cyropaedia-第76章

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＇4＇　Then　Cyrus　went　home　again　and　lay　down　on　his　bed；　for　he　longed
to　rest。　And　when　the　hour　was　come；　his　attendants　came　to　him　and
bade　him　take　his　bath。　But　he　said　he　would　rather　rest。　And　others
came　afterwards；　at　the　usual　time；　to　set　the　meal　before　him；　but　he
could　not　bring　himself　to　take　food：　he　seemed　only　to　thirst；　and
drank　readily。　＇5＇　It　was　the　same　the　second　day；　and　the　third；　and
then　he　called　his　sons　to　his　sideit　chanced　they　had　followed　him
to　Persiaand　he　summoned　his　friends　also　and　the　chief　magistrates
of　the　land；　and　when　they　were　all　met；　he　began：

＇6＇　〃My　sons；　and　friends　of　mine；　the　end　of　my　life　is　at　hand：　I
know　it　by　many　signs。　And　when　I　am　dead；　you　must　show　by　word　and
deed　that　you　think　of　me　as　happy。　When　I　was　a　child；　I　had　all　the
joys　and　triumphs　of　a　child；　and　I　reaped　the　treasures　of　youth　as　I
grew　up；　and　all　the　glories　of　a　man　when　I　came　to　man'e　estate。　And
as　the　years　passed；　I　seemed　to　find　my　powers　grow　with　them；　so
that　I　never　felt　my　old　age　weaker　than　my　youth；　nor　can　I　think　of
anything　I　attempted　or　desired　wherein　I　failed。　＇7＇　Moreover；　I　have
seen　my　friends　made　happy　by　my　means；　and　my　enemies　crushed　beneath
my　hand。　This　my　fatherland；　which　was　once　of　no　account　in　Asia；　I
leave　at　the　height　of　power；　and　of　all　that　I　won　I　think　I　have
lost　nothing。　Throughout　my　whole　life　I　have　fared　as　I　prayed　to
fare；　and　the　dread　that　was　ever　with　me　lest　in　days　to　come　I　might
see　or　hear　or　suffer　evil；　this　dread　would　never　let　me　think　too
highly　of　myself；　or　rejoice　as　a　fool　rejoices。　＇8＇　And　if　I　die　now；
I　leave　my　sons　behind　me；　the　sons　the　gods　have　given　me；　and　I
leave　my　fatherland　in　happiness；　and　my　friends。　Surely　I　may　hope
that　men　will　count　me　blessed　and　cherish　my　memory。　＇9＇　And　now　I
must　leave　instructions　about　my　kingdom；　that　there　may　be　no　dispute
among　you　after　my　death。　Sons　of　mine；　I　love　you　both　alike；　but　I
choose　the　elder…born；　the　one　whose　experience　of　life　is　the
greater；　to　be　the　leader　in　council　and　the　guide　in　action。　＇10＇
Thus　was　I　trained　myself；　in　the　fatherland　that　is　yours　and　mine；
to　yield　to　my　elders；　my　brothers　or　my　fellow…citizens；　in　the
street；　or　in　the　place　of　meeting；　or　in　the　assembly　for　debate。　And
thus　have　I　trained　both　of　you；　to　honour　your　elders　and　be　honoured
by　those　who　are　younger　than　yourselves。　These　are　the　principles
that　I　leave　with　you；　sanctioned　by　time；　ingrained　in　our　customs；
embodied　in　our　laws。　＇11＇　The　sovereignty　is　yours；　Cambyses；　the
gods　have　given　it　to　you；　and　I　also；　as　far　as　in　me　lies；　and　to
you；　Tanaoxares；　I　give　the　satrapy　over　the　Medes　and　the　Armenians
and　the　Cadousians；　these　three；　and　though　I　leave　your　elder　brother
a　larger　empire　and　the　name　of　king；　your　inheritance　will　bring　you；
I　believe；　more　perfect　happiness　than　his。　＇12＇　I　ask　myself　what
human　joy　will　be　lacking　to　you：　all　things　which　gladden　the　hearts
of　men　will　be　yoursbut　the　craving　for　what　is　out　of　reach；　the
load　of　cares；　the　restless　passion　to　rival　my　achievements；　the
plots　and　counterplots；　they　will　follow　him　who　wears　the　crown；　and
they　are　things；　be　well　assured；　that　leave　little　leisure　for
happiness。　＇13＇　And　you；　Cambyses；　you　know　of　yourself；　without　words
from　me；　that　your　kingdom　is　not　guarded　by　this　golden　sceptre；　but
by　faithful　friends；　their　loyalty　is　your　true　staff；　a　sceptre　which
shall　not　fail。　But　never　think　that　loyal　hearts　grow　up　by　nature　as
the　grass　grows　in　the　field：　if　that　were　so；　the　same　men　would　be
loyal　to　all　alike；　even　as　all　natural　objects　are　the　same　to　all
mankind。　No；　every　leader　must　win　his　own　followers　for　himself；　and
the　way　to　win　them　is　not　by　violence　but　by　loving…kindness。　＇14＇
And　if　you　would　seek　for　friends　to　stand　by　you　and　guard　your
throne；　who　so　fit　to　be　the　first　of　them　as　he　who　is　sprung　from
the　self…same　loins？　Our　fellow…citizens　are　nearer　to　us　than
