LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. Chap. Copyright ]S'o.___. Shelf Ik ^ UNITED STATES OF A iVlERICAy ^m^ - ^ ms^y^^mis. - 4 m,' iii(l. Tlio ()Iynipi;i(lH were i)eriodB recurring at intc^rvalH of about four y(»HrH. l?y nu^anw of th(nn the (heeks reokonod tlieir time. ^rh(^ Olynipijidn were cc^hibiahnl nslhoy ocivurnul, Avitli gJinuiH, hIiows, si^eetaeh^s, and ])aradeH, which were conducted on so niaiKiiiiuHviit a Hcah^ tliat vast crowds were aceTiHtoiiHul to iiMH(^nd)h> from every ])jirt of (InuH^o to witn<^MM and join in thom. They were lu^hl at 01ym])ia, a city on the western side of Clr(Hice. Nothing now remuins to murk tlie s])ot but some hvvoh of confused and unin- telligible niins. The personal fame of Herodotus and of his travels had prcHuuliul Jiim, and when lie arrived at Olympiii h(^ found Hie (mriosity and eager- ness of the ptH)plc to lisUvn to his narratives extreme. He read co])ious extriicts from his accounts, so far as he had written them, to the vast assemblios whi(^h conveniul to hear him, and they wt^ro nuu^ivod with unbonndtul ap- l)lause; and inasmuch as tlu^se assemblies compris(Hl noarly all the statesmen, the gen- erals, the i)hil()S()phors, and the scholars of 14 CYRUS THE GREAT. public grant of a large sum of money. Dur- ing the remainder of his life Herodotus con- tinued to enjoy the high degree of literary re- nown which his writings had acquired for him — a renown which has since been extended and increased, rather than diminished, by the lapse of time. As for Xenophon, the other great historian of Cyrus, it has already been said that he was a military commander, and his life was accord- ingly spent in a very different manner from that of his great competitor for historic fame. He was born at Athens, about thirty years after the birth of Herodotus, so that he was but a child while Herodotus was in the midst of his career. When he was about twenty-two years of age, he joined a celebrated military expedi- tion which was formed in Greece, for the pur- pose of proceeding to Asia Minor to enter into the service of the governor of that country. The name of this governor was Cyrus ; and to distinguish him from Cyrus the Great, whose history is to form the subject of this volume, and who lived about one hundred and fifty years before him, he is commonly called Cyrus the Younger. This expedition was headed by a Grecian general named Clearchus. The soldiers and the subordinate officers of the expedition did not know for what special service it was de- signed, as Cyrus had a treasonable and guilty HERODOTUS AND XENOPHON. 15 object in view, and he kept it accordingly con- cealed, even from the agents who were to aid him in the execution of it. His plan was to make war upon and dethrone his brother Ar- taxerxes, then king of Persia, and consequently his sovereign. Cyrus was a very young man, but he was a man of a very energetic and ac- complished character, and of unbounded ambi- tion. When his father died, it was arranged that Artaxerxes, the older son, should succeed him. Cyrus was extremely unwilling to sub- mit to this supremacy of his brother. His mother was an artful and unprincipled woman, and Cyrus, being the youngest of her children, was her favorite. She encouraged him in his ambitious designs; and so desperate was Cyrus himself in his determination to accom- plish them, that it is said he attempted to as- sassinate his brother on the day of his corona- tion. His attempt was discovered, and it failed. His brother, however, instead of punishing him for the treason, had the gener- osity to pardon him, and sent him to his government in Asia Minor. Cyrus imme- diately turned all his thoughts to the plan of raising an army and making war upon his brother, in order to gain forcible possession of his throne. That he might have a plausible pretext for making the necessary military prep- arations, he pretended to have a quarrel with one of his neighbors, and wrote, hypocriti- 16 CYRUS THE GREAT. cally, many letters to the king, affecting solici- tude for his safety, and asking aid. The king was thus deceived, and made no preparations to resist the force which Cyrus was assem- bling, not having the remotest suspicion that its destiny was Babylon. The auxiliary army which came from Greece, to enter into Cyrus' service under these cir- cumstances, consisted of about thirteen thou- sand men. He had, it was said, a hundred thousand men besides ; but so celebrated were the Greeks in those days for their courage, their discipline, their powers of endurance, and their indomitable tenacity and energy, that Cyrus very properly considered this corps as the flower of his army. Xenophon was one of the younger Grecian generals. The army crossed the Hellespont, and entered Asia Minor, and, passing across the country, reached at last the famous pass of Cilicia, in the southwestern part of the country — a narrow defile between the mountains and the sea, which opens the only passage in that quarter toward the Per- sian regions beyond. Here the suspicions which the Greeks had been for some time in- clined to feel, that they were going to make war upon the Persian monarch himself, were confirmed, and they refused to proceed. Their unwillingness, however, did not arise from any compunctions of conscience about the guilt of treason, or the wickedness of helping an un- HERODOTUS AND XENOPHON. 17 grateful and unprincipled wretch, whose for- feited life had once been given to him by his brother, in making war upon and destroj^ing his benefactor. Soldiers have never, in any age of the world, anything to do with com- punctions of conscience in respect to the work which their commanders give them to perform. The Greeks were perfectly willing to serve in this or in any other undertaking; but, since it was rebellion and treason that was asked of them, they considered it as specially hazard- ous, and so they concluded that they were en- titled to extra pay. Cyrus made no objection to this demand; an arrangement was made accordingly, and the army went on. Artaxerxes assembled suddenly the whole force of his empire on the plains of Babylon — an immense army, consisting, it is said, of over a million of men. Such vast forces oc- cupy, necessarily, a wide extent of country, even when drawn up in battle array. So great, in fact, was the extent occupied in this case, that the Greeks, who conquered all that part of the king's forces which was directly opposed to them, supposed, when night came, at the close of the day of battle, that Cyrus had been everywhere victorious ; and they were only un- deceived when, the next day, messengers came from the Persian camp to inform them that Cyrus' whole force, excepting themselves, was defeated and dispersed, and that Cyrus him- 18 CYRUS THE GREAT. self was slain, and to snmmon them to sur- render at once and unconditionally to the con- querors. The Greeks refused to surrender. They formed themselves immediately into a compact and solid body, fortified themselves as well as they could in their position, and prepared for a desperate defense. There were about ten thousand of them left, and the Persians seem to have considered them too formidable to be attacked. The Persians entered into negotia- tions with them, offering them certain terms on which they would be allowed to return peacea- bly into Greece. These negotiations were protracted from day to day for two or three weeks, the Persians treacherously using toward them a friendly tone, and evincing a disposition to treat them in a liberal and generous man- ner. This threw the Greeks off their guard, and finally the Persians contrived to get Clear- chus and the leading Greek generals into their power at a feast, and then they seized and murdered them, or, as they would perhaps term it, executed them as rebels and traitors. When this was reported in the Grecian camp, the whole army was thrown at first into the utmost consternation. They found themselves two thousand miles from home, in the heart of a hostile country, with an enemy nearly a hundred times their own number close upon them, while they themselves were without HERODOTUS AND XENOPHON. 19 provisions, without horses, without money; and there were deep rivers, and rugged mountains, and every other possible physical obstacle to be surmounted, before they could reach their own frontiers. If they surrendered to their enemies, a hopeless and most miserable slavery was their inevitable doom. Under these circumstances, Xenophon, ac- cording to his own story, called together the surviving officers in the camp, urged them not to despair, and recommended that immediate measures should be taken for commencing a march toward Greece. He proposed that they should elect commanders to take the places of those who had been killed, and that, under their new organization, they should imme- diately set out on their return. These plans were adopted. He himself was chosen as the commanding general, and under his guidance the whole force was conducted safely through the countless difficulties and dangers which beset their way, though they had to defend themselves, at every step of their progress, from an enemy so vastly more numerous than they, and which was hanging on their flanks and on their rear, and making the most inces- sant efforts to surround and capture them. This retreat occupied two hundred and fifteen days. It has always been considered as one of the greatest military achievements that has ever been performed. It is called in history 20 CVRUS THE GREAT. the Retreat of the Ten Thousand. Xenophon acquired by it a double immortality. He led the army, and thus attained to a military re- nown which will never fade ; and he afterward wrote a narrative of the exploit, which has given him an equally extended and permanent literary fame. Some time after this, Xenophon returned again to Asia as a military commander, and distinguished himself in other campaigns. He acquired a large fortune, too, in these wars, and at length retired to a villa, which he built and adorned magnificently, in the neighbor- hood of Olympia, where Herodotus had ac- quired so extended a fame by reading his his- tories. It was probably, in some degree, through the influence of the success which had attended the labors of Herodotus in this field, that Xenophon was induced to enter it. He de- voted the later years of his life to writing various historical memoirs, the two most im- portant of which that have come down to modern times are, first, the narrative of his own expe- dition, under Cyrus the Younger, and, secondly, a sort of romance or tale founded on the history of Cyrus the Great. This last is called the Cyropsedia; and it is from this work, and from the history written by Herodo- tus, that nearly all our knowledge of the great Persian monarch is derived. The question how far the stories which He- HERODOTUS AND XENOPHON, 21 rodotus and Xenophon have told us in relating the history of the great Persian king are true, is of less importance than one would at first imagine ; for the case is one of those numerous instances in which the narrative itself, which genius has written, has had far greater injQu- euce on mankind than the events themselves exerted which the narrative professes to record. It is now far more important for us to know what the story is which has for eighteen hun- dred years been read and listened to by every generation of men, than what the actual events were in which the tale thus told had its origin. This consideration applies very extensively to history, and especially to ancient history. The events themselves have long since ceased to be of any great interest or importance to readers of the present day ; but the accounts^ whetlier they are fictitious or real, partial or impartial, honestly true or embellished and colored, since they have been so widely cir- culated in every age and in every nation, and have impressed themselves so universally and so permanently in the mind and memory of the whole human race, and have penetrated into and colored the literature of every civilized people, it becomes now necessary that every well-informed man should understand. In a word, the real Cyrus is now a far less infpor- tant personage to mankind than the Cyrus of Herodotus and Xenophon, CHAPTER 11. THE BIRTH OF CYRUS. There are records coming down to us from the very earliest times of three several king- doms situated in the heart of Asia — Assyria, Media, and Persia, the two latter of which, at the period when they first emerge indistinctly into view, were more or less connected with and dependent upon the former. Astyages was the King of Media; Cambyses wasthe name of the ruling prince or magistrate of Persia. Camby- ses married Mandane, the daughter of Astyages and Cyrus was their son. In recounting the circumstances of his birth, Herodotus relates, with all seriousness, the following very extra- ordinary story : While Mandane was a maiden, living at her father's palace and home in Media, Astyages awoke one morning terrified by a dream. He had dreamed of a great inundation, which over- whelmed and destroyed his capital, and sub- merged a large part of his kingdom. The great rivers of that country were liable to very destructive floods, and there would have been 3-Oy. 23 34 CYRUS THE GREAT. nothing extraordinary or alarming in the king's imagination being haunted, during his sleep, by the image of such a calamity, were it not that, in this case, the deluge of water which produced such disastrous results seemed to be, in some mysterious way, connected with his daughter, so that the dream appeared to portend some great calamity which was to originate in her. He thought it perhaps indicated that after her marriage she should have a son who would rebel against him and seize the supreme power, thus overwhelming his kingdom as the inundation had done which he had seen in his dream. To guard against this imagined danger, Astya- ges determined that his daughter should not be married in Media, but that she should be provided with a husband in some foreign land, so as to be taken away from Media altogether. He finally selected Gambyses, the king of Per- sia, for her husband. Persia was at that time a comparatively small and circumscribed do- minion, and Cambyses, though he seems to have been the supreme ruler of it, was very far beneath Astyages in rank and power. The distance between the two countries was con- siderable, and the institutions and customs of the people of Persia were simple and rude, little likely to awaken or encourage in the minds of their princes any treasonable or am- bitious designs. Astyages thought, therefore, THE BIRTH OF CYRUS. 25 that in sending Mandane there to be the wife of the king, he had taken effectual precautions to guard against the danger portended by his dream. Mandane was accordingly married, and con- ducted by her husband to her new home. About a year afterward her father had another dream. He dreamed that a vine proceeded from his daughter, and, growing rapidly and luxuriantly while he was regarding it, extended itself over the whole land. Now the vine being a symbol of beneficence and plenty, As- tyages might have considered this vision as an omen of good ; still, as it was good which was to be derived in some way from his daughter, it naturally awakened his fears anew that he was doomed to find a rival and competitor for the possession of his kingdom in Mandane*s son and heir. He called together his sooth- sayers, related his dream to them, and asked for their interpretation. They decided that it meant that Mandane would have a son who would one day become a king. Astyages was now seriously alarmed, and he sent for Mandane to come home, ostensibly because he wished her to pay a visit to her father and to her native land, but really for the purpose of having her in his power, that he might destroy her child so soon as one should be born. Mandane came to Media, and was established 26 CYRUS THE GREAT. by her father in a residence near his palace, and such officers and domestics were put in charge of her household as Astyages could rely upon to do whatever he should command. Things being thus arranged, a few months passed away, and then Mandane's child was born. Immediately on hearing of the event, Asty- ages sent for a certain officer of his court, an unscrupulous and hardened man, who possessed, as he supposed, enough of depraved and reck- less resolution for the commission of any crime, and addressed him as follows: "I have sent for you,Harpagus,to commit to your charge a business of very great impor- tance. I confide fully in your principles of obedience and fidelity, and depend upon your doing, yourself, with your own hands, the work that 1 require. If you fail to do it, or if you attempt to evade it by putting it off upon others, you will suffer severely. I wish you to take Mandane's child to your own house and put him to death. You may accomplish the object in any mode you please, and you may arrange the circumstances of the burial of the body, or the disposal of it in any other way, as you think best; the essential thing is, that you see to it, yourself, that the child is killed." Harpagus replied that whatever the king might command it was his duty to do, and that, as his master had never hitherto had oc- THE BIRTH OF CYRUS. 27 casi on to censure his conduct, he should not find him wanting now. Harpagus then went to receive the infant. The attendants of Man- dane had been ordered to deliver it to him. Not at all suspecting the object for which the child was thus taken away, but naturally sup- posing, on the other hand, that it was for the purpose of some visit, they arrayed their un- conscious charge in the most highly-wrought and costly of the robes which Mandane, his mother, had for many months been interested in preparing for him, and then gave him up to the custody of Harpagus, expecting, doubtless, that he would be very speedily returned to their care. Although Harpagus had expressed a ready willingness to obey the cruel behest of the king at the time of receiving it, he manifested, as soon as he received the child, an extreme de- gree of anxiety and distress. He immediately sent for a herdsman named Mitridates to come to him. In the meantime, he took the child home to his house, and in a very excited and agitated manner related to his wife what had passed. He laid the child down in the apart- ment, leaving it neglected and alone, while he conversed with his wife in a hurried and anx- ious manner in respect to the dreadful situa- tion in which he found himself placed. She asked him what he intended to do. He re- plied that he certainly should not, himself, ^8 CYRUS THE GREAT. destroy the child. **It is the son of Man- dane," said he. *'She is the king's daughter. If the king should die, Mandane would succeed him, and then what terrible danger would im- pend over me if she should know me to have been the slayer of her son!" Harpagus said, moreover, that he did not dare absolutely to disobey the orders of the king so far as to save the child's life, and that he had sent for a herdsman, whose pastures extended to wild and desolate forests and mountains — the gloomy haunts of wild beasts and birds of prey — in- tending to give the child to him, with orders to carry it into those solitudes and abandon it there. His name was Mitridates. While they were speaking this herdsman came in. He found Harpagus and his wife talking thus together, with countenances ex- pressive of anxiety and distress, while the child, uneasy under the confinement and incon- veniences of its splendid dress, and terrified at the strangeness of the scene and the circum- stances around it, and perhaps, moreover, ex- periencing some dawning and embryo emotions of resentment at being laid down in neglect, cried aloud and incessantly. Harpagus gave the astonished herdsman his charge. He, afraid, as Harpagus had been in the presence of Astyages, to evince any hesitation in respect to obeying the orders of his superior, whatever they might be, took up the child and bore it away. THE BIRTH OF CVRUS. 29 He carried it to his hut. It so happened that his wife, whose name was Spaco, had at that very time a new-born child, but it was dead. Her dead son had, in fact, been born during the absence of Mitridates. He had been extremely unwilling to leave his home at such a time, but the summons of Harpagus must, he knew, be obeyed. His wife, too, not knowing what could have occasioned so sudden and urgent a call, had to bear, all the day, a burden of anxiety and solicitude in respect to her husband, in addition to her disappointment and grief at the loss of her child. Her anxiety and grief were changed for a little time into astonishment and curiosity at seeing the beau- tiful babe, so magnificently dressed, which her husband brought to her, and at hearing his ex- traordinary story. He said that when he first entered the house of Harpagus and saw the child lying there, and heard the directions which Harpagus gave him to carry it into the mountains and leave it to die, he supposed that the babe belonged to some of the domestics of the household, and that Harpagus wished to have it destroyed in order to be relieved of a burden. The rich- ness, however, of the infant's dress, and the deep anxiety and sorrow which was indicated by the countenances and by the conversation of Harpagus and his wife, and which seemed altogether too earnest to be excited by the con- 30 CYRUS THE GREAT. cerD which they would probably feel for any servant's offspring, appeared at the time, he said, inconsistent with that supposition, and perplexed and bewildered hira. He said, more- over, that in the end, Harpagus had sent a man with him a part of the way when he left the house, and that this man had given him a full explanation of the case. The child was the son of Mandane, the daughter of the king, and he was to be destroyed by the orders of Asty- ages himself, for fear that at some future period he might attempt to usurp the throne. They who know anything of the feelings of a mother under the circumstances in which Spaco was placed, can imagine with what emotions she received the little sufferer, now nearly exhausted by abstinence, fatigue, and fear, from her husband's hands, and the heart- felt pleasure with which she drew him to her bosom, to comfort and relieve him. In an hour she was, as it were, herself his mother, and she began to plead hard with her husband for his life. Mitridates said that the child could not pos- sibly be saved. Harpagus had been most earnest and positive in his orders, and he was coming himself to see that they had been exe- cuted. He would demand, undoubtedly, to see the body of the child, to assure himself that it was actually dead. Spaco, instead of being convinced by her husband's reasoning, only THE BIRTH OF CYRUS. 33 became more and more earnest in her desires that the child might be saved. She rose from her couch and clasped her husband s knees, and begged him with the most earnest entreat- ies and with many tears to grant her request. Her husband was, however, inexorable. He said that if he were to yield, and attempt to save the child from its doom, Harpagus would most certainly know that his orders had been disobeyed, and then their own lives would be forfeited, and the child itself sacrificed alter all, in the end. , . r^ ai i. i The thought then occurred to Spaco that Her own dead child might be substituted for the living one, and be exposed in the mountains in its stead. She proposed this plan, and, after much anxious doubt and hesitation the herdsman consented to adopt it. They took off the splendid robes which adorned the living child, and put them on the corpse, each equally unconscious of the change. The little limbs of the son of Mandane were then more simply clothed in the coarse and scanty cover- ing which belonged to the new character which he was now to assume, and then the babe was restored to its place in Spaco's bosom. Mit- ridates placed his own dead child, completely disguised as it was by the royal robes it wore, in the little basket or cradle in which the other had been brought, and, accompanied by an at- tendant, whom he was to leave in the forest to 34 CYRUS THE GREAT. keep watch over the body, he went away to seek some wild and desolate solitude in which to leave it exposed. Three days passed away, during which the attendant whom the herdsman had left in the forest watched near the body to prevent its being devoured by wild beasts or birds of prey, and at the end of that time he brought it home. The herdsman then went to Harpagus to in- form him that the child was dead, and, in proof that it was really so, he said that if Har- pagus would come to his hut he could see the body. Harpagus sent some messenger in whom he could confide to make the observa- tion. The herdsman exhibited the dead child to him, and he was satisfied. He reported the result of his mission to Harpagus, and Harpagus then ordered the body to be buried. The child of Mandane, whom we may call Cyrus, since that was the name which he sub- sequently received, was brought up in the herdsman's hut, and passed everywhere for Spaco's child. Harpagus, after receiving the report of his messenger, then informed Astyages that his orders had been executed, and that the child was dead. A trusty messenger, he said, whom he had sent for the purpose, had seen the body. Although the king had been so earnest to have the deed performed, he found that, after all, the knowledge that his orders had THE BIRTH OF CYRUS. 35 been obeyed gave liim very little satisfaction. The fears, prompted by his selfishness and am- bition, which had led him to commit the crime, gave place, when it had been perpetrated, to remorse for his unnatural cruelty. Mandane mourned incessantly the death of her innocent babe, and loaded her father with reproaches for having destroyed it, which he found it very hard to bear. In the end, he repented bitterly of what he had done. The secret of the child's preservation re- mained concealed for about ten years. It was then discovered in the following manner : Cyrus, like Alexander, Caesar, William the Conqueror, Napoleon, and other commanding minds, who obtained a great ascendency over masses of men in their maturer years, evinced his dawning superiority at a very early period of his boyhood. He took the lead of his play- mates in their sports, and made them submit to his regulations and decisions. Not only did the peasants' boys in the little hamlet where his reputed father lived thus yield the precedence to him, but sometimes, when the sons of men of rank and station came out from the city to join them in their plays, even then Cyrus was the acknowledged head. One day the son of an officer of King Astyages' court — his father's name was Artembaris — came out, with other boys from the city, to join these village boys in their sports. They were 36 CYRUS THE GREAT. playing Icing. Cyrus was the king. Herod- otus says that the other boys chose him as such. It was, however, probably such a sort of choice as that by which kings and emperors are made among men, a yielding more or less voluntary on the part of the subjects to the resolute and determined energy with which the aspirant places himself upon the throne. During the progress of the play, a quarrel arose between Cyrus and the son of Artem- baris. The latter would not obey, and Cyrus beat him. He went home and complained bitterly to his father. The father went to Astyages to protest against such an indignity offered to his son by a peasant boy, and de- manded that the little tyrant should be pun- ished. Probably far the larger portion of in- telligent readers of history consider the whole story as a romance ; but if we look upon it as in any respect true, we must conclude that the Median monarchy must have been, at that time, in a very rude and simple condition in- deed, to allow of the submission of such a question as this to the personal adjudication of the reigning king. However this may be, Herodotus states that Artembaris went to the palace of Astyages, tak- ing his son with him, to offer proofs of the violence of which the herdsman's son had been guilty, by showing the contusions and bruises that had been produced by the blows. '*Is THE BIRTH OF CYRUS. 37 this the treatment,'* he asked indignantly, of the king, when he had completed his state- ment, **that my boy is to receive from the son of one of your slaves?'* Astyages seemed to be convinced that Artem- baris had just cause to complain, and he sent for Mitridates and his son to come to him in the city. When they arrived, Cyrus advanced into the presence of the king with that coura- geous and manly bearing which romance writers are so fond of ascribing to boys of noble birth, whatever may have been the circum- stances of their early training. Astyages was much struck with his appearance and air. He, however, sternly laid to his charge the ac- cusation which Artembaris had brought against him. Pointing to Artembaris' son, all bruised and swollen as he was, he asked, **Is that the way that you, a mere herdsman's boy, dare to treat the son of one of my nobles?" The little prince looked up into his stern judge's face with an undaunted expression of countenance, which, considering the circum- stances of the case, and the smallness of the scale on which this embryo heroism was repre- sented, was partly ludicrous and partly sub- lime. *'My lord," said he, *'what I have done I am able to justify. I did punish this boy, and I had a right to do so. I was king, and he was my subject, and he would not obey me. If you think that for this I deserve pun- 38 CYRUS THE GREAT. ishment myself, here I am ; I am ready to suffer it." If Astyages had been struck with the appear- ance and manner of Cyrus at the commence- ment of the interview, liis admiration was awakejiod far more strongly now, at hearing such words, uttered, too, in so exalted a tone, from such a child. He r(uiiaiued a long time silent. At last he told Artembaris and his son that they might retire. He would take the affair, he said, into his own hands, and dispose of it in a just and i)roi)or manner. Astyages then took the herdsman aside, and asked him, in an earnest tone, whoso boy that was, and where he had obtained him. Mitridates was terrified. He replied, how- ever, that the boy was his own son, and that his mother was still living at home, in the hut where they all resided. There seems to have been something, however, in his appearance and manner, while making these assertions, which led Astyages not to believe what he said. He was convinced that there was some unex- plained mystery in respect to the origin of the boy, which the herdsman was willfully with- holding. He assumed a displeased and threat- ening air, and ordered in his guards to take Mitridates into custody. The terrified herds- man then said that lie would explain all, and he accordingly related honestly the whole story. THE BIRTH OF CYRUS. 