(1) After he had sacrificed, when Cyrus was giving a victory feast, he invited those of his friends who had been especially evident both in their wish to elevate him and in their honoring of him with the greatest goodwill. With them he invited also Artabazus the Mede, Tigranes the Armenian, the Hyrcanian cavalry commander, and Gobryas. (2) Gadatas ruled the mace bearers for him, and the whole way of life inside was arranged in the order he selected. Whenever any guests dined together with Cyrus, Gadatas did not even sit down; rather, he took care of things. But whenever it was they themselves, he dined together with Cyrus, for he21 took pleasure in being with him. In return, he was honored with many great things both by Cyrus and, because of Cyrus, also by others.
(3) When guests came to dinner, he did not seat each of them at random, but whomever he honored most he sat by his left hand, on the grounds that this side was more vulnerable to treachery than the right. He sat the second by his right hand, the third back again on the left, the fourth by the right, and so forth, if there were more. (4) It seemed to him to be good to make clear the way he honored each because of this: Wherever human beings think that the one who is best will neither be heralded nor receive prizes, here it is clear that they are not competitively disposed toward each other. Yet wherever the best person is especially evident in getting the advantage, here all are also evident contending with the greatest enthusiasm.Cyrus thus made it clear who the superiors were in his company, beginning immediately from one’s sitting and standing position. He did not establish one’s assigned seat in perpetuity, however, but he made it customary to advance by good works into a more honored seat, and if one slacked off, to retreat into a seat of diminished honor. He used to be ashamed if the one seated first were not evident in having the most good things from him. And things having come to be like this in Cyrus’ time, thus do we perceive them enduring still even now.
(6) When they were dining, it seemed to Gobryas that it was not at all amazing for a man who ruled many people to have many things. Yet it did seem amazing that Cyrus, who was faring so very well, should not be alone in consuming whatever it might seem pleasant to him to take, but he took on the work of asking those present to share in it. He often saw him sending things in which he happened to be pleased even to some of his absent friends. (7) Consequently, when they had dined and Cyrus passed around all the many things there were from his table, Gobryas then said, “Cyrus, I held before that you most surpassed human beings in being the most skilled general. Now I swear by the gods that you seem to me to surpass them more by your benevolence than by your generalship.”
(8) “Yes, by Zeus,” said Cyrus. “And I display the works of benevolence with much more pleasure than those of generalship.”
“Why?” said Gobryas.
“Because one must display the one by harming human beings, the other by benefiting them.”
(9) After this, when they were drinking, Hystaspas asked Cyrus, “Cyrus, would you be annoyed with me if I should ask you what I wish to learn from you?”
“But by the gods,” he said, “I would be annoyed with you in the opposite case, if I should perceive you being silent on those points that you wished to ask.”
“Tell me, then,” he said, “have I ever not come when you have called?”
“Do not say such a thing!” said Cyrus.
“But if I obeyed, did I obey in a leisurely fashion?”
“No, not like this.”
“Once something was ordered, did I not do it for you?”
“I do not accuse you in this regard,” he said.
“Has it ever happened that you have detected me doing what I do without enthusiasm or pleasure?”
“Least of all,” said Cyrus.”
(10) “Then why, by the gods,” he said, “did you write that Chrysantas is to be seated in a more honored place than I?”
“And shall I tell you?” said Cyrus.
“By all means,” said Hystaspas.
“And you in turn will not be annoyed with me when you hear the truth?”
(11) “I shall be pleased,” he said, “if I know that I am not treated unjustly.”
“Then in the first place, Chrysantas here did not wait for our call; he instead reported before he was called, for the sake of our affairs. Secondly, not only did he do what was ordered; he also did what he himself knew would be better for us if it were done. Whenever it was necessary to say something to the allies, he counseled me on what he thought it fitting for me to say. Whatever points he perceived that I wished the allies to know, but was ashamed to say about myself, he said himself, declaring them as his own judgment. Consequently, in these matters at least, what prevents him from being even better for me than I am myself? And as for himself, he always says that his present possessions suffice, but for me it is always evident that he considers what possible further acquisition would be beneficial; and he rejoices and takes pleasure in what is noble for me much more than I do.”
(12) To this Hystaspas said, “By Hera, Cyrus, I am pleased I asked you this.”
“Why in particular?” said Cyrus.
“Because I shall try to do this. Of one thing only am I ignorant,” he said. “How should I make clear my delight in what is good for you? Must I clap my hands? Must I laugh? What must I do?”
And Artabazus said, “You must dance the Persian dance.”
At this, of course, a laugh arose.
(13) As the drinking party advanced, Cyrus asked Gobryas, “Tell me, Gobryas, do you think it would be more pleasant for you to give your daughter to one of these now than when you first came together with us?”
“Shall I too tell the truth?” said Gobryas.
“Yes, by Zeus,” said Cyrus, “since no question requires a lie.”
“Then be assured,” he said, “that I would do so with much more pleasure now.”
“And would you be able,” said Cyrus, “to say why?”
“I would.”
“Then speak.”
(14) “Because then I saw them bearing labors and risks with enthusiasm, but now I see them bearing good things moderately. It seems to me, Cyrus, to be more difficult to find a man who bears good things nobly than one who bears evil things nobly, for the former infuse insolence in the many, but the latter infuse moderation in all.”
(15) And Cyrus said, “Did you hear, Hystaspas, Gobryas’ saying?”
“Yes, by Zeus,” he said. “And if he says many more such things, he will get me as a suitor for his daughter much more than if he shows me many cups.”
(16) “Indeed I have many such writings, which I shall not refuse you if you take my daughter as your wife. But as for my cups, since it appears to me you cannot stand them, I do not know whether I may not just give them to Chrysantas here, since he has usurped also your seat.”