foreigners；　and　our　mess…mates　dearer　than　strangers；　and　what　of
those　who　are　sprung　from　the　same　seed；　suckled　at　the　same　breast；
reared　in　the　same　home；　loved　by　the　same　parents；　the　same　mother；
the　same　father？　＇15＇　What　the　gods　have　given　to　be　the　seal　of
brotherhood　do　not　make　of　none　effect　yourselves。　But　build　upon　it：
make　it　the　foundation　for　other　loving　deeds；　and　thus　the　love
between　you　shall　never　be　overcome。　The　man　who　takes　thought　for　his
brother　cares　for　his　own　self。　For　who　but　a　brother　can　win　glory
from　a　brother's　greatness？　Who　can　be　honoured　as　a　brother　can
through　a　brother's　power？　Or　who　so　safe　from　injury　as　the　brother
of　the　great？　＇16＇　Let　no　one；　Tanaoxares；　be　more　eager　than　yourself
to　obey　your　brother　and　support　him：　to　no　one　can　his　triumph　or　his
danger　come　so　near。　Ask　yourself　from　whom　you　could　win　a　richer
reward　for　any　kindness。　Who　could　give　you　stouter　help　in　return　for
your　own　support？　And　where　is　coldness　so　ugly　as　between　brothers？
Or　where　is　reverence　so　beautiful？　And　remember；　Cambyses；　only　the
brother　who　holds　pre…eminence　in　a　brother's　heart　can　be　safe　from
the　jealousy　of　the　world。　＇17＇　I　implore　you　both；　my　sons；　by　the
gods　of　our　fathers；　hold　each　other　in　honour；　if　you　care　at　all　to
do　me　pleasure：　and　none　of　you　can　say　you　know　that　I　shall　cease　to
be　when　I　cease　to　live　this　life　of　ours。　With　your　bodily　eyes　you
have　never　seen　my　soul；　and　yet　you　have　discerned　its　presence
through　its　working。　＇18＇　And　have　you　never　marked　the　terrors　which
the　spirits　of　those　who　have　suffered　wrong　can　send　into　the　hearts
of　their　murderers；　and　the　avenging　furies　they　let　loose　upon　the
wicked？　Think　you　the　honours　of　the　dead　would　still　abide；　if　the
souls　of　the　departed　were　altogether　powerless？　＇19＇　Never　yet；　my
sons；　could　I　be　persuaded　that　the　soul　only　lives　so　long　as　she
dwells　within　this　mortal　body；　and　falls　dead　so　soon　as　she　is　quit
of　that。　Nay；　I　see　for　myself　that　it　is　the　soul　which　lends　life　to
it；　while　she　inhabits　there。　＇20＇　I　cannot　believe　that　she　must　lose
all　sense　on　her　separation　from　the　senseless　body；　but　rather　that
she　will　reach　her　highest　wisdom　when　she　is　set　free；　pure　and
untrammelled　at　last。　And　when　this　body　crumbles　in　dissolution；　we
see　the　several　parts　thereof　return　to　their　kindred　elements；　but　we
do　not　see　the　soul；　whether　she　stays　or　whether　she　departs。　＇21＇
Consider；〃　he　went　on；　〃how　these　two　resemble　one　another；　Death　and
his　twin…brother　Sleep；　and　it　is　in　sleep　that　the　soul　of　a　man
shows　her　nature　most　divine；　and　is　able　to　catch　a　glimpse　of　what
is　about　to　be；　for　it　is　then；　perhaps；　that　she　is　nearest　to　her
freedom。　＇22＇　Therefore；　if　these　things　are　as　I　believe；　and　the
spirit　leaves　the　body　behind　and　is　set　free；　reverence　my　soul；　O
sons　of　mine；　and　do　as　I　desire。　And　even　if　it　be　not　so；　if　the
spirit　must　stay　with　the　body　and　perish；　yet　the　everlasting　gods
abide；　who　behold　all　things；　with　whom　is　all　power；　who　uphold　the
order　of　this　universe；　unmarred；　unaging；　unerring；　unfathomable　in
beauty　and　in　splendour。　Fear　them；　my　sons；　and　never　yield　to　sin　or
wickedness；　in　thought　or　word　or　deed。　＇23＇　And　after　the　gods；　I
would　have　you　reverence　the　whole　race　of　man；　as　it　renews　itself
for　ever；　for　the　gods　have　not　hidden　you　in　the　darkness；　but　your
deeds　will　be　manifest　in　the　eyes　of　all　mankind；　and　if　they　be
righteous　deeds　and　pure　from　iniquity；　they　will　blazon　forth　your
power：　but　if　you　meditate　evil　against　each　other；　you　will　forfeit
the　confidence　of　every　man。　For　no　man　can　trust　you；　even　though　he
should　desire　it；　if　he　sees　you　wrong　him　whom　above　all　you　are
bound　to　love。　＇24＇　Therefore；　if　my　words　are　strong　enough　to　teach
you　your　duty　to　one　another；　it　is　well。　But；　if　not；　let　history
teach　you；　and　there　is　no　better　teacher。　For　the　most　part；　parents
have　shown　kindness　to　their　children　and　brothers　to　their　brothers；
but　it　has　been　otherwise　with　some。　Look；　then；　and　see　which　conduct
has　brought　success；　ch