Biographical fiction; Cyrus, King of Persia, -529 B.C. -- Fiction; Education of princes -- Fiction
things that have been and the things that are and the things that are to
be, and all that shall come from these; and to us mortals who ask their
counsel and whom they love they will show signs, to tell us what we
should do and what we should leave undone. Nor must we think it strange
if the gods will not vouchsafe their wisdom to all men equally; no
compulsion is laid on them to care for men, unless it be their will."
NOTES
[This work concludes the translation of Xenophon undertaken by Mr.
Dakyns. ("The Works of Xenophon," with maps, introductions, and notes,
Vols. I.-III., Macmillan.) From references in the earlier vols. (e.g.
Vol. I. pp. lvii., lxx., xc., cxiii., cxxxi.; Vol. III. Part I. pp.
v.-vii.) it is plain the translator considered that the historical
romance of the _Cyropaedia_ was written in Xenophon's old age (completed
_circa_ 365 B.C.) embodying many of his own experiences and his maturest
thoughts on education, on government, on the type of man,--a rare type,
alone fitted for leadership. The figure of his hero, Cyrus the Great,
the founder of the Persian empire, known to him by story and legend, is
modelled on the Spartan king Agesilaus, whom he loved and admired, and
under whom he served in Persia and in Greece (op. cit. Vol. II., see
under _Agesilaus_, Index, and _Hellenica_, Bks. III.-V. _Agesilaus_,
_an Encomium_, passim). Certain traits are also taken from the younger
Cyrus, whom Xenophon followed in his famous march against his brother,
the Persian king, up from the coast of Asia Minor into the heart of
Babylonia (see the _Anabasis_, Bk. I., especially c. ix.; op. cit. Vol.
I. p. 109). Clearly, moreover, many of the customs and institutions
described in the work as Persian are really Dorian, and were still in
vogue among Xenophon's Spartan friends (vide e.g. _Hellenica_, Bk. IV.,
i. S28; op. cit. Vol. II. p. 44).]
C2.4. Qy. Were these tribal customs of the Persians, as doubtless of the
Dorians, or is it all a Dorian idealisation?
C2.13. Good specimen of the "annotative" style with a parenthetic
comment. The passage in brackets might be a gloss, but is it?
C3.3. When did Xenophon himself first learn to ride? Surely this is a
boyish reminiscence, full of sympathy with boy-nature.
C3.12. Beautiful description of a child subject to his parents, growing
in stature and favour with God and man.
C4.2. Perhaps his own grandson, Xenophon the son of Grylus, is the
prototype, and Xenophon himself a sort of ancient Victor Hugo in this
matter of fondness for children.
C4.3. Contrast Autolycus in the _Symposium_, who had, however, reached
the more silent age [e.g. _Symp_., c. iii., fin. tr. Works, Vol. III.
Part I. p. 309].
C4.4. The touch about the puppy an instance of Xenophon's {katharotes}
[clear simplicity of style].
C4.8. Reads like a biographical incident in some hunt of Xenophon, boy
or father.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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