cyropaedia-第34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！


points；　first；　we　need　neither　be　on　our　guard　against　them　nor　mount
guard　over　them　nor　find　them　victuals　（and　we　do　not　propose　to
starve　them；　I　presume）；　and　in　the　next　place；　their　release　means
more　prisoners　to…morrow。　＇8＇　For　if　we　dominate　the　country　all　the
inhabitants　are　ours；　and　if　they　see　that　these　men　are　still　alive
and　at　large　they　will　be　more　disposed　to　stay　where　they　are；　and
prefer　obedience　to　battle。　That　is　my　own　view；　but　if　any　one　sees　a
better　course；　let　him　point　it　out。〃

＇9＇　However；　all　his　hearers　approved　the　plan　proposed。　Thus　it　came
to　pass　that　Cyrus　summoned　the　prisoners　and　said　to　them：

＇10＇　〃Gentlemen；　you　owe　it　to　your　own　obedience　this　day　that　your
lives　are　safe；　and　for　the　future　if　you　continue　in　this　conduct；　no
evil　whatsoever　shall　befall　you；　true；　you　will　not　have　the　same
ruler　as　before；　but　you　will　dwell　in　the　same　houses；　you　will
cultivate　the　same　land；　you　will　live　with　your　wives　and　govern　your
children　as　you　do　now。　Moreover　you　will　not　have　us　to　fight　with；
nor　any　one　else。　＇11＇　On　the　contrary；　if　any　wrong　is　done　you；　it
is　we　who　will　fight　on　your　behalf。　And　to　prevent　any　one　from
ordering　you　to　take　the　field；　you　will　bring　your　arms　to　us　and
hand　them　over。　Those　who　do　this　can　count　on　peace　and　the　faithful
fulfilment　of　our　promises；　those　who　will　not；　must　expect　war；　and
that　at　once。　＇12＇　Further；　if　any　man　of　you　comes　to　us　and　shows　a
friendly　spirit；　giving　us　information　and　helping　us　in　any　way；　we
will　treat　him　not　as　a　servant；　but　as　a　friend　and　benefactor。
This；〃　he　added；　〃we　wish　you　to　understand　yourselves　and　make　known
among　your　fellows。　＇13＇　And　if　it　should　appear　that　you　yourselves
are　willing　to　comply　but　others　hinder　you；　lead　us　against　them；　and
you　shall　be　their　masters；　not　they　yours。〃

Such　were　his　words；　and　they　made　obeisance　and　promised　to　do　as　he
bade。

＇C。5＇　And　when　they　were　gone；　Cyrus　turned　to　the　Medes　and　the　men
of　Armenia；　and　said；　〃It　is　high　time；　gentlemen；　that　we　should
dine；　one　and　all　of　us；　food　and　drink　are　prepared　for　you；　the　best
we　had　skill　to　find。　Send　us；　if　you　will；　the　half　of　the　bread　that
has　been　baked；　there　is　ample；　I　know；　for　both　of　us；　but　do　not
send　any　relish　with　it；　nor　any　drink；　we　have　quite　enough　at　hand。
＇2＇　And　do　you；〃　he　added；　turning　to　the　Hyrcanians；　〃conduct　our
friends　to　their　quarters；　the　officers　to　the　largest　tentsyou　know
where　they　areand　the　rest　where　you　think　best。　For　yourselves；　you
may　dine　where　you　like；　your　quarters　are　intact；　and　you　will　find
everything　there　prepared　for　you　exactly　as　it　is　for　the　others。　＇3＇
All　of　you　alike　must　understand　that　during　the　night　we　Persians
will　guard　the　camp　outside；　but　you　must　keep　an　eye　over　what　goes
on　within；　and　see　that　your　arms　are　ready　to　hand；　our　messmates　are
not　our　friends　as　yet。〃

＇4＇　So　the　Medes　and　Tigranes　with　his　men　washed　away　the　stains　of
battle；　and　put　on　the　apparel　that　was　laid　out　for　them；　and　fell　to
dinner；　and　the　horses　had　their　provender　too。　They　sent　half　the
bread　to　the　Persians　but　no　relish　with　it　and　no　wine；　thinking　that
Cyrus　and　his　men　possessed　a　store；　because　he　had　said　they　had
enough　and　to　spare。　But　Cyrus　meant　the　relish　of　hunger；　and　the
draught　from　the　running　river。　＇5＇　Thus　he　regaled　his　Persians；　and
when　the　darkness　fell　he　sent　them　out　by　fives　and　tens　and　ordered
them　to　lie　in　ambush　around　the　camp；　so　as　to　form　a　double　guard；
against　attack　from　without；　and　absconders　from　within；　any　one
attempting　to　make　off　with　treasures　would　be　caught　in　the　act。　And
so　it　befell；　for　many　tried　to　escape；　and　all　of　them　were　seized。
＇6＇　As　for　the　treasures；　Cyrus　allowed　the　captors　to　keep　them；　but
he　had　the　absconders　beheaded　out　of　hand；　so　that　for　the　future　a
thief　by　night　was　hardly　to　be　found。　Thus　the　Persians　passed　their
time。　＇7＇　But　the　Medes　drank　and　feasted　and　made　music　and　took
their　fill　of　good　cheer　and　all　delights；　there　was　plenty　to　serve
their　purpose；　and　work　enough　for　those　who　did　not　sleep。

