cyropaedia-第46章

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and　received　all　who　desired　speech　with　him；　and　then　dismissed　them。
＇38＇　The　people；　when　they　heard　that　he　gave　audience；　thronged　to
him　in　multitudes；　and　in　the　struggle　to　gain　access　there　was　much
jostling　and　scheming　and　no　little　fighting。　＇39＇　His　attendants　did
their　best　to　divide　the　suitors；　and　introduce　them　in　some　order；
and　whenever　any　of　his　personal　friends　appeared；　thrusting　their　way
through　the　crowd；　Cyrus　would　stretch　out　his　hand　and　draw　them　to
his　side　and　say；　〃Wait；　my　friends；　until　we　have　finished　with　this
crowd；　and　then　we　can　talk　at　our　ease。〃　So　his　friends　would　wait；
but　the　multitude　would　pour　on；　growing　greater　and　greater；　until
the　evening　would　fall　before　there　had　been　a　moment's　leisure　for
his　friends。　＇40＇　All　that　Cyrus　could　do　then　was　to　say；　〃Perhaps；
gentlemen；　it　is　a　little　late　this　evening　and　time　that　we　broke　up。
Be　sure　to　come　early　to…morrow。　I　am　very　anxious　myself　to　speak
with　you。〃　With　that　his　friends　were　only　too　glad　to　be　dismissed；
and　made　off　without　more　ado。　They　had　done　penance　enough；　fasting
and　waiting　and　standing　all　day　long。　＇41＇　So　they　would　get　to　rest
at　last；　but　the　next　morning　Cyrus　was　at　the　same　spot　and　a　much
greater　concourse　of　suitors　round　him　than　before；　already　assembled
long　before　his　friends　arrived。　Accordingly　Cyrus　had　a　cordon　of
Persian　lancers　stationed　round　him；　and　gave　out　that　no　one　except
his　personal　friends　and　the　generals　were　to　be　allowed　access；　and
as　soon　as　they　were　admitted　he　said：

＇42＇　〃My　friends；　we　cannot　exclaim　against　the　gods　as　though　they
had　failed　to　fulfil　our　prayers。　They　have　granted　all　we　asked。　But
if　success　means　that　a　man　must　forfeit　his　own　leisure　and　the　good
company　of　all　his　friends；　why；　to　that　kind　of　happiness　I　would
rather　bid　farewell。　＇43＇　Yesterday；〃　he　added；　〃I　make　no　doubt　you
observed　yourselves　that　from　early　dawn　till　late　evening　I　never
ceased　listening　to　petitioners；　and　to…day　you　see　this　crowd　before
us；　larger　still　than　yesterday's；　ready　with　business　for　me。　＇44＇　If
this　must　be　submitted　to；　I　calculate　that　what　you　will　get　of　me
and　I　of　you　will　be　little　enough；　and　what　I　shall　get　of　myself
will　simply　be　nothing　at　all。　Further；〃　he　added；　〃I　foresee　another
absurd　consequence。　＇45＇　I；　personally；　have　a　feeling　towards　you
which　I　need　not　state；　but；　of　that　audience　yonder；　scarcely　one　of
them　do　I　know　at　all；　and　yet　they　are　all　prepared　to　thrust
themselves　in　front　of　you；　transact　their　business；　and　get　what　they
want　out　of　me　before　any　of　you　have　a　chance。　I　should　have　thought
it　more　suitable　myself　that　men　of　that　class；　if　they　wanted
anything　from　me；　should　pay　some　court　to　you；　my　friends；　in　the
hopes　of　an　introduction。　＇46＇　Perhaps　you　will　ask　why　I　did　not　so
arrange　matters　from　the　first；　instead　of　always　appearing　in　public。
Because　in　war　it　is　the　first　business　of　a　commander　not　to　be
behindhand　in　knowing　what　ought　to　be　done　and　seeing　that　it　is
done；　and　the　general　who　is　seldom　seen　is　apt　to　let　things　slip。
＇47＇　But　to…day；　when　war　with　its　insatiable　demands　is　over；　I　feel
as　if　I　had　some　claim　myself　to　rest　and　refreshment。　I　am　in　some
perplexity；　however；　as　to　how　I　can　arrange　matters　so　that　all　goes
well；　not　only　with　you　and　me；　but　also　with　those　whom　we　are　bound
to　care　for。　Therefore　I　seek　your　advice　and　counsel；　and　I　would　be
glad　to　learn　from　any　of　you　the　happiest　solution。〃

＇48＇　Cyrus　paused；　and　up　rose　Artabazus　the　Mede；　who　had　claimed　to
be　his　kinsman；　and　said：