39 Astyages was greatly rejoiced to find that the child was alive. One would suppose it to be almost inconsistent with this feeling that he should be angry with Harpagus for not having destroyed it. It would seem, in fact, that Harpagus was not amenable to serious censure, in any view of the subject, for he had taken what he had a right to consider very elTectual measures for carrying the orders of the king into faithful execution. But Astyages seems to have been one of those inhuman monsters which the possession and long-continued exer- cise of despotic power have so often made, who take a calm, quiet, and deliberate satisfaction in torturing to death any wretched victim whom they can have any pretext for destroy- ing, especially if they can invent some new means of torment to give a fresh piquancy to their pleasure. These monsters do not act from passion. Men are sometimes inclined to palliate great cruelties and crimes which are perpetrated under the influence of sudden anger, or from the terrible impulse of those impetuous and uncontrollable emotions of the human soul which, when once excited, seem to make men insane; but the crimes of a tyrant are not of this kind. They are the calm, delib- erate, and sometimes carefully economized gratifications of a nature essentially malign. When, therefore, Astyages learned that Har- pagus had failed of literally obeying his com- -Cyrus 40 CYRUS THE GREAT. mand to destroy, with his own hand, the infant which had been given him, although he was pleased with the consequences which had re- sulted from it, he immediately perceived that there was another pleasure besides that he was to derive from the transaction, namely, that of gratifying his own imperious and ungovern- able will by taking vengeance on him who had failed, even in so slight a degree, of fulfilling its dictates. In a word, he was glad that the child was saved, but he did not consider that that was any reason why he should not have the pleasure of punishing the man who saved him. Thus, far from being transported by any sudden and violent feeling of resentment to an inconsiderate act of revenge, Astyages began, calmly and coolly, and with a deliberate malig- nity more worthy of a demon than of a man, to consider how he could best accomplish the purpose he had in view. When, at length, his plan was formed, he sent for Harpagus to come to him. Harpagus came. The king began the conversation by asking Harpagus what method he had employed for destroying the child of Mandane, which he, the king, had delivered to him some years before. Harpagus replied by stating the exact truth. He said that, as soon as he had received the infant, he began immediately to consider by what means he could effect its destruction without involv- THE BIRTH OF CYRUS. 41 ing himself in the guilt of murder ; that, finally, he had determined upon employing the herds- man Mitridates to expose it in the forest till it should perish of hunger and cold; and, in order to be sure that the king's behest was fully obeyed, he charged the herdsman, he said, to keep strict watch near the child till it was dead, and then to bring home the body. He had then sent a confidential messenger from his own household to see the body and pro- vide for its interment. He solemnly assured the king, in conclusion, that this was the real truth, and that the child was actually de- stroyed in the manner he had described. The king then, with an appearance of great satisfaction and pleasure, informed Harpagus that the child had not been destroyed after all, and he related to him the circumstances of its having been exchanged for the dead child of Spaco, and brought up in the herdsman's hut. He informed him, too, of the singular manner in which the fact that the infant had been pre- served, and was still alive, had been dis- covered. He told Harpagus, moreover, that he was greatly rejoiced at this discovery. '* After he was dead, as I supposed," said he, **I bitterly repented of having given orders to destroy him. I could not bear my daughter's grief, or the reproaches which she incessantly uttered against me. But the child is alive, and all is well ; and I am going to give a grand 42 CYRUS THE GREAT. entertainment as a festival of rejoicing on the occasion." Astyages then requested Harpagus to send his son, who was about thirteen years of age, to the palace, to be a companion to Cyrus, and, inviting him very specially to come to the entertainment, he dismissed him with many marks of attention and honor. Harpagus went home, trembling at the thought of the imminent danger which he had incurred, and of the narrow escape by which he had been saved from it. He called his son, directed him to prepare himself to go to the king, and dismissed him with many charges in respect to his behavior, both toward the king and toward Cyrus. He related to his wife the conversa- tion which had taken place between himself and Astyages, and she rejoiced with him in the ap- parently happy issue of an affair which might well have been expected to have been their ruin. The sequel of the story is too horrible to be told, and yet too essential to a right under- standing of the influences and effects produced on human nature by the possession and exer- cise of despotic and irresponsible power to be omitted. Harpagus came to the festival. It was a grand entertainment. Harpagus was placed in a conspicuous position at the table. A great variety of dishes were brought in and set before the different guests, and were eaten without question. Toward the close of the THE BIRTH OF CYRUS. 43 feast, Astyages asked Harpagus what he thought of his fare. Harpagus, half terrified with some mysterious presentiment of danger, expressed himself well pleased with it. Astya- ges then told him there was plenty more of the same kind, and ordered the attendants to bring the basket in. They came accordingly, and uncovered a basket before the wretched guest, which contained, as he saw when he looked into it, the head, and hands, and feet of his son. Astyages asked him to help himself to whatever part he liked! The most astonishing part of the story is yet to be told. It relates to the action of Har- pagus in :iuch an emergency. He looked as composed and placid as if nothing unusual had occurred. The king asked him if he knew what he had been eating. He said that he did ; and that whatever was agreeable to the will of the king was always pleasing to him ! It is hard to say whether despotic power exerts its worst and most direful influences on those who wield it, or on those who have it to bear ; on its masters, or on its slaves. After the first feelings of pleasure which Astyages experienced in being relieved from the sense of guilt which oppressed his mind so long as he supposed that his orders for the mur- der of his infant grandchild had been obeyed, his former uneasiness lest the child should in future years becoftie his rival and competitor 44 CYRUS THE GREAT. for the possession of the Median throne, which had been the motive originally instigating him to the commission of the crime, returned in some measure again, and he began to consider whether it was not incumbent on him to take some measures to guard against such a result. The end of his deliberations was, that he con- cluded to send for the magi, or soothsayers, as he had done in the case of his dream, and obtain their judgment on the affair in the new aspect which it had now assumed. When the magi had heard the king's narra- tive of the circumstances under which the dis- covery of the child's preservation had been made, through complaints which had been pre- ferred against him on account of the manner in which he had exercised the prerogatives of a king among his playmates, they decided at once that Astyages had no cause for any fur- ther apprehensions in respect to the dreams which had disturbed him previous to his grandchild's birth. *' He has been a king, " they said, '*and the danger is over. It is true that he has been a monarch only in play, but that is enough to satisfy and fulfill the presages of the vision. Occurrences very slight and tri- fling in themselves are often found to accomplish what seemed of very serious magnitude and moment, as portended. Your grandchild has been a king, and he will never reign again. You have, therefore, no further cause to fear, THE BlR'l'II OF CYRUS. 4y and may send him to his parents in Persia with perfect safety." The king determined to adoi)t this advice. He ordered the soothsayors, however, not to remit their assiduity and vigilance, and if any signs or omens shoukl appear to indicate ap- proaching danger, he charged them to give him immediate warning. This they faithfully promised to do. They felt, they said, a per- sonal interest in doing it; for Cyrus being a Persian prince, his accession to the Median throne would involve the subjection of the Medes to the Persian dominion, a result which they wished on every account to avoid. So, promising to watch vigilantly for every indica- tion of danger, they left the presence of the king. The king then sent for Cyrus. It seems that Cyrus, though astonished at the great and mysterious changes which had taken place in his condition, was still ignorant of his true history. Astyages now told him that he wjis to go into Persia. ''You will rejoin there," said he, *'your true parents, who, you will find, are of very different rank in life from the herdsman whom you have lived with thus far. You will make the jour- ney under the cliarge and escort of persons that I have appointed for the purpose. They will explain to you, on the way, the mystery in which your parentage and birth seems to you at present enveloped. You will find that 46 CYRUS THE GREAT. I was induced many years ago, by the influence of an untoward dream, to treat you injuriously. But all lias ended well, and you can now go in peace to your proper home." As soon as the preparations for the journey could be made, Cyrus set out, under the care of the party appointed to conduct him, and went to Persia. His parents were at first dumb with astonishment, and were then over- whelmed with gladness and joy at seeing their much-loved and long-lost babe reappear, as if from the dead, in the form of this tall and handsome boy, with health, intelligence, and happiness beaming in his countenance. They overwhelmed him with caresses, and the heart of Mandane, especially, was filled with pride and pleasure. As soon as Cyrus became somewhat settled in his new home, his parents began to make arrangements for giving him as complete an education as the means and opportunities of those days afforded. Xenophon, in his narrative of the early life of Cyrus, gives a minute, and, in some re- spects, quite an extraordinary account of the mode of life led in Cambyses' court. The sons of all the nobles and officers of the court were educated together, within the precincts of the royal palaces, or, rather, they spent their time together there, occupied in various pur- suits and avocations, which were intended to THE BIRTH OF CYRUS. 47 train them for the duties of future life, though there was very little of what would be con- sidered, in modern times, as education. They were not generally taught to read, nor could they, in fact, since there were no books, have used that art if they had acquired it. The only intellectual instruction which they seem to have received was what was called learning justice. The boys had certain teachers, who explained to them, more or less formally, the general principles of right and wrong, the in- junctions and prohibitions of the laws, and the obligations resulting from them, and the rules by which controversies between man and man, arising in the various relations of life, should be settled. The boys were also trained to apply these principles and rules to the cases which occurred among themselves, each acting as judge in turn, to discuss and decide the questions that arose from time to time, either from real transactions as they occurred, or from hypothetical cases invented to put their powers to the test. To stimulate the exercise of their powers, they were rewarded when they decided right, and punished when they decided wrong. Cyrus himself was punished on one occasion for a wrong decision, under the fol- lowing circumstances : A bigger boy took away the coat of a smaller boy than himself, because it was larger than his own, and gave him his own smaller coat 48 CYRUS THE GREAT. instead. The smaller boy complained of the wrong, and the case was referred to Cyrus for his adjudication. After hearing the case, Cyrus decided that each boy should keep the coat that fitted him. The teacher condemned this as a very unjust decision. ""When you are called upon, " said he, *'to consider a ques- tion of what fits best, then you should deter- mine as you have done in this case ; but when you are appointed to decide whose each coat is, and to adjudge it to the proper owner, then you are to consider what constitutes right possession, and whether he who takes a thing by force from one who is weaker than himself, should have it, or whether he who made it or purchased it should be protected in his prop- erty. You have decided against law, and in favor of violence and wrong." Cyrus' sen- tence was thus condemned, and he was punished for not reasoning more soundly. The boys at this Persian court were trained to many manly exercises. They were taught to wrestle and to run. They were instructed in the use of such arms as were employed in those times, and rendered dexterous in the use of them by daily exercises. They were taught to put their skill in practice, too, in hunting excursions, which they took, by turns, with the king, in the neighboring forest and moun- tains. On these occasions, they were armed with a bow, and a quiver of arrows, a shield, THE BIRTH OF CYRUS. 49 a small sword or dagger, which was worn at the side in a sort of scabbard, and two javelins. One of these was intended to be thrown, the other to be retained in the baud, for use in close combat, in case the wild beast, in his desperation, should advauce to a personal ren- counter. These hunting expeditions were con- sidered extremely important as a part of the system of youthful training. They were often long and fatiguing. The young men became inured, by means of them, to toil, and priva- tion, and exposure. They had to make long marches, to encounter great dangers, to engage in desperate conflicts, and to submit sometimes to the inconveniences of hunger and thirst, as well as exposure to the extremes of heat and cold, and to the violence of storms. All this was considered as precisely the right sort of discipline to make them good soldiers in their future martial campaigns. Cyrus was not, himself, at this time, old enough to take a very active part in these severer services, as they belonged to a some- what advanced stage of Persian education, and he was yet not quite twelve years old. He was a very beautiful boy, tall and graceful in form, and his countenance was striking and expres- sive. He was very frank and open in his dis- position and character, speaking honestly, and without fear, the sentiments of his heart, in any presence and on all occasions. He was r)0 CYRUS 'rili: CiRKAT. oxtrninoly kind-liofirtod, find fimiablo, too, in liLs diHpoHition, avnrH(i to Hn,yiii|^ or doinj^iiny- tliing wlii(5h could give ])jun to tlioso around him. In fa-ct, tho openneas and cordiality of liiK addroHR and nianinn-H, and the unafFoctod ingojuiouHUdHK and Huuituity which charactnr- ized hin dinpoHition, niado him a universal favorite. His frankness, his childish sim- ])H(vity, liis vivacity, liis personal grace and l)cauty, and his ^(ujerons and scll'-satvrificing spirit, rendered liini tli() object of general ad- miration througliont the court, and filled Man- dane's heart with maternal gladness and pride. CHAPTER III. THE VIBIT TO MEDIA. When Cyrua was about twelve years old, if :!ie narrative which Xenophon gives of bis history is true, he was invited by his grand- father Aatyagos to make a visit to Media. As he was about ten years of age, according to Herodotus, when he was restored to his par- ents, he could have been residing only two years in Persia when he received this invita- tion. During this period, Astyages had re- ceived, through Mandane and others, very glowing descriptions of the intelligence and vivacity of the young prince, and he naturally felt a desire to see him once more. In fact, Cyrus' personal attractiveness and beauty, joined to a certain frank and noble generosity of spirit which he seems to have manifested in his earliest years, made him a universal favor- ite at home, and the reports of these qualities, and of the various sayings and doings on Cyrus' part, by which his disposition and character were revealed, awakened strongly in the mind of Astyages that kind of interest 51 52 CYRUS THE GREAT. which a grandfather is always very prone to feel in a handsome and precocious grandchild. As Cyrus had been sent to Persia as soon as his true rank had been discovered, he had had no opportunities of seeing the splendor of royal life in Media, and the manners and habits of the Persians were very plain and simple. Cyrus was accordingly very much impressed with the magnificence of the scenes to which he was introduced when he arrived in Media, and with the gayeties and luxuries, the pomp and display, and the spectacles and parades in which the Median court abounded. Astyages himself took great pleasure in wit- nessing and increasing his little grandson's ad- miration for these wonders. It is one of the most extraordinary and beautiful of the pro- visions which God has made for securing the continuance of human happiness to the very end of life, that we can renew, through sym- pathy with children, the pleasures which, for ourselves alone, had long since, through repe- tition and satiety, lost their charm. The rides,^ the walks, the flowers gathered by the roadside, the rambles among pebbles on the beach, the songs, the games, and even the little picture-book of childish tales, which have utterly and entirely lost their power to aifect the mind even of middle life, directly and alone, regain their magic influence, and call up vividly all the old emotions, even to the heart THE VISIT TO MEDIA. 53 of decrepit age, when it seeks these enjoyments in companionship and sympathy with children or grandchildren beloved. By giving to ns this capacity for renewing our own sensitive- ness to the impressions of pleasure through sympathy with childhood, God has provided a true and effectual remedy for the satiety and insensibility of age. Let any one who is in the decline of years, whose time passes but heavily away, and who supposes that nothing can awaken interest in his mind or give him pleasure, make the experiment of taking chil- dren to a ride or to a concert, or to see a men- agerie or a museum, and he will find that there is a way by which he can again enjoy very highly the pleasures which he had supposed were for him forever exhausted and gone. This was the result, at all events, in the case of Astyages and Cyrus. The monarch took a new pleasure in the luxuries and splendors which had long since lost their charm for him, iu observing their influence and effect upon the mind of his little grandson. Cyrus, as we have already said, was very frank and open in his disposition, and spoke with the utmost freedom of everything that he saw. He was, of course, a privileged person, and could always say what the feeling of the moment and his own childish conceptions prompted, with- out danger. He had, however, according to the account which ^nophon gives, a gre^t 54 CYRUS THE GREAT. deal of good sense, as well as of sprightliness and brilliancy ; so that, while his remarks, through their originality and point, attracted every one's attention, there was a native polite- ness and sense of propriety which restrained him from saying anything to give pain. Even when he disapproved of and condemned what he saw in the arrangements of his grandfather's court or household, he did it in such a manner — so ingenuous, good-natured, and unassum- ing, that it amused all and offended none. In fact, on the very first interview which Astyages had with Cyrus, an instance of the boy's readiness and tact occurred, which im- pressed his grandfather very much in his favor. The Persians, as has been already re- marked, were accustomed to dress very plainly, while, on the other hand, at the Median court the superior officers, and especially the king, were always very splendidly adorned. Accord- ingly, when Cyrus was introduced into his grandfather's presence, he was quite dazzled with the display. The king wore a purple robe, very richly adorned, with a belt and collars, which were embroidered highly, and set with precious stones. He had bracelets, too, upon his wrists, of the most costly char- acter. He wore flowing locks of artificial hair, and his face was painted, after the Median manner. Cyrus gazed upon this gay spectacle for a few moments in silence, and then ex- THE VISIT TO MEDIA. 55 claimed: ''Why, mother! what a handsome man my grandfather is!" Such an exclamation, of. course, made great amusement both for the king himself and for the others who were present ; and at length, Mandane, somewhat indiscreetly, it must be confessed, asked Cyrus which of the two he thought the handsomest, his father or his grandfather. Cyrus escaped from the danger of deciding such a formidable question by say- ing that his father was the handsomest man in Persia, but his grandfather was the hand- somest of all the Medes he had e^er seen. Astyages was even more pleased by this proof of his grandson's adroitness and good sense than he had been with the compliment which the boy had paid to him ; and thenceforward Cyrus became an established favorite, and did and said, in his grandfather's presence, almost whatever he pleased. When the first childish feelings of excite- ment and curiosity had subsided, Cyrus seemed to attach very little value to the fine clothes and gay trappings with which his grandfather was disposed to adorn him, and to all the other external marks of parade and dis- play, which were generally so much prized among the Medes. He was much more in- clined to continue in his former habits of plain dress and frugal means than to imitate Median ostentation and luxury. There was one pleas- 5— Cyrni 56 CYKUS nil': ckkat. Mn\ lu^^v^^v lOmul in lM«>(lin., Mhicli in ViVVy In^l'^.V' 'l'll'»l' >VHH lllO |>1(W»HUV0 of loRVW- inK ii> vi(l«> on lioiMobiu'lv. Tlu* l\\rHiaiiH, it Hih«\r oniiHo, woio vt^ry liitla aomiHtonuHl to viiliv. IMu^.v luul vorv Uwv ht^iHon, and il»H t>l' oavnlry in iUoxv aimitvs. The younK nuvn, iluwoforo, \v«M(N noi irninoil io tho art of lH>vm>nwuiHhi|>. Faow in tlu>ir luint- in^ twtnirHnuirt i\\o\ utMit /ihvuvH lU'i'UHionnul (o nuiko long lunniliOH thron^li tlio ft>rt\Hirt nnd ainonK tlu> uu»nnia.inB m iliis nwmiKU', Itnultul lunivily, too, allilio iinio, \\\\\\ il\<\ hnriliwi t>f aims ami pvoviHionH Nvliit'h (hov >vt\r(> t)Mig«ul t»» i'iur.v. ii >vaH. (luMt^l\»io, a i\t\w pKwiHni*^ it> (\vruH to nu>nnt a. lu>vso. llorHonuuiHhip Avas n groal art anu^ng i1u> IVlotloM. Thcur lioiHos Nvoi»> lu^aniifnl ami tltu^l, ami H|)lonili»lly oapariHivmul. AMivagOH pvo- vitltnl for (\vnis tlio lu\Ht uninnilrt uhiiOi co\\\d ho |utuMir«\il. Mjul l>oy was vory primil inul liappv in <^\ vitlo is always a, ^void stunvtv o{ plt\!isnrt^ l>t)ys; but in that porioil o( lln\ >vorKl, nvIkui phvsit'al str(^ngtl\ >V2»s st> nnu'h n\i>v«\ in\pnrtanl antl niortx highly vahuHl than lit pvt^sn)ai\sliip was iv vastly gvtMilov »ounn> t>( gran ilian ii is now. Covins rill': VISIT TO MMMA. fi? foil iluii l)o IumI, ni >i ruii^lo Intip, <|iiM.lo(l IiIh |>4»\\'',ili, and ili(^ H|M^o(l of iili(> ajiinial hootuun, in faoi, aJiiioHi pMi'Moiwil a,jM(uiKiiioiiM of Ilin own. il<^ fnlt, un- (ior««oiirHO wiih IiIh wl.v-niU(piiin«l M(ionfj;ili and Hpnoy Hoinn nuif-';illow(Ml In no fali|.'.no. 'I'lin va,rionH oHlcnrH »i,nd hoi'ViuiIm hi Aniy- n\j^{\H lioiitinliold, HH \v
iid in inaidiinfj; liini wlndnvnr lio dnMii't^l io liwun. 'IMi!;n of ilin iaItloH iithl ilin wilio, and idl ilin ^'[niinraJ 211 ra,n^';nninnitt of ilin pjklann Honni U> lui,vn \uu\{\ nndnr li in d 1 1 nniioii. Tlin h«mvo«1,*' ropllod AHiyn^M^H, "liow ^nu'nl'ullv iind nln^<;iMilly \u\ immiih out ilut winn (or \\\i\ i\.\u\ llioii hiiiudH mo (lin tinp?" Tim HmMJin whh, in I'jui, ivnoinnnionly Hoooni- vViHluMl in ioH|>«M*i 1<> i\[o pnrH(»nal j.'.raoo and doxioriiy for \vlii»ili «iU|tl»«niioi'K in ihoHi^ davH \\/iH'i\ nioHt luKldy valnn«l, ami wliicli tMuinliiido, iu ftu4, HO OHHoniial a pari of Itio (pwdillt^aiionH !;ninon(, Haid, in roply. iiiat lio ouuldiunntuutothoroom and p(»ur oui lliowino HH wt^ll aH i\\{\ Hiuniin (M>nld *h» it, and ho aHlu^d hlH ^^iHMilfuihor Itudlow liim i*) try. AHlyM^JioH (HuiHotitod. ('vniMihtui took (iio ^;ol>lo( of \v mo, and woni oni. In a. tixMumii lio oanio in again, Htopping gnmdl.v, an luuwiiortul, in nnndi'ry of ilut Mat'inn. and with a <'onniona.iuM^ of aMMnint^d gravdy and Holf iinportantn^ >vlii(^li iinitaiod mo woll tln» air aiul niannnr of thft oui»-l)oarov hh groatly to anniHo iho \vlndo4*oinpany aMwoinbltHl. (lyruM advant-iul iUun lt>>vHrd I ho king, anil \n'o- Htndod hinj with (ho i*np, iinitaiing, >vi(h (l»o gvttoo and dt^xtovity uatvival to oliildbood, all tho ooi'oin(»nit>H whioh ln> luid mum tln» oup- lioavov hiniMolf porfoiin, oxdopt that of iawiing (ho wintv riio king and IVlandaiio langlnul Inuutily. OyvuN (hon, thvt>>vinK o(V hin tt8- TMK, VISI r TO Ml'iDIA. 61 hiiiimmI (^lianMit*^-, juih|m^(1 up into Juh ^miid- liiilinr'n ln.|>niiul kiMHiul liiiii, and iiiiiiiii^ io ilio nv, Sn^inji, you nvn iniiiKMl. 1 hIi}i11 )j;ni my f^rnudfatlKvi- io nppoini me iu .yoTir ])lmio. .1 oun IuukI (Jm wiiit^ n,H woll aB .you, niid Aviihoiii; ijiHtin^ ii in.vMcir id hII." "Hut why did .v«mi imt IhhIo ii?" nnktul Afl- tyjiK^'H; ".you Hliould Iihv() luu'fomuHl ilmt pjut of ilin diiiy HH vvtill HH ilu^ roHt. " It wuH, in t'juit, ii vnry (iHHnntin,! part, of tlin duty of }i oiiplKunHvr t*) ImhIo ilm winn tliid. Ik^ oftVinul iMvfore preHtintinjj; it 1«» iho kiiiK- ll«^ did thiH, liownvor, not by pidtin^:; tiio onp t<» liin lipH, hut hy pouiiiifj; out a liitio of it int«» tlin paliu of iiin liiUhl. 'VliiH iniHUnw wuh Hiloptnd liy tiuiHc^ nn('i(Md< doHjiotM to ^uai'd a^iiinHt tJui daiij^or of Uun^ ]K)iHonod; fornncvh a dau^nr woidd of coniHo l)(^ vory inu(di iniiod l>y loipiiriuj^ th<^ oIVkmw who had thn chh- tody of thi4t t«uid(^riii^ it t<» thn kiiifj;. To Arttyii|j;nH' «pinHtion why ho han- oauH(^"Haid (lyruH, *it wa,H poiHou«^d th«^ otiinr (hiy, wh(vn you made a feaHt for your frinndH, on your hiitluhiy. I know hy i\\o ofVndtH. It n»a(h» you a.ll <5ra/,y. 'I'ho thinj 62 CYKUS 'nil'; cki'.a'I'. not allow IIH l)<).yH io do, y<»ii l>ly, IIkxi;.';!! nolxxly lin.d pnid ni- i<^Mli l(^llill)^' siolidH, too, (UKlll diKwif liin own iiddoid, wiilioiii HniMMMMlin^j; in nuduiig Hitiyliody liMl(wi U> iiiiii. IMnully, yon |.';(»i up n\u\ \n\y[H:\i io diuu'o, |)td> il Av:i,K otii of n\\ \u\o und iiK^nHiiro; you (^oidd not (nmi niniid or(H)i tmd niiwulily. TIkui, you nil ^4 Ixuui poiHonod." Of (•ont•M<^, (lyriiH did n(»i H(nionHly ni(^a,n that li<^ iliouKlii ili<) wiiu^ luid Ihmui a(^tna.lly poiHoniul. I In wn.H old nnon^li io undinHtund itH nalnvn and ofVtuitH. Il<^ undonhiiHlly in- imulod hin n^ply hh a playTnl nalirc^ upon thn intinuporaio nx(u^HH(^H of liin KmiuH'aUKvr'H (U)urt. "Hut havn not yon (uor H(u\n hucIi tliingn lu^- fon^V" anlvtul Antya^.'^t^H. "|)o(^h not yonr failuw o\ov driidv w'luo until it niakoH liini nunry V" **No," n^pliiul (lyruH, ''indeed ho dooH not. 'nil-: visir lo miodia. IjS I In (Iiiiiks ojily wJkhi ]h) is IhirHiy, niid tli i\n) itd<5 ovrr liiiu jiiHt for tliroo 1-1 > ;iyH. **Wiiy, w]in,t would you do to himV" ankod AHtynK'liod (!yriiM. ''I u'(»uld Hiaiid a,i ilio door, an hn do(iH whdii I wani/ to luiHlnr iiil.oMin inrriiorioH of ilm IVIndtn^, iliiiJ* li<^iliK» OH Xiilioplioii |-nMiinM it, II, iimro iiolilo niil.nr|iritin IIumi l,iii(m- Ollrilv ill ilii/l n\ pntliiinii, nn li<^ Inul doiin ill Uio liuiitiiiK <^^«1ll^llioll hnforo ; niii«l w Ikhi, nt lon^IJi, iliiti iitipiiikl \mviy n^iirnuMl Iumim>, loiulod wiili hooiv, lilio ii«lin}j;M of CvniH' oxploiirt wniii io Pni-niiL (hunliNMori (lutK^fiil. ilwd. if liiri Mmiwiiti lii^l^'^iiiiiiiif^ lo tMlvo|inrl, nti ii, mmMioi-. mi iiiiliiiirv (nuii|tM/i)j;iiM, ill WHH iiiuo fm- lum io bo riMuillnd. lio iMMuirdiiiKly Honli for liini, inui (^vnin tto^'.nn io nudut |ir(^|»Mrn,lioiirt for liiH miiirii. 'I'lio iliiv <»f liirt \\m\ ti day of ^voni muUu^HH Hiid Horrow iuuoiik nil IiIk (MtiniwiiiiouM in Mndin, niid, in fat^i, iuiiomk 'til ilio nininborN of liiri ^.'i nudrailior'n lu»iifioliold. Tliov juuunn |Mini<^d liiiii for noiiio diM(aiit-o oii IiIm \\n\\ n.nd TIM'; visi r r< > ivii;i>i/\. 77 look Injivoof lilm, n.tlaHt, wiilninit ftwd iiiiiii.V injiiH. (1.yrim diHirihuioil iiinonK ilioin, iiH tliny Inl'l, him, dim viuinim Hi'ii<'J(^M of valiio wllitlh Ih^ poHtlnHHiMl, HIK'lt lUi llili III'IIIH, illld nriuuunnlH of viirioiiH liiiiiiin AVJI.H Ain,H|»nii. Ati ilmiio liiii IrK'ndd pHidnd froiM liiin, (l.ynm Uutk iiin Inuvn ol' IJkmii, oiio by OIKS i^'^ ili<\y jnliirimd, willi imiMy piiinlH of lliH nJIndiiinii I'oi- ilidiii, Jiiid Aviili i\. vory hjuI /muI liiijuy linnil. Tlin jioyii Hiul yoUUK liinii wlio IumI rn ilioHo to whom (Jynm IumI ori|<- iindly ^ivnii ilmm, **whi«ih/' Hn,ip coiistjuitly by liis sido, and to watch ovor hiiiMviih tlio utiuoHi vigilaiu'o and lidolity. The band of luiutsiiieu was organized, the dogs 1)10 pared, and the train departed. Very sium afterward, a messenger came back from tlie hunting ground, breathless, and with a eountenance of extreme ooueern and terror, bringing Uie dreadful tidings that Atys was dead. Athasius himself liad killed him. In tlu> ardor of the chase, while the huntsmen luui surrounded tlie bcmr, and were each intent on liis own personal danger M'liile in close combat with such a. monster, and all were hurling darts and javelins at their ferocious foe, the spear of Adrastus missed its aim, and entered the biuly of the unhappy iniuce. He bled to dt>ath on the spot. Soon after tlu^ messenger had made known these terrible tidings, the hunting train, trans- formed now into a funeral procession, ap- p(\nreti, lH\'iring the dead body of the king's son, and followed by the wretched Adrastus himself, who was wringing his hands, and cry- ing out incessantly in accents and exclamations of despair. He begged the king io kill liim at once, over the binly of liis son, and tluis imt an end to the unutterable jigcmy that he endured. This second calamitv was more, he LofC. CRCESUS. 101 said, than he could bear. He had killed be- fore his own brother, and now he had mur- dered the son of his greatest benefactor and friend. Croesus, though overwhelmed with anguish, was disarmed of all resentment at witnessing Adrastus' suffering. He endeavored to soothe and quiet the agitation which the unhappy man endured, but it was in vain. Adrastus could not be calmed. Croesus then ordered the body of his son to be buried with proper honorSo The funeral services were performed with great and solemn ceremonies, and when the body was interred, the household of Croe- sus returned to the palace, which was now, in spite of all its splendor, shrouded in gloom. That night — at midnight — Adrastus, finding his mental anguish insupportable, retired from his apartment to the place where Atys had been buried, and killed himself over the grave. Solon was wise in saying that he could not tell whether wealth and grandeur were to be accounted as happiness till he saw how they would end. Croesus was plunged into incon- solable grief, and into extreme dejection and misery for a period of two years, in conse- quence of this calamity, and yet this calamity was only the beginning of the end. CHAPTER V. ACCESSION OF CYRUS TO THE THRONE. While Croesus had thus, on his side of the River Halys — which was the stream that marked the boundary between the Lydian em- pire on the west and the Persian and Assyrian dominions on the east — been employed in building up his grand structure of outward magnificence and splendor, and in contending, within, against an overwhelming tide of do- mestic misery and woe, great changes had taken place in the situation and prospects of Cyrus. From being an artless and generous- minded child, he had become a calculating, ambitious, and aspiring man, and he was pre- paring to take his part in the great public con- tests and struggles of the day, with the same eagerness for self-aggrandizement, and the same unconcern for the welfare and happiness of others, which always characterizes the spirit of ambition and love of power. Although it is by no means certain that what Xenophon relates of his visit to his grand- father Astyages is meant for a true narrative 102 ACCESSION TO THE THRONE. 