withall to require a greater power But I would have you to understand thus much saith Cyrus that if all the Persians should come into the field wee were not able for number to surmount our enimies What other meanes then doe you see better than this quoth Cyaxares Were I said Cyrus as you are I would cause to be made for all the Persians that are comming such armour in every point as those Gentlemen of ours have who are repairing hither and be called Homotimi namely a Curace over the brest a light targuet for the left hand and a short curtelax for the right If you can provide us these armes you shall bring to passe that as it wil be more safe for us to confront our enimies cope with them in close fight so it shall be better for them to flie than to keepe their ground And verily we that are Persians be prest to deale with such as will stand to it but looke how many of them do flie those commit we to you and to your horsmen so that they shall have no leisure either to flie or once to turne backe When Cyrus had thus discoursed upon the point Cyaxares approved well his speech insomuch as he made no more words of sending for a new levie but presently provided the armour and weapons abovesaid Now when the same were in good forwardnesse and almost ready the said Peetes were by that time come with the armie sent out of Persia Whom Cyrus after he had assembled together spake by report unto them in this wise CHAP. II. The speech that Cyrus made unto the * Homotimi Chiefetaines of all his hoast for to incite their souldiers to take the harneis and armes that Cyrus had prepared for the Persians MY friends seeing as I did your selves in armes so well appointed and in hearts so resolute as men ready to joyne in close fight with the enemies knowing withall that the Persians who follow you are not otherwise armed than to skirmish a farre off I was not a little affraid least yee being few in number and abiding the shocke of a battayle destitute of those that were to second you and falling upon your enemies so many in number should haply incurre some hard extremity But now considering yee are hither come with such able and manly bodies as cannot be found fault with and that they againe shall have the like armour unto yours it remaineth onely that for your parts yee whet and quicken their hearts For it is the office of a Captaine not onely to shew himselfe hardy but also to endeavour effectually that his souldiers under him may prove right valiant When he had thus said they rejoyced all verily for that they thought they should have many more to accompanie them in fight but one of them above the rest delivered also these words I shall be thought peradventure to speake wonderous absurdly if I should advise Cyrus to say ought in our behalfe what time as they shall receive their armour who are to fight with vs against the enemies For this I know that whosoever be most able either to doe a good turne or to worke mischiefe their words enter deepest into the hearts of the hearers Such men also if they bestow any gifts although they be lesse than those that come from equals yet the receivers doe much more prize the same at their hands Semblably the Persians now in case Cyrus should exhort them would joy farre more than if they were exhorted by us And being admitted into the order of the Peeres they will account the preferment more assured and the benefit better worth if it proceed both from a Kings Sonne and also from a Lord Generall than if by our meanes they were advanced to the very same place of dignity And yet ought not we to faile in performing our parts accordingly but by all meanes wee can encourage these men and give an edge to their stomacks For the more valorous that these prove the better it will be for our selves Cyrus therefore having thus laid downe the armour aforesaid in the mids of the open place and called together all the Persian souldiers made unto them such an oration as this CHAP. III. The exhortation of Cyrus unto the Persian souldiers to put on the armour that King Cyaxares had prepared MY friends yee that are Persians as yee were borne and bred up in the same region with us and are in bodie besides framed nothing inferiour to us so it is meet that your minds also be not worse then ours And albeit such ye are indeed yet in our native countrey yee were not in equall estate and condition with us not for that yee were by us put by but because yee were enforced to provide necessaries Now both I by the leave and power of God will take order that yee shall have the same degree and your selves also if yee be so disposed using the same armes that we doe how ever otherwise in meaner place than we are may enter upon the same daungers with us and upon the atchievement of any noble and worthy exploit receive the like guerdon to ours Heretofore yee were archers and darters as well as wee In which manner of service if yee carried not your selves equall to us it is no marvaile For why yee had not time to practise these feats as wee had But in this kind of armature here we shall have no vantage at all over you For every one of you shall have a curace fitted for his brest a light buckler in his left hand as wee all were wont to carry and in his right an arming sword or battle axe wherewith we are to smite our enemy that standeth opposite unto us and need not feare to misse whensoever we offer to strike What is it then considering this manner of fight wherein one of us should passe another unlesse it bee in boldnesse and courage which yee ought to shew as well as we And as for victory whereby all good things and excellent are both gotten and kept what reason is there that we should desire it more than yee To speake of Soveraignty which giveth all away to the Conquerours from them that be conquered why should it concerne us more than you to seeke therefore To conclude then saith hee yee have heard all and see the very armour Take every man what he needeth and is fit for his body and then give his name to the Captaine of some company for to be entolled in the same degree and ranke with us But whosoever is content with the place of a mercenary souldier let him remaine still in such armes as are meet for servitours unto others CHAP. IIII. The ordinances that Cyrus made for the exercise of his souldiers and to keep them in all obedience THese were the words of Cyrus which when the Persians had heard they made this account that worthy they were from that time forward to live all their dayes in penury and want if being
shall not have them long obedient unto mee Howbeit my meaning is not to give them the spoile of this Citie For I suppose that not onely the Citie would thereby be utterly destroyed but I wote well also that in the rifling thereof the worst will speed best Which when Croesus heard Give me leave I pray you quoth he to say unto some of the Lydians whom I will make choice of that I have obtained at your hands thus much That there shall be no pillage at all and that you will not suffer their wives and children to be quite undone In regard of which grace and favour That I have promised unto you in the name of the Lydians that they shall willingly and assuredly give unto you as a ransome whatsoever is faire and of best price in all Sardes For if they shall heare thus much I am assured they will come with what beautifull thing or precious jewell either man or woman hath here And likewise by another yeere the City will be replenished with many goodly things for you Whereas if you fall to sacke and spoyle it you shall have your very arts and sciences which are the fountaines they say of all good things to perish utterly Moreover seeing and knowing all this you may come and consult further hereafter of saccage at your pleasure But first of all quoth he send you for mine owne treasure and let your officers require the same at the hands of mine the keepers thereof Cyrus approoved all that Croesus had said and gave consent to doe accordingly But tell me first my Croesus quoth he and that to the full what was the end of those points which were delivered unto you from the Delphicke Oracle For it is reported that you have highly honoured Apollo and done all in obedience to him Helas I would it had prooved so quoth Croesus But the truth is My deportment to Apollo hath beene such as to doe all from the very first cleane contrary unto him How came that about quoth Cyrus enforme me I pray you For these be wonders and paradoxes that you tell me First and formost saith Croesus setting behind me all care to enquire of that God those things that were necessary for mee I would needs make proofe forsooth whether he could answer truth or no And well knowne it is saith he I will not say that God but even very men who are good and honest cannot of all things abide to be discredited and if they perceive themselves once that they are not beleeved they love not those that distrust thē But afterwards knowing that I had committed a grosse absurditie and was farre from Delphi I send unto him about children But he at the first time gave mee not so much as an answer Yet afterwards when by presenting unto him many gifts of gold and silver both and by killing very many beasts in sacrifice I had at length pacified him as I thought to this my demaund how I might doe for children hee answered me that children I should have And verily a father I was of children for in this also I assure you he lied not unto me But when they were borne I had no joy nor comfort of them For the one of them was all his life time dumbe and never spake word the other being growne to excellent proofe dyed in the very flowre and best time of his age Depressed thus with these calamities as touching mine issue I send eftsoones to know of the God by what meanes I might lead the rest of my life in greatest felicitie and this answere he returned to me 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 KNOW THY SELFE CROESVS AND THOV SHALT SVRELY BE HAPPY OR THVS CROESE KNOW THY SELFE AND THOV ART HE THAT TO THY LAST SHALT HAPPY BE. Vpon the hearing of this Oracle I rejoyced For I thought that the God by enjoyning to me a most easie matter gave me happines For I supposed that as other men might partly know some and in part not so every one knew himselfe well enough And verily all the time following so long as I lived quietly in peace no cause had I after my sonne his death to complaine of fortune But being once perswaded by the Assyrian King to undertake an expedition and to warre against you I entred into a world of daungers Howbeit escape I did safe for that time without sustaining any hurt So that herein I blame not the God For so soone as I perceived my selfe unable to hold out with you in fight by the helpe of God both I and also my companie gat away in safety But now eftsoones waxing more proud by reason both of my present wealth and their perswasions also who requested me to be their Generall allured also by the rich gifts which they bestowed upon me sollicited againe by men who by way of flattery bare me in hand that if I would take upon me this soveraigne government all the world would be ruled by me Lord I should be of all and the greatest Potentate upon earth By these and such like words I say being puffed up so soone as all the Kings and Princes round about me had elected me for their Generall I tooke upon me to conduct this royall Armie as if I had beene the onely man sufficient for that supreme greatnesse But in truth herein I knew not my selfe For that I thought I was able to match you in the field who first descended from the Gods and then reckoning Kings for your progenitours have even from your childhood practised vertue and chivalrie Whereas the first of my auncestors that ware a diademe I heare say became at once a King and a Free-man By good right therefore punished I am for mine ignorance in that behalfe But now at last good Cyrus quoth he I know my selfe and thinke you Sir that Apollo spake true when he said That if I knew my selfe I should be happy For this question verily I put unto you of purpose because you seeme able to give the neerest conjecture thereof by this present occasion seeing in your hand it is to effect the thing Then said Cyrus Impart unto mee your counsell concerning this matter For considering your former felicitie I pitie your present condition and here withall I permit you to enjoy your wife whom you have your daughters also for I heare say you have some together with your friends your servitours and the table such as hitherto yee have lived at As for battailes and wars I * Or free you from disable you If it be so quoth Croesus then for the love of God deliberate no further what answere to give unto me as touching my happinesse For now I protest unto you If you doe thus as you say it will come to passe that the same life which others have reputed most blessed and to whom my selfe have accorded I shall now both have and hold Then replyed Cyrus And what person enjoyeth this happy life Even mine owne wife quoth he O Cyrus For of
of fraud Is that true signe Vertue doth most applaud Henry Holland in honour of his deerest father Dr. Philemon Holland upon the interpretation of his double Anagram and his indefatigable labours The Hart most ready honest and upright Devoyd of fraud unto each living wight The Head diseas'd for ease of Englishmen The Hand benumm'd with holding of its pen The Pen unworne though worne beyond a pen Doe still hold out to glad their Countrimen They rest in motion and restlesse Rest is that Yet may they rest though Death doth frowne thereat And when those Martalls may be turn'd to dust Th' immortall part must needs b' among the Iust PSAL. 112. vers 6. In memoria aeterna erit justus Vpon the Translatours Pen wherewith only hee translated and wrote all Plutarchs Moralls conteining above a Reame of Paper he wrote this Dystick This Booke I wrote with one poore Pen made of a grey Goose quill A Pen I found it us'd before A Pen I leave it still Which Pen afterwards was begged by an auncient Gentlewoman mother to a Noble Countesse yet living who garnished it in silver and kept it as a Monument The Contents of the eight Bookes following THE FIRST BOOKE The Prooeme treating of Monarchies Democraties and Oligarchies CHAP. I. The Customes of the Persians in governing their Natives How Cyrus was instituted during his Child-hood in the discipline of vertue with other children of his age in the publique Schooles CHAP. II. How Cyrus went into Media with the Queene his mother where he shewed many tokens of his good nature and pregnant wit unto King Astyages semblably of his temperance and sobrietie CHAP. III. How the Queene mother Mandane returned into Persia and Cyrus abode behind in Media where he gave himselfe much to Horseman-ship and feats of Armes And with his owne hand killed many wild Beasts CHAP. IIII. How Astyages through the politicke Counsell of Cyrus wonne a victory of the Assyrians who were come to invade his Territories CHAP. V. How Cyrus returned to his father into Persia and what honour the Medes did him at his departure CHAP. VI. The beginning of the Warres betweene the Assyrians and the Medes Of the Forces that Cyrus levyed in Persia to aide the King of Media his Vnkle CHAP. VII The Oration of Cyrus to the Peeres and Chieftaines of his Army for to incite them to enterprize this warre with the better courage CHAP. VIII The good instructions that Cambyses gave unto his sonne Cyrus as touching the enterprize against the Assyrians and how a good Captaine should carry himselfe with his Army in a strange Country and winne the love of every man CHAP. IX How a Prince may gaine the obedience of his people vanquish his enemies and get the attribute of Wise and Vertuous THE SECOND BOOKE CHAP. I. How Cyrus came into Persia with his men and procured them all to be armed by his Vnkle Cyaxâres CHAP. II. The speech that Cyrus made to the Chieftaines of all his Hoast for to incite their Souldiers to take their harnois and Armes that Cyrus had prepared for the Persians CHAP. III. The exhortation of Cyrus to the Persian Souldiers to put on the new Armour that King Cyaxares had prepared CHAP. IIII. The Ordinance that Cyrus made for the exercise of his Souldiers and to keepe them in all obedience CHAP. V. How Cyrus devised and communed graciously with his Chieftaines and of the pleasant narrations that they related unto him for to doe him pleasure CHAP. VI. The Consultation of Cyrus with his Armie whether he should reward all his Souldiers alike or every one according to his desert CHAP. VII The Oration of Cyrus to his whole Campe the opinions of Chrysantas and Pheraulas as touching that which Cyrus had proposed And what was the conclusion and determination thereof CHAP. VIII The feats of Armes that Cyrus his Captaines practised in exercising their Companies CHAP. IX How Cyaxares gave audience to the King of India his Ambassadours and sent them afterwards to the King of Assyria CHAP. X. How Cyrus being in deliberation and conference with his Vnkle as touching this affaire and about levying summes of money enter prized warre upon the King of Armenia CHAP. XI The Project and speech of Cyrus to his Captaines and to Chrysantas about the laying of an Embush and how the same was put in execution against the King of Armenia THE THIRD BOOKE CHAP. I. How Cyrus without giving Battaile tooke the King of Armenia prisoner and seized upon his Goods The discourses that the said King made with his sonne Tigranes about his deliverance CHAP. II. How Cyrus with great humanitie did set the King of Armenia with his wife and children at large And after he had received their Ransome levyed a good power of Footmen and Horsemen both out of Armenia for this Warre CHAP. III. How Cyrus tooke Tigranes with him in his Traine and went to assayle the Chaldees upon the Mountaines CHAP. IIII. The peaceable Communication that Cyrus had with the Armenians and the Chaldees The mutuall accord and peace betweene them all CHAP. V. How Cyrus sent an Embassage to the Indians and returning into Media consulted about making Warre upon the Assyrians CHAP. VI. The speech of Cyrus to Cyaxares about his expedition against the Assyrians CHAP. VII How Cyrus went to encampe neere unto the Assyrians and prepared to give them Battaile CHAP. VIII The exhortation of Cyrus to his Chieftaines and the Peeres to moove them to advance with better courage to the Battaile CHAP. IX How the King of Assyria issued out of his Campe to fight a Field and made a speech unto his Souldiers How Cyrus and they afterwards joyned Battaile wherein the Assyrians were discomfited THE FOVRTH BOOKE CHAP. I. How the King of Assyria dyed in fight King Croesus and the Assyrians fled and Cyrus purposed to follow in chace CHAP. II. The opinion of Cyaxares to divert Cyrus from following the traine of his Victory CHAP. III. How Cyrus obtained of Cyaxares part of the Medes forces and with them and the Hyrcanians togither that yeeled unto him pursued the Assyrians in their flight CHAP. IIII. The exhortation of Cyrus to his whole Armie inciting them to follow the chace of his Enemies with the Cavallerie of the Medes CHAP. V. How Cyrus defaited the Assyrians againe and tooke prisoners Kings Lords and other Souldiers a great number The order that hee gave how to be provided presently of victuals without confusion and trouble CHAP. VI. How Cyrus communed with his Centeniers perswading them to sobrietie and to stay for their fellowes who were in the pursuit and how they raised a great bootie of men women and goods CHAP. VII Cyrus consulteth with his Centeniers about mounting foot men on Horsebacke and erecting a Persian Cavallerie with the Horses taken from the Enemie in the Warres CHAP. VIII How Cyrus by the counsell and advise of his most politicke Captaines ordained in his Army a troupe of Horsemen serving upon the Assyrians
certeine from whence any good shall redound unto them how ever haply a man may by the events understand the same For many men and those reputed most wise have perswaded * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or States cities to make warre upon those at whose hands they thus perswaded have afterward beene overthrowne Many a man besides hath both enriched private persons and also amplified publike States from whom by their meanes thus enriched and advanced they have susteined afterwards extreme losse and mischiefe Many also when they might have used others as friends with reciprocall interchange of doing and receiving pleasures chusing to make them their slaves rather than their friends have felt the smart thereof and suffred punishment even at their hands Many againe not content to live a pleasant life with a competent and sufficient portion but coveting to be Lords of all have lost thereby even all that they had and possessed before And to conclude many having gotten much gold and treasure which they so greatly wished for have by the same perished and come to ruine Thus mans wisedome knoweth no more how to chuse what is best than if one should cast lots and draw whatsoever falleth unto him Whereas the immortall Gods know all as well past as present yea and the future events of euery King And to as many as seeking to them for direction they vouchsafe their gracious favour therefore signifie what enterprises they are to attempt and what not Now if they be not willing thus to advise all men no marvaile is it For they are not bound of necessitie to regard such as they will not THE SECOND BOOKE CHAP. I. How Cyrus came into Persia with his men and procured them all to be armed by his Vnkle Cyaxáres AS they discoursed thus togither come they were as farre as to the marches of Persia Where after that an Aegle appeared unto them on the right hand and became their guide to lead them the way they made their prayers unto the Gods and Demigods Patrons of the Persian Land for to dismisse them with propitious grace and fauour and so passed over the bounds thereof When they were once past these Frontiers they prayed againe to the Tutelan Gods of the Median Land that they likewise would vouchsafe as graciously and with semblable favour to receive them This done after they had in decent manner embracedech other the father returned backe into Persia but Cyrus journeyed forward in Media to his Vnkle Cyaxáres When he was come thither unto him at their first meeting they saluted one another as it well beseemed Then Cyaxáres enquired of Cyrus how great an Army he had brought Who answered thirty thousand even those who were wont heretofore to come unto you and serve as mercenaries And certeine others besides of the Peeres ranke who never yet went forth to warre are comming to them And How many be they quoth Cyaxáres As for the number said Cyrus it will not greatly please you when you heare it yet thus much I would you knew that as few as these Peeres be whom we call * The floure of the gentry called Homotimi Homotimi they so farre excell as that they be able easily to rule all the other Persians be they never so many But what Is there any need of thē or did you feare in vaine and happly the enimies come not Yes verily that they doe quoth Cyaxáres and those a great number And how know you that said Cyrus Because quoth he how ever there be many come from those parts reporting diversly yet they all agree in one point of substance and speake to the same purpose Then I see quoth Cyrus fight we must against these men No remedie said Cyaxáres Why then replyed Cyrus did not you tell me if you have so good intelligence what power of theirs is a-foot as also what our owne forces bee that upon the certeine knowledge thereof wee may consult togither which way best to joyne battaile with them Hearken then quoth Cyaxáres Croesus that rich King of Lydia bringeth they say ten thousand Horsemen and of Targuetiers and Archers more than 40000. Artámes the Prince of Great Phrygia is said to come with a power of 8000 Horse and of Pikemen and Targuetiers together no fewer then 40000. Aribaeus King of the Cappadocians leadeth by report 6000 Horsemen and his Archers with Targuetiers are not under 30000. Maragdus the Arabian hath in his conduct 10000 men of Armes one hundred Chariots and of Slingers an exceeding great multitude But as touching the Greekes that inhabit Asia it is not yet knowne whether they follow or no Gabaeus as the speech goeth who hath from about the plaine of Caystros 6000 Horse and 10000 Targuetiers will augment his number with those of that Phrygia which joyneth to Hellespont But the Carians verily the Cilicians and Paphlagonians for ought we heare follow not although they were requested to come Howbeit the Assyrian Monarch who hath under him Babylon and all Assyria beside will bring into the Field as I suppose 20000 horse and no fewer Chariots I am sure not above 200 but of footmen I guesse an huge number For so is he wont to doe whensoever he invadeth these parts By this computation then quoth Cyrus you say that our enimies be in Horse 60000 of Targuetiers and Archers not so few as 200000 strong Goe to now to what number say you doe your owne forces amount There be quoth he of Median Horsemen above 10000 of Targuetiers and Archers there may be levied in our owne territory about 60000. But of the Armenians and Borderers there will be here 4000 Horse and 20000 Foot By your saying then inferred Cyrus Our men of armes bee fewer than one third part of our enimies Cavallery our footmen well neere halfe their Infantery How then said Cyaxares doe you accoumpt the Persians to be but few whom you bring as you say with you * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As for fighting men quoth Cyrus whether we haue need of any more or no Wee shall take into consideration * Or shortly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hereafter but for the present relate you unto me the manner of their severall services Surely quoth Cyaxares They use in manner all the same kinde of fight For there be of them as well as of us Archers and Darters Since then said Cyrus they be for weapons thus appointed there musts needs be skirmishing with volly of shot from a farre Of necessitie it will be so answered Cyaxares Then quoth he againe in this kinde of service it cannot be but that the greater number shall have the victory For sooner will there be a few hurt and slaine by many than many by a few If the case so stands my good Cyrus quoth he what devise may a man finde better than to send unto the Persians both to declare unto them that if the Medes susteine any disastre the losse and calamitie will reach even unto them and
him the Carpenters and Masons aforesaid and all other things which he thought necessary repaired unto Cyrus withall speed possible No sooner saw hee him but hee brake out into these words Little it is ô Cyrus that wee men are able to foresee in future things and yet attempt and enterprise many desseins For ere while my selfe when I went about to compasse my libertie became a slave more then ever before and after that wee were taken prisoners whiles wee made full accompt that wee were utterly undone it appeareth now most evidently that wee are preserved no time before so much For those who never ceassed to infest us many wayes I see now to be in that case which I ever wished And thus much ô Cyrus I would have you to know that for to disseize the Chaldaees of these mountaine tops I would have disbursed much more mony than your selfe have of mee And verily the good turnes which you promised to doe unto us what time you received that mony you have performed already We acknowledge our selves therefore to be debters unto you still for other benefits Which if we would not be naughtie persons it were a shame for us not to requite And what requitall soever we make yet shall wee not be found to have made condigne recompense beseeming so beneficiall a friend Thus spake the King of Armenia But the Chaldaees came unto Cyrus as Oratours beseeching him to make peace with them whom Cyrus questioned with in this wise Crave yee peace at this time yee Chaldaees for any thing else but that yee thinke to live in more securitie by peace than by warre considering that wee also said as much The Chaldaees made answere Yea for all other things we have already But what and if replied Cyrus there accrue unto you other commodities beside by the meanes of peace Then said they would wee be the gladder And what other reason is there quoth Cyrus why you repute your selves now to be poore but for lacke of rich and and fertile ground When they accorded to him in this point also How then would yee be content saith Cyrus to pay so much tribute as the other Armenians doe so ye may lawfully occupy and till as much Armenian ground as yee will your selves Yes right willingly answered the Chaldaees if we might beleeve we should susteine no wrong hereafter And what say you King of Armenia would you have this ground of yours that now lieth wast to become tilled provided that the occupiers thereof pay you such rent as you set downe Yes verily quoth the King I would give a great deale of that condition For by this meanes the revenues of my Crowne should be much augmented And yee Chaldaees quoth he what say yee to this considering yee have fertile mountaines would yee willingly permit the Armenians to use the same for pasture yeelding unto you for the pasturage a reasonable rent Yea gladly said the Chaldaees for that we shall receive much profit without any paine and labour But you King of Armenia saith Cyrus are you willing to use their pastures if for a smal commoditie arising unto the Chaldaees your selfe may receive farre greater profits Yea with all my heart quoth he if I thought I might enjoy the said pasture-ground in safetie without molestation What! might yee not enjoy them safely if yee had the helpe of the hâ—ll-tops Yes said the King Hereat the Chaldaees But we par-die shall never be able to occupie wee will not say their grounds but not so much as our owne lands if so be these be masters of the said hill tops But What! quoth he if those mountaines may helpe you Mary then answered they we should thinke our selves well apayed But it were not so good for us beleeve me said the King in case they recover the mountaines againe especially being walled and fortified Well then quoth Cyrus I will take this course The strength of these hill-tops will I deliver to neither of you both But wee our selves will hold them in our owne hands And whether of you wrong the other their parts will we take who susteine the wrong Which when both sides heard they praised the devise and said it was the onely way to establish an assured peace So upon these capitulations following they all gave and received interchangeably hostages for securitie and agreed it was betweene them That they both should be free one from the other enterteine mutuall marriages use tillage and pasture in common indifferently and one aid the other if any did molest either of them Thus for that time things passed and the league then and thus concluded betweene the Chaldaees and the Soueraine Ruler of Armenia remaineth yet in force to this day Now after these Covenants of confederacy were confirmed both parts immediately did put to their helping hands with great cheerefulnesse to build and wall the said fortresse as a common strength and defense for them both and thereto joyntly brought all things necessary CHAP. V. How Cyrus sent an Embassage unto the Indians and returning into Media consulted about making warre upon the Assyrians WHen evening drew neere Cyrus entertained togither with him at supper both parties as being now joyned in mutuall amity And as they sat at supper one of the Chaldaees began and said This accord may well be acceptable to all others of our nation But some Chaldaees there are quoth he that live by preading and robbing who neither have skill of husbandry nor can abide to till the ground as wonted alwaies to get their living by the warres For they used evermore to drive away booties and many a time to serve for wages under the King of the Indians who by their saying is a Potentate full of gold and as often under King Astyages Why then said Cyrus doe they not take wages of me For I will give them as good pay as hee who ever he be that gave most This offer of Cyrus they accepted and said that many would bee right willing to serve him And thus of these points abovesaid were they agreed Cyrus then who had heard say that the Chaldaees oftentimes had recourse unto the Indian King and calling to remembrance that from him there came to the Medes certaine persons as Spies to see and learne what was done among them and the same afterwards went also to the enemies for to have intelligence likewise of their affaires was willing enough that the Indian King might know what deeds himselfe had atchieved And therefore he entred into such a speech as this Tell me ô King of Armenia and yee Chaldaees If I should dispatch a messenger of mine unto the Indian King would ye send any of vours besides who might both conduct the man in his way and assist him also to the obtaining at the said Kings hand of such things as I desire For I gladly would we had more money stil to the end that I might both give large pay to as many as have need and also by
