cyropaedia-第36章

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With　regard　to　the　camp…market；　proclamation　must　be　made　at　once；
forbidding　any　injustice；　the　hucksters　must　be　allowed　to　sell　the
goods　they　have　brought；　and　when　these　are　disposed　of　they　may　bring
more；　so　that　the　camp　may　be　duly　supplied。〃

＇43＇　So　the　proclamations　were　issued　forthwith。　But　the　Medes　and　the
Hyrcanians　asked　Cyrus：

〃How　are　we　to　distribute　the　spoil　alone；　without　your　men　and
yourself？〃

＇44＇　But　Cyrus　met　question　by　question：　〃Do　you　really　think；
gentlemen；　that　we　must　all　preside　over　every　detail；　each　and　all　of
us　together？　Can　I　never　act　for　you；　and　you　for　me？　I　could　scarcely
conceive　a　surer　way　of　creating　trouble；　or　of　reducing　results。
See；〃　said　he；　〃I　will　take　a　case　in　point。　＇45＇　We　Persians　guarded
this　booty　for　you；　and　you　believe　that　we　guarded　it　well：　now　it　is
for　you　to　distribute　it；　and　we　will　trust　you　to　be　fair。　＇46＇　And
there　is　another　benefit　that　I　should　be　glad　to　obtain　for　us　all。
You　see　what　a　number　of　horses　we　have　got　already；　and　more　are
being　brought　in。　If　they　are　left　riderless　we　shall　get　no　profit
out　of　them；　we　shall　only　have　the　burden　of　looking　after　them。　But
if　we　set　riders　on　them；　we　shall　be　quit　of　the　trouble　and　add　to
our　strength。　＇47＇　Now　if　you　have　other　men　in　view；　men　whom　you
would　choose　before　us　to　share　the　brunt　of　danger　with　you；　by　all
means　give　these　horses　to　them。　But　if　you　would　rather　have　us　fight
at　your　side　than　any　others；　bestow　them　upon　us。　＇48＇　To…day　when
you　dashed　ahead　to　meet　danger　all　alone；　great　was　our　fear　lest　you
might　come　to　harm；　and　bitter　our　shame　to　think　that　where　you　were
we　were　not。　But　if　once　we　have　horses；　we　can　follow　at　your　heels。
＇49＇　And　if　it　is　clear　that　we　do　more　good　so　mounted；　shoulder　to
shoulder　with　yourselves；　we　shall　not　fail　in　zeal；　or　if　it　appears
better　to　support　you　on　foot；　why；　to　dismount　is　but　the　work　of　a
moment；　and　you　will　have　your　infantry　marching　by　your　side　at　once；
and　we　will　find　men　to　hold　our　horses　for　us。〃

＇50＇　To　which　they　answered：

〃In　truth；　Cyrus；　we　have　not　men　for　these　horses　ourselves；　and　even
if　we　had　them；　we　should　not　do　anything　against　your　wish。　Take
them；　we　beg　you；　and　use　them　as　you　think　best。〃

＇51＇　〃I　will；〃　said　he；　〃and　gladly；　and　may　good　fortune　bless　us
all；　you　in　your　division　of　the　spoil　and　us　in　our　horsemanship。　In
the　first　place；〃　he　added；　〃you　will　set　apart　for　the　gods　whatever
our　priests　prescribe；　and　after　that　you　must　select　for　Cyaxares
what　you　think　will　please　him　most。〃

＇52＇　At　that　they　laughed；　and　said　they　must　choose　him　a　bevy　of
fair　women。　〃So　let　it　be；〃　said　Cyrus；　〃fair　women；　and　anything　else
you　please。　And　when　you　have　chosen　his　share；　the　Hyrcanians　must
see　to　it　that　our　friends　among　the　Medes　who　followed　us　of　their
own　free　will　shall　have　no　cause　to　find　fault　with　their　own
portion。　＇53＇　And　the　Medes　on　their　side　must　show　honour　to　the
first　allies　we　have　won；　and　make　them　feel　their　decision　was　wise
when　they　chose　us　for　their　friends。　And　be　sure　to　give　a　share　of
everything　to　the　messenger　who　came　from　Cyaxares　and　to　his　retinue；
persuade　him　to　stay　on　with　us；　say　that　I　would　like　it；　and　that　he
could　tell　Cyaxares　all　the　better　how　matters　stood。　＇54＇　As　for　my
Persians；〃　he　added；　〃we　shall　be　quite　content　with　what　is　left
over；　after　you　are　all　provided　for；　we　are　not　used　to　luxury；　we
were　brought　up　in　a　very　simple　fashion；　and　I　think　you　would　laugh
at　us　if　you　saw　us　tricked　out　in　grand　attire；　just　as　I　am　sure　you
will　when　you　see　us　seated　on　our　horses；　or；　rather；　rolling　off
them。〃

