Biographical fiction; Cyrus, King of Persia, -529 B.C. -- Fiction; Education of princes -- Fiction
And now, as the chariot moved onwards, the four thousand lancers went
before it, two thousand on either side, and close behind came the
mace-bearers, mounted on horseback, with javelins in their hands, three
hundred strong. [16] Then the royal steeds were led past, with golden
bridles and striped housings, two hundred and more, and then followed
two thousand spearmen and after them the squadron of cavalry first
formed, ten thousand men, a hundred deep and a hundred riding abreast,
with Chrysantas at their head. [17] And behind them the second body
of the Persian horse, ten thousand more, in the same order, under
Hystaspas, and then again ten thousand under Datamas, and others behind
them under Gadatas. [18] And after them the Median cavalry, and then
the Armenians, the Hyrcanians, the Cadousians, and the Sakians in their
order; and after the cavalry a squadron of war-chariots, drawn up four
deep, with Artabatas the Persian in command.
[19] All along the route thousands of men followed, outside the
barriers, with petitions to Cyrus. Accordingly he sent his mace-bearers,
who rode beside him for the purpose, three on either side of his
chariot, bidding them tell the crowd of suitors, if they had need of
anything, to acquaint one of the cavalry officers and he would speak for
them. So the petitioners withdrew, and fell to marching along the
lines of the cavalry, considering whom they should address. [20] Cyrus
meanwhile would send messengers to the friends he wished to be courted,
saying to them, "If any man appeals to you and you think nothing of what
he says, pay no heed to him, but if his request seems just, report it to
me, and we will discuss it together and arrange matters for him." [21]
As a rule the officers so summoned did not loiter, but dashed up at
full speed, glad to enhance the authority of Cyrus and to show their
own allegiance. But there was a certain Daïpharnes, a person of somewhat
boorish manners, who fancied that he would make a show of greater
independence if he did not hurry himself. [22] Cyrus noted this, and
quietly, before the man could reach him, sent another messenger to say
he had no further need of him; and that was the last time Daïpharnes
was ever summoned. [23] And when the next officer rode up, in front of
Daïpharnes though sent for after him, Cyrus presented him with a horse
from his train and bade one of the mace-bearers lead it wherever he
wished. The people saw in this a high mark of honour; and a greater
crowd than ever paid their court to the favoured man.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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