another But the greatest thing of all other in his opinion was this that being in warre-service they thought not any of them who adventured the same perill ought to have more allowance at the table than the rest but supposed that Feast to be best wherein they made their confederates that were to fight with them most valiant Now when Gobryas arose to goe home to his owne house hee used by report these words I wonder now no more quoth he ô Cyrus that we have more drinking cups more garments and gold in coyne and yet are of lesse account than you For all our care and study is who shall have most of these things Whereas your chiefe endeavour is as it seemeth unto me to be the best and most valourous men When Gobryas had thus said Goe to then quoth Cyrus unto him See that to morrow morning betimes you shew your selfe here with your men of armes well appointed to the end that as we may take a view of your forces so you may conduct us through your countrey Whereby also we shall know what parts thereof to account friendly and what to repute as hostile Having thus communed togither they tooke their leaves and either of them went to that which was meet for them CHAP. III. How Cyrus intended to assault the great City of Babylon The discourses which he had with the Prince of Hyrcania and with Gobryas WHen morrow appeared Gobryas presented himselfe with his horsmen accordingly and led the way But Cyrus as became a Generall and chiefe Commaunder did not onely set his mind upon his journey but also as hee passed on cast with himselfe how possibly hee might weaken his enemies and make his owne side stronger Whereupon sending for the Hyrcanian Prince and Gobryas for he supposed them to have most skill in those points which he was to know I thinke quoth he my good friends that I shall not doe amisse to conferre with you that are trusty confederates as touching this warre For I see that it concerneth you much more than mee that the Assyrian King get not the upper hand of * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 us For my selfe if I should take the foile and loose this that I have gotten I might haply find some other place of refuge but in case hee win and get the day I see your whole estate will bee alienated from you and become other mens Mine enemie he is not because he hateth me but for that he supposeth it will be his losse if we be great which is the onely reason why he warreth upon us But you he not onely hateth and that mortally but taketh himselfe also to be wronged by you To this both of them answered That as they had a care to performe the exploit as who knew as much as he told them so they were exceeding sollicitous withall about the future issue of the present enterprise Whereupon thus began he first with them Tell me quoth he Thinks the Assyrian King that yee alone carry hostile hearts against him or know yee that he hath some other enemies besides Yes verily quoth the Hyrcanian Prince His greatest enemies be the Cadusij a nation very populous and mighty The Sacans also our borderers who have sustained much harme from the Assyrian King For he hath attempted to subdue them as well as us Thinke yee not then said Cyrus that both of them now would gladly take our parts and be ready with us joyntly to invade the Assyrians Yes and that right fiercely said they if by any meanes they might joyne with us And what is the let betweene quoth hee that wee may not combine and be united togither Even the Assyrians themselves say they that very nation through which you goe at this time When Cyrus heard this What now my Gobryas and accuse you not this young Prince newly come to the Crowne as one who in his deportment is very proud and insolent Yes verily quoth Gobryas for I found him so But hath he carried himselfe in that sort replyed Cyrus to you onely or to some besides So helpe mee Iupiter quoth Gobryas to many others likewise But of his outrages committed upon feeble persons what need I to relate For a much greater Potentates sonne then I am and one verily who was his companion as mine had beene whiles he dranke and made merry with him he laid hands upon and guelded him because as some have given out a Concubine of his had praised him for his beauty and goodly personage in saying that the woman were right happy who might be his wife but as himself now saith for that he would have forced the said Concubine And now is he become indeed an Eunuch But since his fathers death enjoyeth his Seignorie and Dominion How then quoth Cyrus thereupon thinke you that this young Gentleman also would gladly see us if he might be perswaded that wee would aide and assist him Yes that he would I dare be bold to say quoth Gobryas But to have a sight of him my good friend Cyrus it is an hard matter And why so saith Cyrus Because quoth Gobryas he that will joyne with him must of necessity passe hard by Babylon And what difficulty lyeth in that said Cyrus For that I assure you upon my knowledge there hath issued out of that City a more puissant armie by farre than that which you have in field at this present Moreover this you are to know that for this very cause the Assyrians furnish you lesse with armour now and bring unto you fewer horses than they did at first Because your forces seemed unto them that viewed the same but small and this rumour is already very much spred abroad And therefore in mine opinion better it were that wee march warily and well guarded Cyrus having heard Gobryas deliver such speeches made answer in this manner I approove very well ô Gobryas of this that you advise us to stand upon our guard and to make our journeyes most safely And considering the businesse well I cannot thinke in my mind of any surer way than to passe on directly unto Babylon if so be our enemies forces be there most puissant For many they be in number as your selfe confesse Now if they shall take heart and be confident withall they will upon my word bee terrible also unto us In case therefore they shall have no sight at all of us but thinke that wee keepe close and unseene as if we stood in feare of them know assuredly quoth he that they will be delivered of the feare which they have conceived and in stead thereof gather more boldnesse the longer it be that they see us not But if wee march now straight against them wee shall find many of them weeping and wailing still for those whom we have slaine many having yet their wounds bound up which they received from us and all of them carrying the fresh remembrances of the late manhood and valour of this our armie togither with the
promised that after he had slaine Gadatas he would come to him in person if hee could if not yet would hee from that time forward take the Kings part The messenger appointed for this errand rode post and with great speed came unto the Assyrian King and declared unto the King the cause of his comming which when he heard he presently entred upon the said Castle and with a great power of horsemen and a number of chariots laid wait in the villages standing thicke thereabout Gadatas when he drew neere to those villages sent forth certeine in espiall to cleere the coasts The Assyrian King having intelligence that these espies were comming commaunded two or three of the chariots and some few horsemen to give ground and flie making semblance as if they were affrighted and but few in number Which when those foreriders perceived they not onely themselves followed in pursuit but also gave the Al-arme to Gadatas Who being deceived thereby made after and followed amaine The Assyrians then for that they thought Gadatas at the point to be taken arose streight out of their embushment Gadatas with his companies seeing that fled as good cause they had The otherside againe with as great reason pursued them At which very time that traiterous villaine who had plotted to forelay Gadatas strake him and failed in deed of giving him a deadly blow but smote him in the shoulder and so wounded him Which deed done he went his wayes to joyne with those that followed in chace For being knowne who he was hee togither with the Assyrians put spurres to his horse and helped the King in his pursuit Then and there be you sure they that rode upon the heaviest and slowest jades were taken by those who had the swiftest steeds under them And verily Gadatas his horsemen being all sore overlayed for that they were tired out with their long journey no sooner espied Cyrus comming forward with his armie but a man might well thinke they were right joyous and glad as if out of some storme and tempest they had arrived to a safe harbour Cyrus at the first sight mervailed thereat but when hee understood what the matter was so long as they rode all afront toward him he led his forces in order of battaile against them But so soone as the enemies knowing how the world went reculed and fled Cyrus commaunded the light horsemen appointed therefore to make hote pursuit and himselfe with the rest followed hard after according as he thought it expedient There might a man have seene some Chariots taken out of which the drivers were fallen partly in the very turning and partly otherwise others againe intercepted by the horsemen and surprised They slew also very many and among the rest the traitour himself who had hurt Gadatas Meane-while the Assyrian footmen who were besieging Gadatas his fortresse abandoned that enterprise Some fled for succour into the Castle which had revolted from Gadatas others got away before their enemies and did put themselves into a great Citie of the Assyrian Kings whereinto himselfe with his chariots and horses was retyred Vpon these exploits thus atchieved Cyrus returned backe into Gadatas his country and after order given unto those whom it concerned to take charge of the captives he went directly to see how Gadatas did upon his hurt And as he went forward Gadatas having by that time his wound dressed and bound up met him on the way When Cyrus saw him he rejoyced and said I was comming to you for to see how you did And I quoth Gadatas so God me love was going to behold you againe and see what a countenance you carry bearing as you doe this brave minde who when I wist not my selfe what need you had now of my helpe nor you ever undertooke or promised to doe this for mee ne yet in your owne particular received so much as any small pleasure at my hand but onely for that I seemed unto you in some measure to benefit my friends have so lovingly and with such affection reskued mee as that now for any thing in mee I might have perished but by your meanes I am saved And here my good Cyrus I report mee to the Gods whom I take to record were I as perfect and sound a man as when I was new borne and had I begotten children I doubt whether ever I should have had a child of mine owne who would have prooved so kinde to mee as you have beene For I have knowne other unnaturall children and even for example this very King of Assyria that now is who hath wrought his father much more woe and trouble than himselfe is able now to worke you Whereas Cyrus returned this answere My Gadatas You make a great mervaile of mee now letting passe I assure you a greater wonder And what might that be quoth Gadatas Even this saith he that so many Persians so many Medes so many Hyrcanians and all the Armenians Sacans and Cadusians here present have hastened and beene so forward for your sake Whereupon Gadatas brake out into this prayer O Iupiter the Gods graunt unto these men many good blessings but unto him most who is the author of this their so kinde affection And to the end ô Cyrus that we may enterteine and adorne these whom you so praise here take such hospitall gifts as I am able to bestow And therewith presented unto him very many that not onely whosoever would might sacrifice unto the Gods but the whole armie also throughout be rewarded according to the worth of these Acts so well performed and speeding as well CHAP. VII The good Remonstrances of Cyrus as touching the fault of the Cadusian Prince The treatie with the King of Assyria for the good of his people BVT the Cadusian * Damadas Leader who having the conduct of the rereward had no hand in the chace yet desirous for his part also to doe some notable peece of service by himselfe without acquainting Cyrus with his designe and saying never a word unto him made a rode into the territorie toward Babylon and harried it But whiles his horsemen were raunging abroad and straggling asunder the Assyrian King issuing out of a Citie of his owne whereinto he was before fled came upon them at unwares with his armie very well appointed and in order of battaile to encounter him And when he discovered them to be the Cadusians onely he charged upon them and among many other slew the said Commaunder of them He tooke many horses also of the Cadusians and despoyled them of all that bootie which they had gotten and were driving away Thus the King of Assyria after he had followed the Cadusians in rout so farre as he might with safetie returned As for the formost of the Cadusians they recovered the Campe by the shutting in of the evening and so escaped safe Cyrus being advertised of this disaster went forth and met the Cadusians As he saw any one wounded him hee received and comforted
sumptuous robes than this King Whose gifts are knowne to be such as some of this Kings are to wit bracelets collars and cheines horses also with bridles and trappings of gold For in Persia none may have these but of the Kings gift Who but he hath the name by his large gifts to bring this to passe that he is preferred in love before brethren parents and children who besides him was able so to be revenged of his enemies distant though they were from him many moneths journey as the King of Persia who againe but Cyrus having conquered a mighty Monarchie ended his life so as at his dying day he could get the name of a father among all his subjects and evident it is that this name is attributed unto him rather who giveth benefits than to one that taketh ought away Moreover we have heard it reported that such as are called the * Intelligencers Eyes and Eares of Kings he procured to himselfe by no other meanes but by largesse and giving great rewards For when he highly fed with gifts those who brought him intelligence of all such occurrents as were meet for him to know he effected thus much that very many men both spied and listened after somewhat to bring the same to the Kings eares whereby some commodity might accrue unto him Hereupon it came that a King was thought to have many eyes and as many eares Now if any man think that a King ought to have one to be his especiall eye and no more he taketh not the thing aright For one man is able to see or heare but a little And if that one have this commission all the rest may seeme to be enjoyned negligence Besides whomsoever they perceived once to be that eye of the King him they might know well enough they ought to beware of But the case is nothing so For the King gives eare to every one that saith he hath either heard or seene ought worth regard Thus there are thought to be many eyes and eares of a King and in every place men are affraid to let fall any words that are not for his behouse as if he heard all and likewise to do any thing against his good estate and dignity as if himselfe were in person present to see all And so farre off was any man from daring to give out any reproachfull speeches against Cyrus that every one demeaned himselfe so as if all that were in place conversed continually in the eyes and eares of the King Now that mens hearts were thus knit unto Cyrus I know no better reason that men can alleadge than this that for small kindnesses he was willing ever to give great gifts And no mervaile that he excelled thus in bountifull giving being as he was exceeding rich But this rather deserveth to be spoken of that albeit he was in regall estate and dignity yet he surpassed for courtesies and favours to his friends and dependants Certes reported it is of him that in no one thing was he so much abashed to be overcome as in kind offices to his friends And to this purpose reported there is this Apophthegme of his For he was wont to say that the parts required in a good heardman and a good King were semblable And as it was the duty of a pastour after he hath made the beasts under his hand in good plight and happy For that verily is the felicity of cattaile then to use them even so a King ought to make use of those Cities and that people which himselfe before had made fortunate CHAP. III. The triall that Cyrus made of his friends love unto him How he dealt away his riches to be himselfe the better beloved of them and they not to affect one another NO wonder it was therefore that Cyrus being himselfe of this minde labored especially to outgoe all other men ingentlenesse humanitie And hereof it is reported that he gave a singular proofe unto Croesus what time as * That is Croesus he admonished him and said That giving away so much as he did he would himselfe become a begger in the end Whereas quoth he you are the onely man that might have laid up exceeding much treasure of gold in your coffers if you had list For then Cyrus by report asked him saying And how much money thinke you might I have had by this time if according to your rede I had bin a hoarder of gold from the first time that I came to mine Empire Croesus answered and named a certaine great summe Then Cyrus Goe to then Croesus quoth he send with Hystaspas here some one whom you of all other trust best And as for you Hystaspas Goe among my friends from one to another and say in my name that for some businesse of mine owne I am at a fault for gold and in very truth great occasions I have of money will them to let me have what they can every one make And withall when they have set downe the severall summes and sealed them up to give the note of particulars with a letter to Croesus his servitour for to bring backe with him When hee had written also whatsoever he had spoken and signed his letters he gave them to Hystaspas to carry unto his said friends with this * Or Postscript Addition unto them all That they should entertaine Hystaspas also the bearer as his friend and favorite Now when hee had gone round about them all and Croesus his minister brought the letters aforesaid then Hystaspas You are to make use of mee also quoth he ô King Cyrus as of a wealthy man For loe here am I enriched of a sudden with many gifts in regard of your letters Whereupon Cyrus Here is ô Croesus our Treasure that we have gotten already Consider the rest by him and reckon what great summes of money I am provided of in case I stand in need of them for any purpose Croesus when he had cast the accompt found as they say that it amounted to much more than hee said Cyrus should have found in his Exchequer if hee had beene a gatherer and laid up continually When this appeared thus See you not ô Croesus quoth Cyrus that I also am stored with treasure But you would have mee by heaping up altogither at home for to lye open unto envie and hatred abroad by the meanes thereof yea and to set hirelings and trust them with the keeping of the same But I accompt my friends by mee enriched to bee my treasuries and the keepers both of my person and also of my goods more sure and faithfull than if I should wage garrison-souldiers and trust them with the custodie thereof Another thing also will I say unto you That which the Gods have put into mens minds and thereby made them all indigent and poore alike the same affection verily I my selfe am not able to conquer and subdue For I cannot have my fill of money no more than all others But in this point mee
Terrestriall And let not him prosper or thrive that will not eft-soones say and pray LET THE KING LIVE yea and I adde Methushelahs life the King of Heaven Him lend Vpon Whose life Millions of Lives depend To conclude these illiterate Lines The English Translatour of this Booke my deare Father now an old man full of yeeres and living still in your Mediterranean City Coventry named in former times CAMERA PRINCIPIS farre remote from Court could not himselfe present this last labour of his unto your Highnesse hands but hath left it unto me so to doe Deigne therefore my Liege Lord and deare Soveraigne with my Fathers loyalty and mine prostrated your benigne Aspect hereunto and gracious Protection thereof though from the unworthy hand of him who thrice humbly beggeth pardon for his boldnesse Your Maiesties meanest yet most loyall Subiect HENRY HOLLAND To my Worthy and Learned Friend Philèmon Holland Doctor of Physicke on his Translations WHEN truce on Death thy pow'rfull Art had prest And Hels grim Ferriman had forc't to rest Thy rest learn'd Holland was from pitchy night And darknesse damn'd to bring to publike light Knowledge of Times and States which antique Rolles Had veyld and wrapt in Greeke and Latine scrolles Hence hath our Language Natures mysteries Moralls Domestique foreine Histories England knowes England For the thanke is thine That Pliny Livy Plutarch Marcelline Suetonius Camdens Britaine Xenophon Speake English now can stand alone But though thy skill o're Lethe and Styx have power Can save what Death and Time would else devoure Yet can it not escape that blatant Beast Which at the heeles dogges vertue whose chiefe feast Is gall of base Detraction which barkes That Learning earst engross'd by languag'd Clarks Entaild on Gownes by the Translatours pen Is now made common to meere Englishmen And why should Spanish French and other Nations Rather than wee make use of such Translations Why should not Courtiers reade what Courtiers write And Souldiours know what Souldiours doe recite Besides that Authours oft are rectifi'd In the translating and their wants suppli'd I wish in Arts as Story we might save Labour and time for language wee should have Sooner and sounder Science fill our mind With things not words eat fruit not gnaw the rind Live long grave Sir and write write thus so shall The publique profit grow th' Ingrossers fall Greeke spight and Latine envy breake their gall THOMAS FARNABY Armig. To Doctor HOLLAND upon this his Translation VVIth the prime Poems of their faetuous Bray'n The learned Bards of great Augustus daies Presented Caesar Caesar them againe Besides great Gifts with his own learned Layes With no lesse Bounty learned Holland play 's With his great Master famous Xenophon To Hollands youth He the Greeke Tongue bewray's Him teaching t' understand it as his owne In guerdon of whose paines Holland him pay's Shall I be bold to make the Paragon The English with the Greeke in equall praise A full smooth Language yielding unto none That when unequally I come to paize Them Both in Ballance of Comparison My doubtfull Mind 's divided divers Wayes Whom to prayse most with thanks and thereupon Determine thus to say as Paris say's They both deserve the Garland to have won Yet if ought odds there beene thine be the Bayes Grave learned Holland who so long agon Dead in his Grave thy Master now dost raise And adde new Life to his dry'd Skelliton Making him proud translated thus to bee From Greece to England and to learne of Thee W Lathom Gen. To learned Dr. Philemon Holland the faithfull Translatour of Xenophon HOvv well hast thou laid out thy aged sweat To benefit thy Country to repeat Those sober Rules examples which declare Thy Authours ripenesse and thy learned Care How sweet a weight dwells in thy cleanly Stile Each English tongue must speak 't none can defile Thy honour bought with paines or dare bespaule Wise Innocence with their ignorant Gall Such vertue stands above their Malice blest But this Translation shall speake the rest Which shall remaine admir'd till Time betray By breaking of his Glasse the Worlds decay Io Hall Hosp Gray Gen Of Doctor Philemon Holland BEfore thy rare Worke I shall truly prize Let mee thy Name first Etymologize Learned Philêmon which unlesse I misse Wee call Deosculor i. sweetly to kisse When Iupiter with Mankinde much offended From high Olympus to the Earth descended With Mercury the better how to know How all affaires were manag'd here below No Creature save Philêmon he could find To give him Food or welcome to his mind For which his Cottage he a Temple made And lest his memory by Time should fade When he grew old as Thou Philêmon now To a faire Oake with many a spreading bow He chang'd the good old man to yield such Mast As should both Memory and Time out-last Wee live not in an age so dull and rude But of the Gods wee can learne Gratitude Acknowledging by many a sweet Translation What profit Thou hast brought unto our Nation Into the Greekish Treasures thou hast broake Plutarch and Xenophon have English spoake And though They living no such Language knew As dead long since their Works to us are new Latine did at our Barbarisme once hisse Thy refin'd Pen hath made them sweetly kisse Picking from them the best and choisest Flow'res By making Pliny and Suetonius ours So much our English is now growne so rare It may with either of those Tongu's compare Ioves Tree decay Thou canst not or if dead Yet from Thy Mast how many shall be fed Who Thy Translations read If King CHARLES give Grace to Thy Worke King CHARLES shall ever live An observer of all true Worth and Learning THOMAS HEYVVOOD Gen. To my worthy friend Mr. HENRY HOLLAND the publisher of this His Fathers Worke. TWixt Parent and the Issue I have hear'd Ther 's a Descending Love but ever fear'd To speake of Love that did Ascend till now But Harry Holland In this Worke I vow To doe thy Father right thy Toyle thy paine From home to 'th Presse from the Presse home againe To see this thing Corrected that Amended Perswades mee now thy Love hath much transcended Th' art too as good a Subject as a Sonne Vnto thy Liege For whose sake this was done Idem THOMAS HEYVVOOD THe Translatour once caused in a faire Signet of a Gold Ring to bee engraven in the midst of the colit the heart of a man all naked or plaine insteed of an Embleme about which there went round this Symbolum or double Anagram of both his Names to wit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Philemon Holandus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 implying thus much in Latine Animus praesens fraudum expers A ready heart without deceit Verum Amicorum signum Both which members of the sentence joyned togither make up this one Hexameter with the addition of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That signifieth est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A ready Heart and minde thus voide
