cyropaedia-第39章

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man　love　the　same。　For　love　is　voluntary；　and　each　man　loves　what　he
chooses　to　love。　The　brother　is　not　enamoured　of　his　own　sister；　nor
the　father　of　his　own　daughter；　some　other　man　must　be　the　lover。
Reverence　and　law　are　strong　enough　to　break　the　heart　of　passion。
＇11＇　But　if　a　law　were　passed　saying；　'Eat　not；　and　thou　shalt　not
starve；　Drink　not；　and　thou　shalt　not　thirst；　Let　not　cold　bite　thee
in　winter　nor　heat　inflame　thee　in　summer；'　I　say　there　is　no　law　that
could　compel　us　to　obey；　for　it　is　our　nature　to　be　swayed　by　these
forces。　But　love　is　voluntary；　each　man　loves　to　himself　alone；　and
according　as　he　chooses；　just　as　he　chooses　his　cloak　or　his　sandals。〃

＇12＇　〃Then；〃　said　Cyrus；　〃if　love　be　voluntary；　why　cannot　a　man　cease
to　love　when　he　wishes？　I　have　seen　men　in　love；〃　said　he；　〃who　have
wept　for　very　agony；　who　were　the　very　slaves　of　those　they　loved；
though　before　the　fever　took　them　they　thought　slavery　the　worst　of
evils。　I　have　seen　them　make　gifts　of　what　they　ill　could　spare；　I
have　seen　them　praying；　yes；　praying；　to　be　rid　of　their　passion；　as
though　it　were　any　other　malady；　and　yet　unable　to　shake　it　off；　they
were　bound　hand　and　foot　by　a　chain　of　something　stronger　than　iron。
There　they　stood　at　the　beck　and　call　of　their　idols；　and　that　without
rhyme　or　reason；　and　yet；　poor　slaves；　they　make　no　attempt　to　run
away；　in　spite　of　all　they　suffer；　on　the　contrary；　they　mount　guard
over　their　tyrants；　for　fear　these　should　escape。〃

＇13＇　But　the　young　man　spoke　in　answer：　〃True；〃　he　said；　〃there　are
such　men；　but　they　are　worthless　scamps；　and　that　is　why；　though　they
are　always　praying　to　die　and　be　put　out　of　their　misery　and　though
ten　thousand　avenues　lie　open　by　which　to　escape　from　life；　they　never
take　one　of　them。　These　are　the　very　men　who　are　prepared　to　steal　and
purloin　the　goods　of　others；　and　yet　you　know　yourself；　when　they　do
it；　you　are　the　first　to　say　stealing　is　not　done　under　compulsion；
and　you　blame　the　thief　and　the　robber；　you　do　not　pity　him；　you
punish　him。　＇14＇　In　the　same　way；　beautiful　creatures　do　not　compel
others　to　love　them　or　pursue　them　when　it　is　wrong；　but　these　good…
for…nothing　scoundrels　have　no　self…control；　and　then　they　lay　the
blame　on　love。　But　the　nobler　type　of　man；　the　true　gentleman；
beautiful　and　brave；　though　he　desire　gold　and　splendid　horses　and
lovely　women；　can　still　abstain　from　each　and　all　alike；　and　lay　no
finger　on　them　against　the　law　of　honour。　＇15＇　Take　my　own　case；〃　he
added；　〃I　have　seen　this　lady　myself；　and　passing　fair　I　found　her；
and　yet　here　I　stand　before　you；　and　am　still　your　trooper　and　can
still　perform　my　duty。〃

＇16＇　〃I　do　not　deny　it；〃　said　Cyrus；　〃probably　you　came　away　in　time。
Love　takes　a　little　while　to　seize　and　carry　off　his　victim。　A　man　may
touch　fire　for　a　moment　and　not　be　burnt；　a　log　will　not　kindle　all　at
once；　and　yet　for　all　that；　I　am　not　disposed　to　play　with　fire　or
look　on　beauty。　You　yourself；　my　friend；　if　you　will　follow　my　advice；
will　not　let　your　own　eyes　linger　there　too　long；　burning　fuel　will
only　burn　those　who　touch　it；　but　beauty　can　fire　the　beholder　from
afar；　until　he　is　all　aflame　with　love。〃

＇17＇　〃Oh；　fear　me　not；　Cyrus；〃　answered　he；　〃if　I　looked　till　the　end
of　time　I　could　not　be　made　to　do　what　ill　befits　a　man。〃

〃A　fair　answer；〃　said　Cyrus。　〃Guard　her　then；　as　I　bid　you；　and　be
careful　of　her。　This　lady　may　be　of　service　to　us　all　one　day。〃

＇18＇　With　these　words　they　parted。　But　afterwards；　after　the　young　man
saw　from　day　to　day　how　marvellously　fair　the　woman　was；　and　how　noble
and　gracious　in　herself；　after　he　took　care　of　her；　and　fancied　that
she　was　not　insensible　to　what　he　did；　after　she　set　herself；　through
her　attendants；　to　care　for　his　wants　and　see　that　all　things　were
ready　for　him　when　he　came　in；　and　that　he　should　lack　for　nothing　if
ever　he　were　sick；　after　all　this；　love　entered　his　heart　and　took
possession；　and　it　may　be　there　was　nothing　surprising　in　his　fate。　So
at　least　it　was。

