cyropaedia-第41章

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souls。〃

＇21＇　But　Cyrus　only　answered：

〃My　friend；　be　here　without　fail　to…morrow；　and　bring　all　your　cavalry
in　full　armour；　so　that　we　may　see　your　power；　and　then　lead　us
through　your　country　and　show　us　who　are　hostile　and　who　are
friendly。〃

＇22＇　Thus　they　parted　for　the　time　and　each　saw　to　his　own　concerns。

But　when　the　day　dawned　Gobryas　appeared　with　his　cavalry　and　led　the
way。　And　Cyrus；　as　a　born　general　would；　not　only　supervised　the
march；　but　watched　for　any　chance　to　weaken　the　enemy　and　add　to　his
own　strength。　＇23＇　With　this　in　view；　he　summoned　the　Hyrcanian　chief
and　Gobryas　himself；　for　they　were　the　two　he　thought　most　likely　to
give　him　the　information　that　he　needed。

〃My　friends；〃　said　he；　〃I　think　I　shall　not　err　if　I　trust　to　your
fidelity　and　consult　you　about　the　campaign。　You；　even　more　than　I；
are　bound　to　see　that　the　Assyrians　do　not　overpower　us。　For　myself；
if　I　fail；　there　may　well　be　some　loophole　of　escape。　But　for　you；　if
the　king　conquers；　I　see　nothing　but　enmity　on　every　side。　＇24＇　For；
although　he　is　my　enemy；　he　bears　me　no　malice；　he　only　feels　that　it
is　against　his　interest　for　me　to　be　powerful　and　therefore　he　attacks
me。　But　you　he　hates　with　a　bitter　hatred；　believing　he　is　wronged　by
you。〃

To　this　his　companions　answered　that　he　must　finish　what　he　had　to
say；　they　were　well　aware　of　the　facts；　and　had　the　deepest　interest
in　the　turn　events　might　take。

＇25＇　Thereupon　Cyrus　put　his　questions：　〃Does　the　king　suppose　that
you　alone　are　his　enemies；　or　do　you　know　of　others　who　hate　him　too？〃
〃Certainly　we　do；〃　replied　the　Hyrcanian；　〃the　Cadousians　are　his
bitterest　foes；　and　they　are　both　numerous　and　warlike。　Then　there　are
the　Sakians；　our　neighbours；　who　have　suffered　severely　at　his　hands；
for　he　tried　to　subdue　them　as　he　subdued　us。〃

＇26＇　〃Then　you　think；〃　said　Cyrus；　〃that　they　would　be　glad　to　attack
him　in　our　company？〃　〃Much　more　than　glad；〃　answered　they；　〃if　they
could　manage　to　join　us。〃　〃And　what　stands　in　their　way？〃　asked　he。
〃The　Assyrians　themselves；〃　said　they；　〃the　very　people　among　whom　you
are　marching　now。〃　＇27＇　At　that　Cyrus　turned　to　Gobryas：

〃And　what　of　this　lad　who　is　now　on　the　throne？　Did　you　not　charge　him
with　unbridled　insolence？〃

〃Even　so；〃　replied　Gobryas；　〃and　I　think　he　gave　me　cause。〃　〃Tell　me；〃
said　Cyrus；　〃were　you　the　only　man　he　treated　thus；　or　did　others
suffer　too？〃

＇28＇　〃Many　others；〃　said　Gobryas；　〃but　some　of　them　were　weak；　and　why
should　I　weary　you　with　the　insults　they　endured？　I　will　tell　you　of　a
young　man　whose　father　was　a　much　greater　personage　than　I；　and　who
was　himself；　like　my　own　son；　a　friend　and　comrade　of　the　prince。　One
day　at　a　drinking…bout　this　monster　had　the　youth　seized　and
mutilated；　and　why？　Some　say　simply　because　a　paramour　of　his　own　had
praised　the　boy's　beauty　and　said　his　bride　was　a　woman　to　be　envied。
The　king　himself　now　asserts　it　was　because　he　had　tried　to　seduce　his
paramour。　That　young　man；　eunuch　as　he　is；　is　now　at　the　head　of　his
province；　for　his　father　is　dead。〃

＇29＇　〃Well；〃　rejoined　Cyrus；　〃I　take　it；　you　believe　he　would　welcome
us；　if　he　thought　we　came　to　help　him？〃　〃I　am　more　than　sure　of　that；〃
said　Gobryas；　〃but　it　is　not　so　easy　to　set　eyes　on　him。〃　〃And　why？〃
asked　Cyrus。　〃Because　if　we　are　to　join　him　at　all；　we　must　march
right　past　Babylon　itself。〃　＇30＇　〃And　where　is　the　difficulty　in
that？〃　said　Cyrus。　〃Heaven　help　us！〃　cried　Gobryas。　〃The　city　has　only
to　open　her　gates；　and　she　can　send　out　an　army　ten　thousand　times　as
large　as　yours。　That　is　why；〃　he　added；　〃the　Assyrians　are　less　prompt
than　they　were　at　bringing　in　their　weapons　and　their　horses；　because
those　who　have　seen　your　army　think　it　so　very　small；　and　their　report
has　got　about。　So　that　in　my　opinion　it　would　be　better　to　advance
with　the　utmost　care。〃

