cyropaedia-第3章

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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　war；　hunting　in　person　at　the　head　of　the　field；　and
making　his　men　follow；　because　it　is　felt　that　the　exercise　itself　is
the　best　possible　training　for　the　needs　of　war。　It　accustoms　a　man　to
early　rising；　it　hardens　him　to　endure　head　and　cold；　it　teaches　him
to　march　and　to　run　at　the　top　of　his　speed；　he　must　perforce　learn　to
let　fly　arrow　and　javelin　the　moment　the　quarry　is　across　his　path；
and；　above　all；　the　edge　of　his　spirit　must　needs　be　sharpened　by
encountering　any　of　the　mightier　beasts：　he　must　deal　his　stroke　when
the　creature　closes；　and　stand　on　guard　when　it　makes　its　rush：
indeed；　it　would　be　hard　to　find　a　case　in　war　that　has　not　its
parallel　in　the　chase。　＇11＇　But　to　proceed：　the　young　men　set　out　with
provisions　that　are　ampler；　naturally；　than　the　boys'　fare；　but
otherwise　the　same。　During　the　chase　itself　they　would　not　think　of
breaking　their　fast；　but　if　a　halt　is　called；　to　beat　up　the　game；　or
for　any　hunter's　reason；　then　they　will　make；　as　it　were；　a　dinner　of
their　breakfast；　and；　hunting　again　on　the　morrow　till　dinner…time；
they　will　count　the　two　days　as　one；　because　they　have　only　eaten　one
day's　food。　This　they　do　in　order　that；　if　the　like　necessity　should
arise　in　war；　they　may　be　found　equal　to　it。　As　relish　to　their　bread
these　young　men　have　whatever　they　may　kill　in　the　chase；　or　failing
that；　nasturtium　like　the　boys。　And　if　one　should　ask　how　they　can
enjoy　the　meal　with　nasturtium　for　their　only　condiment　and　water　for
their　only　drink；　let　him　bethink　himself　how　sweet　barley　bread　and
wheaten　can　taste　to　the　hungry　man　and　water　to　the　thirsty。　＇12＇　As
for　the　young　men　who　are　left　at　home；　they　spend　their　time　in
shooting　and　hurling　the　javelin；　and　practising　all　they　learnt　as
boys；　in　one　long　trial　of　skill。　Beside　this；　public　games　are　open
to　them　and　prizes　are　offered；　and　the　tribe　which　can　claim　the
greatest　number　of　lads　distinguished　for　skill　and　courage　and
faithfulness　is　given　the　meed　of　praise　from　all　the　citizens；　who
honour；　not　only　their　present　governor；　but　the　teacher　who　trained
them　when　they　were　boys。　Moreover；　these　young　men　are　also　employed
by　the　magistrates　if　garrison　work　needs　to　be　done　or　if　malefactors
are　to　be　tracked　or　robbers　run　down；　or　indeed　on　any　errand　which
calls　for　strength　of　limb　and　fleetness　of　foot。　Such　is　the　life　of
the　youth。　But　when　the　ten　years　are　accomplished　they　are　classed　as
grown　men。　＇13＇　And　from　this　time　forth　for　five…and…twenty　years
they　live　as　follows。

First　they　present　themselves；　as　in　youth；　before　the　magistrates　for
service　to　the　state　wherever　there　is　need　for　strength　and　sound
sense　combined。　If　an　expedition　be　on　foot　the　men　of　this　grade
march　out；　not　armed　with　the　bow　or　the　light　shield　any　longer；　but
equipped　with　what　are　called　the　close…combat　arms；　a　breastplate　up
to　the　throat；　a　buckler　on　the　left　arm　（just　as　the　Persian　warrior
appears　in　pictures）；　and　for　the　right　hand　a　dagger　or　a　sword。
Lastly；　it　is　from　this　grade　that　all　the　magistrates　are　appointed
except　the　teachers　for　the　boys。　But　when　the　five…and…twenty　years
are　over　and　the　men　have　reached　the　age　of　fifty　years　or　more；　then
they　take　rank　as　elders；　and　the　title　is　deserved。　＇14＇　These　elders
no　longer　go　on　military　service　beyond　the　frontier；　they　stay　at
home　and　decide　all　cases；　public　and　private　both。　Even　capital
charges　are　left　to　their　decision；　and　it　is　they　who　choose　all　the
magistrates。　If　a　youth　or　a　grown　man　breaks　the　law　he　is　brought
into　court　by　the　governors　of　his　tribe；　who　act　as　suitors　in　the
case；　aided　by　any　other　citizen　who　pleases。　The　cause　is　heard
before　the　elders　and　they　pronounce　judgment；　and　the　man　who　is
condemned　is　disenfranchised　for　the　rest　of　his　days。