his Lords and Chiefe Commanders about the affaires of State How he tooke to wife the daughter of Cyaxares and being returned to Babylon sent Rulers and Deputies into all his Provinces CHAP. IX The expeditions that Cyrus made during his Reigne and how hee returned into Persia and there dyed CHAP. X. How after the death of Cyrus all his ordinances were perverted The Authours discourse concerning the government of the Persian Kings after Cyrus FINIS THE FIRST BOOKE TREATING OF THE LIFE AND INSTITVTION OF CYRVS KING OF THE PERSIANS the first of that name The Prooeme I Entred sometimes into this serious cogitation How many * Popular States or free States menaged by the people Democraties haue been subuerted by those who would needes gouerne the Common-wealth otherwise than in a popular State How many also as well * Absolute States ruled by one Prince Kingdomes Monarchies as * Seignories vnder some few Rulers Oligarchies are come already to nought by conspiracies of the Commons How many persons likewise who attempted as absolute Princes to reigne were either very soone vtterly ouerthrowne or else if they ruled any while held in great admiration as passing wise men and fortunate Me thought againe I had obserued thus much That whereas in private families some masters haue many seruants in houshold others very few yet even those few they could never have wholly at commaund I considered moreouer that as the feeders of Neate and Horses so all others bearing the name of * Heardmen Pastors may by good right bee reputed the Commaunders of such beasts as they have vnder their hands But withall I perceived evidently that all these Heards are more willing to obey their Pastours than men their Magistrates For the said Heards go whithersoeuer their Heardmen direct them and as they gladly graze in those * Or Pasture grounds to which they are by them driuen so they forbeare such as they debarre them fro And verily they suffer their said Pastours to vse at their owne pleasure those profits that arise from them Neither have we ever knowne any such Heards to have risen rebelliously against their Pastours either by way of disobedience or in denying them the vse of their fruits Nay rather more curst and hurtfull are beasts to all others whomsoever than to their Rulers and those who receive commodity by them whereas contrariwise Men set themselves against none more than such as they perceiue goe about to exercise dominion ouer them When I had well pondered these points in my minde thus I concluded in the end That more easie it was for a man to command all other living creatures in the world than men But when I considered eftsoones How Cyrus a Persian borne had won exceeding many men very many Cities and Nations likewise to his obedience I was thereby enforced to change my former opinion and thus to resolve at the last That it is neither impossible nor yet a matter of difficulty to governe men in case one have the skill thereof and goe about it with dexterity For why of this we are assured that there yeelded obeisance willingly vnto Cyrus some who were many dayes others as many moneths iourney distant from him those that never saw him yea and such as knew full well they should never see him yet nathelesse would they all become his liege men and devoted subiects And no maruell For so farre excelled he all other Kings as well those that by inheritance succeeded in their Fathers Kingdomes as those who by their owne conquest attained to their dominions that whereas the Scythian King albeit the Scythians be a State for number of people most puissant is not able to command any forraine Nation but would be well apaid if he might but rule his owne The Thracian Prince likewise the Thracians and the Illyrian Potentate the Illyrians which is the case as we heare say of other Countries besides For in Europe the people live by report severally vnder their owne lawes and remaine hitherto free one from another Cyrus alone who found the States of Asia likewise ruled by their owne lawes having with a small Army of Persians made an invasion became Soueraigne Lord verily of the Medes and the Hyrcanians without resistance as who willingly raunged themselves vnto him But the Syrians Assyrians Arabians Cappadocians * Of the greater Phrygia and the lesse See the beginning of the second booke Phrygians both the one sort and the other the Lydians Carians Phoenicians and Babylonians hee by force of armes subdued The Bactrians moreouer the Indians and Cilicians likewise the Sacans Paphlagonians Megadines and other nations exceeding many whose very names a man may hardly rehearse he reduced vnder his Empire The Greekes also in Asia he brought to his devotion And hauing made expeditions and voyages by sea conquered the Cyprians and Egyptians Thus atchieved he the Seignorie of the nations which in language agreed neither with him nor yet among themselves And notwithstanding he was able to compasse so great a part of the earth and that through feare of his prowesse in so much as he astonished all men and none durst attempt any thing against him yet could he withall imprint such an affection in their hearts with an earnest desire to doe him pleasure as that they sued alwaies to be ruled according to his will and direction Furthermore he had so many sorts of people obliged vnto him as it were a painefull piece of worke to number them all what way soever a man take from his royall Palace either East West North or South In which regard I haue diligently enquired touching this Prince as of a man worthy to be admired and namely how he was by birth descended what his naturall disposition was what manner of education hee had that he so farre surpassed all men in princely government Whatsoever therefore I have either heard or otherwise seeme to haue knowne as touching him I will endeavour to relate CHAP. I. The custome of the Persians in government of their Natives How Cyrus was instituted during his Child-hood in the discipline of vertue with other children of his age in the publike Schooles CYrus verily by report had for his Father Cambyses King of the Persians now was this Cambyses lineally descended from the Persidae which take their name of Perseus And his Mother all writers agree to have beene Mandane the daughter of Astyages King of the Medes The common speech is and among the Barbarians rife it is even at this day in every mans mouth That Cyrus naturally for his outward countenance was very faire and well fauoured and for the inward enduments of his minde most courteous passing studious and exceeding desirous of honour insomuch as for to win praise he would refuse no paines but vndergoe all perils whatsoeuer Cyrus being thus by nature endued with rare gifts of the minde and adorned with beauty of body also according as we find in written records was trained vp
ride Here is for thee because thou didst bestow on me a dart for * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or thus For this onely am I able now to doe this have I yet by me To one I give thee this in regard of thy good service to my Grandfather And to another have thou this at my hands because thou doest honour to my mother In this manner dealt he untill he had made an hand of all the flesh which he received But how is it quoth Astyages that thou givest nothing to Sacas my Cup-bearer whom of all others I esteeme most Now was this Sacas a goodly fellow of person and besides in that place of credit and honour as to admit Suiters vnto the presence of Astyages and to put backe such as he thought came out of season and not meet to have accesse But Cyrus as a child not smaying at all nor abashed at the question readily came upon him againe with a reply And why Grandfather quoth he set you such store by this Sacas Then Astyages answered merrily in this manner Seest thou not quoth he how destly and featly he doth his office for the Cup-bearers of these Kings be very neate and fine in powring in the wine with a singular grace bearing the * Or boll Cup also with three fingers so handsomely that as they deliuer it into the hands of him that shall drinke thereof hee may receive it with greatest facility Why quoth Cyrus commaund Sacas good Grandfather to put the Cup likewise into my hands that I also serving you with wine right decently may if I can win your grace and favour Whereupon Astyages willed him to give the Cup unto Cyrus which when he had received he rinsed it as featly as he had seene Sacas doe it and so with a setled countenance hee brought it to his Grandfather and gave it him so curiously with such a seemely gesture that he set both his Mother and Astyages a laughing full heartily And Cyrus himselfe taking up a laughter for company ran unto his Grandfather and kissed him saying withall Thou art utterly undone Sacas for I am like to thrust thee out of thy honorable place For as in other respects I shall powre out wine better than thou so when I do it I will not drinke it off my selfe For these Kings Cup-bearers when they present a cup of wine powre some of it forth into a taster which they hold in their left hand and so take the assay and drink it off to the end that if they had conveyed poyson into the Cup they might not escape themselves without a mischiefe Hereupon Astyages minding to make some sport with Cyrus And why quoth he unto him dost thou imitate Sacas in all points else but drankest not the wine as he did Because said he I feared that poyson was mixed therewith in the goblet For when upon your birth-day you feasted your * or Favourites friends I perceived evidently that he powred forth unto you all very poyson And how knewest thou that quoth he my Sonne For-sooth said Cyrus because I saw you distempered both in body and minde For first looke what ye forbid us children to doe that did yee your selves yee did set up a cry and howred all at once together yee fell to singing and that very ridiculously and whom yee heard not to sing at all ye would not sticke to sweare that he sung passing well Moreouer when every one of you bragged of his owne strength and valour no sooner rose yee vp to daunce but so farre were yee from keeping the measures that unneth ye were able to stand vpright on your feet So that yee all forgat your selves you that you were a King and the rest that they were your subjects And then learned I first that this which you then did was that very * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 liberty of free speech which alloweth every man to speake indifferently his mind And to say a truth your tongues neuer lay still Why quoth Astyages then Tell mee my sonne when thy father drinketh wine is hee not drunken otherwhiles No truly answered Cyrus But how doth he order the matter quoth Astyages that he continueth sober Truly saith Cyrus he drinketh so as that hee allayeth his thirst onely and in so doing other harme hee feeleth none For hee hath no Sacas I trow Grandfather to fill him wine Hereat inferred his mother and said What is the reason my sonne that thou art so heauy a friend to Sacas and thus set against him To tell you troth said Cyrus because I hate him in my heart for many times when I am desirous to runne unto my Grandfather this fellow most lewd and wicked varlet as he is puts mee backe But I beseech you good Grandfather giue mee the command ouer him but three daies And after what sort said Astyages wilt thou exercise thy authoritie vpon him Stand I will quoth Cyrus in the very entry where he is wont to stand and when he would come in to dinner Backe Sirra will I say There is no ingresse for you yet unto your dinner My Grandfather is busie in giving audience unto certaine persons Againe when he commeth to supper I will say Hee is now bathing of him And if I see that very faine he would eat I will tell him that my Grandfather is even then with the * or Women Ladies Thus will I doe untill I have put him off like as himselfe useth to delude and delay mee keeping mee backe from accesse to your presence Such prety sports as these ministred Cyrus at the table all supper while But in the day time if he perceiued that either his Grandfather or Vnkle by the Mothers side had a minde to any thing hard it was for any other to prevent him in effecting the same For exceeding glad was Cyrus to gratifie them in any service to his power CHAP. III. How the Queene Mother Mandane returned into Persia and Cyrus abode behind in Media where he gave himselfe much to Horse-manship and feates of Armes and with his owne hand killed many wild beasts NOw when Mandane addressed her selfe to returne unto her husband Astyages besought her to leave Cyrus with him But shee made this answer againe That willing shee was indeed to satisfie her father in all things howbeit she thought it hard to leave the childe behind her against his will Then Astyages directing his speech to Cyrus my sonne quoth he if thou wilt tarry here with me First and formost for accesse to me thou shalt not be beholden to Sacas nor at his appointment But whensoever thou art disposed to enter into my chamber it shall be as thou wilt thy selfe and the oftner that thou shalt repaire unto me the more thanke will I conn thee Againe mine owne horses shall be at thy commaund yea and others as many as it pleaseth thee to use And when thou wilt depart take with thee which of them thou list Besides at thy
set me forward against those enemies whom I know most certainly by that which my selfe have seene in them already to be unexpert in fight against us Certes for my part I hold not these to be able souldiers who howsoever they have the feat and knowledge to shoot well to dart likewise and ride aswell yet cannot endure any labour but quaile when they are put unto it But these our enemies for any matter of paines taking are very raw and untrained novices Neither are they to be accompted good souldiers who when they should watch cannot away withall and our enemies here are such as for their sleepe cannot of all things want it Nor yet may they goe for good warriors who albeit in the points abovesaid are sufficient enough yet be to seeke how to carry themselves toward their friends and how to enemies And evident it is that these here be altogether to learne those disciplines which in warre be of greatest consequence But as for you able yee are to use the night in every point as well as others the day yee repute labours to be the guides leading the way to pleasant life Hunger yee reckon in stead of sauce * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and to drinke water yee can endure better than the very Lyons To conclude the fayrest possession the most precious treasure and best agreeable unto warriors that is yee have laid up within your hearts in that ye take more joy in being praised than in all things else in the world And they that are lovers of praise and renowme must needs for the attaining thereto willingly undergoe all travell and abide all daunger Now if I should pronounce thus much of you thinking and knowing otherwise I doe but deceive my selfe as upon whom the fault will redownd incase no such thing be performed by you But verily such is your owne skill your love also to me ward such likewise is the blockish ignorance of our enemies that I trust assuredly these good hopes will not faile mee Only let us march on in this our journey with bold and couragious hearts considering it is farre from us to be thought for to covet other mens goods unjustly for even now as our enemies are comming and begin first to deale wrongfully with us so our friends call unto us for ayde What then is there either more just than to put by an injury or more honourable than to helpe our friends Moreouer in this regard I suppose you repose not the least confidence because I have not enterprised this expedition with neglect of the Gods For being as yee are privy unto many of my doings and much conversant with mee yee know very well that not only in weighty affaires but also in smaller matters I use alwayes to begin in the name of the Gods In conclusion quoth he what should I say more when you have chosen and taken unto you elect men and are otherwise in all points well and sufficiently provided set forth toward the Medes As for mee repaire I will unto my Father to the end that having with all speed learned of him the state of our enemies I may accommodate you what I can in this affaire and so with the power of God make a right noble journey of it CHAP. VIII The good instructions that Cambyses gave unto his sonne Cyrus as touching the enterprise against the Assyrians and how a good Captaine should carry himselfe with his army in a strange country and win the love of every man THus therefore were they busied and thus prepared they themselves But Cyrus after his returne home and having made his prayers unto Vesta the Patronesse of his countrey to Iupiter also the Protectour thereof and to other gods did put himselfe in his war expedition and his father brought him on his way When they were gone forth of the Palais it thundered and lightned on the right and lucky side as they say whereupon without any other token or presage taken by augury they marched forth as who would say no man then could be ignorant of the signes given by the most high and mighty God Now when Cyrus was gone a little forward his father began to discourse unto him in this wise That the gods my Sonne are propitious and accompany thee with their gracious favour evident it is as well by sacrifices as celestiall tokens and thou thy selfe doest know as much For taught thee I have these matters of purpose partly that thou mightest know the will and counsell of the gods by no other interpreters but understand the same by thy selfe seeing the sights and hearing the noises that are to bee seene and heard and not depend upon wizards who might if they were disposed deceive thee by relating other things than were signified by the gods above and partly because if at any time thou wert without a Soothsayer thou shouldest not doubt what to resolve upon by those divine tokens but observing by this skill of Divination what Gods will is obey the same Surely father quoth Cyrus endeavour I will alwaies even to the uttermost of my power and according to your advertisement that the gods being favourable unto us would ever be pleased to aduise us for the best For I remember that I heard you once say It standeth with good congruity that he should obtaine any thing at the gods hands as well as at mans yea and more easily who doth not fawne upon them when he is in distresse but at what time he is in greatest prosperity even then thinkes upon the gods most of all You said moreover that the same consideration of friends likewise must be had Certes then my Sonne quoth Cambyses being as thou art so devoutly affected to the gods thou commest unto them now at this time more willingly in that regard to crave their helpe yea and thou hopest so much the rather to obtaine whatsoever thou needest and makest petition for because thy conscience beareth thee witnesse that thou wert never slacke in their service Doubtlesse father quoth he I am thus conceited of the * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gods as of my affectionate friends What Sonne said the Father and doest thou remember those points which sometime we resolved upon Namely that such men are like to speed better who have learned those sciences which are given unto us by the gods than those that be ignorant of the same Againe that by travell they shall gaine more than by sitting still As also that by carefull diligence they shall live in more safety than if they carry themselves carelesly and take no heed And verily thus was then our opinion that after this sort wee should crave good things at Gods hands to wit in demeaning our selves as we ought Truly Father quoth Cyrus I remember very well that I heard you deliver these lessons and I could not choose but of necessity yeeld my consent to those speeches and bee perswaded thereby Full well I wot also what you added moreover and
like defaults For that my sonne as well you as your enimies are of necessitie to meet with many of these occurrents For both of you ought to goe and send out a foraging yee cannot choose yee must needs of both sides take your sleepe Early in the morning yee cannot otherwise doe but all-togither make starts and straggle aside to purvey necessaries and such waies as yee light upon be they better or worse yee are to use perforce All these things ought you to thinke upon and looke wherein yee finde your selves weakest therein most of all yee are to be wary and circumspect in what things you perceive your enimies easiest to be taken and vanquished therein especially to set upon them What! quoth Cyrus is it lawfull to lay for vantage in these particulars onely or in some others beside Yes ywis that it is and in those much more my sonne For in these all men for the most part keepe sure watch and ward as knowing that ordinarily they have need thereof But they that are skilfull to circumvent their enimies can either put them first in a good conceit of themselves and then surprize them at unwares or suffer them to follow in chase and so cause them to breake their raies or by semblance of flight traine them into streights and places disadvantageous there to assaile them sodainly Now my sonne it behooveth you to practise not onely all these stratagemes which with earnest desire you have already learned but devise also and of your owne head other sleights against your enimies even as Musicians use not those tunes and songs onely which they have learn'd but study also to make set other And verily in Musick new dities and fresh notes in their very prime are in most request but much more in warre new policies are best set by For why such late devised inventions are those that soonest can deceive the enimies And if you my sonne quoth he would turne upon men nought else but those sleights which you have laid for very small wild beasts thinke you not that you should make good progresse in winning the better hand of your enemies For to catch foule you have in the most bitter time of winter risen and gone forth by night yea and before the poore birds were stirring set snares and grins for them so cunningly as that the mooveable false floore seemed like unto that which mooved not Besides certeine foules were so taught by you as that they served your owne turne but in the meane time deluded other silly birds of their owne fether whiles your selfe lay in convert and espiall so as you saw them and they had no fight of you Moreover your care and endevour was to prevent the said foules and draw them unto you before they should flye away As for the Hare because she goeth to releife and feedeth in the darke night but by day saveth her selfe by her light foot you kept Hounds which by sent might finde her out and for that when shee is started shee swiftly runneth away you had Greehounds besides trained of purpose to overtake her in pursuit by good footmanship And in case the said Hares should out-strip these Greehounds also you learned out their paths and musets and to what harbours they chuse to flie therein you pitched haies and nets hardly to be seene to the end that the Hare in her most eger flight 01 might fall into them and therein entangle her selfe And that shee might not escape thence you placed men of purpose to watch and marke the manner of it who being neere at hand should streight-waies seize upon her And your selfe verily from behind by setting up a lowd cry that raught unto her so affrighted the poore Hare that caught shee was at unwares whiles those who on the forepart lay in waite instructed by you to keepe silence were hidden and unseene Therefore as I said before if you would practise likewise such devises as these against men I know not for my part how you should come short of any enemie in the world Now if it chaunce at any time that you be enforced in plaine even ground and open feild to joyne battaile with ensignes displayed when yee are on both sides armed and well appointed even then my sonne those helpes and advantages provided long before do very much availe And such I say be these namely if your souldiours bodies have beene well exercised if their hearts have had an edge set upon them and thereby be well encouraged and last of all if they have diligently studied and practized martiall feats aforehand Moreover this thing also you are to know that so many as you shall thinke it meet they should obey you will all of them likewise deeme it as fit that you provide for their good and safetie every way Therefore be you never carelesse in this point but foresee over-night what you would have your liege men to doe the morrow and fore-cast by day how night-service may speed best Furthermore in what sort an armie is to be put in order against a battaile after what manner it is to be led in march by night or day how in streights how in broad plaines and open wayes how over hilly places how through champian fields and plaines Also in what wise a campe is to be pitched How watch and ward is to be set as well for night as day How to advance against the enimies how to come off and retire How to march before an enimie-citie how to lead an armie to the assault of a walled Fort and how to withdraw the same from thence In what manner to passe through * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hollow waies full of woods or over rivers What order to take with horsemen what with darters and archers Also when you lead your armie displaied into wings if then your enimies charge directly upon you in what sort are you to make head and withstand them Again when you lead it in forme of a thicke * Or Phelony squadron and they flanke you from some other side and not afront in what manner you are to encounter them Also by which meanes you may best know your enimies behaviour and projects and they least perceive your desseine and purpose But all these points why should I now rehearse unto you For whatsoever my selfe knoweth you have often heard and if others besides seemed expert therein you have not neglected conference with any one of them and never were you dull witted and hard to learne You ought therefore as I thinke according as occasions shall be presented to put such instructions in ure as you shall suppose will be at all times most expedient for you And learne withall my sonne of mee these directions of greatest importance Never adventure any thing either by your selfe alone or in your armie without warrant of sacrifices and auguries by bird flight considering thus much that men take matters in hand no otherwise than by guesse as not knowing for
for to bee debated rather than to denounce that you will proceed so For have you not already proclaimed publike Games and withall published prices Yes pardie said Cyrus but the case of those and these is not alike For whatsoever by their souldier-fare in this expedition they shall win they will deeme the same I thinke to be common unto me and them all As for the soveraigne rule and commaund of the army they suppose it haply due still unto me as being laid upon me from the State at home And therefore in appoynting as I doe * Provosts or Superiours Captaines and disposing of their charge they are perswaded I trow that I doe not therein wrongfully And thinke you quoth Chrysantas that the whole multitude of them assembled together will decree That every man shall not have equall share but the best and worthiest person ought to be preferred respectively both in honours and gifts I verily saith Cyrus am of that mind partly for that yee are ready to opine the same with me and partly because it is unbeseeming to gainsay this position That whosoever both travaileth most and procureth greatest good to the Cōmon-wealth is worthy also of best advancement Nay the very basest cowards of all will thinke it behoovefull I suppose that valiant men ought to bee preferred before others And Cyrus verily was willing enough that this decree should passe for those * Homotimi Peeres sake For he thought that even they would bee more valourous if they knew once that being first judged by their deeds they should receive condigne rewards He thought it therefore the best opportunity at this very time to have this matter decided by voices when as the very Peeres themselves feared this equall condition of the vulgar with them It was thought good then by all those who were assembled in the Pavilion of Cyrus to referre this question in hand to a Scrutinie and that who ever would be reputed a man in deed should accord thereto A Centurion there was in place who smiling hereat One man quoth he of the common sort I know who will soone agree that this even partage thus hand over head shall not passe And who may hee be I pray you asked another It is saith he a tent-fellow of mine who in all things by his good will would have more than others What! saith another In labour and paines taking too Nay quoth he Ho there Here I am taken in a lye For in travailes and all such matters he ever suffreth very gently any one that will to have more than himselfe Then Cyrus I ordaine saith he that such fellowes as he now speaketh of should be called and displaced if wee intend to have a valiant and obedient army For of this opinion am I that the multitude in generall of souldiers stand thus affected even to follow which way soever any man leadeth them Now such I suppose as be honest and valourous endeauour to be leaders unto good and honest actions but lewd and wicked persons unto lewd and naughty deeds And truely it falleth out oftentimes that lewd folke induce more to follow them and take their part than the better sort For vice conversing among pleasures which soone offer and present themselves useth their helpe joyntly to perswade many to assent unto her whereas vertue leading the way directly up to steep ascents is not very powerfull and able so quickly and out of hand to winne and draw men unto her especially if there be others againe who allure them to gentle easie and pleasant descents And therefore if there be any who onely in sluggardy loitering and refusing * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to take paines become naught such I repute as drones to endamage their fellowes in matter of expense and nothing else but such as in paines taking with others be slacke howbeit in seeking their owne gaine forward enough and shamelesse withall they become ringleaders also unto lewdnesse For they are able many times to shew and prove that wickednesse hath sped best and gained most Wherefore such as these in any wise we ought to discharge and remoove from among us And verily yee are not so much to consider how yee may supply and make up these your broken bands with your owne countrimen but like as in horses yee lay for them that be best and not bred at home even so in choice of men of all others take them whom yee thinke likely and meet both to adde most strength and bring also greatest honour to your selves And that such a course will speed well I presume also upon the testimony of this one instance For that neither can a chariot be swift in which the steeds be slow nor a Councell or judiciall Court be just wherein unrighteous men be joyned with others in Commission ne yet a house well governed that employeth lewd and naughty servants Nay lesse detriment should an house receive wanting servants altogether than being pestered with those that be false and wicked Certes my friends I would have you to know thus much that by weeding out lewd souldiers not onely this good shall ensue that such persons will be rid away and gone but of those also who shall remaine behind with us as many as be already infected and growne full of wickednesse shall be purged of the same againe Yea and the good when they shall see the wicked disgraced and put to shame will with farre greater alacritie embrace vertue When Cyrus had thus said all his friends approoved well of his words and did accordingly Then began Cyrus eft-soones to jest and inferre a pleasant conceited speech For perceiving one of the * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 some reade 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Caporall or Leader of 12. as appeareth afterward Centiniers to bring with him as a guest to supper and to have sitting close by his side a certeine fellow exceeding hairy and withall as foule and deformed he called unto him the said Captaine and spake thus unto him How now Sambaulas for that was his name leade you after the Greeke fashion about with you as your shaddow this pretty youth that sitteth here next unto you because he is so faire and well-favoured Yea verily doe I quoth Sambaulas And so loue me God as I delight both to be in his company and also to behold his countenance When the other tent-fellowes heard this they looked wistly upon the partie and perceiving his face to be passing foule and ill-favoured they all fell a laughing And one among the rest Now for Gods sake quoth he Sambaulas for what good demerit is this man so highly in your favour I will tell you truly quoth Sambaulas How often so ever I called him either by night or by day he never pretended for his excuse any businesse of his owne nor used to tell his steps as he went but alwaies ranne at my command When so ever I have set him about any thing I never saw him doe
