cyropaedia-第42章

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help　of　gold。〃

＇4＇　〃Come　then；〃　said　Cyrus；　〃let　us　pay　the　priests　our　debt　to
heaven；　select　what　the　army　requires；　and　then　summon　Gobryas　and
give　the　rest　to　him。〃

So　they　took　what　they　needed　and　gave　all　the　rest　to　Gobryas。

＇5＇　Forthwith　Cyrus　pressed　on　towards　Babylon；　his　troops　in　battle
order。　But　as　the　Assyrians　did　not　come　out　to　meet　them；　he　bade
Gobryas　ride　forward　and　deliver　this　message：

〃If　the　king　will　come　out　to　fight　for　his　land；　I；　Gobryas；　will
fight　for　him；　but；　if　he　will　not　defend　his　own　country；　we　must
yield　to　the　conquerors。〃

＇6＇　So　Gobryas　rode　forward；　just　far　enough　to　deliver　the　message　in
safety。　And　the　king　sent　a　messenger　to　answer　him：

〃Thy　master　says　to　thee：　'It　repents　me；　Gobryas；　not　that　I　slew　thy
son；　but　that　I　stayed　my　hand　from　slaying　thee。　And　now　if　ye　will
do　battle；　come　again　on　the　thirtieth　day　from　hence。　We　have　no
leisure　now；　our　preparations　are　still　on　foot。'〃

＇7＇　And　Gobryas　made　answer：

〃It　repents　thee：　may　that　repentance　never　cease！　I　have　begun　to
make　thee　suffer；　since　the　day　repentance　took　hold　on　thee。〃

＇8＇　Then　Gobryas　brought　back　the　words　of　the　king　to　Cyrus；　and
Cyrus　led　his　army　off；　and　then　he　summoned　Gobryas　and　said　to　him：

〃Surely　you　told　me　that　you　thought　the　man　who　was　made　an　eunuch　by
the　king　would　be　upon　our　side？〃

〃And　I　am　sure　he　will；〃　answered　Gobryas；　〃for　we　have　spoken　freely
to　each　other　many　a　time；　he　and　I。〃　＇9＇　〃Then；〃　said　Cyrus；　〃you
must　go　to　him　when　you　think　the　right　moment　has　come：　and　you　must
so　act　at　first　that　only　he　and　you　may　know　what　he　intends；　and
when　you　are　closeted　with　him；　if　you　find　he　really　wishes　to　be　a
friend；　you　must　contrive　that　his　friendship　remain　a　secret：　for　in
war　a　man　can　scarcely　do　his　friends　more　good　than　by　a　semblance　of
hostility；　or　his　enemies　more　harm　than　under　the　guise　of
friendship。〃　＇10＇　〃Aye；〃　answered　Gobryas；　〃and　I　know　that　Gadatas
would　pay　a　great　price　to　punish　the　king　of　Assyria。　But　it　is　for
us　to　consider　what　he　can　best　do。〃　＇11＇　〃Tell　me　now；〃　rejoined
Cyrus；　〃you　spoke　of　an　outpost；　built　against　the　Hyrcanians　and　the
Sakians；　which　was　to　protect　Assyria　in　time　of　war；could　the
eunuch　be　admitted　there　by　the　commandant　if　he　came　with　a　force　at
his　back？〃　〃Certainly　he　could；〃　said　Gobryas；　〃if　he　were　as　free
from　suspicion　as　he　is　to…day。〃　＇12＇　〃And　free　he　would　be；〃　Cyrus
went　on；　〃if　I　were　to　attack　his　strongholds　as　though　in　earnest；
and　he　were　to　repel　me　in　force。　I　might　capture　some　of　his　men；　and
he　some　of　my　soldiers；　or　some　messengers　sent　by　me　to　those　you　say
are　the　enemies　of　Assyria；　and　these　prisoners　would　let　it　be　known
that　they　were　on　their　way　to　fetch　an　army　with　scaling…ladders　to
attack　this　fortress；　and　the　eunuch；　hearing　their　story；　would
pretend　that　he　came　to　warn　the　commandant　in　time。〃　＇13＇
〃Undoubtedly；〃　said　Gobryas；　〃if　things　went　thus；　the　commandant
would　admit　him；　he　would　even　beg　him　to　stay　there　until　you
withdrew。〃

〃And　then；〃　Cyrus　continued；　〃once　inside　the　walls；　he　could　put　the
place　into　our　hands？〃　＇14＇　〃We　may　suppose　so；〃　said　Gobryas。　〃He
would　be　there　to　settle　matters　within；　and　you　would　be　redoubling
the　pressure　from　without。〃

〃Then　be　off　at　once；〃　said　Cyrus；　〃and　do　your　best　to　teach　him　his
part；　and　when　you　have　arranged　affairs；　come　back　to　me；　and　as　for
pledges　of　good　faith；　you　could　offer　him　none　better　than　those　you
received　from　us　yourself。〃

