cyropaedia-第2章

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brought　the　Hellenes　in　Asia　beneath　his　sway；　and　by　a　descent　on　the
seaboard　Cyprus　and　Egypt　also。

＇5＇　It　is　obvious　that　among　this　congeries　of　nations　few；　if　any；
could　have　spoken　the　same　language　as　himself；　or　understood　one
another；　but　none　the　less　Cyrus　was　able　so　to　penetrate　that　vast
extent　of　country　by　the　sheer　terror　of　his　personality　that　the
inhabitants　were　prostrate　before　him：　not　one　of　them　dared　lift　hand
against　him。　And　yet　he　was　able；　at　the　same　time；　to　inspire　them
all　with　so　deep　a　desire　to　please　him　and　win　his　favour　that　all
they　asked　was　to　be　guided　by　his　judgment　and　his　alone。　Thus　he
knit　to　himself　a　complex　of　nationalities　so　vast　that　it　would　have
taxed　a　man's　endurance　merely　to　traverse　his　empire　in　any　one
direction；　east　or　west　or　south　or　north；　from　the　palace　which　was
its　centre。　For　ourselves；　considering　his　title　to　our　admiration
proved；　we　set　ourselves　to　inquire　what　his　parentage　might　have　been
and　his　natural　parts；　and　how　he　was　trained　and　brought　up　to　attain
so　high　a　pitch　of　excellence　in　the　government　of　men。　And　all　we
could　learn　from　others　about　him　or　felt　we　might　infer　for　ourselves
we　will　here　endeavour　to　set　forth。

＇C。2＇　The　father　of　Cyrus；　so　runs　the　story；　was　Cambyses；　a　king　of
the　Persians；　and　one　of　the　Perseidae；　who　look　to　Perseus　as　the
founder　of　their　race。　His　mother；　it　is　agreed；　was　Mandane；　the
daughter　of　Astyages；　king　of　the　Medes。　Of　Cyrus　himself；　even　now　in
the　songs　and　stories　of　the　East　the　record　lives　that　nature　made
him　most　fair　to　look　upon；　and　set　in　his　heart　the　threefold　love　of
man；　of　knowledge；　and　of　honour。　He　would　endure　all　labours；　he
would　undergo　all　dangers；　for　the　sake　of　glory。　＇2＇　Blest　by　nature
with　such　gifts　of　soul　and　body；　his　memory　lives　to　this　day　in　the
mindful　heart　of　ages。　It　is　true　that　he　was　brought　up　according　to
the　laws　and　customs　of　the　Persians；　and　of　these　laws　it　must　be
noted　that　while　they　aim；　as　laws　elsewhere；　at　the　common　weal；
their　guiding　principle　is　far　other　than　that　which　most　nations
follow。　Most　states　permit　their　citizens　to　bring　up　their　own
children　at　their　own　discretion；　and　allow　the　grown　men　to　regulate
their　own　lives　at　their　own　will；　and　then　they　lay　down　certain
prohibitions；　for　example；　not　to　pick　and　steal；　not　to　break　into
another　man's　house；　not　to　strike　a　man　unjustly；　not　to　commit
adultery；　not　to　disobey　the　magistrate；　and　so　forth；　and　on　the
transgressor　they　impose　a　penalty。　＇3＇　But　the　Persian　laws　try；　as
it　were；　to　steal　a　march　on　time；　to　make　their　citizens　from　the
beginning　incapable　of　setting　their　hearts　on　any　wickedness　or
shameful　conduct　whatsoever。　And　this　is　how　they　set　about　their
object。

In　their　cities　they　have　an　open　place　or　square　dedicated　to　Freedom
（Free　Square　they　call　it）；　where　stand　the　palace　and　other　public
buildings。　From　this　place　all　goods　for　sale　are　rigidly　excluded；
and　all　hawkers　and　hucksters　with　their　yells　and　cries　and
vulgarities。　They　must　go　elsewhere；　so　that　their　clamour　may　not
mingle　with　and　mar　the　grace　and　orderliness　of　the　educated　classes。
＇4＇　This　square；　where　the　public　buildings　stand；　is　divided　into
four　quarters　which　are　assigned　as　follows：　one　for　the　boys；　another
for　the　youths；　a　third　for　the　grown　men；　and　the　last　for　those　who
are　past　the　age　of　military　service。　The　law　requires　all　the
citizens　to　present　themselves　at　certain　times　and　seasons　in　their
appointed　places。　The　lads　and　the　grown　men　must　be　there　at
daybreak；　the　elders　may；　as　a　rule；　choose　their　own　time；　except　on
certain　fixed　days；　when　they　too　are　expected　to　present　themselves
like　the　rest。　Moreover；　the　young　men　are　bound　to　sleep　at　night
round　the　public　buildings；　with　their　arms　at　their　side；　only　the
married　men　among　them　are　exempt；　and　need　not　be　on　duty　at　night
unless　notice　has　been　given；　though　even　in　their　case　frequent
absence　is　thought　unseemly。　＇5＇　Over　each　of　these　divisions　are
placed　twelve　governors；　twelve　being　the　number　of　the　Persian
tribes。　The　governors　of　the　boys　are　chosen　from　the　elders；　and
those　are　appointed　who　are　thought　best　fitted　to　make　the　best　of
their　lads：　the　governors　of　the　youths　are　selected　from　the　grown
men；　and　on　the　same　principle；　and　for　the　grown　men　themselves　and
their　own　governors；　the　choice　falls　on　those　who　will；　it　is　hoped；
make　them　most　prompt　to　carry　out　their　appointed　duties；　and　fulfil
the　commands　imposed　by　the　supreme　authority。　Finally；　the　elders
themselves　have　presidents　of　their　own；　chosen　to　see　that　they　too
perform　their　duty　to　the　full。

