(1) This, then, is what they said and did, but Cyrus bade those he knew to be Cyaxares’ closest associates to receive and guard his things. “I accept with pleasure what you are giving me,” he said. “Whoever among you is especially in want of them may use them.”
One of the Medes who was a lover of music said, “Indeed, Cyrus, at night I listened to the music girls who are now yours, and I did so with pleasure. If you give me one of them, I think I would enjoy more pleasure when I am on campaign than when I stay at home.”
Cyrus said, “I give her to you, and I think I owe you more gratitude for having asked than you owe me for getting her, so thirsty am I to do favors for you all.”
So he who asked received her.
(2) Cyrus summoned Araspas the Mede, who was his companion when he was a boy and to whom he had given his Median robe, the one he was wearing when he was going away from Astyages to Persia.1 He summoned him to guard a woman and her tent for him. This woman was the wife of Abradatas the Susan. (3) Her husband happened not to be in the Assyrians’ camp when it was captured, for he had gone as an ambassador to the king of the Bactrians.2 The Assyrian had sent him to discuss an alliance, for he happened to have ties of hospitality with the king of the Bactrians.3 So Cyrus bade Araspas guard her until such time as he should take her for himself.
(4) Upon being so bidden, Araspas asked, “Cyrus, have you seen the woman whom you bid me guard?”
“No, by Zeus,” said Cyrus, “I have not.”
“But I did,” he said, “when we selected her for you. And indeed, when we went into her tent, at first we did not recognize her, for she was sitting on the ground and all her attendants were around her, and she wore clothes similar to those of her slave girls. Since we wished to know which was the mistress, we looked around at all of them, and she immediately became manifest in her superiority to all the others, even though she was sitting, in veils, looking down at the ground. (5) When we bade her stand up, all those encircling her stood up with her. She at this point surpassed them first in height, then also in both virtue and grace, even though she stood with a posture of dejection. Her tears were also evident, some falling on her robes, others even on her feet. (6) Then the oldest of us said, ‘Take heart, woman: We hear that your husband is noble and good; now, however, we are selecting you for a man who, be well assured, is no worse than he in looks, in judgment, or in the power he has.4 We believe that Cyrus deserves to be regarded with wonder if any other man does, and you will henceforth be his.’ When the woman heard this, she tore at her upper robe and began wailing, and her servant girls also cried out with her. (7) At this point most of her face became visible, as did her neck and hands. And be sure of it, Cyrus,” he said, “as it seemed to me and to all the others who saw her, such a woman has never yet been begotten nor born of mortal parents in all Asia. But by all means, you too must see her.”5
(8) And Cyrus said, “No, by Zeus, much less so if she is such as you say.”6
“Why so?” said the youth.
“Because,” he said, “if hearing from you that she is beautiful persuades me to go to see her now, even though I do not have much leisure, I fear that she in turn will much more quickly persuade me to come to see her again. Consequently I would perhaps sit gazing at her, neglecting what I need to do.”7
(9) The youth laughed and said, “Do you think, Cyrus, that the beauty of a human being is sufficient to compel one who does not wish to, to act contrary to what is best? Yet if this were naturally so, it would compel all in a. similar way. (10) Do you see how fire burns all in a similar way? For it is naturally like this. But concerning beautiful things, they love some, but not others, and one loves one, another loves another. For it is voluntary, and each loves whatever he wishes. For example, a brother does not love his sister, but another loves her; nor a father his daughter, but another loves her, for fear and law are sufficient to prevent love. (11) If a law were set down that those who do not eat must not be hungry and that those who do not drink must not be thirsty, and that one must not be cold in the winter or hot in the summer, no law would have the power to bring human beings to obey these things, for they are naturally overcome by them. But loving is voluntary. At any rate, each loves what suits him, just as with clothes and shoes.”
(12) “How then,” said Cyrus, “if falling in love is voluntary, is it not possible to stop when one wishes? But I have even seen people in tears from the pain of love; and people enslaved to those they love, even though before they fell in love they believed that it was bad to be enslaved; and people giving away many things of which it was better that they not be deprived; and people praying that they get free from it, just as they would from a disease, and yet not being able to get free, but being bound by some necessity stronger than if they had been bound in iron. At any rate, they surrender themselves to serve the many whims of those they love. They nevertheless do not even try to run away, even though they suffer these evils, but they even stand guard so that those they love do not run off.”
(13) And the youth said to this, “People do do these things. Such people, however, are wretched weaklings. Therefore I think they also pray constantly that they may die, because they are in misery, and even though there are thousands of contrivances for getting free of life, they do not employ them. These same people also try stealing and do not refrain from others’ belongings. But whenever they rob or steal something, do you see that you are the first to blame the thief or robber, on the grounds that stealing is not compulsory, and you are not sympathetic but you punish him? (14) So too, people who are beautiful do not compel human beings to love them or to desire what they should not. Wretched little human weaklings, however, do lack control over all their desires, and then they blame love. Yet the noble and good, although they do desire gold, good horses, and beautiful women, are nevertheless easily able to refrain from all these things so as not to touch them contrary to what is just. (15) Although I have seen her and she seemed to me to be very beautiful, I, at least, am still by your side, I ride my horse, and I perform the rest of what is proper to me.”
