The character of Cyrus. All his personal friends are killed, except
Ariæus, who takes to flight.
1. 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. 2. In the first
place, while he was yet a boy, and when he was receiving his education
with his brother and the other youths, he was thought to surpass them
all in everything. 3. For all the sons of the Persian nobles are
educated at the gates of the king;[71] where they may learn many a
lesson of virtuous conduct, but can see or hear nothing disgraceful. 4.
Here the boys see some honoured by the king, and others disgraced, and
hear of them; so that in their very childhood they learn to govern and
to obey.
5. 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. 6. 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, but,
in grappling with her, was dragged from off 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.
7. 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. 8.
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. 9. When, therefore,
he waged war against Tissaphernes, all the cities, of their own accord,
chose to adhere to Cyrus in preference to Tissaphernes, except the
Milesians; but they feared him, because he would not abandon the cause
of the exiles; 10. 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 though they should grow still fewer in number,
and be in a worse condition than they were.
11. Whenever any one did him 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." 12. 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 persons.
13. 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's 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.
14. To those who showed ability for war, it is acknowledged that he paid
distinguished honour. 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. 15. So that the brave appeared to be the most fortunate of men,
while the cowardly were deemed fit[72] 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.
16. 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. 17. Accordingly, while in many other
respects his affairs were administered judiciously, he likewise
possessed 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. 18. 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.
19. 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 laboured with cheerfulness, acquired property with confidence, and
made no concealment from Cyrus of what each possessed; for he did not
appear to envy those who amassed riches openly, but to endeavour to
bring into use the wealth of those who concealed it.
20. 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. 21. For, on the very same account on which he
thought that he himself had need of friends, namely, that he might have
co-operators in his undertakings, did he endeavour to prove an efficient
assistant to his friends in whatever he perceived any of them desirous
of effecting.
22. He received, for many reasons, more presents than perhaps any other
single individual; and these he outdid every one else in distributing
amongst his friends, having a view to the character of each, and to what
he perceived each most needed. 23. Whatever presents any one sent him of
articles of personal ornament, whether for warlike accoutrement, 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. 24.
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. 25. Frequently,
when he had wine served him of a peculiarly fine flavour, 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." 26. 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."
27. 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. 28. 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 honour; 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. 29. Of this fact the following
is a proof; that no one deserted to the king from Cyrus, though only a
subject, (except that Orontes 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 became
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.
30. 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 trust-worthy, well disposed, and constant in
their attachment. 31. For when he was killed, all his friends, and the
partakers of his table who were with him, fell fighting in his defence,
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.
[Footnote 71: Ἐπὶ ταῖς βασιλέως θύραις.] For "at the king's palace."
"The king's palace was styled among the ancient Persians, as in the
modern Constantinople, _the Porte_. Agreeably to the customs of other
despots of the East, the kings of Persia resided in the interior of
their palaces; seldom appearing in public, and guarding all means of
access to their persons. The number of courtiers, masters of ceremonies,
guards, and others was endless. It was through them alone that access
could be obtained to the monarch." _Heeren, Researches, &c._ vol. i. p
403. See Cyrop. i. 3. 2; 2. 3, _seqq._ Corn. Nep. Life of Conon, c. 3.]
[Footnote 72: Ἀξιοῦσθαι.] Lion, Poppo, Kühner, and some other editors,
read ἀξιοῦν, but the passive suits better with the preceding φαίνεσθαι.]