cyropaedia-第27章

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you；　a　suppliant　at　your　feet。　I　am　ready　to　be　your　slave　and　your
ally；　and　I　implore　you　to　be　my　avenger。　You　yourself　will　be　a　son
to　me；　for　I　have　no　male　children　now。　＇3＇　He　whom　I　had；　my　only
son；　he　was　beautiful　and　brave；　my　lord；　and　loved　me　and　honoured　me
as　a　father　rejoices　to　be　loved。　And　this　vile　kinghis　father；　my
old　master；　had　sent　for　my　son；　meaning　to　give　him　his　own　daughter
in　marriage；　and　I　let　my　boy　go；　with　high　hopes　and　a　proud　heart；
thinking　that　when　I　saw　him　again　the　king's　daughter　would　be　his
bride。　And　the　prince；　who　is　now　king；　invited　him　to　the　chase；　and
bade　him　do　his　best；　for　he　thought　himself　far　the　finer　horseman　of
the　two。　So　they　hunted　together；　side　by　side；　as　though　they　were
friends；　and　suddenly　a　bear　appeared；　and　the　two　of　them　gave　chase；
and　the　king's　son　let　fly　his　javelin；　but　alas！　he　missed　his　aim；
and　then　my　son　threwoh；　that　he　never　had！and　laid　the　creature
low。　＇4＇　The　prince　was　stung　to　the　quick；　though　for　the　moment　he
kept　his　rancour　hidden。　But；　soon　after　that；　they　roused　a　lion；　and
then　he　missed　a　second　timeno　unusual　thing　for　him；　I　imaginebut
my　son's　spear　went　home；　and　he　brought　the　beast　down；　and　cried；
'See；　I　have　shot　but　twice；　and　killed　each　time！'　And　at　this　the
monster　could　not　contain　his　jealousy；　he　snatched　a　spear　from　one
of　his　followers　and　ran　my　son　through　the　body；　my　only　son；　my
darling；　and　took　his　life。　＇5＇　And　I；　unhappy　that　I　am；　I；　who
thought　to　welcome　a　bride…groom；　carried　home　a　corpse。　I；　who　am
old；　buried　my　boy　with　the　first　down　on　his　chin；　my　brave　boy；　my
well…beloved。　And　his　assassin　acted　as　though　it　were　an　enemy　that
he　had　done　to　death。　He　never　showed　one　sign　of　remorse；　he　never
paid　one　tribute　of　honour　to　the　dead；　in　atonement　for　his　cruel
deed。　Yet　his　own　father　pitied　me；　and　showed　that　he　could　share　the
burden　of　my　grief。　＇6＇　Had　he　lived；　my　old　master；　I　would　never
have　come　to　you　to　do　him　harm；　many　a　kindness　have　I　received　from
him；　and　many　a　service　have　I　done　him。　But　now　that　his　kingdom　has
descended　to　my　boy's　murdererI　could　never　be　loyal　to　that　man；
and　he；　I　know；　could　never　regard　me　as　a　friend。　He　knows　too　well
how　I　feel　towards　him；　and　how；　after　my　former　splendour；　I　pass　my
days　in　mourning；　growing　old　in　loneliness　and　grief。　＇7＇　If　you　can
receive　me；　if　you　can　give　me　some　hope　of　vengeance　for　my　dear　son；
I　think　I　should　grow　young　again；　I　should　not　feel　ashamed　to　live；
and　when　I　came　to　die　I　should　not　die　in　utter　wretchedness。〃

＇8＇　So　he　spoke；　and　Cyrus　answered：

〃Gobryas；　if　your　heart　be　set　towards　us　as　you　say；　I　receive　you　as
my　suppliant；　and　I　promise；　God　helping　me；　to　avenge　your　son。　But
tell　me；〃　he　added；　〃if　we　do　this　for　you；　and　if　we　suffer　you　to
keep　your　stronghold；　your　land；　your　arms；　and　the　power　which　you
had；　how　will　you　serve　us　in　return？〃

＇9＇　And　the　old　man　answered：

〃My　stronghold　shall　be　yours；　to　live　in　as　often　as　you　come　to　me；
the　tribute　which　I　used　to　pay　to　Assyria　shall　be　paid　to　you；　and
whenever　you　march　out　to　war；　I　will　march　at　your　side　with　the　men
from　my　own　land。　Moreover；　I　have　a　daughter；　a　well…beloved　maiden；
ripe　for　marriage；　once　I　thought　of　bringing　her　up　to　be　the　bride
of　the　man　who　is　now　king；　but　she　besought　me　herself；　with　tears；
not　to　give　her　to　her　brother's　murderer；　and　I　have　no　mind　to
oppose　her。　And　now　I　will　put　her　in　your　hands；　to　deal　with　as　I
shall　deal　with　you。〃

＇10＇　So　it　came　to　pass　that　Cyrus　said；　〃On　the　faith　that　you　have
spoken　truly　and　with　true　intent；　I　take　your　hand　and　I　give　you
mine；　let　the　gods　be　witness。〃

