cyropaedia-第68章

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them　slaves　for　ever。

＇45＇　Thus　he　secured　the　safety　of　the　Persian　empire。　He　himself；　he
felt　sure；　ran　no　danger　from　the　massages　of　the　conquered　people；　he
saw　they　had　no　courage；　no　unity；　and　no　discipline；　and；　moreover；
not　one　of　them　could　ever　come　near　him；　day　or　night。　＇46＇　But　there
were　others　whom　he　knew　to　be　true　warriors；　who　carried　arms；　and
who　held　by　one　another；　commanders　of　horse　and　foot；　many　of　them
men　of　spirit；　confident；　as　he　could　plainly　see；　of　their　own　power
to　rule；　men　who　were　in　close　touch　with　his　own　guards；　and　many
of　them　in　constant　intercourse　with　himself；　as　indeed　was　essential
if　he　was　to　make　any　use　of　them　at　all。　It　was　from　them　that　danger
was　to　be　feared；　and　that　in　a　thousand　ways。　＇47＇　How　was　he　to
guard　against　it？　He　rejected　the　idea　of　disarming　them；　he　thought
this　unjust；　and　that　it　would　lead　to　the　dissolution　of　the　empire。
To　refuse　them　admission　into　his　presence；　to　show　them　his　distrust；
would　be；　he　considered；　a　declaration　of　war。　＇48＇　But　there　was　one
method；　he　felt；　worth　all　the　rest；　an　honourable　method　and　one　that
would　secure　his　safety　absolutely；　to　win　their　friendship　if　he
could；　and　make　them　more　devoted　to　himself　than　to　each　other。　I
will　now　endeavour　to　set　forth　the　methods；　so　far　as　I　conceive
them；　by　which　he　gained　their　love。

＇C。2＇　In　the　first　place　he　never　lost　an　opportunity　of　showing
kindliness　wherever　he　could；　convinced　that　just　as　it　is　not　easy　to
love　those　who　hate　us；　so　it　is　scarcely　possible　to　feel　enmity　for
those　who　love　us　and　wish　us　well。　＇2＇　So　long　as　he　had　lacked　the
power　to　confer　benefits　by　wealth；　all　he　could　do　then　was　to　show
his　personal　care　for　his　comrades　and　his　soldiers；　to　labour　in
their　behalf；　manifest　his　joy　in　their　good　fortune　and　his　sympathy
in　their　sorrows；　and　try　to　win　them　in　that　way。　But　when　the　time
came　for　the　gifts　of　wealth；　he　realised　that　of　all　the　kindnesses
between　man　and　man　none　come　with　a　more　natural　grace　than　the　gifts
of　meat　and　drink。　＇3＇　Accordingly　he　arranged　that　his　table　should
be　spread　every　day　for　many　guests　in　exactly　the　same　way　as　for
himself；　and　all　that　was　set　before　him；　after　he　and　his　guests　had
dined；　he　would　send　out　to　his　absent　friends；　in　token　of　affection
and　remembrance。　He　would　include　those　who　had　won　his　approval　by
their　work　on　guard；　or　in　attendance　on　himself；　or　in　any　other
service；　letting　them　see　that　no　desire　to　please　him　could　ever
escape　his　eyes。　＇4＇　He　would　show　the　same　honour　to　any　servant　he
wished　to　praise；　and　he　had　all　the　food　for　them　placed　at　his　own
board；　believing　this　would　win　their　fidelity；　as　it　would　a　dog's。
Or；　if　he　wished　some　friend　of　his　to　be　courted　by　the　people；　he
would　single　him　out　for　such　gifts；　even　to　this　day　the　world　will
pay　court　to　those　who　have　dishes　sent　them　from　the　Great　King's
table；　thinking　they　must　be　in　high　favour　at　the　palace　and　can　get
things　done　for　others。　But　no　doubt　there　was　another　reason　for　the
pleasure　in　such　gifts；　and　that　was　the　sheer　delicious　taste　of　the
royal　meats。　＇5＇　Nor　should　that　surprise　us；　for　if　we　remember　to
what　a　pitch　of　perfection　the　other　crafts　are　brought　in　great
communities；　we　ought　to　expect　the　royal　dishes　to　be　wonders　of
finished　art。　In　a　small　city　the　same　man　must　make　beds　and　chairs
and　ploughs　and　tables；　and　often　build　houses　as　well；　and　indeed　he
will　be　only　too　glad　if　he　can　find　enough　employers　in　all　trades　to
keep　him。　Now　it　is　impossible　that　a　single　man　working　at　a　dozen
crafts　can　do　them　all　well；　but　in　the　great　cities；　owing　to　the
wide　demand　for　each　particular　thing；　a　single　craft　will　suffice　for
a　means　of　livelihood；　and　often　enough　even　a　single　department　of
that；　there　are　shoe…makers　who　will　only　make　sandals　for　men　and
others　only　for　women。　Or　one　artisan　will　get　his　living　merely　by
stitching　shoes；　another　by　cutting　them　out；　a　third　by　shaping　the
upper　leathers；　and　a　fourth　will　do　nothing　but　fit　the　parts
together。　Necessarily　the　man　who　spends　all　his　time　and　trouble　on
the　smallest　task　will　do　that　task　the　best。　＇6＇　The　arts　of　the
household　must　follow　the　same　law。　If　one　and　the　same　servant　makes
the　bed；　spreads　the　table；　kneads　the　dough；　and　cooks　the　various
dishes；　the　master　must　take　things　as　they　come；　there　is　no　help　for
it。　But　when　there　is　work　enough　for　one　man　to　boil　the　pot；　and
another　to　roast　the　meat；　and　a　third　to　stew　the　fish；　and　a　fourth
to　fry　it；　while　some　one　else　must　bake　the　bread；　and　not　all　of　it
either；　for　the　loaves　must　be　of　different　kinds；　and　it　will　be
quite　enough　if　the　baker　can　serve　up　one　kind　to　perfectionit　is
obvious；　I　think；　that　in　this　way　a　far　higher　standard　of　excellence
will　be　attained　in　every　branch　of　the　work。

