what is lacking.

[40] There will be more than enough for this; of that I am sure; the enemy had a stock of everything quite out of proportion to our scanty numbers.

Moreover, certain treasurers have come to me, men who were in the service of the king of Assyria and other potentates, and according to what they tell me, they have a supply of gold coin, the produce of certain tributes they can name.

[41] You will send out a proclamation that this deposit must be delivered up to you in your quarters; you must terrify those who fail to execute the order, and then you must distribute the money; the mounted men should have two shares apiece for the foot-soldier's one;

and you should keep the surplus, so that in case of need you may have wherewith to make your purchases.

[42] With regard to the camp-market, proclamation must be made at once, forbidding any injustice; the hucksters must be allowed to sell the goods they have brought, and when these are disposed of they may bring more, so that the camp may be duly supplied."

[43] So the proclamations were issued forthwith.

But the Medes and the Hyrcanians asked Cyrus: "How are we to distribute the spoil alone, without your men and yourself?"

[44] But Cyrus met question by question: "Do you really think, gentlemen, that we must all preside over every detail, each and all of us together?

Can I never act for you, and you for me?

I could scarcely conceive a surer way of creating trouble, or of reducing results.

See," said he, "I will take a case in point.

[45] We Persians guarded this booty for you, and you believe that we guarded it well: now it is for you to distribute it, and we will trust you to be fair.

[46] And there is another benefit that I should be glad to obtain for us all.

You see what a number of horses we have got already, and more are being brought in.

If they are left riderless we shall get no profit out of them; we shall only have the burden of looking after them.

But if we set riders on them, we shall be quit of the trouble and add to our strength.

[47] Now if you have other men in view, men whom you would choose before us to share the brunt of danger with you, by all means give these horses to them.

But if you would rather have us fight at your side than any others, bestow them upon us.

[48] To-day when you dashed ahead to meet danger all alone, great was our fear lest you might come to harm, and bitter our shame to think that where you were we were not.

But if once we have horses, we can follow at your heels.

[49] And if it is clear that we do more good so mounted, shoulder to shoulder with yourselves, we shall not fail in zeal; or if it appears better to support you on foot, why, to dismount is but the work of a moment, and you will have your infantry marching by your side at once, and we will find men to hold our horses for us."

[50] To which they answered: "In truth, Cyrus, we have not men for these horses ourselves, and even if we had them, we should not do anything against your wish.

Take them, we beg you, and use them as you think best."

[51] "I will," said he, "and gladly, and may good fortune bless us all, you in your division of the spoil and us in our horsemanship.

In the first place," he added, "you will set apart for the gods whatever our priests prescribe, and after that you must select for Cyaxares what you think will please him most."

[52] At that they laughed, and said they must choose him a bevy of fair women.

"So let it be," said Cyrus, "fair women, and anything else you please.

And when you have chosen his share, the Hyrcanians must see to it that our friends among the Medes who followed us of their own free will shall have no cause to find fault with their own portion.

[53] And the Medes on their side must show honour to the first allies we have won, and make them feel their decision was wise when they chose us for their friends.

And be sure to give a share of everything to the messenger who came from Cyaxares and to his retinue; persuade him to stay on with us, say that I would like it, and that he could tell Cyaxares all the better how matters stood.

[54] As for my Persians," he added, "we shall be quite content with what is left over, after you are all provided for; we are not used to luxury, we were brought up in a very simple fashion, and I think you would laugh at us if you saw us tricked out in grand attire, just as I am sure you will when you see us seated on our horses, or, rather, rolling off them."

[55] So they dispersed to make the distribution, in great mirth over the thought of the riding; and then Cyrus called his own officers and bade them take the horses and their gear, and the grooms with them, number them all, and then distribute them by lot in equal shares for each division.

[56] Finally he sent out another proclamation, saying that if there was any slave among the Syrians, Assyrians, or Arabians who was a Mede, a Persian, a Bactrian, a Carian, a Cilician, or a Hellene, or a member of any other nation, and who had been forcibly enrolled, he was to come forward and declare himself.

[57] And when they heard the herald, many came forward gladly, and out of their number Cyrus selected the strongest and fairest, and told them they were now free, and would be required to bear arms, with which he would furnish them, and as to necessaries, he would see himself that they were not stinted.

[58] With that he brought them to the officers and had them enrolled forthwith, saying they were to be armed with shields and light swords, so as to follow the troopers, and were to receive supplies exactly as if they were his own Persians.

The Persian officers themselves, wearing corslets and carrying lances, were for the future to appear on horseback, he himself setting the example, and each one was to appoint another of the Peers to lead the infantry for him.