cyropaedia-第6章

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and　mountain　sheep　and　wild　asses　were　harmless　enough。　And　the
huntsman；　they　added；　ought　to　be　as　careful　about　dangerous　places　as
about　the　beasts　themselves：　many　a　time　horse　and　rider　had　gone
headlong　down　a　precipice　to　death。　＇8＇　The　lad　seemed　to　take　all
their　lessons　to　heart　at　the　time：　but　then　he　saw　a　stag　leap　up；
and　forgot　all　the　wise　cautions　he　had　heard；　giving　chase　forthwith；
noticing　nothing　except　the　beast　ahead　of　him。　His　horse；　in　its
furious　plunge　forward；　slipped；　and　came　down　on　its　knees；　all　but
throwing　the　rider　over　its　head。　As　luck　would　have　it　the　boy
managed　to　keep　his　seat；　and　the　horse　recovered　its　footing。　When
they　reached　the　flat　bottom；　Cyrus　let　fly　his　javelin；　and　the　stag
fell　dead；　a　beautiful　big　creature。　The　lad　was　still　radiant　with
delight　when　up　rode　the　guard　and　took　him　severely　to　task。　Could　he
not　see　the　danger　he　had　run？　They　would　certainly　tell　his
grandfather；　that　they　would。　Cyrus；　who　had　dismounted；　stood　quite
still　and　listened　ruefully；　hanging　his　head　while　they　rated　him。
But　in　the　middle　of　it　all　he　heard　the　view…halloo　again：　he　sprang
to　his　horse　as　though　frenzieda　wild…boar　was　charging　down　on
them；　and　he　charged　to　meet　it；　and　drawing　his　bow　with　the　surest
aim　possible；　struck　the　beast　in　the　forehead；　and　laid　him　low。　＇9＇
But　now　his　uncle　thought　it　was　high　time　to　scold　his　nephew
himself；　the　lad's　boldness　was　too　much。　Only；　the　more　he　scolded
the　more　Cyrus　begged　he　would　let　him　take　back　the　spoil　as　a
present　for　his　grandfather。　To　which　appeal；　says　the　story；　his
uncle　made　reply：　〃But　if　your　grandfather　finds　out　that　you　have
gone　in　chase　yourself；　he　will　not　only　scold　you　for　going　but　me
for　letting　you　go。〃　〃Well；　let　him　whip　me　if　he　likes；〃　said　the
boy；　〃when　once　I　have　given　him　my　beasts：　and　you　too；　uncle；〃　he
went　on；　〃punish　me　however　you　choose；　only　do　not　refuse　me　this。〃
So　Cyaxares　was　forced　to　yield：〃Have　it　your　own　way　then；　you　are
little　less　than　our　king　already。〃　＇10＇　Thus　it　was　that　Cyrus　was
allowed　to　bring　his　trophies　home；　and　in　due　course　presented　them
to　his　grandfather。　〃See；　grandfather；　here　are　some　animals　I　have
shot　for　you。〃　But　he　did　not　show　his　weapons　in　triumph：　he　only
laid　them　down　with　the　gore　still　on　them　where　he　hoped　his
grandfather　would　see　them。　It　is　easy　to　guess　the　answer　Astyages
gave：〃I　must　needs　accept　with　pleasure　every　gift　you　bring　me；
only　I　want　none　of　them　at　the　risk　of　your　own　life。〃　And　Cyrus
said；　〃If　you　really　do　not　want　them　yourself；　grandfather；　will　you
give　them　to　me？　And　I　will　divide　them　among　the　lads。〃　〃With　all　my
heart；〃　said　the　old　man；　〃take　them；　or　anything　else　you　like；
bestow　them　where　you　will；　and　welcome。〃　＇11＇　So　Cyrus　carried　off
the　spoil；　and　divided　it　with　his　comrades；　saying　all　the　while；
〃What　foolery　it　was；　when　we　used　to　hunt　in　the　park！　It　was　no
better　than　hunting　creatures　tied　by　a　string。　First　of　all；　it　was
such　a　little　bit　of　a　place；　and　then　what　scarecrows　the　poor　beasts
were；　one　halt；　and　another　maimed！　But　those　real　animals　on　the
mountains　and　the　plainswhat　splendid　beasts；　so　gigantic；　so　sleek
and　glossy！　Why；　the　stags　leapt　up　against　the　sky　as　though　they　had
wings；　and　the　wild…boars　came　rushing　to　close　quarters　like　warriors
in　battle！　And　thanks　to　their　breadth　and　bulk　one　could　not　help
hitting　them。　Why；　even　as　they　lie　dead　there；〃　cried　he；　〃they　look
finer　than　those　poor　walled…up　creatures　when　alive！　But　you；〃　he
added；　〃could　not　your　fathers　let　you　go　out　to　hunt　too？〃　〃Gladly
enough；〃　answered　they；　〃if　only　the　king　gave　the　order。〃　＇12＇
〃Well；〃　said　Cyrus；　〃who　will　speak　to　Astyages　for　us？〃　〃Why；〃
answered　they；　〃who　so　fit　to　persuade　him　as　yourself？〃　〃No；　by　all
that's　holy；　not　I！〃　cried　Cyrus。　〃I　cannot　think　what　has　come　over
me：　I　cannot　speak　to　my　grandfather　any　more；　I　cannot　look　him
straight　in　the　face。　If　this　fit　grows　on　me；　I　am　afraid　I　shall
