cyropaedia-第30章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


see　it　is　the　wish　of　all。〃

So　they　all　went　together　and　spoke　as　they　thought　best。　＇13＇　Now
Cyaxares　felt；　no　doubt；　a　certain　jealousy　that　the　Persians　should
be　the　first　to　broach　the　matter；　but　he　may　also　have　felt　that　it
was　really　wiser　to　run　no　further　risks　for　the　present；　he　had；
moreover；　abandoned　himself　to　feasting　and　merrymaking；　and　he　saw
that　most　of　his　Medes　were　in　like　case。　Whatever　the　reason；　this
was　the　answer　he　gave：

＇14＇　〃My　good　nephew；　I　have　always　heard　and　always　seen　that　you
Persians　of　all　men　think　it　your　duty　never　to　be　insatiate　in　the
pursuit　of　any　pleasure；　and　I　myself　believe　that　the　greater　the　joy
the　more　important　is　self…restraint。　Now　what　greater　joy　could　there
be　than　the　good　fortune　which　waits　on　us　to…day？　＇15＇　When　fortune
comes　to　us；　if　we　guard　her　with　discretion；　we　may　live　to　grow　old
in　peace；　but　if　we　are　insatiate；　if　we　use　and　abuse　our　pleasures；
chasing　first　one　and　then　another；　we　may　well　fear　lest　that　fate　be
ours　which；　the　proverb　tells　us；　falls　on　those　mariners　who　cannot
forgo　their　voyages　in　the　pursuit　of　wealth；　and　one　day　the　deep　sea
swallows　them。　Thus　has　many　a　warrior　achieved　one　victory　only　to
clutch　at　another　and　lose　the　first。　＇16＇　If　indeed；　our　enemies　who
have　fled　were　weaker　than　we；　it　might　be　safe　enough　to　pursue　them。
But　now；　bethink　you；　how　small　a　portion　of　them　we　have　fought　and
conquered；　the　mass　have　had　no　part　in　the　battle；　and　they；　if　we　do
not　force　them　to　fight；　will　take　themselves　off　through　sheer
cowardice　and　sloth。　As　yet　they　know　nothing　of　our　powers　or　their
own；　but　if　they　learn　that　to　fly　is　as　dangerous　as　to　hold　their
ground；　we　run　the　risk　of　driving　them　to　be　brave　in　spite　of
themselves。　＇17＇　You　may　be　sure　they　are　just　as　anxious　to　save
their　wives　and　children　as　you　can　be　to　capture　them。　Take　a　lesson
from　hunting：　the　wild　sow　when　she　is　sighted　will　scamper　away　with
her　young；　though　she　be　feeding　with　the　herd；　but　if　you　attack　her
little　ones　she　will　never　fly；　even　if　she　is　all　alone；　she　will
turn　on　the　hunters。　＇18＇　Yesterday　the　enemy　shut　themselves　up　in　a
fort；　and　then　handed　themselves　over　to　us　to　choose　how　many　we
cared　to　fight。　But　if　we　meet　them　in　open　country；　and　they　learn
how　to　divide　their　forces　and　take　us　in　front　and　flank　and　rear；　I
wonder　how　many　pairs　of　eyes　and　hands　each　man　of　us　would　need！
Finally；〃　he　added；　〃I　have　no　great　wish　myself　to　disturb　my　Medes
in　their　enjoyment；　and　drive　them　out　to　further　dangers。〃

＇19＇　Then　Cyrus　took　him　up：　〃Nay；　I　would　not　have　you　put　pressure
on　any　man；　only　let　those　who　are　willing　follow　me；　and　perhaps　we
shall　come　back　with　something　for　all　of　you　to　enjoy。　The　mass　of
the　enemy　we　should　not　think　of　pursuing；　indeed；　how　could　we
overtake　them？　But　if　we　cut　off　any　stragglers；　we　could　clap　hands
on　them　and　bring　them　back　to　you。　＇20＇　Remember；〃　he　added；　〃when
you　sent　for　us；　we　came　a　long　way　to　do　you　service；　is　it　not　fair
that　you　should　do　us　a　kindness　in　return；　and　let　us　have　something
to　take　back　with　us　for　ourselves；　and　not　stand　here　agape　at　all
your　treasures？〃

＇21＇　At　that　Cyaxares　answered；　〃Ah；　if　any　will　follow　you　of　their
own　free　will；　I　can　but　be　most　grateful。〃

〃Send　some　one　with　me　then；〃　said　Cyrus；　〃from　these　trusty　men　of
yours；　to　carry　your　commands。〃

〃Take　whomever　you　like；〃　he　answered；　〃and　begone。〃

＇22＇　Now；　as　it　chanced；　among　the　officers　present　was　the　Mede　who
had　claimed　kinship　with　Cyrus　long　ago　and　won　a　kiss　thereby。　Cyrus
pointed　to　him　and　said；　〃That　man　will　do　for　me。〃　〃He　shall　go　with
you　then；〃　Cyaxares　replied。　And　turning　to　the　officer；　〃Tell　your
fellows；〃　he　said；　〃that　he　who　lists　may　follow　Cyrus。〃　＇23＇　Thus
Cyrus　chose　his　man　and　went　forth。　And　when　they　were　outside　he
said；　〃To…day　you　can　show　me　if　you　spoke　truth　long　ago　when　you
told　me　that　the　sight　of　me　was　your　joy。〃

