The History of Antiquity, Vol. 5 (of 6)Duncker, Max
History
The History of Antiquity, Vol. 5 (of 6)
Duncker, Max
History, Ancient
and 200 silver bowls) if he could induce the king to spare his life and
retain him in the satrapy of Babylonia. He was prepared to give the king
100 talents of gold, 1000 talents of silver, 100 golden and 300 silver
bowls, and costly robes with other gifts; Parsondes also should receive
100 talents of silver and costly robes. After many entreaties
Mitraphernes persuaded the king not to command the execution of Annarus,
as he had not killed Parsondes, but to condemn him in the penalty which
he was prepared to pay Parsondes and the king. Annarus in gratitude
threw himself at the feet of the king, but Parsondes said: "Cursed be
the man who first brought gold among men; for the sake of gold I have
been made a mockery to the Babylonians." The eunuch advised him to lay
aside his anger, and be reconciled with Annarus, for that was what the
king desired; but Parsondes determined to take vengeance for the
sentence of the king, and waited for a favourable opportunity in order
to fly with a thousand horse and three thousand infantry to the
Cadusians, whose most distinguished chief had married his sister. Then
he persuaded the Cadusians to revolt from the Medes, and was elected to
be their general. When the king of the Medes armed against them,
Parsondes armed in return, and occupied the passes into the country with
200,000 warriors. Though the Median king brought up 800,000 men,
Parsondes nevertheless put him to flight, and slew 50,000 Medes. In
admiration of such noble deeds, the Cadusians made Parsondes king, and
they often invaded Media and laid it waste. At the end of his days,
Parsondes commanded his successor to remain an enemy of the Medes, and
pronounced a curse: "If ever peace should be concluded between the Medes
and the Cadusians, might his race and the whole nation of the Cadusians
perish." This is the reason why the Cadusians remained the enemies of
the Medes, and were never subject to them.[485]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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