cyropaedia-第51章

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the　subjects　of　the　Great　King。　Beside　the　chariots　he　had　a　large
number　of　camels；　collected　from　his　friends　or　captured　from　the
enemy。　＇31＇　Moreover；　he　decided　to　send　a　spy　into　Lydia　to　ascertain
the　movements　of　the　king；　and　he　thought　that　the　right　man　for　this
purpose　was　Araspas；　the　officer　in　charge　of　the　fair　lady　from　Susa。
Matters　had　gone　ill　with　Araspas：　he　had　fallen　passionately　in　love
with　his　prisoner；　and　been　led　to　entreat　her　to　be　his　paramour。
＇32＇　She　had　refused；　faithful　to　her　husband　who　was　far　away；　for
she　loved　him　dearly；　but　she　forbore　to　accuse　Araspas　to　Cyrus；
being　unwilling　to　set　friend　at　strife　with　friend。　＇33＇　But　when　at
length　Araspas；　thinking　it　would　help　him　in　his　desires；　began　to
threaten　her；　saying　that　if　she　would　not　yield　he　would　have　his
will　of　her　by　force；　then　in　her　dread　of　violence　she　could　keep　the
matter　hid　no　longer；　and　she　sent　her　eunuch　to　Cyrus　with　orders　to
tell　him　everything。　＇34＇　And　when　Cyrus　heard　it　he　smiled　over　the
man　who　had　boasted　that　he　was　superior　to　love；　and　sent　Artabazus
back　with　the　eunuch　to　tell　Araspas　that　he　must　use　no　violence
against　such　a　woman；　but　if　he　could　persuade　her；　he　might　do　so。
＇35＇　But　Artabazus；　when　he　saw　Araspas；　rebuked　him　sternly；　saying
that　the　woman　was　a　sacred　trust；　and　his　conduct　disgraceful；
impious；　and　wicked；　till　Araspas　burst　into　tears　of　misery　and
shame；　and　was　half　dead　at　the　thought　of　what　Cyrus　would　do。　＇36＇
Learning　this；　Cyrus　sent　for　him；　saw　him　alone；　and　said　to　him　face
to　face：

〃Araspas；　I　know　that　you　are　afraid　of　me　and　in　an　agony　of　shame。
Be　comforted；　we　are　told　that　the　gods　themselves　are　made　subject　to
desire；　and　I　could　tell　you　what　love　has　forced　some　men　to　undergo；
men　who　seemed　most　lofty　and　most　wise。　Did　I　not　pass　sentence　on
myself；　when　I　confessed　I　was　too　weak　to　consort　with　loveliness　and
remain　unmoved？　Indeed　it　is　I　who　am　most　to　blame　in　the　matter；　for
I　shut　you　up　myself　with　this　irresistible　power。〃

＇37＇　But　Araspas　broke　in　on　his　words：

〃Ah；　Cyrus；　you　are　ever　the　same；　gentle　and　compassionate　to　human
weaknesses。　But　all　the　rest　of　the　world　has　no　pity　on　me；　they
drown　me　in　wretchedness。　As　soon　as　the　tattlers　got　wind　of　my
misfortune；　all　my　enemies　exulted；　and　my　friends　came　to　me；
advising　me　to　make　away　with　myself　for　fear　of　you；　because　my
iniquity　was　so　great。〃

＇38＇　Then　Cyrus　said；　〃Now　listen：　this　opinion　about　you　may　be　the
means　by　which　you　can　do　me　a　great　kindness　and　your　comrades　a
great　service。〃　〃Oh；　that　it　were　possible！〃　said　Araspas；　〃for　me
ever　to　be　of　service　to　you！〃　＇39＇　〃Well；〃　said　the　other；　〃if　you
went　to　the　enemy；　feigning　that　you　had　fled　from　me；　I　think　they
would　believe　you。〃　〃I　am　sure　they　would；〃　said　Araspas；　〃I　know　even
my　own　friends　would　think　that　of　course　I　ran　away。〃　＇40＇　〃Then　you
will　come　back　to　us；〃　Cyrus　went　on；　〃with　full　information　about　the
enemy's　affairs；　for；　if　I　am　right　in　my　expectation；　they　will　trust
you　and　let　you　see　all　their　plans；　so　that　you　need　miss　nothing　of
what　we　wish　to　know。〃　〃I　will　be　off　this　moment；〃　said　Araspas；　〃it
will　be　my　best　credential　to　have　it　thought　I　was　just　in　time　to
escape　punishment　from　you。〃

＇41＇　〃Then　you　can　really　bring　yourself　to　leave　the　beautiful
Pantheia？〃

〃Yes；　Cyrus；〃　he　answered；　〃I　can；　for　I　see　now　that　we　have　two
souls。　This　is　the　lesson　of　philosophy　that　I　have　learnt　from　the
wicked　sophist　Love。　If　we　had　but　a　single　soul；　how　could　she　be　at
once　evil　and　good？　How　could　she　be　enamoured　at　once　of　nobleness
and　baseness；　or　at　once　desire　and　not　desire　one　deed　and　the　same？
No；　it　is　clear　that　we　have　two　souls；　and　when　the　beautiful　soul
prevails；　all　fair　things　are　wrought；　and　when　the　evil　soul　has　the
mastery；　she　lays　her　hand　to　shame　and　wickedness。　But　to…day　my　good
soul　conquers；　because　she　has　you　to　help　her。〃