〃If　you　say　that；〃　said　the　Mede；　〃I　will　never　leave　you。〃

〃And　will　you　not　do　your　best；〃　added　Cyrus；　〃to　bring　me　others
too？〃　〃By　the　gods　in　heaven；〃　cried　the　Mede；　〃that　I　will；　until　you
say　in　your　turn　that　to　see　me　is　your　joy。〃　Thereupon；　with　the
authority　of　Cyaxares　to　support　him；　the　officer　went　to　the　Medes
and　delivered　with　message　with　all　diligence；　adding　that　he　for　one
would　never　forsake　Cyrus；　the　bravest；　noblest；　and　best　of　men；　and
a　hero　whose　lineage　was　divine。

＇C。2＇　While　Cyrus　was　busied　with　these　matters；　by　some　strange
chance　two　ambassadors　arrived　from　the　Hyrcanians。　These　people　are
neighbours　of　the　Assyrians；　and　being　few　in　number；　they　were　held
in　subjection。　But　they　seemed　then；　as　they　seem　now；　to　live　on
horseback。　Hence　the　Assyrians　used　them　as　the　Lacedaemonians　employ
the　Skirites；　for　every　toil　and　every　danger；　without　sparing　them。
In　fact；　at　that　very　moment　they　had　ordered　them　to　furnish　a　rear…
guard　of　a　thousand　men　and　more；　so　as　to　bear　the　brunt　of　any　rear
attack。　＇2＇　The　Hyrcanians；　as　they　were　to　be　the　hindmost；　had　put
their　waggons　and　families　in　the　rear；　for；　like　most　of　the　tribes
in　Asia；　they　take　their　entire　households　with　them　on　the　march。　＇3＇
But　when　they　thought　of　the　sorry　treatment　they　got　from　the
Assyrians　and　when　they　saw　the　king　fallen；　the　army　worsted　and　a
prey　to　panic；　the　allies　disheartened　and　ready　to　desert；　they
judged　it　a　fine　moment　to　revolt　themselves；　if　only　the　Medes　and
Persians　would　make　common　cause　with　them。　So　they　sent　an　embassy　to
Cyrus；　for　after　the　late　battle　there　was　no　name　like　his。　＇4＇　They
told　him　what　good　cause　they　had　to　hate　the　Assyrians；　and　how　if　he
was　willing　to　attack　them　now；　they　themselves　would　be　his　allies
and　show　him　the　way。　At　the　same　time　they　gave　a　full　account　of　the
enemy's　doings；　being　eager　to　get　Cyrus　on　the　road。　＇5＇　〃Do　you
think；〃　said　Cyrus；　〃we　should　overtake　the　Assyrians　before　they
reach　their　fortresses？　We　look　on　it　as　a　great　misfortune；〃　he
added；　〃that　they　ever　slipped　through　our　fingers　and　escaped。〃　（This
he　said；　wishing　to　give　his　hearers　as　high　an　opinion　as　possible　of
himself　and　his　friends。）　＇6＇　〃You　should　certainly　catch　them；〃　they
answered；　〃and　that　to…morrow；　ere　the　day　is　old；　if　you　gird　up　your
loins：　they　move　heavily　because　of　their　numbers　and　their　train　of
waggons；　and　to…day；　since　they　did　not　sleep　last　night；　they　have
only　gone　a　little　way　ahead；　and　are　now　encamped　for　the　evening。〃

＇7＇　〃Can　you　give　us　any　guarantee；〃　said　Cyrus；　〃that　what　you　say　is
true？〃

〃We　will　give　you　hostages；〃　they　said；　〃we　will　ride　off　at　once　and
bring　them　back　this　very　night。　Only　do　you　on　your　side　call　the
gods　to　witness　and　give　us　the　pledge　of　your　own　right　hand；　that　we
may　give　our　people　the　assurance　we　have　received　from　you
ourselves。〃

＇8＇　Thereupon　Cyrus　gave　them　his　pledge　that　if　they　would　make　good
what　they　promised　he　would　treat　them　as　his　true　friends　and
faithful　followers；　of　no　less　account　than　the　Persians　and　the
Medes。　And　to　this　day　one　may　see　Hyrcanians　treated　with　trust　and
holding　office　on　an　equal　footing　with　Persians　and　Medes　of　high
distinction。

＇9＇　Now　Cyrus　and　his　men　took　their　supper　and　then　while　it　was
still　daylight　he　led　his　army　out；　having　made　the　two　Hyrcanians
wait　so　that　they　might　go　with　them。　The　Persians；　of　course；　were
with　him　to　a　man；　and　Tigranes　was　there；　with　his　own　contingent；
and　the　Median　volunteers；　who　had　joined　for　various　reasons。　＇10＇
Some　had　been　friends　of　Cyrus　in　boyhood；　others　had　hunted　with　him
and　learnt　to　admire　his　character；　others　were　grateful；　feeling　he
had　lifted　a　load　of　fear　from　them；　others　were　flushed　with　hope；
nothing　doubting　that　great　things　were　reserved　for　the　man　who　had
proved　so　brave　and　so　fortunate　already。　Others　remembered　the　time
when　he　was　brought　up　in　Media；　and　were　glad　to　return　the
kindnesses　that　he　had　shown　them；　many　could　recall　the　favours　the
boy　had　won　for　them　from　his　grandfather　through　his　shee