＇31＇　Cyrus　listened　and　replied。

〃You　do　well；　Gobryas；　my　friend；　in　urging　as　much　care　as　possible。
But　I　cannot　myself　see　a　safer　route　for　us　than　the　direct　advance
on　Babylon；　if　Babylon　is　the　centre　of　the　enemy's　strength。　They　are
numerous；　you　say；　and　if　they　are　in　good　heart；　we　shall　soon　know
it。　＇32＇　Now；　if　they　cannot　find　us　and　imagine　that　we　have
disappeared　from　fear　of　them；　you　may　take　it　as　certain　that　they
will　be　quit　of　the　terror　we　have　inspired。　Courage　will　spring　up　in
its　place；　and　grow　the　greater　the　longer　we　lie　hid。　But　if　we　march
straight　on　then；　we　shall　find　them　still　mourning　for　the　dead　whom
we　have　slain；　still　nursing　the　wounds　we　have　inflicted；　still
trembling　at　the　daring　of　our　troops；　still　mindful　of　their　own
discomfiture　and　flight。　＇33＇　Gobryas；〃　he　added；　〃be　assured　of　this；
men　in　the　mass；　when　aflame　with　courage；　are　irresistible；　and　when
their　hearts　fail　them；　the　more　numerous　they　are　the　worse　the　panic
that　seizes　them。　＇34＇　It　comes　upon　them　magnified　by　a　thousand
lies；　blanched　by　a　thousand　pallors；　it　gathers　head　from　a　thousand
terror…stricken　looks；　until　it　grows　so　great　that　no　orator　can
allay　it　by　his　words；　no　general　arouse　the　old　courage　by　a　charge；
or　revive　the　old　confidence　by　retreat；　the　more　their　leader　cheers
them　on；　the　worse　do　the　soldiers　take　their　case　to　be。　＇35＇　Now　by
all　means　let　us　see　exactly　how　things　stand　with　us。　If　from
henceforward　victory　must　fall　to　those　who　can　reckon　the　largest
numbers；　your　fears　for　us　are　justified；　and　we　are　indeed　in　fearful
danger；　but　if　the　old　rule　still　holds；　and　battles　are　decided　by
the　qualities　of　those　who　fight；　then；　I　say；　take　heart　and　you　will
never　fail。　You　will　find　far　more　stomach　for　the　fight　among　our
ranks　than　theirs。　＇36＇　And　to　hearten　you　the　more；　take　note　of
this：　our　enemies　are　far　fewer　now　than　when　we　worsted　them；　far
weaker　than　when　they　fled　from　us；　while　we　are　stronger　because　we
are　conquerors；　and　greater　because　fortune　has　been　ours；　yes；　and
actually　more　numerous　because　you　and　yours　have　joined　us；　for　I
would　not　have　you　hold　your　men　too　low；　now　that　they　are　side　by
side　with　us。　In　the　company　of　conquerors；　Gobryas；　the　hearts　of　the
followers　beat　high。　＇37＇　Nor　should　you　forget；〃　he　added；　〃that　the
enemy　is　well　able　to　see　us　as　it　is；　and　the　sight　of　us　will
certainly　not　be　more　alarming　if　we　wait　for　him　where　we　are　than　if
we　advance　against　him。　That　is　my　opinion；　and　now　you　must　lead　us
straight　for　Babylon。〃

＇C。3＇　And　so　the　march　continued；　and　on　the　fourth　day　they　found
themselves　at　the　limit　of　the　territory　over　which　Gobryas　ruled。
Since　they　were　now　in　the　enemy's　country　Cyrus　changed　the
disposition　of　his　men；　taking　the　infantry　immediately　under　his　own
command；　with　sufficient　cavalry　to　support　them；　and　sending　the　rest
of　the　mounted　troops　to　scour　the　land。　Their　orders　were　to　cut　down
every　one　with　arms　in　his　hands；　and　drive　in　the　rest；　with　all　the
cattle　they　could　find。　The　Persians　were　ordered　to　take　part　in　this
raid；　and　though　many　came　home　with　nothing　for　their　trouble　but　a
toss　from　their　horses；　others　brought　back　a　goodly　store　of　booty。

＇2＇　When　the　spoil　was　all　brought　in；　Cyrus　summoned　the　officers　of
the　Medes　and　the　Hyrcanians；　as　well　as　his　own　peers；　and　spoke　as
follows：

〃My　friends；　Gobryas　has　entertained　us　nobly；　he　has　showered　good
things　upon　us。　What　say　you　then？　After　we　have　set　aside　the
customary　portion　for　the　gods　and　a　fair　share　for　the　army；　shall　we
not　give　all　the　rest　of　the　spoil　to　him？　Would　it　not　be　a　noble
thing；　a　sign　and　symbol　at　the　outset　that　we　desire　to　outdo　in
well…doing　those　who　do　good　to　us？〃

＇3＇　At　that　all　his　hearers　with　one　consent　applauded；　and　a　certain
officer　rose　and　said：

〃By　all　means；　Cyrus；　let　us　do　so。　I　myself　cannot　but　feel　that
Gobryas　must　have　thought　us　almost　beggars　because　we　were　not　laden
with　coins　of　gold　and　did　not　drink　from　golden　goblets。　But　if　we　do
this；　he　will　understand　that　men　may　be　free　and　liberal　without　the
help　of　gold。〃

＇4＇　〃Come　then；〃　said　Cyrus；　〃let　us　pay　the　priests　our　debt　to
heaven；　select　what　the　army　requires；