ought but he swet at it Moreover hee hath made the whole dowzain beside like unto himselfe shewing them not by word but by deed how they ought to behave themselves Then said one If he be such an one as you speake of kisse you him not as you are wont your kinsmen To this the party himselfe with that deformed face of his Not so ywis for hee cannot away with paines taking And if he should but kisse me once it might * Or excuse him serve for all his other exercises whatsoever Such matters as these mirth and earnest were delivered and debated at this feast * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. In the end after they had performed the third complement of sacred Libations and withall prayed unto the Gods for to give them good successe they arose from boord to bed and so brake up their meeting CHAP. VII The Oration of Cyrus unto his whole Campe. The opinions of Chrysantas and Pheraulas as touching that which Cyrus had proposed And what was the conclusion and determination thereof THE morrow after when Cyrus had gathered all his souldiers togither he made a speech unto them in this manner Friends we have a battaile toward For our enimies approach And rewards belong only to victorie If we be victours certeine it is that both the enimies will be ours and likewise all the enimies goods but if we be vanquished for this must alwaies be our saying semblably all our goods in case we be overcome are present prizes and rewards evermore for the winners Moreover thus much yee ought to know that if men taking part togither in warre shall every one set downe this reckoning that nothing will succeede well vnlesse for their parts and places they play the valiant men they will soone atchieue many and those right braue exploits For such as they will not neglect through slouth any seruice that is to be done But when ech one thinketh that some other man there will be to do the seruice to fight though himself sit still take his ease then make this full accompt and be sure that there is no misfortune and calamity but all such persons must abide it And verily this after a sort is the ordinance of God For ouer those who will not enioyne themselves labour to effect good things he setteth others to rule and command Now therefore let some one arise up here and speake to the point whether he thinketh that it is like wee will giue our mindes to exercise vertue the rather if he that is willing to travaile most and to enter into greatest daunger shall obtaine also the greatest honour or if he know that it matters not at all if one bee a coward seeing that all of us shall be rewarded alike Then Chrysantas one of the * Or Knights Homotimi Peeres above said arose No big man was he of person to see to nor strong but of singular wisedome who spake in this wise I suppose quoth he ô Cyrus you propound not this case to be decided because you thinke it meet that cowards should by right have equall part with valiant men but to try whether any one will be seene to carry this minde that although himselfe execute no good and commendable Act yet hee would be full partner and reape like fruit of those things which others by their valour have atchieved As for my selfe quoth he swift I am not of foot nor yet a tall man of my hands And full well I wote that for any feats which I shall with my body performe I cannot be raunged in the first nor second ne yet I suppose in the thousandth no nor peradventure in the ten thousandth place And yet thus much also I know for certeine that if hardy men shall attempt any brave deeds and doe their best I shall have such part of some good commodities as I am thought of right to deserve but if both cowards and slow-backs shall doe just nothing and also the valorous and able men be put out of heart and discouraged I feare me quoth he I shall have a part of any thing rather than that which is good yea and in greater measure then I would When Chrysantas had thus said there stood up after him Pheraulas a Persian Commoner one in some sort ever since they came from home inward with Cyrus and well accepted of him A man for his body not unpersonable and in regard of his minde seeming no ignoble and base pesant who made this speech I suppose ô Cyrus quoth he and yee Persians as many as are present that we all endevour and strive to the triall of vertue For I perceive that generally wee acquaint our bodies to like diet wee are admitted all to semblable societies and meetings and the very same acts of Prowesse are propounded to us all indifferently For to obey those that be in authority is a point in common that concerneth all and whosoever is known thus to doe without refusall pretending excuse for the matter him I see most honored at Cyrus his hands Also to be stout and valiant against the enemy is a thing not deemed decent for one and undecent for another but even the same hath been judged already to be most seemly and honourable for all But now say I a fight battaile also is presented unto us unto which I see all men are fitted and skilfull by nature like as other creatures are cunning every one in some fight or other which they have learned of no other schoolemaster but of nature As for example the Bull or Oxe is naturally taught to push with his horne the Horse to strike with his house the Dog to bite with his mouth and the Bore to wound with his tusk And all these beasts know to avoid those things which are most to be taken heed of And yet for this they never frequented any Schoole at all My selfe when I was but a little one knew even then how to cast some thing in his way who I thought would beat me And if I had nothing else about mee I would put forth both my hands and as much as possibly I could impeach him that was smiting of mee And this did I untaught For beaten otherwhiles I was if in defence of my selfe I opposed ought betweene Being but a very child I would catch up a sword wheresoever I could see it not taught of any other so much as how to take and hold it but onely by instinct of nature as I suppose Nay I would thus doe when I was not taught but forbidden to doe it Like as other things there by which notwithstanding I was restreined by my father and mother both yet by nature I was enforced to practise And so helpe me Iupiter as I loved to be striking with a sword what ever I could reach covertly and not espyed Neither was this unto me naturall onely as to goe or to run but besides the motion of nature that way mee thought I found
a pleasure and sweetnesse in so doing Seeing then quoth he this fight is left unto us wherein naturall courage is like to prevaile more than artificiall cunning why should not we delight to enter into contention and aemulation with these * Or Gentlemen Peeres considering that the like rewards of fortitude be proposed unto us on both sides and yet we know that we for our parts hazard not alike For these here adventure an honourable life which is the onely life of all others most pleasant but we a painfull and laborious life in deed but a life without honour which I suppose is most odious and displeasant And now my fellow foldiers this most of all inciteth me to entertein a contention and triall with them For that Cyrus shall be our judge who will not upon any envie determine partially but I dare upon mine oath say That I am verily perswaded in my heart that whom soever Cyrus seeth to beare themselves valiantly those he loveth no lesse than his owne heart And this I perceive in him that upon them here he bestoweth what he hath with more pleasure than keepeth it for himselfe yet I am not ignorant That these Peeres be high minded Gentlemen and of hautie stomacke brought up and trained as they are to endure hunger thirst and cold Full little knowing that wee have learned even the same of a better Schoolemaster than they For there is no better Preceptour of these things than Necessitie which hath taught us to be very perfect therein As for these Gentlemen I say enured they have beene to trauaile in bearing their armours which all men have devised to make so as they might be borne most easily but we were put to goe and runne also under great burdens so that now the carriage of harnois seemeth unto me more like unto wings than burdens And therefore tak mee ô Cyrus for such an one as will doe my devoyr and whatsoever I am better or worse I shall require to be honoured and advanced according to my worthinesse and not otherwise And yee also my friends of the Commons I exhort you that yee will arme your selves in this battaile to strive for the better with these Gentlemen so well brought up And now no doubt quoth he are these Gallants * Overmatchd overtaken already in this triall with us the Commons To this effect spake Pheraulas There were also many others beside who rose up and accorded to both their speeches Whereupon there passed a Decree That every man should be honoured and rewarded after his owne worth and Cyrus to be Iudge thereof And thus verily proceeded these matters CHAP. VIII The feats of armes that Cyrus his Captaines practised in exercising their Companies MOreover Cyrus invited also upon a time a whole Centurie togither with their Centinier to supper by occasion that he had seene him to divide his Companie into two parts and to set them in battaile ray one side against the other ready to skirmish armed as they were on both sides for defense with brest-plates and bearing in their left hands light * Or wicker targuets bucklers But for offense he gave unto the one halfe in their right hands good round * Or wasters bastons signifying to the rest that they should take up clods and fling them at their opposites Now when they stood thus arraunged and appointed he gave them the signall to combat Then the one part threw from them their clods at the other and hit them some on the brest-plates and bucklers others upon the thighs and * Or greaves boots But when those were once come to close fight who had the wasters abovesaid they laid about them and basted the other well some on their thighs others about their hands and armes others also over their shinnes and legges yea and if any of them stouped for to take up clods they would be sure to lay upon their necks and backs At length the * Or bastoniers waster-men put the others to flight pursued them and beat them throughly with much good laughter and pastime Others also for their parts againe would in like manner take wasters in hand and serve them so who fought with flinging clods Cyrus admiring as well the witty devise of the Leader as the due obedience of the Soldiers for that they were at once both exercised and also emboldened and seeing withall those gaine the better who counterfaited the Persians armour and weapons being much delighted with this sight bade them all to supper and espying in his pavilion some of them with their shinnes and legges others with their armes and hands bound up he asked them what they ayled who answered that they had beene hurt with clods then demaunded he of them againe whether they caught their hurt when they met close togither or when they were farre asunder they made answer when they were farre asunder but when wee came to close-hand-fight said the Wastermen we made most pleasant pastime and sport Sport cried out the other who had beene well basted with the bastinado We for our parts found no such sport when we buckled togither thus to be cudgelled and with that shewed on their armes hands and necks yea and some of them upon their faces the dry blowes of the bastons which they had received And then verily they laughed heartily one at another as they might well enough The day following the whole field was full of men who assayed to imitate these in this manner of fight and when they had no other weightier affaires in hand they practised evermore this kinde of game Moreover Cyrus having espied on a time another Centurion leading his Centurie one by one from a river * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to dinner and when he saw his time commanding the Caporalls to bring forward the hindmore band the third likewise and the fourth in to the front also when as now the Caporals or Leaders of the said bands were all afront how he bade them to double their fyles and lead every band by two and two And so thereupon the Decurions brought forward their men afront accordingly And when he thought it good againe how he gave charge to lead their bands by foure and foure in ranke whereupon the Quincurions went forward with their souldiers so as that the band marched foure and foure in ranke Also how after they were come once to their Pavilion doore heeled the formost band in commanding them to march two by two in ranke willing withall the second to follow hard after in the very taile of the other and having given the like charge to the third and fourth how he led them in And thus as he brought them in how he caused them to sit downe to their * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 meale even as they entred Cyrus I say wondering at this * Or Centurion Captaine for his mildnesse his dexteritie in teaching and diligence withall invited this hundred also to supper with
you him to beare rule still or appoint you another in his roome I place another saith he in his stead And say such an one be very wealthy and full of money permit you him to be rich still or bring you him to poverty I take from him quoth the King whatsoever he hath If you understand that he fall away from you and taketh part with the enemie what doe you to him then I put him to death said he For why should I die convicted of leasing rather than confessing the truth Then his sonne hearing these words plucked in peeces the Turbant from about his owne head and withall rent his mantell and upper garments The women also piteously cried out and tare themselves as if both father had beene even then condemned and a dead man and all of them besides undone for ever But Cyrus willing them to be silent said thus againe Well be it so I have enough These bee just and rightfull courses in your owne practise ô King of Armenia But what would you counsell us hereupon to doe The Armenian held his tongue as being doubtfull whether he should advise Cyrus to put him to death or teach contrary to that which he said himselfe did But his sonne Tigranes demaunded of Cyrus and said Tell me Cyrus because my father seemeth to stand in suspence whether I shall advise you concerning him what I thinke will be best and most expedient for you to doe Cyrus having observed well enough what time as Tigranes used to hunt with him that he entertained a certaine learned man who was very familiar and in wonderfull esteeme with him desired greatly to heare what hee could say and therefore bad him speake his mind boldly If you approve saith Tigranes either the designes by my father intended or the acts by him already done I advise you in any hand to imitate him but if in your opinion he hath altogether faulted I would give you counsell not to follow him Then quoth Cyrus If I doe right I may not in any wise take him doing thus amisse for an ensample True said Tygranes By your reason then inferred Cyrus I must punish your Father in case it stand with justice to chastice a man that doth wrong Yea but whether thinke you it is better ô Cyrus quoth Tigranes to proceed unto punishment with your owne good and profit or to your owne hurt and detriment Not thus saith Cyrus for so should I punish my selfe Yea quoth Tigranes and much hinder and endammage your owne estate if at such a time you killed any of your liege men when they might stand you in greatest stead to be kept alive But how can those men be prized so high when they be taken in the manner doing injurie Yes verily as I thinke saith Tigranes if then they may proove wise and sound-hearted For this is mine opinion ô Cyrus that without the mind be seasoned with prudence no other vertue availeth ought For what use can there bee of a strong and stout man or of a valiant Knight what profit may one make of a skilfull horseman if he be not wise and discreet withall Nay what commodity may arise from a wealthy person or a mighty man in a City if discretion be away But with wisedome every friend is profitable yea and every servant good and commodious This is then the meaning of your words quoth Cyrus That your Father also even this day is of an unwise and inconsiderate man become wise and discreet Yes verily quoth he Ergo you hold saith Cyrus that such wisedome and discretion is an affection of the mind like as dolour and griefe and not an * or passion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 habit that may be learned For if he ought first to be made witty who afterward is to grow discreet one cannot all at once and sodainly of a foolish and witlesse man become discreet What! good Cyrus quoth he did you never yet observe that one man in his folly taking in hand to fight with another better and mightier than himselfe so soone as ever he was defeated gave over straightwaies that folly of his shewed toward the other Againe have you never seene that one City standing out against another presently after it hath beene conquered chuseth rather to obey that other than to maintaine fight any longer But what calamity of your fathers can you alleadge that you may so confidently avouch him to bee made wise and considerate Even that said Tigranes whereby hee is privy to himselfe that for a greedy desire of liberty hee is brought to that servitude which he never felt before and that he was not able to effect any of those matters which he thought either secretly to have held or by stealth to have compassed or by fine force to have brought to passe But he knoweth right well that wherein so ever you minded to deceive him you have circumvented him so as a man would have deluded the blind or the dease and those that had no wit at all in the world and what things so ever you thought should be carried closely therein he knoweth full well you have beene so secret as that those places which he supposed most safe and sure for his refuge you made the same his prisons to hold him fast ere he was aware As for celerity so farre have you surpassed him that comming as you did your selfe * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from places farre remote with a puissant armie you prevented him before that he could bring his forces togither And thinke you in very deed quoth Cyrus such a foyle as this sufficient to make men so wise and wary as to acknowledge others to be their betters and superiours Yes verily said Figranes and much more ywis than when a man is defaited in battaile For it falleth our otherwhiles that a champion once put to the worse by meere strength thinketh after he hath exercised * Graecè melius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his body to be better appointed and to combate againe Yea and some cities forcel and wonne having gotten fresh aides suppose they are able to try it out eftsoones by a new conflict But looke whomsoever any shall judge to be more vertuous and wiser than themselves those many times they are willing to obey even vithout compulsion You seeme then said Cyrus not to thinke that insolent and malapert persons take knowledge of any others more staied and temperate than themselves nor theeves of true men nor liers of truth speakers nor unjust of those that be righteous And know you not quoth he that now also your father hath dealt falsely and not firmely observed covenants with us albeit heknew that wee for our parts have not broken the least point and tittle of those Articles which Astyages agreed unto Neither doe I my selfe quoth Tigranes say this That it maketh men wise and considerate barely to know their betters unlesse they suffer punishment also at their betters hands like as it is
my fathers case now Yea but your father said Cyrus hath felt as yet no smart at all He stands I know well in great feare that he shall be put to abide all extremities And thinke you indeed quoth Tigranes that any thing doth cast men downe and subdue them more than strong feare or wote you not that those who have felt the edge of the sword which of all punishments is thought to be the sharpest will never the lesse encounter the same enemies againe who wounded them But such persons as men doe mightily stand in dread of they can not endure to looke full upon although they speak comfortably unto them This is then your saying is it not quoth Cyrus That men afraid of torments are more punished already than if they were tortured in very deed Why even your selfe quoth he doth know that I say truth as well as I can tell you For well you wote that such as feare to be banished out of their native countrey such also as being to fight a field are afraid of an overthrow live in continuall anguish Semblably they that saile at sea so long as they stand in feare of shipwracke as many also as feare bondage and imprisonment by reason of their feare can have no joy nor receive benefit either of meat or sleep Whereas such as be in exile such as be defaited and brought into servitude already can otherwhiles eate and drinke yea and sleep better than those which are in happy estate Furthermore it appeareth even in these persons more evidently what a cumberous burden feare is For some fearing least after they be taken prisoners they should bee put to death die before for very feare partly by throwing themselves downe headlong partly by strangling themselves and in part by cutting their owne throats So that of all horrible things in the world feare most of all terrifieth mens minds As for my father here how is his heart now affected thinke you standing as hee doth in feare of Captivitie not only for himselfe but also for me his wife and all his children I can easily beleeve in deed quoth Cyrus that he is in this maner much disquieted yet am I of this opinion that incident it is to one and the same man in prosperity to be proud and insolent but in calamity to be sodainly dejected soone cast downe howbeit if upon pardon he recover and be raised up eftsoones to looke aloft to waxe high minded and ready to stirre up new troubles againe True it is ô Cyrus quoth Tigranes Our offences are such as give good occasion why we should no more be trusted howbeit in your power it is both to fortifie your castles with strong wals and also to keepe with garrison your fensed holds yea and to take what pledges and assurance you will of our fealty And verily quoth he such persons you shall have of us as will not greatly grieve hereat For call to mind wee shall that our selves are the cause of our owne woes But when you have made over the government of this State to any one of those that never trespassed against you if your selfe shall seeme then distrustfull take heed least as you gratifie and pleasure them so they withall take you to be no friend of theirs Againe while you would be thought to avoid the incurring of their hatred if you lay no yoke upon them for to keep them under so as that they can commit no insolent parts beware that hereafter you have not more need to reclaime them than now you have to reduce us unto goodnesse and order But for mine owne part quoth Cyrus so God me helpe I have me thinks no minde at all to put such ministers in trust whom I know to serve me upon compulsion But as for those whom I perceive upon good will and love unto me ready to doe their devoir I suppose I can better beare with them delinquent though they be than such as hate me doe they never so well and performe all double diligence upon constraint and necessity To this replied Tigranes At whose hands then can you ever win so much love and friendship as now you may gaine of us Even of those I think said Cyrus who never were my professed enemies so I would be beneficiall unto them as you are desirous now I should be unto you Why can you find any man good Cyrus quoth hee at this time unto whom you may be so bounteous as unto my father Say you suffer some one to live who never did you wrong what thanks suppose you will he render unto you Or if you bereave him not of wife and children who will in this regard affect you more than he who thinks himselfe to deserve no lesse than to loose the same And know you any man that is like to sorrow more if he hold not the Kingdome of Armenia than we Evident therefore it is quoth he that unto whom most anguish and griefe shall redound if he be not King the same also if he receive of you the Kingdome will yeald unto you the greatest thanks Moreover if you have any care of this also namely to leave the State here at your departure in least trouble consider quoth he whether you thinke all will be more quiet by innovation and change of the Government under a new Lord or by suffering the old and received manner to remaine still in force under their ancient Prince Semblably if you have an eie to this how to bring out into the field a puissant armie Who thinke you will muster and levie it in better order than he that hath often used the same Now put case you stand in need of money whom suppose you meet to raise and procure it for your better than him who both knowes and hath also under his hand all the store that is Beware therefore good Cyrus least by casting off and loosing us you endammage your selfe more than my father can hurt or hinder you To this or the like effect spake Tigranes CHAP. II. How Cyrus with great humanitie did set the King of Armenia with his wife and children at large And after he had received their ransome levied a good power of footmen and horsemen both out of Armenia for this warre CYRVS was exceeding glad to heare him make this speech for that he thought now all was done and dispatched to his hand which he undertooke unto Cyaxares for to performe For he called to minde what he had said and namely how he thought to make the Armenian King a more fast and assured friend unto him than before Hereupon he demaunded of the King himselfe in this manner Tell me then quoth he ô King of Armenia In case I should condescend unto your requests how great an armie will you send with me and how much mony will you contribute toward this warre Whereunto the Armenian King made this answer I can say nothing unto you good Cyrus either in termes more plainly or to the point
