cyropaedia-第40章

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＇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　Persians　took
the　tents　allotted　to　them；　and　divided　them　among　their　cavalry　and
infantry；　to　suit　the　needs　of　either　arm。　Then　they　arranged　for　the
stewards　to　wait　on　them　in　future；　bring　them　all　they　needed；　and
keep　their　horses　groomed；　so　that　they　themselves　might　be　free　for
the　work　of　war。　Thus　they　spent　that　day。

＇C。2＇　But　on　the　morrow　they　set　out　for　their　march　to　Gobryas。　Cyrus
rode　on　horseback　at　the　head　of　his　new　Persian　cavalry；　two　thousand
strong；　with　as　many　more　behind　them；　carrying　their　shields　and
swords；　and　the　rest　of　the　army　followed　in　due　order。　The　cavalry
were　told　to　make　their　new　attendants　understand　that　they　would　be
punished　if　they　were　caught　falling　behind　the　rear…guard；　or　riding
in　advance　of　the　column；　or　straggling　on　either　flank。　＇2＇　Towards
evening　of　the　second　day　the　army　found　themselves　before　the　castle
of　Gobryas；　and　they　saw　that　the　place　was　exceedingly　strong　and
that　all　preparations　had　been　made　for　the　stoutest　possible　defence。
They　noticed　also　that　great　herds　of　cattle　and　endless　flocks　of
sheep　and　goats　had　been　driven　up　under　the　shelter　of　the　castle
walls。　＇3＇　Then　Gobryas　sent　word　to　Cyrus；　bidding　him　ride　round　and
see　where　the　place　was　easiest　of　approach；　and　meanwhile　send　his
trustiest　Persians　to　enter　the　fortress　and　bring　him　word　what　they
found　within。　＇4＇　Cyrus；　who　really　wished　to　see　if　the　citadel
admitted　of　attack　in　case　Gobryas　proved　false；　rode　all　round　the
walls；　and　found　they　were　too　strong　at　every　point。　Presently　the
messengers　who　had　gone　in　brought　back　word　that　there　were　supplies
enough　to　last　a　whole　generation　and　still　not　fail　the　garrison。　＇5＇
While　Cyrus　was　wondering　what　this　could　mean；　Gobryas　himself　came
out；　and　all　his　men　behind　him；　carrying　wine　and　corn　and　barley；
and　driving　oxen　and　goats　and　swine；　enough　to　feast　the　entire　host。
＇6＇　And　his　stewards　fell　to　distributing　the　stores　at　once；　and
serving　up　a　banquet。　Then　Gobryas　invited　Cyrus　to　enter　the　castle
now　that　all　the　garrison　had　left　it；　using　every　precaution　he　might
think　wise；　and　Cyrus　took　him　at　his　word；　and　sent　in　scouts　and　a
strong　detachment　before　he　entered　the　palace　himself。　Once　within；
he　had　the　gates　thrown　open　and　sent　for　all　his　own　friends　and
officers。　＇7＇　And　when　they　joined　him；　Gobryas　had　beakers　of　gold
brought　out；　and　pitchers；　and　goblets；　and　costly　ornaments；　and
golden　coins　without　end；　and　all　manner　of　beautiful　things；　and　last
of　all　he　sent　for　his　own　daughter；　tall　and　fair；　a　marvel　of　beauty
and　stateliness；　still　wearing　mourning　for　her　brother。　And　her
father　said　to　Cyrus；　〃All　these　riches　I　bestow　on　you　for　a　gift；
and　I　put　my　daughter　in　your　hands；　to　deal　with　as　you　think　best。
We　are　your　suppliants；　I　but　three　days　gone　for　my　son；　and　she　this
day　for　her　brother；　we　beseech　you　to　avenge　him。〃

＇8＇　And　Cyrus　made　answer：

〃I　gave　you　my　promise　before　that　if　you　kept　faith　with　me　I　would
avenge　you；　so　far　as　in　me　lay；　and　to…day　I　see　the　debt　is　due；　and
the　promise　I　made　to　you　I　repeat　to　your　daughter；　God　helping　me；　I
will　perform　it。　As　for　these　costly　gifts；〃　he　added；　〃I　accept　them；
and　I　give　them　for　a　dowry　to　your　daughter；　and　to　him　who　may　win
her　hand　in　marriage。　One　gift　only　I　will　take　with　me　when　I　go；　but
that　is　a　thing　so　precious　that　if　I　changed　it　for　all　the　wealth　of
Babylon　or　the　whole　world　itself　I　could　not　go　on　my　way　with　half
so　blithe　a　heart。〃

