the history-第25章

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　of　the　Persians；　and　laid　the　matter　before　them；　requesting　them　to　advise　him　what　he　should　do。　All　the　votes　were　in　favour　of　his　letting　Tomyris　cross　the　stream；　and　giving　battle　on　Persian　ground。　　　　　But　Croesus　the　Lydian；　who　was　present　at　the　meeting　of　the　chiefs；　disapproved　of　this　advice；　he　therefore　rose；　and　thus　delivered　his　sentiments　in　opposition　to　it：　〃Oh！　my　king！　I　promised　thee　long　since；　that；　as　Jove　had　given　me　into　thy　hands；　I　would；　to　the　best　of　my　power；　avert　impending　danger　from　thy　house。　Alas！　my　own　sufferings；　by　their　very　bitterness；　have　taught　me　to　be　keen…sighted　of　dangers。　If　thou　deemest　thyself　an　immortal；　and　thine　army　an　army　of　immortals；　my　counsel　will　doubtless　be　thrown　away　upon　thee。　But　if　thou　feelest　thyself　to　be　a　man；　and　a　ruler　of　men；　lay　this　first　to　heart；　that　there　is　a　wheel　on　which　the　affairs　of　men　revolve；　and　that　its　movement　forbids　the　same　man　to　be　always　fortunate。　Now　concerning　the　matter　in　hand；　my　judgment　runs　counter　to　the　judgment　of　thy　other　counsellors。　For　if　thou　agreest　to　give　the　enemy　entrance　into　thy　country；　consider　what　risk　is　run！　Lose　the　battle；　and　therewith　thy　whole　kingdom　is　lost。　For　assuredly；　the　Massagetae；　if　they　win　the　fight；　will　not　return　to　their　homes；　but　will　push　forward　against　the　states　of　thy　empire。　Or　if　thou　gainest　the　battle；　why；　then　thou　gainest　far　less　than　if　thou　wert　across　the　stream；　where　thou　mightest　follow　up　thy　victory。　For　against　thy　loss；　if　they　defeat　thee　on　thine　own　ground；　must　be　set　theirs　in　like　case。　Rout　their　army　on　the　other　side　of　the　river；　and　thou　mayest　push　at　once　into　the　heart　of　their　country。　Moreover；　were　it　not　disgrace　intolerable　for　Cyrus　the　son　of　Cambyses　to　retire　before　and　yield　ground　to　a　woman？　My　counsel；　therefore；　is　that　we　cross　the　stream；　and　pushing　forward　as　far　as　they　shall　fall　back；　then　seek　to　get　the　better　of　them　by　stratagem。　I　am　told　they　are　unacquainted　with　the　good　things　on　which　the　Persians　live；　and　have　never　tasted　the　great　delights　of　life。　Let　us　then　prepare　a　feast　for　them　in　our　camp；　let　sheep　be　slaughtered　without　stint；　and　the　winecups　be　filled　full　of　noble　liquor；　and　let　all　manner　of　dishes　be　prepared：　then　leaving　behind　us　our　worst　troops；　let　us　fall　back　towards　the　river。　Unless　I　very　much　mistake；　when　they　see　the　good　fare　set　out；　they　will　forget　all　else　and　fall　to。　Then　it　will　remain　for　us　to　do　our　parts　manfully。〃　　　　　Cyrus；　when　the　two　plans　were　thus　placed　in　contrast　before　him；　changed　his　mind；　and　preferring　the　advice　which　Croesus　had　given；　returned　for　answer　to　Tomyris　that　she　should　retire；　and　that　he　would　cross　the　stream。　She　therefore　retired；　as　she　had　engaged；　and　Cyrus；　giving　Croesus　into　the　care　of　his　son　Cambyses　（whom　he　had　appointed　to　succeed　him　on　the　throne）；　with　strict　charge　to　pay　him　all　respect　and　treat　him　well；　if　the　expedition　failed　of　success；　and　sending　them　both　back　to　Persia；　crossed　the　river　with　his　army。　　　　　