ACCESSION OF CYRUS TO THE THRONE.
B.C. 560
Change in the character of Cyrus.--His ambition.--Capriciousness
of Astyages.--Cyrus makes great progress in mental and personal
accomplishments.--Harpagus's plans for revenge.--Suspicions of
Astyages.--Condition of Persia.--Discontent in Media.--Proceedings
of Harpagus.--His deportment toward Astyages.--Co-operation in
Media.--Harpagus writes to Cyrus.--Harpagus's singular method
of conveying his letter to Cyrus.--Contents of Harpagus's
letter.--Excitement of Cyrus.--Cyrus accedes to Harpagus's
plan.--How to raise an army.--The day of toil.--The day of
festivity.--Speech of Cyrus.--Ardor of the soldiers.--Defection of
Harpagus.--The battle.--Rage of Astyages.--His vengeance on the
magi.--Defeat and capture of Astyages.--Interview with Harpagus.--Cyrus
King of Media and Persia.--Confinement of Astyages.--Acquiescence
of the Medes.--Death of Astyages.--Suddenness of Cyrus's
elevation.--Harpagus.
While Croesus had thus, on his side of the River Halys--which was
the stream that marked the boundary between the Lydian empire on the
west and the Persian and Assyrian dominions on the east--been employed
in building up his grand structure of outward magnificence and
splendor, and in contending, within, against an overwhelming tide
of domestic misery and woe, great changes had taken place in the
situation and prospects of Cyrus. From being an artless and
generous-minded child, he had become a calculating, ambitious, and
aspiring man, and he was preparing to take his part in the great
public contests and struggles of the day, with the same eagerness for
self-aggrandizement, and the same unconcern for the welfare and
happiness of others, which always characterizes the spirit of ambition
and love of power.
Although it is by no means certain that what Xenophon relates of his
visit to his grandfather Astyages is meant for a true narrative of
facts, it is not at all improbable that such a visit might have been
made, and that occurrences, somewhat similar, at least, to those which
his narrative records, may have taken place. It may seem strange to
the reader that a man who should, at one time, wish to put his
grandchild to death, should, at another, be disposed to treat him with
such a profusion of kindness and attention. There is nothing, however,
really extraordinary in this. Nothing is more fluctuating than the
caprice of a despot. Man, accustomed from infancy to govern those
around him by his own impetuous will, never learns self-control. He
gives himself up to the dominion of the passing animal emotions of the
hour. It may be jealousy, it may be revenge, it may be parental
fondness, it may be hate, it may be love--whatever the feeling is
that the various incidents of life, as they occur, or the influences,
irritating or exhilarating, which are produced by food or wine, awaken
in his mind, he follows its impulse blindly and without reserve. He
loads a favorite with kindness and caresses at one hour, and directs
his assassination the next. He imagines that his infant grandchild is
to become his rival, and he deliberately orders him to be left in a
gloomy forest alone, to die of cold and hunger. When the imaginary
danger has passed away, he seeks amusement in making the same
grandchild his plaything, and overwhelms him with favors bestowed
solely for the gratification of the giver, under the influence of an
affection almost as purely animal as that of a lioness for her young.
Favors of such a sort can awaken no permanent gratitude in any heart,
and thus it is quite possible that Cyrus might have evinced, during
the simple and guileless days of his childhood, a deep veneration and
affection for his grandfather, and yet, in subsequent years, when he
had arrived at full maturity, have learned to regard him simply in the
light of a great political potentate, as likely as any other potentate
around him to become his rival or his enemy.
This was, at all events, the result. Cyrus, on his return to Persia,
grew rapidly in strength and stature, and soon became highly
distinguished for his personal grace, his winning manners, and for
the various martial accomplishments which he had acquired in Media,
and in which he excelled almost all his companions. He gained, as
such princes always do, a vast ascendency over the minds of all
around him. As he advanced toward maturity, his mind passed from its
interest in games, and hunting, and athletic sports, to plans of war,
of conquest, and of extended dominion.
In the mean time, Harpagus, though he had, at the time when he endured
the horrid punishment which Astyages inflicted upon him, expressed no
resentment, still he had secretly felt an extreme indignation and
anger, and he had now, for fifteen years, been nourishing covert
schemes and plans for revenge. He remained all this time in the court
of Astyages, and was apparently his friend. He was, however, in heart
a most bitter and implacable enemy. He was looking continually for a
plan or prospect which should promise some hope of affording him his
long-desired revenge. His eyes were naturally turned toward Cyrus.