103 of facts, it is not at all improbable that such a visit might have been made, and that occur- rences, somewhat similar, at least, to those which his narrative records, may have taken place. It may seem strange to the reader that a man who should, at one time, wish to put his grandchild to death, should, at another, be disposed to treat him with such a profusion of kindness and attention. There is nothing, however, really extraordinary in this. Nothing is more fluctuating than the caprice of a des- pot. Man, accustomed from infancy to govern those around him by his own impetuous will, never learns self-control. He gives himself up to the dominion of the passing animal emo- tions of the hour. It may be jealousy, it may be revenge, it may be parental fondness, it may be hate, it may be love — whatever the feeling is that the various incidents of life, as they occur, or the influences, irritating or ex- hilarating, which are produced by food ^ or wine, awaken in his mind, he follows its im- pulse blindly and without reserve. He loads a favorite with kindness and caresses at one hour, and directs his assassination the next. He imagines that his infant grandchild is to become his rival, and he deliberately orders him to be left in a gloomy forest alone, to die of cold and hunger. When the imaginary danger has passed away, he seeks amusement in making the same grandchild his plaything, 8 — Cyrus 104 CYRUS THE GREAT. and overwhelms him with favors bestowed solely for the gratification of the giver, under the influence of an affection almost as purely animal as that of a lioness for her young. Favors of such a sort can awaken no per- manent gratitude in any heart, and thus it is quite possible that Cyrus might have evinced, during the simple and guileless days of his childhood, a deep veneration and affection for his grandfather, and yet, in subsequent years, when he had arrived at full maturity, have learned to regard him simply in the light of a great political potentate, as likely as any other potentate around him to become his rival or his enemy. This was, at all events, the result. Cyrus, on his return to Persia, grew rapidly in strength and siature, and soon became highly distinguished for his personal grace, his win- ning manners, and for the various martial ac- complishments which he had acquired in Me- dia, and in which he excelled almost all his companions. He gained, as such princes always do, a vast ascendency over the minds of all around him. As he advanced toward maturity, his mind passed from its interest in games, and hunting, and athletic sports, to plans of war, of conquest, and of extended dominion. In the meantime, Harpagus, though he had, Oft the time when he endured the horrid pun- ACCESSION TO THE THRONE. 105 isLment which Astyages inflicted upon him, expressed no resentment, still he had secretly felt an extreme indignation and anger, and he had now, for fifteen years, been nourishing covert schemes and plans for revenge. He re- mained all this time in the court of Astyages, and was apparently his friend. He was, how- ever, in heart a most bitter and implacable enemy. He was looking continually for a plan or prospect which should promise some hope of affording him his long-desired revenge. His eyes were naturally turned toward Cyrus. He kept up a communication with him so far as it was possible, for Astyages watched very closely what passed between the two countries, being always suspicious of plots against his government and crown. Harpagus, however, contrived to evade this vigilance in some de- gree. He made continual reports to Cyrus of the tyranny and misgovernment of Astyages, and of the defenselessness of .the realm of Media, and he endeavored to stimulate his rising ambition to the desire of one day pos- sessing for himself both the Median and Per- sian throne. In fact, Persia was not then independent of Media. It was more or less connected with the government of Astyages, so that Cambyses, the chief ruler of Persia, Cyrus' father, is called sometimes a king and sometimes a satrap^ which last title is equivalent to that of 106 CYRUS THE GREAT. viceroy or goverDor-general. Whatever his true and proper title may have been, Persia was a Median dependency, and Cyrus, there- fore, in forming plans for gaining possession of the Median throne, would consider himself as rather endeavoring to rise to the supreme command in his own native country, than as projecting any scheme for foreign conquest. Harpagus, too, looked upon the subject in the same light. Accordingly, in pushing for- ward his plots toward their execution, he oper- ated in Media as well as Persia. He ascer- tained, by diligent and sagacious, but by very covert inquiries, who were discontented and ill at ease under the dominion of Astyages, and by sympathizing with and encouraging them, he increased their discontent and insubmission. "Whenever Astyages, in the exercise of his tyranny, inflicted an injury upon a powerful subject, Harpagus espoused the cause of the injured man, condemned, with him, the intol- erable oppression of the king, and thus fixed and perpetuated his enmity. At the same time, he took pains to collect and to dissemi- nate among the Medes all the information which he could obtain favorable to Cyrus, in respect to his talents, his character, and his just and generous spirit, so that, at length, ihe ascendency of Astyages, through the instru- mentality of these measures, was very exten- sively undermined, and the way was rapidly ACCESSION TO THE THRONE. 107 becoming prepared for Cyrus' accession to power. During all this time, moreover, Harpagus was personally very deferential and obsequious to Astyages, and professed an unbounded de- votedness to his interests. He maintained a high rank at court and in the army, and As- tyages relied upon him as one of the most obedient and submissive of his servants, with- out entertaining any suspicion whatever of his true designs. At length a favorable occasion arose, as Har- pagus thought, for the execution of his plans. It was at a time when Astyages had been guilty of some unusual acts of tyranny and oppres- sion, by which he had produced extensive dissatisfaction among his people. Harpagus communicated, very cautiously, to the princi- pal men around him, the designs that he had long been forming for deposing Astyages and elevating Cyrus in his place. He found them favorably inclined to the plan. The way being thus pTepared, the next thing was to contrive some secret way of communicating with Cyrus. As the proposal which he was going to make was that Cyrus should come into Media with as great a force as he could command, and head an insurrection against the government of As- tyages, it would, of course, be death to him to have it discovered. He did not dare to trust the message to any living messenger, for fear 108 CYRUS THE GREAT. of betrayal ; nor was it safe to send a letter by any ordinary mode of transmission, lest the letter should be intercepted by some of Asty- ages* spies, and thus the whole plot be dis- covered. He finally adopted the following very extraordinary plan : He wrote a letter to Cyrus, and then taking a bare, which some of his huntsmen had caught for him, he opened the body and concealed the letter within. He then sewed up the skin again in the most careful manner, so that no signs of the incision should remain. He de- livered his hare, together with some nets and other hunting apparatus, to certain trust- worthy servants, on whom he thought he could rely, charging them to deliver the hare into Cyrus' own hands, and to say that it came from Harpagus, and that it was the request of Har- pagus that Cyrus should open it himself and alone. Harpagus concluded that this mode of making the communication was safe; for, in case the persons to whom the hare was in- trusted were to be seen by any of the spies or other persons employed by Astyages on the frontiers, they would consider them as hunters returning from the chase with their game, and would never think of examining the body of a hare, in the hands of such a party, in search after a clandestine correspondence. The plan was perfectly successful. The men passed into Persia without any suspicion. ACCESSION TO THE THRONE. 109 They delivered the hare to Cyrus, with their message. He opened the hare, and found the letter. It was in substance as follows : '*It is plain, Cyrus, that you are a favorite of heaven, and that you are destined to a great and glorious career. You could not otherwise have escaped, in so miraculous a manner, the snares set for you in your infancy. Astyages meditated your death, and he took such meas- ures to effect it as would seem to have made your destruction sure. You were saved by the special interposition of heaven. You are aware by what extraordinary incidents you were preserved and discovered, and what great and unusual prosperity has since attended you. You know, too, what cruel punishments Astyages inflicted upon me, for my humanity in saving you. The time has now come for retribution. From this time the authority and the dominions of Astyages may be yours. Persuade the Persians to revolt. Put yourself at the head of an army and march into Media. I shall probably myself be appointed to com- mand the army sent out to oppose you. If so, we will join our forces when we meet, and I will enter your service. I have conferred with the leading nobles in Media, and they are all ready to espouse your cause. You may rely upon finding everything thus prepared for you here; come, therefore, without any delay." no CYRUS THE GREAT. Cyrus was thrown into a fever of excitement and agitation on reading this letter. He deter- mined to accede to Harpagus' proposal. He revolved in his mind for some time the meas- ures by which he could raise the necessary force. Of course he could not openly announce his plan and enlist an army to effect it, for any avowed and public movement of that kind would be immediately made known to Astyages, who, by being thus forewarned of his enemies' designs, might take effectual measures to cir- cumvent them. He determined to resort to deceit, or, as he called it, stratagem ; nor did he probably have any distinct perception of the wrongfulness of such a mode of proceeding. The demon of war upholds and justifies false- hood and treachery, in all its forms, on the part of his votaries. He always applauds a forgery, a false pretense, or a lie : he calls it a stratagem. Cyrus had a letter prepared, in the form of a commission from Astyages, appointing him commander of a body of Persian forces to be raised for the service of the king. Cyrus read the fabricated document in the public assembly of the Persians, and called upon all the war- riors to join him. When they were organized he ordered them to assemble on a certain day, at a place that he named, each one provided with a woodman's ax. "When they were thus mustered, he marched them into a forest, and ACCESSION TO THE THRONE. Ill set them at work to clear a piece of ground. The army toiled all day, felling the trees, and piling them np to be burned. They cleared in this way, as Herodotus states, a piece of ground eighteen or twenty furlongs in extent. Cyrus kept them thus engaged in severe and incessant toil all the day, giving them, too, only coarse food and little rest. At night he dismissed them, commanding them to assemble again the second day. On the second day, when they came together, they found a great banquet prepared for them, and Cyrus directed them to devote the day to feasting and making merry. There was an abundance of meats of all kinds, and rich wines in great profusion. The soldiers gave them- selves up for the whole day to merriment and revelry. The toils and the hard fare of the day before had prepared them very effectually to enjoy the rest and the luxuries of this festi- val. They spent the hours in feasting about their campfires and reclining on the grass, where they amused themselves and one another by relating tales, or joining in merry songs and dances. At last, in the evening, Cyrus called them together, and asked them which day they had liked the best. They replied that there was nothing at all to like in the one, and nothing to be disliked in the other. They had had, on the first day, hard work and bad fare, and on the second, uninterrupted ease and the most luxurious pleasures. 112 CYRUS THE GREAT. **It is indeed so," said Cyrus, **aiid you have your destiny in your own hands to make your lives pass like either of these days, just as you choose. If you will follow me, you will enjoy ease, abundance, and luxury. If you refuse, you must remain as you are, and toil on as you do now, and endure your present privations and hardships to the end of your days." He then explained to them his de- signs. He told them that although Media was a great and powerful kingdom, still that they were as good soldiers as the Medes, and with the arrangements and preparations which he had made, they were sure of victory. The soldiers received this proposal with great enthusiasm and joy. They declared themselves ready to follow Cyrus wherever he should lead them, and the whole body imme- diately commenced making preparations for the expedition. Astyages was, of course, soon informed of these proceedings. He sent an order to Cyrus, summoning him immediately into his presence. Cyrus sent back word, in reply, that Astyages would probably see him sooner than he wished, and went on vigorously with his preparations. When all was ready the army marched, and, crossing the frontiers, they entered into Media. In the meantime, Astyages had collected a large force, and, as had been anticipated by the conspirators, he put it under the command ACCESSION TO THE THRONE. 113 of Harpagus. Harpagus made known his de- sign of going over to Cyrus as soon as he should meet him, to as large a portion of the army as he thought it prudent to admit to his confidence ; the rest knew nothing of the plan ; and thus the Median army advanced to meet the invaders, a part of the troops with minds intent on resolutely meeting and repelling their enemies, while the rest were secretly prepar- ing to go over at once to their side. When the battle was joined, the honest part of the Median army fought valiantly at first, but soon, thunderstruck and utterly confounded at seeing themselves abandoned and betrayed by a large body of their comrades, they were easily overpowered by the triumphant Per- sians. Some were taken prisoners ; some fled back to Astyages; and others, following the example of the deserters, went over to Cyrus' camp and swelled the numbers of his train. Cyrus, thus reinforced by the accessions he had received, and encouraged by the flight or dispersion of all who still wished to oppose him, began to advance toward the capital. Astyages, when he heard of the defection of Harpagus and of the discomfiture of his army, was thrown into a perfect frenzy of rage and hate. The long-dreaded prediction of his dream seemed now about to be fulfilled, and the magi, who had taught him that when Cyrus had once been made king of the boys in sport, 114 CYRUS THE GREAT. there was no longer any danger of his aspiring to regal power, had proved themselves false. They had either intentionally deceived him, or they were ignorant themselves, and in that case they were worthless imposters. Although the danger from Cyrus' approach was immi- nent in the extreme, Astyages could not take any measures for guarding against it until he had first gratified the despotic cruelty of his nature by taking vengeance on these false pre- tenders. He directed to have them all seized and brought before him, and then, having up- braided them with bitter reproaches for their false predictions, he ordered them all to be crucified. He then adopted the most decisive measures for raising an army. He ordered every man capable of bearing arms to come forward, and then, putting himself at the head of the im- mense force which he had thus raised, he ad- vanced to meet his enemy. He supposed, no doubt, that he was sure of victory ; but he un- derrated the power which the discipline, the resolution, the concentration, and the terrible energy of Cyrus' troops gave to their formid- able array. He was defeated. His army was totally cut to pieces, and he himself was taken prisoner. Harpagus was present when he was taken, and he exulted in revengeful triumph over the fallen tyrant's ruin. Astyages was filled with ACCESSION TO THE THRONE. 115 rage and despair. Harpagus asked him what he thought now of the supper in which he had compelled a father to feed on the flesh of his child. Astyages, in reply, asked Harpagus whether he thought that the success of Cyrus was owing to what he had done. Harpagus replied that it was, and exultingly explained to Astyages the plots he had formed, and the preparations which he had made for Cyrus' invasion, so that Astyages might see that his destruction had been effected by Harpagus alone, in terrible retribution for the atrocious crime which he had committed so many years before, and for which the vengeance of the sufferer had slumbered, during the long inter- val, only to be more complete and overwhelm- ing at last. Astyages told Harpagus that he was a miser- able wretch, the most foolish and most wicked of mankind. He was the most foolish, for having plotted to put power into another's hand which it would have been just as easy for him to have secured and retained in his own; and he was the most wicked, for having be- trayed his country, and delivered it over to a foreign power, merely to gratify his own pri- vate revenge. The result of this battle was the complete overthrow of the power and kingdom of As- tyages, and the establishment of Cyrus on the throne of the united kingdom of Media and 116 CYRUS THE GREAT. Persia. Cyrus treated his grandfather with kindness after his victory over him. He kept him confined, it is true, but it was probably that indirect and qualified sort of confinement which is all that is usually enforced in the case of princes and kings. In such cases, some extensive and often sumptuous residence is assigned to the illustrious prisoner, with grounds sufficiently extensive to afford every necessary range for recreation and exercise, and with bodies of troops for keepers, which have much more the form and appearance of military guards of honor attending on a prince, than of jailers confining a prisoner. It was probably in such an imprisonment as this that Astyages passed the remainder of his days. The people, having been wearied with his des- potic tyranny, rejoiced in his downfall, and acquiesced very readily in the milder and more equitable government of Cyrus. Astyages came to his death many years afterward, in a somewhat remarkable manner. Cyrus sent for him to come into Persia, where he was himself then residing. The officer who had Astyages in charge, conducted him, on the way, into a desolate wilderness, where he per- ished of fatigue, exposure, and hunger. It was supposed that this was done in obedience to secret orders from Cyrns, who perhaps found the charge of such a prisoner a burden. The officer, however, was cruelly punished for ACCESSION TO THE THRONE. Il7 the act; but even this may have been only for appearances, to divert the minds of men from all suspicion that Cyrus could himself have been an accomplice in such a crime. The whohi revolution which has been de- Tlarpagus {iiid tlici hifant Cyrus. scribed in this chapter, from its first inception to its final accom])lishment, was effected in a very short period of time, and Cyrus thus found himself very unexpectedly and suddenly ele- vated to a throne. Harpagus continued in his service, and be- came subsequently one of his most celebrated generals. CHAPTER VI. THE ORACLES. As soon as Cyrus had become established on his throne as King of the Medes and Per- sians, his influence and power began to extend westward toward the confines of the empire of Croesus, King of Lydia. Croesus was aroused from the dejection and stupor into which the death of his son had plunged him, as related in a former chai)ter by this threatening danger. He began to consider very earnestly what he could do to avert it. The Eiver Halys, a great river of Asia Minor, which flows northward into the Black Sea, was the eastern boundary of the Lydian empire. Croesus bgan to entertain the design of raising an army and crossing the Halys, to invade the empire of Cyrus, thinking that that would perhaps be safer policy than to wait for Cyrus to cross the Halys, and bring the war upon him. Still, the enterprise of invading Persia was a vast undertaking, and the responsiblity great of being the aggressor in the contest. After carefully considering the 118 THE ORACLES. 119 subject in all its aspects, Croesus found him- self still perplexed and undecided. The Greeks had a method of looking into fu- turity, and of ascertaining, as they imagined, by supernatural means, the course of future events, which was peculiar to that jjeople; at least no other nation seems ever to have prac- ticed it in the precise form which prevailed among them. It was by means of the oracles. There were four or five localities in the Grecian countries which possessed, as the people thought, the property of inspiring persons who visited them, or of giving to some natural ob- ject certain supernatural powers ])y which future events could be foretold. The three most important of these oracles were situated respectively at Delphi, at Dodona, and at the Oasis of Jupiter Ammon. Delphi was a small town built in a sort of valley, shaped like an amphitheater, on the southern side of Mount Parnassus. Mount Parnassus is north of the Peloponnesus, not very far from the shores ot' the Gulf of Cor- inth. Delphi was in a jjicturesque and roman- tic situation, with the mountain behind it, and steep, precipitous rocks descending to the level country before. These precipices answered instead of walls to defend the temple and the town. In very early times a cavern or fiissure in the rocks was discovered at Delphi, from which there issued a stream of gaseous vapor, 9— Cyrus 130 CYRUS THE GREAT. which produced strange effects on those who inhaled it. It was supposed to inspire them. People resorted to the place to obtain the bene- fit of these inspirations, and of the knowledge which they imagined they could obtain by means of them. Finally, a temple was built, and a priestess resided constantly in it, to in- hale the vapor and give the responses. When she gave her answers to those who came to con- sult the oracle, she sat upon a sort of three- legged stool, which was called the sacred tripod. These stools were greatly celebrated as a very important part of the sacred appara- tus of the place. This oracle became at last so renowned, that the greatest potentates, and even kings, came from great distances to consult it, and they made very rich and costly presents at the shrine when they came. These presents, it was supposed, tended to induce the god who presided over the oracle to give to those who made them favorable and auspicious replies. The deity that dictated the predictions of this oracle was Apollo. There was another circumstance, besides the existence of the cave, which signalized the locality where this oracle was situated. The people believed that this spot was the exact center of the earth, which of course they con- sidered as one vast plain. There was an an- cient story that Jupiter, in order to determine the central point of creation, liberated two THE ORACLES. 121 eagles at the same time, in opposite quarters of the heavens, that they might fly toward one another, and so mark the middle point by the place of their meeting. They met at Delphi. Another of the most celebrated oracles was at Dodona. Dodona was northwest of Delphi, in the Epirus, which was a country in the western part of what is now Turkey in Europe, and on the shores of the Adriatic Sea. The origin of the oracle at Dodona was, as the priestesses there told Herodotus, as follows : In very ancient times, two black doves were set at liberty in Thebes, which was a very vener- able and sacred city of Egypt. One flew to- ward the north and the other toward the west. The former crossed the Mediterranean, and then continued its flight over the Peloponnesus, and over all the southern provinces of Greece, until it reached Dodona. There it alighted on a beech tree, and said, in a human voice, that that spot was divinely appointed for the seat of a sacred oracle. The other dove flew to the Oasis of Jupiter Ammon. There were three priestesses at Dodona in the days of Herodotus. Their names were Promenea, Timarete, and Nicandre. The an- swers of the oracle were, for a time, obtained by the priestesses from some appearances which they observed in the sacred beech on which the dove alighted, when the tree was agitated by the wind. In later times, how- 122 CYRUS THE GREAT. ever, the resposes were obtained in a still more singular manner. There was a brazen statue of a man, holding a whip in his hand. The whip had three lashes, which were formed of brazen chains. At the end of each chain was an astragalus, as it was called, which was a row of little knots or knobs, such as were commonly appended to the lashes of whips used in those days for scourging criminals. These heavy lashes hung suspended in the hand of the statue over a great brazen caldron, in such a manner that the wind would impel them, from time to time, against its sides, causing the caldron to riug and resound like a gong. There was, however, something in this resonance supernatural and divine; for, though it was not loud, it was very long continued, when once the margin of the caldron was touched, however gently, by the lashes. In fact, it was commonly said that if touched in the morniug, it would be night before the re- verberations would have died entirely away. Such a belief could be very easily sustained among the common people ; for a large, open- mouthed vessel like the Dodona caldron, with thin sides formed of sonorous metal, might be kept in a state of continual vibration by the wind alone. They who wished to consult this oracle came with rich presents both for the jjriestesses and for the shrine, and when they had made the THE ORACLES. 133 offerings, and performed the preliminary cere- monies required, tliey propounded their ques- tions to the priestesses, who obtained the re- plies by interpreting, according to certain rules which they had formed, the sounds emitted by the mysterious gong. The second black dove which took its flight from Thebes alighted, as we have already said, in the Oasis of Jupiter Amnion. This oasis was a small fertile spot in the midst of the deserts of Africa, west of Egypt, about a hun- dred miles from the Nile, and somewhat nearer than that to the Mediterranean Sea. It was first discovered in the following manner: A certain king was marching across the deserts, and his army, having exhausted their supplies of water, were on the point of perishing with thirst, when a ram mysteriously appeared, and took a position before them as their guide. They followed him, and at length came sud- denly upon a green and fertile valley, many miles in length. The ram conducted them into this valley, and then suddenly vanished, and a copious fountain of water sprung up in the place where he had stood. The king, in gratitude for this divine interposition, conse- crated the spot and built a temple upon it, which was called the temple of Jupiter Am- mon. The dove alighted here, and ever after- ward the oracles delivered by the priests of this temple were considered as divinely inspired. 124 CYRUS THE GREAT. These three were the moat important ora- cles. There were, however, manj^ others of subordinate consequence, each of which had its own peculiar ceremonies, all senseless and absurd. At one there was a sort of oven- shaped cave in the rocks, the spot being in- closed by an artij&cial wall. The cave was about six feet wide and eight feet deep. The descent into it was by a ladder. Previously to consulting this oracle certain ceremonies were necessary, which it required several days to perform. The applicant was to offer sacrifices to many different deities, and to purify him- self in various ways. He was then conducted to a stream in the neighborhood of the oracle, where he was to be annointed and washed. Then he drank a certain magical water, called the water of forgetfulness, which made him forget all previous sorrows and cares. After- ward he drank of another enchanted cup, which contained the water of remembrance; this was to make him remember all that should be com- municated to him in the cave. He then de- scended the ladder, and received within the cave the responses of the oracle. At another of these oracles, which was situ- ated in Attica, the magic virtue was supposed to reside in a certain marble statue, carved in honor of an ancient and celebrated prophet, and placed in a temple. Whoever wished to consult this oracle must abstain from wine for THE ORACLES. 125 three days, and from food of every kind for twenty-four hours preceding the application. He was then to offer a ram as a sacrifice ; and afterward, taking the skin of the ram from the carcass, he was to spread it out before the statue, and lie down upon it to sleep.^ The an- swers of the oracle came to him in his dreams. But to return to Croesus. He- wished to ascertain, by consulting some of these oracles, what the result of his proposed invasion of the dominions of Cyrus would be, in case he should undertake it; and in order to determine which of the various oracles were most worthy of reliance, he conceived the plan of putting them all to a preliminary test. He effected this object in the following manner : He dispatched a number of messengers from Sardis, his capital, sending one to each of the various oracles. He directed these messengers to make their several journeys with all conven- ient dispatch ; but, in order to provide for any cases of accidental detention or delay, he allowed them all one hundred days to reach their several places of destination. On the hundredth day from the time of their leaving Sardis, they were all to make applications to the oracles, and inquire what Croesus, King of Lydia, was doing at that time. Of course he did not tell them what he should be doing; and as the oracles themselves could not pos- sibly know how he was employed by any 12G CYRUS THE GREAT. human power, their answers would seem to test the validity of their claims to powers divine, Cr(X)su8 kept the reckoning of the days him- self with great care, and at the hour appointed on the hundredth day, he enqiloyed himself in boiling the liesh of a turtle and of a lamb to- gether in a brazen vessel. The vessel was covered with a lid, which was also of brass. He then awaited the return of the messengers. They came in due time, one after another, bringing the replies which they had severally obtained. The replies were all unsatisfactory, except that of the oracle at Delphi. This an- swer was in verse, as, in fact, the responses of that oracle always were. The priestess who sat upon the trii)odwas accustomed to give the replies in an incoherent and half-intelligible manner, as imposters are very apt to do in uttering prophecies, and then the attendant priests and secretaries wrote them out in verse. The verse which the messenger brought back from the Delphic tripod was in Greek; but some idea of its style, and the import of it, is conveyed by the following imitation: " I number the sands, I measure the sea, What's hidden to others is known to me. The himb and the turtle are simmering slow, With blass above them and brass below." Of course, Croesus decided that the I^oJphic THE ORACLES. 127 oracle was the one that he must rely upon for guidance in respect to his projected campaign. And he now began to prepare to consult it in a manner corresponding with the vast importance of the subject, and with his own boundless wealth. He provided the naost extraordinary and sumptuous presents. Some of these treasures were to be deposited in the temple, as sacred gifts, for permanent preservation there. Others were to be offered as a burnt sacrifice in honor of the god. Among the lat- ter, besides an incredible number of living vic- tims, he caused to be prepared a great number of couches, magnificently decorated with sil- ver and gold, and goblets and other vessels of gold, and dresses of various kinds richly em- broidered, and numerous other articles, all in- tended to be used in the ceremonies prelimi- nary to his application to the oracle. When the time arrived, a vast concourse of peoj^le assembled to witness the spectacle. The animals were sacrificed, and the people feasted on the flesh ; and when these ceremonies were concluded, the couches, the goblets, the utensils of every kind, the dresses — every- thing, in short, which had been used on the occasion, were heaped up into one great sacri- ficial pile, and set on fire. Everything that was combustible was consumed, while the gold was melted, and ran into plates of great size, which were afterward taken out from the ashes. 