the history-第15章

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inion　the　whole　of　Asia　beyond　the　Halys。　This　prince；　collecting　together　all　the　nations　which　owned　his　sway；　marched　against　Nineveh；　resolved　to　avenge　his　father；　and　cherishing　a　hope　that　he　might　succeed　in　taking　the　town。　A　battle　was　fought；　in　which　the　Assyrians　suffered　a　defeat；　and　Cyaxares　had　already　begun　the　siege　of　the　place；　when　a　numerous　horde　of　Scyths；　under　their　king　Madyes；　son　of　Prtotohyes；　burst　into　Asia　in　pursuit　of　the　Cimmerians　whom　they　had　driven　out　of　Europe；　and　entered　the　Median　territory。　　　　　The　distance　from　the　Palus　Maeotis　to　the　river　Phasis　and　the　Colchians　is　thirty　days'　journey　for　a　lightly…equipped　traveller。　From　Colchis　to　cross　into　Media　does　not　take　long…　there　is　only　a　single　intervening　nation；　the　Saspirians；　passing　whom　you　find　yourself　in　Media。　This　however　was　not　the　road　followed　by　the　Scythians；　who　turned　out　of　the　straight　course；　and　took　the　upper　route；　which　is　much　longer；　keeping　the　Caucasus　upon　their　right。　The　Scythians；　having　thus　invaded　Media；　were　opposed　by　the　Medes；　who　gave　them　battle；　but；　being　defeated；　lost　their　empire。　The　Scythians　became　masters　of　Asia。　　　　　After　this　they　marched　forward　with　the　design　of　invading　Egypt。　When　they　had　reached　Palestine；　however；　Psammetichus　the　Egyptian　king　met　them　with　gifts　and　prayers；　and　prevailed　on　them　to　advance　no　further。　On　their　return；　passing　through　Ascalon；　a　city　of　Syria；　the　greater　part　of　them　went　their　way　without　doing　any　damage；　but　some　few　who　lagged　behind　pillaged　the　temple　of　Celestial　Venus。　I　have　inquired　and　find　that　the　temple　at　Ascalon　is　the　most　ancient　of　all　the　temples　to　this　goddess；　for　the　one　in　Cyprus；　as　the　Cyprians　themselves　admit；　was　built　in　imitation　of　it；　and　that　in　Cythera　was　erected　by　the　Phoenicians；　who　belong　to　this　part　of　Syria。　The　Scythians　who　plundered　the　temple　were　punished　by　the　goddess　with　the　female　sickness；　which　still　attaches　to　their　posterity。　They　themselves　confess　that　they　are　afflicted　with　the　disease　for　this　reason；　and　travellers　who　visit　Scythia　can　see　what　sort　of　a　disease　it　is。　Those　who　suffer　from　it　are　called　Enarees。　　　　　The　dominion　of　the　Scythians　over　Asia　lasted　eight…and…twenty　years；　during　which　time　their　insolence　and　oppression　spread　ruin　on　every　side。　For　besides　the　regular　tribute；　they　exacted　from　the　several　nations　additional　imposts；　which　they　fixed　at　pleasure；　and　further；　they　scoured　the　country　and　plundered　every　one　of　whatever　they　could。　At　length　Cyaxares　and　the　Medes　invited　the　greater　part　of　them　to　a　banquet；　and　made　them　drunk　with　wine；　after　which　they　were　all　massacred。　The　Medes　then　recovered　their　empire；　and　had　the　same　extent　of　dominion　as　before。　They　took　Nineveh…　I　will　relate　how　in　another　history…　and　conquered　all　Assyria　except　the　district　of　Babylonia。　After　this　Cyaxares　died；　having　reigned　over　the　Medes；　if　we　include　the　time　of　the　Scythian　rule；　forty　years。　　　　　Astyages；　the　son　of　Cyaxares；　succeeded　to　the　throne。　He　had　a　daughter　who　was　named　Mandane　concerning　whom　he　had　a　wonderful　dream。　He　dreamt　that　from　her　such　a　stream　of　water　flowed　forth　as　not　only　to　fill　his　capital；　but　to　flood　the　whole　of　Asia。　This　vision　he　laid　before　such　of　the　Magi　as　had　the　gift　of　interpreting　dreams；　who　expounded　its　meaning　to　him　in　full；　whereat　he　was　greatly　terrified。　On　this　account；　when　his　daughter　was　now　of　ripe　age；　he　would　not　give　her　in　marriage　to　any　of　the　Medes　who　were　of　suitable　rank；　lest　the　dream　should　be　accomplished；　but　he　married　her　to　a　Persian　of　good　family　indeed；　but　of　a　quiet　temper；　whom　he　looked　on　as　much　inferior　to　a　Mede　of　even　middle　condition。　　　　　Thus　Cambyses　（for　so　was　the　Persian　called）　wedded　Mandane；　and　took　her　to　his　home；　after　which；　in　the　very　first　year；　Astyages　saw　another　vision。　He　fancied　that　a　vine　grew　from　the　womb　of　his　daughter；　and　overshadowed　the　whole　of　Asia。　