cyropaedia-第5章

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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
grandfather　that；　for　all　his　splendid　cavalry；　he　will　not　have　a
stouter　horseman　than　his　grandson　to　fight　his　battles　for　him。〃　＇16＇
Then　said　his　mother；　〃But　justice　and　righteousness；　my　son；　how　can
you　learn　them　here　when　your　teachers　are　at　home？〃　〃Oh；〃　said　Cyrus；
〃I　know　all　about　them　already。〃　〃How　do　you　know　that　you　do？〃　asked
Mandane。　〃Because；〃　answered　the　boy；　〃before　I　left　home　my　master
thought　I　had　learnt　enough　to　decide　the　cases；　and　he　set　me　to　try
the　suits。　Yes！　and　I　remember　once；　said　he；　〃I　got　a　whipping　for
misjudgment。　＇17＇　I　will　tell　you　about　that　case。　There　were　two
boys；　a　big　boy　and　a　little　boy；　and　the　big　boy's　coat　was　small　and
the　small　boy's　coat　was　huge。　So　the　big　boy　stripped　the　little　boy
and　gave　him　his　own　small　coat；　while　he　put　on　the　big　one　himself。
Now　in　giving　judgment　I　decided　that　it　was　better　for　both　parties
that　each　should　have　the　coat　that　fitted　him　best。　But　I　never　got
any　further　in　my　sentence；　because　the　master　thrashed　me　here；　and
said　that　the　verdict　would　have　been　excellent　if　I　had　been
appointed　to　say　what　fitted　and　what　did　not；　but　I　had　been　called
in　to　decide　to　whom　the　coat　belonged；　and　the　point　to　consider　was；
who　had　a　right　to　it：　Was　he　who　took　a　thing　by　violence　to　keep　it；
or　he　who　had　had　it　made　and　bought　it　for　his　own？　And　the　master
taught　me　that　what　is　lawful　is　just　and　what　is　in　the　teeth　of　law
is　based　on　violence；　and　therefore；　he　said；　the　judge　must　always
see　that　his　verdict　tallies　with　the　law。　So　you　see；　mother；　I　have
the　whole　of　justice　at　my　fingers'　ends　already。　And　if　there　should
be　anything　more　I　need　to　know；　why；　I　have　my　grandfather　beside　me；
and　he　will　always　give　me　lessons。〃　＇18＇　〃But；〃　rejoined　his　mother；
〃what　everyone　takes　to　be　just　and　righteous　at　your　grandfather's
court　is　not　thought　to　be　so　in　Persia。　For　instance；　your　own
grandfather　has　made　himself　master　over　all　and　sundry　among　the
Medes；　but　with　the　Persians　equality　is　held　to　be　an　essential　part
of　justice：　and　first　and　foremost；　your　father　himself　must　perform
his　appointed　services　to　the　state　and　receive　his　appointed　dues：
and　the　measure　of　these　is　not　his　own　caprice　but　the　law。　Have　a
care　then；　or　you　may　be　scourged　to　death　when　you　come　home　to
Persia；　if　you　learn　in　your　grandfather's　school　to　love　not　kingship
but　tyranny；　and　hold　the　tyrant's　belief　that　he　and　he　alone　should
have　more　than　all　the　rest。〃　〃Ah；　but；　mother；〃　said　the　boy；　〃my
grandfather　is　better　at　teaching　people　to　have　less　than　their
share；　not　more。　Cannot　you　see；〃　he　cried；　〃how　he　has　taught　all　the
Medes　to　have　less　than　himself？　So　set　your　mind　at　rest；　mother；　my
grandfather　will　never　make　me；　or　any　one　else；　an　adept　in　the　art
of　getting　too　much。〃

＇C。4＇　So　the　boy's　tongue　ran　on。　But　at　last　his　mother　went　home；
and　Cyrus　stayed　behind　and　was　brought　up　in　Media。　He　soon　made
friends　with　his　companions　and　found　his　way　to　their　hearts；　and
soon　won　their　parents　by　the　charm　of　his　address　and　the　true
affection　he　bore　their　sons；　so　much　so　that　when　they　wanted　a
favour　from　the　king　they　bade　their　children　ask　Cyrus　to　arrange　the
matter　for　them。　And　whatever　it　might　be；　the　kindliness　of　the　lad's
heart　and　the　eagerness　of　his　ambition　made　him　set　the　greatest
store　on　getting　it　done。　＇2＇　On　his　side；　Astyages　could　not　bring
himself　to　refuse　his　grandson's　lightest　wish。　For　once；　when　he　was
sick；　nothing　would　induce　the　boy　to　leave　his　side；　he　could　not
keep　back　his　tears；　and　his　terror　at　the　thought　that　his
grandfather　might　die　was　plain　for　every　one　to　see。　If　the　old　man
needed　anything　during　the　night　Cyrus　was　the　first　to　notice　it；　it
was　he　who　sprang　up　first　to　wait　upon　him；　and　bring　him　what　he
thought　would　please　him。　Thus　the　old　king's　heart　was　his。