(17) “And certainly,” said Cyrus, “Hystaspas and you others here, if you speak to me when one of you is getting ready to marry, you will know what sort of colleague I shall be for you.”
(18) And Gobryas said, “And if someone wishes to give his daughter away, to whom must he speak?”
“To me,” said Cyrus, “also about this, for I am very clever in this art.”
“Which?” said Chrysantas.
(19) “Knowing whatsort of marriage would be harmonious for each.”
And Chrysantas said, “Tell me, by the gods, what sort of wife you think would be harmonious for me in the most noble way.”
(20) “First,” he said, “a short one, for you yourself are also short. And if you marry a tall one, if you ever wish to kiss her when she is standing up, you will need to jump up, like a puppy.”
“In this,” he said, “you are taking forethought correctly, for I am not at all a jumper.”
(21) “Next,” he said, “a snub-nosed wife would be of great advantage to you.”
“Why is this so?”
“Because you are hook-nosed. Be assured, then, that snub-nosedness would harmonize best with hook-nosedness.”
“You are also saying,” he said, “that a dinnerless person would harmonize with one who had dined well, just as I now have.”
“Yes, by Zeus,” said Cyrus, “for the stomach of those who are full hooks out, but that of the dinnerless is snubbed.”
(22) And Chrysantas said, “By the gods, would you be able to say what sort of wife would be advantageous for a cold king?”
Here, of course, Cyrus burst out laughing and the others did likewise. (23) While they were laughing, Hystaspas said, “I am very jealous of you in your kingship, Cyrus, especially for this.”
“For what?” said Cyrus.
“Because you are able to provide a laugh even though you are cold.”
And Cyrus said, “Then would you not pay a great deal to have been the one who had said these things, and to have it reported to the woman with whom you wish to enjoy the reputation of being urbane?”
It was in this way, then, that these things were said in jest.
(24) After this he brought out some feminine adornment and told Tigranes to give it to his wife, because she had courageously campaigned along with her husband; and for Artabazus, a golden cup; and for the Hycarnian, a horse; and he gave also many other beautiful gifts.
“Too you, Gobryas,” he said, ‘1 shall give a husband for your daughter.”
(25) “Then you will please give me,” said Hystaspas, “in order that I may receive the writings.”22
“And do you have substance worthy of what the girl has?”23
“Yes, by Zeus,” he said, “in valuables worth many times as much as hers.”
“And where,” said Cyrus, “is this substance of yours?”
“Here,” he said, “where you are sitting, since you are my friend.”
“This suffices for me,” said Gobryas. And immediately stretching out his right hand, he said, “Give him, Cyrus, for I accept him.”
(26) Taking the right hand of Hystaspas, Cyrus gave it to Gobryas, and he accepted it. After this he gave many beautiful gifts to Hystaspas, in order that he might send them to the girl. Drawing Chrysantas over, he kissed him.
(27) Artabazus said, “By Zeus, Cyrus, the cup you gave to me and your gift to Chrysantas are not of similar gold.”
“But I will give one to you too,” he said.
He next asked, “When?”
“After thirty years,” he said.”
“Be prepared, then, for I will be waiting and will not die.”
So then the tent party ceased in this way. When they stood up, Cyrus also stood up and escorted them to the door.
(28) On the next day, he dismissed to go home each of those who willingly became his allies, except as many of them as wished to dwell with him. To these he gave land and houses, and even now the descendants of those who then remained still have them. Most of them are Medes and Hyrcanians. After giving many gifts to those who were going away, and giving them no reason to complain, he dismissed both the rulers and the soldiers. (29) After this he distributed to the soldiers in his circle as much money as he took from Sardis. To the brigadier generals and to his personal aides he gave things selected with a view to the worth of each, and he divided the rest. Giving a share to each of the brigadier generals, he allowed them to distribute it just as he himself had distributed it to them. (30) They gave out the rest of the money, each ruler assessing those who ruled beneath himself. Finally, the rulers of six assessed the privates beneath themselves and gave out the last things in accord with the worth of each. Thus all received their just share.
(31) When they received what was then given, some said things like this about Cyrus: “He himself has a lot, I suppose, since he has given so much to each of us.” Others of them said, “What do you mean ‘a lot’? Cyrus’ character is not such as to make money; rather, he takes pleasure in giving more than in acquiring.”
(32) On perceiving these arguments and opinions about himself, Cyrus gathered together his friends and chief aides, all of them, and he spoke as follows: “Men, friends, I have seen human beings who wish to seem to possess more than they have, thinking that in this way they would appear to be more free.24 These people seem to me to bring on the opposite of what they wish. For when one who seems to have a great deal does not manifestly benefit his friends in accord with the worth of his substance, it seems to me to smack of illiberality. (33) On the other hand, there are those who wish that what they have not be noticed. Now these too seem to me to be worthless to their friends, for when their friends are in need, because these friends do not know what their companions’ possessions are, they frequently do not report their neediness to them; instead, they are overcome.25 (34) This seems to me to belong to one who is most straightforward, that he make his power manifest and contend on this basis over nobility and goodness. And I wish to show you all my possessions it is possible to see, and to describe all those it is not possible to see.”
(35) Having said this, he showed them many beautiful possessions, and what had been deposited so as not to be easy to see he described. In conclusion he spoke as follows: (36) “Men, you must hold all these things to be no more mine than yours, for I am gathering them neither to spend them myself nor to use them up myself (for I would not be able). I do so rather so that I am able to give gifts whenever one of you does something noble and, if any of you believes he needs something, so that he may come to me and take whatever he happens to need.” These things were said like this.