cyropaedia-第32章

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the　mass　of　those　who　fell　were　Assyrians　and　Arabians；　for；　being　in
their　own　country；　they　had　taken　no　precautions　on　the　march。　＇32＇
The　victorious　Medes　and　the　Hyrcanians　had　their　hands　full　with　the
chase；　and　meanwhile　Cyrus　made　the　cavalry　who　were　left　with　him
ride　all　round　the　camp　and　cut　down　any　man　who　left　it　with　weapons
in　his　hands。　Then　he　sent　a　herald　to　those　who　remained；　bidding　the
horsemen　and　targeteers　and　archers　come　out　on　foot；　with　their
weapons　tied　in　bundles；　and　deliver　them　up　to　him；　leaving　their
horses　in　their　stalls：　he　who　disobeyed　should　lose　his　head；　and　a
cordon　of　Persian　troops　stood　round　with　their　swords　drawn。　＇33＇　At
that　the　weapons　were　brought　at　once；　and　flung　down；　and　Cyrus　had
the　whole　pile　burnt。

＇34＇　Meanwhile　he　did　not　forget　that　his　own　troops　had　come　without
food　or　drink；　that　nothing　could　be　done　without　provisions；　and　that
to　obtain　these　in　the　quickest　way；　it　was　necessary　on　every
campaign　to　have　some　one　to　see　that　quarters　were　prepared　and
supplies　ready　for　the　men　on　their　return。　＇35＇　It　occurred　to　him　it
was　more　than　likely　that　such　officers；　of　all　others；　would　be　left
behind　in　the　Assyrian　camp；　because　they　would　have　been　delayed　by
the　packing。

Accordingly；　he　sent　out　a　proclamation　that　all　the　stewards　should
present　themselves　before　him；　and　if　there　was　no　such　officer　left；
the　oldest　man　in　every　tent　must　take　his　place；　any　one　failing　to
obey　would　suffer　the　severest　penalties。　The　stewards；　following　the
example　of　their　masters；　obeyed　at　once。　And　when　they　came　before
him　he　ordered　those　who　had　more　than　two　months'　rations　in　their
quarters　to　sit　down　on　the　ground；　and　then　those　who　had　provisions
for　one　month。　＇36＇　Thereupon　very　few　were　left　standing。　＇37＇　Having
thus　got　the　information　he　needed；　he　spoke　to　them　as　follows：

〃Gentlemen；　if　any　of　you　dislike　hard　blows　and　desire　gentle
treatment　at　our　hands；　make　it　your　business　to　provide　twice　as　much
meat　and　drink　in　every　tent　as　you　have　been　wont　to　do；　with　all
things　that　are　needed　for　a　fine　repast。　The　victors；　whoever　they
are；　will　be　here　anon；　and　will　expect　an　overflowing　board。　You　may

rest　assured　it　will　not　be　against　your　interests　to　give　them　a
welcome　they　can　approve。〃

＇38＇　At　that　the　stewards　went　off　at　once　and　set　to　work　with　all
zeal　to　carry　out　their　instructions。　Then　Cyrus　summoned　his　own
officers　and　said　to　them：

〃My　friends；　it　is　clear　that　we　have　it　in　our　power；　now　that　our
allies'　backs　are　turned；　to　help　ourselves　to　breakfast；　and　take　our
choice　of　the　most　delicate　dishes　and　the　rarest　wines。　But　I
scarcely　think　this　would　do　us　so　much　good　as　to　show　that　we　study
the　interest　of　our　friends：　the　best　of　cheer　will　not　give　us　half
the　strength　we　could　draw　from　the　zeal　of　loyal　allies　whose
gratitude　we　had　won。　＇39＇　If　we　forget　those　who　are　toiling　for　us
now；　pursuing　our　foes；　slaying　them；　and　fighting　wherever　they
resist；　if　they　see　that　we　sit　down　to　enjoy　ourselves　and　devour　our
meal　before　we　know　how　it　goes　with　them；　I　fear　we　shall　cut　a　sorry
figure　in　their　eyes；　and　our　strength　will　turn　to　weakness　through
lack　of　friends。　The　true　banquet　for　us　is　to　study　the　wants　of
those　who　have　run　the　risk　and　done　the　work；　to　see　that　they　have
all　they　need　when　they　come　home；　a　banquet　that　will　give　us　richer
delight　than　any　gorging　of　the　belly。　＇40＇　And　remember；　that　even　if
the　thought　of　them　were　not　enough　to　shame　us　from　it；　in　no　case　is
this　a　moment　for　gluttony　and　drunkenness：　the　thing　we　set　our　minds
to　do　is　not　yet　done：　everything　is　full　of　danger　still；　and　calls
for　carefulness。　We　have　enemies　in　this　camp　ten　times　more　numerous
than　ourselves；　and　they　are　all　at　large：　we　need　both　to　guard
against　them　and　to　guard　them；　so　that　we　may　have　servants　to
furnish　us　with　supplies。　Our　cavalry　are　not　yet　back；　and　we　must
ask　ourselves　where　they　are　and　whether　they　mean　to　stay　with　us
when　they　return。　＇41＇　Therefore；　gentlemen；　I　would　say；　for　the
present　let　us　above　all　be　careful　to　avoid　the　food　and　drink　that
leads　to　slumber　and　stupefaction。　＇42＇　And　there　is　another　matter：
this　camp　contains　vast　treasures；　and　I　am　well　aware　we　have　it　in
our　power　to　pick　and　choose　as　much　as　we　like　for　ourselves　out　of
what　belongs　by　right　to　all　who　helped　in　its　capture。　But　it　does
not　seem　to　me　that　grasping　will　be　so　lucrative　as　proving　ourselves
just　toward　our　allies；　and　so　binding　them　closer。　＇43＇　I　go　further：
I　say　that　we　should　leave　the　distribution　of　the　spoil　to　the　Medes；
the　Hyrcanians；　and　Tigranes；　and　count　it　gain　if　they　allot　us　the
smaller　share；　for　then　they　will　be　all　the　more　willing　to　stay　with
us。　＇44＇　Selfishness　now　could　only　secure　us　riches　for　the　moment；
while　to　let　these　vanities　go　in　order　to　obtain　the　very　fount　of
wealth；　that；　I　take　it；　will　ensure　for　us　and　all　whom　we　call　ours
a　far　more　enduring　gain。　＇45＇　Was　it　not；〃　he　continued；　〃for　this
very　reason　that　we　trained　ourselves　at　home　to　master　the　belly　and
its　appetites；　so　that；　if　ever　the　need　arose；　we　might　turn　our
education　to　account？　And　where；　I　ask；　shall　we　find　a　nobler
opportunity　than　this；　to　show　what　we　have　learnt？〃