He kept up a communication with him so far as it was possible, for
Astyages watched very closely what passed between the two countries,
being always suspicious of plots against his government and crown.
Harpagus, however, contrived to evade this vigilance in some degree.
He made continual reports to Cyrus of the tyranny and misgovernment of
Astyages, and of the defenselessness of the realm of Media, and he
endeavored to stimulate his rising ambition to the desire of one day
possessing for himself both the Median and Persian throne.
In fact, Persia was not then independent of Media. It was more or less
connected with the government of Astyages, so that Cambyses, the chief
ruler of Persia, Cyrus's father, is called sometimes a king and
sometimes a _satrap_, which last title is equivalent to that of
viceroy or governor general. Whatever his true and proper title may
have been, Persia was a Median dependency, and Cyrus, therefore, in
forming plans for gaining possession of the Median throne, would
consider himself as rather endeavoring to rise to the supreme command
in his own native country, than as projecting any scheme for foreign
conquest.
Harpagus, too, looked upon the subject in the same light. Accordingly,
in pushing forward his plots toward their execution, he operated in
Media as well as Persia, He ascertained, by diligent and sagacious,
but by very covert inquiries, who were discontented and ill at ease
under the dominion of Astyages, and by sympathizing with and
encouraging them, he increased their discontent and insubmission.
Whenever Astyages, in the exercise of his tyranny inflicted an injury
upon a powerful subject, Harpagus espoused the cause of the injured
man, condemned, with him, the intolerable oppression of the king, and
thus fixed and perpetuated his enmity. At the same time, he took pains
to collect and to disseminate among the Medes all the information
which he could obtain favorable to Cyrus, in respect to his talents,
his character, and his just and generous spirit, so that, at length,
the ascendency of Astyages, through the instrumentality of these
measures, was very extensively undermined, and the way was rapidly
becoming prepared for Cyrus's accession to power.
During all this time, moreover, Harpagus was personally very
deferential and obsequious to Astyages, and professed an unbounded
devotedness to his interests. He maintained a high rank at court and
in the army, and Astyages relied upon him as one of the most obedient
and submissive of his servants, without entertaining any suspicion
whatever of his true designs.
At length a favorable occasion arose, as Harpagus thought, for the
execution of his plans. It was at a time when Astyages had been guilty
of some unusual acts of tyranny and oppression, by which he had
produced extensive dissatisfaction among his people. Harpagus
communicated, very cautiously, to the principal men around him, the
designs that he had long been forming for deposing Astyages and
elevating Cyrus in his place. He found them favorably inclined to the
plan. The way being thus prepared, the next thing was to contrive some
secret way of communicating with Cyrus. As the proposal which he was
going to make was that Cyrus should come into Media with as great a
force as he could command, and head an insurrection against the
government of Astyages, it would, of course, be death to him to have
it discovered. He did not dare to trust the message to any living
messenger, for fear of betrayal; nor was it safe to send a letter
by any ordinary mode of transmission, lest the letter should be
intercepted by some of Astyages's spies, and thus the whole plot be
discovered. He finally adopted the following very extraordinary plan:
[Illustration: THE SECRET CORRESPONDENCE.]
He wrote a letter to Cyrus, and then taking a hare, which some of his
huntsmen had caught for him, he opened the body and concealed the
letter within. He then sewed up the skin again in the most careful
manner, so that no signs of the incision should remain. He delivered
this hare, together with some nets and other hunting apparatus, to
certain trustworthy servants, on whom he thought he could rely,
charging them to deliver the hare into Cyrus's own hands, and to say
that it came from Harpagus, and that it was the request of Harpagus
that Cyrus should open it himself and alone. Harpagus concluded that
this mode of making the communication was safe; for, in case the
persons to whom the hare was intrusted were to be seen by any of the
spies or other persons employed by Astyages on the frontiers, they
would consider them as hunters returning from the chase with their
game, and would never think of examining the body of a hare, in the
hands of such a party, in search after a clandestine correspondence.
The plan was perfectly successful. The men passed into Persia without
any suspicion. They delivered the hare to Cyrus, with their message.
