cyropaedia-第7章

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dawn。　＇17＇　And　as　evening　had　fallen；　it　happened　that　the　night…
watch；　a　considerable　body　of　horse　and　foot；　arrived　from　the　city　to
relieve　the　garrison　on　guard。　Thus　the　prince　found　that　he　had
something　like　a　large　army　at　his　call：　the　two　garrisons　as　well　as
the　troop　of　horse　and　foot　for　the　hunt。　And　then　he　asked　himself
whether　it　would　not　be　the　best　of　plans　to　drive　off　booty　from　the
country　of　the　Medes？　In　this　way　more　lustre　would　be　given　to　the
chase；　and　there　would　be　great　store　of　beasts　for　sacrifice。　With
this　intent　he　rose　betimes　and　led　his　army　out：　the　foot　soldiers　he
massed　together　on　the　frontier；　while　he　himself；　at　the　head　of　his
cavalry；　rode　up　to　the　border　fortresses　of　the　Medes。　Here　he　halted
with　the　strongest　and　largest　part　of　his　company；　to　prevent　the
garrisons　from　sallying　out；　and　meanwhile　he　sent　picked　men　forward
by　detachments　with　orders　to　raid　the　country　in　every　direction；
waylay　everything　they　chanced　upon；　and　drive　the　spoil　back　to　him。

＇18＇　While　this　was　going　on　news　was　brought　to　Astyages　that　the
enemy　was　across　the　border；　and　he　hastened　to　the　rescue　at　once；
himself　at　the　head　of　his　own　body…guard；　and　his　son　with　such
troopers　as　were　ready　to　hand；　leaving　word　for　others　to　follow　with
all　despatch。　But　when　they　were　in　sight　of　the　Assyrians；　and　saw
their　serried　ranks；　horse　and　foot；　drawn　up　in　order；　compact　and
motionless；　they　came　to　a　halt　themselves。　＇19＇　Now　Cyrus；　seeing
that　all　the　rest　of　the　world　was　off　to　the　rescue；　boot　and　saddle；
must　needs　ride　out　too；　and　so　put　on　his　armour　for　the　first　time；
and　could　scarcely　believe　it　was　true；　he　had　longed　so　often　and　so
ardently　to　wear　it　all。　And　right　beautiful　it　was；　and　right　well　it
fitted　the　lad；　the　armour　that　his　grandsire　had　had　made　for　him。　So
he　put　on　the　whole　accoutrement；　mounted　his　charger；　and　galloped　to
the　front。　And　Astyages；　though　he　wondered　who　had　sent　the　boy；　bade
him　stay　beside　him；　now　that　he　had　come。　Cyrus；　as　he　looked　at　the
horsemen　facing　them；　turned　to　his　grandfather　with　the　question；
〃Can　those　men　yonder　be　our　enemies；　grandfather；　those　who　are
standing　so　quietly　beside　their　horses？〃　〃Enemies　they　are　too　for
all　that；〃　said　the　king。　〃And　are　those　enemies　too？〃　the　boy　asked；
〃those　who　are　riding　over　there？〃　〃Yes；　to　be　sure。〃　〃Well；
grandfather；　a　sorry　set　they　look；　and　sorry　jades　they　ride　to
ravage　our　lands！　It　would　be　well　for　some　of　us　to　charge　them！〃
〃Not　yet；　my　boy；〃　answered　his　grandfather；　〃look　at　the　mass　of
horsemen　there。　If　we　were　to　charge　the　others　now；　these　friends　of
theirs　would　charge　us；　for　our　full　strength　is　not　yet　on　the
field。〃　〃Yes；　but；〃　suggested　the　boy；　〃if　you　stay　here　yourself；
ready　to　receive　our　supporters；　those　fellows　will　be　afraid　to　stir
either；　and　the　cattle…lifters　will　drop　their　booty　quick　enough；　as
soon　as　they　find　they　are　attacked。〃

＇20＇　Astyages　felt　there　was　much　in　what　the　boy　said；　and　thinking
all　the　while　what　wonderful　sense　he　showed　and　how　wide…awake　he
was；　gave　orders　for　his　son　to　take　a　squadron　of　horse　and　charge
the　raiders。　〃If　the　main　body　move　to　attack；〃　he　added；　〃I　will
charge　myself　and　give　them　enough　to　do　here。〃　Accordingly　Cyaxares
took　a　detachment　of　horse　and　galloped　to　the　field。　Cyrus　seeing　the
charge；　darted　forward　himself；　and　swept　to　the　van；　leading　it　with
Cyaxares　close　at　his　heels　and　the　rest　close　behind　them。　As　soon　as
the　plunderers　saw　them；　they　left　their　booty　and　took　to　flight。
＇21＇　The　troopers；　with　Cyrus　at　their　head；　dashed　in　to　cut　them
off；　and　some　they　overtook　at　once　and　hewed　down　then　and　there；
others　slipped　past；　and　then　they　followed　in　hot　pursuit；　and　caught
some　of　them　too。　And　Cyrus　was　ever　in　the　front；　like　a　young　hound；
untrained　as　yet　but　bred　from　a　gallant　stock；　charging　a　wild…boar
recklessly；　forward　he　swept；　without　eyes　or　thought　for　anything　but
the　quarry　to　be　captured　and　the　blow　to　be　struck。　But　when　the
Assyrian　army　saw　their　friends　in　trouble　they　pushed　forward；　rank
on　rank；　saying　to　themselves　the　pursuit　would　stop　when　their　own
movement　was　seen。　＇22＇　But　Cyrus　never　slackened　his　pace　a　whit：　in
a　transport　of　joy　he　called　on　his　uncle　by　name　as　he　pressed
forward；　hanging　hot…foot　on　the　fugitives；　while　Cyaxares　still　clung
to　his　heels；　thinking　maybe　what　his　father　Astyages　would　say　if　he
hung　back；　and　the　others　still　followed　close　behind　them；　even　the
faint…hearted　changed　into　heroes　for　the　nonce。