＇9＇　And　Gobryas　wondered　what　this　rare　thing　could　be；　half
suspecting　it　might　be　his　daughter。　〃What　is　it；　my　lord？〃　said　he。
And　Cyrus　answered；　〃I　will　tell　you。　A　man　may　hate　injustice　and
impiety　and　lies；　but　if　no　one　offers　him　vast　wealth　or　unbridled
power　or　impregnable　fortresses　or　lovely　children；　he　dies　before　he
can　show　what　manner　of　man　he　is。　＇10＇　But　you　have　placed　everything
in　my　hands　to…day；　this　mighty　fortress；　treasures　of　every　kind；
your　own　power；　and　a　daughter　most　worthy　to　be　won。　And　thus　you
have　shown　all　men　that　I　could　not　sin　against　my　friend　and　my　host；
nor　act　unrighteously　for　the　sake　of　wealth；　nor　break　my　plighted
word　of　my　own　free　will。　＇11＇　This　is　your　gift；　and；　so　long　as　I　am
a　just　man　and　known　to　be　such；　receiving　the　praise　of　my　fellow…
men；　I　will　never　forget　it；　I　will　strive　to　repay　you　with　every
honour　I　can　give。　＇12＇　Doubt　not；〃　he　added；　〃but　that　you　will　find
a　husband　worthy　of　your　daughter。　I　have　many　a　good　man　and　true
among　my　friends；　and　one　of　them　will　win　her　hand；　but　I　could　not
say　whether　he　will　have　less　wealth；　or　more；　than　what　you　offer　me。
Only　of　one　thing　you　may　be　certain；　there　are　those　among　them　who
will　not　admire　you　one　whit　the　more　because　of　the　splendour　of　your
gifts；　they　will　only　envy　me　and　supplicate　the　gods　that　one　day　it
will　be　given　to　them　to　show　that　they　too　are　loyal　to　their
friends；　that　they　too　will　never　yield　to　their　foes　while　life　is　in
them；　unless　some　god　strike　them　down；　that　they　too　would　never
sacrifice　virtue　and　fair　renown　for　all　the　wealth　you　proffer　and
all　the　treasure　of　Syria　and　Assyria　to　boot。　Such　is　the　nature；
believe　me；　of　some　who　are　seated　here。〃

＇13＇　And　Gobryas　smiled。　〃By　heaven；　I　wish　you　would　point　them　out
to　me；　and　I　would　beg　you　to　give　me　one　of　them　to　be　my　son…in…
law。〃　And　Cyrus　said；　〃You　will　not　need　to　learn　their　names　from　me；
follow　us；　and　you　will　be　able　to　point　them　out　yourself。〃

＇14＇　With　these　words　he　rose；　clasped　the　hand　of　Gobryas；　and　went
out；　all　his　men　behind　him。　And　though　Gobryas　pressed　him　to　stay
and　sup　in　the　citadel；　he　would　not；　but　took　his　supper　in　the　camp
and　constrained　Gobryas　to　take　his　meal　with　them。　＇15＇　And　there；
lying　on　a　couch　of　leaves；　he　put　this　question　to　him；　'Tell　me；
Gobryas；　who　has　the　largest　store　of　coverlets；　yourself；　or　each　of
us？〃　And　the　Assyrian　answered；　〃You；　I　know；　have　more　than　I；　more
coverlets；　more　couches；　and　a　far　larger　dwelling…place；　for　your
home　is　earth　and　heaven；　and　every　nook　may　be　a　couch；　and　for　your
coverlets　you　need　not　count　the　fleeces　of　your　flocks；　but　the
brushwood；　and　the　herbage　of　hill　and　plain。〃

＇16＇　Nevertheless；　when　the　meal　began；　it　must　be　said　that　Gobryas；
seeing　the　poverty　of　what　was　set　before　him；　thought　at　first　that
his　own　men　were　far　more　open…handed　than　the　Persians。　＇17＇　But　his
mood　changed　as　he　watched　the　grace　and　decorum　of　the　company；　and
saw　that　not　a　single　Persian　who　had　been　schooled　would　ever　gape；
or　snatch　at　the　viands；　or　let　himself　be　so　absorbed　in　eating　that
he　could　attend　to　nothing　else；　these　men　prided　themselves　on
showing　their　good　sense　and　their　intelligence　while　they　took　their
food；　just　as　a　perfect　rider　sits　his　horse　with　absolute　composure；
and　can　look　and　listen　and　talk　to　some　purpose　while　he　puts　him
through　his　paces。　To　be　excited　or　flustered　by　meat　and　drink　was　in
their　eyes　something　altogether　swinish　and　bestial。　＇18＇　Nor　did
Gobryas　fail　to　notice　that　they　only　asked　questions　which　were
pleasant　to　answer；　and　only　jested　in　a　manner　to　please；　all　their
mirth　was　as　far　from　impertinence　and　malice　as　it　was　from　vulgarity
and　unseemliness。　＇19＇　And　what　struck　him　most　was　their　evident
feeling　that　on　a　campaign；　since　the　danger　was　the　same　for　all；　no
one　was　entitled　to　a　larger　share　than　any　of　his　comrades；　on　the
contrary；　it　was　thought　the　perfection　of　the　feast　to　perfect　the
condition　of　those　who　were　to　share　the　fighting。　＇20＇　And　thus　when
he　rose　to　return　home；　the　story　runs　that　he　said：

〃I　begin　to　understand；　Cyrus；　how　it　is　that　while　we　have　more
goblets　and　more　gold；　more　apparel　and　more　wealth　than　you；　yet　we
ourselves　are　not　worth　as　much。　We　are　always　trying　to　increase　what
we　possess；　but　you　seem　to　set　your　hearts　on　perfecting　your　own
souls。〃

＇21＇　But　Cyrus　only　answered：

〃