128 CYRUS THE GREAT. Thus it was the workmanship only of these articles which was destroyed and lost by the fire. The gold, in which the chief value con- sisted, was saved. It was gold from the Pac- tolus. Besides these articles, there were others made, far more magnificent and costly, for the temple itself. There was a silver cistern or tank, large enough to hold three thousand gal- lons of wine. This tank was to be used by the inhabitants of Delphi in their great festivals. There was also a smaller cistern, or immense goblet, as it might, perhaps, more properly be called, which was made of gold. There were also many other smaller presents, such as basins, vases, and statues, all of silver and gold, and of the most costly workmanship. The gold, too, which had been taken from the fire, was cast again, a part of it being formed into the ima^e of a lion, and the rest into large plates of metal for the lion to stand upon. The image was then set up upon the plates, within the precincts of the temple. There was one piece of statuary which Croesus presented to the oracle at Delphi, which was, in some resi)cts, more extraordi- nary than any of the rest. It was called the bread-maker. It was an image representing a woman, a servant in the household of Croesus, whose business it was to bake the bread. Tho reason that induced Croesus to honor this THE ORACLES. 129 bread-maker with a statue of gold was, that on one occasion during his childhood she had saved his life. The mother of Croesus died when he was young, and his father married a second time. The second wife wished to have some one of Tier children, instead of Croesus succeed to her husband's throne. In order, therefore, to remove Croesus out of the way, she prepared some poison and gave it to the bread-maker, instructing her to put it into the bread which Croesus was to eat. The bread- maker received the poison and promised to obey. But, instead of doing so, she revealed the intended murder to Croesus, and gave the poison to the queen's own children. In grati- tude for this fidelity to him, Croesus, when he came to the throne, caused this statue to be made, and now he placed it at Delphi, where he supposed it would forever remain. The memory of his faithful servant was indeed im- mortalized by the measure, though the statue itself, as well as all these other treasures, in process of time disappeared. In fact, statues of brass or of marble generally make far more durable monuments than statues of gold ; and no structure or object of art is likely to be very permanent among mankind unless the work- manship is worth more than the material. Croesus did not proceed himself to Delphi with these presents, but sent them by the hands of trusty messGDgerR, who were instructed to 130 CYRUS THE GREAT. perform the ceremonies required, to offer the gifts, and then to make inquiries of the oracle in the following terms. **Croesns, the sovereign of Lydiaandof vari- ous other kingdoms, in return for the wisdom which has marked your former declarations, has sent you these gifts. He now furthermore desires to know whether it is safe for him to proceed against the Persians, and if so, whether it is best for him to seek the assis- tance of any allies." The answer was as follows: **If Croesus crosses the Halys, and prose- cutes a war with Persia, a mighty empire will be overthrown. It will be best for him to form an alliance with the most powerful states of Greece. ' * Croesus was extremely pleased with this re- sponse. He immediately resolved on under- taking the expedition against Cyrus ; and to express his gratitude for so favorable an an- swer to his questions, he sent to Delphi to in- quire what was the number of inhabitants in the city, and, when the answer was reported to him, he sent a present of a sum of money to every one. The Delphians, in their turn, con- ferred special privileges and honors upon the Lydians and upon Croesus in respect to their oracle, giving them the precedence in all future consultations, and conferring upon them other marks of distinction and honor. THE ORACLES. 131 At the time when Croesus sent his present to the inhabitants of Delphi, he took the oppor- tunity to address another inquiry to the oracle, which was, whether his power would ever de- cline. The oracle replied in a couplet of Greek verse, similar in its style to the one recorded on the previous occasion. It was as follows : ** Whene'er a mule shall mount upon the Median throne^ Then, and not till then, shall great Croesus fear to los^ his own." This answer pleased the king quite as much as the former one had done. The allusion to the contingency of a mule's reigning in Media he very naturally regarded as only a rhetorical and mystical mode of expressing an utter im- possibility. Croesus considered himself and the continuance of his power as perfectly secure. He was fully confirmed in his deter- mination to organize his expedition without any delay, and to proceed immediately to the proper measures for obtaining the Grecian alliance and aid which the oracle had recom- mended. The plans which he formed, and the events which resulted, will be described in subsequent chapters. In respect to these Grecian oracles, it is proper here to state, that there has been much discussion among scholars on the question how they were enabled to maintain, for so long a 132 CYRUS THE GREAT. period, so extended a credit amoDg a people as iDtellectual and welj informed as the Greeks. It was doubtless by means of a variety of con- trivances and influences that this end was at- tained. There is a natural love of the marvel- ous among the humbler classes in all countries, which leads them to be very ready to believe in what is mystic and supernatural; and they accordingly exaggerate and color such real in- cidents as occur under any strange or remark- able circumstances, and invest any unusual phenomena which they witness with a miracu- lous or supernatural interest. The cave at Del- phi might really have emitted gases which would produce quite striking effects upon those who inhaled them ; and how easy it would be for those who witnessed these effects to imagine that some divine and miraculous powers must exist in the aerial current which produced them. The priests and priestesses, who inhabited the temples in which these ora- cles were contained, had of course, a strong interest in keeping up the belief of their reality in the minds of the community ; so were, in fact, all the inhabitants of the cities which sprung up around them. They derived their support from the visitors who frequented these places, and they contrived various ways for drawing contributions, both of money and gifts, from all who came. In one case there was a sacred stream near an oracle, where per- THE ORACLES. 133 sons, on permission from the priests, were allowed to bathe. After the bathiog, they were expected to throw pieces of money into the stream. What afterward, in such cases, became of the money, it is not difficult to imagine. Nor is it necessary to suppose that all these priests and priestesses were impostors. Hav- ing been trained up from infancy to believe that the inspirations were real, they would continue to look upon them as such all their lives. Even at the present day we shall all, if we closely scrutinize our mental habits, find our=- selves continuing to take for granted, in our maturer years, what we inconsiderately im- bibed or were erroneously taught in infancy, and that, often, in cases where the most ob- vious dictates of reason, or even the plain testimony of our senses, might show us that our notions are false. The priests and priest- esses, therefore, who imposed on the rest of mankind, may have been as honestly and as deep in the delusion themselves as any of their dupes. The answers of the oracles were generally vague and indefinite, and susceptible of almost any interpretation, according to the result. Whenever the event corresponded with the prediction, or could be made to correspond with it by the ingenuity of the commentators, the story of the coincidence would, of course, 10-Cyrua 134 CYRUS THE GREAT. be everywhere spread abroad, becomiDg more striking aud more exact at each repetitioiio Where there was a failure, it would not be direct aud absolute, on account of the vague- ness and indefiniteness of the response, and there would therefore be no interest felt in hearing or in circulating the story. The cases, thus, which would tend to establish the truth of the oracle, would be universally known and remembered, while those of a contrary bearing would be speedily forgotten. There io no doubt, however, that in many cases the responses were given in collusion with the one who consulted the oracle, for the purpose of deceiving others. For example, let us suppose that Croesus wished to establish strongly the credibility of the Delphic oracle in the minds of his countrymen, in order to encourage them to enlist in his armies, and to engage in the enterprise which he was contem- plating against Cyrus with resolution and con- fidence ; it would have been easy for him to have let the priestess at Delphi know what he was doing on the day when he sent to inquire, and thus himself to have directed her answer. Then, when his messengers returned, he would appeal to the answer as proof of the reality of the inspiration which seemed to furnish it. Alexander the Great certainly did, in this way, act in collusion with the priests at the temple of Jupiter Ammon. THE ORACLES. 135 The fact that there have been so many and such successful cases of falsehood and impos- ture among mankind in respect to revelations Alexander at the Temple of Jupiter Ammon. from heaven, is no indication, as some super- ficially suppose, that no revelation is true, but is, on the other hand, strong evidence to the contrary. CHAPTEE VII. nil.. -^ A"llu, d THE CONQUEST OF LYDIA. There were, in fact, three inducements which combined their influence on the mind of Croesus, in leading him to cross the Halys, and invade the dominions of the Medes and Per- sians : first, he was ambitious to extend his own empire; secondly, he feared that if he did not attack Cyrus, Cyrus would himself cross the Halys and attack him ; -and, thirdly, he felt under some obligation to consider himself the ally of Astyages, and thus bound to es- pouse his cause, and to aid him in putting down, if possible, the usurpation of Cyrus, and in recovering his throne. He felt under this obligation because Astyages was his brother-in-law ; for the latter had married, many years before, a daughter of Alyattes, who was the father of Croesus. This, as Croesus thought, gave him a juot title to inter- fere between the dethroned king and the rebel who had dethroned him. Under the influence of all these reasons combined, and encouraged by the responses of the oracle, he determined on attempting the invasion. 136 THE CONQUEST OF LYDIA. 137 The first measure which he adopted was to form an alliance with the most powerful of the states of Greece, as he had been directed to do by the oracle. After much inquiry and con- sideration, he concluded that the Lacedaemo- nian state was the most powerful. Their chief city was Sparta, in the Peloponnesus. They were a warlike, stern, and indomitable race of men, capable of bearing every possible hard- ship, and of enduring every degree of fatigue and toil, and they desired nothing but military glory for their reward. This was a species of wages which it was very easy to pay ; much more easy to furnish than coin, even for Croe- sus, notwithstanding the abundant supplies of gold which he was accustomed to obtain from the sands of the Pactolus. Croesus sent ambassadors to Sparta to in- form the people of the plans which he contem- plated, and to ask their aid. He had been in- structed, he said, by the oracle at Delphi, to seek the alliance of the most powerful of the states of Greece, and he accordingly made 3,p- plication to them. They were gratified with the compliment implied in selecting them, and acceded readily to his proposal. Besides, they were already on very friendly terms with Croesus; for, some years before, they had sent to him to procure some gold for a statue which they had occasion to erect, offering to give an equivalent for the value of it in such produc- 138 CYRUS THE GREAT. tions as their country afforded. Croesus sup- plied them with the gold that they needed, but generously refused to receive any return. In the meantime, Croesus went on, energet- ically, at Sardis, making the preparations for his campaign. One of his counselors, whose name was Sardaris, ventured, one day, strongly to dissuade him from undertaking the expedi- tion. "You have nothing to gain by it," said .he, **if you succeed, and everything to lose if you fail. Consider what sort of people these Persians are whom you are going to combat. They live in the most rude and simple man- ner, without luxuries, without pleasures, with- out wealth. If you conquer their country, you will find nothing in it worth bringing away. On the other hand, if they conquer you, they will come like a vast band of plun- derers into Lydia, where there is everything to tempt and reward them. I counsel you to leave them alone, and to remain on this side the Halys, thankful if Cyrus will be contented to remain on the other." But Croesus was not in a mood of mind to be persuaded by such reasoning. When all things were ready, the army com- menced its march and moved eastward, through one province of Asia Minor after another, until they reached the Halys. This river is a con- siderable stream, which rises in the interior of the country, and flows northward into the. THE CONQUEST OF LYDIA. 139 Euxine Sea. The army encamped on the banks of it, and some plan was to be formed for crossing the stream. In accomplishing this object, Croesus was aided by a very cele- brated engineer who accompanied his army, named Thales. Thales was a native of Mile- tus, and is generally called in history, Thales the Milesian. He was a very able mathema- tician and calculator, and many accounts re- main of the discoveries and performances by which he acquired his renown. For example, in the course of Lis travels, he at one time visited Egypt, and while there, he contrived a very simple way of measuring the height of the pyramids. He set up a pole on the plain in an upright position, and then measured the pole and also its shadow. He also measured the length of the shadow of the pyramid. He then calculated the height of the pyramid by this proportion : as the length of shadow of the pole is to that of the pole itself, so is the length of the shadow of the pyramid to its height. Thales was an astronomer as well as a phi- losopher and engineer. He learned more exactly the true length of the year than it had been known before ; and he also made some calcula- tions of eclipses, at least so far as to predict the year in which they would happen. One eclipse which he predicted happened to occur on the day of a greaf battle between two con- 140 CYRUS THE GREAT. tending armies. It was cloudy, so that the combatants conld not see the sun. This cir- cumstance, however, which concealed the eclipse itself, only made the darkness which was caused by it the more intense. The armies were much terrified at this sudden cessation of the light of day, and supposed it to be a warning from heaven that they should desist from the combat. Thales the Milesian was the author of several of the geometrical theorems and demonstra- tions now included in the Elements of Euclid. The celebrated fifth proposition of the first book, so famous among all the modern nations of Europe as the great stumbling block in the way of beginners in the study of geometry, was his. The discovery of the truth expressed in this proposition, and of the complicated demonstration which establishes it, was cer- tainly a much greater mathematical perform- ance than the measuring of the altitude of the l^yramids by their shadow. But to return to Croesus. Thales undertook the work of transporting the army across the river. He examined the banks, and found, at length, a spot where the land was low and level for some distance from the stream. He caused the army to be brought up to the river at this point, and to be encamped there, as near to the bank as possible, and in as compact a form. He then employed a vast number of laborers to THE CONQUEST OF LYDIA. 141 cut a new channel for the waters, behind the army, leading out from the river above, and rejoining it again at a little distance below. When this channel was finished, he turned the river into its new course, and then the army passed without difficulty over the former bed of the stream. The Halys being thus passed, Croesus moved on in the direction of Media. But he soon found that he had not far to go to find his enemy. Cyrus had heard of his plans through deserters and spies, and he had for some time been advancing to meet him. One after the other of the nations through whose dominions he had passed, he had subjected to his sway, or, at least, brought under his influence by treaties and alliances, and had received from them all reinforcements to swell the numbers of his army. One nation only remained — the Babylonians. They were on the side of Croe- sus. They were jealous of the growing power of the Mecles and Persians, and had made a league with Croesus, promising to aid him in the war. The other nations of the east were in alliance with Cyrus, and he was slowly moving on, at the head of an immense com- bined force, toward the Halys, at the very time when Croesus was crossing the stream. The scoutSj therefore, that preceded the army of Croesus on its march, soon began to fall back into the camp, with intelligence that 142 CYRUS THE GREAT. there was a large armed force coming on to meet them, the advancing columns filling all the roads, and threatening to overwhelm them. The scouts from the army of Cyrus carried back similar intelligence to him. The two armies accordingly halted and began to pre- pare for battle. The place of their meeting was called Pteria. It was in the province of Cappadocia, and toward the eastern part of Asia Minor. A great battle was fought at Pteria. It was continued all day, and remained undecided when the sun went down. The combatants separated when it became dark, and each with- drew from the field. Each king found, it seems, that his antagonist was more formid- able than he had imagined, and on the morning after the battle they both seemed inclined to re- main in their respective encampments, without evincing any disposition to renew the contest. Croesus, in fact, seems to have considered that he was fortunate in having so far repulsed the formidable invasion which Cyrus had been intending for him. He considered Cyrus' army as repulsed, since they had withdrawn from the field, and showed no disposition to return to it. He had no doubt that Cyrus would now go back to Media again, having found how well prepared Croesus had been to receive him. For himself, he concluded that he ought to be satisfied with the advantage THE CONQUEST OF LYDIA. 143 which he had already gained, as the result of one campaign, and return again to Sardis to recruit his array, the force of which had been considerably impaired by the battle, and so postpone the grand invasion till the next sea- son. He accordingly set out on his return. He dispatched messengers, at the same time, to Babylon, to Sparta, to Egypt, and to other countries with which he was in alliance, inform- ing these various nations of the great battle of Pteria and its results, and asking them to send him, early in the following spring, all the re- inforcements that they could command, to join him in the grand campaign which he was going to make the next season. He continued his march homeward without any interruption, sending off, from time to time, as he was moving through his own do- minions, such portions of his troops as desired to return to their homes, enjoining upon them to come back to him in the spring. By this temporary disbanding of a portion of his army, he saved the expense of maintaining them through the winter. Very soon after Croesus arrived at Sardis, the whole country in the neighborhood of the capital was thrown into a state of universal alarm by the news that Cyrus was close at hand. It seems that Cyrus had remained in the vicinity of Pteria long enough to allow Croesus to return, and to give him time to dis- 144 CYRUS THE GREAT. miss his troops and establish himself securely in the city. He then suddenly resumed his march, and came on toward Sardis with the utmost i^ossible dispatch. Croesus, in fact, had no announcement of his approach until he heard of his arrival. All was now confusion and alarm, both within and without the city. Cro'siis hastily collected all the forces that he could command. He sent immediately to the neighboring cities, summoning all the troops in them to hasten to the capital. He enrolled all the inhabitants of the city that were capable of bearing arms. By these means he collected, in a very short time, quite a formidable force, which he drew up, in battle array, on a great plain cot far from the city, and there waited, with much anxiety and solicitude, for Cyrus to cowQ on. The Lydian army was superior to that of Cyrus in cavalry, and as the place where the battle was to be fought was a plain, which was the kind of ground most favorable for the operations of that species of force, Cyrus felt some solicitude in respect to the impression which might be made by it on his army. Nothing is more terrible than the onset of a squadron of horse when charging an enemy upon the field of battle. They come in vast bodies, sometimes consisting of many thou- sands, with the speed of the wind, the men flourishing their sabers, and rending the air THE CONQUEST OF LYDIA. 145 with the most unearthly cries, those in advance being driven irresistibly oq by the weight and impetus of the masses behind. The dreadful torrent bears down and overwhelms everything that attempts to resist its way. They trample one another and their enemies together promis- cuously in the dust; the foremost of the column press on with the utmost fury, afraid quite as much of the headlong torrent of friends coming on behind them, as of the line of fixed and motionless enemies who stand ready to re- ceive them before. These enemies, stationed to withstand the charge, arrange themselves in triple or quadruple rows, with the shafts of their spears planted against the ground, and the points directed forward and upward to re- ceive the advancing horsemen. These spears transfix and kill the foremost horses ; but those that come on behind, leaping and plunging over their fallen companions, soon break through the lines and put their enemies to flight, in a scene of indescribable havoc and confusion. Croesus had large bodies of horse, while Cyrus had no efficient troops to oppose them. He had a great number of camels in the rear of his army, which had been employed as beasts of burden to transport the baggage and stores of the army on their march. Cyrus concluded to make the experiment of opposing these camels to the cavalry. It is frequently said by 146 CYRUS THE GREAT. the ancient historians that the horse has a natural antipathy to the camel, and cannot bear either the smell or the sight of one, though this is not found to be the case at the present day. However the fact might have been in this respect, Cyrus determined to arrange the camels in his front as he advanced into battle. He accordingly ordered the baggage to be re- moved, and, releasing their ordinary drivers from the charge of them, he assigned each one to the care of a soldier, who was to mount him, armed with a spear. Even if the sup- posed antipathy of the horse for the camel did not take effect, Cyrus thought that their large and heavy bodies, defended by the spears of their riders, would afford the most effectual means of resistance against the shock of the Lydian squadrons that he was now able to command. The battle commenced, and the squadrons of horse came on. But, as soon as they came near the camels, it happened that, either from the influence of the antipathy above referred to, or from alarm at the novelty of the spectacle of such huge and misshapen beasts, or else be- cause of the substantial resistance which the camels and the spears of their riders made to the shock of their charge, the horses were soon thrown into confusion and put to flight. In fact, a general panic seized them, and they be- came totally unmanageable. Some threw their THE CONQUEST OF LYDIA. 147 riders; others, seized with a sort of frenzy, became entirely independent of control. They turned, and trampled the foot soldiers of their own army under foot, and threw the whole body into disorder. The consequence was, that the army of Croesus was wholly defeated ; they fled in confusion, and crowded in vast throngs through the gates into the city, and fortified themselves there. Cyrus advanced to the city, invested it closely on all sides, and commenced a siege. But the appearances were not very encourag- ing. The walls were lofty, thick, and strong, and the numbers within the city were amply sufficient to guard them. Nor was the pros- pect much more promising of being soon able to reduce the city by famine. The wealth of Croesus had enabled him to lay up almost in- exhaustible stores of food and clothing, as well as treasures of silver and gold. He hoped, therefore, to be able to hold out against the besiegers until help should come from some of his allies. He had sent messengers to them, asking them to come to his rescue without any delay, before he was shut up in the city. The city of Sardis was built in a position naturally strong, and one part of the wall passed over rocky precipices which were con- sidered entirely impassable. There was a sort of glen or rocky gorge in this quarter, outside of the walls, down which dead bodies were 148 CYRUS THE GREAT„ thrown on one occasion subsequently, at a time when the city was besieged, and beasts and birds of prey fed upon them there undisturbed, so lonely was the place and so desolate. In fact, the walls that crowned these precipices were considered absolutely inaccessible, and were very slightly built and very feebly guarded. There was an ancient legend that, a long time before, when a certain Males was king of Lydia, one of his wives had a son in the form of a lion, whom they called Leon, and an oracle declared that if this Leon were car- ried around the walls of the city, it would be rendered impregnable, and should never be taken. They carried Leon, therefore, around, so far as the regular walls extended, "When they came to this precipice of rocks, they re- turned, considering that this part of the city was impregnable without any such ceremony. A spur or eminence from the mountain of Tmolus, which was behind the city, projected into it at this point, and there was a strong citadel built upon its summit. Cyrus continued the siege fourteen days, and then he determined that he must, in some way or other, find the means of carrying it by as- sault, and to do this he must find some place to scale the walls. He accordingly sent a party of horsemen around to explore every part, offering them a large reward if they would find any place where an entrance could 11— Cyrua THE CONQUEST OF LYDIA. 149 be effected. The horsemen made the circuit, and reported that their search had been in vain. At length a certain soldier, named Hyrseades, after studying for some time the precipices on the side which had been deemed inaccessible, saw a sentinel, who was stationed on the walls above, leave his post and come climbing down the rocks for some distance to get his helmet, which had accidentally dropped down. Hyrseades watched him both as he descended and as he returned. He reflected on this discovery, communicated it to others, and the practicability of scaling the rock and the walls at that point was discussed. In the end, the attempt was made and was successful. Hyrgeades went up first, followed by a few daring spirits who were ambitious of the glory of the exploit. They were not at first observed from above. The way being thus shown, great numbers followed on, and so large a force suc- ceeded in thus gaining an entrance that the city was taken. In the dreadful confusion and din of the storming of the city, Croesus himself had a very narrow escape from death. He was saved by the miraculous speaking of his deaf and dumb son — at least such is the story. Cyrus had given positive orders to his soldiers, both before the great battle on the plain and during the siege, that, though they might slay whom- ever else they pleased, they must not harm 150 CYRUS THE GREAT. Croesus, but must take him alive. During the time of the storming of the town, when the streets were filled with infuriated soldiers, those on the one side wild with the excitement of triumph, and those on the other maddened with rage and despair, a party, rushing along, overtook Croesus and his helpless son, whom the unhappy father, it seems, was making a desperate effort to save. The Persian soldiers were about to transfix Croesus with their spears, when the son, who had never spoken before, called out, "It is Croesus; do not kill him." The soldiers were arrested by the words, and saved the monarch's life. They made him prisoner, and bore him away to Cyrus. Croesus had sent, a long time before, to in- quire of the Delphic oracle by what means the power of speech could be restored to his son. The answer was, that that was a boon which he had better not ask ; for the day on which he should hear his son speak for the first time would be the darkest and most unhappy day of his life. Cyrus had not ordered his soldiers to spare the life of Croesus in battle from any senti- ment of humanity toward him, but because he wished to have his case reserved for his own decision. When Croesus was brought to him a captive, he ordered him to be put in chains, and carefully guarded. As soon as some de- Cyrus, Jai i.p. mo Croesus Brought Before Cyrus. THE CONQUEST OF LYDIA. 151 gree of order was restored in the city, a large funeral pile was erected, by his directions, in a public square, and Croesus was brought to the spot. Fourteen Lydian young men, the sons, probably, of the most prominent men in the state, were with him. The pile was large enough for them all, and they were placed upon it. They were all laid upon the wood. Croe- sus raised himself and looked around, survey- ing with extreme consternation and horror the preparations which were making for lighting the pile. His heart sank within him as he thought of the dreadful fate that was before him. The spectators stood by in solemn silence, awaiting the end. Croesus broke this awful pause by crying out, in a tone of anguish and despair: ''Oh Solon! Solon! Solon!" The officers who had charge of the execution asked him what he meant. Cyrus, too, who was himself personally superintending the scene, asked for an explanation. Croesus was, for a time, too much agitated and distracted to reply. There were difficulties in respect to language, too, which embarrassed the conversa- tion, as the two kings could speak to each other only through an interpreter. At length Croe- sus gave an account of his interview with Solon, and of the sentiment which the philoso- pher had expressed, that no one could decide whether a man was truly prosperous and 152 CYRUS THE GREAT. happy till it was cletGrmined liow his life was to end. Cyrus was greatly interested in this narrative; but, in the meantime, the interpret- ing of the conversation had been slow, a con- siderable period had elapsed, and the officers had lighted the fire. The pile had been made extremely combustible, and the fire was rapidly making its way through the M'hole mass. Cy- rus eagerly ordered it to be extinguished. The efforts which the soldiers made for this pur- pose seemed, at first, likely to be fruitless; but they were aided very soon by a sudden shower of rain, which, coming down from the moun- tains, began, just at this time, to fall; and thus the fiames were extinguished, and Croesus and the captives saved. Cyrus immediately, with a fickleness very common among great monarchs in the treat- ment of both enemies and favorites, began to consider Croesus as his friend. He ordered him to be unbound, brought him near his per- son, and treated him with great consideration and honor. Croesus remained after this for a long time, with Cyrus, and accompanied him in his sub- sequc^nt campaigns. He was very much in- censed at the oracle at Delphi for having de- ceived him by its false responses and predic- tions, and thus led him into the terrible snare into which he had fallen. He procured the fetters with which he had been chained when Oyrua, ji. lan Croesus on the Funeral Pile. THE CONQUEST OF LYDIA. 