＇8＇　Cyaxares；　the　king　of　the　Medes；　on　the　very　night　when　Cyrus　set
forth；　drank　himself　drunk　in　company　with　the　officers　in　his　own
quarters　to　celebrate　their　good　fortune。　Hearing　uproar　all　about
him；　he　thought　that　the　rest　of　the　Medes　must　have　stayed　behind　in
the　camp；　except　perhaps　a　few；　but　the　fact　was　that　their　domestics；
finding　the　masters　gone；　had　fallen　to　drinking　in　fine　style　and
were　making　a　din　to　their　hearts'　content；　the　more　so　that　they　had
procured　wine　and　dainties　from　the　Assyrian　camp。　＇9＇　But　when　it　was
broad　day　and　no　one　knocked　at　the　palace　gate　except　the　guests　of
last　night's　revel；　and　when　Cyaxares　heard　that　the　camp　was　deserted
the　Medes　gone；　the　cavalry　goneand　when　he　went　out　and　saw　for
himself　that　it　was　so；　then　he　fumed　with　indignation　against　Cyrus
and　his　own　men；　to　think　that　they　had　gone　off　and　left　him　in　the
lurch。　It　is　said　that　without　more　ado；　savage　and　mad　with　anger　as
he　was；　he　ordered　one　of　his　staff　to　take　his　troopers　and　ride　at
once　to　Cyrus　and　his　men；　and　there　deliver　this　message：

＇10＇　〃I　should　never　have　dreamed　that　Cyrus　could　have　acted　towards
me　with　such　scant　respect；　or；　if　he　could　have　thought　of　it；　that
the　Medes　could　have　borne　to　desert　me　in　this　way。　And　now；　whether
Cyrus　will　or　no；　I　command　the　Medes　to　present　themselves　before　me
without　delay。〃

＇11＇　Such　was　the　message。　But　he　who　was　to　take　it　said；　〃And　how
shall　I　find　them；　my　lord？〃

〃Why；〃　said　Cyaxares；　〃as　Cyrus　and　his　men　found　those　they　went　to
seek。〃

〃I　only　asked；〃　continued　the　messenger；　〃because　I　was　told　that　some
Hyrcanians　who　had　revolted　from　the　enemy　came　here；　and　went　off
with　him　to　act　as　guides。〃

＇12＇　When　Cyaxares　heard　that；　he　was　the　more　enraged　to　think　that
Cyrus　had　never　told　him；　and　the　more　urgent　to　have　his　Medes
removed　from　him　at　once；　and　he　summoned　them　home　under　fiercer
threats　than　ever；　threatening　the　officer　as　well　if　he　failed　to
deliver　the　message　in　full　force。

＇13＇　So　the　emissary　set　off　with　his　troopers；　about　one　hundred
strong；　fervently　regretting　that　he　had　not　gone　with　Cyrus　himself。
On　the　way　they　took　a　turning　which　led　them　wrong；　and　they　did　not
reach　the　Persians　until　they　had　chanced　upon　some　of　the　Assyrians
in　retreat　and　forced　them　to　be　their　guides；　and　so　at　last　arrived；
sighting　the　watch…fires　about　midnight。　＇14＇　But　though　they　had　got
to　the　camp；　the　pickets；　acting　on　the　orders　of　Cyrus；　would　not　let
them　in　till　dawn。　With　the　first　faint　gleam　of　morning　Cyrus
summoned　the　Persian　Priests；　who　are　called　Magians；　and　bade　them
choose　the　offerings　due　to　the　gods　for　the　blessings　they　had
vouchsafed。　＇15＇　And　while　they　were　about　this；　Cyrus　called　the
Peers　together　and　said　to　them：

〃Gentlemen；　God　has　put　before　us　many　blessings；　but　at　present　we
Persians　are　but　a　scant　company　to　keep　them。　If　we　fail　to　guard
what　we　have　toiled　for；　it　will　soon　fall　back　into　other　hands；　and
if　we　leave　some　of　our　number　to　watch　our　gains；　it　will　soon　be
seen　that　we　have　no　strength　in　us。　＇16＇　I　propose　therefore　that　one
of　you　should　go　home　to　Persia　without　loss　of　time；　and　explain　what
I　need　and　bid　them　despatch　an　army　forthwith；　if　they　desire　Persia
to　win　the　empire　of　Asia　and　the　fruits　thereof。　＇17＇　Do　you；〃　said
he；　turning　to　one　of　the　Peers；　〃do　you；　who　are　the　eldest；　go　and
repeat　these　words；　and　tell　them　that　it　shall　be　my　care　to　provide
for　the　soldiers　they　send　me　as　soon　as　they　are　here。　And　as　to　what
we　have　wonyou　have　seen　it　yourselfkeep　nothing　back；　and　ask　my
father　how　much　I　ought　to　send　home　for　an　offering　to　the　gods；　if　I
wish　to　act　in　honour　and　according　to　the　law；　and　ask　the
magistrates　how　much　is　due　to　the　commonwealth。　And　let　them　send
commissioners　to　watch　all　that　we　do　and　answer　all　that　we　ask。　So；
sir；〃　he　ended；　〃you　will　get　your　baggage　together；　and　take　your
company　with