so terrible was the spectacle thereof and so smitten were they with feare Perceiving then soone after that certaine Persians had broken through the gates and entries of their fortifications they turned backe and fled from the said toppe of the rampier The wives as well of the Assyrians as of their auxiliary Associats seeing this rout within the campe skriked out and ran up and downe all amazed Some of them being mothers of children others but younglings tearing their side garments and scratching themselves with their owne nailes lamentably beseeching all those whom they met not to flye and forsake them but to defend their children and themselves And herewith the KK themselves with their trustiest guard about them stood at the very gates and climbing up to the top of the rampiers partly in proper person fought and in part exhorted others to doe the same Cyrus after he understood what was done fearing least by making an irruption and forcible entry his men so few in number might be hurt of so many sounded the retrait commaunding them to retire out of the arrow shot and to obey Then and there a man might have seene the noble Peeres how excellently they had beene brought up in martiall discipline For streightwaies themselves obeied and gave charge to the rest for to doe the like as quickely and no sooner were they without the danger of shot but they stood raunged in their places more orderly than in any daunce or quire of Musicians whiles every man knew perfitly where hee should be THE FOVRTH BOOKE CHAP. I. How the King of Assyria died in fight King Croesus and the Assyrians fled and Cyrus purposed to follow in chace CYRVS having staied there long enough with his armie and made open shew that ready they were to fight if any would issue forth seeing none to come abroad withdrew his power so farre as he thought good and there encamped Now when he had set his Corps du guard and sent out his espialls before himselfe having assembled his soldiers in this manner spake unto them My friends yee that are Persians First the Gods above I laud and praise to my full power like as I suppose yee all doe For atchieved we have this day both victorie and safetie In regard whereof bound we are to retribute gifts unto their Majesties in token of thankes even out of all that ever we have And as for you I cannot choose but commend you every one For looke what service there is exploited the same hath beene performed to the honour of you all But as concerning due recompense in particular when I am certified by those of whom meet it is I should enquire of what desert every one is I shall endevour both in word and deed to conferre rewards upon each one respectively And verily as touching this Centurion here Chrysantas who was next unto mee I need not to learne of others as knowing my selfe very well how hee hath borne himselfe For as in every point else hee hath done his devoyr like as of you all I suppose no lesse so when I had caused the retreat to bee sounded and called unto him by name albeit hee had his sword up ready to smite his enemie hee presently obeyed and leaving that undone which hee went about did as he was commanded For not onely retired he in person but readily charged the rest to doe the same in so much as he brought his owne company without daunger of the voley ere our enemies wist that we gave ground at all even before they could draw their bowes or launce their javelins against us and so he is both safe himselfe and by his obedience hath saved his owne men also As for others quoth he I see some in deed wounded of whom when I have better considred what time they were hurt I shall then deliver my doome But Chrysantas being so brave a man of action so wise withall and sufficient as well to rule as to be ruled him I say at this present I ordeine a Colonel over a thousand And whensoever God shall give me a good hand againe I will not then be forgerfull of him And I would have you all quoth he to remember thus much and make use of this journey For whatsoever erewhile ye have seene in this fight never ceasse to thinke upon that ye may alwaies judge within your selves whether it is running away or preesse rather that saveth your lives Also whether they that fight willingly be sooner freed from warre or those who are unwilling Likewise what pleasure it is that victory bringeth For none of these points may ye best determine as having made proofe and seene the experience considering the service is so lately performed And verily by continuall meditation hereof yee shall prove the better Now therefore as religious valiant and temperate men take your suppers Offer sacred libations to the Gods beginning with a triumphant * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 song and withall have an eye and due regard to that which is commaunded Thus said he got up to horsebacke and rode away untill he was come to Cyaxares Where after rejoycing with him as requisite it was upon mutuall congratulation for their common victory when he had seene how things went there and asked of him what need he had of his service he rode backe from thence to his own armie As for Cyrus and his souldiers after they had supped and appointed a sufficient watch they betooke themselves to rest But the Assyrians whose Soveraine Commaunder was slaine and with him the very flowre and best of his souldiers were all in great heavinesse yea and many of them by night slipt away and fled out of the Camp Which when Croesus and the rest of their Allies perceived they sorrowed all very much for every thing was dolorous but this troubled them most in generall that throughout the armie all the prime company of those that should have beene their Leaders were out of heart void of counsell and at their wits end Whereupon in the night season they abandoned their tents and departed When day appeared and discovered how naked of fighting men their Camp was Cyrus presently advanced thither first with the Persians Now the enemies had left behind them many Sheepe many Kine and Oxen and besides many waggons full of much treasure and goods Then repaired thither all the Medes likewise who were with Cyaxares where they dined Dinner being done Cyrus called unto him his owne Centiniers and unto them made this Oration My souldiers what benefits and how great presented here unto us by the goodnesse of God seeme we to let slip out of our hands For now your owne selves see that the enemies for feare of us be fled And if they being fortified strongly within their hold have quit the same and are runne away how may any man imagine that they will stand to it if they see us on even ground in the plaine field Also they that durst not hold out when they
errand to the Medes so he added this moreover that he would never depart from so noble so excellent so goodly a person and that which passed all the rest descended from the race of the Gods Whiles Cyrus was busie about these affaires there arrived as it were by the providence of God certaine Embassadors from the Hyrcanians These Hyrcanians border upon the Assyrians A nation verily nothing populous which is the reason that subject they were unto the Assyrians howbeit reputed then as they are no lesse at this day good horsemen In which regard also the Assyrians employed them as the Lacedemonians did the Scyrites making no spare of them but putting them to all paines taking and adventures And at this very time they had charged them to keepe the Reare and in number they were about a thousand horse to the end that if any damage hapned behind they first should undergoe it before themselves These Hyrcanians because they were to march hinmost had their waggons also and their families behind all the rest For the nations of Asia the most part in all their expeditions use to goe to warre with their whole housholds And in this manner served the Hyrcanians at that time Who now considering well with themselves what hard and servile warfare they were put to under the Assyrians also that now their Soveraine Lord being slaine they were all foyled and discomfited their whole armie in great feare their Associats out of heart ready to faint and forsake them casting I say these things in their minds they thought they had a fit time and opportunitie offred to revolt if togither with them Cyrus and his forces would make head afresh and set upon them Hereupon they dispatched their messengers unto Cyrus For now by reason of this battaile his name was up and his fame much encreased These that were sent related unto Cyrus what just cause they had to hate the Assyrians if therefore at this time he were disposed to make an invasion they would become both Associates and leade the vaward also in this journey Withall they recounted unto him in what state the enemies stood the rather to incite him thereby to take this expedition in hand Then Cyrus questioned with them in this sort Thinke yee quoth he that we shall be able yet to overtake them before they put themselves into their strong holds For we take this for a great infortunitie of ours that they have so secretly in the night escaped from us This spake he because he would have them to conceive an excellent opinion of him Who answered That early the next morning they might reach them if they made speed and went lightly appointed For by reason say they of their great multitude and heavy carriages they march but slowly and besides for that they sate up and watched all night before they had now rid but small ground forward and pitched their tents betimes Then replyed Cyrus Can ye put in any pledge for our assurance that yee speake the truth Wee will say they forthwith ride away and even this night bring hostages with us for your better securitie Onely doe you assure us in the name of God and give us your right hand that we may make report to others what wee have received from you Then hee faithfully promised them that if they performed bona fide what they had said he would use them as his trusty and assured friends neither would he ranke them inferiour in place either to the Persians or to the Medes And even at this very day a man shall see the Hyrcanians put in trust and bearing office of state as well as Persians or Medes such as are thought of best worth After they had supped Cyrus led forth his armie before day light was gone and commaunded those Hyrcanians to give attendance there and to march onward togither with him As for the Persians they all in generall as requisite it was speedily came forth and Tigranes also with his owne Regiment Of the Medes some entred this journey for that having beene children when Cyrus was a child were now become his friends others because they had beene his companions in hunting and were much delighted in his good behaviour some againe in token of thankfulnesse unto him because he seemed to have delivered them out of great feare others also upon good hopes that seeing hee bare himselfe so valiantly hee would prove afterwards a fortunate and mightie Prince There were besides divers of them willing now to doe him some reciprocall pleasure and service for the good turnes which hee had procured unto any whiles hee was brought up among the Medes And verily as he was of a kinde and courteous nature he had procured for a number of them at his Grandsires hands many favours Last of all a great sort of them after they had seene the Hyrcanians and heard a rumour spred abroad that they would be their Leaders to bring them unto great wealth went forth for to get somewhat Thus the Medes in manner all followed him unlesse they were such as hapned to be of the Domesticall traine of Cyaxares For these onely remained togither with those that were their vassals and followers As for all the rest full gladly and cheerefully they did put themselves forward in this journey not I say as men constreined but as meere voluntaries and who to gratifie him of their owne accord went forth When they were now abroad upon the way first hee commeth out unto the Medes whom he praised and prayed withall Imprimis that the Gods would vouchsafe to be propitious guides both to them and his Item To graunt him such favour as to bee able to render unto them condigne recompense for this their affectionate love unto him In conclusion hee gave order that the footmen should lead the march and then he commaunded the horsemen to follow Moreover if in any place they rested or stayed in their journey he charged that some should ride unto him to know from time to time what was expedient to be done After this he willed the said Hyrcanians to lead formost Who asked him in this manner Why Sir tarry not you and expect untill wee bring our hostages that you also having taken pledges of us for the better securitie of our troth may then set forward And he by report made this answere Even for that I consider we doe all carry the assurance of our faith no otherwise than in our hands and hearts For at this point and thus provided seeme wee to be that if yee be true of your word unto us we have sufficient power and meanes to doe you good but if yee be false and deceive us we take our selves to be in that state as we need not be in subjection unto you but yee rather if the Gods will shall be thrall unto us and at our devotion And verily quoth he yee Hyrcanians because yee say your countrymen use to march hinmost therefore when ye see them once give us
knowledge that they be of your nation to the end wee may spare them The Hyrcanians hearing this led the way as he commaunded and withall admired his princely heart and magnanimitie Neither stood they any more in feare of the Assyrians or of the Lydians or yet of any other their Allies and Confederates And as for Cyrus himselfe he supposed there lay matter of no small moment every way in them were they present with him or were they absent Now as they marched and night drew on reported it is that a cleere light shining from heaven appeared evidently unto Cyrus and his host in so much as they all conceived a reverent feare of the Divine power and a consident boldnesse besides against the enemies and for that they were lightly appointed and went apace by good reason they made that night a great journey and by breake of day in the very twy-light approched neere unto the Hyrcanians maine regiment Which when the messengers above-said perceived they signified unto Cyrus that those were their countrimen And hereof said they have we sure intelligence as well by their marching hinmost as by the number of fires which they make Whereupon hee sent one of these two unto them commaunding him in his name to deliver this message That if they were his friends they should with all speed come and meet him holding up their hands aloft Some likewise of his owne men he sent with him whom he commaunded to say unto the Hyrcanians That as his men should see them comming towards him so they also would doe the like againe Thus one of the messengers tarried still with Cyrus and the other rode forth to the Hyrcanians During the time that Cyrus waited to see what the Hyrcanians would doe he caused his armie to stay the march Then the Chieftaines of the Medes togither with Tigranes galloped hard unto him demaunding what they were to doe unto whom he made answere This troupe next unto us is the regiment of the Hyrcanians unto whom one of their messengers accompanied with some few of our men is gone for to signifie unto them that if they meane to be friends they should meet us bearing up all of them their right hands Wherefore if they so doe receive them yee every one in his place friendly giving them your right hands and bid them be of good cheere But if they either take weapon in hand or goe about to flie doe your best quoth he to dispatch them at first so as not one of them remaine alive These were the directions of Cyrus Meane-while the Hyrcanians having heard what the messengers said were exceeding glad and quickly mounting on horsebacke repaired toward them holding up their hands as they had warning so to doe Semblably the Medes and Persians did put forth their hands welcomed them and bade them take a good heart Then Cyrus Wee for our parts quoth he beleeve now and trust you Hyrcanians and even so ought yee to be affected to us ward But first of all Tell us this How farre hence is the place where the principall rulers and puissance of our enemies maine armie are They answere somewhat above a Parasang CHAP. IIII. The exhortation of Cyrus to his whole Armie inciting them to follow the chace of his enemies with the Cavallery of the Medes WHich when Cyrus heard Goe to then my deere friends quoth he Persians Medes and yee Hyrcanians for now speake I to you as unto Allies and partners with us Now ought we to know for certaine in what state we stand namely that if we now become faint hearted and demeane our selves cowardly we shall incurre the most grievous calamities that be For our enemies know full well wherefore we are come but if we shall fiercely set upon our enemies and give the charge with courage and manly resolution yee shall see them soone like unto fugitive slaves that are found out and apprehended againe some to court us in humble and suppliant manner crying us mercy others to take them to their heeles some againe so maskared as they will not be able so much as to thinke either of the one or the other For as men once discomfited they will stare and looke upon us and suspecting nothing lesse than that we are comming they being neither set embattailed nor provided to fight will be surprised If therefore we desire to sit at supper feeding merrily to passe the night sleeping quietly and in a word hereafter to live pleasantly let us give them no respit either to consult or prepare any good thing for themselves no nor so much as to know at all that we be men but thinke onely that nought else is come among them but bucklers courtill-axes glaives browne-bills and bloudy wounds And yee Hyrcanians quoth he step forward upon them and make way before us that by the sight of your armour we may be in covert and unseene as long as possible it is But when I am come close to the enemies armie leave with me * Armenians Medes and Hyrcanians every of you a cornet of horsemen to use as need requireth so long as I abide here with the armie And such of you as are Commaunders chiefe-Officers and of the elder sort see you ride close in a thicke squadron togither when yee charge them if yee be wise least haply yee light upon their massive troupes and so be borne downe by violence But suffer the younger gallants to follow the chace and let them have the killing of the enemies For this is the safest way now that we leave as few of our enemies alive as may be And if it come to passe as it hapneth to many winners that we quite overthrow their fortunes and breake their backes for ever take heed we must that we fall not to pillage For he that so doth is no more a valiant souldier but a base souldiers page and such an one any man that will may use as his slave This also ought we to know that nothing is more gainefull than victory For the victour presently carrieth all away with him at once men women money and goods yea and the whole countrey withall Furthermore this one thing would be thought upon especially How we may hold and reteine victorie * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For in it even the rifler and spoyler himselfe is comprised To conclude remember this among the rest in your chace that yee returne to mee while it is day-light For bee it once darke wee will receive none Cyrus having thus said sent every man to his owne * or Centurie companie commaunding them withall that when they were thither come each one should signifie as much to their Decurions For seeing that these Decurions stood in the Front they might easily heare who likewise were bidden every one to intimate as much unto their severall Denaries under their charge Thus the Hyrcanians led the Vaward Cyrus with the Persians conducted the maine battaile in the mids and so marched As for
the Horsemen he marshalled them as meet it was on both sides like wings CHAP. V. How Cyrus defaited the Assyrians againe and tooke prisoners Kings Lords and other souldiours agreat number The order that he gave how to bee provided presently of victuals without confusion and trouble WHen it was day light the enemies some wondred and were astonied at these occurrents others perceived at the first what the matter was some told it as newes others cryed out some unloosed their horses others fell to trusse up bag and baggage some flung armour and weapons from of their beasts backs others did on their harnois some leapt on horsebacke others bridled them some mounted their wives and women into wagons others caught up their things of greatest price to save them some againe were taken in the manner as they were hiding the same in the ground but the most part tooke their heeles And we must thinke that many and sundry things they did save this onely that there was not one of them fought but perished without fight Croesus the Lydian King had sent away before in the night for that it was the hote summer season his wives in Carroches that during the coole aire they might travaile more easily and himselfe followed hard after with his horsemen Likewise did by report the Phrygian Potentate who ruled that Phrygia which lieth upon Hellespont But when they understood by those that fled and overtooke them how the world went themselves fled also as fast as ever they could The KK of the Cappadocians and Arabians who were next hand and made some resistance unarmed and without their curaces the Hyrcanians put to the sword The most part of those that lost their lives were Assyrians and Arabians For being within their owne land they made slowest haste and went least forward Whiles the Medes and Hyrcanians made havocke and execution as it was no other like following the chace as they did and having still the upper hand Cyrus commaunded those Cornets of horsemen which were left with him to ride about the Campe and whomsoever they saw going forth armed to kill them outright but to those who stayed within he made proclamation That what souldiours so ever of the enemies armie were either Horsmen Targuatiers or Archers they should trusse up their armour and bring it forth leaving their horses still at their Pavilions But as many as did not this they should forthwith lose their heads Meane while with their arming swords ready drawne they stood in order of battaile round about the tents They therefore that had armour brought it forth and flung the same from them into one place where Cyrus had appointed which they set on fire and burnt who had commandement from him so to doe Cyrus then considering that thither they were come unprovided altogither of meat and drinke without which impossible it is that either an expedition should hold out or any other feat of armes be exploited and casting about how hee might most speedily and in the best sort be therewith furnished thought withall how necessary it is for all those that undertake warfare to have some one man who should take charge of Pavilion and lodging yea and purvey victuals ready for souldiers against their entrie into the Campe. Knowing therefore that by all likelihood such as these at this present especially might be found in the * Of the Enemies Campe for that now they would be busied in providing necessaries hee commaunded by proclamation all those * or Purveyours Campe-officers to shew themselves and if any such minister were wanting the most auncient in every tent to come forth and appeare and herein not to faile not disobey at their utmost peril They seeing their Lords and Masters to yeeld obedience forth with themselves obeyed also When they were come in place First hee commaunded them to sit downe who had in their tents more provision of victuall then would serve for two moneths After he had seene them he bad those likewise to sit who had one moneths victuall and then all in manner sat them downe Now when he had learned thus much he spake unto them in this manner Goe to then good fellowes quoth he whosoever of you doe hate miseries and desire to have any good at our hands looke to it with all diligence that there bee in every tent double so much victualls as well meats as drinks provided both for master and man for Captaine likewise and souldiours as yee were wont daily to provide See also that all other things be ready prepared which may set out and furnish a feast For there will be here anon those who after they have gotten the upper hand of their enemies will thinke it meet that they have all necessaries plenteously and to the full Know yee therefore that it will bee for your owne good if yee entertaine them so as they have no cause to complaine When they heard this they performed diligently what they were enjoyned to doe Then Cyrus called togither his owne Centurions againe and made such an oration as this unto them CHAP. VI. How Cyrus communed with his Centiniers perswading them to sobriety and to stay for their fellowes who were in the pursuite and how they raised a great booty of men women and goods WEE are not ignorant goods Friends that you may now if yee will take your dinners before our Associats that are absent yea and enjoy those meats and drinks which are right exquisitly provided But I am not perswaded that this dinner and refection of ours will profit us more than if it may appeare that we are carefull of our fellowes and confederates neither can all this good cheere make us so much the stronger as this one thing would doe to wit if we might be able to cause our Allies to be forward in ayding us If therefore we should seeme so to vilipend those who now follow the chace and execution of our enemies fighting still with them that make head as that before we know how they speed we should dine and make merry I feare me as we shall be noted openly for lewd persons so wee shall weaken our selves when we misse their aide But to have such a care of those that take paines and expose themselves unto daungers as that when upon their entry into the Campe they may finde food ready and all things necessary This say I were a feast alone and would make us much more jocund and joviall than if we went by and by to fill and pamper our bellies Consider furthermore quoth he that although it stood us not upon in modestie to have any regard at all of them yet ought we not at any time to give our selves to belly cheere and drunkennesse For as yet we have not fully atchieved those exploits which we enterprised but all things now are come to the very pitch and doubtfull point which requireth carefull diligence For we have in the campe enemies in number farre more than we be our selves
also by this meanes whosoever intended to make an escape out of the campe and convey money away with them they should be intercepted and taken in the manner And even so in very truth it fell out For many fled and many were apprehended As for the money found about them Cyrus left it behind for those to have who had taken paines to attach them but the men themselves he caused to bee killed Whereby it came to passe afterwards that you could not easily would you never so faine have found one going out of the Campe by night Thus verily the Persians bestowed their time whereas the Medes fell all the while to drinking banquetting piping and revelling in all kinde of jollitie to the full For so many things and of such varietie were taken as that the watchmen had worke enough to employ themselves thereabout CHAP. X. How Cyaxares envied the glory of Cyrus and was wroth with the Medes The answer that Cyrus made to him and the Embassage which hee sent into Persia TO returne now unto Cyaxares the King of the Medes He the very night that Cyrus made this rode forth dranke himselfe drunke togither with those who conversed with him and were quartered about him like as in time of prosperity and also thought that the other Medes were all in their tents except some few because he heard so great a noise For the Medes domesticke servants as whose masters were now gone forth and absent fell to quaffing riotously yea and kept a great stirre with much howting The rather for that out of the Assyrians armie and campe they had sped themselves with wine and many other such things But when it was day and not one repaired into the Presence within his Royall Pavilion but such as supped with the King overnight and * Cyaxares hearing withall that the Campe was void of Medes and their horses seeing also when he went out himselfe that so it was then fumed he and chafed both against Cyrus and the Medes also for that they were departed and had left him desolate whereupon he gave commaundement forthwith as he was by report cruell and * Witlesse or undiscreete 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unreasonable to one of those about him to take his owne troupe of horsemen and in all hast to ride unto Cyrus his host and in his name to deliver this message I did not thinke that either you Cyrus would have dealt with me so inconsiderately nor if Cyrus had beene so minded that yee Medes would ever have left me in this manner solitary Now therefore if Cyrus will be it so But whether he will or no See that yee with all speed make repaire unto me Thus commaunded he But the Captaine appointed to goe with this errand replied thus unto him And how quoth he my * or Liege 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lord shall I find them out Why quoth Cyaxares How did Cyrus and those with him find out them to whom they went Because Sir quoth he I heare say that certaine Hyrcanians revolted from the enemies and being hither come went away as guides to conduct them in their journey When Cyaxares heard this he was much more wroth and angry with Cyrus because hee had not acquainted him therewith and he made the more hast to send unto the Medes thereby to leave Cyrus more naked and destitute And so with greater menaces than before hee cited the Medes peremptorily Threatning the Captaine aforesaid likewise if he delivered not this message stoutly and in sharpe termes So tooke he his leave that was sent accompanied with some hundred horsemen of his owne being angry in his heart that he went not himselfe this voyage with Cyrus Now as they were upon their journey by reason of certaine turnings where the waies were divided they chaunced upon a wrong by-lane and so wandred out of the right way they wist not whither in so much as they could not come unto Cyrus his armie untill they hapned upon some of the Assyrians whom they constrained to be their guides By this meanes having espied the fires they came thither about mid-night Now when they approached hard to the campe the watchmen according as they had in charge from Cyrus would not let them in before day But by day-breake Cyrus first sent for the * Priests Magi whom hee commaunded to chuse forth according to the usuall and solemne manner offrings unto the Gods for so good successe and so rich booties And whiles they were busied hereabout himselfe assembled the Peeres and thus unto them said My Friends and Countrimen God presenteth unto us many good things But we ô Persians are at this time too few for to have and hold the same For whether it be that whatsoever we have gotten because we shall not be able to keepe the same must returne againe into the hands of others or whether we leave some of our owne forces for the custodie of our winnings it will be soone seene that little or no strength remaineth with us I thinke it good therefore that one of you should with all speed go into Persia both to enforme the State what I say and to will them with all expedition to send a power in case the Persians desire to have the Dominion and enjoy the fruits of Afia Goe you therefore quoth he to one Goe you I say that are most auncient and being thither come deliver thus much and say moreover that how many souldiers so ever they send after they be come unto me I will care for their finding and maintenance What we have your selfe seeth and conceale I advise you nothing thereof Of all this pillage here what oblation I may send especially into Persia in decent manner and lawfully as pertaining to the Gods enquire that of my father but as concerning the Common-wealth consult with the chiefe Magistrates Moreover let them send certaine Overseers of what we doe as also expositours unto us of such points as we aske and demaund Thus quoth he make you ready and take your owne * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a company of a hundred sometime a crue of ten or twelue band to accompanie you This done he called unto him the Medes And at the same instant was the messenger abovesaid of Cyaxares brought in and had audience Who in the presence and hearing of them all declared the indignation of Cyaxares against Cyrus as also his threats unto the Medes In conclusion he said That Cyaxares commaunded the Medes to depart from Cyrus although he would have them to tarry Which message when the Medes heard they kept silence being in doubt and perplexity how they might disobey him sending for them in this manner and fearing as much on the other side how to obey him menacing thus as he did especially knowing his cruell nature Then Cyrus For mine owne part quoth hee you the Messenger and yee my Friends the Medes I nothing marvaile if Cyaxares seeing our enemies then to be so many and