＇7＇　Thus　it　is　easy　to　see　how　Cyrus　could　outdo　all　competitors　in
the　grace　of　hospitality；　and　I　will　now　explain　how　he　came　to
triumph　in　all　other　services。　Far　as　he　excelled　mankind　in　the　scale
of　his　revenues；　he　excelled　them　even　more　in　the　grandeur　of　his
gifts。　It　was　Cyrus　who　set　the　fashion；　and　we　are　familiar　to　this
day　with　the　open…handedness　of　Oriental　kings。　＇8＇　There　is　no　one；
indeed；　in　all　the　world　whose　friends　are　seen　to　be　as　wealthy　as
the　friends　of　the　Persian　monarch：　no　one　adorns　his　followers　in
such　splendour　of　rich　attire；　no　gifts　are　so　well　known　as　his；　the
bracelets；　and　the　necklaces；　and　the　chargers　with　the　golden
bridles。　For　in　that　country　no　one　can　have　such　treasures　unless　the
king　has　given　them。　＇9＇　And　of　whom　but　the　Great　King　could　it　be
said　that　through　the　splendour　of　his　presents　he　could　steal　the
hearts　of　men　and　turn　them　to　himself；　away　from　brothers；　fathers；
sons？　Who　but　he　could　stretch　out　an　arm　and　take　vengeance　on　his
enemies　when　yet　they　were　months　and　months　away？　Who　but　Cyrus　ever
won　an　empire　in　war；　and　when　he　died　was　called　father　by　the　people
he　overcame？a　title　that　proclaims　the　benefactor　and　not　the
robber。　＇10＇　Indeed；　we　are　led　to　think　that　the　offices　called　〃the
king's　eyes〃　and　〃the　king's　ears〃　came　into　being　through　this　system
of　gifts　and　honours。　Cyrus'　munificence　toward　all　who　told　him　what
it　was　well　for　him　to　know　set　countless　people　listening　with　all
their　ears　and　watching　with　all　their　eyes　for　news　that　might　be　of
service　to　him。　＇11＇　Thus　there　sprang　up　a　host　of　〃king's　eyes〃　and
〃king's　ears；〃　as　they　were　called；　known　and　reputed　to　be　such。　But
it　is　a　mistake　to　suppose　that　the　king　has　one　chosen　〃eye。〃　It　is
little　that　one　man　can　see　or　one　man　hear；　and　to　hand　over　the
office　to　one　single　person　would　be　to　bid　all　others　go　to　sleep。
Moreover；　his　subjects　would　feel　they　must　be　on　their　guard　before
the　man　they　knew　was　〃the　king's　eye。〃　The　contrary　is　the　case；　the
king　will　listen　to　any　man　who　asserts　that　he　has　heard　or　seen
anything　that　needs　attention。　＇12＇　Hence　the　saying　that　the　king　has
a　thousand　eyes　and　a　thousand　ears；　and　hence　the　fear　of　uttering
anything　against　his　interest　since　〃he　is　sure　to　hear；〃　or　doing
anything　that　might　injure　him　〃since　he　may　be　there　to　see。〃　So　far；
therefore；　from　venturing　to　breathe　a　syllable　against　Cyrus；　every
man　felt　that　he　was　under　the　eye　and　within　the　hearing　of　a　king
who　was　always　present。　For　this　universal　feeling　towards　him　I　can
give　no　other　reason　than　his　resolve　to　be　a　benefactor　on　a　most
mighty　scale。

＇13＇　It　is　not　surprising；　no　doubt；　that　being　the　wealthiest　of　men；
he　could　outdo　the　world　in　the　splendour　of　his　gifts。　The　remarkable
thing　was　to　find　a　king　outstrip　his　courtiers　in　courtesy　and
kindness。　There　was　nothing；　so　the　story　runs；　that　could　ever　shame
him　more　than　to　be　outdone　in　courtesy。　＇14＇　Indeed；　a　saying　of　his
is　handed　down　comparing　a　good　king　to　a　good　shepherdthe　shepherd
must　manage　his　flock　by　giving　them　all　they　need；　and　the　king　must
satisfy　the　needs　of　his　cities　and　his　subjects　if　he　is　to　manage
them。　We　need　not　won