155 placed upon the pile, and sent them to Delphi, with orders that they should be thrown down upon the threshold of the temple — the visible symbol of his captivity and ruin — as a re- proach to the oracle for having deluded him and caused his destruction. In doing this, the messengers were to ask the oracle whether imposition like that which had been practiced on Croesus was the kind of gratitude it evinced to one who had enriched it by such a pro- fusion of offerings and gifts. To this the priests of the oracle said in re- ply, that the destruction of the Lydian dynasty had long been decreed by the Fates, in retri- bution for the guilt of Gyges,the founder of the line. He had murdered his master, and usurped the throne, without any title to it whatever. The judgments of heaven had been denounced upon Gyges for this crime, to fall on himself or on some of his descendants. The Pythian Apollo at Delphi had done all in his power to postpone the falling of the blow until after the death of Croesus, on account of the munificent benefactions which he had made to the oracle ; but he had been unable to effect it : the decrees of Fate were inexorable. All that the oracle could do was to postpone — as it had done, it said, for three years — the execu- tion of the sentence, and to give Croesus warn- ing of the evil that was impending. This had been done by announcing to him that his cross- 156 CYRUS TIIK GRKAT. inj? the Halys would cmise the destruction of a mighty empire, meauiog that of Lydia, and also by informing him that when he should iiiid a mule uj)()ii the throne of Media he must exj)0(!t to loHe his own. Cyrus, who was de- scended, on the father's side, from the Persian stock, and on the mother's from that of Media, was the hybrid sovereign represented by the mule. When this answer was reported to Crooaus, it is said that he was satisfied with the expla- nations, and admitted that the oracle was riglit, and that he hinjself had been unreason- able and wrong. However this may be, it is certain that, among mankind at large, since Cr(K^sus' day, there has been a great dis])osi- tion to overlook whatever of criminality there may have been in the falsehood and imposture of the oracle, through admiration of the adroitness and dexterity which its ministers evincuul in saving themselves from exposure. CHAPTEK VIII. THE CONQUEST OF BABYLON. In Ijih advauoe toward the (lomiuioiis of Croeans' in Asia Minor, Cyrus had passed to the Dortliward of the groat and celebrated city of l^abylon. J}al)yloii was on the Eiipliratns, toward the scjiitherii part of Asia. It wan the ca[)ital of a hirgo and very fertik) region, which extended on botli sides of the Euphrates toward the Persian Gulf. The limits of the country, however, which was subject to J3aby- lon, varied very much at different times, as they were extended or contracted by nwolutions and wars. Th(3 liiver Euphrates was the great source of fertility f(jr the wiiole region through whic^h it flowed. The country watered ])y this river was very densely ])o|)ulai, in i)\y,n,\\\'/A\\^ and ai ran)j;inj<, at SardiH, i\u) ;i,n'aiiH ol' tlio jkuv govdrnnnint whi(vh lici waH to Hnl)Htitnio for tliat of OnxiHUH tluvn^. Ilo d(iHiKMat(Ml (r(vrt;iin poitioiiH of liis army to bo loft for ^^jirriHonH in tlu^ (5on|K>int(ul INvrninJi olVu^vrH, of ('ourHci, to (lonj- ni.-i.n«l tlinMU[ juid hIIvoi- \vlii(tli (lanu^ into Iuh j)OHH(iHMion id S.-irdiH, .ind of tlu^ rivviMUK^s "wliicli w(U'o aft9 |)(u)|)l() of ilio r^oiiniry, mtuI io rriak<» tli(^rn morn roiiiiy to Hubinii to hiH Hwiiy. 'V\\\]\^h Itniii}^ tluiH Hrr;mK^(^. I In tlmii advanctnd to Hardin, took poHH(ni;HUH, hownvnr, i»itnr<*,(ulnd vnry nariinHtly in its hfihjilf. Iln rn(5orninniidnd that ('yruM, inntnad of l)iiriiinj.'; SardiH, nlioidd H(iud a Huni(viniit Uivco to diHarrri thn popuhition, a,nd tli;i,t hn Hhoiild tlnvn njiant Hiinh hiWH a,]id rn;i,l(n Hiinh a,rniTij M»l.l' Hni/n niid piii in dcuilli idl ilin lnM(l(U'M ill i/ll(i livdiiui I'niinllioii nxcnpiili^ I'luiiyiiiH. I'jiclyiiM vvniii l<» l>n luivcd jJivd, and H*l. 'I'xl I1<^ /Mid (lolifhr/iiind ot'/K^ln iKuir IMilnliiM. TIk^V H(UiI< llinMIHWIf~';iM'H io illiM OI'JI.(1l(^ (((MlWUld iiifj; Io know wlinliii^r it \V(U'o /uMioidiiii.'; io ili() will nf ilii^ \y,iH\H oi- not, ilitdi ili<^ ftif.^iiiv(i Hlioitid l>n /iiirf(*iidnr(Ml, TIki /iiiMwrr lironc,lii h.uiL w/i.M, (liidi IIk^v inipld tnirr(Mi(l(«i' liiin. 'I'liny worn iumm n'd ii if-', I y in.'i.Kinc, /i,rrmif-',tiin(iniM foi- doiii}.' Hum. winwi oim of (Ii(\ (dii'/(MiH, a vory |iroininnnl .'i.nd inllnonii.'d mumi, iuuimmI AriMlodioiiM, o\|»r(niM(ul liiniiiolf not MiitiMliod wiili ili(^ rn|)l,N. \\(\ did ii«)t tliiiilv it |ioMttililo, lutHiud.tliiii ili(\ oniul(UH)uld i-(willv ('oiiiiS(>l tlioiii THE CONQUEST OF BABYLON. 171 to deliver up a helpless fugitive tohiseuemiois. The raesseugers must have misunderstood or misreported the answer which they had re- ceived. He finally persuaded his countrymen to send a second embassy : he himself was l)laced at the head of it. On their arrival, Arirttodicus addressed the oracle as follows : *'To avoid a cruel death from the Persians, Pactyas, a Lydinn fled to us for refuge. The Persians deinandod that we should surrender him. Much as we are afraid of their power, we are still more afraid to deliver up a help- less su})p]iaut for protection without clear and decided directions from you." The embassy received to this demand the same reply as before. Still Aristodicus was not satisfied; and, as if by way of bringing home to the oracle some- what more forcibly a sense of the true char- acter of such an action as it seemed to recom- mend, he began to make a circuit in the grove which was around the temple in which the oracle resided, and to rob and destroy the nests which the birds had built there, allured, apparently, by the sacred repose and quietude of the scene. This had the desired effect. A solemn voice was heard from the interior of the temple, saying, in a warning tone: ''Impious man! how dost thou dare to molest those who have placed themselves under my protection?" 172 CYRUS THE GREAT. To this Aristodicus replied by asking the oracle how it was that it watched over and guarded those who sought its own protection, while it directed the people of Cyme to aban- don and betray suppliants for theirs. To this the oracle answered : *'I direct them to do it, in order that such impious men may the sooner bring down upon their heads the judgments of heaven for having dared to entertain even the thought of deliver- ing up a helpless fugitive." When this answer was reported to the people of Cyme, they did not dare to give Pactyas up, nor, on the other hand, did they dare to incur the enmity of the Persians by retaining and protecting him. They accordingly sent him secretly away. The emissaries of Mazares, however, followed him. They kept constantly on his track, demanding him successively of every city where the hapless fugitive sought refuge, until, at length, partly by threats and partly by a reward, they induced a certain city to surrender him. Mazares sent him, a prisoner, to Cyrus. Soon after this Mazares himself died, and Harpagus was appointed governor of Lydia in his stead. In the meantime, Cyrus went on with his conquests in the heart of Asia, and at length, in the course of a few years, he had completed his arrangements and preparations for the at- tack on Babylon. He advaneed at the head of THE CONQUEST OF BABYLON. 173 a large force to the vicinity of the city. The King of Babylon, whose name was Belshazzar, withdrew within the walls, shut the gates, and felt perfectly secure. A simple wall was in those days a very effectual protection against any armed force whatever, if it was only high enough not to be scaled, and thick enough to resist the blows of a battering-ram. The artillery of modern times would have speedily made a fatal breach in such structures ; but there was nothing but the simple force of man, applied through brazen-headed beams of wood, in those days, and Belshazzar knew well that his walls would bid all such modes of demoli- tion a complete defiance. He stationed his soldiers, therefore, on the walls, and his senti- nels in the watchtowers, while he himself, and all the nobles of his court, feeling perfectly secure in their impregnable condition, and being abundantly supplied with all the means that the whole empire could furnish, both for sustenance and enjoyment, gave themselves up, in their spacious palaces and gardens, to gay- ety, festivity, and pleasure. Cyrus advanced to the city. He stationed one large detachment of his troops at the open- ing in the main walls where the river entered into the city, and another one below, where it issued from it. These detachments were ordered to march into the city by the bed of the river, as soon as they should observe the 174 CYRUS THE GREAT. water subsiding. He then employed a vast force of laborers to open new channels, and to widen and deepen those which had existed be- fore, for the purpose of drawing off the waters from their usual bed. When these passages were thus prepared, the water was let into them one night, at a time previously designated, and it soon ceased to flow through the city. The detachments of soldiers marched in over the bed of the stream, carrying with them vast numbers of ladders. With these they easily scaled the low walls which lined the banks of the river, and Belshazzar was thunderstruck with the announcement made to him in the midst of one of his feasts that the Parsians were in complete and full possession of the city. Belshazzar' s Feast. CHAPTEK IX. THE KESTOEATION OF THE JEWS. The period of the invasion of Babylonia by Cyrus, and the taking of the city, was during the time while the Jews were in captivity there. Cyrus was their deliverer. It results from this circumstance that the name of Cyrus is connected with sacred history more than that of any other great conqueror of ancient times. It was a common custom in the early ages of the world for powerful sovereigns to take the people of a conquered country captive, and make them slaves. They employed them, to some extent, as personal household servants, but more generally as agricultural laborers, to till the lands. An account of the captivity of the Jews in Babylon is given briefly in the closing chap- ters of the second book of Chronicles, though many of the attendant circumstances are more fully detailed in the book of Jeremiah. Jere- miah was a prophet who lived in the time of the captivity. Nebuchadnezzar, the king of 13-Cyrua 175 170 CYRUS TTTE GREAT. Babylon, made r<>j)0}it(Hl iiioiirHionfl into the land <»F .IiKhia, HoniniirrKiH oarryinjjj away tlio roi^^niiiK ]n()nar(5li, HoinoiininH di^poHiiig liini and appointing nnotJior sovereign in liin Htnad, HoindtinK^H aHHOHHinK a tax or tribnto u])on tho land, and Honu^tinu^H ])lnndnrinj^ tlm city, and carry in^< away all tlio i^uid and Hilvnr that lio c5onld iind. Thus the kings and tho people were kept in a continual state of anxiety and terror for many years, exi)OHKMl incesflantly to the inroadn of this nation of robbers and ])hin- derers, that had, so unfortunately for them, found their way across their frontiers. King Zedc^kiahwas the last of this oppressed and un- hai)])y line of Jewish kings. Tli.e pro])het Jereniiah was accustomed to denounce the sins of tlie Jewish nation, by whi(th th(^S(^ ttnribh) ealanntit^s had been brought upon tlu^m, with gn^at conrage, and witli an (vIcMiuencui solemn and sublime. He dcelanul tliat the miseries which the pe()])le sullnrcHl wer(^ tlu^ spcu'.ial judgnuvnts of h(»iv(ui, and he ])roclaimed re])(^at(Hlly and opeidy, and in tlie most ])ublic placum of the city, still heavier (^n,l;imiti(m which he said were imi)end- ing. The peoph) were troubhul and distresscul at these ])roph(^tic warnings, and some of them were deeply incensed against Jt^rcnniah for uttering them. l<^inally, (m one occasion, he took liis stand in one of the public courts of the temple, and, addreswiug the concourse of THE RESTORATION OF THE JEWS. 177 priests and people that were there, he decLared tliat, unless the nation roi)ont(ul of their sinn and turned to God, the wliole city should l)e overwhelmed. Even the Temple itself, the sacred house of God, should bo destroyed, and the very site abandoned. The priests and the people who heard this denunciation were greatly exasperated. They seized Jeremiali, and brought him before a gn^at judicial assembly for trial. The judges asked him why he uttered such predictions, declaring that by doing so he acted like an enemy to his country and atraitor,and that he deserved to die. The excitement was very great against him, and the pojjulace could hardly b(i restrained from open violence. In the midst of this scene Jeremiah was culm ajid unmoved, and replied to their accusations as follows : "Everything which I have said against this city and this house, I have said by the direc- tion of the Lord Jehovah. Instead of resent- ing it, and being angry with me for delivering my messages, it becomes you to look at your sins, and rei)ent of them, and forsake them. It may be that by so doing God will have mercy upon you, and will av(irt the calamities which otherwise will most certainly come. As for ruyself, here I am in your hands. You can deal with me just as you think Ixist. You can kill me if you will, but you may be assured 178 CYRUS THE GREAT. that if you do so, you will briug the guilt and the consequences of shedding innocent blood upon yourselves and upon this city. I have said nothing and foretold nothing but by com- mandment of the Lord."* The speech produced, as might have been expected, a great division among the hearers. Some were more angry than ever, and were eager to put the prophet to death. Others defended him, and insisted that he should not die. The latter, for the time, prevailed. Jeremiah was set at liberty, and continued his earnest expostulations with the people on ac- count of their sins, and his terrible annuncia- tions of the imi)ending ruin of the city just as before. These unwelcome truths being so painful for the i:)eople to hear, other proi)hets soon began to appear to utter contrary predictions, for the sake, doubtless, of the popularity which they should themselves acquire by their promises of returning peace and prosperity. The name of one of these false prophets was Hananiah. On one occasion, Jeremiah, in order to present and enforce what he had to say more effectually on the minds of the people by means of a visible symbol, made a small wooden yoke, by divine direction, and placed it upon his neck, as a token of the bondage which his predic- * Jeremiah, xxvi., 13-15. THE RESTORATION OF THE JEWS. 179 tions were threatening. Hananiah took this yoke from his neck and broke it, saying that, as he had thus broken Jeremiah's wooden yoke, so God would break the yoke of Nebu- chadnezzar from all nations within two years; and then, even those of the Jews who had already been taken captive to Babylon should return again in peace. Jeremiah replied that Hananiah 's predictions were false, and that, though the wooden yoke was broken, God would make for Nebuchadnezzar a yoke of iron, with which he should bend the Jewish nation in a bondage more cruel than ever. Still, Jeremiah himself predicted that after seventy years from the time when the last great captivity should come, the Jews should all be restored again to their native land. He expressed this certain restoration of the Jews, on one occasion, by a sort of symbol, by means of which he made a much stronger im- pression on the minds of the people than could have been done by simple words. There was a piece of land in the country of Benjamin, one of the provinces of Judea, which belonged to the family of Jeremiah, and it was held in such a way that, by paying a certain sum of money, Jeremiah himself might possess it, the right of redemption being in him. Jeremiah was in prison at this time. His uncle's son came into the court of the prison, and pro- posed to him to purchase the land. Jeremiah 180 CYRUS THE GREAT. did SO in the roost public and formal manner. The title deeds were drawn up and subscribed, witnesses were summoned, the money weighed and paid over, the whole transaction being regularly completed according to the forms and usages then common for the conveyance of landed property. When all was finished, Jeremiah gave the papers into the hands of his scribe, directing him to put them safely away and preserve them with care, for after a certain period the country of Judea would again be restored to the peaceable possession of the Jews, and such titles to land would possess once more their full and original value. On one occasion, when Jeremiah's personal liberty was restricted so that he could not utter publicly, himself, his prophetical warn- ings, he employed Baruch, his scribe, to write them from his dictation, with a view of read- ing them to the people from some public and frequented part of the city. The prophecy thus dictated was inscribed upon a roll of parchment. Baruch waited, when he had completed the writing, until a favorable oppor- tunity occurred for reading it, which was on the occasion of a great festival that was held at Jerusalem, and which brought the inhabi- tants of the land together from all i^arts of Judea. On the day of the festival, Baruch took the roll in his hand, and stationed him- self at a very public place, at the entrance of THE RESTORATION OF THE JEWS. 181 one of the great courts of the temple ; there, calling upon the people to hear him, he began to read. A great concourse gathered around him, and all listened to him with profound at- tention. One of the by-standers, however, went down immediately into the city, to the king's palace, and reported to the king's coun- cil, who were then assembled there, that a great concourse was convened in one of the courts of the temple, and that Baruch was there reading to them a discourse or prophecy which had been written by Jeremiah. The members of the council sent a summons to Baruch to come immediately to them, and to bring his writing with him. When Baruch arrived, they directed him to read what he had written. Baruch accord- ingly read it. They asked him when and how that discourse was written. Baruch replied that he had written it, word by word, from the dictation of Jeremiah. The officers in- formed him that they should be obliged to report the circumstances to the king, and they counseled Baruch to go to Jeremiah and recom- mend to him to conceal himself, lest the king, in his anger, should do him some sudden and violent injury."^ The officers then, leaving the roll in one of their own apartments, went to the king, and * See the account of these transactions in the 36th chap- ter of Jeremiah. 182 CYRUS THE GREAT, reported the facts to him. He sent one of his attendants, named Jehudi, to bring the roll. When it came, the king directed Jehudi to read it. Jehudi did so, standing by a fire which had been made in the apartment, for it was bitter cold. After Jehudi had read a few pages from the roll, finding that it contained a repetition of the same denunciations and warnings by which the king had often been displeased before, he took a knife and began to cut the parchment into pieces, and to throw it on the fire. Some other persons who were standing by interfered, and earnestly begged the king not to allow the roll to be burned. But the king did not inter- fere. He permitted Jehudi to destroy the parchment altogether, and then sent officers to take Jeremiah and Baruch, and bring them to him ; but they were nowhere to be found. The prophet, on one occasion, was reduced to extreme distress by the persecutions which his faithfulness, and the incessant urgency of his warnings and expostulations had brought upon him. It was at a time when the Chaldean armies had been driven away from Jerusalem for a short period by the Egyptians, as one vulture drives away another from its prey. Jere- miah determined to avail himself of the oppor- tunity to go to the province of Benjamin, to visit his friends and family there. He was intercepted, however, at one of the gates, on THE RESTORATION OF THE JEWS. 183 his way, and accused of a design to make his escape from the citj^, and go over to the Chal- deans. The prophet earnestly denied this charge. They paid no regard to his declara- tions, but sent him back to Jerusalem, to the officers of the king's government, who confined him in a house which they used as a prison. After he had remained in this place of con- finement for several days, the king sent and took him from it, and brought him to the palace. The king inquired whether he had any prophecy to utter from the Lord. Jere- miah replied that the word of the Lord was, that the Chaldeans should certainly return again, and that Zedekiah himself should fall into their hands, and be carried captive to Babylon. While he thus persisted so stren- uously in the declarations which he had made so often before, he demanded of the king that he should not be sent back again to the house of imprisonment from which he had been rescued. The king said he would not send him back, and he accordingly directed, in- stead, that he should be taken to the court of the public prison, where his confinement would be less rigorous, and there he was to be sup- plied daily with food, so long, as the king ex- pressed it, as there should be any food remain- ing in the city. But Jeremiah's enemies were not at rest. They came again, after a time, to the king, and 184 CYRUS THE GREAT. represented to him that the prophet, by his gloomy and terrible predictions, discouraged and depressed the hearts of the people, and weakened their hands ; that he ought, accord- ingly, to be regarded as a public enemy ; and they begged the king to proceed decidedly against him. The king replied that he would give him into their hands, and they might do with him what they pleased. There was a dungeon in the prison, the only access to which was from above. Prisoners were let down into it with ropes, and left there to die of hunger. The bottom of it was wet and miry, and the prophet, when let down into its gloomy depths, sank into the deep mire. Here he would soon have died of hunger and misery; but the king, feeling some misgivings in regard to what he had done, lest it might really be a true prophet of God that he had thus delivered into the hands of his enemies, inquired what the people had done with their prisoner ; and when he learned that he had been thus, as it were, buried alive, he imme- diately sent officers with orders to take him out of the dungeon. The officers went to the dungeon. They opened the mouth of it. They had brought ropes with them, to be used for drawing the unhappy prisoner up, and cloths, also, which he was to fold together and place under his arms, where the ropes were to pass. These ropes and cloths they let THE RESTORATION OF THE JEWS. 185 down into the dungeon, and called upon Jere- miah to place them properly around his body. Thus they drew him safely up out of the dis- mal den. These cruel persecutions of the faithful prophet were all unavailing either to silence his voice or to avert the calamities which his warnings portended. At the appointed time, the judgments which had been so long pre- dicted came in all their terrible reality. The Babylonians invaded the land in great force, and encamped about the city. The siege con- tinued for two years. At the end of that time the famine became insupportable. Zedekiah, the king, determined to make a sortie, with as strong a force as he could command, secretly, at night, in hopes to escape with his own life, and intending to leave the city to its fate. He succeeded in passing out through the city gates with his band of followers, and in actually passing the Babylonian lines; but he had not gone far before his escape was dis- covered. He was pursued and taken. The city was then stormed, and, as usual in such cases, it was given up to plunder and destruc- tion. Vast numbers of the inhabitants were killed; many more were taken captive; the principal buildings, both public and private, were burned ; the walls were broken down, aud all the public treasures of the Jews, the gold and silver vessels of the temple, and a vast 186 CYRUS THE GREAT. quantity of private plunder, were carried away to Babylon by the conquerors. All this was seventy years before the conquest of Babylon by Cyrus. Of course, during the time of this captivity, a very considerable portion of the inhabitants of Judea remained in their native land. The deportation of a whole people to a foreign land is impossible. A vast number, however, of the inhabitants of the country were carried away, and they remained, for two generations, in a miserable bondage. Some of them were employed as agricultural laborers in the rural districts of Babylon ; others remained in the city, and were engaged in servile labors there. The prophet Daniel lived in the palaces of the king. He was summoned, as the reader will recollect, to Belshazzar's feast, on the night when Cyrus forced his way into the city, to interpret the mysterious writing on the wall, by which the fall of the Babylonian monarchy was announced in so terrible a manner. One year after Cyrus had conquered Baby- lon, he issued an edict authorizing the Jews to return to Jerusalem, and to rebuild the city and the temple. This event had been long be- fore predicted by the prophets, as the result which God had determined upon for purposes of his own. We should not naturally have ex- pected that such a conqueror as Cyrus would feel any real and honest interest in promoting Cyrus, p. i87 Escape of Zedekiah from Jerusalem. THE RESTORATION OF THE JEWS. 189 the designs of God ; but still, in the proclama- tion which he issued authorizing the Jews to return, he acknowledged the supreme divinity of Jehovah, and says that he was charged by him with the work of rebuilding his temple, and restoring his worship at its ancient seat on Mount Zion. It has, however, been sup- posed by some scholars, who have examined attentively all the circumstances connected with these transactions, that so far as Cyrus was influenced by political considerations in ordering the return of the Jews, his design was to re-establish that nation as a barrier be- tween his dominions and those of the Egyp- tians. The Egyptians and the Chaldeans had long been deadly enemies, and now that Cyrus had become master of the Chaldean realms, he would, of course, in assuming their territories and their power, be obliged to defend himself against their foes. "Whatever may have been the motives of Cy- rus, he decided to allow the Hebrew captives to return, and he issued a proclamation to that effect. As seventy years had elapsed since the captivity commenced, about two generations had passed away, and there could have been very few then living who had ever seen the land of their fathers. The Jews were, how- ever, all eager to return. They collected in a vast assembly, with all the treasures which they were allowed to take, and the stores of 14— Cyrus 190 CYRUS THE GREAT. provisions and baggage, and with horses, and mules, and other beasts of burden to transport them. When assembled for the march, it was found that the number, of which a very exact census was taken, was forty-nine thousand six hundred and ninety -seven. They had also with them seven or eight hundred horses, about two hundred and fifty mules, and about five hundred camels. The chief part, however, of their baggage and stores was borne by asses, of which there were nearly seven thousand in the train. The march of this peaceful multitude of families — men, women, and children together — burdened as they went, not with arms and ammunition for conquest and destruction, but with tools and implements for honest industry, and stores of provisions and utensils for the peaceful pur- poses of social life, as it was, in its bearings and results, one of the grandest events of his- tory, so it must have presented, in its progress, one of the most extraordinary spectacles that the world has ever seen. The grand caravan pursued its long and toil- some march from Babylon to Jerusalem without molestation. All arrived safely, and the peo- ple immediately commenced the work of re- pairing the walls of the city and rebuilding the temple. When, at length, the foundations of the temple were laid, a great celebration was held to commemorate the event. This cele- THE RESTORATION OF THE JEWS. 191 bration exhibited a remarkable scene of min- gled rejoicing and mourning. The younger part of the population, who had never seen Jerusalem in its former grandeur, felt only exhilaration and joy at their re-establishment in the city of their fathers. The work of raising the edifice, whose foundations they had laid, was to them simply a new enterprise, and they looked forward to the work of carrying it on with pride and pleasure. The old men, however, who remembered the former temple, were filled with mournful recollections of days of prosperity and peace in their childhood, and of the magnificence of the former temple, which they could now never hope to see real- ized again. It was customary, in those days, to express sorrow and grief by exclamations and outcries, as gladness and joy are ex- pressed audibly now. Accordingly, on this occasion, the cries of grief and of bitter regret at the thought of losses which could now never be retrieved, were mingled with the shouts of rejoicing and triumph raised by the ardent and young, who knew nothing of the past, but looked forward with hojje and happiness to the future. The Jews encountered various hindrances, and met with much opposition in their at- tempts to reconstruct their ancient city, and to re-establish the Mosaic ritual there. We must, however, now return to the history of 192 CYRUS THE GREAT. Cyrus, referring the reader for a narrative of the circuiTi stances connected with the rebuild- is Eebuilding the Temple. ing of Jerusalem to the very minute account given in the sacred books of Ezra and Nehe- miah. CHAPTER X. THE STORY OF PANTHEA, In the preceding chapters of this work, we have followed maiuly the authority of Herodo- tus, except, indeed, in the account of the visit of Cyrus to his grandfather in his childhood, which is taken from Xenophon, We shall, in this chapter, relate the story of Panthea, which is also one of Xenophon' s tales. We give it as a specimen of the romantic narra- tives in which Xenophon 's history abounds, and on account of the many illustrations of ancient manners and customs which it con- tains, leaving it for each reader to decide for himself what weight he will attach to its claims to be regarded as veritable history. We relate the story here in our own language, but as to the facts, we follow faithfully the course of Xenophon' s narratiou.^ Panthea was a Susian captive. She was taken, together with a great many other cap- tives and much plunder, after one of the great battles which Cyrus fought with the Assyrians. Her husband was an Assyrian general, though 193 194 CYRUS THE GREAT. he himself was not captured at this time with his wife. The spoil which came into posses- sion of the army on the occasion of the battle in which Panthea was taken was of great value. There were beautiful and costly suits of arms, rich tents made of splendid materials and highly ornamented, large sums of uKmey, ves- sels of silver and gold, and slaves — ^some prized for their beauty, and others for certain accomplishments which were higlily valued in those days. Cyrus ai)p(jinted a sort of com- mission to divide this spoil. He pursued always a very generous policy on all these oc- casions, showing no desire to secure such treasures to himself, but distributing them with i)rofuse liberality among his olHcers and soldiers. The commissioners whom he appointed in this case divided the spoil among the various generals of the army, and among the diilerent bodies of soldiery, with great impartiality. Among the i)rizes assigned to Cyrus were two singing women of grtij«,t fame, and this Susian lady. Cyrus tlianluul tlie distributors for the share of booty whi(5h they had thus assigned to him, but said that if any of his friends wished for either of these ca])tives, they could have them. An officer asked for one of the singers. Cyrus gave her to him immediately, saying, '*I consider myself more obliged to you for asking her, than you are to me for giving her THE STORY OF PANTHEA. 