become　no　better　than　an　idiot。　And　yet；　when　I　was　a　little　boy；　they
tell　me；　I　was　sharp　enough　at　talking。〃　To　which　the　other　lads
retorted；　〃Well；　it　is　a　bad　business　altogether：　and　if　you　cannot
bestir　yourself　for　your　friends；　if　you　can　do　nothing　for　us　in　our
need；　we　must　turn　elsewhere。〃　＇13＇　When　Cyrus　heard　that　he　was　stung
to　the　quick：　he　went　away　in　silence　and　urged　himself　to　put　on　a
bold　face；　and　so　went　in　to　his　grandfather；　not；　however；　without
planning　first　how　he　could　best　bring　in　the　matter。　Accordingly　he
began　thus：　〃Tell　me；　grandfather；〃　said　he；　〃if　one　of　your　slaves
were　to　run　away；　and　you　caught　him；　what　would　you　do　to　him？〃　〃What
else　should　I　do；〃　the　old　man　answered；　〃but　clap　irons　on　him　and
set　him　to　work　in　chains？〃　〃But　if　he　came　back　of　his　own　accord；
how　would　you　treat　him　then？〃　〃Why；　I　would　give　him　a　whipping；　as　a
warning　not　to　do　it　again；　and　then　treat　him　as　though　nothing　had
happened。〃　〃It　is　high　time　then；〃　said　the　boy；　〃that　you　began
getting　a　birch　ready　for　your　grandson：　for　I　am　planning　to　take　my
comrades　and　run　away　on　a　hunting　expedition。〃　〃Very　kind　of　you　to
tell　me；　beforehand；〃　said　Astyages。　〃And　now　listen；　I　forbid　you　to
set　foot　outside　the　palace　grounds。　A　pretty　thing；〃　he　added；　〃if
for　the　sake　of　a　day's　hunting　I　should　let　my　daughter's　lamb　get
lost。〃　＇14＇　So　Cyrus　did　as　he　was　ordered　and　stayed　at　home；　but　he
spent　his　days　in　silence　and　his　brow　was　clouded。　At　last　Astyages
saw　how　bitterly　the　lad　felt　it；　and　he　made　up　his　mind　to　please
him　by　leading　out　a　hunting…party　himself。　He　held　a　great　muster　of
horse　and　foot；　and　the　other　lads　were　not　forgotten：　he　had　the
beasts　driven　down　into　the　flat　country　where　the　horses　could　be
taken　easily；　and　then　the　hunt　began　in　splendid　style。　After　the
royal　fashionfor　he　was　present　in　person　himselfhe　gave　orders
that　no　one　was　to　shoot　until　Cyrus　had　hunted　to　his　heart's
content。　But　Cyrus　would　not　hear　of　any　such　hindrance　to　the　others：
〃Grandfather；〃　he　cried；　〃if　you　wish　me　to　enjoy　myself；　let　my
friends　hunt　with　me　and　each　of　us　try　our　best。〃　＇15＇　Thereupon
Astyages　let　them　all　go；　while　he　stood　still　and　watched　the　sight；
and　saw　how　they　raced　to　attack　the　quarry　and　how　their　ambition
burned　within　them　as　they　followed　up　the　chase　and　let　fly　their
javelins。　But　above　all　he　was　overjoyed　to　see　how　his　grandson　could
not　keep　silence　for　sheer　delight；　calling　upon　his　fellows　by　name
whenever　he　came　up　with　the　quarry；　like　a　noble　young　hound；　baying
from　pure　excitement。　It　gladdened　the　old　man's　heart　to　hear　how
gleefully　the　boy　would　laugh　at　one　of　his　comrades　and　how　eagerly
he　would　applaud　another　without　the　slightest　touch　of　jealousy。　At
length　it　was　time　to　turn；　and　home　they　went；　laden　with　their
mighty　trophies。　And　ever　afterwards；　so　well　pleased　was　the　king
with　the　day's　hunting；　that　whenever　it　was　possible；　out　he　must　go
with　his　grandson；　all　his　train　behind　him；　and　he　never　failed　to
take　the　boys　also；　〃to　please　Cyrus。〃　Thus　did　Cyrus　spend　his　early
life；　sharing　in　and　helping　towards　the　happiness　of　all；　and
bringing　no　sorrow　to　any　man。

＇16＇　But　when　he　was　about　fifteen　years　of　age；　it　chanced　that　the
young　Prince　of　Assyria；　who　was　about　to　marry　a　wife；　planned　a
hunting…party　of　his　own；　in　honour　of　the　bridal。　And；　having　heard
that　on　the　frontiers　of　Assyria　and　Media　there　was　much　game　to　be
got；　untouched　and　unmolested　because　of　the　war；　the　prince　chose
these　marches　for　his　hunting…ground。　But　for　safety　sake　he　took　with
him　a　large　escort　of　cavalry　and　targeteers；　who　were　to　drive　the
beasts　down　from　their　lairs　into　the　cultivated　levels　below　where　it
was　easy　to　ride。　He　set　out　to　the　place　where　the　Assyrian　outposts
were　planted　and　a　garrison　on　duty；　and　there　he　and　his　men　prepared
to　take　their　supper；　intending　to　begin　the　hunt　with　the　morrow's
dawn。　＇17＇　And　as　evening　had　fallen；　it　happened　that　the　night…
watch；　a　considerable　body　of　horse　and　foot；　arrived　from　the　c