artaxerxes-第3章

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javelin　at　him。　But　his　coat　of　mail　stoutly　repelled　it；　and　Cyrus
was　not　wounded；　yet　the　stroke　falling　heavy　upon　him；　he　reeled
under　it。　Then　Artagerses　turning　his　horse；　Cyrus　threw　his　weapon；
and　sent　the　head　of　it　through　his　neck　near　the　shoulder　bone。　So
that　it　is　almost　universally　agreed　to　by　all　the　authors　that
Artagerses　was　slain　by　him。
　　But　as　to　the　death　of　Cyrus；　since　Xenophon；　as　being　himself　no
eyewitness　of　it；　has　stated　it　simply　and　in　few　words；　it　may　not　be
amiss　perhaps　to　run　over　on　the　one　hand　what　Dinon；　and　on　the
other；　what　Ctesias　has　said　of　it。
　　Dinon　then　affirms　that；　after　the　death　of　Artagerses；　Cyrus；
furiously　attacking　the　guard　of　Artaxerxes；　wounded　the　king's　horse；
and　so　dismounted　him；　and　when　Teribazus　had　quickly　lifted　him　up
upon　another；　and　said　to　him；　〃O　king；　remember　this　day；　which　is
not　one　to　be　forgotten；〃　Cyrus；　again　spurring　up　his　horse；　struck
down　Artaxerxes。　But　at　the　third　assault　the　king　being　enraged；
and　saying　to　those　near　him　that　death　was　more　eligible；　made　up
to　Cyrus；　who　furiously　and　blindly　rushed　in　the　face　of　the
weapons　opposed　to　him。　So　the　king　struck　him　with　a　javelin；　as
likewise　did　those　that　were　about　him。　And　thus　Cyrus　falls；　as
some　say；　by　the　hand　of　the　king；　as　others　by　the　dart　of　a
Carian；　to　whom　Artaxerxes　for　a　reward　of　his　achievement　gave　the
privilege　of　carrying　ever　after　a　golden　cock　upon　his　spear　before
the　first　ranks　of　the　army　in　all　expeditions。　For　the　Persians
call　the　men　of　Caria　cocks；　because　of　the　crests　with　which　they
adorn　their　helmets。
　　But　the　account　of　Ctesias；　to　put　it　shortly；　omitting　many
details；　is　as　follows：　Cyrus；　after　the　death　of　Artagerses；　rode
up　against　the　king；　as　he　did　against　him；　neither　exchanging　a
word　with　the　other。　But　Ariaeus；　Cyrus's　friend；　was　beforehand
with　him；　and　darted　first　at　the　king；　yet　wounded　him　not。　Then
the　king　cast　his　lance　at　his　brother；　but　missed　him；　though　he　both
hit　and　slew　Satiphernes；　a　noble　man　and　a　faithful　friend　to
Cyrus。　Then　Cyrus　directed　his　lance　against　the　king；　and　pierced　his
breast　with　it　quite　through　his　armour；　two　inches　deep；　so　that　he
fell　from　his　horse　with　the　stroke。　At　which　those　that　attended
him　being　put　to　flight　and　disorder；　he；　rising　with　a　few；　among
whom　was　Ctesias；　and　making　his　way　to　a　little　hill　not　far　off；
rested　himself。　But　Cyrus；　who　was　in　the　thick　enemy；　was　carried　off
a　great　way　by　the　wildness　of　his　horse；　the　darkness　which　was　now
coming　on　making　it　hard　for　them　to　know　him；　and　for　his　followers
to　find　him。　However；　being　made　elate　with　victory；　and　full　of
confidence　and　force；　he　passed　through　them；　crying　out；　and　that
more　than　once；　in　the　Persian　language；　〃Clear　the　way；　villains；
clear　the　way；〃　which　they　indeed　did；　throwing　themselves　down　at　his
feet。　But　his　tiara　dropped　off　his　head；　and　a　young　Persian；　by　name
Mithridates；　running　by；　struck　a　dart　into　one　of　his　temples　near
his　eye；　not　knowing　who　he　was；　out　of　which　wound　much　blood　gushed；
so　that　Cyrus；　swooning　and　senseless；　fell　off　his　horse。　The　horse
escaped；　and　ran　about　the　field；　but　the　companion　of　Mithridates
took　the　trappings　which　fell　off；　soaked　with　blood。　And　as　Cyrus
slowly　began　to　come　to　himself；　some　eunuchs　who　were　there　tried
to　put　him　on　another　horse；　and　so　convey　him　safe　away。　And　when
he　was　not　able　to　ride；　and　desired　to　walk　on　his　feet；　they　led　and
supported　him；　being　indeed　dizzy　in　the　head　and　reeling；　but
convinced　of　his　being　victorious；　hearing；　as　he　went；　the
fugitives　saluting　Cyrus　as　king；　and　praying　for　grace　and　mercy。
In　the　meantime；　some　wretched；　poverty…stricken　Caunians；　who　in　some
pitiful　employment　as　camp　followers　had　accompanied　the　king's
army；　by　chance　joined　these　attendants　of　Cyrus；　supposing　them　to　be
of　their　own　party。　But　when；　after　a　while；　they　made　out　that
their　coats　over　their　breastplates　were　red；　whereas　all　the　king's