Now　Astyages；　watching　their　furious　onslaught；　and　seeing　the　enemy
move　steadily　forward　in　close　array　to　meet　them；　decided　to　advance
without　a　moment's　delay　himself；　for　fear　that　his　son　and　Cyrus
might　come　to　harm；　crashing　in　disorder　against　the　solid　battalions
of　the　foe。　＇23＇　The　Assyrians　saw　the　movement　of　the　king　and　came
to　a　halt；　spears　levelled　and　bows　bent；　expecting　that；　when　their
assailants　came　within　range；　they　would　halt　likewise　as　they　had
usually　done　before。　For　hitherto；　whenever　the　armies　met；　they　would
only　charge　up　to　a　certain　distance；　and　there　take　flying　shots；　and
so　keep　up　the　skirmish　until　evening　fell。　But　now　the　Assyrians　saw
their　own　men　borne　down　on　them　in　rout；　with　Cyrus　and　his　comrades
at　their　heels　in　full　career；　while　Astyages　and　his　cavalry　were
already　within　bowshot。　It　was　more　than　they　could　face；　and　they
turned　and　fled。　After　them　swept　the　Medes　in　full　pursuit；　and　those
they　caught　they　mowed　down；　horse　and　man；　and　those　that　fell　they
slew。　There　was　no　pause　until　they　came　up　with　the　Assyrian　foot。
＇24＇　Here　at　last　they　drew　rein　in　fear　of　some　hidden　ambuscade；　and
Astyages　led　his　army　off。　The　exploit　of　his　cavalry　pleased　him
beyond　measure；　but　he　did　not　know　what　he　could　say　to　Cyrus。　It　was
he　to　whom　the　engagement　was　due；　and　the　victory；　but　the　boy's
daring　was　on　the　verge　of　madness。　Even　during　the　return　home　his
behaviour　was　strange；　he　could　not　forbear　riding　round　alone　to　look
into　the　faces　of　the　slain；　and　those　whose　duty　it　was　could　hardly
drag　him　away　to　lead　him　to　Astyages：　indeed；　the　youth　was　glad
enough　to　keep　them　as　a　screen　between　himself　and　the　king；　for　he
saw　that　the　countenance　of　his　grandfather　grew　stern　at　the　sight　of
him。

＇25＇　So　matters　passed　in　Media：　and　more　and　more　the　name　of　Cyrus
was　on　the　lip　of　every　man；　in　song　and　story　everywhere；　and
Astyages；　who　had　always　loved　him；　was　astonished　beyond　all　measure
at　the　lad。　Meanwhile　his　father；　Cambyses；　rejoiced　to　hear　such
tidings　of　his　son；　but；　when　he　heard　that　he　was　already　acting　like
a　man　of　years；　he　thought　it　full　time　to　call　him　home　again　that　he
might　complete　his　training　in　the　discipline　of　his　fatherland。　The
story　tells　how　Cyrus　answered　the　summons；　saying　he　would　rather
return　home　at　once　so　that　his　father　might　not　be　vexed　or　his
country　blame　him。　And　Astyages；　too；　thought　it　his　plain　duty　to
send　the　boy　back；　but　he　must　needs　give　him　horses　to　take　with　him；
as　many　as　he　would　care　to　choose；　and　other　gifts　beside；　not　only
for　the　love　he　bore　him　but　for　the　high　hopes　he　had　that　the　boy
would　one　day　prove　a　man　of　mark；　a　blessing　to　his　friends；　and　a
terror　to　his　foes。　And　when　the　time　came　for　Cyrus　to　go；　the　whole
world　poured　out　to　speed　him　on　his　journeylittle　children　and　lads
of　his　own　age；　and　grown　men　and　greybeards　on　their　steeds；　and
Astyages　the　king。　And；　so　says　the　chronicle；　the　eyes　of　none　were
dry　when　they　turned　home　again。　＇26＇　Cyrus　himself；　they　tell　us；
rode　away　in　tears。　He　heaped　gifts　on　all　his　comrades；　sharing　with
them　what　Astyages　had　given　to　himself；　and　at　last　he　took　off　the
splendid　Median　cloak　he　wore　and　gave　it　to　one　of　them；　to　tell　him；
plainer　than　words　could　say；　how　his　heart　clung　to　him　above　the
rest。　And　his　friends；　they　say；　took　the　gifts　he　gave　them；　but　they
brought　them　all　back　to　Astyages；　who　sent　them　to　Cyrus　again。　But
once　more　Cyrus　sent　them　back　to　Media　with