not knowing now what we doe be much troubled both for us and also for himselfe But when hee shall once understand that a number of our enemies be slaine and all the rest â—ut to flight First he will give over his feare and afterwards acknowledge that hee is not now left desolate when as his Friends thus destroy his foes And how are we blame-worthy deserving so well of him and namely enterprising nought of our owne heads For I perswaded himselfe first to licence me to take you out with me in this journey and yee againe not as men very desirous to bee gone asked him whether yee might goe forth And so come hither now yee are in deed but commaunded by him to goe forth so many at least wise of you as thought not much and were not unwilling thereto And therefore assured I am that this anger of his will both upon these good exploits of ours be concocted and also with the ceassing of his feare vanish away and come to nothing And you good messenger quoth hee for this time because you have travailed hard and are weary rest your selfe As for you Persians For that we expect these our enemies will be here either to fight it out or else to yeeld let vs be bravely appointed in the best manner for being thus scene great likelihood there is that we sooner shall effect what we desire As to you the Prince of the Hyrcanians tarry you here and commaund the Captains of your souldiers to see them armed Which when the Hyrcanian Prince had done accordingly and was come vnto him I take great pleasure my Lord quoth Cyrus to perceive that not onely you are here present to shew your friendship but also that you seeme unto me wise and politick And verily at such a time as this the same I am certaine may much availe us For as the Assyrians be mine enemies so they are now more malicious to you than to me We are therefore on both parts so to consult as that of those our Allies which be now present none revolt from us and that we may if possible it be procure more to side with us Yee have heard how this * Captaine or Messenger Median here calleth away the Horsemen home and if they depart how shall we footmen onely remaine behind Wherefore both yee and I must order the matter so that this messenger who thus calleth for them away may be willing himselfe to stay with us Doe you therefore find out a Pavilion and appoint it for him wherein he may keepe and live right gallantly as being furnished with all necessaries whatsoever For mine owne part I shall devise to set the man about such businesse as wherein hee will be more willingly employed than depart from hence Discourse you with him what hope there is of great availes comming toward us and all our friends if those matters speed well which are meet to bee performed When you have thus done repaire eftsoones unto me So the Hyrcanian Potentate went his way and brought the said Median unto his tent And the messenger addressed for Persia was there present prest and ready to take his journey Vnto him Cyrus gave in charge For to say unto the Persians what was declared in the former conference but unto Cyaxares to deliver letters And I will saith he read unto you what I writ that you may bee both privy thereto and also able to avow the same if any one doe enquire of you as touching their contents CHAP. XI The Missive of Cyrus to Cyaxares NOw the tenour of the said Epistle was this Cyrus to Cyaxares Greeting Neither have we left you desolate good Vnkle For no man is then destitute of friends when he hath the upper hand of his enemies nor in departing from you thinke we that wee exposed you to any daunger But the farther that we are from you the more in our conceit wee worke your safety For they that keepe neerest unto their friends provide not alwaies best for their security but such as drive their enemies farthest of those be they that set their friends in greatest surety Consider moreover how I have carried my selfe towards you and in what sort againe you have dealt with me Then complaine of me and spare not For my selfe I brought unto you Auxiliaries and Confederates not so many as you perswaded but as many as possibly I could And you verily whiles I was yet in our friends countrey graunted unto me as many as I could by perswasion win But now whiles I am in the enemies land you call away not every voluntarie but generally all without exception Certes at that time I thought my selfe beholden both to you and them whereas now you force me as to forget you so to endeavour all that ever I can to thanke and requite those wholly that followed me Howbeit for all this I can not be like unto you But even at this present sending as I doe into Persia for an armie I charge as many as shall come unto me that before they repaire unto us if you stand in any need of them they doe you service not as they will themselves but as it pleaseth you to employ them And withall I would advise you younger though I be than your selfe not to revoke your gifts and take those things away which you have once given least in stead of thanks evill will and heart-burning be your guerdon nor to summon in minatory maner when you would have any one to repaire speedily unto you ne yet when you give out that you are forlorne withall to threaten many for feare you teach them to vilipend and set light by you As for us we will doe our best to be with you so soone as we have with all expedition performed those exploits which being once atchieved we are perswaded will redound indifferently to the profit of us both Farewell Deliver this letter unto him saith Cyrus and if he aske you concerning any of these points answer accordingly to that which is therein written For as touching the Persians also I give you commission to doe as it is set down in writing When he had thus said and given him the missive he sent him away with a charge so to make hast as he knew that his speedy returne would be expedient After this immediately he tooke a survey of the Hyrcanians and Tigranes his souldiers all in armes The Persians likewise were armed By which time also certaine of the marches brought away their horses and presented their armour and weapons But those hee willed to fling away their javelins into that place whither he had before commaunded the rest and such as were appointed thereto for to set them on fire as many I meane as they themselves had no need of As for the horses he charged those that brought them to keep and to tarry still themselves untill some notice were given unto them what they should doe But to the Captaines of the Horsemen and to the
possessed still of your * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 walled forts your country and your armour yea and to hold that power and authoritie which heretofore you have held what service will you performe for all these favours Who answered thus My strong holds are at your commaund and whensoever it pleaseth you render them up to you I will that you may dwell therein The tribute issuing out of my Lands which I payd to him the same will I transferre and bring unto you Whensoever you shall need to make an expedition I will goe to warfare with you bringing with mee the forces of my country I have besides a daughter a young damosell and evirgin whom I love full deerely and marriageable now shee is Whom heretofore I thought to cherrish and bring up to be a wife for this new King But now my daughter with many teares and humbly upon her knees besought mee not to bestow her upon the murderer of her brother And of the same minde I also am Now therefore I give you good leave to deliberate of her no otherwise than I my selfe would be thought to consult concerning you Hereupon Cyrus In regard quoth he of these Capitulations and in confirmation thereof I give here unto you truly and from my heart my right hand and likewise take yours againe The Gods bee witnesses betwixt us both After these contracts passed Cyrus commaunded Gobryas to depart with his armour and withall enquired of him how great a journey it was to the place of his abode as minding to hold his progresse thither If quoth he you set out to morrow betimes in the morning the next day after you may lodge in my house So Gobryas departed leaving behind him a guide for the way By this time also were the Medes come having allowed unto the * Priests Magi what especiall things soever they said should bee put apart for the Gods Chosen they had besides First for Cyrus a most goodly tent also a Susian Ladie who had the name to be the fairest in all Asia and two Chanteresses most skilfull in Musicke Secondarily for Cyaxares the same in kinde but of a second sort Moreover they sped themselves to the full of other commodities as they needed to the end they might want nothing whiles they warred For great plentie there was of all things The Hyrcanians likewise tooke whatsoever they stood in need of yea and the Messenger of Cyaxares they permitted to share equally with the rest As for those Pavilions which remained over and above they delivered into the hands of Cyrus for the use and behoofe of the Persians As touching the money in coine they said they would then make partage thereof when they had gathered in all Which duly they performed Well thus they did and thus they said As concerning the portion selected for Cyaxares Cyrus gave order to such as he knew to be most inward and familiar with him for to receive and keepe the same safe Now for those gifts quoth hee which yee conferre upon mee I take them willingly Yet whose minde soever among you all stands most thereunto hee shall use the same with all my heart Then a certeine Median who loved Musicke very well Truly Cyrus quoth he when I heard these musicall women sing whom now you have I tooke great delight in hearing them And if you would be so good as to bestow one of them upon mee I should thinke it a greater pleasure to be a souldier here in the Campe than to tarry at home Then quoth Cyrus and I give her thee with all my heart yea and I take my selfe to be more beholden unto thee for craving than thou to me for having her of mee So desirous am I to gratifie you all Thus he that requested the woman had her for his owne THE FIFTH BOOKE CHAP. I. How Araspes had the keeping of faire Panthea on whom he became enamoured A discourse betweene Cyrus and him whether Love were voluntary or forced CYRVS having called unto him Araspes the Median who had beene his companion of achild to whom also he had given from his backe at his departure from Astyages into Persia the rich Median robe aforesaid commaunded him to take the custodie as well of the beautifull Ladie as of the rich tent abovesaid to his use Now was this Gentlewoman the wife of Abradatas King of Susa But what time as the Assyrian Campe became surprized this husband of hers was not there but gone in Embassage unto the King of the Bactrians sent thither from the Assyrian Monarch to treat of an Association in warre betweene them For that there was a mutuall course of hospitalitie betwixt him and the King of the Bactrians This Ladie I say Cyrus commaunded Araspes to keepe safe untill he tooke her to himselfe Araspes having this charge questioned with him about her in this wise Have you quoth he ô Cyrus seene the woman whom you will mee to keepe No truly said Cyrus nor I. But I quoth he againe beheld her well when I chose her for you And verily at our comming into her tent at first wee knew her not from others For shee was set upon the ground with all her waiting maids about her and clad shee was like unto them But when upon a desire that we had to know which was the Mistresse and cast our eyes about wistly avising them all it was soone seene how farre shee surmounted the rest set though shee were wimpled and veiled yea and looking downward to the ground But when wee willed her to arise upon her feet and therewith all the other that were about her arose likewise then shee surpassed them all indeed First in tallnesse and goodly presence then in the strong feature of her body in her vertuous carriage also in a seemely grace and lovely favour albeit shee stood araied in poore and simple habit We might withall see plainly the teares partly distilling upon her mantle and upper garments and in part trickling downe to her very feet Hereupon when as the eldest person in our companie said unto her Madam bee of good cheere For albeit we heare say that you have a good by Gentleman and a valiant to your husband yet now wote well we chuse you forth for such a person as neither in beautie and favour nor in discreet judgement ne yet in puissance and valour is inferiour to him but in our conceit if there bee any one else in the world Cyrus I assure you is the man worthy to be admired and his from henceforth you shall be The woman when shee heard this all to rent her mantle from above and cryed out piteously yea her maid-servants also with her skriked out amaine With that the most part of her face was seene her necke bared her hands and armes discovered And assure your selfe Cyrus quoth he that as well to mee as to all the rest who saw her it seemed there was never yet the like woman in Asia begotten and borne of
these things accordingly yea and dressed supper Then Gobryas when all his owne men were gone forth willed Cyrus to enter in and that in such manner as himselfe thought best for his owne safety So Cyrus having sent before his spies to discover and a strong troupe for to guard at the last entred in person When he was once within and the gates kept wide open still he called unto him all his friends and chiefe Commaunders of the souldiers about him When all were come in Gobryas brought out wine bolles of gold flagons basons and ewers with ornaments and furniture of all sorts certaine pieces also of coine called Dareiks innumerable and all things that were faire and goodly to bee seene At the last having presented his daughter also an exceeding beautifull Damoisell she was very tall and personable besides clad in mourning weed for the death of her brother aforesaid Here quoth he ô Cyrus All this riches I bestow upon you And this daughter of mine likewise I recommend to your tuition even to dispose of her as you thinke good And humbly beseech you both I as beforetime in the behalfe of my sonne and shee now for her brother that you will be his avenger Hereto Cyrus answered in this wise I promised you verily as then to revenge your quarrell to my power if I found you true of your word And now seeing you have spoken a truth I am bound to performe my word and promise To her also I make behest with the helpe of God to doe no lesse And as for this treasure quoth he I accept thereof and withall bestow the same here upon this your daughter and him whose hap it shall be to espouse her But one gift there is beside that I would gladly at my departure receive at your hands which if I may obtaine I would not more joyfully depart if I had all the wealth either in Babylon which is much or in the universall world which is infinite Gobryas mervailing what it should be and suspecting he would name his daughter asked him and said What is that boone Cyrus which you would so faine have Then Cyrus answered I suppose my Gobryas quoth he there be many men who by their good wills are not impious to God-ward nor injurious to men ne yet of themselves willing so much as to lie Howbeit because no man would ever put into their hands great wealth regall dominion strong castles and most deerely beloved children they die before they be knowne what they are But you by tendering unto me fensed and walled forts riches infinite of all kinds your whole power and puissance yea and your daughter so liefe so deere and so worth the having have made knowne to all the world that I am the man who would neither deale vnconscionably with strangers nor doe wrong to any for love of money nor yet willingly falsifie my promise and covenant Be you sure therefore and wote well that so long as I am a just and righteous man and shall be for that good opinion praised among men I will never forget this your kindnesse and affiance in mee but endeavour by all good and honest meanes to honour you againe Neither feare you quoth he that you shall lacke a man worthy to be an husband for your daughter For many friends I have and those right honourable and valiant Knights and whose hap soever it is of all them to marry her whether he shall have so much money and good as is given by you with her or much more than that commeth to I am not able to say But this would I have you to know for certaine that some of them there be who in regard of the portion which you give will not esteeme you one whit the more And verily they now imitate mee with a kind of emulation and pray unto all the Gods that they may have occasion one day to shew that they are no lesse loyall and faithfull to their Friends than I am to mine and to their enemies whiles they have a day to live will never yeeld unlesse some God crosse them Now for vertue and good reputation they would not preferre before it all the riches of the Syrians and Assyrians put them both togither and set the same to yours And such men I would you well knew are now sitting here Then Gobryas laughed heartily and said For the love of God Cyrus shew me where these men are that I may beg at your hands one of them for to be my sonne Care not you for that quoth Cyrus neither shall you need to enquire that of mee doe but keepe us company and you shall be able your selfe to shew each of them even to another Thus much having said he tooke Gobryas by the right hand and rising withall went his waies forth and drew out all his men with him And albeit he was earnestly importuned by Gobryas to take his supper with him yet would he not but supped in the Campe and tooke Gobryas with him as his guest Now being set upon a greene banke he questioned with him in this manner Tell me my Gobryas quoth he Thinke you that you have more cuishons and carpets than every one of us To whom he answered I know right well so God me love that yee have carpets cuishons beds pallets and tables many more and that your dwelling house is farre larger and of greater receit than mine as who for your habitations make use of the earth and skie and have as many beds as there be couches and resting places on the ground Besides yee take for your carpets and cuishons not so many as the sheepe affoord fleeces of wooll but as mountaines and fields doe yeeld brush and branch to make fagots of And this being the first time that Gobryas supped among them when he saw their coorse and homely fare he thought himselfe kept more plentifull and liberall cheere than they But after that he observed their moderate feeding for there is not a Persian of good education who with any meate or drinke is perceived openly either in his eies to bee distempered or by ravening and greedy eating in his mind to have lesse forecast than if he were not at his meat For like as good horsemen for that they be not troubled on horsebacke are able all the while they ride to see to heare and to say as they ought even so they at their meales thinke they should appeare openly to be wise sober and temperate supposing that to be stirred and disquieted after eating and drinking is doglike swinelike and brutish He observed withall in them that they demaunded one of another such questions as it was more pleasure to aske them than not and cast forth those prety jests and merry conceits which being uttered caused more delight in the delivery than otherwise kept in and that in all their mirth they were farre from contumelious and spitefull termes farre from doing any lewd and filthy act farre from grieving and offending one
Castle stood tooke it to the heart and withall made preparation to invade his country And therefore ô Cyrus quoth he if you will let me goe I will doe my best to save my forts yet As for other things I passe the lesse Then Cyrus Say you should at this present depart when will you be at home Surely quoth Gadatas by the third day I shall be able to suppe in mine owne land Why doe you thinke saith Cyrus that you shall finde the Assyrian King there already Yea verily quoth he I know I shall For the farther you seeme to have marched forward the more hast will he make By what time quoth Cyrus might I reach thither with my forces Whereunto Gadatas made this answer You have now my Lord a great army already neither can you get unto my habitation in lesse than sixe or seven dayes Well said Cyrus Hie you thither Make you what speed you can for your part I shall rid way and follow after as well as I may So Gadatas tooke his leave and departed Then Cyrus calling togither all the Rulers and Chieftaines of his confederates who seemed by this time in number to be many and those right hardy and martiall men in their Assembly made a speech to this effect CHAP. V. How Cyrus exhorted his souldiers to give all the booty unto Gadatas how hee raunged his battailes as well to fight as to march by night MY Friends and Allies Gadatas hath done such service as seemed unto us all worthy of good esteeme and that before hee ever had received any boone at our hands And now there is newes come that the Assyrian King invadeth his borders Who no doubt at once will be throughly revenged because he thinkes he hath sustained much damage by him and haply casteth withall thus in his mind that if those who revolt unto us shall not be distressed but contrariwise his confederates be by us utterly destroyed within a little while in all probability there will not one abide with him Now therefore I thinke my friends we shall doe a noble Act if with alacrity we aide Gadatas a man so friendly unto us and beneficiall We shall besides performe a deed of Iustice in thankfull requitall of a good turne and therewith in my conceit worke a feat commodious for our selves For if it shall appeare in the eyes of the world that we aime at nothing more than to exceed them in hurt doing that annoy us as also excell those in good doing who deserve well of us great reason there is that by this meanes many will seeke unto us gladly for our friendship and more desire to be enemie unto us But if we be thought to neglect Gadatas with what eloquence I pray you before God I speake it shall we perswade others to gratifie us How dare we praise and commend our selves or with what face may any one of us looke upon Gadatas if wee so many in number be overcome in well doing of him who is but one especially being in that case as he is When he had thus said they all approved his speech and accorded to goe in hand with these projects and to performe them thoroughly Goe to then quoth Cyrus since yee also give your assent let us every one leave with our draught beasts with our wagons and chariots such as are most meete to goe with the same And let Gobryas be Captaine of the convoy and goe before them For skilfull he is in the waies and for all other occasions sufficient As for our selves with the very best horse and men that we have set we forward taking with us victuals to serve for three daies The lighter we be now loden and the slighter provided the more pleasantly shall we dine sup and sleepe the dayes ensuing Now for the order and manner of our march let it be thus First and formost you Chrysantas lead those that be armed with corselets for as much as the way is even and broad Place all your Centiniers in the Front and let every hundred march severally by themselves For going thus thicke and close togither wee shall rid ground most speedily and travaile with greatest security The reason wherefore I will and commaund those * or Corseletiers Cuirace men to goe before is because they are the heaviest part of the armie and most charged who leading thus the way it must needs be that the rest will sooner follow and more easily that are more lightly armed Contrariwise if in the night season the nimblest and swiftest part should march formost no marvaile is it if the * or batailons regiments bee distracted For so that which is in the vaward quickly outgoeth the rest and getteth out of sight Next after these let Artabazus conduct the Persian Targuatiers and Archers After them Andramias the Mede shall have the leading of the Median Infantery and Embas next to them of the Armenian Then let Artuchas follow with the commaund of the Hyrcanians After whom Thambradas with the Sacan footmen and at the tayle of them Damatas with the Cadusians But lead they all their regiments in this order namely having the Centurions affront the Targuatiers on the right hand the Archers on the left of their owne side For marching in this manner they are the readier to execute any piece of service Behind these quoth hee shall the * Souldiers or pages 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 porters follow with all their baggage Whose Provosts must looke unto them all that in the evening they bring togither every thing in good order before they sleepe as also that early in the morning they be with their carriages ready appointed in due place and follow decently Next to these Madatas the Persian is to lead the Persian Cavallery Who also shall have the Centurions of the horsemen in the front and let every such Centurion lead his troupe single by it selfe like as the Captaines of the footmen doe After whom let Rhambacas the Mede march with his men of Armes likewise aâ—d then you Tigranes with your owne Cavallery And so forth for the Confederates let all the * Guiders Captaines of horsemen conduct those with whom every one came unto us The Cadusians as they came last so let them march in the Reare hinmost And you that are their Commaunder take the charge now of all them that are behind and permit not any one to follow after your horsemen Yee Captaines and souldiers both as many as bee wise looke to it diligently that yee march in silence For by night every thing must of necessity both be perceived and also wrought by helpe of eares rather than of eyes And put case that any trouble and disorder arise in the night season it is much greater and the same harder to be composed than in the day time And therefore both silence is needfull to be kept and order also as possibly to bee observed Now for the night watches quoth he so often as ye are to arise