＇15＇　Then　Gobryas　made　haste　and　was　gone；　and　the　eunuch　welcomed　him
gladly；　he　agreed　to　everything　and　helped　to　arrange　all　that　was
needed。　Presently　Gobryas　brought　back　word　that　he　thought　the　eunuch
had　everything　in　readiness；　and　so；　without　more　ado；　Cyrus　made　his
feigned　attack　on　the　following　day；　and　was　beaten　off。　＇16＇　But　on
the　other　hand　there　was　a　fortress；　indicated　by　Gadatas　himself；
that　Cyrus　took。　The　messengers　Cyrus　had　sent　out；　telling　them
exactly　where　to　go；　fell　into　the　hands　of　Gadatas：　some　were　allowed
to　escapetheir　business　was　to　fetch　the　troops　and　carry　the
scaling…laddersbut　the　rest　were　narrowly　examined　in　the　presence
of　many　witnesses；　and　when　Gadatas　heard　the　object　of　their　journey
he　got　his　equipment　together　and　set　out　in　the　night　at　full　speed
to　take　the　news。　＇17＇　In　the　end　he　made　his　way　into　the　fortress；
trusted　and　welcomed　as　a　deliverer；　and　for　a　time　he　helped　the
commandant　to　the　best　of　his　ability。　But　as　soon　as　Cyrus　appeared
he　seized　the　place；　aided　by　the　Persian　prisoners　he　had　taken。　＇18＇
This　done；　and　having　set　things　in　order　within　the　fortress；　Gadatas
went　out　to　Cyrus；　bowed　before　him　according　to　the　custom　of　his
land；　and　said；　〃Cyrus；　may　joy　be　yours！〃

＇19＇　〃Joy　is　mine　already；〃　answered　he；　〃for　you；　God　helping　you；
have　brought　it　to　me。　You　must　know；〃　he　added；　〃that　I　set　great
store　by　this　fortress；　and　rejoice　to　leave　it　in　the　hands　of　my
allies　here。　And　for　yourself；　Gadatas；〃　he　added；　〃if　the　Assyrian
has　robbed　you　of　the　ability　to　beget　children；　remember　he　has　not
stolen　your　power　to　win　friends；　you　have　made　us　yours；　I　tell　you；
by　this　deed；　and　we　will　stand　by　as　faithfully　as　sons　and　grandsons
of　your　own。〃

＇20＇　So　Cyrus　spoke。　And　at　that　instant　the　Hyrcanian　chief；　who　had
only　just　learnt　what　had　happened；　came　running　up　to　him；　and
seizing　him　by　the　hand　cried　out：

〃O　Cyrus；　you　godsend　to　your　friends！　How　often　you　make　me　thank　the
gods　for　bringing　me　to　you！〃

＇21＇　〃Off　with　you；　then；〃　said　Cyrus；　〃and　occupy　this　fortress　for
which　you　bless　me　so。　Take　it　and　make　the　best　use　of　it　you　can；
for　your　own　nation；　and　for　all　our　allies；　and　above　all　for
Gadatas；　our　friend；　who　won　it　and　surrenders　it　to　us。〃

＇22＇　〃Then；〃　said　the　chieftain；　〃as　soon　as　the　Cadousians　arrive　and
the　Sakians　and　my　countrymen；　we　must；　must　we　not？　call　a　council　of
them　all；　so　that　we　may　consult　together；　and　see　how　best　to　turn　it
to　account。〃

＇23＇　Cyrus　thought　the　proposal　good；　and　when　they　met　together　it
was　decided　to　garrison　the　post　with　a　common　force；　chosen　from　all
who　were　concerned　that　it　should　remain　friendly　and　be　an　outer
balwark　to　overawe　the　Assyrians。　＇24＇　This　heightened　the　enthusiasm
of　them　all；　Cadousians；　Sakians；　and　Hyrcanians；　and　their　levies
rose　high；　until　the　Cadousians　sent　in　20；000　light　infantry　and　4000
cavalry；　and　the　Sakians　11；000　bowmen；　10；000　on　foot　and　1000
mounted；　while　the　Hyrcanians　were　free　to　despatch　all　their　reserves
of　infantry　and　make　up　their　horsemen　to　a　couple　of　thousand　strong；
whereas　previously　the　larger　portion　of　their　cavalry　had　been　left
at　home　to　support　the　Cadousians　and　Sakians　against　Assyria。

＇25＇　And　while　Cyrus　was　kept　in　the　fortress；　organising　and
arranging　everything；　many　of　the　Assyrians　from　the　country　round
brought　in　their　horses　and　handed　over　their　arms；　being　by　this　time
in　great　dread　of　their　neighbours。

＇26＇　Soon　after　this　Gadatas　came　to　Cyrus　and　told　him　that
messengers　had　come　to　say　that　the　king　of　Assyria；　learning　what　had
happened　to　the　fortress；　was　beside　himself　with　anger；　and　was
preparing　to　attack　his　territory。　〃If　you；　Cyrus；〃　said　he；　〃will　let
me　go　now；　I　will　try　to　save　my　fortresses：　the　rest　is　of　less
account。〃　＇27＇　Cyrus　said；　〃If　you　go　now；　when　will　you　reach　home？〃
And　Gadatas　answered；　〃On　the　third　day　from　this　I　can　sup　in　my　own
house。〃　〃Do　you　think；〃　asked　Cyrus；　〃that　you　will　find　the　Assyrian
already　there？〃　〃I　am　sure　of　it；〃　he　answered；　〃for　he　will　make
haste　while　he　thinks　you　are　still　far　off。〃　＇28＇　〃And　I；〃　said
Cyrus；　〃when　could　I　be　there　with　my　army？〃　But　to　this　Gadatas　made
answer；　〃The　army　you　have　now；　my　lord；　is　very　large；　and　you　could
not　reach　my　home　in　less　than　six　days　or　seven。〃　〃Well；〃　Cyrus
replied；　〃be　off　yourself：　make　all　speed；　and　I　will　follow　as　best　I
can。〃

＇29＇　So　Gadatas　was　gone；　and　Cyrus　called　together　all　the　officers
of　the　allies；　and　a　great　and　goodly　company　they　seem