195 to you." As for the Susian lady, Cyrus had not yet seen her, but he called one of his most intimate and confidential friends to him, and requested him to take her under his charge. The name of this officer was Araspes. He was a Mede, and he had been Cyrus' particular friend and playmate when he was a boy, visit- ing his grandfather in Media. The reader will perhaps recollect that he is mentioned toward the close of our account of that visit, as the special favorite to whom Cyrus presented his robe or mantle when he took leave of his friends in returning to his native land. Araspes, when he received this charge, asked Cyrus whether he had himself seen the lady. Cyrus replied that he had not. Araspes then proceeded to give an account of her. The name of her husband was Abradates, and he was the King of Susa, as they termed him. The reason why he was not taken prisoner at the same time with his wife was, that when the battle was fought and the Assyrian camp captured, he was absent, having gone away on an embassage to another nation. This circum- stance shows that Abradates, though called a king, could hardly have been a sovereign and independent prince, but rather a governor or viceroy — those words expressing to our minds more truly the station of such a sort of king as could be sent on an embassy. Araspes went on to say that, at the time of 196 CYRUS THE GREAT. their making the capture, he, with some others, went into Panthea's tent, where thej' found her and her attendant ladies sitting on the ground, with veils over their faces, pa- tiently awaiting their doom. Notwithstanding the concealment produced by the attitudes and dress of these ladies, there was something about the air and figure of Panthea which showed at once that she was the queen. The leader of Araspes' party asked them all to rise. They did so, and then the superiority of Pan- thea was still more apparent than before^ There was an extraordinary grace and beauty in her attitude and in all her motions. She stood in a dejected posture, and her counte- nance was sad, though inexpressibly lovely. She endeavored to appear calm and composed, though the tears had evidently been falling from her eyes. The soldiers pitied her in her distress, and the leader of the party attempted to console her, as Araspes said, by telling her that she had nothing to fear; that they were aware that her husband was a most worthy and excellent man; and although, by this capture, she was lost to him, she would have no cause to regret the event, for she would be reserved for a new husband not at all inferior to her former one either in person, in understanding, in rank, or in power. These well-meant attempts at consolation did THE STORY OF PANTHEA. 197 not appear to have the good effect desired. They only awakened Panthea's grief and suffering anew. The tears began to fall again faster than before. Her grief soon became more and more uncontrollable. She sobbed and cried aloud, and began to wring her hands and tear her mantle — the customary Oriental expression of inconsolable sorrow and despair. Araspes said that in these gesticulations her neck, and hands, and a part of her face ap- peared, and that she was the most beautiful woman that he had ever beheldo He wished Cyrus to see her. Gyrus said: *'No; he would not see her by any means." Araspes asked him why. He said that there would be danger that he should forget his duty to the army, and lose his in- terest in the great military enterprise in which he was engaged, if he should allow himself to become captivated by the charms of such a lady, as he very probably would be if he were now to visit her. Araspes said in reply that Cyrus might at least see her; as to becoming captivated with her, and devoting himself to her to such a degree as to neglect his other duties, he could certainly control himself in respect to that danger. Cyrus said that it was not certain that he could so control himself ; and then there followed a long discussion be- tween Cyrus and Araspes, in which Araspes maintained that every man had the command 198 CYRUS THE GREAT. of his own heart and affections, and that, with proper determination and energy, he could direct the channels in which they should run, and confine them within such limits and bounds as he pleased. Cyrus, on the other hand, maintained that human passions were stronger than the human will; that no oue could rely on the strength of his resolutions to control the impulses of the heart once strongly excited, and that a man's only safety was in controlling the circumstances which tended to excite them. This was specially true, he said, in respect to the passion of love. The experi- ence of mankind, he said, had shown that no strength of moral principle, no firmness of purpose, no fixedness of resolution, no degree of suffering, no fear of shame, was sufficient to control, in the hearts of men, the impetuosity of the passion of love, when it was once fairly awakened. In a word, Araspes advocated, on the subject of love, a sort of new school philos- ophy, while that of Cyrus leaned very seri- ously toward the old. In conclusion, Cyrus jocosely counseled Araspes to beware lest he should prove that love was stronger than the will by becoming himself enamored of the beautiful Susian queen. Araspes said that Cyrus need not fear; there was no danger. He must be a miserable wretch indeed, he said, who could not summon within him sufficient resolution THE STORY OF PANTHEA. 199 and energy to control his own passions and desires. As for himself, b© was sure that he was safe. As usual with those who are self-confident and boastful, Araspes failed when the time of trial came. He took charge of the royal cap- tive whom Cyrus committed to him with a very firm resolution to be faithful to his trust. He pitied the unhappy queen's misfortunes, and admired the heroic patience and gentle- ness of spirit with which she bore them. The beauty of her countenance, and her thousand personal charms, which were all heightened by the expression of sadness and sorrow which they bore, touched his heart. It gave him pleasure to grant her every indulgence consist- ent with her condition of captivity, and to do everything in his power to promote her wel- fare. She was very grateful for these favors, and the few brief words and looks of kindness with which she returned them repaid him for his efforts to please her a thousandfold. He saw her, too, in her tent, in the presence of her maidens, at all times ; and as she looked upon him as only her custodian and guard, and as, too, her mind was wholly occupied by the thoughts of her absent husband and her hopeless grief, her actions were entirely free and unconstrained in his presence. This made her only the more attractive; every at- titude and movement seemed to possess, in 200 CYRUS THE GREAT. Araspes' mind, an inexpressible charm. In a word, the result was whatCjrus had predicted. Araspes became wholly absorbed in the inter- est which was awakened in him by the charms of the beautiful captive. He made many reso- lutions, but they were of no avail. While he was away from her, he felt strong in his deter- mination to yield to these feelings no more; but as soon as he came into her presence, all these resolutions melted wholly away, and he yielded his heart entirely to the control of emotions which, however vincible they might appear at a distance, were found, when the time of trial came, to possess a certain myster- ious and magic power, which made it most delightful for the heart to yield before them in the contest, and utterly impossible to stand firm and resist. In a word, when seen at a distance, love appeared to him an enemy which he was ready to brave, and was sure that he could overcome ; but when near, it transformed itself into the guise of a friend, and he ac- cordingly threw down the arms with which he had intended to combat it, and gave himself up to it in a delirium of pleasure. Things continued in this state for some time. The army advanced from post to post, and from encampment to encampment, taking the captives in their train. New cities were taken, new provinces overrun, and new plans for future conquests were formed. At last THE STORY OF PANTHEA. 201 a case occurred in which Cyrus wished to send some one as a spy into a distant enemy's country. The circumstances were such that it was necessary that a person of considerable intelligence and rank should go, as Cyrus wished the messenger whom he should send to make his way to the court of the sovereign, and become personally acquainted with the leading men of the state, and to examine the general resources of the kingdom. It was a very different case from that of an ordinary spy, who was to go into a neighboring camp merely to report the numbers and disposition of an organized army. Cyrus was uncertain whom he should send on such an embassy. In the meantime, Araspes had ventured to express to Panthea his love for her. She was offended. In the first place, she was faithful to her husband, and did not wish to receive such addresses from any person. Then, be- sides, she considered Araspes, having been placed in charge of her by Cyrus, his master, only for the purpose of keeping her safely, as guilty of a betrayal of his trust in having dared to cherish and express sentiments of affection for her himself. She, however, for- bore to reproach him, or to complain of him to Cyrus. She simply repelled the advances that he made, supposing that, if she did this with firmness and decision, Araspes would feel rebuked and would say no more. It did not, 202 CYRUS THE GREAT. however, produce this effect. Araspes con- tinued to importune her with declarations of love, and at length she felt compelled to ap- peal to Cyrus. Cyrus, instead of being incensed at what might have been considered a betrayal of trust on the part of Araspes, only laughed at the failure and fall in which all his favorite's promises and boastings had ended. He sent a messenger to Araspes to caution him in re- gard to his conduct, telliDg him that he ought to respect the feelings of such a woman as Panthea had proved herself to be. The mes- senger whom Cyrus sent was not content with delivering his message as Cyrus had dictated it. He made it much more stern and severe. In fact, he reproached the lover, in a very harsh and bitter manner, for indulging such a passion. He told him that he had betrayed a sacred trust reposed in him, and acted in a manner at once impious and unjust. Araspes was overwhelmed with remorse and anguish, and with fear of the consequences which might ensue, as men are when the time arrives for being called to account for transgressions which, while they were committing them, gave them little concern. When Cyrus heard how much Araspes had been distressed by the message of reproof which he had received, and by his fears of punishment, he sent for him. Araspes came. THE STORY OF PANTHEA. 303 Cyrus told him that he had no occasion to be alarmed. *'I do not wonder," said he, *'at the result which has happened. We all know how difficult it is to resist the influence which is exerted upon our minds by the charms of a beautiful woman, when we are thrown into cir- cumstances of familiar intercourse with her. Whatever of wrong there has been ought to be considered as more my fault than yours. I was wrong in placing you in such circum- stances of temptation, by giving you so beau- tiful a woman in charge. ' ' Araspes was very much struck with the gen- erosity of Cyrus, in thus endeavoring to soothe his anxiety and remorse, and taking upon him- self the responsibility and the blame. He thanked Cyrus very earnestly for his kindness; but he said that, notwithstanding his sover- eign's willingness to forgive him, he felt still oppressed with grief and concern, for the knowledge of his fault had been spread abroad in the army ; his enemies were rejoicing over him, and were predicting his disgrace and ruin; and some persons had even advised him to make his escape, by absconding before any worse calamity should befall him. '^If this is so," said Cyrus, '*it puts it in your power to render me a very essential serv- ice. " Cyrus then explained to Araspes the necessity that he was under of finding some confidential agent to go on a secret mission 204 CYRUS THE GREAT. into the enemy's country, and the importance that the messenger should go under such cir- cumstances as not to be suspected of being Cy- rus' friend in disguise. "You can pretend to abscond," said he; "it will be immediately said that you tied for fear of my displeasure. I will pretend to send in pursuit of you. The news of your evasion will spread rapidly, and will be carried, doubtless, into the enemy's country ; so that, when you arrive there, they will be prepared to welcome you as a deserter from my cause, and a refugee. ' ' This plan was agreed upon, and Araspes prepared for his departure. Cyrus gave him his instructions, and they concerted together the information — fictitious, of course — which he was to communicate to the enemy in respect to Cyrus' situation and designs. When all was ready for his departure, Cyrus asked him how it was that he was so willing to separate him- self thus from the beautiful Panthea. He said in reply, that when he was absent from Panthea, he was capable of easily forming any determi- nation, and of pursuing any line of conduct that his duty required, while yet, in her presence, he found his love for her, and the impetuous feelings to which it gave rise, wholly and absolutely uncontrollable. As soon as Araspes was gone, Panthea, who supposed that he had really fled for fear of the indignation of the king, in consequence of his THE STORY OF PANTHEA. 205 unfaithfulness to his trust, sent to Cyrus a message, expressing her regret at the unworthy conduct and the flight of Araspes, and saying that she could, and gladly would, if he con- sented, repair the loss which the desertion of Araspes occasioned by sending for her own husband. He was, she said, dissatisfied with the government under which he lived, having been cruelly and tyrannically treated by the prince. '*If you will allow me to send for him," she added, *'I am sure he will come and join your army ; and I assure you that you will find him a much more faithful and devoted servant than Araspes has been. ' ' Cyrus consented to this proposal, and Pan- thea sent for Abradates. Abradates came at the head of two thousand horse, which formed a very important addition to the forces under Cyrus' command. The meeting between Pan- thea and her husband was joyful in the ex- treme. When Abradates learned from his wife how honorable and kind had been the treatment which Cyrus had rendered to her, he was overwhelmed with a sense of gratitude, and he declared that he would do the utmost in his power to requite the obligations he was under. Abradates entered at once, with great ardor and zeal, into plans for making the force which he had brought as efiicient as possible in the service of Cyrus. He observed that Cyrus was interested, at that time, in attempting to build 15— Cyrus 206 CYRUS THE GREAT. and equip a corps of armed chariots, such as were often used in fields of battle in those days. This was a very expensive sort of force, corresponding, in that respect, with the artil- lery used in raodern times. The carriages were heavy and strong, and were drawn gener- ally by two horses. They had short, scythe- like blades of steel projecting from the axle- trees on each side, by which the ranks of the enemy were mowed down when the carriages were driven among them. The chariots were made to contain, besides the driver of the horses, one or more warriors, each armed in the completest manner. These warriors stood on the floor of , the vehicle, and fought with javelins and spears. The great plains which abound in the interior countries of Asia were very favorable for this species of warfare. Abradates immediately fitted up for Cyrus a hundred such chariots at his own expense, and provided horses to draw them from his own troop. He made one chariot much larger than the rest, for himself, as he intended to take command of this corps of chariots in person. His own chariot was to be drawn by eight horses. His wife Panthea was very much in- terested in these preparations. She wished to do something herself toward the outfit. She accordingly furnished, from her own private treasures, a helmet, a corslet, and arm-pieces of gold. These articles formed a suit of THE STORY OF PANTHEA. ^09 armor sufficient to cover all tliat part of the body which would be exposed in standing in the chariot. She also provided breast-pieces and side-pieces of brass for the horses. The whole chariot, thus equipped, with its eight horses in their gay trappings and resplendent armor, and with Abradates standing within it, clothed in his panoply of gold, presented, as it drove, in the sight of the whole army, around the plain of the encampment, a most imposing spectacle. It was a worthy leader, as the spectators thought, to head the formid- able column of a hundred similar engines which were to follow in its train. If we imagine the havoc which a hundred scythe- armed carriages would produce when driven, with headlong fury, into dense masses of men, on a vast open plain, we shall have some idea of one item of the horrors of ancient war. The full splendor of Abradates' equipments were not, however, displayed at first, for Pan- thea kept what she had done a secret for a time, intending to reserve her contribution for a parting present to her husband when the period should arrive for going into battle. She had accordingly taken the measure for her work by stealth, from the armor which Abra- dates was accustomed to wear, and had caused the artificers to make the golden pieces with the utmost secrecy. Besides the substantial defenses of gold which she provided, she added $10 CYRUS THE GREAT. various other articles for ornament and deco- ration. There was a purple robe, a crest for the helmet, which was of a violet color, plumes, and likewise bracelets for the wrists. Panthea kept all these things herself until the day arrived when her husband was going into battle for the first time with his train, and then, when he went into his tent to prepare himself to ascend his chariot, she brought them to him. Abradates was astonished when he saw them. He soon understood how they had been pro- vided, and he exclaimed, with a heart full of surprise and pleasure, '*And so, to provide me with this splendid armor and dress, you have been depriving yourself of all your finest and most beautiful ornaments!" *'No, " said Panthea, ''you are yourself my finest ornament, if you appear in other people's eyes as you do in mine, and I have not de- prived myself of you." The appearance which Abradates made in other people's eyes was certainly very splendid on this occasion. There were many specta- tors present to see him mount his chariot and drive away ; but so great was their admiration of Panthea's affection and regard for her hus- band, and so much impressed were they with her beauty, that the great chariot, the resplen- dent horses, and the grand warrior with his ar- mor of gold, which the magnificent equipage was THE STORY OF PANTHEA. 211 intended to convey, were, all together, scarcely able to draw away the eyes of the spectators from her. She stood, for awhile, by the side of the chariot, addressing her husband in an undertone, reminding him of the obligations which they were under to Cyrus for his gener- ous and noble treatment of her, and urging him, now that he was going to be put to the test, to redeem the promise which she had made in his name, that Cyrus would find him faithful, brave, and true. The driver then closed the door by which Abradates had mounted, so that Panthea was separated from her husband, though she could still see him as he stood in his place. She gazed upon him with a countenance full of affection and solicitude. She kissed the mar- gin of the chariot as it began to move away. She walked along after it as it went, as if, after all, she could not bear the separation. Abradates turned, and when he saw her com- ing on after the carriage, he said, waving his hand for a parting salutation, ''Farewell, Pan- thea; go back now to your tent, and do not be anxious about me. Farewell." Panthea turned — her attendants came and took her away — the spectators all turned, too, to follow her with their eyes, and no one paid any re- gard to the chariot or to Abradates until she was gone. On the field of battle the engagement com- 212 CYRUS THE GREAT. menced, Cyrus, in passing along the lines, paused, when he came to the chariots of Abra- dates, to examine the arrangements which had been made for them, and to converse a moment with the chief. He saw that the chariots were drawn up in a part of the field where there was opposed to them a very formidable array of Egyptian soldiers. The Egyptians in this war were allies of the enemy. Abradates, leaving his chariot in the charge of his driver, descended and came to Cyrus, and remained in conversation with him for a few moments, to receive his last orders. Cyrus directed him to remain where he was, and not to attack the enemy until he received a certain signal. At length the two chieftains separated ; Abradates returned to his chariot, and Cyrus moved on» Abradates then moved slowly along his lines, to encourage and animate his men, and to give them the last directions in respect to the charge which they were about to make on the enemy when the signal should be given. All eyes were turned to the magnificent spectacle which his equipage presented as it advanced toward them ; the chariot, moving slowly along the line, the tall and highly -decorated form of its commander rising in the center of it, while the eight horses, animated by the sound of the trumpets, and by the various excitements of the scene, stepped proudly, their brazen armor clanking as they came. THE STORY OF PANTHEA. 213 When, at length, the signal was given, Ab- radates, calling on the other chariots to fol- low, put his horses to their speed, and the whole line rushed impetuously on to the attack of the Egyptians. War horses, properly trained to their work, will fight with their hoofs with almost as much reckless determina- tion as men will with spears. They rush' madly on to encounter whatever opposition there may be before them, and strike down and leap over whatever comes in their way, as if they fully understood the nature of the work that their riders or drivers were wishing them to do. Cyrus, as he passed along from one part of the battlefield to another, saw the horses of Abradates' line dashing thus impet- uously into the thickest ranks of the enemy. The men, on every side, were beaten down by the horses' hoofs, or overturned by the wheels, or cut down by the scythes; and they who here and there escaped these dangers, became the aim of the soldiers who stood in the chariots, and were transfixed with their spears. The heavy wheels rolled and jolted mercilessly over the bodies of the wounded and the fallen, while the scythes caught hold of and cut through everything that came in their way — whether the shafts of javelins and spears, or the limbs and bodies of men — and tore every- thing to pices in their terrible career. As Cy- rus rode rapidly by, he saw Abradates in the 214 CYRUS THE GREAT. midst of this scene, driving on in his chariot, and shouting to his men in a frenzy of ex- citement and triumph. The battle in which these events occurred was one of the greatest and most important which Cyrus fought. He gained the victory. His enemies were everywhere routed and driven from the field. When the contest was at length decided, the army desisted from the slaughter and encamped for the night. On the following day, the generals assembled at the tent of Cyrus to discuss the arrangements which were to be made in respect to the dis- position of the captives and of the spoil, and to the future movements of the army. Abra- dates was not there. For a time, Cyrus, in the excitement and confusion of the scene, did not observe his absence. At length he in- quired for him. A soldier present told him that he had been killed from his chariot in the midst of the Egyptians, and that his wife was at that moment attending to the interment of the body, on the banks of a river which flowed near the field of battle. Cyrus, on hearing this, uttered a loud exclamation of astonish- ment and sorrow. He dropped the business in which he had been engaged with his council, mounted his horse, commanded attendants to follow him with everything that could be nec- essary on such an occasion, and then, asking those who knew to lead the way, he drove off to find Panthea. THE STORY OF PANTHEA. 215 When he arrived at the spot, the dead body of Abradates was lying upon the ground, while Panthea sat by its side, holding the head in her lap, overwhelmed herself with un- utterable sorrow. Cyrus leaped from his horse, knelt down by the side of the corpse, saying, at the same time, "Alas! thou brave and faithful soul, and art thou gone?" At the same time, he took hold of the hand of Abradates ; but, as he attempted to raise it, the arm came away from the body. It had been cut oif by an Egyptian sword. Cyrus was himself shocked at the spectacle, and Pan- thea's grief broke forth anew. She cried out with bitter anguish, replaced the arm in the position in which she had arranged it before, and told Cyrus that the rest of the body was in the same condition. Whenever she attempted to speak, her sobs and tears almost prevented her utterance. She bitterly reproached herself for having been, perhaps, the cause of her hus- band's death, by urging him, as she had done, to fidelity and courage when he went into bat- tle "And now," she said, "he is dead, while I, who urged him forward into the dauger, am still alive." Cyrus said what he could to console Pan- thea's grief; but he found it utterly inconsol- able. He gave directions for furnishing her with everything which she could need, and promised her that he would make ample ar- 216 CYRUS THE GREAT. rangeraents for providing for her in future. '* You shall be treated," he said, * Vhile you remain with me, in the most honorable man- ner; or if you have any friends whom you wish to join, you shall be sent to them safely whenever you please. ' * Panthea thanked him for his kindness. She had a friend, she said, whom she wished to join, and she would let him know in due time who it was. In the meantime, she wished that Cyrus would leave her alone, for awhile, with her servants, and her waiting-maid, and the dead body of her husband. Cyrus ac- cordingly withdrew. As soon as he had gone, Panthea sent away the servants also, retaining the waiting-maid alone. The waiting-maid began to be anxious and concerned at witness- ing these mysterious arrangements, as if they portended some new calamity. She wondered what her mistress was going to do. Her doubts were dispelled by seeing Panthea pro- duce a sword, which she had kept concealed hitherto beneath her robe. Her maid begged her, with much earnestness and many tears, not to destroy herself ; but Panthea was im- movable. She said she could not live any longer. She directed the maid to envelop her body, as soon as she was dead, in the same mantle with her husband, and to have them both deposited together in the same grave ; and before her stupefied attendant could do any- THE STORY OF PANTHEA. 217 thing to save her, she sat down by the side of her husband's body, laid her head upon his breast, and in that position gave herself the fatal wound. In a few minutes she ceased to breathe. Tomb of Abradates and Panthea. Cyrus expressed his respect for the memory of Abradates and Panthea by erecting a lofty monument over their common grave. CHAPTEK XI. CONVERSATIONS. We have given the story of Panthea, as con- tained in the preceding chapter, in our own language, it is true, but without any inten- tional addition or embellishment whatever. Each reader will judge for himself whether such a narrative, written for the entertainment of vast assemblies at public games and cele- brations, is most properly to be regarded as an invention of romance, or as a simple record of veritable history. A great many extraordinary and dramatic incidents and adventures, similar in general character to the story of Panthea, are inter- woven with the narrative in Xenophon's his- tory. There are also, besides these, many long and minute details of dialogues and con- versations, which, if they had really occurred, would have required a very high degree of skill in stenography to produce such reports of them as Xenophon has given. The incidents, too, out of which these conversations grew, are worthy of attention, as we can often judge, 218 CONVERSATIONS. 219 by the nature and character of an incident de- scribed, whether it is one which it is probable might actually occur in real life, or only an invention intended to furnish an opportunity and a pretext for the inculcation of the senti- ments, or the expression of the views of the different speakers. It was the custom in an- cient days, much more than it is now, to at- tempt to add to the point and spirit of a dis- cussion, by presenting the various views which the subject naturally elicited in the form of a conversation arising out of circumstances in- vented to sustain it. The incident in such cases was, of course, a fiction, contrived to furnish points of attachment for the dialogue — a sort of trellis, constructed artificially to support the vine. We shall present in this chapter some specimens of these conversations, which will give the reader a much more distinct idea of the nature of them than any general description can convey. At one time in the course of Cyrus' career, just after he had obtained some great victory, and was celebrating his triumphs, in the midst of his armies, with spectacles and games, he instituted a series of races, in which the vari- ous nations that were represented in his army furnished their several champions as competi- tors. The army marched out from the city which Cyrus liad captured, and where he was 220 CYRUS THE GREAT. then residing, in a procession of the most im- posing magnificence. Animals intended to be offered in sacrifice, caparisoned in trappings of gold, horsemen most sumptuously equipped, chariots of war splendidly built and adorned, and banners and trophies of every kind, were conspicuous in the train. When the vast pro- cession reached the race-ground, the immense concourse was formed in ranks around it, and the racing went on. When it came to the turn of the Sacian nation to enter the course, a private man, of no apparent importance in respect to his rank or standing, came forward as the champion ; though the man appeared insignificant, his horse was as fleet as the wind. He flew around the arena with astonishing speed, and came in at the goal while his competitor was still midway of the course. Everybody was astonished at this performance. Cyrus asked the Sacian whether he would be willing to sell that horse, if he could receive a kingdom in exchange for it — kingdoms being the coin with which such sovereigns as Cyrus made their purchases. The Sacian replied that he would not sell his horse for any kingdom, but that he would readily give him away to oblige a worthy man. **Come with me," said Cyrus, **and I will show you where you may throw blindfold, and not miss a worthy man. ' ' CONVERSATIONS. 