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and Mandane's reproaches had gone to his heart。 〃Let Harpagus go home
and send his son to be a panion to the new…found prince。 To…night
there will be great sacrifices in honour of the child's safety； and Harpagus
is to be a guest at the banquet。〃
Harpagus es； and after eating his fill； is asked how he likes the
king's meat？ He gives the usual answer； and a covered basket is put
before him； out of which he is to takein Median fashionwhat he likes。
He finds in it the head and hands and feet of his own son。 Like a true
Eastern he shows no signs of horror。 The king asks him if he knew what
flesh he had been eating。 He answers that he knew perfectly。 That
whatever the king did pleased him。
Like an Eastern courtier； he knew how to dissemble； but not to forgive；
and bided his time。 The Magi； to their credit； told Astyages that his
dream had been fulfilled； that Cyrusas we must now call the foundling
princehad fulfilled it by being a king in play； and the boy is let to go
back to his father and his hardy Persian life。 But Harpagus does not
leave him alone； nor perhaps； do his own thoughts。 He has wrongs to
avenge on his grandfather。 And it seems not altogether impossible to the
young mountaineer。
He has seen enough of Median luxury to despise it and those who
indulge in it。 He has seen his own grandfather with his cheeks rouged；
his eyelids stained with antimony； living a womanlike life； shut up from all
his subjects in the recesses of a vast seraglio。
He calls together the mountain rulers； makes friends with Tigranes； an
Armenian prince； a vassal of the Mede； who has his wrongs likewise to
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avenge。 And the two little armies of foot…soldiersthe Persians had no
cavalrydefeat the innumerable horsemen of the Mede； take the old king；
keep him in honourable captivity； and so change； one legend says； in a
single battle； the fortunes of the whole East。
And then begins that series of conquests of which we know hardly
anything； save the fact that they were made。 The young mountaineer and
his playmates； whom he makes his generals and satraps； sweep onward
towards the West； teaching their men the art of riding； till the Persian
cavalry bees more famous than the Median had been。 They gather to
them； as a snowball gathers in rolling； the picked youth of every tribe
whom they overe。 They knit these tribes to them in loyalty and
affection by that righteousnessthat truthfulness and justicefor which
Isaiah in his grandest lyric strains has made them illustrious to all time；
which Xenophon has celebrated in like manner in that exquisite book of
histhe 〃Cyropaedia。〃 The great Lydian kingdom of CroesusAsia
Minor as we call it nowgoes down before them。 Babylon itself goes
down； after that world…famed siege which ended in Belshazzar's feast； and
when Cyrus diedstill in the prime of life； the legends seem to sayhe left
a coherent and well…organised empire； which stretched from the
Mediterranean to Hindostan。
So runs the tale； which to me； I confess； sounds probable and rational
enough。 It may not do so to you； for it has not to many learned men。
They are inclined to 〃relegate it into the region of myth；〃 in plain English；
to call old Herodotus a liar； or at least a dupe。 What means those wise
men can have at this distance of more than 2000 years； of knowing more
about the matter than Herodotus； who lived within 100 years of Cyrus； I
for myself cannot discover。 And I say this without the least wish to
disparage these hypercritical persons。 For there areand more there
ought to be； as long as lies and superstitions remain on this eartha class
of thinkers who hold in just suspicion all stories which savour of the
sensational； the romantic； even the dramatic。 They know the terrible uses
to which appeals to the fancy and the emotions have been applied； and are
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still applied to enslave the intellects； the consciences； the very bodies of
men and women。 They dread so much from experience the abuse of that
formula； that 〃a thing is so beautiful it must be true；〃 that they are inclined
to reply： 〃Rather let us say boldly； it is so beautiful that it cannot be true。
Let us mistrust； or even refuse to believe e priori； and at first sight； all
startling； sensational； even poetic tales； and accept nothing as history；
which is not as dull as the ledger of a dry…goods' store。〃 But I think that
experience； both in nature and in society； are against that ditch…water
philosophy。 The weather； being governed by laws； ought always to be
equable and normal； and yet you have whirlwinds； droughts；
thunderstorms。 The share…market； being governed by laws； ought to be
always equable and normal； and yet you have startling transactions；
startling panics； startling disclosures； and a whole sensational romance of
mercial crime and folly。 Which of us has lived to be fifty years old；
without having witnessed in private life sensation tragedies； alas！
sometimes too fearful to be told； or at least sensational romances； which
we shall take care not to tell； because we shall not be believed？ Let the
ditch…water philosophy say what it will； human life is not a ditch； but a
wild and roaring river； flooding its banks； and eating out new channels
with many a landslip。 It is a strange world； and man； a strange animal；
guided； it is true； usually by most mon…place motives； but； for that
reason； ready and glad at times to escape from them and their dulness and
baseness； to give vent； if but for a moment； in wild freedom； to that
demoniac element； which； as Goethe says； underlies his nature and all
nature； and