Thus then died Cyrus, a man who, of all the Persians since Cyrus the
Elder, was the most princely and most worthy of empire, as is agreed
by all who appear to have had personal knowledge of him. In the first
place, while he was yet with his brother and the other youths, he was
a boy, and when he was receiving his education thought to surpass them
all in everything. For without exception the sons of the Persian
nobles are educated at the gates of the king;[46] where they may learn
many a lesson of virtuous conduct, but can see or hear nothing
disgraceful. In this place the boys see some honored by the king, and
others disgraced, and hear of them; so that in their very childhood
they learn to govern and to obey.
Here Cyrus, first of all, showed himself most remarkable for modesty
among those of his own age, and for paying more ready obedience to his
elders than even those who were inferior to him in station; and next
he was noted for his fondness for horses, and for managing them in a
superior manner. They found him, too, very desirous of learning and
most assiduous in practising the warlike exercises of archery and
hurling the javelin. When it suited his age, he grew extremely fond of
the chase, and of braving dangers in encounters with wild beasts. On
one occasion he did not shrink from a she bear that attacked him;
however, in grappling with her, he was dragged from his horse, and
received some wounds, the scars of which were visible on his body, but
at last killed her. The person who first came to his assistance he
made a happy man in the eyes of many.
When he was sent down by his father, as satrap of Lydia and Great
Phrygia and Cappadocia, and was also appointed commander of all the
troops whose duty it is to muster in the plain of Castolus, he soon
showed that if he made a league or compact with any one, or gave a
promise, he deemed it of the utmost importance not to break his word.
Accordingly, the states that were committed to his charge, as well as
individuals, had the greatest confidence in him; and if any one had
been his enemy, he felt secure that if Cyrus entered into a treaty
with him, he should suffer no infraction of the stipulations. When,
therefore, he waged war against Tissaphernes,[47] all the cities, of
their own accord, chose to adhere to Cyrus in preference to
Tissaphernes, except the Milesians; but they feared Cyrus, because he
would not abandon the cause of the exiles; for he both showed by his
deeds, and declared in words, that he would never desert them, since
he had once become a friend to them, not even tho they should grow
still fewer in number, and be in a worse condition than they were.
Whenever any one did Cyrus a kindness or an injury, he showed himself
anxious to go beyond him in those respects; and some used to mention a
wish of his, that he "desired to live long enough to outdo both those
who had done him good, and those who had done him ill, in the requital
that he should make." Accordingly, to him alone of the men of our days
were so great a number of people desirous of committing the disposal
of their property, their cities, and their own person.
Yet no one could with truth say this of him, that he suffered the
criminal or unjust to deride his authority; for he of all men
inflicted punishment most unsparingly; and there were often to be
seen, along the most frequented roads, men deprived of their feet, or
hands, or eyes; so that in Cyrus' dominions it was possible for any
one, Greek or barbarian, who did no wrong, to travel without fear
whithersoever he pleased, and having with him whatever might suit his
convenience.
To those who showed ability for war, it is acknowledged that he paid
distinguished honor. His first war was with the Pisidians and Mysians;
and, marching in person into these countries, he made those whom he
saw voluntarily hazarding their lives in his service governors over
the territory that he subdued, and distinguished them with rewards in
other ways, so that the brave appeared to be the most fortunate of
men, while the cowardly were deemed fit only to be their slaves. There
were, therefore, great numbers of persons who voluntarily exposed
themselves to danger wherever they thought that Cyrus would become
aware of their exertions.
With regard to justice, if any appeared to him inclined to display
that virtue, he made a point of making such men richer than those who
sought to profit by injustice. Accordingly, while in many other
respects his affairs were administered judiciously, he likewise
possest an army worthy of the name. For it was not for money that
generals and captains came from foreign lands to enter into his
service, but because they were persuaded that to serve Cyrus well
would be more profitable than any amount of monthly pay. Besides, if
any one executed his orders in a superior manner, he never suffered
his diligence to go unrewarded; consequently, in every undertaking,
the best-qualified officers were said to be ready to assist him.
If he noticed any one that was a skilful manager, with strict regard
to justice, stocking the land of which he had the direction, and
securing income from it, he would never take anything from such a
person, but was ever ready to give him something in addition; so that
men labored with cheerfulness, acquired property with confidence, and
made no concealment from Cyrus of what each possest; for he did not
appear to envy those who amassed riches openly, but to endeavor to
bring into use the wealth of those who concealed it.
Whatever friends he made, and felt to be well disposed to him, and
considered to be capable of assisting him in anything that he might
wish to accomplish, he is acknowledged by all to have been most
successful in attaching them to him. For, on the very same account on
which he thought that he himself had need of friends--namely, that he
might have cooperators in his undertakings--did he endeavor to prove
an efficient assistant to his friends in whatever he perceived any of
them desirous of effecting.
He received, for many reasons, more presents than perhaps any other
single individual; and these he outdid every one else in distributing
among his friends, having a view to the character of each, and to what
he perceived each most needed. Whatever presents any one sent him of
articles of personal ornament, whether for warlike accouterment or
merely for dress, concerning these, they said, he used to remark that
he could not decorate his own person with them all, but that he
thought friends well equipped were the greatest ornament a man could
have. That he should outdo his friends, indeed, in conferring great
benefits is not at all wonderful, since he was so much more able; but
that he should surpass his friends in kind attentions and an anxious
desire to oblige, appears to me far more worthy of admiration.
Frequently, when he had wine served him of a peculiarly fine flavor,
he would send half-emptied flagons of it to some of his friends, with
a message to this effect, "Cyrus has not for some time met with
pleasanter wine than this; and he has therefore sent some of it to
you, and begs you will drink it to-day, with those whom you love
best." He would often, too, send geese partly eaten and the halves of
loaves, and other such things, desiring the bearer to say, in
presenting them, "Cyrus has been delighted with these, and therefore
wishes you also to taste of them."
Wherever provender was scarce, but he himself, from having many
attendants, and from the care which he took, was able to procure some,
he would send it about, and desire his friends to give that provender
to the horses that carried them, so that hungry steeds might not carry
his friends. Whenever he rode out and many were likely to see him, he
would call to him his friends, and hold earnest conversation with
them, that he might show whom he held in honor; so that, from what I
have heard, I should think that no one was ever beloved by a greater
number of persons, either Greeks or barbarians. Of this fact the
following is a proof: that no one deserted to the king from Cyrus,
tho only a subject (except that Orontes[48] attempted to do so; but he
soon found the person whom he believed faithful to him more a friend
to Cyrus than to himself), while many came over to Cyrus from the
king, after they had become enemies to each other, and these, too, men
who were greatly beloved by the king; for they felt persuaded that if
they proved themselves brave soldiers under Cyrus, they would obtain
from him more adequate rewards for their services than from the king.
What occurred also at the time of his death is a great proof as well
that he himself was a man of merit as that he could accurately
distinguish such as were trustworthy, well disposed, and constant to
their attachment. For when he was killed, all his friends and the
partakers of his table who were with him fell fighting in his defense
except Ariæus, who had been posted in command of the cavalry on the
left; and, when he learned that Cyrus had fallen in the battle, he
took to flight, with all the troops which he had under his command.