221 So saying, Cyrus conducted the Sacian to a part of the field where a number of his officers and attendants were moving to and fro, mounted upon their horses, or seated in their chariots of war. The Sacian took up a hard clod of earth from a bank as he walked along. At length they were in the midst of the group. **Throw!" said Cyrus. The Sacian shut his eyes and threw. It happened that, just at that instant, an officer named Pheraulas was riding by. He was conveying some orders which Cyrus bad given him to another part of the field. Phe- raulas had been originally a man of humble life, but he had been advanced by Cyrus to a high position on account of the great fidelity and zeal which he had evinced in the performance of his duty. The clod which the Sacian threw struck Pheraulas in the mouth and wounded him severely. Now it is the part of a good soldier to stand at his post or to press on, in obedience to his orders, as long as any physical capac- ity remains ; and Pheraulas, true to his mili- tary obligation, rode on without even turning to see whence and from what cause so unex- pected and violent an assault had proceeded. The Sacian opened his eyes, looked around, and coolly asked who it was that he had hit. Cyrus pointed to the horseman who was riding rapidly away, saying: "That is the man, who is riding so fast past those chariots yonder. You hit him, ' ' IG—CyruB 222 CYRUS THE GREAT. **Why did he not turn back, then?" asked the Sacian. "It is strange that he did not," said Cyrus; **he must be some madman." The Sacian went in pursuit of him. He found Pheraulas with his face covered with blood and dirt, and asked him if he had re- ceived a blow. *^I have," said Pheraulas, *'as you see." **Then, " said the Sacian, "I make you a present of my horse." Pheraulas asked an explanation. The Sacian accordingly gave him an account of what had taken place be- tween himself and Cyrus, and said, in the end, that he glady gave him his horse, as he, Pheraulas, had so decisively proved himself to be a most worthy man. Pheraulas accepted the present, with many thanks, and he and the Sacian became there- after very strong friends. Some time after this, Pheraulas invited the Sacian to an entertainment, and when the hour arrived, he set before his friend and the other guests a most sumptuous feast, which was served in vessels of gold and silver, and in an apartment furnished with carpets, and cano- pies, and couches of the most gorgeous and splendid description. The Sacian was much impressed with this magnificence, and he asked Pheraulas whether he had been a rich man at home, that is before he had joined Cy- CONVERSATIONS. ^23 rus' army. Pheraulas replied that he was not then rich. His father, he said, was a farmer and he himself had been accustomed in early life to till the ground with the other laborers on his father's farm. All the wealth and lux- ury which he now enjoyed had been bestowed upon him he said by Cyrus. **How fortunate you are!" said the Sacian; **and it must be that you enjoy your present riches all the more highly on account of having experienced in early life the inconveniences and ills of poverty. The pleasure must be more intense in having desires which have long been felt gratified at last than if the ob- jects which they rested upon had been always in one's possession." **You imagine, I suppose, " replied Pheraulas 'Hhat I am a great deal happier in consequence of all this wealth and splendor; but it is not so. As to the real enjoyments of which our natures are capable, I cannot receive more now than I could before. I cannot eat any more, drink any more, or sleep any more, or do any of these things with any more pleasure than when I was poor. All that I gain by this abundance is that I have more to watch, more to guard, more to take care of. I have maiay servants, for whose wants I have to provide, and who are a constant source of solicitude to me. One calls for food, another for clothes, and a third is sick, and I must see that he has a 224 CYRUS THE GREAT. physician. My other possessions, too, are g constant care. A man conies in, one day, and brings me sheep that have been torn by the wolves; and, on another day, tells me of oxen that have fallen from a precipice, or of a dis- temper which has broken out among the flocks or herds. My wealth, therefore, brings me only an increase of anxiety and trouble, with- out any addition to my joys." ''But those things," said the Sacian,** which you name, must be unusual and extraordinary occurrences. "When all things are going on prosperously and well with you, and you can look around on all your possessions and feel that they are yours, then certainly you must be happier than I am," "It is true," said Pheraulas, "that there is a pleasure in the possession of wealth, but that pleasure is not great enough to balance the suffering which the calamities and losses inevitably connected with it occasion. That the suffering occasioned by losing our posses- sions is greater than the pleasure of retaining them, is proved by the fact that the pain of a loss is so exciting to the mind that it often de- prives men of sleep, while they enjoy the most calm and quiet repose so long as their posses- sions are retained, which proves that the pleas- ure does not move them so deeply. They are kept awake by the vexation and chagrin on the one hand, but they are never kept awake by the satisfaction on the other. ' ' CONVERSATIONS. 225 <(i That is true," replied the Sacian. *'Men are not kept awake by the niere continuing to possess their wealth, but they very often are by the original acquisition of it." *'Yes, indeed," replied Pheraulas; '*and if the enjoyment of being rich could always continue as great as that of first becoming so, the rich would, I admit, be very happy men ; but it is not, and cannot be so. They who possess much, must lose, and expend, and give much ; and this necessity brings more of pain than the possessions themselves can give of pleas- ure. The Sacian was not convinced. The giving and expending, he maintained, would be to him, in itself, a source of pleasure. He should like to have much, for the very purpose of being able to expend much. Finally, Phe- raulas proposed to the Sacian, since he seemed to think that riches would afford him so much pleasure, and as he himself, Pheraulas, found the possession of them only a source of trouble and care, that he would convey all his wealth to the Sacian, he himself to receive only an ordinary maintenance from it. *'You are in jest," said the Sacian. ''No," said Pheraulas, ''lam in earnest." And he renewed his proposition, and pressed the Sacian urgently to accept of it. The Sacian then said that nothing could give him greater pleasure than such an arrange- 226 CYRUS THE GREAT. ment. He expressed great gratitude for so generous an offer, and promised that, if he re- ceived the property, he would furnish Pherau- las with most ample and abundant supplies for all his wants, and would relieve him entirely of all responsibility and care. He promised, moreover, to obtain from Cyrus permission that Pheraulas should thereafter be excused from the duties of military service, and from all the toils, privations, and hardships of war, so that he might thenceforth lead a life of quiet, luxury, and ease, and thus live in the enjoyment of all the benefits which wealth could procure, without its anxieties and cares. The plan, thus arranged, was carried into effect. Pheraulas divested himself of his pos- sessions, conveying them all to the Sacian. Both parties were extremely pleased with the operation of the scheme, and they lived thus together for a long time. Whatever Pheraulas acquired in any way, he always brought to the Sacian, and the Sacian, by accepting it, re- lieved Pheraulas of all responsibility and care. The Sacian loved Pheraulas, as Herodotus says, in closing this narrative, because he was thus continually bringing him gifts ; and Pheraulas loved the Sacian, because he was always willing to take the gifts which were thus brought to him. Among the other conversations, whether real or imaginary, which Herodotus records, he CONVERSATIONS. 227 gives some specimens of those which took place at festive entertainments in Cyrus' tent, on occasions when he invited his officers to dine with him. He commenced the conversa- tion, on one of these occasions, by inquiring of some of the officers present whether they did not think that the common soldiers were equal to the officers themselves in intelligence, courage, and military skill, and in all the other substantial qualities of a good soldier. ''I know not how that may be," replied one of the officers. ''How they will prove when they come into action with the enemy, I can- not tell ; but a more perverse and churlish set of fellows in camp, than those I have got in my regiment, I never knew. The other day, for example, when there had been a sacrifice, the meat of the victims was sent around to be distributed to the soldiers. In our regiment, when the steward came in with the first dis- tribution, he began by me, and so went round, as far as what he had brought would go. The next time he came, he began at the other end. The supply failed before he had got to the place where he had left off before, so that there was a man in the middle that did not get any- thing. This man immediately broke out in loud and angry complaints, and declared that there was no equality or fairness whatever in such a mode of division, unless they began sometimes in the center of the line. 228 CYRUS THE GREAT. **Upon this," continued the officer, **I called to the discontented man, and invited him to come and sit by me, where he would have a better chance for a good share. He did so. It happened that, at the next distribution that was made, we were the last, and he fan- cied that only the smallest pieces were left, so he began to complain more than before. *0h, misery!' said he, 'that I should have to sit here !' *Be patient, ' said I; * pretty soon they will begin the distribution with us, and then you will have the best chance of all. ' And so it proved; for, at the next distribution, they began at us, and the man took his share first ; but when the second and third men took theirs, he fancied that their pieces looked larger than his, and he reached forward and put his piece back into the basket, intending to change it; but the steward moved rapidly on, and he did not get another, so that he lost his distribution altogether. He was then quite furious with rage and vexation. ' ' Cyrus and all the company laughed very heartily at these mischances of greediness and discontent ; and then other stories, of a some- what similar character, were told by other guests. One officer said that a few days pre- vious he was drilling a part of his troops, and he had before him on the plain what is called, in military language, a squad of men, whom he was teaching to march. When he CONVERSATIONS. 229 gave the order to advance, one, who was at the head of the file, marched forward with great alacrity, but all the rest stood still. '*I asked him," continued the officer, *'what he was doing. 'Marching,' said he, *as you ordered WfQ to do.' *It was not you alone that I ordered to march,' said I, *but all.' So I sent him back to his place, and then gave the com- mand again. Upon this they all advanced promiscuously and in disorder toward me, each one acting for himself, without regard to the others, and leaving the file-leader, who ought to have been at the head, altogether behind. The file-leader said, 'Keep back! keep back!' Upon this the men were offended, and asked what they were to do about such contradictory orders. 'One commands us to advance, and another to keep back!' said they; 'how are we to know which to obey?' " Cyrus and his guests were so much amused at the awkwardness of these recruits, and the ridiculous predicament in which the officer was placed by it, that the narrative of the speaker was here interrupted by universal and long- continued laughter. "Finally," continued the officer,"! sent the men all back to their places, and explained to them that, when a command was given, they were not to obey it in confusion and unseemly haste, but regularly and in order, each one following the man who stood before him. 230 CYRUS THE GREAT. *You must regulate your proceeding,' said I, 'by the action of the file-leader; when he ad- vances, you must advance, following him in a line, and governing your movements in all respects by his. ' ' * *'Just at this moment, * 'continued the officer, **a man came to me for a letter which was to go to Persia, and which I had left in my tent. I directed the file-leader to run to my tent and bring the letter to me. He immediately set off, and the rest, obeying literally the direc- tions which I had just been giving them, all followed, running behind him in a line like a. troop of savages, so that I had the whole squad of twenty men running in a body off the field to fetch a letter ! ' ' When the general hilarity which these re- citals occasioned had a little subsided, Cyrus said he thought that they could not complain of the character of the soldiers whom they had to command, for they were certainly, accord- ing to these accounts, sufficiently ready to obey the orders they received. Upon this, a certain one of the guests who was present, named Aglaitadas, a gloomy and austere-looking man, who had not joined at all in the merriment which the conversation had caused, asked Cy- rus if he believed those stories to be true. *'Why?" asked Cyrus; *'what do you think of them?" ^'I think," said Aglaitadas, **that these CONVERSATIONS. 231 officers invented them to make the company laugh. It is evident that they were not telling the truth, since they related the stories in such a vain and arrogant way." ' ' Arrogant ! " said Cy rus ; * * you ought not to call them arrogant ; for, even if they invented their narrations, it was not to gain any seljQsh ends of their own, but only to amuse us and promote our enjoyment. Such persons should be called polite and agreeable rather than arro- gant. ' ' "If, Aglaitadas, " said one of the officers who had related the anecdotes, *'we had told you melancholy stories to make you gloomy and wretched, you might have been justly dis- pleased; but you certainly ought not to com- plain of us for making you merry." *'Yes, " said Aglaitadas, *'I think I may. To make a man laugh is a very insignificant and useless thing. It is far better to make him weep. Such thoughts and such conversa- tion as makes us serious, thoughtful, and sad, and even moves us to tears, are the most salu- tary and the best. ' ' '*Well," replied the officer,''if you will take my advice, you will lay out all your powers of inspiring gloom, and melancholy, and of bring- ing tears, upon our enemies, and bestow the mirth and laughter upon us. There must be a prodigious deal of laughter in you, for none ever comes out. You neither use nor expend 232 CYRUS THE GREAT. it yourself, nor do you afford it to your friends. ' ' '*Then, " said Aglaitadas, **why do you at- tempt to draw it from me?" '^Itis preposterous!" said another of the company; * 'for one could more easily strike fire out of Aglaitadas than get a laugh from him!" Aglaitadas could not help smiling at this comparison ; upon which Cyrus, with an air of counterfeited gravity, reproved the person who had spoken, saying that he had corrupted the most sober man in the company by making him smile, and that to disturb such gravity as that of Aglaitadas was carrying the spirit of mirth and merriment altogether too far. These specimens will suffice. They serve to give a more distinct idea of the Cyropsedia of Xenophou than any general description could afford. The book is a drama, of which the principal elements are such narratives as the story of Panthea, and such conversations as those contained in this chapter, intermingled with long discussions on the principles of government, and on the discipline and man- agement of armies. The principles and the sentiments which the work inculcates and ex- plains are now of little value, being no longer applicable to the affairs of mankind in the altered circumstances of the present day. The CONVERSATIONS. 233 book, however, retains its rank among men on account of a certain beautiful and simple mag- nificence characterizing the style and language Cyrus and His Chiefs. in which it is written, which, however, cannot be appreciated except by those who read the narrative in the original tongue. CHAPTEK Xn. THE DEATH OF CYRUS. After having made the conquest of the Babylonian empire, Gyrus found himself the sovereign of nearly all of Asia, so far as it was then known. Beyond his dominions there lay, on every side, according to the opinions which then prevailed, vast tracts of uninhabit- able territory, desolate and impassable. These wildernesses were rendered unfit for man, sometimes by excessive heat, sometimes by excessive cold, sometimes from being parched by perpetual drought, which produced bare and desolate deserts, and sometimes by inces- sant rains, which drenched the country and filled it with morasses and fens. On the north was the great Caspian Sea, then almost wholly unexplored, and extending, as the ancients be- lieved, to the Polar Ocean. On the west side of the Caspian Sea were the Caucasian Mountains, which were sup- posed, in those days, to be the highest on the globe. In the neighborhood of these moun- tains there was a country, inhabited by a wild 234 THE DEATH OF CYRUS. 235 and half-savage people, who were called Scy- thians. This was, in fact, a sort of generic term, which was applied, in those days, to almost all the aboriginal tribes beyond the confines of civilization. The Scythians, how- ever, if such they can properly be called, who lived on the borders of the Caspian Sea, were not wholly uncivilized. They possessed many of those mechanical arts which are the first to be matured among warlike nations. They had no iron or steel, but they were accustomed to work other metals, particularly gold and brass. They tipped their spears and javelins with brass, and made brazen plates for defensive armor, both for themselves and for their horses. They made, also, many ornaments and decorations of gold. These they attached to their helmets, their belts, and their banners. They were very formidable in war, being, like all other northern nations, perfectly desperate and reckless in battle. They were excellent horsemen, and had an abundance of horses with which to exercise their skill ; so that their armies consisted, like those of the Cossacks of modern times, of great bodies of cavalry. The various campaigns and conquests by which Cyrus obtained possession of his ex- tended dominions occupied an interval of about thirty years. It was near the close of this in- terval, when he was, in fact, advancing toward a late period of life, that he formed the plan 236 CYRUS THE GREAT. of penetrating into tkese northern regions, with a view of adding them also to his do- mains. He had two sons, Cambyses and Smerdis. His wife is said to have been a daughter of Astyages, and that he married her soon after his conquest of the kingdom of Media, in order to reconcile the Medians more easily to his sway, by making a Median princess their queen. Among the western nations of Europe such a marriage would be abhorred, Astyages having been Cyrus' grandfather; but among the Orientals, in those days, alliances of this nature were not uncommon. It would seem that this queen was not living at the time that the events occurred which are to be related in this chapter. Her sons had grown up to maturity, and were now princes of great dis- tinction. One of the Scythian or northern nations to which we have referred were called the Mas- sagetse. They formed a very extensive and powerful realm. They were governed, at this time, by a queen named Tomyris. She was a widow, past midde life. She had a son named Spargapizes, who had, like the sons of Cyrus, attained maturity, and was the heir to the throne. Spargapizes was, moreover, the com- mander-in-chief of the armies of the queen. The first plan which Cyrus formed for the annexation of the realm of the Massagetse to THE DEATH OF CYRUS. 237 his own dominions was by a matrimonial alli- ance. He accordingly raised an army and commenced a movement toward the north, send- ing, at the same time, ambassadors before him into the country of the Massagetae, with offers of marriage to the queen. The queen knew very well that it was her dominions, and not herself, that constituted the great attraction for Cyrus, and, besides, she was of an age when ambition is a stronger passion than love. She refused the offers, and sent back word to Cyrus forbidding his approach. Cyrus, however, continued to move on. The boundary between his dominions and those of the queen was at the Kiver Araxes, a stream flowing from west to east, through the central parts of Asia, toward the Caspian Sea. As Cyrus advanced, he found the country growing more and more wild and desolate. It was in- habited by savage tribes, who lived on roots and herbs, and who were elevated very little, in any respect, above the wild beasts that roamed in the forests around them. They had one very singular custom, according to Herod- otus. It seems that there was a plant which grew among them, that bore a fruit, whose fumes, when it was roasting on afire,had an ex- hilarating effect, like that produced by wine. These savages, therefore, Herodotus says, were accustomed to assemble around a fire, in their convivial festivities, and to throw some of this 17- -Cyrus 238 CYRUS THE GREAT. fruit in the midst of it. The fumes emitted by the fruit would soon begin to intoxicate the whole circle, when they wouli throw on more fruit, and become more and more excited, until, at length, they would jump up, and dance about, and sing, in a state of complete inebri- ation. Among such savages as these, and through the forests and wildernesses in which they lived, Cyrus advanced till he reached the Araxes. Here, after considering, for some time, by what means he could best pass the river, he determined to build a floating bridge, by means of boats and rafts obtained from the natives on the banks, or built for the purpose. It would be obviously much easier to transport the army by using these boats and rafts to float the men across, instead of constructing a bridge with them ; but this would not have been safe, for the transportation of the army by such a means would be gradual and slow ; and if the enemy were lurking in the neigh- borhood, and should make an attack upon them in the midst of the operation, while a part of the army were upon one bank and a part upon the other, and another portion still, perhaps, in boats upon the stream, the defeat and de- struction of the whole would be almost inevi- table. Cyrus planned the formation of the bridge, therefore, as a means of transporting this army in a body, and of landing them on the THE DEATH OF CYRUS. 239 opposite bank in solid columns, which could be formed into order of battle without any delay. While Cyrus was engaged in the work of constructing the bridge, ambassadors appeared, who said that they had been sent from Tomy- ris. She had commissioned them, they said, to warn Cyrus to desist entirely from his de- signs upon her kingdom, and to return to his own. This would be the wisest course, too, Tomyris said, for himself, and she counseled him, for his own welfare, to follow it. He could not foresee the result, if he should in- vade her dominions and encounter her armies. Fortune had favored him thus far, it was true, but fortune might change, and he might find himself, before he was aware, at the end of his victories. Still, she said, she had no expecta- tion that he would be disposed to listen to this warning and advice, and, on her part, she had no objection to his persevering in his invasion. She did not fear him. He need not put him- self to the expense and trouble of building a bridge across the Araxes. She would agree to withdraw all her forces three days' march into her own country, so that he might cross the river safely and at his leisure, and she would await him at the place where she should have encamped ; or, if he preferred it, she would cross the river and meet him on his own side. In that case, he must retire three days' march from the river, so as to afford her the same 240 CYRUS THE GREAT. opportunity to make the passage undisturbed which she had offered him. She would then come over and march on to attack him. She gave Cyrus his option which branch of this alternative to choose. Cyrus called a council of war to consider the question. He laid the case before his officers and generals, and asked for their opinion. They were unanimously agreed that it would be best for him to accede to the last of the two proposals made to him, viz., to draw back three days' journey toward his own dominions, and wait for Tomyris to come and attack him there. There was, however, one person present at this consultation, though not regularly a mem- ber of the council, who gave Cyrus different advice. This was Croesus, the fallen king of Lydia. Ever since the time of his captivity, he had been retained in the camp and in the household of Cyrus, and had often accom- panied him in his expeditions and campaigns. Though a captive, he seems to have been a friend; at least, the most friendly relations appeared to subsist between him and his con- queror ; and he often figures in history as a wise and honest counselor to Cyrus, in the various emergencies in which he was placed. He was present on this occasion, and he dis- sented from the opinion which was expressed by the officers of the army. THE DEATH OF CYRUS. 241 ' "I ought to apologize, perhaps," said he, **for presuming to offer any counsel, captive as I am ; but I have derived, in the school of calamity and misfortune in which I have been taught, some advantages for learning wisdom which you have never enjoyed. It seems to me that it will be much better for you not to fall back, but to advance and attack Tomyris in her own dominions ; for, if you retire in this manner, in the first place, the act itself is dis- creditable to you : it is a retreat. Then, if, in the battle that follows, Tomyris conquers you, she is already advanced three days' march into your dominions, and she may go on, and, be- fore you can take measures for raising another army, make herself mistress ot' your empire. On the other hand, if, in the battle, you con- quer her, you will be then six days' march back of the position which you would occupy if you were to advance now. **I will propose," continued Croesus, *'the following plan : Cross the river according to Tomyris' offer, and advance the three days' journey into her country. Leave a small part of your force there, with a great abundance of your most valuable baggage and supplies — luxuries of all kinds, and rich wines, and such articles as the enemy will most value as plun- der. Then fall back with the main body of your army toward the river again, in a secret manner, and encamp in an ambuscade. The 242 CYRUS THE GREAT. enemy will attack your advanced detachment. They will conquer them. They will seize the stores and supplies, and will suppose that your whole army is vanquished. They will fall upon the plunder in disorder, and the dis- cipline of their army will be overthrown. They will go to feasting upon the provisions and to drinking the wines, and then, when they are in the midst of their festivities and revelry, you can come back suddenly with the real strength of your army, and wholly over- whelm them." Cyrus determined to adopt the plan which Croesus thus recommended. He accordingly gave answer to the ambassadors of Tomyris that he would accede to the first of her propo- sals. If she would draw back from the river three days' march, he would cross it with his army as soon as practicable, and then come forward and attack her. The ambassadors re- ceived this message, and departed to deliver it to their queen. She was faithful to her agree- ment, and drew her forces back to the place proposed, and left them there, encamped under the command of her son. Cyrus seems to have felt some forebodings in respect to the manner in which this expedi- tion was to end. He was advanced in life, and not now as well able as he once was to en- dure the privations and hardships of such campaigns. Then, the incursion which he was THE DEATH OF CYRUS. 243 to make was into a remote, and wild, and dan- gerous country, and he could not but be aware that he might never return. Perhaps he may have had some compunctions of conscience, too, at thus wantonly disturbing the peace and invading the territories of an innocent neigh- bor, and his mind may have been the less at ease on that account. At any rate, he resolved to settle the affairs of his government before he set out, in order to secure both the tran- quility of the country while he should be ab- sent, and the regular transmission of his power to his descendants in case he should never return. Accordingly, in a very formal manner, and in the presence of all his army, he delegated his power to Cambyses, his son, constituting him regent of the realm during his absence. He committed Croesus to his son's special care, charging him to pay him every attention and honor. It was arranged that these per- sons, as well as a considerable portion of the army, and a large number of attendants that had followed the camp thus far, were not to ac- company the expedition across the river, but were to remain behind and return to the capi- tal. These arrangements being all thus finally made, Cyrus took leave of his son and of Croe- sus, crossed the river with that part of the army which was to proceed, and commenced his march. 244 CYRUS THE GREAT. The uneasiness and anxiety which Cyrus seems to have felt in respect to his future fate on this memorable march affected even his dreams. It seems that there was among the officers of his army a certain general named Hystaspes. He had a son named Darius, then a youth of about twenty years of age, who had been left at home, in Persia, when the army marched, not being old enough to accompany them. Cyrus dreamed, one night, immedi- ately after crossing the river, that he saw this young Darius with wings on his shoulders, that extended, the one over Asia and the other over Europe, thus overshadowing the world. When Cyrus awoke and reflected upon his dream, it seemed to him to portend that Da- rius might be aspiring to the government of his empire. He considered it a warning intended to put him on his guard. When he awoke in the morning, he sent for Hystaspes, and related to him his dream. "I am satisfied," said he, ''that it denotes that your son is forming ambitious and treasonable designs. Do you, therefore, return home, and arrest him in this fatal course. Secure him, and let him be ready to give me an account of his conduct when I shall return." Hystaspes, having received this commission, left the army and returned. The name of this Hystaspes acquired a historical immortality in a very singular way, that is, by being always THE DEATH OF CYRUS. 