yea and sent to Gadatas for to be cured The rest he bestowed in pavilions by themselves togither and with great care gave order that they should have all necessaries assuming unto him as assistants in the businesse certeine of the Persian Homotimi For in such cases as these good and honest men are willing to set to their helping hands And for his owne part verily how much hee grieved it evidently appeared in that it being now supper time when the rest were at supper Cyrus still with his * Serjeants Ministers Physicians and Chirurgions gave attendance and by his good will left not one neglected and unlooked to but if hee did not in his owne person see to them every man might plainly perceive that he sent others to tend them And so for that time they went to rest By the breake of day he made Proclamation by the publike Criers that the Rulers of the other Associates but the Cadusians all in generall should assemble togither and unto them hee delivered these or such like words My friends and Confederates An ordinary accident it is among men that hath befalne unto you For men yee are and that men should erre is in my conceit no wonder And yet by good right meet it is that of this infortunitie we should reape some profit Namely To learne never hereafter to sever from the whole body of the armie any Regiment weaker than the enimies forces Neither speake I this quoth he that a man ought not sometimes to goe out when the case so requireth with a lesse power than wherewith the Cadusians erewhile did set forth But if one enterprise an exploit imparting his minde first to him who is able and sufficient to helpe and so goe forth he may perchance faile of his purpose and be deceived yet as possible it is that hee who stayeth still behind may delude the enemies diverting them another way from those who went forth There are besides other meanes to worke trouble unto the enemies and thereby to procure the safetie of friends And so verily he that is gone apart from the rest may not be coumpted absent but to depend upon the residue of the forces behind But he that departeth making no man privie beforehand where he is differeth nothing at all from him who of himselfe alone undertaketh an expedition Howbeit for this mischance quoth he that hath happened God willing ere it bee long wee will be avenged of our enemies For so soone as ever yee have taken a short dinner I my selfe will bring you where the deed was done and there will we both bury our dead and also if God will shew unto our enemies that in the very place where they thinke they have gotten the upper hand there be others better men than themselves in so much as they shall take no great joy to see that plot of ground on which they slew our Associates But in case they will not come forth and meet us in the field let us set their villages on fire let us harry and wast their country that they may have no pleasure in the sight of those things which they have done to us but contrariwise sorrow and grieve to behold their owne calamities Goe yee therefore all the rest quoth he to your dinners As for you that are Cadusians First choose according to your owne law and custome some one to be your * Generall or Coronell Prince who with the auspicious helpe of the Gods and us may take the charge of you and see what yee stand in need of When yee have elected him and dined withall send whom yee have elected unto mee And so they did accordingly But Cyrus after hee had brought forth his armie and appointed him to his Regiment whom the Cadusians had made choice of commaunded him to lead the same arraunged in order of battaile close to himselfe to the end quoth he that if it be possible wee may encourage these men againe Thus set they forth and being come to the place they both entered the Cadusians and harried the country And when they had so done and gotten victuall and other provision out of the enemies land they departed and returned into the territorie of Gadatas Cyrus then considering that they who had revolted unto him bordering as they did upon Babylon should susteine much detriment by so ill a neighbour unlesse himselfe were continually present with them commaunded as many of the enemies as he dismissed to say unto the Assyrian King and withall sent an Herauld to denounce unto him in his name that ready hee was for his part to forbeare the husbandmen that tilled the ground and would doe them no wrong in case the King likewise would permit their labourers and husbandmen who had revolted unto him to till their grounds in peace And you verily quoth he to the King were you able to prohibit them shall when you have all done hinder but a few For their territories are but small who have turned from you to me but it lies in my power to suffer a large country of yours to be tilled And as touching the harvest and inning of the fruits therein if the warre continue he shall reape and gather all as I suppose that is the Conquerour But if peace shall be established who but your selfe shall have and hold all For surely if any of my souldiers shall rise and take armes against you or yours against mee we will of both sides quoth he doe our best to chastice and punish the delinquents Having put these instructions in this wise into the Heraulds mouth he sent him away The Assyrians when they heard this message did the best they could to perswade their King to condiscend unto these conditions and to leave as little warre behind as might be And verily the Assyrian King whether it were through the perswasion of his owne nation or for that himselfe was willing enough and inclined that way already assented thereto Hereupon capitulated and covenanted it was betweene these two Potentates that the husbandmen should have peace and the armed souldiers warre Thus much effected Cyrus in the behalfe of husbandmen As touching pasturage for their labouring beasts he gave order unto his friends That it should be assigned and set out as they would themselves where their owne Demesnes and Seignories lay but from the enemies they drave booties wheresoever they could light upon any to the end that unto his Associates the warfare might be the more pleasant For admit they gat no victuals and necessaries yet the daungers were all one but to live of their enemies country seemed to make their souldiery and service the easier Well whiles Cyrus now made preparation to depart out of those quarters Gadatas came and shewed himselfe bringing and driving before him many and sundry presents as having a large habitation and the same well stored and among the rest many horses of service which he had taken from his owne men of armes such as he distrusted for
their treacherous lying in wait for him And as he approached neere unto Cyrus he spake in this wise Here Sir quoth he I bring now unto you these things that you may for the present use them as you need But thinke this withall that whatsoever beside is mine the same is also yours For neither have I nor ever shall a child of mine owne body begotten unto whom I may leave my house and inheritance but when I die my whole line and name must of necessitie be extinct with me And the Gods ô Cyrus I take to witnesse who both see all and heare all that I have not committed either in word or deed any unjust or dishonest act whereby I should deserve these calamities And as he uttered these words he bewailed his owne fortune and for very teares could speake no more Cyrus hearing his pittious mone tooke commiseration of the mans hard hap and calamitie saying withall As for the horses quoth he I accept of them For hereby shall I doe you a pleasure all the while I bestow them upon those men who are better affected unto you as it appeareth than those whose ere-while they were And the Persian Cavallery I shall shortly make up to the number of 10000 horsemen the thing that I have so long desired Your other treasure quoth he take away and keepe it to your selfe untill you see me have so much as that in requitall I be not inferiour to you For if at your departure you give me more than you receive at my hands I know not so helpe me God how to doe but to be grieved and ashamed To this Gadatas said Truly I beleeve you herein For I see your gentle nature and franke disposition But see I pray you whether I be able to keepe the same For so long as we and the Assyrian King were friends my Patrimony was thought to be a very faire livelode and estate For lying as it did neere unto that great and populous Citie Babylon looke what commoditie might grow from a noble and ample Citie wee got and enjoyed the same and what trouble or encombrance might arise from thence we could retire hither home and be farre remote therefro But now standing as we doe in termes of enmitie evident it is that after you be once departed both we ourselves shall be forelayed with our whole family and so farre as I can see a pensive and sorrowfull life wee shall lead having our enemies so neere and seeing them to bee more puissant than our selves But peradventure you will say And why thought you not so much before you revolted Certes Cyrus because my minde fixed upon such a wrong done and blinded with very anger considered not what was best and safest for me but conceived and ever was with child of these fansies Will it never be that I shall be revenged of him an enemy both to God and man him I say who mortally and continually hateth not one if he doe him any wrong but if he doe but suspect another better than himselfe And therefore I thinke verily that being so bad as he is all the confederates that he employeth in his service he shall finde worse than himselfe And say there bee any one that seemeth better than another Bee assured Cyrus you shall never need to fight against any good and valiant man but he will be sufficient so to worke and contrive as to kill him to your hand that is his better And as for molesting mee verily he will I suppose with the helpe of those wicked ones overmatch me When Cyrus heard him say thus he thought that he spake to the point and what was worthy to be considered Whereupon he inferred presently and said How say you then Gadatas have you not fortified your holds and castles with garrisons for your owne defense and safetie whensoever you shall enter into them And doe you not your selfe in person goe with us in this expedition that if God be still on our side as now he is this wicked Prince may stand in feare of you and not you of him Goe along therefore with me and what ever of yours you take pleasure to see or delight to companie with have with you Certes you may as I suppose stand me in very good stead and I will endevour likewise to my power for to pleasure you Which offer when Gadatas heard he tooke heart againe and said Is it possible for me to trusse up bag and baggage and to gather togither all that I have before you depart For desirous I am quoth he to have away my mother with me You may very well quoth Cyrus For I will stay for your sake untill you say that all is well So Gadatas for the present tooke his leave and by the advise of Cyrus did put garrisons into those Castles which he had fortified and gat togither all such stuffe and furniture as might beseeme an ample and stately house for to be inhabited Moreover of those about him he tooke such trusty friends as in whom hee had delight yea and many likewise whom he distrusted and of those hee compelled some to bring away with them their wives others their sisters to the end that being yoked to them hee might hold them in their alleageance Thus Cyrus having Gadatas in his retinew departed Who served his turne very well to direct him in the waies to shew him where water where forage provander and corne was to be had to the end he might alwaies encampe in places of most plentie CHAP. VIII How Cyrus as he returned into Media passed before Babylon and surprised certaine Forts upon the Frontiers NOw when he marched on and discovering in his journey the city of Babylon perceived besides that the way which he went led directly to the very wals he called Gobryas and Gadatas unto him Of whom hee demaunded if there were not another passage that they might not approach the wall so neere Then Gobryas There are my Lord quoth he very many avenues but I thought you were now minded to lead your army as nigh as you could unto the City for to shew unto them within your armie how brave and puissant it is For when you had a lesse power you came close to the very wall and they beheld us to be but few in number And now although the King be in readinesse as hee said himselfe he was preparing to fight yet I know very well that when he vieweth your forces he will thinke his owne to be yet unready To this Cyrus made answer thus You seeme to mervaile my Gobryas that when I came with a lesse armie by farre I advanced hard to the City wall and now having a greater power am unwilling to march under the same But mervaile not thereat quoth he For it is not all one to advance * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To lead by or aside close forward and to * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 passe by aloofe For all men advance forward so arraunged
laughing stocke of me For it is not unknowne unto me that not onely you are of greater puissance than I but also even mine owne vassals are come to meet me more mighty than my selfe and so well appointed as that they be able to doe mee more harme than I can them And as hee uttered these words the teares came upon him more and more in so much as hee inforced Cyrus also to weepe so as his eyes stood full againe of water Who after hee had staied and continued himselfe a while brake out into these words But you Cyaxares neither say truly nor deeme aright in case you thinke that the Medes by my presence with them are so well appointed as to bee able for to worke your woe Certes I nothing mervaile that you are wroth and affraied And whether you be offended with them justly or unjustly let that for me goe by For well I know that if I should plead in their behalfe you would take it to the heart But for a Prince and Soveraigne to be angry and displeased with all his subjects at once I hold it a foule fault For many enemies must needs bee procured when a man is terrible unto many And when one is set against all he giveth them occasion to joyne all in one mind and to draw in a line In which regards be you assured I sent these your men backe unto you not without my selfe as fearing on their part lest ought might by reason of your indignation have fallen out which we all should rue And verily by Gods helpe for these matters you shall incurre no daunger so long as I am present But whereas you thinke your selfe wronged by me that goeth to my heart if endeavouring as I doe all that I can to pleasure my friends most I be thought afterwards for my labour to worke and practise the contrary Well Let us not thus rashly contest and blame one another But see if it bee possible in most plaine termes what manner of injurie mine is And verily content I am for my selfe to make that offer which is most just and equall If it appeare that I have done ill acknowledge I will and confesse my fault But if it bee found that I have done nothing amisse nor intended evill will not you then yeeld that you have not beene wronged by me It must needs be so quoth he Nay what and if it shall evidently be knowne saith Cyrus that I have been the author of your welfare that I have studied to conferre as many benefits as I could upon you will you not judge me worthy of praise rather than of rebuke That is but reason quoth Cyaxares Why then saith Cyrus let us examine in particular every thing that I have done and so it will most evidently aopeare what therein is good and what is bad Begin we I say if you thinke that will serve at the very originall For what time as you perceived many of your enemies assembled and those already come forward against you and invading your land what did you but send immediately to the State of Persia craving their aide yea and to my selfe especially intreating me both to come and also to labour if any Persians were sent to be their Leader and Commaunder Perswaded therefore I was by your words I came unto you in person and brought unto you men for number many and for valour the best I could True it is quoth he you came indeed Tell me then saith Cyrus First whether herein you condemne any injurious dealing of mine to youward or rather commend my * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 beneficence to you Apparent it is quoth Cyaxares that hereby I must acknowledge your good dealing Goe to then said Cyrus when your enemies were come and that there was no remedie but fought they must be with did you in that tryall perceive me either to shrinke for any paines or to spare for any perill No surely quoth Cyaxares I protest before God To proceed said Cyrus what time as by Gods assistance the victory was ours and the enemies fled When I requested you that wee might with our united forces pursue them and in common revenge our selves of them and what event soever ensued thereof good or bad to take part indifferently in these things can you impute any avarice unto me as if I sought mine owne advantage above others At this Cyaxares held his peace Then replied Cyrus and went on in this wise Since it pleasethyou at this question to keepe silence rather than to answer yet tell mee thus much I pray you whether you tooke your selfe to be wronged in that when you thought it stood not with your owne safety to follow the chace I would not suffer you in proper person to bee in any part of the daunger but requested you onely to send unto me some of your horsemen Shew I say whether in this request of mine I did you wrong especially seeing I had already borne my selfe in your service as a true confederate And when Cyaxares said nothing to this also Seeing then quoth Cyrus it is not your pleasure to answer unto this point Speake yet from henceforth whether I wronged you in that when you made me this answer that perceiving as you did the Medes addicted to Ioviall mirth you would not have them to give it over nor force them to enter upon a daungerous peece of service Tell me I say Thinke you that I offred you any hard measure in that I neglected to be angry with you but eftsoones entreated of you afterwards that thing than which I knew there was nothing of lesse moment for you to graunt nor easier to be imposed upon the Medes For I prayed you onely to give me such as willingly would follow me Which being graunted yet was I never the neerer unlesse I could perswade them To them I went I perswaded with them and looke whom I could prevaile with I tooke with me and went my waies with your good leave and permission Now if you esteeme this blame-worthy then surely even to take any thing at your hands which you frankly give cannot as it should seeme be void of blame To be short Thus and thus wee did set forth When wee were gone what was exploited by us which is not to all men knowne Was not our enemies campe by force wonne Were not many of them slaine that tooke armes and rose against you And of those that remained alive lost not many their armour and as many their horses The goods verily of those who beforetime carried away and harried before them yours you see now in the hands and possession of your Friends part whereof they bring to you and part for themselves who neverthelesse are under your dominion And that which of all the rest is most honourable and glorious you see your owne Territories and Seignories enlarged but those of your enemies diminished Your enemies Castles and Forts you see wonne and held by force but your owne as many as
even my very friends would raise such a rumour as if in deed I had made an escape from you So by this meanes quoth Cyrus you may returne againe unto us with the full intelligence of all our enemies affaires I suppose also that being once trusted among them they will make you privie to all their speeches and secret counsels whatsoever in so much as there shall no designment be hid from you that we are desirous to learne Well then quoth Araspas I will even now set forward For this you may well wit will be one argument to induce them for to believe me because I shall be thought to have run away from you fearing some mischiefe at your hands But can you by the way finde in your heart saith Cyrus to leave that same lovely Dame Panthea behind you Cerres quoth he ô Cyrus I have in me two * or minde◠soules For even erewhile of that point I philosophized and argued with an untoward Sophister namely love For were the said * or minde soule of mine but one it could not be for both good bad at once neither could it affect at one and the same time as well honest actions as dishonest ne yet be willing and unwilling alike to effect the same But evident it is that * or soules two minds there are And when that which is good hath the soveraintie honest deeds are enterprised and done but when the bad hath the mastery wee set in hand with those that are dishonest and naught And now this good * or minde understanding in me having gotten your helpe and assistance is become superiour and ruleth very much If therefore saith Cyrus you also thinke it good to take this journey you must order the matter so as that you may winne the greater credit and reputation among them To which purpose discover hardly unto them what we are about and discover it so as what plots so ever you disclose unto them may be the greatest lets to checke and crosse their owne designments and proceedings Now this would be a blocke in their way in case you give it out that we are preparing and upon the point in some place or other to invade their Land For when they heare this they can the worse be assembled all togither with their whole puissance whiles every one standeth in feare for his owne estate at home And stay you with them as long as you may For it will be most availeable unto us to have intelligence especially of those enterprises that they goe about even when they are neerest unto us Furthermore advise them to put themselves in ordinance of battaile the best way that shall be thought For after that you are departed who seeme to know their order of embattailing they must needs bee arraunged in the same sort For loth will they be and afraid to change the manner of setting the field and if they should chance to alter it they will be much troubled at the instant to doe it in such hast Thus went Araspas out of the place taking with him his most trusty servitours and having acquainted some with what hee thought most expedient for this affaire he departed CHAP. III. How Panthea sent for her husband to come unto Cyrus The preparation that Cyrus made for the warre The forme of Chariots devised by him for the carriage of his great Engines and Fabricks NOw when Dame Panthea understood that Araspas was gone shee dispatched unto Cyrus a messenger in her name thus to say Let it not trouble you Cyrus that Araspas is turned to the enemies side For if you will give me leave to send unto my husband I undertake that hee shall come a more faithfull friend by farre than was Araspas And I know moreover that he will be ready to assist you with all the power that hee is able to make For this mans father who now is King was his very good friend howsoever he that reigneth at this present went about once when it was to make a distraction and separation betweene me and my husband And therefore I know right well that taking him to be as he is spitefull and malicious he will be glad to turne unto such a Prince as you are When Cyrus heard this he commaunded her to send unto her husband which she did accordingly Then Abradatas as soone as he tooke knowledge of the tokens that came from his wife and understood besides how other things went willingly with all speed went unto Cyrus with a troupe of 2000. horse or thereabout And being come as farre as to the Persian * or Sentinels Espials he sent unto Cyrus signifying who he was Whereupon Cyrus gave order streightwaies that hee should be conducted directly to his wife Now when she and Abradatas her husband had seene one another they mutually embraced each other as reason it was * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 meeting thus beyond all hope Then Panthea reported unto him the * Integrity piety temperance and commiseration of Cyrus toward her Which Abradatas hearing What were I best to doe my Panthea quoth he to requite Cyrus both in your behalfe and in mine owne also What else said Panthea but endeavour to beate your selfe toward him so as hee hath beene to you ward After this went Abradatas to Cyrus and no sooner saw he him but taking him by the right hand thus he said For the favours you have done unto us ô Cyrus I know not what to say more than this That I will devote my selfe wholly unto you as a friend servitour and Associat in warre And whatsoever I see you studiously to affect therein shall I doe my best devoir to effect the same Why then quoth Cyrus I accept of you and now for this time I dismisse you to go and sup togither with your wife But henceforth you must lodge even in mine owne Pavilion with your Friends and mine Afterwards when Abradatas perceived Cyrus to set his mind earnestly upon those sythed chariots to affect likewise bard horses and horsemen armed at all pieces he endeavoured out of his owne Cavallery to provide him an hundred chariots with the like equipage to his yea and addresse himselfe in person to ride in a chariot as Captaine to governe the rest As for his owne chariot hee ordered it so that it had foure spires and eight steeds drew joyntly therein His wife Panthea out of her owne privy purse had made for him both a * or Poles curet and also an helmet of beaten gold likewise a paire of golden * or Curace Vambraces * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As for the horses belonging to his chariot she did set them out with furnitures and harnish all of brasse onely Thus verily was Abradatus busied But Cyrus when hee had seene his said Chariot with foure poles thought this with himselfe that he likewise might as well deuise one also of eight so as the * Towers nethermost rowne for
returned unto Cyrus and recounted unto him all the ordinance and preparation of the enemie How himselfe prepared to raunge his men in battaile ray BY this time was there another come from the * Sergeant or Provost Captaine of the Espials saying that there was seene upon the plaines a great troupe of horsemen and we suppose quoth he that they ride out as destrous to view this army of yours For even before this troupe there be other horsemen to the number of thirtie galloping and verily they make toward us even and anon haply because they would gaine this * Barbican place of Espiall if possibly they could and surely we are but ten in all to make good the said hill Then Cyrus commanded certaine of those horsemen whom he had alwaies attending about him to ride hard under the said Barbican and there to rest and keepe themselves quiet so as they might not be seene of the enemies But quoth he when as our ten men there abandon the place arise yee and set upon them that climbe up the hill and to the end that ye be not hurt or annoyed by those of that great troupe goe you forth Hystaspas quoth he taking with you a Regiment of two thousand horsemen and make a bravado directly against the troupe of our enemies Howbeit pursue them not in any wise so farre as into covert and unknowne places but so soone as you have taken order that your spies may safely remaine and keepe the ground retire you and depart away Now if there be any of them shall ride towards you holding up their hands in token of peace receive the men courteously So Hystaspas went from him with this charge and armed himselfe the other horsemen also his followers rode away forthwith as he had commanded And who should meet them in the way on this side the said Barbican but Araspas with his men him I meane who being the keeper of that * Panthea Susian Lady had beene sent long before as an espie Cyrus no sooner saw the man but he * Leapt sprung out of his chaire went toward him and lovingly tooke him by the hand The rest who knew nothing of the matter wondered hereat as good cause they had and were much amazed untill such time as Cyrus thus said Here is my loving friends a right worthy Gentleman returned unto us For now meet it is that all the world should know what good service he hath done This person here in place departed from us not attaint of any lewd act neither for feare of me but by me was he sent away of purpose to learne out the secret designes of our enemies and to exhibit thereof a true report unto us Therefore my trusty Araspas looke what promise I made unto thee I well remember * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and with all this here performe the same I will And meet it is my souldiers all that yee every one doe honour this man as a doutie Knight in that for our good he hath exposed himselfe to daunger and undergone the aspersion of a crime imputed unto him With that they all embraced Araspas and tooke him by the hand Then said Cyrus Enough of this And now Araspas quoth hee relate unto us what the present time and occasion requireth wee should know and say not lesse than truth one whit as touching our enemies puissance For better it were that wee imagining it to bee more should afterwards see it lesse than hearing it lesse now sinde it afterwards much more Certes quoth Araspas I have done my best endevour to know their strength most certeinly For present I was my selfe in person with others to set them in ray Why then quoth Cyrus you know not onely their number but their order also Yes verily saith Araspas yea and in what manner they intend to embattaile and fight Yet shew us first quoth Cyrus and that summarily their number Their battalions all quoth Araspas as well footmen as horsemen be ordered so as that they beare in * From the front or in fyle depth thirty * Or beside except the Aegyptians And these are about * Five miles stadia 40 furlongs off For very carefull I was to know how much ground they tooke up But as touching these Aegyptians saith Cyrus tell me how they be embattailed because you said beside the Aegyptians Surely quoth Araspas their * Mytiarchs Colonels over ten thousand ordered them so as that every Regiment of ten thousand bare every way a hundred square For this manner of embattailing was by their saying after their country fashion And Croesus I assure you was very loth to graunt them thus to be arraunged For he desired all that he could to hemme in your armie on every side with his battalions And to what end saith Cyrus desired he that Even because he might quoth he environ you with his exceeding number But first Let them see to it said Cyrus least whiles they goe about to encompasse others they be not enclosed themselves Well we have heard of you that which the time required Now therefore let us proceed thus accordingly After yee are departed hence looke well to the armour both of your horses and also of your selves For oftentimes if there be wanting but a small matter man horse and chariot serve all to no purpose And to morrow morning betimes First of all whiles I am busie at sacrifice both horse and man ought to take their * Or breakfast dinners to the end that if any opportunitie be offred of an exploit we be not wanting in that behalfe Then lead you Araspas the right wing according to the charge which now you have The other Colonels likewise having the conduct of ten thousand keepe your places still For when the fight is once a-foot it will be no fit time for any chariot to change or shift horses Enjoyne moreover the * Taxiarchs Centiniers and * File Leaders Caporals in the Vantguard to order their files every one divided in two parts phalang-wise ech part fronting one with another in a right line Now * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ech file conteined 24 souldiers Then spake one of the * Myriarchs Colonels abovesaid in this wise Thinke you Sir that we shall be sufficient arraunged into so many files and those so shallow against so square and deepe a * Or Phalang battalion of our enemies Why quoth Cyrus how thinke you of this These their * Or Phalangs squadrons standing deeper in file than with their weapons to reach unto their opposites doe they either hurt their enemies or helpe their fellow-souldiers For mine owne part quoth Cyrus I could wish that whereas these armed men of theirs raunged a hundred deepe in file had beene in depth ten thousand For by this meanes wee should encounter with fewest But as I order my battalion * Heavily armed in thicknesse it will I trow so come to passe that
