cyropaedia-第4章

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with　dainties　of　every　sort。　At　that；　so　says　the　story；　Cyrus　burst
out；　〃Oh；　grandfather；　what　trouble　you　must　give　yourself　reaching
for　all　these　dishes　and　tasting　all　these　wonderful　foods！〃　〃Ah；
but；〃　said　Astyages；　〃is　not　this　a　far　better　meal　than　you　ever　had
in　Persia？〃　Thereupon；　as　the　tale　runs；　Cyrus　answered；　〃Our　way；
grandfather；　is　much　shorter　than　yours；　and　much　simpler。　We　are
hungry　and　wish　to　be　fed；　and　bread　and　meat　brings　us　where　we　want
to　be　at　once；　but　you　Medes；　for　all　your　haste；　take　so　many　turns
and　wind　about　so　much　it　is　a　wonder　if　you　ever　find　your　way　to　the
goal　that　we　have　reached　long　ago。〃　＇5＇　〃Well；　my　lad；〃　said　his
grandfather；　〃we　are　not　at　all　averse　to　the　length　of　the　road：
taste　the　dishes　for　yourself　and　see　how　good　they　are。〃　〃One　thing　I
do　see；〃　the　boy　said；　〃and　that　is　that　you　do　not　quite　like　them
yourself。〃　And　when　Astyages　asked　him　how　he　felt　so　sure　of　that；
Cyrus　answered；　〃Because　when　you　touch　an　honest　bit　of　bread　you
never　wipe　your　hands；　but　if　you　take　one　of　these　fine　kickshaws　you
turn　to　your　napkin　at　once；　as　if　you　were　angry　to　find　your　fingers
soiled。〃　＇6＇　〃Well　and　good；　my　lad；　well　and　good；〃　said　the　king；
〃only　feast　away　yourself　and　make　good　cheer；　and　we　shall　send　you
back　to　Persia　a　fine　strong　fellow。〃　And　with　the　word　he　had　dishes
of　meat　and　game　set　before　his　grandson。　The　boy　was　taken　aback　by
their　profusion；　and　exclaimed；　〃Grandfather；　do　you　give　me　all　this
for　myself；　to　do　what　I　like　with　it？〃　〃Certainly　I　do；〃　said　the
king。　＇7＇　Whereupon；　without　more　ado；　the　boy　Cyrus　took　first　one
dish　and　then　another　and　gave　them　to　the　attendants　who　stood　about
his　grandfather；　and　with　each　gift　he　made　a　little　speech：　〃That　is
for　you；　for　so　kindly　teaching　me　to　ride；〃　〃And　that　is　for　you；　in
return　for　the　javelin　you　gave　me；　I　have　got　it　still；〃　〃And　this　is
for　you；　because　you　wait　on　my　grandfather　so　prettily；〃　〃And　this
for　you；　sir；　because　you　honour　my　mother。〃　And　so　on　until　he　had
got　rid　of　all　the　meat　he　had　been　given。　＇8＇　〃But　you　do　not　give　a
single　piece　to　Sacas；　my　butler；〃　quoth　the　grandfather；　〃and　I
honour　him　more　than　all　the　rest。〃　Now　this　Sacas；　as　one　may　guess；
was　a　handsome　fellow；　and　he　had　the　right　to　bring　before　the　king
all　who　desired　audience；　to　keep　them　back　if　he　thought　the　time
unseasonable。　But　Cyrus；　in　answer　to　his　grandfather's　question
retorted　eagerly；　like　a　lad　who　did　not　know　what　fear　meant；　〃And
why　should　you　honour　him　so　much；　grandfather？〃　Then　Astyages　laughed
and　said；　〃Can　you　not　see　how　prettily　he　mixes　the　cup；　and　with
what　a　grace　he　serves　the　wine？〃　And　indeed；　these　royal　cup…bearers
are　neat…handed　at　their　task；　mixing　the　bowl　with　infinite　elegance；
and　pouring　the　wine　into　the　beakers　without　spilling　a　drop；　and
when　they　hand　the　goblet　they　poise　it　deftly　between　thumb　and
finger　for　the　banqueter　to　take。　＇9＇　〃Now；　grandfather；〃　said　the
boy；　〃tell　Sacas　to　give　me　the　bowl；　and　let　me　pour　out　the　wine　as
prettily　as　he　if　I　can；　and　win　your　favour。〃　So　the　king　bade　the
butler　hand　him　the　bowl；　and　Cyrus　took　it　and　mixed　the　wine　just　as
he　had　seen　Sacas　do；　and　then；　showing　the　utmost　gravity　and　the
greatest　deftness　and　grace；　he　brought　the　goblet　to　his　grandfather
and　offered　it　with　such　an　air　that　his　mother　and　Astyages；　too；
laughed　outright；　and　then　Cyrus　burst　out　laughing　also；　and　flung
his　arms　round　his　grandfather　and　kissed　him；　crying；　〃Sacas；　your
day　is　done！　I　shall　oust　you　from　your　office；　you　may　be　sure。　I
shall　make　just　as　pretty　a　cup…bearer　as　youand　not　drink　the　wine
myself！〃　For　it　is　the　fact　that　the　king's　butler　when　he　offers　the
wine　is　bound　to　dip　a　ladle　in　the　cup　first；　and　pour　a　little　in
the　hollow　of　his　hand　and　sip　it；　so　that　if　he　has　mixed　poison　in
the　bowl　it　will　do　him　no　good　himself。　＇10＇　Accordingly；　Astyages；
to　carry　on　the　jest；　asked　the　little　lad　why　he　had　forgotten　to