And　when　this　was　done；　Cyrus　bade　the　old　man　depart　in　peace；
without　surrendering　his　arms；　and　then　he　asked　him　how　far　away　he
lived；　〃Since；〃　said　he；　〃I　am　minded　to　visit　you。〃　And　Gobryas
answered；　〃If　you　set　off　early　to…morrow；　the　next　day　you　may　lodge
with　us。〃　＇11＇　With　that　he　took　his　own　departure；　leaving　a　guide
for　Cyrus。

Then　the　Medes　presented　themselves；　they　had　set　apart　for　the　gods
what　the　Persian　Priests　thought　right；　and　had　left　it　in　their
hands；　and　they　had　chosen　for　Cyrus　the　finest　of　all　the　tents；　and
a　lady　from　Susa；　of　whom　the　story　says　that　in　all　Asia　there　was
never　a　woman　so　fair　as　she；　and　two　singing…girls　with　her；　the　most
skilful　among　the　musicians。　The　second　choice　was　for　Cyaxares；　and
for　themselves　they　had　taken　their　fill　of　all　they　could　need　on　the
campaign；　since　there　was　abundance　of　everything。　＇12＇　The　Hyrcanians
had　all　they　wanted　too；　and　they　made　the　messenger　from　Cyaxares
share　and　share　alike　with　them。　The　tents　which　were　left　over　they
delivered　to　Cyrus　for　his　Persians；　and　the　coined　money　they　said
should　be　divided　as　soon　as　it　was　all　collected；　and　divided　it　was。


　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　NOTES

C1。10。　Two　theories　of　hedonism：　（1）　Cyaxares'　〃Economise　the　greatest
joy　when　you　have　got　it；〃　and　by　contrast　（2）　Cyrus'　roaming　from　joy
to　joy。

C1。22。　Xenophon　the　Artist：　the　〃kinsman〃　of　Cyrus　again；　and　the
light　by…play　to　enliven　the　severe　history。　The　economic　organising
genius　of　Cyrus　is　also　brought　out。

C2。25。　No　looting；　an　order　of　the　Duke　of　Wellington；　Napier；
Wolseley。

C2。32。　Cf。　modern　times；　humane　orders；　but　strict。

C2。34。　The　question　of　commissariat。　Would　a　modern　force　storm　a　camp
without　taking　rations？　I　dare　say　they　would。

C2。37。　Notice　the　tone　he　adopts　to　these　slaves；　no　bullying；　but
appealing　to　appetite　and　lower　motives。　This　is　doubtless
Xenophontine　and　Hellenic。

C2。38。　Important　as　illustrating　the　stern　Spartan　self…denial　of　the
man　and　his　followers。　There　is　a　hedonistic　test；　but　the　higher
hedonism　prevails　against　the　lower：　ignoble　and　impolitic　to　sit　here
feasting　while　they　are　fighting；　and　we　don't　even　know　how　it　fares
with　them；　our　allies。　The　style　rises　and　is　at　times　Pauline。　St。
Paul；　of　course；　is　moving　on　a　higher　spiritual　plane；　but　still

C2。45；　fin。　The　Education　of　Cyrus；　Cyropaedia；　｛Keroupaideia｝；　the
name　justified。

C2。46。　Hystaspas'　simple　response：　important；　with　other　passages；　to
show　how　naturally　it　came　to　them　（i。e。　the　Hellenes　and　Xenophon）　to
give　a　spiritual　application　to　their　rules　of　bodily　and　mental
training。　These　things　to　them　are　an　allegory。　The　goal　is　lofty；　if
not　so　sublime　as　St。　Paul's　or　Comte's；　the　Christians　or　Positivists
（there　has　been　an　alteration　for　the　better　in　the　spiritual　plane；
and　Socrates　helped　to　bring　it　about；　I　believe）；　but　/ceteris
paribus/；　the　words　of　St。　Paul　are　the　words　of　Hystaspas　and
Xenophon。　They　for　a　corruptible　crown；　and　we　for　an　incorruptible
and　one　might　find　a　still　happier　parable！

C2。46。　Fine　sentiment；　this　/noblesse　oblige/　（cf。　the　archangelic
dignity　in　Milton；　/Paradise　Lost/；　I　think）。

C2。47。　The　aristocratic　theory　（cf。　modern　English　〃nigger〃　theory；
Anglo…Indian；　etc。）。

C3。3。　Xenophon's　dramatic　skill。　We　are　made　to　feel　the　touch　of
something　galling　in　the　manner　of　these　Median　and　Hyrcanian
troopers。