The　first　night　after　the　passage；　as　he　slept　in　the　enemy's　country；　a　vision　appeared　to　him。　He　seemed　to　see　in　his　sleep　the　eldest　of　the　sons　of　Hystaspes；　with　wings　upon　his　shoulders；　shadowing　with　the　one　wing　Asia；　and　Europe　with　the　other。　Now　Hystaspes；　the　son　of　Arsames；　was　of　the　race　of　the　Achaemenidae；　and　his　eldest　son；　Darius；　was　at　that　time　scarce　twenty　years　old；　wherefore；　not　being　of　age　to　go　to　the　wars；　he　had　remained　behind　in　Persia。　When　Cyrus　woke　from　his　sleep；　and　turned　the　vision　over　in　his　mind；　it　seemed　to　him　no　light　matter。　He　therefore　sent　for　Hystaspes；　and　taking　him　aside　said；　〃Hystaspes；　thy　son　is　discovered　to　be　plotting　against　me　and　my　crown。　I　will　tell　thee　how　I　know　it　so　certainly。　The　gods　watch　over　my　safety；　and　warn　me　beforehand　of　every　danger。　Now　last　night；　as　I　lay　in　my　bed；　I　saw　in　a　vision　the　eldest　of　thy　sons　with　wings　upon　his　shoulders；　shadowing　with　the　one　wing　Asia；　and　Europe　with　the　other。　From　this　it　is　certain；　beyond　all　possible　doubt；　that　he　is　engaged　in　some　plot　against　me。　Return　thou　then　at　once　to　Persia；　and　be　sure；　when　I　come　back　from　conquering　the　Massagetae；　to　have　thy　son　ready　to　produce　before　me；　that　I　may　examine　him。〃　　　　　Thus　Cyrus　spoke；　in　the　belief　that　he　was　plotted　against　by　Darius；　but　he　missed　the　true　meaning　of　the　dream；　which　was　sent　by　God　to　forewarn　him；　that　he　was　to　die　then　and　there；　and　that　his　kingdom　was　to　fall　at　last　to　Darius。　　　　　Hystaspes　made　answer　to　Cyrus　in　these　words：…　〃Heaven　forbid；　sire；　that　there　should　be　a　Persian　living　who　would　plot　against　thee！　If　such　an　one　there　be；　may　a　speedy　death　overtake　him！　Thou　foundest　the　Persians　a　race　of　slaves；　thou　hast　made　them　free　men：　thou　foundest　them　subject　to　others；　thou　hast　made　them　lords　of　all。　If　a　vision　has　announced　that　my　son　is　practising　against　thee；　lo；　I　resign　him　into　thy　hands　to　deal　with　as　thou　wilt。〃　Hystaspes；　when　he　had　thus　answered；　recrossed　the　Araxes　and　hastened　back　to　Persia；　to　keep　a　watch　on　his　son　Darius。　　　　　Meanwhile　Cyrus；　having　advanced　a　day's　march　from　the　river；　did　as　Croesus　had　advised　him；　and；　leaving　the　worthless　portion　of　his　army　in　the　camp；　drew　off　with　his　good　troops　towards　the　river。　Soon　afterwards；　a　detachment　of　the　Massagetae；　one…third　of　their　entire　army；　led　by　Spargapises；　son　of　the　queen　Tomyris；　coming　up；　fell　upon　the　body　which　had　been　left　behind　by　Cyrus；　and　on　their　resistance　put　them　to　the　sword。　Then；　seeing　the　banquet　prepared；　they　sat　down　and　began　to　feast。　When　they　had　eaten　and　drunk　their　fill；　and　were　now　sunk　in　sleep；　the　Persians　under　Cyrus　arrived；　slaughtered　a　great　multitude；　and　made　even　a　larger　number　prisoners。　Among　these　last　was　Spargapises　himself。　　　　　When　Tomyris　heard　what　had　befallen　her　son　and　her　army；　she　sent　a　herald　to　Cyrus；　who　thus　addressed　the　conqueror：…　〃Thou　bloodthirsty　Cyrus；　pride　not　thyself　on　this　poor　success：　it　was　the　grape…juice…　which；　when　ye　drink　it；　makes　you　so　mad；　and　as　ye　swallow　it　down　brings　up　to　your　lips　such　bold　and　wicked　words…　it　was　this　poison　wherewith　thou　didst　ensnare　my　child；　and　so　overcamest　him；　not　in　fair　open　fight。　