cyropaedia-第70章

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in　proportion　to　desert。　And　now　Cyrus　asked　him　how　he　thought　the
procession　might　be　made　most　beautiful　in　the　eyes　of　friends　and
most　formidable　in　the　sight　of　foes。　＇6＇　So　they　took　counsel　and
were　of　the　same　mind；　and　Cyrus　bade　Pheraulas　see　that　all　was　done
on　the　morrow　as　they　had　agreed。

〃I　have　issued　orders；〃　he　added；　〃for　all　to　obey　you　in　the　matter；
but　to　make　them　the　more　willing；　take　these　tunics　yourself　and　give
them　to　the　captains　of　the　guard；　and　these　military　cloaks　for　the
cavalry　officers；　and　these　tunics　for　those　who　command　the
chariots。〃

＇7＇　So　Pheraulas　took　the　raiment　and　departed；　and　when　the　generals
saw　him；　they　met　him　with　shouts　and　cries；　〃A　monstrous　fine　fellow
you　are；　Pheraulas！〃　said　one：　〃you　are　to　give　us　our　orders；　it
seems！〃

〃Oh；　yes；〃　said　Pheraulas；　〃and　carry　your　baggage　too。　Here　I　come
with　two　cloaks　as　it　is；　one　for　you　and　another　for　somebody　else：
you　must　choose　whichever　you　like　the　best。〃

＇8＇　At　that　the　officer　put　out　his　hand　to　take　the　cloak；　he　had
clean　forgotten　his　jealousy；　and　fell　to　asking　Pheraulas　which　he
had　better　choose。　And　Pheraulas　gave　his　advice；　adding；　〃But　if　you
inform　against　me；　and　let　out　that　I　gave　you　the　choice；　the　next
time　I　have　to　wait　upon　you　you　will　find　me　a　very　different　sort　of
serving…man。〃

Thus　he　distributed　the　gifts　he　brought；　and　then　he　saw　to　the
arrangements　for　the　procession　so　that　everything　should　be　as　far　as
possible。

＇9＇　On　the　morrow　all　things　were　ready　before　day…break；　ranks　lining
the　road　on　either　hand；　as　they　do　to　this　day　when　the　king　is
expected　to　ride　abroadno　one　may　pass　within　the　lines　unless　he　is
a　man　of　markand　constables　were　posted　with　whips；　to　use　at　any
sign　of　disturbance。

In　front　of　the　palace　stood　the　imperial　guard　of　lancers；　four
thousand　strong；　drawn　up　four　deep　on　either　side　of　the　gates。　＇10＇
And　all　the　cavalry　were　there；　the　men　standing　beside　their　horses；
with　their　hands　wrapped　in　their　cloaks；　as　is　the　custom　to　this　day
for　every　subject　when　the　king's　eye　is　on　him。　The　Persians　stood　on
the　right；　and　the　allies　on　the　left；　and　the　chariots　were　posted　in
the　same　way；　half　on　one　side　and　half　on　the　other。　＇11＇　Presently
the　palace…gates　were　flung　open；　and　at　the　head　of　the　procession
were　led　out　the　bulls　for　sacrifice；　beautiful　creatures；　four　and
four　together。　They　were　to　be　offered　to　Zeus　and　to　any　other　gods
that　the　Persian　priests　might　name。　For　the　Persians　think　it　of　more
importance　to　follow　the　guidance　of　the　learned　in　matters　pertaining
to　the　gods　than　in　anything　else　whatever。

＇12＇　After　the　oxen　came　horses；　an　offering　to　the　Sun；　then　a　white
chariot　with　a　golden　yoke；　hung　with　garlands　and　dedicated　to　Zeus；
and　after　that　the　white　car　of　the　Sun；　wreathed　like　the　one　before
it；　and　then　a　third　chariot；　the　horses　of　which　were　caparisoned
with　scarlet　trappings；　and　behind　walked　men　carrying　fire　upon　a
mighty　hearth。　＇13＇　And　then　at　last　Cyrus　himself　was　seen；　coming
forth　from　the　gates　in　his　chariot；　wearing　his　tiara　on　his　head；
and　a　purple　tunic　shot　with　white；　such　as　none　but　the　king　may
wear；　and　trews　of　scarlet；　and　a　cloak　of　purple。　Round　his　tiara　he
wore　a　diadem；　and　his　kinsmen　wore　the　same；　even　as　the　custom　is　to
this　day。　＇14＇　And　the　king's　hands　hung　free　outside　his　cloak。
Beside　him　stood　a　charioteerhe　was　a　tall　man；　but　he　seemed　to　be
dwarfed　by　Cyrus；　whether　it　was　really　so；　or　whether　there　was　some
artifice　at　work；　Cyrus　towered　above　him。　At　the　sight　of　the　king；
the　whole　company　fell　on　their　faces。　Perhaps　some　had　been　ordered
to　do　this　and　so　set　the　fashion；　or　perhaps　the　multitude　were
really　overcome　by　the　splendour　of　the　pageant　and　the　sight　of　Cyrus
himself；　stately　and　tall　and　fair。　＇15＇　For　hitherto　none　of　the
Persians　had　done　obeisance　to　Cyrus。