After　this　dream；　which　he　submitted　also　to　the　interpreters；　he　sent　to　Persia　and　fetched　away　Mandane；　who　was　now　with　child；　and　was　not　far　from　her　time。　On　her　arrival　he　set　a　watch　over　her；　intending　to　destroy　the　child　to　which　she　should　give　birth；　for　the　Magian　interpreters　had　expounded　the　vision　to　foreshow　that　the　offspring　of　his　daughter　would　reign　over　Asia　in　his　stead。　To　guard　against　this；　Astyages；　as　soon　as　Cyrus　was　born；　sent　for　Harpagus；　a　man　of　his　own　house　and　the　most　faithful　of　the　Medes；　to　whom　he　was　wont　to　entrust　all　his　affairs；　and　addressed　him　thus…　〃Harpagus；　I　beseech　thee　neglect　not　the　business　with　which　I　am　about　to　charge　thee；　neither　betray　thou　the　interests　of　thy　lord　for　others'　sake；　lest　thou　bring　destruction　on　thine　own　head　at　some　future　time。　Take　the　child　born　of　Mandane　my　daughter；　carry　him　with　thee　to　thy　home　and　slay　him　there。　Then　bury　him　as　thou　wilt。〃　〃Oh！　king；〃　replied　the　other；　〃never　in　time　past　did　Harpagus　disoblige　thee　in　anything；　and　be　sure　that　through　all　future　time　he　will　be　careful　in　nothing　to　offend。　If　therefore　it　be　thy　will　that　this　thing　be　done；　it　is　for　me　to　serve　thee　with　all　diligence。〃　　　　　When　Harpagus　had　thus　answered；　the　child　was　given　into　his　hands；　clothed　in　the　garb　of　death；　and　he　hastened　weeping　to　his　home。　There　on　his　arrival　he　found　his　wife；　to　whom　he　told　all　that　Astyages　had　said。　〃What　then；〃　said　she；　〃is　it　now　in　thy　heart　to　do？〃　〃Not　what　Astyages　requires；〃　he　answered；　〃no；　he　may　be　madder　and　more　frantic　still　than　he　is　now；　but　I　will　not　be　the　man　to　work　his　will；　or　lend　a　helping　hand　to　such　a　murder　as　this。　Many　things　forbid　my　slaying　him。　In　the　first　place　the　boy　is　my　own　kith　and　kin；　and　next　Astyages　is　old；　and　has　no　son。　If　then　when　he　dies　the　crown　should　go　to　his　daughter…　that　daughter　whose　child　he　now　wishes　to　slay　by　my　hand…　what　remains　for　me　but　danger　of　the　fearfullest　kind？　For　my　own　safety；　indeed；　the　child　must　die；　but　some　one　belonging　to　Astyages　must　take　his　life；　not　I　or　mine。〃　　　　　So　saying　he　sent　off　a　messenger　to　fetch　a　certain　Mitradates；　one　of　the　herdsmen　of　Astyages；　whose　pasturages　he　knew　to　be　the　fittest　for　his　purpose；　lying　as　they　did　among　mountains　infested　with　wild　beasts。　This　man　was　married　to　one　of　the　king's　female　slaves；　whose　Median　name　was　Spaco；　which　is　in　Greek　Cyno；　since　in　the　Median　tongue　the　word　〃Spaca〃　means　a　bitch。　The　mountains；　on　the　skirts　of　which　his　cattle　grazed；　lie　to　the　north　of　Agbatana；　towards　the　Euxine。　That　part　of　Media　which　borders　on　the　Saspirians　is　an　elevated　tract；　very　mountainous；　and　covered　with　forests；　while　the　rest　of　the　Median　territory　is　entirely　level　ground。　On　the　arrival　of　the　herdsman；　who　came　at　the　hasty　summons；　Harpagus　said　to　him…　〃Astyages　requires　thee　to　take　this　child　and　lay　him　in　the　wildest　part　of　the　hills；　where　he　will　be　sure　to　die　speedily。　And　he　bade　me　tell　thee；　that　if　thou　dost　not　kill　the　boy；　but　anyhow　allowest　him　to　escape；　he　will　put　thee　to　the　most　painful　of　deaths。　I　myself　am　appointed　to　see　the　child　exposed。〃　　　　　The　herdsman　on　hearing　this　took　the　child　in　his　arms；　and　went　back　the　way　he　had　come　till　he　reached　the　folds。　There；　providentially；　his　wife；　who　had　been　expecting　daily　to　be　put　to　bed；　had　just；　during　the　absence　of　her　husband；　been　delivered　of　a　child。　Both　the　herdsman　and　his　wife　were　uneasy　on　each　other's　account；　the　former　fearful　because　his　wife　was　so　near　her　time；　the　woman　alarmed　because　it　was　a　new　thing　for　her　husband　to　be　sent　for　by　Harpagus。　When　therefore　he　came　into　the　house　upon　his　return；　his　wife；　seeing　him　arrive　so　unexpectedly；　was　the　first　to　speak；　and　begged　to　know　why　Harpagus　had　sent　for　him　in　such　a　hurry。　〃Wife；〃　said　he；　〃when　I　got　to　the　town　I　saw　and　heard　such　things　as　I　would　to　heaven　I　had　never　seen　such　things　as　I　would　to　heaven　had　never　happened　to　our　masters。　Every　one　was　weeping　in　Harpagus's　house。　It　quite　frightened　me；　but　I　went　in。　The　moment　I　stepped　inside；　what　should　I　see　but　a　baby　lying　on　the　floor；　panting　and　whimpe