(16) “Yes, by Zeus,” said Cyrus, “for perhaps you came away more quickly than the time it takes for love, in its nature, to prepare a human being [for its use], for it is possible to touch fire and not be burned immediately, and wood does not immediately flame up.8 Nevertheless, I, at least, do not willingly either touch fire or look at beautiful people. And I advise you, Araspas, not to allow your sight to linger upon beautiful people. Because fire bums those who touch it, but beautiful people ignite even those who gaze from afar, so that they are inflamed by love.”
(17) “Be confident, Cyrus!” he said. “Not even if I never stop gazing, I will not be overcome so as to do anything I ought not to.”
“You speak most nobly,” he said. “Then stand guard as I bid you, and take care of her, for perhaps this woman could become something quite opportune for us.”
(18) After having said these things, they parted.
The youth saw that the woman was beautiful; perceived her nobility and goodness; was attentive to her and thought he thereby gratified her; perceived that she was not without gratitude and that she took care through her own servants that he have what he needed when he came, and that he would need nothing if ever he fell sick. From all this, he was captured by love, and in this he quite possibly experienced nothing to wonder at. So this is how this episode was unfolding.
(19) Wishing that the Medes and the allies stay with him willingly, Cyrus summoned all his chief aides. When they assembled, he said the following: (20) “Median men and all who are present, I know clearly that you have come along with me neither because you are in need of money nor because you believe that in so doing you are serving Cyaxares. Rather, wishing to gratify me in this, and honoring me, you were willing to march all night and to run risks with me. (21) I am grateful to you for this and would be unjust not to be, but I think that I do not yet have the power to pay you back properly.9 Now I am not ashamed to say this, but be assured that I would be ashamed to say, ‘If you stay with me, I will pay you back.’ I believe it would be as though I said this in order to get you to be more willing to stay with me. Instead of this, I say the following: ‘Even if in obedience to Cyaxares you go away now, I will nevertheless try, if I accomplish anything good, to act in such a way that even you who leave will praise me.’ (22) For I myself will not go back, but I will be firm in the oaths and pledges that I gave to the Hyrcanians and will never be caught betraying them. As for Gobryas, who is giving us a fortress, land, and his forces, I will try to act so that he not regret his journey to me. (23) Most important, however, since gods are giving good things so openly,1 would both fear them and be ashamed to go away heedlessly, abandoning these [gifts from the gods]. This, therefore, is how I will act; you act in keeping with your judgment, and tell me what you decide.” (24) Thus he spoke.
First the one who once said that he was Cyrus’ relative spoke.10 “But I, king,” he said, “for you seem to me to have been born a king by nature, no less than is the naturally born leader of the bees in the hive, for the bees obey him voluntarily. If he stays in a place, not one leaves it; and if he goes out somewhere, not one abandons him, so remarkably ardent is their innate love of being ruled by him. (25) And human beings seem to me to be somewhat similarly disposed toward you, for even when you were going away from us to Persia, who among the Medes, whether young or old, failed to follow you, until Astyages turned us back?11 And when you set out from Persia to help us, we again saw nearly all your friends willingly following along. Further, when you desired this expedition, all Medes followed you here voluntarily. (26) Now too we are so disposed that we are confident when with you, even though in enemy territory, but without you we are even afraid to go home. The others will say for themselves what they will do, but I, Cyrus, and those I control, will stay beside you: We will put up with seeing you and remain steadfast in the face of your benefactions.”12
(27) Thereupon Tigranes spoke as follows: “Never be surprised, Cyrus, if I am silent, for my soul has been made ready not to deliberate but to do whatever you order.”
(28) The Hyrcanian said, “If you should go away now, Medes, I would say that it must be the plot of a divinity to keep you from becoming especially happy, for who by human judgment would turn back from enemies who are in flight, or not receive their arms as they surrender them, or not accept them as they give up both themselves and their possessions, especially since we have a leader who seems to me—and I so swear to you by all the gods—to be such as to take more pleasure in doing good to us than in enriching himself?”
(29) Thereupon all the Medes spoke as follows: “You, Cyrus, led us out; when it seems to you to be opportune, also lead us back home with you.”
When he heard this Cyrus prayed, “O greatest Zeus, I ask you to grant that I surpass in doing good the honor they now show me.”
(30) He then bade the others to post their guards and attend to themselves, and the Persians to distribute the tents—to the knights those fitting for them, and to the infantry those suited to them. He also bade them arrange it so that the stewards prepare all things necessary and bring them to the Persians’ formations, and furnish them their horses fully cared for, so that there be no other thing for the Persians to do than to labor at the works of war.13 So they spent this day like this.