245 used as a part of the appellation by which to designate his distinguished son. In after years Darius did attain to a very extended power. He became Darius the Great. As, however, there were several other Persian monarchs called Darius, some of whom were nearly as great as this the first of the name, the usage was gradually established of calling him Darius Hystaspes ; and thus the name c f the father has become familiar to all mankind, simply as a consequence and pendant to the celebrity of the son. After sending off Hystaspes, Cyrus went on. He followed, in all respects, the plan of Croe- sus. He marched his army into the country of Tomyris, and advanced until he reached the point agreed upon. Here he stationed a feeble portion of his army, with great stores of pro- visions and wines, and abundance of such articles as would be prized by the barbarians as booty. He then drew back with the main body of his army toward the Araxes, and con- cealed his forces in a hidden encampment. The result was as Crcesus had anticipated. The body which he had left was attacked by the troops of Tomyris, and effectually routed. The provisions and stores fell into the hands of the victors. They gave themselves up to the most unbounded joy, and their whole camp was soon a universal scene of rioting and excess. Even the commander, Spargapizes, 246 CYRUS THE GREAT. Tomyris' son, became intoxicated with the wine. While things were in this state, the main body of the army of Cyrus returned suddenly and unexpectedly, and fell upon their now helpless enemies with a force which entirely overwhelmed them. The booty was recovered, large numbers of the enemy were slain, and others were taken prisoners. Spargapizes himself was captured ; his hands were bound ; he was taken into Cyrus' camp, and closely guarded. The result of this stratagem, triumphantly successful as it was, would have settled the contest, and made Cyrus master of the whole realm, if, as he, at the time, supposed was the case, the main body of Tomyris' forces had been engaged in this battle ; but it seems that Tomyris had learned, by reconnoiterers and spies, how large a force there was in Cyrus' camp, and had only sent a detachment of her own troops to attack them, not judging it nec- essary to call out the whole. Two-thirds of her army remained still uninjured. With this large force she would undoubtedly have ad- vanced without any delay to attack Cyrus again, were it not for her maternal concern for the safety of her son. He was in Cyrus' power, a helpless captive, and she did not know to what cruelties he would be exposed if Cyrus were to be exasperated against her. THE DEATH OF CYRUS. 247 While her heart, therefore, was burning with resentment and anger, and with an almost un- controlable thirst for revenge, her hand was restrained. She kept back her army, and sent to Cyrus a conciliatory message. She said to Cyrus that he had no cause to be specially elated at his victory ; that it was only one-third of her forces that had been engaged, and that with the remainder she held him com- pletely in her power. She urged him, there- fore, to be satisfied with the injury which he had already inflicted upon her by destroying one-third of her army, and to liberate her son, retire from her dominions, and leave her in peace. If he would do so, she would not molest him in his departure ; but if he would not, she swore by the sun, the great god which she and her countrymen adored, that, insati- able as he was for blood, she would give it to him till he had his fill. Of course Cyrus was not to be frightened by such threats as these. He refused to de- liver up the captive prince, or to withdraw from the country, and both parties began to prepare again for war. Spargapizes was intoxicated when he was taken, and was unconscious of the calamity which had befallen him. When at length he awoke from his stupor, and learned the full extent of his misfortune, and of the indelible disgrace which he had incurred, he was over- 248 CYRUS THE GREAT. whelmed with astonishment, disappointment, and shame. The more he reflected upon his condition, the more hopeless it seemed. Even if his life were to be spared, and if he were to recover his liberty, he never could recover his honor. The ignominy of such a defeat and such a captivity, he knew well, must be indeli- ble. He begged Cyrus to loosen his bonds and allow him personal liberty within the camp. Cyras, pitying, perhaps, his misfortunes, and the deep dejection and distress which they oc- casioned, acceded to this request. Sparga- pizes watched an opportunity to seize a weapon when he was not observed by his guards, and killed himself. His mother Tomyris, when she heard of his fate, was frantic with grief and rage. She considered Cyrus as the wanton destroyer of the peace of her kingdom and the murderer of her son, and she had now no longer any reason for restraining her thirst for revenge. She immediately began to concentrate her forces, and to summon all the additional troops that she could obtain from every part of her kingdom. Cyrus, too, began in earnest to strengthen his lines, and to prepare for the great final struggle. At length the armies approached each other, and the battle began. The attack was com- menced by the archers on either side, who THE DEATH OF CYRUS. 249 8hot showers of arrows at their opponents as they were advancing. "When the arrows were spent, the men fought hand to hand, with spears, and javelins, and swords. The Persians fought desperately, for they fought for their lives. They were in the heart of an enemy's country, with a broad river behind them to cut off their retreat, and they were contending with a wild and savage foe, whose natural barbarity was rendered still more ferocious and terrible than ever by the exasperation which they felt, in sympathy with their injured queen. For a long time it was wholly uncertain which side would win the day. The advantage, here and there along the lines, was in some places on one side, and in some places on the other; but, though overpowered and beaten, the sev- eral bands, whether of Persians or Scythians, would neither retreat nor surrender, but the sur- vivors, when their comrades had fallen, con- tinued to fight on till they were all slain. It was evident, at last, that the Scythians were gaining the day. When night came on, the Persian army was found to be almost wholly destroyed ; the remnant dispersed. When all was over, the Scythians, in exploring the field, found the dead body of Cyrus among the other ghastly and mutilated remains which covered the ground. They took it up with a ferocious and exulting joy, and carried it to Tomyris, 250 CYRUS THE GREAT. Tomyris treated it with every possible in- dignity. She cut and mutilated the lifeless form, as if it could still feel the injuries in- flicted by her insane revenge. ** Miserable wretch!" said she; '' though I am in the end your conqueror, you have ruined my peace and happiness forever. You have murdered my son. But I promised you your fill of blood, and you shall have it." Sosaying,she filled a can with Persian blood, obtained, probably, by the execution of her captives, and, cutting off the head of her victim from the body, she plunged it in, exclaiming, "Drink there, insatiable monster, till your murderous thirst is satisfied." This was the end of Cyrus. Cambyses, his son, whom he had appointed regent during his absence, succeeded quietly to the government of his vast dominions. In reflecting on this melancholy termination of this great conqueror's history, our minds naturally revert to the scenes of his childhood, and we wonder that so amiable, and gentle, and generous a boy should become so selfish, and unfeeling, and overbearing as a man. But such are the natural and inevitable effects oi ambition and an inordinate love of power. The history of a conqueror is always a tragical and melancholy tale. He begins life with an exhibition of great and noble qualities, which awaken in us, who read his history, the same 252 CYRUS THE GREAT. admiration that was felt for him, personally, by his friends and countrymen while he lived, and on which the vast ascendency which he acquired over the minds of his fellow-men, and which led to his power and fame, was, in a great measure, founded.. On the other hand, he ends life neglected, hated, and abhorred. His ambition has been gratified, but the grati- fication has brought with it no substantial peace or happiness; on the contrary, it has filled his soul with uneasiness, discontent, sus- piciousness, and misery. The histories of heroes would be far less painful in the perusal if we could reverse ihis moral change of char- acter, so as to have the cruelty, the selfish- ness, and the oppression exhaust themselves in the comparatively unimportant transactions of early life, and the spirit of kindness, generos- ity, and beneficence blessing and beautifying its close. To be generous, disinterested, and noble seems to be necessary as the precursor of great military success; and to be hard- hearted, selfish, and cruel is the almost inevi- table consequence of it. The exceptions to this rule, though some of them are very splen- did, are vet very few. ALXEIvIUS' Young People's Library. Price, 50 Cents Each. ROBINSON CRUSOE : His Life and Strange Surprising Adventures. With 70 beautiful illustrations by Walter Paget. Arranged for young readers. "There exists no work, either of instruction or entertainment, which has been more generally read, and universally admhed." — Walter Scott. ALICE'S ADVENTURES IN WONDERLAND. With 42 illustrations by John Tenniel. " This is Carroll's immortal story." — Athenceuin. " The most delightful of children's stories. Elegant and deli- cious nonsense." — Saturday Review. THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS AND WHAT ALICE FOUND THERE. (A companion to Alice in Wonderland.) With 50 illustrations by John Tenniel. ' Not a whit inferior to its predecessor in grand extravagance of imagination, and delicious allegorical nonsense." — QuaJ'terly Review. BUNYAN'S PILGRIM'S PROGRESS. With 50 full-page and text illustrations. Pilgrim's Progress is the most popular story book in the world. With the exception of the Bible it has been translated into more languages than any other book ever printed. A CHILD'S STORY OF THE BIBLE. With 72 full-page illustrations. Tells in simple language and in a form fitted for the hands of the younger members of the Christian flock, the tale of God's dealings with his Chos, n People under the Old Dispensation, with its foreshadowing.^ of the coming of that Messia'i who was to make all mankind one fold under one Shepherd. ALTfeMUS' YOUNG PEOPLE'S LIBRARY. A CHILD'S LIFE OF CHRIST. With 49 illustrations. God has implanted in the infant' s heart a desire to hear of Jesus, and children are early attracted and sweetly riveted by the won- derful Story of the Master from the Manger to the Throne. In this little book we have brought together from Scripture every incident, expression and description within the verge of their com- prehension, in the effort to weave them into a memorial garland of their Saviour. THE FABLES OF JESOF. Compiled from the best ac- cepted sources. With 62 illustrations. The fables of yEsop are among the very earliest compositions of this kind, and probably have never been surpassed for point and brevity, as well as for the practical good sense they display. In their grotesque grace, in their quaint humor, in their trust in the simpler virtues, in their insight into the cruder vices, in their inno- cence of the fact of sex, yEsop's Fables are as little children— and for that reason will ever find a home in the heaven of little chil- dren's souls. THE SWISS FAMILY ROBINSON, or the Adventures of a Shipwrecked Family on an Uninhabited Island. With 50 illustrations. A remarkable tale of adventure that will interest the boys and girls. The father of the family tells the tale and the vicissitudes through which he and his wife and children pass, the wonderful discoveries they make, and the dangers they encounter. It is a standard work of adventure that has the favor of all who have read it. CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS AND THE DISCOVERY OF AMERICA. With 70 illustrations. It is the duty of every American lad to know the story of Chris- topher Columbus. In this book is depicted the story of his life and struggles ; of his persistent solicitations at the courts of Eu- rope, and his contemptuous receptions by the learned Geographical Councils, until his final employment by Queen Isabella. Records the day-by-day journey ings while he was pursuing his aim and his perilous way over the shoreless ocean, until he " gave to Spain a New World." Shows his progress through Spain on the occasion of his first return, when he was received with rapturous demon- strations and more than regal homage. His displacement by the ALTEMUS' YOUNG PEOPLE'S LIBRARY. Odjeas, Ovandos and Bobadilas ; his last return in chains, and the story of his death in poverty and neglect. THE STORY OF EXPLORATION AND DISCOVERY IN AFRICA. With 80 illustrations. Records the adventures, privations, sufferings, trials, dangers and discoveries in developing the "Dark Continent," from the early days of Bruce and Mungo Park down to Livingstone and Stanley and the heroes of our own times. The reader becomes carried away by conflicting emotions of wonder and sympathy, and feels compelled to pursue the story, which he cannot lay down. No present can be more acceptable than such a volume as this, where courage, intrepidity, resource and devotion are so pleasantly mingled. It is very fully illustra- ted with pictures worthy of the book. GULLIVER'S TRAVELS INTO SOME REMOTE RE- GIONS OF THE WORLD. With 50 illustrations. In description, even of the most common-place things, his power is often perfectly marvellous. Macaulay says of Swift : " Under a plain garb and ungainly deportment were concealed some of the choicest gifts that ever have been bestowed on any of the children of men — rare powers of observation, brilliant art, grotesque inven- tion, humor of the mo^t austere flavor, yet exquisitely delicious, eloquence singularly pure, manly and perspicuous." MOTHER GOOSE'S RHYMES, JINGLES AND FAIRY TALES. With 300 illustrations. "In this edition an excellent choice has been made from the standard fiction c f the little ones. The abundant pictures are well- drawn and graceful, the eff'ect frequently striking and always deco- rative . " — Critic. " Only to see the book is to wish to give it to every child one knows." — Queen. LIVES OF THE PRESIDENTS OF THE UNITED STATES. Compiled from authoritative sources. With portraits of the Presidents ; and also of the unsuccessful candidates for the office ; as well as the ablest of the Cabinet officers. This book should be in every home and school library. It tells, in an impartial way, the story of the political history of the United States, from the first Constitutional convention to the last Presi- ALTEMUS' YOUNG PEOPLE'S LIBRARY. dential nominations, it is jtist the book for intelligent boys, and it will help to make them intelligent and patriotic citizens. THE STORY OF ADVENTURE IN THE FROZEN SEA. With 70 illustrations. Compiled from authorized sources. We here have brought together the records of the attempts to reach the North Pole. Our object being to recall the stories of the early voyagers, and to narrate the recent efforts of gallant adven- turers of various nationalities to cross the " unknown and inacces- ible " threshold ; and to show how much can be accomplished by indomitable pluck and steady perseverance. Portraits and numer- ous illustrations help the narration. ILLUSTRATED NATURAL HISTORY. By the Rev. J. G. Wood. With 80 illustrations. Wood's Natural History needs no commendation. Its author has done more than any other vpiiter to popularize the study. His MTork is known and admired overall the civilized world. The sales of his works in England and America have been enormous. The illustrations in this edition are entirely new, striking and life-like. A CHILD'S HISTORY OF ENGLAND. By Charles Dickens. With 50 illustrations. Dickens grew tired of listening to his children memorizing the old fashioned twaddle that went under the name of English his- tory. He thereupon wrote a book, in his own peculiarly happy style, primarily for the educational advantage of his own children, but was prevailed upon to publish the work, and make its use gen- eral. Its success was instantaneous and abiding. BLACK BEAUTY; The Autobiography of a Horse. By Anna Sewell. With 50 illustrations. This NEW ILLUSTRATED EDITION is sure to command attention. Wherever children are, whether boys or girls, there this Autobiog- raphy should be. It inculcates habits of kindness to all members of the animal creation. The literary merit of the bo jk is excellent. THE ARABIAN NIGHTS' ENTERTAINMENTS. With 50 illustrations. Contains the most favorably known of the stories. The text is somewhat abridged and edited for the young. It forms an excellent introduction to those immortal tales which have helped so long to keep thj weary world young. ALTEMUS' YOUNG PEOPLE'S LIBRARY, ANDERSEN'S FAIRY TALES. By Hans Christian An- dersen. With 77 illustrations. The spirit of high moral teaching, and the delicacy of sentiment, feeling and expression that pervade these tales make these won- derful creations not only attractive to the young, but equally accept- able to those of mature years, who are able to understand their real significance and appreciate the depth of their meaning. GRIMM'S FAIRY TALES. With 50 illustrations. These tales of the Brothers Grimm have carried their names into every household of the civilized world. The Tales are a wonderful collection, as interesting, from a lit- erary point of view, as they are delightful as stories. GRANDFATHER'S CHAIR; A History for Youth. By Nathaniel Hawthorne. With 60 illustrations. The story of America from the landing of the Puritans to the acknowledgment without reserve of the Independence of the United States, told with all the elegance, simplicity, grace, clear- ness and force for which Hawthorne is conspicuously noted. FLOWER FABLES. By Louisa May Alcott. With colored and plain illustrations. A series of very interesting fairy tales by the most charming of American story-tellers. AUNT MARTHA'S CORNER CUPBOARD. By Mary and Elizabeth Kirby. With 60 illustrations. Stories about Tea, Coffee, Sugar, Rice and Chinaware, and other accessories of the well-kept Cupboard. A book full of in- terest for all the girls and many of the boys. WATER-BABIES; A Fairy Tale for a Land-Baby. By Charles Kingsley. With 94 illustrations. *' Come read me my riddle, each good little man ; If you cannot read it, no grown-up folk can." BATTLES OF THE WAR FOR INDEPENDENCE. By Prescott Holmes. With 70 illustrations. A graphic and full history of the Rebellion of the American Col- onies from the yoke and oppression of England, with the causes 6 ALTEMUS* YOUNG PEOPLE'S LIBRARY. that led thereto, and including an account of the second war with Great Britain, and the War with Mexico. BATTLES OF THE WAR FOR THE UNION. By Prescott Holmes. With 80 illustrations. A correct and impartial account of the greatest civil war in the annals of history. Both of these histories of American wars are a necessary part of the education of all intelligent American boys and girls. YOUNG PEOPLE'S HISTORY OF THE WAR WITH SPAIN. By Prescott Holmes. With 89 illustrations. This history of our war with Spain, in 1898, presents in a plain, easy style the splendid achievements of our army and navy, and the prominent figures that came into the public view during that period. Its glowing descriptions, wealth of anecdote, accuracy f f statement and profusion of illustration make it a most desirable gift- book for young readers. HEROES OF THE UNITED STATES NAVY. By Hartwell James. With 65 illustrations. The story of our navy is one of the most brilliant pages in the world's history. The sketches and exploits contained in this vol- ume cover our entire naval history from the days of the hone^t, rough sailors of Revolutionary times, with their cutlasses and boarding pikes, to the brief war of 1898, when our superbly ap- pointed warships destroyed Spain's proud cruisers by the merci- less accuracy of their fire. MILITARY HEROES OF THE UNITED STATES. By Hartwell James. With 97 illustrations. In this volume the brave lives and heroic deeds c four military heroes, from Paul Revere to Lawton, are told in the most captiva- ting manner. The material for the work has been gathered from the North and the Sou h alike. The volume presents all the im- portant facts in a manner enabling the young people of our united and prosperous land to easily become familiar with the command- ing figures that have arisen in our military history. UNCLE TOM'S CABIN; or Life Among the Lowly. By Mrs. Harriet Beecher Stowe. With 90 illustrations. ALTEMUS' YOUNG PEOPLE'S LIBRARY. The unfailing interest in the famous old story suggested the need of an edition specially prepared for young readers, and elaborately illustrated. This edition completely fills that want. SEA KINGS AND NAVAL HEROES. By Hartwell James. With 50. illustrations. The most famous sea battles of the world, with sketches of the lives, enterprises and achievements of men who have become fam- ous in naval history. They are stories of brave lives in times of trial and danger, charmingly told for young people. POOR BOYS' CHANCES. By John Habberton. With 50 illustrations. There is a fascination about the writings of the author of " Helen's Babies," from which none can escape. In this charm- ing \olume, Mr. Habberton tells the boys of America how they can attain the highest positions in the land, without the struggles and privations endured by poor boys who rose to eminence and fame in former times. ROMULUS, the Founder of Rome. By Jacob Abbott. With 49 illustrations. In a plain and connected narrative, the author tells the stories of the founder of Rome and his great ancestor, y^neas. These are of necessity somewhat legendary in character, but are pre- sented precisely as they have come down to us from ancient times. They are prefaced by an account of the life and inventions of Cad- mus, the *' Father of the Alphabet," as he is often called. CYRUS THE GREAT, the Founder of the Persian Empire. By Jacob Abbott. With 40 illustrations. For nineteen hundred years, the story of the founder of the an- cient Persian empire has been read by every generation of man- kind. The story of the life and actions of Cyrus, as told by the author, presents vivid pictures of the magnificence of a monarchy that rose about five hundred years before the Christian era, and rolled on in undisturbed magnitude and glory for many centuries. ADVENTURES IN TOYLAND. By Edith King Hull. With 70 illustrations by Alice B. Woodward. The sayings and doin^zs of the dwellers in toyland, related by one of them to a dear little girl. It is a delightful book for chil- dren, and admirably illustrated. 8 ALTEMUS* YOUNG PEOPLE'S LIBRARY. DARIUS THE GREAT, King of the Medes and Persians. By Jacob Abbott. With 34 illustrations. No great exploits marked the career of this monarch, who was at one lime the absolute sovereign of nearly one-half of the world. He reached his high position by a stratagem, and left behind him no strong impressions of personal character, yet, the history of his life and reign should be read along with those of Cyrus, Caesar, Hannibal and Alexander. XERXES THE GREAT, King of Persia. By Jacob Ab- bott. With 39 illustrations. For ages the name of Xerxes has been associated in the minds of men with the idea of the highest attainable human magnificence and grandeur. He was the sovereign of the ancient Persian em- pire at the height of its prosperity and power. The invasion of Greece by the Persian hordes, the battle of Thermopylae, the burn- ing of Athens, and the defeat of the Persian galleys at Salamis are chapters of thrilling interest. THE ADVENTURES OF A BROWNIE. By Miss Mulock, author of John Halifax, Gentleman, etc. With 18 illustrations. One of the best of Miss Murlock's charming stories for children. All the situations are amusing and are sure to please youthful readers. ALEXANDER THE GREAT, King of Macedon. By Jacob Abbott. With 51 illustrations. Born heir to the throne of Macedon, a country on the confines of Europe and Asia, Alexander crowded into a brief career of twelve years a brilliant series of exploits. The readers of to-day will find pleasure and profit in the history of Alexander the Great, a potentate before whom ambassadors and princes from nearly all the nations of the earth bowed in humility. PYRRHUS, King of Epirus. By Jacob Abbott. With 45 illustrations. The story of Pyrrhus is one of the ancient narratives which has been told and retold for many centuries in the literature, eloquence and poetry of all civilized nations. While possessed of extraordi- nary ability as a military leader, Pyrrhus actually accomplished nothing, but did mischief on a gigantic scale. He was naturally ALTEMUS* YOUNG PEOPLE'S LIBRARY. of a noble and generous spirit, but only succeded in perpetrating crimes against the peace and welfare of mankind. HANNIBAL, the Carthaginian. By Jacob Abbott. With 37 illustrations. Hannibal' s distinction as a warrior was gained during the des- perate contests between Rome and Carthage, known as the Punic wars. Entering the scene when his country was engaged in peace- ful traffic with the various countries of the known world, he turned its energies into military aggression, conquest and war, becoming himself one of the greatest military heroes the world has ever known. MIXED PICKLES. By Mrs. E. M. Field. With 31 illus- trations by T. Pym. A remarkably entertaining story for young people. The reader is introduced to a charming little girl whose mishaps while trying to do good are very appropriately termed " Mixed Pickles." JULIUS C^SAR, the Roman Conqueror. By Jacob Ab- bott. With 44 illustrations. The life and actions of Julius Csesar embrace a period in Roman history beginning with the civil wars of Marius and Sylla and end- ing with the tragic death of Csesar Imperator. The work is an accurate historical account of the life and times of one of the great military figures in history, in fact, it is history itself, and as such is especially commended to the readers of the present generation. ALFRED THE GREAT, of England. By Jacob Abbott. With 40 illustrations. In a certain sense, Alfred appears in history as the founder of the British monarchy : his predecessors having governed more like savage chieftains than English kings. The work has a special value for young readers, for the character of Alfred was that of an honest, conscientious and far-seeing statesman. The romantic story of Godwin furnishes the concluding chapter of the volume. WILLIAM THE CONQUEROR, of England. By Jacob Abbott. With 43 illustrations. The life and times of William of Normandy have always been a fruitful theme for the historian. War and pillage and conquest were at least a part of the everyday business of men in both Eng- lO ALTEMUS' YOUNG PEOPLE'S LIBRARY. land and France : and the story of William as told by the author of this volume makes some of the most fascinating page^ in his- tory. It is especially delightful to young readf r-;. HERNANDO CORTEZ, the Conqueror of Mexico. By Jacob Abbott. With 30 illustrations. In this volume the author gives vivid pictures of the wild and adventurous career of Cortez and his companions in the conque.-t of Mexico. Many good motives were united with those of ques- tionable character, in the prosecution of his enterprise, but in those days it was a matter of national ambition to enlarge the boundaries of nations and to extend their commerce at any cost. The career of Cortez is one of absorbing interest. THE LITTLE LAME PRINCE. By Miss Mulock. With 24 illustrations. The author styles it "A Parable for Old and Young." It is in her happiest vein and delightfully interesting, especially to youthful readers. MARY, QUEEN OF SCOTS. By Jacob Abbott. With 45 illustrations. The story of Mary Stuart holds a prominent place in the present series of historical narrations. It has had many tellings, for the melancholy story of the unfortunate queen has always held a high place in the estimation of successive generations of readers. Her story is full of romance and pathos, and the reader is carried along by conflicting emotions <>f wonder and sympathy. QUEEN ELIZABETH, of England. By Jacob Abbott. With 49 illustrations. In strong contrast to the story of Mary, Queen of Scots, is that of Elizabeth, Queen of England. They were cousins, yet im- placaMe foes. Elizabeth's reign was in many ways a glorious one, and her successes gained her the applause of the world. The stirring tales of Drake, Hawkins and other famous mariners of her lime have been incorporated into the story of Elizabeth's life and reign. KING CHARLES THE FIRST, of England. By Jacob Abbott. With 41 illustrations. The well-known figures in the stormy reign of Charles T. are brought forward in this narrative of his life and times. It is his- tory told in the most fascinating manner, and embraces the early ALTEMUS* YOUNG PEOPLE'S LIBRARY, II life of Charles ; the court of James I.; struggles between Charles and the Parliament ; the Civil war ; the trial and execution of the king. The narrative is impartial and holds the attention of the reader. KING CHARLES THE SECOND, of England. By Jacob Abbott. With 38 illustrations. Beginning with his infancy, the life of the ** Merry Monarch " is related in the author's inimitable style. His reign was signal- ized by many disastrous events, besides those that related to his personal troubles and embarrassments. There were unfortunate wars ; naval defeats ; dangerous and disgraceful plots and con- spiracies. Trobule sat very lightly on the shoulders of Charles II., however, and the cares of state were easily forgotten in the society of his court and dogs. THE SLEEPY KING. By Aubrey Hopwood and Seymour Hicks. With 77 illustrations by Maud Trelawney. A charmingly-told Fairy Tale, full of delight and entertain- ment. The illustrations are original and strikmg, adding greatly to the interest of the text. MARIA ANTOINETTE, Queen of France. By John S. C. Abbott. With 42 illustrations. The tragedy of Maria Antoinette is one of the most mournful in the history of the world. " Her beauty dazzled the whole king- dom," says Lamartine. Her lofty and unbending spirit under unspeakable indignities and atrocities, enlists and holds the sympa- thies of the readers of to-day, as it has done in the past. MADAME ROLAND, A Heroine of the French Revolution. By Jacob Abbott. With 42 illustrations. The French Revolution developed few, if any characters more worthy of notice than that of Madame Roland. The absence of playmates, in her youth, inspired her with an insatiate thirst for knowledge, and books became her constant companions in every unoccupied hour. She fell a martyr to the tyrants of the French Revolution, but left behind her a career full of instruction that never fails to impress itself upon the reader. JOSEPHINE, Empress of France. By Jacob Abbott. With 40 illustrations. 12 ALTEMUS* YOUNG PEOPLE'S LIBRARY. Maria Antoinette beheld the dawn of the French Revolution • Madame Roland perished under the lurid glare of its high noon ; Josephine saw it fade into darkness. She has been called the *' Star of Napoleon ; " and it is certain that she added luster to his brilliance, and that her peisuasive influence was often exerted to win a friend or disarm an adversary. The lives of the Empress Josephine, of Maria Antoinette, and of Madame Roland are especially commended to young lady readers. TALES FROM SHAKESPEARE. By Charles and Mary Lamb. With 80 illustrations. The text is somewhat abridged and edited f^r young people, but a clear and definite outline of each play is presented. Such episodes or incidental sketches of character as are not absolutely necessary to the development of the tales are omitted, while the many moral lessons that lie in Shakespeare's plays and make them valuable in the training of the young are retained. The b >ok is winnmg, help- ful and an effectual guide to the "inner shrine" of the great dramatist. MAKERS OF AMERICA. By Hartwell James. With 75 illustrations. This volume contains attractive and suggestive sketches of the lives and deeds of men who illustrated some special phase in the political, religious or social life of our country, from its settlement to the close of the eighteenth century. It affords an opportunity for young readers to become easily familiar with these characters and their historical relations to the building of our Republic. An account of the discovery of America prefaces the work. A WONDER BOOK FOR BOYS AND GIRLS. By Nathaniel Hawthorne. With 50 illustrations. In this volume the genius of Hawthorne has shaped anew wonder tales that have been hallowed by an antiquity of two or three thousand years. Seeming " never to have been made" they are legitimate subjects for every age to clothe with its own fancy as to manners and sentiment, and its own views of morality. The volume has a charm fo old and young alike, for the author has not thought it necessary to " write downward " in order to meet the comprehension of children. mm^ 1^^ — -rr . - - ' ^;:::i=:=^-==5:i- >^|^i ^'^w^^^^: w^':^^^ JM^^^Blfll^^ if^ S^ ^^ # ^SSJ? 3?al^ .j^ ^F^lSS^ ^ '^^ >,, / i,\'.53- i^ ■ M^ ^^ ^S^ .;m ms. ;^