He opened the hare, and found the letter. It was in substance as
follows:
"It is plain, Cyrus, that you are a favorite of Heaven, and
that you are destined to a great and glorious career. You
could not otherwise have escaped, in so miraculous a manner,
the snares set for you in your infancy. Astyages meditated
your death, and he took such measures to effect it as would
seem to have made your destruction sure. You were saved by
the special interposition of Heaven. Yon are aware by what
extraordinary incidents you were preserved and discovered,
and what great and unusual prosperity has since attended
you. You know, too, what cruel punishments Astyages
inflicted upon me, for my humanity in saving you. The time
has now come for retribution. From this time the authority
and the dominions of Astyages may be yours. Persuade the
Persians to revolt. Put yourself at the head of an army, and
march into Media. I shall probably myself be appointed to
command the army sent out to oppose you. If so, we will join
our forces when we meet, and I will enter your service. I
have conferred with the leading nobles in Media, and they
are all ready to espouse your cause. You may rely upon
finding every thing thus prepared for you here; come,
therefore, without any delay."
Cyrus was thrown into a fever of excitement and agitation on reading
this letter. He determined to accede to Harpagus's proposal. He
revolved in his mind for some time the measures by which he could
raise the necessary force. Of course he could not openly announce his
plan and enlist an army to effect it, for any avowed and public
movement of that kind would be immediately made known to Astyages,
who, by being thus forewarned of his enemies' designs, might take
effectual measures to circumvent them. He determined to resort to
deceit, or, as he called it, stratagem; nor did he probably have any
distinct perception of the wrongfulness of such a mode of proceeding.
The demon of war upholds and justifies falsehood and treachery, in all
its forms, on the part of his votaries. He always applauds a forgery,
a false pretense, or a lie: he calls it a stratagem.
Cyrus had a letter prepared, in the form of a commission from
Astyages, appointing him commander of a body of Persian forces to be
raised for the service of the king. Cyrus read the fabricated document
in the public assembly of the Persians, and called upon all the
warriors to join him. When they were organized, he ordered them to
assemble on a certain day, at a place that he named, each one provided
with a woodman's ax. When they were thus mustered, he marched them
into a forest, and set them at work to clear a piece of ground. The
army toiled all day, felling the trees, and piling them up to be
burned. They cleared in this way, as Herodotus states, a piece of
ground eighteen or twenty furlongs in extent. Cyrus kept them thus
engaged in severe and incessant toil all the day, giving them, too,
only coarse food and little rest. At night he dismissed them,
commanding them to assemble again the second day.
On the second day, when they came together, they found a great banquet
prepared for them, and Cyrus directed them to devote the day to
feasting and making merry. There was an abundance of meats of all
kinds, and rich wines in great profusion. The soldiers gave themselves
up for the whole day to merriment and revelry. The toils and the hard
fare of the day before had prepared them very effectually to enjoy the
rest and the luxuries of this festival. They spent the hours in
feasting about their camp-fires and reclining on the grass, where they
amused themselves and one another by relating tales, or joining in
merry songs and dances. At last, in the evening, Cyrus called them
together, and asked them which day they had liked the best. They
replied that there was nothing at all to like in the one, and nothing
to be disliked in the other. They had had, on the first day, hard work
and bad fare, and on the second, uninterrupted ease and the most
luxurious pleasures.
"It is indeed so," said Cyrus, "and you have your destiny in your own
hands to make your lives pass like either of these days, just as you
choose. If you will follow me, you will enjoy ease, abundance, and
luxury. If you refuse, you must remain as you are, and toil on as you
do now, and endure your present privations and hardships to the end of
your days." He then explained to them his designs. He told them that
although Media was a great and powerful kingdom, still that they were
as good soldiers as the Medes, and with the arrangements and
preparations which he had made, they were sure of victory.
The soldiers received this proposal with great enthusiasm and joy.
They declared themselves ready to follow Cyrus wherever he should lead
them, and the whole body immediately commenced making preparations for
the expedition. Astyages was, of course, soon informed of these
proceedings. He sent an order to Cyrus, summoning him immediately into
his presence. Cyrus sent back word, in reply, that Astyages would
probably see him sooner than he wished, and went on vigorously with
his preparations. When all was ready, the army marched, and, crossing
the frontiers, they entered into Media.
In the mean time, Astyages had collected a large force, and, as had
been anticipated by the conspirators, he put it under the command of
Harpagus. Harpagus made known his design of going over to Cyrus as
soon as he should meet him, to as large a portion of the army as he
thought it prudent to admit to his confidence; the rest knew nothing
of the plan; and thus the Median army advanced to meet the invaders, a
part of the troops with minds intent on resolutely meeting and
repelling their enemies, while the rest were secretly preparing to go
over at once to their side.