And　now；　as　the　chariot　moved　onwards；　the　four　thousand　lancers　went
before　it；　two　thousand　on　either　side；　and　close　behind　came　the
mace…bearers；　mounted　on　horseback；　with　javelins　in　their　hands；
three　hundred　strong。　＇16＇　Then　the　royal　steeds　were　led　past；　with
golden　bridles　and　striped　housings；　two　hundred　and　more；　and　then
followed　two　thousand　spearmen　and　after　them　the　squadron　of　cavalry
first　formed；　ten　thousand　men；　a　hundred　deep　and　a　hundred　riding
abreast；　with　Chrysantas　at　their　head。　＇17＇　And　behind　them　the
second　body　of　the　Persian　horse；　ten　thousand　more；　in　the　same
order；　under　Hystaspas；　and　then　again　ten　thousand　under　Datamas；　and
others　behind　them　under　Gadatas。　＇18＇　And　after　them　the　Median
cavalry；　and　then　the　Armenians；　the　Hyrcanians；　the　Cadousians；　and
the　Sakians　in　their　order；　and　after　the　cavalry　a　squadron　of　war…
chariots；　drawn　up　four　deep；　with　Artabatas　the　Persian　in　command。

＇19＇　All　along　the　route　thousands　of　men　followed；　outside　the
barriers；　with　petitions　to　Cyrus。　Accordingly　he　sent　his　mace…
bearers；　who　rode　beside　him　for　the　purpose；　three　on　either　side　of
his　chariot；　bidding　them　tell　the　crowd　of　suitors；　if　they　had　need
of　anything；　to　acquaint　one　of　the　cavalry　officers　and　he　would
speak　for　them。　So　the　petitioners　withdrew；　and　fell　to　marching
along　the　lines　of　the　cavalry；　considering　whom　they　should　address。
＇20＇　Cyrus　meanwhile　would　send　messengers　to　the　friends　he　wished　to
be　courted；　saying　to　them；　〃If　any　man　appeals　to　you　and　you　think
nothing　of　what　he　says；　pay　no　heed　to　him；　but　if　his　request　seems
just；　report　it　to　me；　and　we　will　discuss　it　together　and　arrange
matters　for　him。〃　＇21＇　As　a　rule　the　officers　so　summoned　did　not
loiter；　but　dashed　up　at　full　speed；　glad　to　enhance　the　authority　of
Cyrus　and　to　show　their　own　allegiance。　But　there　was　a　certain
Da？pharnes；　a　person　of　somewhat　boorish　manners；　who　fancied　that　he
would　make　a　show　of　greater　independence　if　he　did　not　hurry　himself。
＇22＇　Cyrus　noted　this；　and　quietly；　before　the　man　could　reach　him；
sent　another　messenger　to　say　he　had　no　further　need　of　him；　and　that
was　the　last　time　Da？pharnes　was　ever　summoned。　＇23＇　And　when　the　next
officer　rode　up；　in　front　of　Da？pharnes　though　sent　for　after　him；
Cyrus　presented　him　with　a　horse　from　his　train　and　bade　one　of　the
mace…bearers　lead　it　wherever　he　wished。　The　people　saw　in　this　a　high
mark　of　honour；　and　a　greater　crowd　than　ever　paid　their　court　to　the
favoured　man。

＇24＇　When　the　procession　reached　the　sacred　precincts；　sacrifice　was
offered　to　Zeus；　a　whole　burnt…offering　of　bulls；　and　a　whole　burnt…
offering　of　horses　to　the　Sun；　and　then　they　sacrificed　to　the　Earth；
slaying　the　victims　as　the　Persian　priests　prescribed；　and　then　to　the
heroes　who　hold　the　Syrian　land。　＇25＇　And　when　the　rites　were　done；
Cyrus；　seeing　that　the　ground　was　suitable　for　racing；　marked　out　a
goal；　and　a　course　half…a…mile　in　length；　and　bade　the　cavalry　and　the
chariots　match　their　horses　against　each　other；　tribe　by　tribe。　He
himself　raced　among　his　Persians；　and　won　with　ease；　for　he　was　far
the　best　horseman　there。　The　winner　among　the　Medes　was　Artabazus；　the
horse　he　rode　being　a　gift　from　Cyrus。　The　Syrian　race　was　won　by
their　chieftain；　the　Armenian　by　Tigranes；　the　Hyrcanian　by　the
general's　son；　and　the　Sakian　by　a　private　soldier　who　left　all　his
rivals　half　the　course　behind　him。

＇26＇　Cyrus；　so　the　story　says；　asked　the　young　man　if　he　would　take　a
kingdom　for　his　horse。

〃No　kingdom　for　me；〃　answered　the　soldier；　〃but　I　would　take　the
thanks　of　a　gallant　fellow。〃

＇27＇　〃Well；〃　said　Cyrus；　〃I　would　like　to　show　you　where　you　could
hardly　fail　to　hit　one；　even　if　you　shut　your　eyes。〃

〃Be　so　good　as　to　show　me　now；〃　said　the　Sakian；　〃and　I　will　take　aim
with　this　clod；〃　picking　up　one　from　the　ground。

＇28＇　Then　Cyrus　pointed　to　a　group　of　his　best　friends；　and　the　other
shut　his　eyes　and　flung　the　clod；　and　it　struck　Pheraulas　as　he
galloped　by；　bearing　some　message　from　Cyrus。　But　he　never　so　much　as
turned；　flashing　past　on　his　errand。　＇29＇　Then　the　Sakian　opened　his
eyes　and　asked　whom　he　had　hit？

〃Nobody；