＇15＇　And　now；　to　complete　the　picture　of　the　whole　Persian　policy；　I
will　go　back　a　little。　With　the　help　of　what　has　been　said　before；　the
account　may　now　be　brief；　the　Persians　are　said　to　number　something
like　one　hundred　and　twenty　thousand　men：　and　of　these　no　one　is　by
law　debarred　from　honour　or　office。　On　the　contrary；　every　Persian　is
entitled　to　send　his　children　to　the　public　schools　of　righteousness
and　justice。　As　a　fact；　all　who　can　afford　to　bring　up　their　children
without　working　do　send　them　there：　those　who　cannot　must　forego　the
privilege。　A　lad　who　has　passed　through　a　public　school　has　a　right　to
go　and　take　his　place　among　the　youths；　but　those　who　have　not　gone
through　the　first　course　may　not　join　them。　In　the　same　way　the　youths
who　have　fulfilled　the　duties　of　their　class　are　entitled　eventually
to　rank　with　the　men；　and　to　share　in　office　and　honour：　but　they　must
first　spend　their　full　time　among　the　youths；　if　not；　they　go　no
further。　Finally；　those　who　as　grown　men　have　lived　without　reproach
may　take　their　station　at　last　among　the　elders。　Thus　these　elders
form　a　college；　every　member　of　which　has　passed　through　the　full
circle　of　noble　learning；　and　this　is　that　Persian　polity　and　that
Persian　training　which；　in　their　belief；　can　win　them　the　flower　of
excellence。　＇16＇　And　even　to　this　day　signs　are　left　bearing　witness
to　that　ancient　temperance　of　theirs　and　the　ancient　discipline　that
preserved　it。　To　this　day　it　is　still　considered　shameful　for　a
Persian　to　spit　in　public；　or　wipe　the　nose；　or　show　signs　of　wind；　or
be　seen　going　apart　for　his　natural　needs。　And　they　could　not　keep　to
this　standard　unless　they　were　accustomed　to　a　temperate　diet；　and
were　trained　to　exercise　and　toil；　so　that　the　humours　of　the　body
were　drawn　off　in　other　ways。　Hitherto　we　have　spoken　of　the　Persians
as　a　whole：　we　will　now　go　back　to　our　starting…point　and　recount　the
deeds　of　Cyrus　from　his　childhood。

＇C。3＇　Until　he　was　twelve　years　old　or　more；　Cyrus　was　brought　up　in
the　manner　we　have　described；　and　showed　himself　to　be　above　all　his
fellows　in　his　aptitude　for　learning　and　in　the　noble　and　manly
performance　of　every　duty。　But　about　this　time；　Astyages　sent　for　his
daughter　and　her　son；　desiring　greatly　to　see　him　because　he　had　heard
how　noble　and　fair　he　was。　So　it　fell　out　that　Mandane　came　to
Astyages；　bringing　her　son　Cyrus　with　her。　＇2＇　And　as　soon　as　they
met；　the　boy；　when　he　heard　that　Astyages　was　his　mother's　father；
fell　on　his　neck　and　kissed　him　without　more　ado；　like　the　loving　lad
nature　had　made　him；　as　though　he　had　been　brought　up　at　his
grandfather's　side　from　the　first　and　the　two　of　them　had　been
playmates　of　old。　Then　he　looked　closer　and　saw　that　the　king's　eyes
were　stencilled　and　his　cheeks　painted；　and　that　he　wore　false　curls
after　the　fashion　of　the　Medes　in　those　days　（for　these　adornments；
and　the　purple　robes；　the　tunics；　the　necklaces；　and　the　bracelets；
they　are　all　Median　first　and　last；　not　Persian；　the　Persian；　as　you
find　him　at　home　even　now…a…days；　still　keeps　to　his　plainer　dress　and
his　plainer　style　of　living。）　The　boy；　seeing　his　grandfather's
splendour；　kept　his　eyes　fixed　on　him；　and　cried；　〃Oh；　mother；　how
beautiful　my　grandfather　is！〃　Then　his　mother　asked　him　which　he
thought　the　handsomer；　his　father　or　his　grandfather；　and　he　answered
at　once；　〃My　father　is　the　handsomest　of　all　the　Persians；　but　my
grandfather　much　the　handsomest　of　all　the　Medes　I　ever　set　eyes　on；
at　home　or　abroad。〃　＇3＇　At　that　Astyages　drew　the　child　to　his　heart；
and　gave　him　a　beautiful　robe　and　bracelets　and　necklaces　in　sign　of
honour；　and　when　he　rode　out；　the　boy　must　ride　beside　him　on　a　horse
with　a　golden　bridle；　just　like　King　Astyages　himself。　And　Cyrus；　who
had　a　soul　as　sensitive　to　beauty　as　to　honour；　was　pleased　with　the
splendid　robe；　and　overjoyed　at　learning　to　ride；　for　a　horse　is　a
rare　sight　in　Persia；　a　mountainous　country；　and　one　little　suited　to
the　breed。

＇4＇　Now　Cyrus　and　his　mother　sat　at　meat　with　the　king；　and　Astyages；
wishing　the　lad　to　enjoy　the　feast　and　not　regret　his　home；　plied　him
with　dainties　of　every　sort。　At　that；　so　sa