＇6＇　We　will　now　describe　the　services　demanded　from　the　different
classes；　and　thus　it　will　appear　how　the　Persians　endeavour　to　improve
their　citizens。　The　boys　go　to　school　and　give　their　time　to　learning
justice　and　righteousness：　they　will　tell　you　they　come　for　that
purpose；　and　the　phrase　is　as　natural　with　them　as　it　is　for　us　to
speak　of　lads　learning　their　letters。　The　masters　spend　the　chief　part
of　the　day　in　deciding　cases　for　their　pupils：　for　in　this　boy…world；
as　in　the　grown…up　world　without；　occasions　of　indictment　are　never
far　to　seek。　There　will　be　charges；　we　know；　of　picking　and　stealing；
of　violence；　of　fraud；　of　calumny；　and　so　forth。　The　case　is　heard　and
the　offender；　if　shown　to　be　guilty；　is　punished。　＇7＇　Nor　does　he
escape　who　is　found　to　have　accused　one　of　his　fellows　unfairly。　And
there　is　one　charge　the　judges　do　not　hesitate　to　deal　with；　a　charge
which　is　the　source　of　much　hatred　among　grown　men；　but　which　they
seldom　press　in　the　courts；　the　charge　of　ingratitude。　The　culprit
convicted　of　refusing　to　repay　a　debt　of　kindness　when　it　was　fully　in
his　power　meets　with　severe　chastisement。　They　reason　that　the
ungrateful　man　is　the　most　likely　to　forget　his　duty　to　the　gods；　to
his　parents；　to　his　fatherland；　and　his　friends。　Shamelessness；　they
hold；　treads　close　on　the　heels　of　ingratitude；　and　thus　ingratitude
is　the　ringleader　and　chief　instigator　to　every　kind　of　baseness。　＇8＇
Further；　the　boys　are　instructed　in　temperance　and　self…restraint；　and
they　find　the　utmost　help　towards　the　attainment　of　this　virtue　in　the
self…respecting　behaviour　of　their　elders；　shown　them　day　by　day。　Then
they　are　taught　to　obey　their　rulers；　and　here　again　nothing　is　of
greater　value　than　the　studied　obedience　to　authority　manifested　by
their　elders　everywhere。　Continence　in　meat　and　drink　is　another
branch　of　instruction；　and　they　have　no　better　aid　in　this　than；
first；　the　example　of　their　elders；　who　never　withdraw　to　satisfy
their　carnal　cravings　until　those　in　authority　dismiss　them；　and　next；
the　rule　that　the　boys　must　take　their　food；　not　with　their　mother　but
with　their　master；　and　not　till　the　governor　gives　the　sign。　They
bring　from　home　the　staple　of　their　meal；　dry　bread　with　nasturtium
for　a　relish；　and　to　slake　their　thirst　they　bring　a　drinking…cup；　to
dip　in　the　running　stream。　In　addition；　they　are　taught　to　shoot　with
the　bow　and　to　fling　the　javelin。

The　lads　follow　their　studies　till　the　age　of　sixteen　or　seventeen；
and　then　they　take　their　places　as　young　men。

＇9＇　After　that　they　spend　their　time　as　follows。　For　ten　years　they
are　bound　to　sleep　at　night　round　the　public　buildings；　as　we　said
before；　and　this　for　two　reasons；　to　guard　the　community　and　to
practise　self…restraint；　because　that　season　of　life；　the　Persians
conceive；　stands　most　in　need　of　care。　During　the　day　they　present
themselves　before　the　governors　for　service　to　the　state；　and；
whenever　necessary；　they　remain　in　a　body　round　the　public　buildings。
Moreover；　when　the　king　goes　out　to　hunt；　which　he　will　do　several
times　a　month；　he　takes　half　the　company　with　him；　and　each　man　must
carry　bow　and　arrows；　a　sheathed　dagger；　or　〃sagaris；〃　slung　beside
the　quiver；　a　light　shield；　and　two　javelins；　one　to　hurl　and　the
other　to　use；　if　need　be；　at　close　quarters。　＇10＇　The　reason　of　this
public　sanction　for　the　chase　is　not　far　to　seek；　the　king　leads　just
as　he　does　in　wa