taste　the　wine　though　he　had　imitated　Sacas　in　everything　else。　And
the　boy　answered；　〃Truly；　I　was　afraid　there　might　be　poison　in　the
bowl。　For　when　you　gave　your　birthday　feast　to　your　friends　I　could
see　quite　plainly　that　Sacas　had　put　in　poison　for　you　all。〃　〃And　how
did　you　discover　that；　my　boy？〃　asked　the　king。　〃Because　I　saw　how
your　wits　reeled　and　how　you　staggered；　and　you　all　began　doing　what
you　will　not　let　us　children　doyou　talked　at　the　top　of　your　voices；
and　none　of　you　understood　a　single　word　the　others　said；　and　then　you
began　singing　in　a　way　to　make　us　laugh；　and　though　you　would　not
listen　to　the　singer　you　swore　that　it　was　right　nobly　sung；　and　then
each　of　you　boasted　of　his　own　strength；　and　yet　as　soon　as　you　got　up
to　dance；　so　far　from　keeping　time　to　the　measure；　you　could　barely
keep　your　legs。　And　you　seemed　quite　to　have　forgotten；　grandfather；
that　you　were　king；　and　your　subjects　that　you　were　their　sovereign。
Then　at　last　I　understood　that　you　must　be　celebrating　that　'free
speech'　we　hear　of；　at　any　rate；　you　were　never　silent　for　an
instant。〃　＇11＇　〃Well；　but；　boy；〃　said　Astyages；　〃does　your　father
never　lose　his　head　when　he　drinks？〃　〃Certainly　not；〃　said　the　boy。
〃What　happens　then？〃　asked　the　king。　〃He　quenches　his　thirst；〃
answered　Cyrus；　〃and　that　is　all。　No　harm　follows。　You　see；　he　has　no
Sacas　to　mix　his　wine　for　him。〃　〃But；　Cyrus；〃　put　in　his　mother；　〃why
are　you　so　unkind　to　Sacas？〃　〃Because　I　do　so　hate　him；〃　answered　the
boy。　〃Time　after　time　when　I　have　wanted　to　go　to　my　grandfather　this
old　villain　has　stopped　me。　Do　please；　grandfather；　let　me　manage　him
for　three　days。〃　〃And　how　would　you　set　about　it？〃　Astyages　asked。
〃Why；〃　said　the　boy；　〃I　will　plant　myself　in　the　doorway　just　as　he
does；　and　then　when　he　wants　to　go　in　to　breakfast　I　will　say　'You
cannot　have　breakfast　yet：　HE　is　busy　with　some　people；'　and　when　he
comes　for　dinner　I　will　say　'No　dinner　yet：　HE　is　in　his　bath；'　and　as
he　grows　ravenous　I　will　say　'Wait　a　little：　HE　is　with　the　ladies　of
the　court；'　until　I　have　plagued　and　tormented　him　as　he　torments　me；
keeping　me　away　from　you；　grandfather；　when　I　want　to　come。〃　＇12＇　Thus
the　boy　delighted　his　elders　in　the　evening；　and　by　day　if　he　saw　that
his　grandfather　or　his　uncle　wanted　anything；　no　one　could　forestall
him　in　getting　it；　indeed　nothing　seemed　to　give　him　greater　pleasure
than　to　please　them。

＇13＇　Now　when　Mandane　began　to　think　of　going　back　to　her　husband；
Astyages　begged　her　to　leave　the　boy　behind。　She　answered　that　though
she　wished　to　please　her　father　in　everything；　it　would　be　hard　to
leave　the　boy　against　his　will。　＇14＇　Then　the　old　man　turned　to　Cyrus：
〃My　boy；　if　you　will　stay　with　us；　Sacas　shall　never　stop　you　from
coming　to　me：　you　shall　be　free　to　come　whenever　you　choose；　and　the
oftener　you　come　the　better　it　will　please　me。　You　shall　have　horses
to　ride；　my　own　and　as　many　others　as　you　like；　and　when　you　leave　us
you　shall　take　them　with　you。　And　at　dinner　you　shall　go　your　own　away
and　follow　your　own　path　to　your　own　goal　of　temperance　just　as　you
think　right。　And　I　will　make　you　a　present　of　all　the　game　in　my　parks
and　paradises；　and　collect　more　for　you；　and　as　soon　as　you　have
learnt　to　ride　you　shall　hunt　and　shoot　and　hurl　the　javelin　exactly
like　a　man。　And　you　shall　have　boys　to　play　with　and　anything　else　you
wish　for：　you　have　only　to　ask　me　and　it　shall　be　yours。〃　＇15＇　Then
his　mother　questioned　the　boy　and　asked　him　whether　he　would　rather
stay　with　his　grandfather　in　Media；　or　go　back　home　with　her：　and　he
said　at　once　that　he　would　rather　stay。　And　when　she　went　on　to　ask
him　the　reason；　he　answered；　so　the　story　says；　〃Because　at　home　I　am
thought　to　be　the　best　of　the　lads　at　shooting　and　hurling　the
javelin；　and　so　I　think　I　am：　but　here　I　know　I　am　the　worst　at
riding；　and　that　you　may　be　sure；　mother；　annoys　me　exceedingly。　Now
if　you　leave　me　here　and　I　learn　to　ride；　when　I　am　back　in　Persia　you
shall　see；　I　promise　you；　that　I　will　outdo　all　our　gallant　fellows　on
foot；　and　when　I　come　to　Media　again　I　will　try　and　show　my
g