cyropaedia-第25章

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try　as　we　may；　we　shall　never　be　able　to　requite　in　full　so　great　a
benefactor。〃

＇17＇　Such　thanks　the　Armenian　gave。

Then　the　Chaldaeans　came　back；　begging　Cyrus　to　make　peace　with　them。
And　Cyrus　asked　them：　〃Am　I　right　in　thinking　that　you　desire　peace
to…day　because　you　believe　it　will　be　safer　for　you　than　war；　now　that
we　hold　these　heights？〃

And　the　Chaldaeans　said　that　so　it　was。　＇18＇　〃Well　and　good；〃　said　he。
〃And　what　if　other　benefits　were　gained　by　peace？〃　〃We　should　be　all
the　better　pleased；〃　said　they。　〃Is　there　any　other　reason；〃　he　asked；
〃for　your　present　poverty；　except　your　lack　of　fertile　soil？〃　They
said　that　there　was　none。　〃Well　then；〃　Cyrus　went　on；　〃would　you　be
willing　to　pay　the　same　dues　as　the　Armenians；　if　you　were　allowed　to
cultivate　as　much　of　their　land　as　you　desired？〃　And　the　Chaldaeans
said　they　would；　if　only　they　could　rely　on　being　fairly　treated。　＇19＇
〃Now；〃　said　Cyrus；　turning　to　the　Armenian　king；　〃would　you　like　that
land　of　yours　which　is　now　lying　idle　to　be　tilled　and　made
productive；　supposing　the　workers　paid　you　the　customary　dues？〃　〃I
would；　indeed；〃　said　the　king；　〃so　much　so　that　I　am　ready　to　pay　a
large　sum　for　it。　It　would　mean　a　great　increase　to　my　revenue。〃　＇20＇
〃And　you；　Chaldaeans；〃　said　Cyrus；　〃with　your　splendid　mountains；
would　you　let　the　Armenians　use　them　for　pasture　if　the　graziers　paid
you　what　was　fair？〃　〃Surely　yes；〃　said　the　Chaldaeans；　〃it　would　mean
much　profit　and　no　pains。〃

〃Son　of　Armenia；〃　said　Cyrus；　〃would　you　take　this　land　for　grazing；
if　by　paying　a　small　sum　to　the　Chaldaeans　you　got　a　far　greater
return　yourself？〃

〃Right　willingly；〃　said　he；　〃if　I　thought　my　flocks　could　feed　in
safety。〃

〃And　would　they　not　be　safe　enough；〃　suggested　Cyrus；　〃if　this　pass
were　held　for　you？〃　To　which　the　king　agreed。　＇21＇　But　the　Chaldaeans
cried；　〃Heaven　help　us！　We　could　not　till　our　own　fields　in　safety；
not　to　speak　of　theirs；　if　the　Armenians　held　the　pass。〃　〃True；〃
answered　Cyrus；　〃but　how　would　it　be　if　the　pass　were　held　for　you？〃
〃Ah；　then；〃　said　they；　〃all　would　be　well　enough。〃　〃Heaven　help　us！〃
cried　the　Armenian　in　his　turn；　〃all　might　be　well　enough　for　them；
but　it　would　be　ill　for　us　if　these　neighbours　of　ours　recovered　the
post；　especially　now　that　it　is　fortified。〃　＇22＇　Then　Cyrus　said；
〃See；　then；　this　is　what　I　will　do：　I　will　hand　over　the　pass　to
neither　of　you：　we　Persians　will　guard　it　ourselves；　and　if　either　of
you　injure　the　other；　we　will　step　in　and　side　with　the　sufferers。〃

＇23＇　Then　both　parties　applauded　the　decision；　and　said　that　only　thus
could　they　establish　a　lasting　peace；　and　on　these　terms　they
exchanged　pledges；　and　a　covenant　was　made　that　both　nations　alike
were　to　be　free　and　independent；　but　with　common　rights　of　marriage；
and　tillage；　and　pasturage；　and　help　in　time　of　war　if　either　were
attacked。　＇24＇　Thus　the　matter　was　concluded；　and　to　this　day　the
treaty　holds　between　the　Chaldaeans　and　Armenia。

Peace　was　no　sooner　made　than　both　parties　began　building　what　they
now　considered　their　common　fortress；　working　side　by　side　and
bringing　up　all　that　was　needed。　＇25＇　And　when　evening　fell；　Cyrus
summoned　them　all　as　fellow…guests　to　his　board；　saying　that　they　were
friends　already。　At　the　supper　as　they　sat　together；　one　of　the
Chaldaeans　said　to　Cyrus　that　the　mass　of　his　nation　would　feel　they
had　received　all　they　could　desire；　〃But　there　are　men　among　us；〃　he
added；　〃who　live　as　freebooters：　they　do　not　know　how　to　labour　in　the
field；　and　they　could　not　learn；　accustomed　as　they　are　from　youth　up
to　get　their　livelihood　either　by　plundering　for　themselves　or　serving
as　mercenaries；　often　under　the　king　of　India；　for　he　is　a　man　of　much
wealth；　but　sometimes　under　Astyages。〃　＇26＇　Then　Cyrus　said：　〃Why
should　they　not　take　service　with　me？　I　undertake　to　give　them　at
least　as　much　as　they　ever　got　elsewhere。〃　The　Chaldaeans　readily
agreed　with　him　and　prophesied　that　he　would　have　many　volunteers。