〃You　did　well；　Cyrus；　to　open　this　matter。　Years　ago；　when　you　were
still　a　boy；　from　the　very　first　I　longed　to　be　your　friend；　but　I　saw
you　did　not　need　me；　and　so　I　shrank　from　approaching　you。　＇49＇　Then
came　a　lucky　moment　when　you　did　have　need　of　me　to　be　your　good
messenger　among　the　Medes　with　the　order　from　Cyaxares；　and　I　said　to
myself　that　if　I　did　the　work　well；　if　I　really　helped　you；　I　might
become　your　comrade　and　have　the　right　to　talk　with　you　as　often　as　I
wished。　＇50＇　Well；　the　work　was　done；　and　done　so　as　to　win　your
praise。　After　that　the　Hyrcanians　joined　us；　the　first　friends　we
made；　when　we　were　hungry　and　thirsty　for　allies；　and　we　loved　them　so
much　we　almost　carried　them　about　with　us　in　our　arms　wherever　we
went。　Then　the　enemy's　camp　was　taken；　and　I　scarcely　think　you　had
the　leisure　to　trouble　your　head　with　meoh；　I　quite　forgave　you。
＇51＇　The　next　thing　was　that　Gobryas　became　your　friend；　and　I　had　to
take　my　leave；　and　after　him　Gadatas；　and　by　that　time　it　was　a　real
task　to　get　hold　of　you。　Then　came　the　alliances　with　the　Sakians；　and
the　Cadousians；　and　no　doubt　you　had　to　pay　them　court；　if　they　danced
attendance　on　you；　you　must　dance　attendance　on　them。　＇52＇　So　that
there　I　was；　back　again　at　my　starting…point；　and　yet　all　the　while；
as　I　saw　you　busy　with　horses　and　chariots　and　artillery；　I　consoled
myself　by　thinking；　'when　he　is　done　with　this　he　will　have　a　little
leisure　for　me。'　And　then　came　the　terrible　news　that　the　whole　world
was　gathering　in　arms　against　us；　I　could　not　deny　that　these　were
important　matters；　but　still　I　felt　certain；　if　all　went　well；　a　time
would　come　at　last　when　you　need　not　grudge　me　your　company；　and　we
should　be　together　to　my　heart's　content；　you　and　I。　＇53＇　Now；　the　day
has　come；　we　have　conquered　in　the　great　battle；　we　have　taken　Sardis
and　Babylon；　the　world　is　at　our　feet；　and　yesterday；　by　Mithras！
unless　I　had　used　my　fists　a　hundred　times；　I　swear　I　could　never　have
got　near　you　at　all。　Well；　you　grasped　my　hand　and　gave　me　greeting；
and　bade　me　wait　beside　you；　and　there　I　waited；　the　cynosure　of　every
eye；　the　envy　of　every　man；　standing　there　all　day　long；　without　a
scrap　to　eat　or　a　drop　to　drink。　＇54＇　So　now；　if　any　way　can　be　found
by　which　we　who　have　served　you　longest　can　get　the　most　of　you；　well
and　good：　but；　if　not；　pray　send　me　as　your　messenger　once　more；　and
this　time　I　will　tell　them　they　can　all　leave　you；　except　those　who
were　your　friends　of　old。〃

＇55＇　This　appeal　set　them　all　laughing；　Cyrus　with　the　rest。　Then
Chrysantas　the　Persian　stood　up　and　spoke　as　follows：

〃Formerly；　Cyrus；　it　was　natural　and　right　that　you　should　appear　in
public；　for　the　reasons　you　have　given　us　yourself；　and　also　because
we　were　not　the　folk　you　had　to　pay　your　court　to。　We　did　not　need
inviting：　we　were　with　you　for　our　own　sakes。　It　was　necessary　to　win
over　the　masses　by　every　means；　if　they　were　to　share　our　toils　and
our　dangers　willingly。　＇56＇　But　now　you　have　won　them；　and　not　them
alone；　you　have　it　in　your　power　to　gain　others；　and　the　moment　has
come　when　you　ought　to　have　a　house　to　yourself。　What　would　your
empire　profit　you　if　you　alone　were　left　without　hearth　or　home？　Man
has　nothing　more　sacred　than　his　home；　nothing　sweeter；　nothing　more
truly　his。　And　do　you　not　think；〃　he　added；　〃that　we　ourselves　would
be　ashamed　if　we　saw　you　bearing　the　hardships　of　the　camp　while　we
sat　at　home　by　our　own　firesides？　Should　we　not　feel　we　had　done　you
wrong；　and　taken　advantage　of　you？〃

＇57＇　When　Chrysantas　had　spoken　thus；　many　others　followed　him；　and
all　to　the　same　effect。　And　so　it　came　about　that　Cyrus　entered　the
palace；　and　those　in　charge　brought　the　treasures　from　Sardis　thither；
and　handed　them　over。　And　Cyrus　when　he　entered　sacrificed　to　Hestia；
the　goddess　of　the　Hearth；　and　to　Zeus　the　Lord；　and　to　any　other　gods
named　by　the　Persian　priests。