＇42＇　〃Well；〃　said　Cyrus；　〃if　you　have　decided　on　going；　it　is　thus　you
had　better　go。　Thus　you　will　win　their　confidence；　and　then　you　must
tell　them　what　we　are　doing；　but　in　such　a　way　as　to　hinder　their　own
designs。　It　would　hinder　them；　for　example；　if　you　said　that　we　were
preparing　an　attack　on　their　territory　at　a　point　not　yet　decided；　for
this　would　check　the　concentration　of　their　forces；　each　leader　being
most　concerned　for　the　safety　of　his　own　home。　＇43＇　Stay　with　them；〃
he　added；　〃till　the　last　moment　possible：　what　they　do　when　they　are
close　at　hand　is　just　what　is　most　important　for　us　to　know。　Advise
them　how　to　dispose　their　forces　in　the　way　that　really　seems　the
best；　for　then；　after　you　are　gone　and　although　it　may　be　known　that
you　are　aware　of　their　order；　they　will　be　forced　to　keep　to　it；　they
will　not　dare　to　change　it；　and　should　they　do　so　at　the　last　moment
they　will　be　thrown　into　confusion。〃

＇44＇　Thereupon　Araspas　took　his　leave；　called　together　his　trustiest
attendants；　said　what　he　thought　necessary　for　the　occasion；　and
departed。

＇45＇　Now　Pantheia；　when　she　heard　that　Araspas　had　fled；　sent　a
messenger　to　Cyrus；　saying：

〃Grieve　not；　Cyrus；　that　Araspas　has　gone　to　join　the　foe：　I　will
bring　you　a　far　trustier　friend　than　he；　if　you　will　let　me　send　for
my　husband；　and　I　know　he　will　bring　with　him　all　the　power　that　he
has。　It　is　true　that　the　old　king　was　my　husband's　friend；　but　he　who
reigns　now　tried　to　tear　us　two　asunder；　and　my　husband　knows　him　for
a　tyrant　and　a　miscreant；　and　would　gladly　be　quit　of　him　and　take
service　with　such　a　man　as　you。〃

＇46＇　When　Cyrus　heard　that；　he　bade　Pantheia　send　word　to　her　husband；
and　she　did　so。　Now　when　Abradatas　saw　the　tokens　from　his　wife；　and
learnt　how　matters　stood；　he　was　full　of　joy；　and　set　out　for　Cyrus'
camp　immediately；　with　a　thousand　horsemen　in　his　train。　And　when　he
came　to　the　Persian　outposts　he　sent　to　Cyrus　saying　who　he　was；　and
Cyrus　gave　orders　that　he　should　be　taken　to　Pantheia　forthwith。　＇47＇
So　husband　and　wife　met　again　after　hope　had　well…nigh　vanished；　and
were　in　each　other's　arms　once　more。　And　then　Pantheia　spoke　of　Cyrus；
his　nobleness；　his　honour；　and　the　compassion　he　had　shown　her；　and
Abradatas　cried：

〃Tell　me；　tell　me；　how　can　I　repay　him　all　I　owe　him　in　your　name　and
mine！〃　And　she　answered：

〃So　deal　with　him；　my　husband；　as　he　has　dealt　with　you。〃

＇48＇　And　thus　Abradatas　went　to　Cyrus；　and　took　him　by　the　hand；　and
said：

〃Cyrus；　in　return　for　the　kindness　you　have　shown　us；　I　can　say　no
more　than　this：　I　give　myself　to　you；　I　will　be　your　friend；　your
servant；　and　your　ally：　whatever　you　desire；　I　will　help　you　to　win；
your　fellow…worker　always；　so　far　as　in　me　lies。〃

＇49＇　Then　Cyrus　answered：

〃And　I　will　take　your　gift：　but　for　the　moment　you　must　leave　me；　and
sup　with　your　wife：　another　day　you　will　let　me　play　the　host；　and
give　you　lodging　with　your　friends　and　mine。〃

＇50＇　Afterwards　Abradatas　perceived　how　much　Cyrus　had　at　heart　the
scythe…bearing　chariots　and　the　cavalry　and　the　war…horses　with　their
armour；　and　he　resolved　to　equip　a　hundred　chariots　for　him　out　of　his
own　cavalry　force。　＇51＇　These　he　proposed　to　lead　himself　in　a　chariot
of　his　own；　four…poled　and　drawn　by　eight　horses；　all　the　eight
protected　by　chest…plates　of　bronze。　＇52＇　So　Abradatas　set　to　work；
and　this　four…poled　chariot　of　his　gave　Cyrus　the　idea　of　making　a　car
with　eight　poles；　drawn　by　eight　yoke　of　oxen；　to　carry　the　lowest
compartment　of　the　battering　engines；　which　stood；　with　its　wheels；
about　twenty…seven　feet　from　the　ground。　＇53＇　Cyrus　felt　that　he　had　a
series　of　such　towers　brought　into　the　field　at　a　fair　pace　they　would
be　of　immense　service　to　him；　and　inflict　as　much　damage　on　the　enemy。
The　towers　were　built　with　galleries　and　parapets；　and　each　of　them
could　carry　twenty　men。　＇54＇　When　the　whole　was　put　together　he　tested
it　and　found　that　the　eight　yoke　of　oxen　could　draw　the　whole　tower
with　the　men　more　easily　than　one　yoke　by　itself　could　manage　the
ordinary　weight　of　baggage；　which　came　to　about　five…and…twenty
talents　apiece；　whereas　the　tower；