＇46＇　Such　were　his　words　and　Hystaspas　the　Persian　rose　to　support
him；　saying：

〃Truly；　Cyrus；　it　would　be　a　monstrous　thing　if　we　could　go　fasting
when　we　hunt；　and　keep　from　food　so　often　and　so　long　merely　to　lay
some　poor　beast　low；　worth　next　to　nothing；　maybe；　and　yet；　when　a
world　of　wealth　is　our　quarry；　let　ourselves　be　baulked　by　one　of
those　temptations　which　flee　before　the　noble　and　rule　the　bad。　Such
conduct；　methinks；　would　be　little　worthy　of　our　race。〃

＇47＇　So　Hystaspas　spoke；　and　the　rest　approved　him；　one　and　all。　Then
Cyrus　said：

〃Come　now；　since　we　are　all　of　one　mind；　each　of　you　give　me　five　of
the　trustiest　fellows　in　his　company；　and　let　them　go　the　rounds；　and
see　how　the　supplies　are　furnished；　let　them　praise　the　active
servants；　and　where　they　see　neglect；　chastise　them　more　severely　than
their　own　masters　could。〃

Thus　they　dealt　with　these　matters。

＇C。3＇　But　it　was　not　long　before　some　of　the　Medes　returned：　one　set
had　overtaken　the　waggons　that　had　gone　ahead；　seized　them　and　turned
them　back；　and　were　now　driving　them　to　the　camp；　laden　with　all　that
an　army　could　require；　and　others　had　captured　the　covered　carriages
in　which　the　women　rode；　the　wives　of　the　Assyrian　grandees　or　their
concubines；　whom　they　had　taken　with　them　because　of　their　beauty。　＇2＇
Indeed；　to　this　day　the　tribes　of　Asia　never　go　on　a　campaign　without
their　most　precious　property：　they　say　they　can　fight　better　in　the
presence　of　their　beloved；　feeling　they　must　defend　their　treasures；
heart　and　soul。　It　may　be　so；　but　it　may　also　be　that　the　desire　for
pleasure　is　the　cause。

＇3＇　And　when　Cyrus　saw　the　feats　of　arms　that　the　Medes　and　the
Hyrcanians　had　performed；　he　came　near　reproaching　himself　and　those
that　were　with　him；　the　others；　he　felt；　had　risen　with　the　time；　had
shown　their　strength　and　won　their　prizes；　while　he　and　his　had　stayed
behind　like　sluggards。　Indeed　it　was　a　sight　to　watch　the　victors
riding　home；　driving　their　spoil　before　them；　pointing　it　out　with
some　display　to　Cyrus；　and　then　dashing　off　again　at　once　in　search　of
more；　according　to　the　instructions　they　had　received。

But　though　he　ate　out　his　heart　with　envy　Cyrus　was　careful　to　set　all
their　booty　apart；　and　then　he　summoned　his　own　officers　again；　and
standing　where　they　could　all　hear　what　he　had　to　propose；　he　spoke　as
follows：

＇4＇　〃My　friends；　you　would　all　agree；　I　take　it；　that　if　the　spoils
displayed　to　us　now　were　our　own　to　keep；　wealth　would　be　showered　on
every　Persian　in　the　land；　and　we　ourselves；　no　doubt；　through　whom　it
was　won；　would　receive　the　most。　But　what　I　do　not　see　is　how　we　are
to　get　possession　of　such　prizes　unless　we　have　cavalry　of　our　own。
＇5＇　Consider　the　facts；〃　he　continued；　〃we　Persians　have　weapons　with
which；　we　hope；　w