＇58＇　This　done；　he　set　himself　to　regulate　the　matters　that　remained。
Thinking　over　his　position；　and　the　attempt　he　was　making　to　govern　an
enormous　multitude；　preparing　at　the　same　time　to　take　up　his　abode　in
the　greatest　of　all　famous　cities；　but　yet　a　city　that　was　as　hostile
to　him　as　a　city　could　be；　pondering　all　this；　he　concluded　that　he
could　not　dispense　with　a　bodyguard　for　himself。　＇59＇　He　knew　well
enough　that　a　man　can　most　easily　be　assassinated　at　his　meals；　or　in
his　bath；　or　in　bed；　or　when　he　is　asleep；　and　he　asked　himself　who
were　most　to　be　trusted　of　those　he　had　about　him。　A　man；　he　believed；
can　never　be　loyal　or　trustworthy　who　is　likely　to　love　another　more
than　the　one　who　requires　his　guardianship。　＇60＇　He　knew　that　men　with
children；　or　wives；　or　favourites　in　whom　they　delight；　must　needs
love　them　most：　while　eunuchs；　who　are　deprived　of　all　such　dear　ones；
would　surely　make　most　account　of　him　who　could　enrich　them；　or　help
them　if　they　were　injured；　or　crown　them　with　honour。　And　in　the
conferring　of　such　benefits　he　was　disposed　to　think　he　could　outbid
the　world。　＇61＇　Moreover　the　eunuch；　being　degraded　in　the　eyes　of
other　men；　is　driven　to　seek　the　assistance　of　some　lord　and　master。
Without　some　such　protection　there　is　not　a　man　in　the　world　who　would
not　think　he　had　the　right　to　over…reach　a　eunuch：　while　there　was
every　reason　to　suppose　that　the　eunuch　would　be　the　most　faithful　of
all　servants。　＇62＇　As　for　the　customary　notion　that　the　eunuch　must　be
weak　and　cowardly；　Cyrus　was　not　disposed　to　accept　it。　He　studied　the
indications　to　be　observed　in　animals：　a　vicious　horse；　if　gelded；
will　cease　to　bite　and　be　restive；　but　he　will　charge　as　gallantly　as
ever；　a　bull　that　has　been　cut　will　become　less　fierce　and　less
intractable；　but　he　will　not　lose　his　strength；　he　will　be　as　good　as
ever　for　work；　castration　may　cure　a　dog　of　deserting　his　master；　but
it　will　not　ruin　him　as　a　watch…dog　or　spoil　him　for　the　chase。　＇63＇
So；　too；　with　men；　when　cut　off　from　this　passion；　they　become
gentler；　no　doubt；　but　not　less　quick　to　obey；　not　less　daring　as
horsemen；　not　less　skilful　with　the　javelin；　not　less　eager　for
honour。　＇64＇　In　war　and　in　the　chase　they　show　plainly　enough　that　the
fire　of　ambition　is　still　burning　in　their　hearts。　And　they　have　stood
the　last　test　of　loyalty　in　the　downfall　of　their　masters。　No　men　have
shown　more　faithfulness　than　eunuchs　when　ruin　has　fallen　on　their
lords。　＇65＇　In　bodily　strength；　perhaps；　the　eunuchs　seem　to　be
lacking；　but　steel　is　a　great　leveller；　and　makes　the　weak　man　equal
to　the　strong　in　war。　Holding　this　in　mind；　Cyrus　resolved　that　his
personal　attendants；　from　his　doorkeepers　onwards；　should　be　eunuchs
one　and　all。

＇66＇　This　guard；　however；　he　felt　was　hardly　sufficient　against　the
multitude　of　enemies；　and　he　asked　himself　whom　he　could　choose　among
the　rest。　＇67＇　He　remembered　how　his　Persians　led　the　sorriest　of
lives　at　home　owing　to　their　poverty；　working　long　and　hard　on　the
niggard　soil；　and　he　felt　sure　they　were　the　men　who　would　most　value
the　life　at　his　court。　＇68＇　Accordingly　he　selected　ten　thousand
lancers　from　among　them；　to　keep　guard　round　the　palace；　night　and
day；　whenever　he　was　at　home；　and　to　march　beside　him　whenever　he　went
abroad。　＇69＇　Moreover；　he　felt　that　Babylon　must　always　have　an
adequate　garrison；　whether　he　was　in　the　country　or　not；　and　therefore
he　stationed　a　considerable　body　of　troops　in　the　city；　and　he　bade
the　Babylonians　provide　their　pay；　his　object　being　to　make　the
citizens　helpless；　and　therefore　humble　and　submissive。　＇70＇　This