＇19＇　Meanwhile　Cyrus；　who　was　anxious　that　the　Medes　and　the　allies
should　stay　with　him　of　their　own　free　choice；　called　a　meeting　of
their　leading　men；　and　when　they　were　come　together　he　spoke　as
follows：

＇20＇　〃Sons　of　the　Medes　and　gentlemen　all；　I　am　well　aware　it　was　not
from　need　of　money　that　you　went　out　with　me；　nor　yet　in　order　to
serve　Cyaxares；　you　came　for　my　sake。　You　marched　with　me　by　night；
you　ran　into　danger　at　my　side；　simply　to　do　me　honour。　＇21＇　Unless　I
were　a　miscreant；　I　could　not　but　be　grateful　for　such　kindness。　But　I
must　confess　that　at　present　I　lack　the　ability　to　make　a　fit
requital。　This　I　am　not　ashamed　to　tell　you；　but　I　would　feel　ashamed
to　add；　'If　you　will　stay　with　me；　I　will　be　sure　to　repay　you；'　for
that　would　look　as　though　I　spoke　to　bribe　you　into　remaining。
Therefore　I　will　not　say　that；　I　will　say　instead；　'Even　if　you　listen
to　Cyaxares　and　go　back　to…day；　I　will　still　act　so　that　you　shall
praise　me；　I　will　not　forget　you　in　the　day　of　my　good　fortune。'　＇22＇
For　myself；　I　will　never　go　back；　I　cannot；　for　I　must　confirm　my　oath
to　the　Hyrcanians　and　the　pledge　I　gave　them；　they　are　my　friends　and
I　shall　never　be　found　a　traitor　to　them。　Moreover；　I　am　bound　to
Gobryas；　who　has　offered　us　the　use　of　his　castle；　his　territory；　and
his　power；　and　I　would　not　have　him　repent　that　he　came　to　me。　＇23＇
Last　of　all；　and　more　than　all；　when　the　great　gods　have　showered　such
blessings　on　us；　I　fear　them　and　I　reverence　them　too　much　to　turn　my
back　on　all　they　have　given　us。　This；　then；　is　what　I　myself　must　do；
it　is　for　you　to　decide　as　you　think　best；　and　you　will　acquaint　me
with　your　decision。〃

＇24＇　So　he　spoke；　and　the　first　to　answer　was　the　Mede　who　had　claimed
kinship　with　Cyrus　in　the　old　days。

〃Listen　to　me；〃　he　said；　〃O　king！　For　king　I　take　you　to　be　by　right
of　nature；　even　as　the　king　of　the　hive　among　the　bees；　whom　all　the
bees　obey　and　take　for　their　leader　of　their　own　free　will；　where　he
stays　they　stay　also；　not　one　of　them　departs；　and　where　he　goes；　not
one　of　them　fails　to　follow；　so　deep　a　desire　is　in　them　to　be　ruled
by　him。　＇25＇　Even　thus；　I　believe；　do　our　men　feel　towards　you。　Do　you
remember　the　day　you　left　us　to　go　home　to　Persia？　Was　there　one　of
us；　young　or　old；　who　did　not　follow　you　until　Astyages　turned　us
back？　And　later；　when　you　returned　to　bring　us　aid；　did　we　not　see　for
ourselves　how　your　friends　poured　after　you？　And　again；　when　you　had
set　your　heart　on　this　expedition；　we　know　that　the　Medes　flocked　to
your　standard　with　one　consent。　＇26＇　To…day　we　have　learnt　to　feel
that　even　in　an　enemy's　country　we　may　be　of　good　heart　if　you　are
with　us；　but；　without　you；　we　should　be　afraid　even　to　return　to　our
homes。　The　rest　may　speak　for　themselves；　and　tell　you　how　they　will
act；　but　for　myself；　Cyrus；　and　for　those　under　me；　I　say　we　will
stand　by　you；　we　shall　not　grow　weary　of　gazing　at　you；　and　we　will
continue　to　endure　your　benefits。〃

＇27＇　Thereupon　Tigranes　spoke：

〃Do　not　wonder；　Cyrus；　if　I　am　silent　now。　The　soul　within　me　is
ready；　not　to　offer　counsel；　but　to　do　your　bidding。〃　＇28＇　And　the
Hyrcanian　chieftain　said；　〃For　my　part；　if　you　Medes　turn　back　to…day
I　shall　say　it　was　the　work　of　some　evil　genius；　who　could　not　brook
the　fulfilment　of　your　happiness。　For　no　human　heart　could　think　of
retiring　when　the　foe　is　in　flight；　refusing　to　receive　his　sword　when
he　surrenders　it；　rejecting　him　when　he　offers　himself　and　all　that　he
calls　his　own；　above　all；　when　we　have　a　prince　of　men　for　our　leader；
one　who；　I　swear　it　by　the　holy　gods；　takes　delight　to　do　us　service；
not　to　enrich　himself。〃

＇29＇　Thereupon　the　Medes　cried　with　one　consent：

〃It　was　you；　Cyrus；　who　led　us　out；　and　it　is　you　who　must　lead　us
home　again；　when　the　right　moment　comes。〃

And　when　Cyrus　heard　that；　he　prayed　aloud：

〃O　most　mighty　Zeus；　I　supplicate　thee；　suffer　me　to　outdo　these
friends　of　mine　in　courtesy　and　kindly　dealing。〃

＇30＇　Upon　that　he　gave　his　orders。　The　rest　of　the　army　were　to　place
their　outposts　and　see　to　their　own　concerns；　while　the　Pers