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＇8＇ And Cyrus made answer：
〃I gave you my promise before that if you kept faith with me I would
avenge you； so far as in me lay； and to…day I see the debt is due； and
the promise I made to you I repeat to your daughter； God helping me； I
will perform it。 As for these costly gifts；〃 he added； 〃I accept them；
and I give them for a dowry to your daughter； and to him who may win
her hand in marriage。 One gift only I will take with me when I go； but
that is a thing so precious that if I changed it for all the wealth of
Babylon or the whole world itself I could not go on my way with half
so blithe a heart。〃
＇9＇ And Gobryas wondered what this rare thing could be； half
suspecting it might be his daughter。 〃What is it； my lord？〃 said he。
And Cyrus answered； 〃I will tell you。 A man may hate injustice and
impiety and lies； but if no one offers him vast wealth or unbridled
power or impregnable fortresses or lovely children； he dies before he
can show what manner of man he is。 ＇10＇ But you have placed everything
in my hands to…day； this mighty fortress； treasures of every kind；
your own power； and a daughter most worthy to be won。 And thus you
have shown all men that I could not sin against my friend and my host；
nor act unrighteously for the sake of wealth； nor break my plighted
word of my own free will。 ＇11＇ This is your gift； and； so long as I am
a just man and known to be such； receiving the praise of my fellow…
men； I will never forget it； I will strive to repay you with every
honour I can give。 ＇12＇ Doubt not；〃 he added； 〃but that you will find
a husband worthy of your daughter。 I have many a good man and true
among my friends； and one of them will win her hand； but I could not
say whether he will have less wealth； or more； than what you offer me。
Only of one thing you may be certain； there are those among them who
will not admire you one whit the more because of the splendour of your
gifts； they will only envy me and supplicate the gods that one day it
will be given to them to show that they too are loyal to their
friends； that they too will never yield to their foes while life is in
them； unless some god strike them down； that they too would never
sacrifice virtue and fair renown for all the wealth you proffer and
all the treasure of Syria and Assyria to boot。 Such is the nature；
believe me； of some who are seated here。〃
＇13＇ And Gobryas smiled。 〃By heaven； I wish you would point them out
to me； and I would beg you to give me one of them to be my son…in…
law。〃 And Cyrus said； 〃You will not need to learn their names from me；
follow us； and you will be able to point them out yourself。〃
＇14＇ With these words he rose； clasped the hand of Gobryas； and went
out； all his men behind him。 And though Gobryas pressed him to stay
and sup in the citadel； he would not； but took his supper in the camp
and constrained Gobryas to take his meal with them。 ＇15＇ And there；
lying on a couch of leaves； he put this question to him； 'Tell me；
Gobryas； who has the largest store of coverlets； yourself； or each of
us？〃 And the Assyrian answered； 〃You； I know； have more than I； more
coverlets； more couches； and a far larger dwelling…place； for your
home is earth and heaven； and every nook may be a couch； and for your
coverlets you need not count the fleeces of your flocks； but the
brushwood； and the herbage of hill and plain。〃
＇16＇ Nevertheless； when the meal began； it must be said that Gobryas；
seeing the poverty of what was set before him； thought at first that
his own men were far more open…handed than the Persians。 ＇17＇ But his
mood changed as he watched the grace and decorum of the company； and
saw that not a single Persian who had been schooled would ever gape；
or snatch at the viands； or let himself be so absorbed in eating that
he could attend to nothing else； these men prided themselves on
showing their good sense and their intelligence while they took their
food； just as a perfect rider sits his horse with absolute composure；
and can look and listen and talk to some purpose while he puts him
through his paces。 To be excited or flustered by meat and drink was in
their eyes something altogether swinish and bestial。 ＇18＇ Nor did
Gobryas fail to notice that they only asked questions which were
pleasant to answer； and only jested in a manner to please； all their
mirth was as far from impertinence and malice as it was from vulgarity
and unseemliness。 ＇19＇ And what struck him most was their evident
feeling that on a campaign； since the danger was the same for all； no
one was entitled to a larger share than any of his comrades； on the
contrary； it was thought the perfection of the feast to perfect the
condition of those who were to share the fighting。 ＇20＇ And thus when
he rose to return home； the story runs that he said：
〃I begin to understand； Cyrus； how it is that while we have more
goblets and more gold； more apparel and more wealth than you； yet we
ourselves are not worth as much。 We are always trying to increase what
we possess； but you seem to set your hearts on perfecting your own
souls。〃
＇21＇ But Cyrus only answered：
〃My friend； be here without fail to…morrow； and bring all your cavalry
in full armour； so that we may see your power； and then lead us
through your country and show us who are hostile and who are
friendly。〃
＇22＇ Thus they parted for the time and each saw to his own concerns。
But when the day dawned Gobryas appeared with his cavalry and led the
way。 And Cyrus； as a born general would； not only supervised the
march； but watched for any chance to weaken the enemy and add to his
own strength。 ＇23＇ With this in view； he summoned the Hyrcanian chief
and Gobryas himself； for they were the two he thought most likely to
give him the information that he needed。
〃My friends；〃 said he； 〃I think I shall not err if I trust to your
fidelity and consult you about the campaign。 You； even more than I；
are bound to see that the Assyrians do not overpower us。 For myself；
if I fail； there may well be some loophole of escape。 But for you； if
the king conquers； I see nothing but enmity on every side。 ＇24＇ For；
although he is my enemy； he bears me no malice； he only feels that it
is against his interest for me to be powerful and therefore he attacks
me。 But you he hates with a bitter hatred； believing he is wronged by
you。〃
To this his companions answered that he must finish what he had to
say； they were well aware of the facts； and had the deepest interest
in the turn events might take。
＇25＇ Thereupon Cyrus put his questions： 〃Does the king suppose that
you alone are his enemies； or do you know of others who hate him too？〃
〃Certainly we do；〃 replied the Hyrcanian； 〃the Cadousians are his
bitterest foes； and they are both numerous and warlike。 Then there are
the Sakians； our neighbours； who have suffered severely at his hands；
for he tried to subdue them as he subdued us。〃
＇26＇ 〃Then you think；〃 said Cyrus； 〃that they would be glad to attack
him in our company？〃 〃Much more than glad；〃 answered they； 〃if they
could manage to join us。〃 〃And what stands in their way？〃 asked he。
〃The Assyrians themselves；〃 said they； 〃the very pe