cyropaedia-第72章

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him　most　affection　and　had　shown　most　desire　to　exalt　him。　With　them
were　bidden　Artabazus　the　Mede；　and　Tigranes　the　Armenian；　and　the
commander　of　the　Hyrcanian　cavalry；　and　Gobryas。　＇2＇　Gadatas　was　the
chief　of　the　mace…bearers；　and　the　whole　household　was　arranged　as　he
advised。　When　there　were　guests　at　dinner；　Gadatas　would　not　sit　down；
but　saw　to　everything；　and　when　they　were　alone　he　sat　at　meat　with
Cyrus；　who　took　delight　in　his　company；　and　in　return　for　all　his
services　he　was　greatly　honoured　by　Cyrus　and　that　led　to　more　honours
for　others。　＇3＇　As　the　guests　entered；　Gadatas　would　show　each　man　to
his　seat；　and　the　places　were　chosen　with　care：　the　friend　whom　Cyrus
honoured　most　was　placed　on　his　left　hand　（for　that　was　the　side　most
open　to　attack）；　the　second　on　his　right；　the　third　next　to　the　left…
hand　guest；　and　the　fourth　next　to　the　right；　and　so　on；　whatever　the
number　of　guests　might　be。　＇4＇　Cyrus　thought　it　well　it　should　be
known　how　much　each　man　was　honoured；　for　he　saw　that　where　the　world
believes　merit　will　win　no　crown　and　receive　no　proclamation；　there
the　spirit　of　emulation　dies；　but　if　all　see　that　the　best　man　gains
most；　then　the　rivalry　grows　keen。　＇5＇　Thus　it　was　that　Cyrus　marked
out　the　men　he　favoured　by　the　seat　of　honour　and　the　order　of
precedence。　Nor　did　he　assign　the　honourable　place　to　one　friend　for
all　time；　he　made　it　a　law　that　by　good　deeds　a　man　might　rise　into　a
higher　seat　or　through　sloth　descend　into　a　lower；　and　he　would　have
felt　ashamed　if　it　were　not　known　that　the　guest　most　honoured　at　his
table　received　most　favours　at　his　hands。　These　customs　that　arose　in
the　reign　of　Cyrus　continue　to　our　time；　as　we　can　testify。

＇6＇　While　they　were　at　the　feast　that　day　it　struck　Gobryas　that
though　there　was　nothing　surprising　in　the　abundance　and　variety　at
the　table　of　one　who　was　lord　over　so　vast　an　empire；　yet　it　was
strange　that　Cyrus；　who　had　done　such　mighty　deeds；　should　never　keep
any　dainty　for　himself；　but　must　always　be　at　pains　to　share　it　with
the　company。　More　than　once　also　he　saw　Cyrus　send　off　to　an　absent
friend　some　dish　that　had　chanced　to　please　him。　＇7＇　So　that　by　the
time　they　had　finished　their　meal　all　the　viands　had　been　given　away
by　Cyrus；　and　the　board　was　bare。

Then　Gobryas　said；　〃Truly；　Cyrus；　until　to…day　I　used　to　think　it　was
in　generalship　that　you　outshone　other　men　the　most；　but；　by　heaven！　I
say　now　it　is　not　in　generalship　at　all；　it　is　generosity。〃

＇8＇　〃Maybe；〃　said　Cyrus；　〃at　least　I　take　far　more　pride　in　this　work
than　in　the　other。〃

〃How　can　that　be？〃　asked　Gobryas。

〃Because；〃　said　he；　〃the　one　does　good　to　man　and　the　other　injury。〃

＇9＇　Presently　as　the　wine　went　round　and　round；　Hystaspas　turned　to
Cyrus　and　said：

〃Would　you　be　angry；　Cyrus；　if　I　asked　something　I　long　to　know？〃

〃On　the　contrary；〃　answered　Cyrus；　〃I　should　be　vexed　if　I　saw　you
silent　when　you　longed　to　ask。〃

〃Tell　me　then；〃　said　the　other；　〃have　you　ever　called　me　and　found　I
refused　to　come？〃

〃What　a　question！〃　said　Cyrus；　〃of　course　not。〃

〃Well；　have　I　ever　been　slow　in　coming？〃

〃No；　never。〃

〃Or　failed　to　do　anything　you　ordered？〃

〃No；〃　said　Cyrus；　〃I　have　no　fault　to　find　at　all。〃

〃Whatever　I　had　to　do；　I　always　did　it　eagerly　and　with　all　my　heart；
did　I　not？〃

〃Most　assuredly；〃　answered　Cyrus。

＇10＇　〃Then　why；　Cyrus；　why；　in　heaven's　name；　have　you　singled　out
Chrysantas　for　a　more　honourable　seat　than　me？〃

〃Shall　I　really　tell　you？〃　asked　Cyrus　in　his　turn。

〃By　all　means；〃　said　the　other。

〃And　you　will　not　be　annoyed　if　I　tell　you　the　plain　truth？〃

＇11＇　〃On　the　contrary；　it　will　comfort　me　to　know　I　have　not　been
wronged。〃

〃Well；　then；　Chrysantas　never　waited　to　be　called；　he　came　of　his　own
accord　on　our　behalf；　and　he　made　it　his　business　to　do；　not　merely
what　he　was　ordered；　but　whatever　he　thought　would　help　us。　When
something　had　to　be　said　to　the　allies；　he　would　not　only　suggest　what
was　fitting　for　me　to　say　myself；　he　would　guess　what　I　wanted　the
allies　to　know　but　could　not　bring　myself　to　utter；　since　it　was　about
myself；　and　he　would　say　it　for　me　as　though　it　were　his　own　opinion；
in　fact；　for　everything　of　the　kind　he　was　nothing　less　to　me　than　a
second　and　a　better　self。　And　now　he　is　always　insisting　that　what　he
has　already　got　is　quite　enough　for　himself；　and　always　trying　to
discover　something　more　for　me：　he　takes　a　greater　pride　and　joy　in
all　my　triumphs　than　I　do　myself。〃