＇55＇　So　they　dispersed　to　make　the　distribution；　in　great　mirth　over
the　thought　of　the　riding；　and　then　Cyrus　called　his　own　officers　and
bade　them　take　the　horses　and　their　gear；　and　the　grooms　with　them；
number　them　all；　and　then　distribute　them　by　lot　in　equal　shares　for
each　division。　＇56＇　Finally　he　sent　out　another　proclamation；　saying
that　if　there　was　any　slave　among　the　Syrians；　Assyrians；　or　Arabians
who　was　a　Mede；　a　Persian；　a　Bactrian；　a　Carian；　a　Cilician；　or　a
Hellene；　or　a　member　of　any　other　nation；　and　who　had　been　forcibly
enrolled；　he　was　to　come　forward　and　declare　himself。　＇57＇　And　when
they　heard　the　herald；　many　came　forward　gladly；　and　out　of　their
number　Cyrus　selected　the　strongest　and　fairest；　and　told　them　they
were　now　free；　and　would　be　required　to　bear　arms；　with　which　he　would
furnish　them；　and　as　to　necessaries；　he　would　see　himself　that　they
were　not　stinted。　＇58＇　With　that　he　brought　them　to　the　officers　and
had　them　enrolled　forthwith；　saying　they　were　to　be　armed　with　shields
and　light　swords；　so　as　to　follow　the　troopers；　and　were　to　receive
supplies　exactly　as　if　they　were　his　own　Persians。　The　Persian
officers　themselves；　wearing　corslets　and　carrying　lances；　were　for
the　future　to　appear　on　horseback；　he　himself　setting　the　example；　and
each　one　was　to　appoint　another　of　the　Peers　to　lead　the　infantry　for
him。

＇C。6＇　While　they　were　concerned　with　these　matters；　an　old　Assyrian
prince；　Gobryas　by　name；　presented　himself　before　Cyrus；　mounted　on
horseback　and　with　a　mounted　retinue　behind　him；　all　of　them　armed　as
cavalry。　The　Persian　officers　who　were　appointed　to　receive　the
weapons　bade　them　hand　over　their　lances　and　have　them　burnt　with　the
rest；　but　Gobryas　said　he　wished　to　see　Cyrus　first。　At　that　the
adjutants　led　him　in；　but　they　made　his　escort　stay　where　they　were。
＇2＇　When　the　old　man　came　before　Cyrus；　he　addressed　him　at　once；
saying：

〃My　lord；　I　am　an　Assyrian　by　birth；　I　have　a　strong　fortress　in　my
territory；　and　I　rule　over　a　wide　domain；　I　have　cavalry　at　my
command；　two　thousand　three　hundred　of　them；　all　of　which　I　offered　to
the　king　of　Assyria；　and　if　ever　he　had　a　friend；　that　friend　was　I。
But　he　has　fallen　at　your　hands；　the　gallant　heart；　and　his　son；　who
is　my　bitterest　foe；　reigns　in　his　stead。　Therefore　I　have　come　to
you；　a　suppliant　at　your　feet。　I　am　ready　to　be　your　slave　and　your
ally；　and　I　implore　you　to　be　my　avenger。　You　yourself　will　be　a　son
to　me；　for　I　have　no　male　children　now。　＇3＇　He　whom　I　had；　my　only
son；　he　was　beautiful　and　brave；　my　lord；　and　loved　me　and　honoured　me
as　a　father　rejoices　to　be　loved。　And　this　vile　kinghis　father；　my
old　master；　had　sent　for　my　son；　meaning　to　give　him　his　own　daughter
in　marriage；　and　I　let　my　boy　go；　with　high　hopes　and　a　proud　heart；
thinking　that　when　I　saw　him　again　the　king's　daughter　would　be　his
bride。　And　the　prince；　who　is　now　king；　invited　him　to　the　chase；　and
bade　him　do　his　best；　for　he　thought　himself　far　the　finer　horseman　of
the　two。　So　they　hunted　together；　side　by　side；　as　though　they　were
friends；　and　suddenly　a　bear　appeared；　and　the　two　of　them　gave　chase；
and　the　king's　son　let　fly　his　javelin；　but　alas！　he　missed　his　aim；
and　then　my　son　threwoh；　that　he　never　had！and　laid　the　creature
low。　＇4＇　The　prince　was　stung　to　the　quick；　though　for　the　moment　he
kept　his　rancour　hidden。　But；　soon　after　that；　they　roused　a　lion；　and
then　he　missed　a　second　timeno　unusual　thing　for　him；　I　imaginebut
my　son's　spear　went　home；　and　he　brought　the　beast　down；　and　cried；
'See；　I　have　shot　but　twice；　and　killed　each　time！'　And　at　this　the
monster　could　not　contain　his　jealousy；　he　snatched　a　spear　from　one
of　his　followers　and　ran　my　son　through　the　body；　my　only　son；　my
darling；　and　took　his　life。　＇5＇　And　I；　unhappy　that　I　am；　I；　who
thought　to　welcome　a　bride…groom；　carried　home　a　corpse。　I；　who　am
old；　buried　my　boy　with　the　first　down　on　his　chin；　my　brave　boy；　my
well…beloved。　And　his　assassin　acted　as　though　it　were　an　enemy　that
he　had　done　to　death。　He　never　showed　one　sign　of　remorse；　he　never
paid　one　tribute　of　honour　to　the　dead；　in　atonement　for　his　cruel
deed。　Yet　his　own　father　pitied　me；　and　showed　that　he　could　share　the
burden　of　my　grief。　＇6＇　Had　he　lived；　my　old　master；　I　would　never
have　come　to　you　to　do　him　harm；　many　a　kindness　have　I　received　from
him；　and　many　a　service　have　I　done　him。　But　now　that　his　kingdom　has
desc