When the battle was joined, the honest part of the Median army fought
valiantly at first, but soon, thunderstruck and utterly confounded at
seeing themselves abandoned and betrayed by a large body of their
comrades, they were easily overpowered by the triumphant Persians.
Some were taken prisoners; some fled back to Astyages; and others,
following the example of the deserters, went over to Cyrus's camp and
swelled the numbers of his train. Cyrus, thus re-enforced by the
accessions he had received, and encouraged by the flight or dispersion
of all who still wished to oppose him, began to advance toward the
capital.
Astyages, when he heard of the defection of Harpagus and of the
discomfiture of his army, was thrown into a perfect phrensy of rage
and hate. The long-dreaded prediction of his dream seemed now about to
be fulfilled, and the magi, who had taught him that when Cyrus had
once been made king of the boys in sport, there was no longer any
danger of his aspiring to regal power, had proved themselves false.
They had either intentionally deceived him, or they were ignorant
themselves, and in that case they were worthless impostors. Although
the danger from Cyrus's approach was imminent in the extreme, Astyages
could not take any measures for guarding against it until he had first
gratified the despotic cruelty of his nature by taking vengeance on
these false pretenders. He directed to have them all seized and
brought before him, and then, having upbraided them with bitter
reproaches for their false predictions, he ordered them all to be
crucified.
He then adopted the most decisive measures for raising an army. He
ordered every man capable of bearing arms to come forward, and then,
putting himself at the head of the immense force which he had thus
raised, he advanced to meet his enemy. He supposed, no doubt, that
he was sure of victory; but he under-rated the power which the
discipline, the resolution, the concentration, and the terrible energy
of Cyrus's troops gave to their formidable array. He was defeated. His
army was totally cut to pieces, and he himself was taken prisoner.
Harpagus was present when he was taken, and he exulted in revengeful
triumph over the fallen tyrant's ruin. Astyages was filled with rage
and despair. Harpagus asked him what he thought now of the supper in
which he had compelled a father to feed on the flesh of his child.
Astyages, in reply, asked Harpagus whether he thought that the success
of Cyrus was owing to what he had done. Harpagus replied that it was,
and exultingly explained to Astyages the plots he had formed, and the
preparations which he had made for Cyrus's invasion, so that Astyages
might see that his destruction had been effected by Harpagus alone, in
terrible retribution for the atrocious crime which he had committed
so many years before, and for which the vengeance of the sufferer had
slumbered, during the long interval, only to be more complete and
overwhelming at last.
Astyages told Harpagus that he was a miserable wretch, the most
foolish and most wicked of mankind. He was the most foolish, for
having plotted to put power into another's hands which it would have
been just as easy for him to have secured and retained in his own; and
he was the most wicked, for having betrayed his country, and delivered
it over to a foreign power, merely to gratify his own private revenge.
The result of this battle was the complete overthrow of the power and
kingdom of Astyages, and the establishment of Cyrus on the throne of
the united kingdom of Media and Persia. Cyrus treated his grandfather
with kindness after his victory over him. He kept him confined, it
is true, but it was probably that indirect and qualified sort of
confinement which is all that is usually enforced in the case of
princes and kings. In such cases, some extensive and often sumptuous
residence is assigned to the illustrious prisoner, with grounds
sufficiently extensive to afford every necessary range for recreation
and exercise, and with bodies of troops for keepers, which have much
more the form and appearance of military guards of honor attending on
a prince, than of jailers confining a prisoner. It was probably in
such an imprisonment as this that Astyages passed the remainder of his
days. The people, having been wearied with his despotic tyranny,
rejoiced in his downfall, and acquiesced very readily in the milder
and more equitable government of Cyrus.
Astyages came to his death many years afterward, in a somewhat
remarkable manner. Cyrus sent for him to come into Persia, where he
was himself then residing. The officer who had Astyages in charge,
conducted him, on the way, into a desolate wilderness, where he
perished of fatigue, exposure, and hunger. It was supposed that this
was done in obedience to secret orders from Cyrus, who perhaps found
the charge of such a prisoner a burden. The officer, however, was
cruelly punished for the act; but even this may have been only for
appearances, to divert the minds of men from all suspicion that Cyrus
could himself have been an accomplice in such a crime.
The whole revolution which has been described in this chapter, from
its first inception to its final accomplishment, was effected in a
very short period of time, and Cyrus thus found himself very
unexpectedly and suddenly elevated to a throne.
Harpagus continued in his service, and became subsequently one of his
most celebrated generals.