Now　hearken　what　I　advise；　and　be　sure　I　advise　thee　for　thy　good。　Restore　my　son　to　me　and　get　thee　from　the　land　unharmed；　triumphant　over　a　third　part　of　the　host　of　the　Massagetae。　Refuse；　and　I　swear　by　the　sun；　the　sovereign　lord　of　the　Massagetae；　bloodthirsty　as　thou　art；　I　will　give　thee　thy　fill　of　blood。〃　　　　　To　the　words　of　this　message　Cyrus　paid　no　manner　of　regard。　As　for　Spargapises；　the　son　of　the　queen；　when　the　wine　went　off；　'and　he　saw　the　extent　of　his　calamity；　he　made　request　to　Cyrus　to　release　him　from　his　bonds；　then；　when　his　prayer　was　granted；　and　the　fetters　were　taken　from　his　limbs；　as　soon　as　his　hands　were　free；　he　destroyed　himself。　　　　　Tomyris；　when　she　found　that　Cyrus　paid　no　heed　to　her　advice；　collected　all　the　forces　of　her　kingdom；　and　gave　him　battle。　Of　all　the　combats　in　which　the　barbarians　have　engaged　among　themselves；　I　reckon　this　to　have　been　the　fiercest。　The　following；　as　I　understand；　was　the　manner　of　it：…　First；　the　two　armies　stood　apart　and　shot　their　arrows　at　each　other；　then；　when　their　quivers　were　empty；　they　closed　and　fought　hand…to…hand　with　lances　and　daggers；　and　thus　they　continued　fighting　for　a　length　of　time；　neither　choosing　to　give　ground。　At　length　the　Massagetae　prevailed。　The　greater　part　of　the　army　of　the　Persians　was　destroyed　and　Cyrus　himself　fell；　after　reigning　nine　and　twenty　years。　Search　was　made　among　the　slain　by　order　of　the　queen　for　the　body　of　Cyrus；　and　when　it　was　found　she　took　a　skin；　and；　filling　it　full　of　human　blood；　she　dipped　the　head　of　Cyrus　in　the　gore；　saying；　as　she　thus　insulted　the　corse；　〃I　live　and　have　conquered　thee　in　fight；　and　yet　by　thee　am　I　ruined；　for　thou　tookest　my　son　with　guile；　but　thus　I　make　good　my　threat；　and　give　thee　thy　fill　of　blood。〃　Of　the　many　different　accounts　which　are　given　of　the　death　of　Cyrus；　this　which　I　have　followed　appears　to　me　most　worthy　of　credit。　　　　　In　their　dress　and　mode　of　living　the　Massagetae　resemble　the　Scythians。　They　fight　both　on　horseback　and　on　foot；　neither　method　is　strange　to　them：　they　use　bows　and　lances；　but　their　favourite　weapon　is　the　battle…axe。　Their　arms　are　all　either　of　gold　or　brass。　For　their　spear…points；　and　arrow…heads；　and　for　their　battle…axes；　they　make　use　of　brass；　for　head…gear；　belts；　and　girdles；　of　gold。　So　too　with　the　caparison　of　their　horses；　they　give　them　breastplates　of　brass；　but　employ　gold　about　the　reins；　the　bit；　and　the　cheek…plates。　They　use　neither　iron　nor　silver；　having　none　in　their　country；　but　they　have　brass　and　gold　in　abundance。　　　　　The　following　are　some　of　their　customs；…　Each　man　has　but　one　wife；　yet　all　the　wives　are　held　in　common；　for　this　is　a　custom　of　the　Massagetae　and　not　of　the　Scythians；　as　the　Greeks　wrongly　say。　Human　life　does　not　come　to　its　natural　close　with　this　people；　but　when　a　man　grows　very　old；　all　his　kinsfolk　collect　together　and　offe