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taste the wine though he had imitated Sacas in everything else。 And
the boy answered； 〃Truly； I was afraid there might be poison in the
bowl。 For when you gave your birthday feast to your friends I could
see quite plainly that Sacas had put in poison for you all。〃 〃And how
did you discover that； my boy？〃 asked the king。 〃Because I saw how
your wits reeled and how you staggered； and you all began doing what
you will not let us children doyou talked at the top of your voices；
and none of you understood a single word the others said； and then you
began singing in a way to make us laugh； and though you would not
listen to the singer you swore that it was right nobly sung； and then
each of you boasted of his own strength； and yet as soon as you got up
to dance； so far from keeping time to the measure； you could barely
keep your legs。 And you seemed quite to have forgotten； grandfather；
that you were king； and your subjects that you were their sovereign。
Then at last I understood that you must be celebrating that 'free
speech' we hear of； at any rate； you were never silent for an
instant。〃 ＇11＇ 〃Well； but； boy；〃 said Astyages； 〃does your father
never lose his head when he drinks？〃 〃Certainly not；〃 said the boy。
〃What happens then？〃 asked the king。 〃He quenches his thirst；〃
answered Cyrus； 〃and that is all。 No harm follows。 You see； he has no
Sacas to mix his wine for him。〃 〃But； Cyrus；〃 put in his mother； 〃why
are you so unkind to Sacas？〃 〃Because I do so hate him；〃 answered the
boy。 〃Time after time when I have wanted to go to my grandfather this
old villain has stopped me。 Do please； grandfather； let me manage him
for three days。〃 〃And how would you set about it？〃 Astyages asked。
〃Why；〃 said the boy； 〃I will plant myself in the doorway just as he
does； and then when he wants to go in to breakfast I will say 'You
cannot have breakfast yet： HE is busy with some people；' and when he
comes for dinner I will say 'No dinner yet： HE is in his bath；' and as
he grows ravenous I will say 'Wait a little： HE is with the ladies of
the court；' until I have plagued and tormented him as he torments me；
keeping me away from you； grandfather； when I want to come。〃 ＇12＇ Thus
the boy delighted his elders in the evening； and by day if he saw that
his grandfather or his uncle wanted anything； no one could forestall
him in getting it； indeed nothing seemed to give him greater pleasure
than to please them。
＇13＇ Now when Mandane began to think of going back to her husband；
Astyages begged her to leave the boy behind。 She answered that though
she wished to please her father in everything； it would be hard to
leave the boy against his will。 ＇14＇ Then the old man turned to Cyrus：
〃My boy； if you will stay with us； Sacas shall never stop you from
coming to me： you shall be free to come whenever you choose； and the
oftener you come the better it will please me。 You shall have horses
to ride； my own and as many others as you like； and when you leave us
you shall take them with you。 And at dinner you shall go your own away
and follow your own path to your own goal of temperance just as you
think right。 And I will make you a present of all the game in my parks
and paradises； and collect more for you； and as soon as you have
learnt to ride you shall hunt and shoot and hurl the javelin exactly
like a man。 And you shall have boys to play with and anything else you
wish for： you have only to ask me and it shall be yours。〃 ＇15＇ Then
his mother questioned the boy and asked him whether he would rather
stay with his grandfather in Media； or go back home with her： and he
said at once that he would rather stay。 And when she went on to ask
him the reason； he answered； so the story says； 〃Because at home I am
thought to be the best of the lads at shooting and hurling the
javelin； and so I think I am： but here I know I am the worst at
riding； and that you may be sure； mother； annoys me exceedingly。 Now
if you leave me here and I learn to ride； when I am back in Persia you
shall see； I promise you； that I will outdo all our gallant fellows on
foot； and when I come to Media again I will try and show my
grandfather that； for all his splendid cavalry； he will not have a
stouter horseman than his grandson to fight his battles for him。〃 ＇16＇
Then said his mother； 〃But justice and righteousness； my son； how can
you learn them here when your teachers are at home？〃 〃Oh；〃 said Cyrus；
〃I know all about them already。〃 〃How do you know that you do？〃 asked
Mandane。 〃Because；〃 answered the boy； 〃before I left home my master
thought I had learnt enough to decide the cases； and he set me to try
the suits。 Yes！ and I remember once； said he； 〃I got a whipping for
misjudgment。 ＇17＇ I will tell you about that case。 There were two
boys； a big boy and a little boy； and the big boy's coat was small and
the small boy's coat was huge。 So the big boy stripped the little boy
and gave him his own small coat； while he put on the big one himself。
Now in giving judgment I decided that it was better for both parties
that each should have the coat that fitted him best。 But I never got
any further in my sentence； because the master thrashed me here； and
said that the verdict would have been excellent if I had been
appointed to say what fitted and what did not； but I had been called
in to decide to whom the coat belonged； and the point to consider was；
who had a right to it： Was he who took a thing by violence to keep it；
or he who had had it made and bought it for his own？ And the master
taught me that what is lawful is just and what is in the teeth of law
is based on violence； and therefore； he said； the judge must always
see that his verdict tallies with the law。 So you see； mother； I have
the whole of justice at my fingers' ends already。 And if there should
be anything more I need to know； why； I have my grandfather beside me；
and he will always give me lessons。〃 ＇18＇ 〃But；〃 rejoined his mother；
〃what everyone takes to be just and righteous at your grandfather's
court is not thought to be so in Persia。 For instance； your own
grandfather has made himself master over all and sundry among the
Medes； but with the Persians equality is held to be an essential part
of justice： and first and foremost； your father himself must perform
his appointed services to the state and receive his appointed dues：
and the measure of these is not his own caprice but the law。 Have a
care then； or you may be scourged to death when you come home to
Persia； if you learn in your grandfather's school to love not kingship
but tyranny； and hold the tyrant's belief that he and he alone should
have more than all the rest。〃 〃Ah； but； mother；〃 said the boy； 〃my
grandfather is better at teaching people to have less than their
share； not more。 Cannot you see；〃 he cried； 〃how he has taught all the
Medes to have less than himself？ So set your mind at rest； mother； my
grandfather will never make me； or any one else； an adept in the art
of getting too much。〃
＇C。4＇ So the boy's tongue ran on。 But at last his mother went home；
and Cyrus stayed behind and was brought up in Media。 He soon made
friends with his companions and found his way to their