C3。4。　A　'cute　beginning　rhetorically；　because　in　the　most　graceful　way
possible；　and　without　egotism　/versus/　Medes　and　Hyrcanians；　it
postulates　the　Persian　superiority；　moral；　as　against　the　accidental
inferiority　of　the　moment　caused　by　want　of　cavalry　and　the　dependence
on　others　which　that　involves。　I　suppose　it's　no　reflection　on　Cyrus'
military　acumen　not　to　foreseen　this　need。　It　would　have　been
premature　then；　now　it　organically　grows；　and　there's　no　great　crisis
to　pass　through。

C3。11。　I　should　have　thought　this　was　a　dangerous　argument；　obviously
boys　do　learn　better　than　men　certain　things。

C3。12。　Short　sharp　snap　of　argumentative　style。

C3。19。　The　antithetic　balance　and　word…jingle；　with　an　exquisite；
puristic；　precise；　and　delicate　lisp；　as　of　one　tasting　the　flavour　of
his　words　throughout。

C3。23。　I　think　one　sees　how　Xenophon　built　up　his　ideal　structure　on　a
basis　of　actual　living　facts。　The　actual　diverts　the　creator　of　Cyrus
from　the　ideal　at　times；　as　here。　It　is　a　slight　declension　in　the
character　of　Cyrus　to　lay　down　this　law；　〃equestrian　once；　equestrian
always。〃　Xenophon　has　to　account　for　the　actual　Persian　horror　of
pedestrianism：　Cyrus　himself　can　dismount；　and　so　can　the　Persian
nobles　with　Cyrus　the　Younger；　but　still　the　rule　is　〃never　be　seen
walking；〃　and　without　the　concluding　paragraph　the　dramatic　narrative
that　precedes　would　seem　a　little　bit　unfinished　and　pointless：　with
the　explanation　it　floats；　and　we　forgive　〃the　archic　man〃　his
partiality　to　equestrianism；　as　later　on　we　have　to　forgive　him　his
Median　get…up　and　artificiality　generally；　which　again　is　contrary　to
the　Xenophontine　and　the　ideal　Spartan　spirit。

C4。　Xenophon　has　this　theory　of　mankind：　some　are　fit　to　rule；　the
rest　to　be　ruled。　It　is　parallel　to　the　Hellenic　slavery　theory。　Some
moderns；　e。g。　Carlyle　（Ruskin　perhaps）　inherit　it；　and　in　lieu　of
Hellenic　slavery　we　have　a　good　many　caste…distinction　crotchets　still
left。

C4。13；　fin。　The　first　salaam；　ominous　of　the　advent　of　imperialism；
the　sun's　rim　visible；　and　a　ray　shot　up　to　the　zenith。

C5。　Here　the　question　forces　itself　in　the　midst　of　all　this　〃ironic〃
waiting　on　the　part　of　the　Persians　in　Spartan　durance　for　a　future
apotheosis　of　splendour　and　luxuriance；what　is　the　moral？　〃Hunger
now　and　thirst；　for　ye　shall　be　filled〃is　that　it？　Well；　anyhow　it's
parallel　to　the　modern　popular　Christianity；　reward…in…heaven　theory；
only　on　a　less　high　level；　but　exactly　the　same　logicality。

C5。6。　A　point；　this　reward　to　the　catcher；　and　this　rigid　/couvrefeu/
habit　（cf。　modern　military　law）。

C5。8。　A　dramatic　contrast；　the　Median　Cyaxares　who　follows　Pleasure；
and　the　Persian　Cyrus　who　follows　Valour；　/vide/　Heracles'　choice
＇/Memorabilia/；　II。　i。　21＇。　This　allegorising　tendency　is　engrained　in
Xenophon：　it　is　his　view　of　life；　one　of　the　best　things　he　got　from
Socrates；　no　doubt。　Later　（§　12）　the　〃ironic〃　suicidal　self…assertion
of　Cyaxares　is　contrasted　with　the　health…giving　victorious　self…
repression　of　Cyrus。

C5。9…10。　Xenophon　can　depict　character　splendidly：　this　is　the
crapulous　｛orge｝　of　the　somewhat　〃hybristic〃　nature；　seeing　how　the
land　lies；　/siccis　luminibus/；　the　day　after　the　premature　revel。
Theophrastus　couldn't　better　have　depicted　the　irascible　man。　These
earliest　portraits　of　character　are；　according　to　Xenophon's　genius；
all　sketched　in　the　concrete；　as　it　were。　The　character　is　not
philosophised　and　then　illustrated　by　concrete　instances　after　the
manner　of　Theophrastus；　but　we　see　the　man　moving　before　us　and　are
made　aware　of　his　nature　at　once。

C5。17。　｛kalos　ka　nomimos｝；　〃in　all　honour；　and　according　to　the　law；〃
almost　a　Xenophontine　motto；　and　important　in　reference　to　the
〃questionable〃　conduct　on　his　part　in　exile〃questionable〃　from　a
modern　rather　than　an　〃antique〃　standard。　＇The　chief　reference　is　to
Xenophon's　presence　on　the　Spartan　side　at　the　battle　of　Coronea
against　his　native　city　of　Athens。　See　/Sketch/；