people　wore　white　ones；　they　knew　that　they　were　enemies。　One　of　them；
therefore；　not　dreaming　that　it　was　Cyrus；　ventured　to　strike　him
behind　with　a　dart。　The　vein　under　the　knee　was　cut　open；　and　Cyrus
fell；　and　at　the　same　time　struck　his　wounded　temple　against　a
stone；　and　so　died。　Thus　runs　Ctesias's　account；　tardily；　with　the
slowness　of　a　blunt　weapon　effecting　the　victim's　death。
　　When　he　was　now　dead；　Artasyras；　the　king's　eye；　passed　by　on
horseback；　and；　having　observed　the　eunuchs　lamenting；　he　asked　the
most　trusty　of　them；　〃Who　is　this；　Pariscas；　whom　you　sit　here
deploring？〃　He　replied；　〃Do　not　you　see；　O　Artasyras；　that　it　is　my
master；　Cyrus？〃　Then　Artasyras　wondering；　bade　the　eunuch　be　of　good
cheer；　and　keep　the　dead　body　safe。　And　going　in　all　haste　to
Artaxerxes；　who　had　now　given　up　all　hope　of　his　affairs；　and　was　in
great　suffering　also　with　his　thirst　and　his　wound；　he　with　much　joy
assured　him　that　he　had　seen　Cyrus　dead。　Upon　this；　at　first；　he　set
out　to　go　in　person　to　the　place；　and　commanded　Artasyras　to　conduct
him　where　he　lay。　But　when　there　was　a　great　noise　made　about　the
Greeks；　who　were　said　to　be　in　full　pursuit；　conquering　and　carrying
all　before　them；　he　thought　it　best　to　send　a　number　of　persons　to
see；　and　accordingly　thirty　men　went　with　torches　in　their　hands。
Meantime；　as　he　seemed　to　be　almost　at　the　point　of　dying　from　thirst；
his　eunuch　Satibarzanes　ran　about　seeking　drink　for　him；　for　the　place
had　no　water　in　it　and　he　was　at　a　good　distance　from　his　camp。
After　a　long　search　he　at　last　met　one　of　those　poor　Caunian
camp…followers；　who　had　in　a　wretched　skin　about　four　pints　of　foul
and　stinking　water；　which　he　took　and　gave　to　the　king；　and　when　he
had　drunk　all　off；　he　asked　him　if　he　did　not　dislike　the　water；　but
he　declared　by　all　the　gods　that　he　never　so　much　relished　either
wine；　or　water　out　of　the　lightest　or　purest　stream。　〃And
therefore；〃　said　he；　〃if　I　fail　myself　to　discover　and　reward　him
who　gave　it　to　you；　I　beg　of　heaven　to　make　him　rich　and　prosperous。〃
　　Just　after　this；　came　back　the　thirty　messengers；　with　joy　and
triumph　in　their　looks；　bringing　him　the　tidings　of　his　unexpected
fortune。　And　now　he　was　also　encouraged　by　the　number　of　soldiers　that
again　began　to　flock　in　and　gather　about　him；　so　that　he　presently
descended　into　the　plain　with　many　lights　and　flambeaux　round　about
him。　And　when　he　had　come　near　the　dead　body；　and；　according　to　a
certain　law　of　the　Persians；　the　right　hand　and　head　had　been　lopped
off　from　the　trunk；　he　gave　orders　that　the　latter　should　be　brought
to　him；　and；　grasping　the　hair　of　it；　which　was　long　and　bushy；　he
showed　it　to　those　who　were　still　uncertain　and　disposed　to　fly。
They　were　amazed　at　it；　and　did　him　homage；　so　that　there　were
presently　seventy　thousand　of　them　got　about　him；　and　entered　the　camp
again　with　him。　He　had　led　out　to　the　fight；　as　Ctesias　affirms；
four　hundred　thousand　men。　But　Dinon　and　Xenophon　aver　that　there　were
many　more　than　forty　myriads　actually　engaged。　As　to　the　number　of　the
slain；　as　the　catalogue　of　them　was　given　up　to　Artaxerxes；　Ctesias
says；　they　were　nine　thousand；　but　that　they　appeared　to　him　no
fewer　than　twenty　thousand。　Thus　far　there　is　something　to　be　said
on　both　sides。　But　it　is　a　flagrant　untruth　on　the　part　of　Ctesias
to　say　that　he　was　sent　along　with　Phalinus　the　Zacynthian　and　some
others　to　the　Grecians。　For　Xenophon　knew　well　enough　that　Ctesias　was
resident　at　court；　for　he　makes　mention　of　him；　and　had　evidently
met　with　his　writings。　And；　therefore；　had　he　come；　and　been　deputed
the　interpreter　of　such　momentous　words；　Xenophon　surely　would　not
have　struck　his　name　out　of　the　embassy　to　mention　only　Phalinus。
But　Ctesias；　as　is　evident；　being　excessively　vainglorious　and　no　less
a　favourer　of　the　Lacedaemonians　and　Clearchus；　never　fails　to
assume　to　himself　some　province　in　his　narrative；　taking
opportunity；　in　these　situations；　to　introduce　abundant　high　praise　of
Clearchus　and　Sparta。
　　When　the　battle　was　over；　Artaxerxes　sent　goodly　and　magnificent
gifts　to　the　son　o