＇27＇　So　this　matter　was　settled　to　the　mind　of　all。　But　Cyrus；　on
hearing　that　the　Chaldaeans　were　in　the　habit　of　going　to　India；
remembered　how　Indian　ambassadors　had　come　to　the　Medes　to　spy　out
their　affairs；　and　how　they　had　gone　on　to　their　enemiesdoubtless　to
do　the　same　thereand　he　felt　a　wish　that　they　should　hear　something
of　what　he　had　achieved　himself。　＇28＇　So　he　said　to　the　company：　〃Son
of　Armenia；　and　men　of　the　Chaldaeans；　I　have　something　to　ask　you。
Tell　me；　if　I　were　to　send　ambassadors　to　India；　would　you　send　some
of　your　own　folk　with　them　to　show　them　the　way；　and　support　them　in
gaining　for　us　all　that　I　desire？　I　still　need　more　money　if　I　am　to
pay　all　the　wages；　as　I　wish；　in　full；　and　give　rewards　and　make
presents　to　such　of　my　soldiers　as　deserve　them。　It　is　for　such　things
I　need　all　the　money　I　can　get；　for　I　believe　them　to　be　essential。　It
would　be　pleasanter　for　me　not　to　draw　on　you；　because　I　look　on　you
already　as　my　friends；　but　I　should　be　glad　to　take　from　the　Indian　as
much　as　he　will　give　me。　My　messengerthe　one　for　whom　I　ask　guides
and　coadjutorswill　go　to　the　king　and　say：　'Son　of　India；　my　master
has　sent　me　to　you；　bidding　me　say　that　he　has　need　of　more　money。　He
is　expecting　another　army　from　Persia；'　and　indeed　I　do　expect　one；〃
Cyrus　added。　〃Then　my　messenger　will　proceed；　'If　you　can　send　my
master　all　that　you　have　at　hand　he　will　do　his　best；　if　God　grant　him
success；　that　you　should　feel　your　kindness　has　not　been　ill…advised。'
＇30＇　That　is　what　my　emissary　will　say：　and　you　must　give　such
instructions　to　yours　as　you　think　fit　yourselves。　If　I　get　money　from
the　king；　I　shall　have　abundance　at　my　disposal：　if　I　fail；　at　least
we　shall　owe　him　no　gratitude；　and　as　far　as　he　is　concerned　we　may
look　to　our　own　interests　alone。〃

＇31＇　So　Cyrus　spoke；　convinced　that　the　ambassadors　from　Armenia　and
Chaldaea　would　speak　of　him　as　he　desired　all　men　might　do。　And　then；
as　the　hour　was　come；　they　broke　up　the　meeting　and　took　their　rest。

＇C。3＇　But　on　the　next　day　Cyrus　despatched　his　messenger　with　the
instructions；　and　the　Armenians　and　Chaldaeans　sent　their　own
ambassadors；　choosing　the　men　they　thought　would　help　Cyrus　most　and
speak　of　his　exploits　in　the　most　fitting　terms。　Cyrus　put　a　strong
garrison　in　the　fort　and　stored　it　with　supplies；　and　left　an　officer
in　command；　a　Mede；　whose　appointment；　he　thought；　would　gratify
Cyaxares；　and　then　he　turned　homewards；　taking　with　him　not　only　the
troops　he　had　brought；　but　the　force　the　Armenians　had　furnished；　and
a　picked　body　of　Chaldaeans　who　considered　themselves　stronger　than
all　the　rest　together。　＇2＇　And　as　he　come　down　from　the　hills　into　the
cultivated　land；　not　one　of　the　Armenians；　man　or　woman；　stayed
indoors：　with　one　accord　they　all　went　out　to　meet　him；　rejoicing　that
peace　was　made；　and　bringing　him　offerings　from　their　best；　driving
before　them　the　animals　they　valued　most。　The　king　himself　was　not
ill…pleased　at　this；　for　he　thought　that　Cyrus　would　take　delight　in
the　honour　the　people　showed　him。　Last　of　all　came　the　queen　herself；
with　her　daughters　and　her　younger　son；　bearing　many　gifts；　and　among
them　the　golden　treasure　that　Cyrus　had　refused　before。　＇3＇　But　when
he　saw　it　he　said：　〃Nay；　you　must　not　make　me　a　mercenary　and　a
benefactor　for　pay；　take　this　treasure　back　and　hie　you　home；　but　do
not　give　it　to　your　lord　that　he　may　bury　it　again；　spend　it　on　your
son；　and　send　him　forth　gloriously　equipped　for　war；　and　with　the
residue　buy　yourself　and　for　your　husband　and　your　children　such
precious　things　as　shall　endure；　and　bring　joy　and　beauty　into　all
your　days。　As　for　burying；　let　us　only　bury　our　bodies　on　the　day　when
each　must　die。〃

＇4＇　With　that　he　rode　away；　the　king　and　all　his　people　escorting　him；
like　a　guard　of　honour；　calling　him　their　saviour；　their　benefactor；
and　their　hero；　and　heaping　praises　on　him　until　he　had　left　the　land。
And　the　king　sent　with　him　a　larger　army　than　ever　he　had　sent　before；
seeing　that　now　he　had　peace　at　home。　＇5＇　Thus　Cyrus　took　his
departure；　having　gained　not　only　the　actual　money　he　took　away　with
him；　but　a