＇12＇　〃By　Hera；〃　said　Hystaspas；　〃I　am　right　glad　I　asked　you。　Only　one
thing　puzzles　me：　how　am　I　to　show　my　joy　at　your　success？　Shall　I
clap　my　hands　and　laugh；　or　what　shall　I　do？〃

〃Dance　the　Persian　dance；　of　course；〃　said　Artabazus。　And　all　the
company　laughed。

＇13＇　And　as　the　drinking　deepened　Cyrus　put　a　question　to　Gobryas。

〃Tell　me；　Gobryas；　would　you　be　better　pleased　to　give　your　daughter
to　one　of　our　company　to…day　than　the　day　when　you　met　us　first？〃

〃Well；〃　said　Gobryas；　〃am　I　also　to　tell　the　truth？〃

〃Certainly；〃　said　Cyrus；　〃no　question　looks　for　a　lie。〃

〃Then；〃　said　Gobryas；　〃I　assure　you；　I　would　far　rather　give　her　in
marriage　to…day。〃

〃Can　you　tell　us　why？〃　said　Cyrus。

〃That　I　can；〃　said　he。

＇14＇　〃Say　on；　then。〃

〃At　that　time；　I　saw；　it　is　true；　the　gallant　manner　in　which　your　men
endured　toil　and　danger；　but　to…day　I　see　the　modesty　with　which　they
bear　success。　And　I　believe；　Cyrus；　that　the　man　who　takes　good…
fortune　well　is　further　to　seek　than　he　who　can　endure　adversity；　for
success　engenders　insolence　in　many　hearts；　while　suffering　teaches
sobriety　and　fortitude。〃

＇15＇　And　Cyrus　said；　〃Hystaspas；　did　you　hear　the　saying　of　Gobryas？〃

〃I　did　indeed；〃　he　answered；　〃and　if　he　has　many　more　as　good；　he　will
find　me　a　suitor　for　his　daughter；　a　far　more　eager　one　than　if　he　had
shown　me　all　his　goblets。〃

＇16＇　〃Well；〃　said　Gobryas；　〃I　have　many　such　written　down　at　home；　and
you　may　have　them　all　if　you　take　my　daughter　to　wife。　And　as　for
goblets；〃　he　added；　〃since　it　seems　you　cannot　away　with　them；　perhaps
I　might　give　them　to　Chrysantas　to　punish　him　for　having　filled　your
seat。〃

＇17＇　〃Listen　to　me；〃　said　Cyrus；　〃Hystaspas；　and　all　of　you。　If　you
will　but　tell　me；　any　of　you；　when　you　propose　to　marry；　you　would
soon　discover　what　a　clever　advocate　you　had　in　me。〃

＇18＇　But　Gobryas　interposed；　〃And　if　one　of　us　wants　to　give　his
daughter　in　marriage；　to　whom　should　he　apply？〃

〃To　me　also；〃　answered　Cyrus；　〃I　assure　you；　I　am　adept　in　the　art。〃

〃What　art　is　that？〃　Chrysantas　inquired。

＇19＇　〃The　art　of　discerning　the　wife　to　suit　each　man。〃

〃Then　by　all　the　gods；〃　said　Chrysantas；　〃tell　me　what　sort　of　wife
would　do　for　me？〃

＇20＇　〃In　the　first　place；〃　he　answered；　〃she　must　be　short；　for　you
are　not　tall　yourself；　and　if　you　married　a　tall　maiden　and　wanted　to
give　her　a　kiss　when　she　stood　up　straight；　you　would　have　to　jump　to
reach　her　like　a　little　dog。〃

〃Your　advice　is　straight　enough；〃　said　Chrysantas；　〃and　I　am　but　a
sorry　jumper　at　the　best。〃

＇21＇　〃In　the　next　place；〃　Cyrus　went　on；　〃a　flat　nose　would　suit　you
very　well。〃

〃A　flat　nose？〃　said　the　other；　〃why？〃

〃Because　your　own　is　high　enough；　and　flatness；　you　may　be　sure；　will
go　best　with　height。〃

〃You　might　as　well　say；〃　retorted　Chrysantas；　〃that　one　who　has　dined
well；　like　myself；　is　best　matched　with　the　dinnerless。〃

〃Quite　so；〃　answered　Cyrus；　〃a　full　stomach　is　high　and　an　empty
paunch　is　flat。〃

＇22＇　〃And　now；〃　said　Chrysantas；　〃in　heaven's　name；　tell　us　the　bride
for　a　flat　king？〃

But　at　this　Cyrus　laughed　outright；　and　all　the　others　with　him。　＇23＇
And　the　laughter　still　rang　loud　when　Hystaspas　said：

〃There　is　one　thing；　Cyrus；　that　I　envy　in　your　royal　state　more　than
all　the　rest。〃

〃And　what　is　that？〃　said　Cyrus。

〃That　though　you　are　flat；　you　can　raise　a　laugh。〃

〃Ah；〃　said　Cyrus；　〃what　would　you　give　to　have　as　much　said　of　you？　To
have　it　reported　on　all　sides　and　wherever　you　wished　to　stand　well
that　you　were　a　man　of　wit？〃

Thus　they　bantered　each　other　and　gave　jest　for　jest。

＇24＇　Then　Cyrus　brought　out　a　woman's