＇3＇　During　these　early　days；　it　must　be　allowed；　the　boy　was　something
too　much　of　a　talker；　in　part；　may　be；　because　of　his　bringing…up。　He
had　been　trained　by　his　master；　whenever　he　sat　in　judgment；　to　give　a
reason　for　what　he　did；　and　to　look　for　the　like　reason　from　others。
And　moreover；　his　curiosity　and　thirst　for　knowledge　were　such　that　he
must　needs　inquire　from　every　one　he　met　the　explanation　of　this；
that；　and　the　other；　and　his　own　wits　were　so　lively　that　he　was　ever
ready　with　an　answer　himself　for　any　question　put　to　him；　so　that
talkativeness　had　become；　as　it　were；　his　second　nature。　But；　just　as
in　the　body　when　a　boy　is　overgrown；　some　touch　of　youthfulness　is
sure　to　show　itself　and　tell　the　secret　of　his　age；　so　for　all　the
lad's　loquacity；　the　impression　left　on　the　listener　was　not　of
arrogance；　but　of　simplicity　and　warm…heartedness；　and　one　would
gladly　have　heard　his　chatter　to　the　end　rather　than　have　sat　beside
him　and　found　him　dumb。

＇4＇　However；　as　he　grew　in　stature　and　the　years　led　him　to　the　time
when　childhood　passes　into　youth　he　became　more　chary　of　his　words　and
quieter　in　his　tone：　at　times；　indeed；　he　was　so　shy　that　he　would
blush　in　the　presence　of　his　elders；　and　there　was　little　sign　left　of
the　old　forwardness；　the　impulsiveness　of　the　puppy　who　will　jump　up
on　every　one；　master　and　stranger　alike。　Thus　he　grew　more　sedate；　but
his　company　was　still　most　fascinating；　and　little　wonder：　for
whenever　it　came　to　a　trial　of　skill　between　himself　and　his　comrades
he　would　never　challenge　his　mates　to　those　feats　in　which　he　himself
excelled：　he　would　start　precisely　one　where　he　felt　his　own
inferiority；　averring　that　he　would　outdo　them　all；indeed；　he　would
spring　to　horse　in　order　to　shoot　or　hurl　the　javelin　before　he　had
got　a　firm　seatand　then；　when　he　was　worsted；　he　would　be　the　first
to　laugh　at　his　own　discomfiture。　＇5＇　He　had　no　desire　to　escape
defeat　by　giving　up　the　effort；　but　took　glory　in　the　resolution　to　do
better　another　time；　and　thus　he　soon　found　himself　as　good　a　horseman
as　his　peers；　and　presently；　such　was　his　ardour；　he　surpassed　them
all；　and　at　last　the　thinning　of　the　game　in　the　king's　preserves
began　to　show　what　he　could　do。　What　with　the　chasing　and　the　shooting
and　the　spearing；　the　stock　of　animals　ran　so　low　that　Astyages　was
hard　put　to　it　to　collect　enough　for　him。　Then　Cyrus；　seeing　that　his
grandfather　for　all　his　goodwill　could　never　furnish　him　with　enough；
came　to　him　one　day　and　said；　〃Grandfather；　why　should　you　take　so
much　trouble　in　finding　game　for　me？　If　only　you　would　let　me　go　out
to　hunt　with　my　uncle；　I　could　fancy　every　beast　we　came　across　had
been　reared　for　my　particular　delight！〃　＇6＇　But　however　anxious　the
lad　might　be　to　go　out　to　the　chase；　he　had　somehow　lost　the　old
childish　art　of　winning　what　he　wanted　by　coaxing：　and　he　hesitated　a
long　time　before　approaching　the　king　again。　If　in　the　old　days　he　had
quarrelled　with　Sacas　for　not　letting　him　in；　now　he　began　to　play　the
part　of　Sacas　against　himself；　and　could　not　summon　courage　to　intrude
until　he　thought　the　right　moment　had　come：　indeed；　he　implored　the
real　Sacas　to　let　him　know　when　he　might　venture。　So　that　the　old
butler's　heart　was　won；　and　he；　like　the　rest　of　the　world；　was
completely　in　love　with　the　young　prince。

＇7＇　At　last　when　Astyages　saw　that　the　lad's　heart　was　really　set　on
hunting　in　the　open　country；　he　gave　him　leave　to　go　out　with　his
uncle；　taking　care　at　the　same　time　to　send　an　escort　of　mounted
veterans　at　his　heels；　whose　business　it　was　to　keep　watch　and　ward
over　him　in　any　dangerous　place　or　against　any　savage　beast。　Cyrus
plied　his　retinue　with　questions　about　the　creatures　they　came　across；
which　must　he　avoid　and　which　might　he　hunt？　They　told　him　he　must　be
on　his　guard　against　bears　and　wild…boars　and　lions　and　leopards：　many
a　man　had　found　himself　at　too　close　quarters　with　these　dangerous
creatures；　and　been　torn　to　pieces：　but　antelopes；　they　said；　and　deer
and　mountain　sheep　and　wild　asses　were　harmless　enough。　And　the
huntsman；　they　added；　oug