but by pricking his Steeds drew blood of them good store And with him the rest of the Chariotiers made a violent impression upon them Then immediatly the enemies Chariots fled from them some taking their riders with them others leaving them behind But Abradatas passed directly through them and violently assayled the Phalang of the Aegyptians and togither with him they also who stood embatteled next did set upon them And as many waies else it is cleere that there is no battaile more strongly arraunged than that which consisteth of friends assembled to fight togither so at this time that companie of his about him shewed no lesse For they were his familiar friends and companions at his table that stucke close to him and joyntly charged the enemie The rest of the Chariotiers when they saw how the Aegyptians with a strong troupe stiffely abid the shocke withdrew themselves toward the Chariots as they fled and followed after them But Abradatas his companie where they had once broken in because the Aegyptians could not give backe by reason of those their fellowes who stood thicke about them on every side look how many they encountred directly in their way with violence of horses they slew and overthrew and as they fell trampled and crushed in pieces themselves their armour their horses and wheeles whatsoever the yron * Or hookes sythes of the chariots tooke hold of they violently cut in twaine as well harnois and weapons as men In this tumultuous medley that cannot be expressed in word it fortuned that Abradatas for that his chariot wheeles were flowne off by reason of so many confused heaps of all sorts fell out of it with others besides that accompanied him in this exploit who having borne themselves with him in fight right manfully were there slaine and left dead in the place The Persians following hard after rushing thither where Abradatas his companie had made the overture disranked the enemies and killed them outright But the Aegyptians where they stood still in good order not disarrayed and these were many in number advanced directly forward all a-brest against the Persians where there was a hote and fierce conflict pell-mell with launces chasing staves and swords And to say a truth the Aegyptians had the ods as well in number as in weapon For they bare stiffe and long Launces which even at this day they use shields also which convered their bodies much more than the * Curaces brest plates and bucklers of the Persians and helped them somewhat else to punch and shoove from them fitted as they were to their shoulders And therefore locking their targuets togither they went on and thrust from them But the Persians were not able to sustaine their force considering they carried their light bucklers of wicker at armes end but softly retired * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 foot by foot giving and taking blowes untill such time as they gate close under their * or engins fabricks aforesaid When they were thither come the Aegyptians began to have the worse and to be wounded afresh from the Turrets They then who stood behind in the rere would suffer neither Archers nor Darters to flye but lifting up and bending their swords at them forced them both to shoot arrowes and also to fling darts Hereupon grew a great carnage of men and a mightie noise and clattering as well of armours as of * or missive casting weapons of all sorts togither with a wonderfull cry whiles some called to their fellowes others encouraged them to fight and a third sort cryed unto the Gods for their helpe Meane-while Cyrus who had pursued in chace those that stood against him came and seeing the Persians put backe and lose ground he grieved at it perceiving also that by no other meanes he could sooner stay the enemies from preassing still forward than by wheeling about and riding at their very taile he commaunded his men to follow him and so rode hard upon their rereward Thus they assaile and wound them behind yea and kill many of them looking another way Which when the Aegyptians perceived they cryed That the enemies were hard at their backs and withall amid their wounds were faine to turne head upon them and make resistance Then fought horsemen and footmen one with another And there it fortuned that one being falne under Cyrus his horse as he lay trampled under foot with his sword stabbed the horse in the bellie wherupon the beast winsing and flinging out with his heeles for paine of the wound never rested untill he had cast and overthrowne Cyrus But here a man might have seene what a worthy matter it is for a Prince to be loved of his subjects For presently they all did set up an outcry and with exceeding violence fought togither right manfully Here was thrusting to and fro here were blowes given and taken reciprocally But one at length of Cyrus his guard alighting from his owne horse mounted him thereupon Now when Cyrus was gotten up he might by that time see the Aegyptians beaten downe on every side For both Hystaspas was come already with the Persian Cavallery and Chrysantas also Howbeit he would not suffer them any longer to run upon the Aegyptians battalion but commaunded from without to discharge arrowes and darts at them Now after he had ridden all about untill he was come unto the fabricks he thought good to get up into one of the turrets to espy whether any other companie of the enemies stood to it and fought in any place When he was once aloft he saw the whole field and plaine before him full of horses men and chariots some flying others chacing some winners others losers to wit the enemies running away and his owne men having the upper hand And verily of those that were discomfited he could see none any more but onely the Aegyptians Who being driven to a streight cast themselves round into a ring so as their armour was onely seene and they set close covered under their shields And now verily nought did they else but abide many and grievous extremities Cyrus then wondring at them and pitying their distresse to see so hardy and valiant men to die caused all those to retyre that charged them on every side not permitting one of them to fight any longer He sent withall an Herault at Armes unto them demaunding whether they would all of them perish for their sakes who had betrayed them or rather save their owne lives with the reputation of brave and valourous soldiers Vnto whom they answered And how can we be saved and yet reputed valiant souldiers Then Cyrus said againe For that yee are the men alone whom wee see to abide by it and willing to fight it out But from henceforth replyed the Aegyptians By what good and notable Action of ours may wee possibly be saved In case quoth he yee deliver up your armes into our hands and joyne with them in amitie who when it lies in their power
time employed But Cyrus went forward out of Sardes toward Babylon leaving there in the City a strong garrison * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Persians of footmen having Croesus in his company and carrying away with him many carts and waines loden with treasure and riches of all sorts Croesus also thither came who having precisely set downe in writing all the parcels of treasure which were in every waine gave up the said booke into Cyrus his hands saying withall unto him If you have about you quoth he O Cyrus this Inventary you shall know who dealeth truly and justly in delivering up his charge and who doth not Then said Cyrus You doe well good Croesus to provide thus for the worst But surely they shall for me carry the goods who are worthy even to be owners thereof so that if they embecile or steale any of it they shall but rob themselves of their owne goods Which said hee put those notes into the hands of his friends and Captaines that they might take account and know whether they that had the charge of those things delivered them backe safe and sound or no The Lydians likewise as many as he saw to shew themselves gallantly in armes on horsebacke and in chariots such also as endeavoured every way to performe that whereby they thought to doe him pleasure he led with him in his armie But whom he perceived to follow him unwillingly from them he tooke their horses and gave them to those Persians who first had served with him in the warres Their armour he burnt and constrained themselves to follow after with slings Yea and all those without armes whom he had vanquished and subdued he forced to exercise the sling thinking that kind of weapon and manner of service most base and servile For how ever it falleth out that slingers otherwhiles if they be in place with other forces stand in very good stead yet by themselves put them altogither if they encounter but a few of such as use weapons for close fight at hand they are not able to hold out the skirmish Now in his journey toward Babylon he brought under his subjection by the way the Phrygians inhabiting that great Phrygia the Cappadocians also and Arabians he subdued And with the harnois and weapons of all these hee furnished the Persian horsemen to the full number of 40000. Semblably many of the Captives horsemen he distributed among all his Associates throughout So he came before Babylon with a mighty power of horsemen with many archers also and darters but with slingers innumerable CHAP. VI. How Cyrus laid siege unto the City Babylon and by a wonderfull stratageme wonne it How the King of Assyria and his men were slaine the city put to the sacke and the fortresses rendred into his hands CYRVS being now set before Babylon with his whole armie invested the City Then accompanied with his friends and such of his Associates as were men of Action himselfe in person made a bravado and rode about the towne After he had well viewed the wals thereof he intended presently to withdraw his forces from the city At which time a certaine fugitive from out of the towne came and gave him intelligence that the Babylonians would sally forth upon him as hee should retire with his armie For when from the wals they beheld this maine battaile of yours saith he it seemed but weake And no mervaile in very truth that it should be so For when they encircled the wals being so large in compasse it could not otherwise be but the said maine battalion must grow thin and beare a small * or thicknesse depth with it Which newes when Cyrus heard standing in the mids of the armie with his guard about him he commaunded the souldiers heavily armed to display and stretch out the said battalion from both * or poynts ends and to goe off close by that part of the armie that stood still untill such time as both the said points raught unto him and enclosed the very mids Which when they did both they who kept their standing now that the bodie of the battaile was double in thicknesse as also those that went from both ends were more emboldened For they that stood still were presently neere unto the enemies But when by this manner of passing to and fro they had brought both points togither they stood more strong and confident as well they that went off by reason of them before as they before also for that those behind joyned unto them By meanes of displaying and spreading the battaile in this manner the best must needs bee raunged formost and hinmost but the worst cast into the mids Which order of embattailing seemed to be well provided both for to fight as also to keepe them from flight Moreover the horsemen and light appointed skirmishers in the wings approached ever to the Generall so much the neerer as the maine battaile thus reenforced and doubled bare greater * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thicknesse and became deeper After they were in this wise put in array they gave backe from thence * by little and little foot by foot so farre as a dart shot raught from the wall But when they were once without their reach they turned their faces toward the city and verily at the first having stepped some few paces forward they shifted full upon their shields and stood so as they might behold the wall at full and the farther they were off they shifted so much thinner Now when they thought themselves to bee in safety they retired in a continued order togither untill they were come unto their tents And after they were encamped Cyrus calling to him his best warriours and men of action said thus unto them My Friends and Associates we have viewed the city round about and how it is possible to force by assault the wals so strong and high withall I cannot see But this I suppose that the greater multitude of people there be within the City so long as they yssew not forth to fight the sooner shall they be overtaken with hunger Vnlesse therefore yee can alleadge some other way my advise is that presently we lay siege and beleaguer them Then spake Chrysantas This river here which is above * or a quarter of a mile 2. furlongs over runneth it * along the mids through the mids of the city Yes verily answered Gobryas and so deep it is withall that two men standing one upon the head of another will not reach above the water Whereby the city is better defended with the river than with the wals Let these matters goe by quoth Cyrus then unto Chrysantas which are above our strength and after that we have with all speed taken measure we must of necessity quarter our selves accordingly and goe in hand to dig a mighty deep and broad trench to the end that we may have need of as few warders as may be Having measured therefore all about the
thing be a barre thereto But that Eunuch who is faithfull to his Master findeth no impediment but he may be chiefe about him And whereas in some one this reason may most of all prevaile to the contrary namely that such evirate persons become weaklings and cowards Cyrus himselfe was not of that minde And here he argued strongly from instance in other living creatures For horses be otherwise fierce and untractable if they once be guelded how ever they leave their biting and ceasse to be frampold yet are they neverthelesse serviceable in the warres and Buls if they be libbed and made Oxen are not so stomackfull and stubborne as they were howbeit they abate nothing of their strength and abilitie to worke Semblably Dogs if their * If they be cut or splayed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cullions be taken from them use no more to leave and lose their Masters but are never the worse to watch and keepe the house no nor to hunt abroad Even so it is with men in this kinde more mild and gentle they are being bereft of this fleshly lust yet be they never the more negligent in the execution of such things as they are enjoyned to doe nor lesse industrious in service on horsebacke nor one jote disabled for launcing their darts ne yet lesse desirous of honour Nay rather both in martiall feats and in their hunting they shew evidently that they have kept still in their hearts a certaine emulation and desire of victory And that they be trusty withall they have shewed good proofe in the murders of their Masters For none there be that have given better testimony of their approoved fidelity in the calamities and distresses of their Lords than Eunuches And say it may be thought that they have lost some bodily strength being thus evirate yet in the warres the same is supplied by use of weapon which make the weake and strong all one Vpon these considerations having begun first at his Porters and doore-keepers hee chose for the Squires of his body Eunuches all And for that he thought this guard not sufficient to make head against a multitude of those that carried an hostile minde against him he devised whom he might beside elect out of others to be most faithfull Warders for his Court and Palace Knowing therefore that the Persians remaining at home in their country lived exceeding hardly by reason of povertie and tooke excessive paines as well in regard of the rough and hard soile of Persia as for that they maintaine themselves by their own labour hee supposed that they above all others would most embrace this condition of life with him Hereupon he draweth out of them a guard of ten thousand Pensioners who night and day should watch and ward round about his Palace so long as hee abode there at home and in case hee went forth any whither march also on either side of him in good array and well appointed And because he thought there was need of garrison-souldiers for all Babylon throughout and those sufficient persons whether himselfe remained within the Citie or were gone forth he placed a standing garrison in Babylon whom he appointed to receive their wages at the Babylonians hands for that he intended to keepe them disfurnished of all things to the end they might be brought very low and so by consequence with least adoe be held in awe And verily this set watch and ward then appointed for his owne person and for the Citie of Babylon continueth still in the same manner even to this day Moreover casting about how he might hold his whole Empire thus atchieved as also enlarge the same by further conquest hee thought that these * Mercenaries stipendiaries were not so much better in valour as fewer in number than his subjects and therefore determined to retaine still about him such valiant Knights as by the help of God had gained so famous victories and to take order that they might be trained still to the perfection of prowesse And because hee would not seeme to commaund them but that of their owne accord as deeming these things to bee most commendable they might persist therein and with all diligence ensue vertue he called unto him the abovesaid Peeres the principall men besides of Armes and action as also those whom he thought most meet and worthy to be part-takers both of travailes and availes And when they were all assembled togither he made this speech CHAP. VIII The Oration of Cyrus to his chiefe friends the Peeres or Homotims To the Captaines also of his Allies for to induct and frame them to vertue and to entertaine prowesse and feats of armes in his Dominion with many other good instructions to make them mild and vertuous MY deare friends and loving confederates wee yeeld unto God as our bounden duty is exceeding great thanks for that he hath granted unto us those blessings to enjoy which we thought our selves right worthy of For now possessed we are of a large country and fertile soyle Lords we be also over them who by tilling and husbanding the same shall finde us and maintaine our living Houses wee have also and the same well furnished with utensiles necessary Neither thinke any of you that in possessing all this he holdeth the goods or lands of other men For a perpetuall law this is throughout the world that when their Citie is wonne who stand out in armes as well the bodies of them within that Citie as their goods and whole estates be due unto the winners And therefore unjustly shall yee not possesse those things that yee hold but if yee permit those enemies to retaine ought it is of your meere courtesie that yee tooke not the same quite from them But as touching that which is henceforth to be done this verily is my determination If we give our selves to idlenesse and the voluptuous sensualitie of cowardly persons who are of opinion that there is no other misery but labour and paines taking like as to live at ease and exempt from labour is the onely pleasure and true felicitie then I avow and say wee shall quickly be of no reckoning nor worth to our owne selves yea and soone forgoe all these goods that were enjoyed For to have beene once valiant men is not sufficient to the perpetuitie and perfection of valour unlesse a man daily persevere therein even to the end But like as other Arts and Sciences if they be forlet grow to be of lesse esteeme and our very bodies otherwise healthy and in good plight if they be let loose to slouth and idlenesse turne eftsoones to be diseased and misliking even so temperance continence and fortitude whensoever a man slacketh their exercise by disuse grow shortly to vice and lewdnesse Therefore wee must not in any wise be remisse and take our ease ne yet abandon our selves to the pleasures and delights presented unto us For I assure you in my conceit howsoever to gaine a * Or Empire kingdome is a
in these cases what can be alleadged to the contrary but that he is more carefull for my good and commodity than mine owne selfe Furthermore this is his saying that he stands alwaies contented with his present fortune as sufficient for him but for me he sheweth himselfe provident and forecasting in my behalfe what good I may have by any thing added to my estate To conclude in my welfare he taketh more joy and pleasure than I doe my selfe At these words Hystaspas said Now so love me Lady Iuno as it doth me good at the very heart that I demaunded those questions of you And why so especially I pray quoth Cyrus because saith he I will endeavour what I can to doe the same But for one thing I know not what to doe namely how and in what sort I might shew my affection when I rejoyce in your good fortune and welfare Whether I must clap my hands or laugh or what else I should do Hereat Artabazus you ought then quoth he to daunce the Persian daunce At which they all laughed a good Now as the banquet went on still and they began to drinke more liberally Cyrus demaunded of Gobryas Tell me Gobryas whether are you more willing now to bestow your daughter in marriage upon one of these Gentlemen than at your first acquaintance with us And will you give me also leave quoth Gobryas to say a truth Yea verily saith Cyrus For no question needs to be answered with a lye Why then saith Gobryas know for certaine That much more willing I am now than heretofore And can you render a reason why quoth Cyrus Yea that I can answered Gobryas Say on then quoth Cyrus Because quoth he I saw them as then to endure both paines and perils willingly but now I perceive they can beare prosperity wisely and with moderation And truely ô Cyrus in my conceit it is an harder matter to find a man to beare well the favouring than to brooke the frowning of fortune For of the one may grow pride and insolency in many but the other breedeth modesty and temperance in all How now Hystaspas faith Cyrus have you heard what an Apophthegme Gobryas hath delivered Yes that I have quoth Hystaspas And if he come out with many such sentences he shall have me sooner to become a suiter unto his daughter than if he shewed me many drinking cups And I assure you saith Gobryas Many of these and such like sayings of his I have put in writing of which I will not envy you the having in case you espouse my daughter As for drinking cups because me thinks you set no store by them I wote not whether you should doe well to bestow them upon this Chrysantas here because he hath stolen your seat from you Then Cyrus Certes Hystaspas and yee my friends here present If yee tell me when any one of you will in hand with marriage yee shall see in what good stead I also will stand you in your wooing Then Gobryas If a man would marry forth his daughter whom should he acquaint with that businesse Whom but me quoth Cyrus For I am passing good at such a feat What feat is that quoth Chrysantas even the skill to know what marriage is meet for each person Then for the love of God quoth Chrysantas Tell me what kind of wife will best fit me be most sutable to my person First quoth Cyrus a little woman because you are but little your selfe For if you should match with one of stature tall you must bee faine to leap up to her as these little dogs doe whensoever you would kisse her upright In good faith quoth Chrysantas very well considered of you For I am nothing made at all for leaping Then quoth Cyrus A woman with a flat nose were very meet for you And why so saith Chrysantas because quoth he your selfe are * or Hawke-nosed hooke-nosed For you know very well that flat noses and hooked will couch and close best togither Say you then quoth Chrysantas That when one hath supped well as I now have a wife that goeth supperlesse to bed were meet to lye with him yes verily quoth Cyrus For they that are full have round and copped bellies but their bellies be flat that are empty and have not had their suppers But can you tell me for Gods sake Cyrus what manner of wife is good for a cold King Herewith Cyrus laughed and so did the rest And as they were altogither set a laughing In this one point verily quoth Chrysantas I envie you especially in your royall estate And what is that saith Cyrus because quoth he being as you are so cold and dry your selfe yet you can make us all to laugh And would not you quoth Cyrus give a great deale to have these things told you and report made unto her of whom you desire to be so highly esteemed that you are pleasantly conceited Thus passed they the time skoffing and jesting merrily one with another Then Cyrus brought forth a sute of womans apparaile and omaments thereto for Tigranes which he willed him to give unto his wife because she had borne her selfe manly in this expedition with her husband To Artabazus he gave a cup of gold and to the Hyrcanian Captaine a Courser with many other faire and rich gifts As for you Gobryas I will bestow upon you an husband for your daughter Then me you will give I trow quoth Hystaspas that I may have those written sentences of his Why quoth Cyrus have you any estate of your owne answerable to the dowry of the Damoisell Yea that I have quoth he God be thanked and the same worth much more money And where I pray you lyeth that wealth of yours Even there quoth Hystaspas pointing to Cyrus where you sit that are my friend And that is enough said Gobryas to content me And therewith presently he raught forth his hand and said Give me him Cyrus for I am ready to receive him Then Cyrus taking Hystaspas by the right hand gave him unto Gobryas who received him accordingly After this he bestowed upon Hystaspas many goodly gifts to send unto the young Lady his spouse and withall taking Chrysantas close unto him he kissed him Then Artabazus As Iupiter me helpe ô Cyrus quoth he that cup which you gave unto me and the gift which you bestowed upon Chrysantas be not both of the same gold But I will quoth Cyrus give you the like And when asked he Thirty yeeres hence quoth Cyrus See then quoth he you order the matter so and provide against that time as from whom I will expect so much and not dye in the meane while Thus for that present ended their feast and merry meeting When they were risen Cyrus also arose and accompanied them to the very gates CHAP. VII How Cyrus sent away his Associates into their owne countries distributed the spoyle and returned into Persia How he ordered and marshalled his campe being arrived in Media
how much the occasions in warre be more sodaine so much the greater is their delinquency who slacke any time and be tardy therein But in warfare he saw that exploits of great consequence were performed by those that were ready at hand in due time In which regard very diligent and carefull he was to have every thing placed fitly and in order First of all he tooke up a lodging for himselfe in the mids of the Campe because that place was strongest Then had he next about him as his manner ever was his trustiest men and round about them the men of armes and chariotiers For he supposed it needfull for them to quarter in a place of security because if any sodaine Al-arme be given in the Campe they have not use of their armes out of hand but their service requireth a long time ere they can be armed in case they meane to goe forth with them into the field for to doe any good Moreover on either hand as well the left as the right both of himselfe and of his said horsemen the Iavelotiers with their light bucklers were planted but behind and before the Archers As for the souldiers heavily armed and such as bare massie targuets they compassed all the rest in manner of a wall to the end that when need was that the horsemen should make themselves ready these souldiers so well appointed standing afore them might abide the longest brunt and give them respit and time enough to arme in safety And like as those heavily armed souldiers lodged and slept keeping their order and array stil even so did the Iavelotiers lightly armed and the Archers That if any Al-arme were in the night like as those are prest to wound the assailants close at hand so these Archers and Darters might be as ready to shoot their arrowes and launce their Iavelins from them in the defence of those armed souldiers if any enemies approached and affronted them Furthermore all the Captaines had certaine * or Banners Ensignes upon their Pavilions By which meanes like as in Cities the wiser sort can point unto the dwelling houses of most Citizens but especially of such as are of employment even so the ministers and servitours of Cyrus knew in what places to find their Captains and what Ensignes or colours belonged to every one And thereby if Cyrus had occasion to use any of them they needed not to seeke up and downe but ran readily the next way to every one And because each nation was apart and not intermingled one with another it was much sooner seene both when any kept his owne ranke in order as also whether they did not that which was commaunded Being thus marshalled he thought that if any enemie either by night or day assailed him they should come upon his campe no otherwise than if they fell into a place of ambushment And for a * one that professeth the skill to embartaile an Army Tactick he thought it requisite not onely to know how readily to stretch out in length the front of his Phalang or display and spread it out in depth or reduce it from a pointed wing into a massie squadron or to countermarch as readily the enemy being discovered and to wind about with it in good sort on the right hand or on the left or in the reare but he supposed also it appertained to that skill for to be able to divide it if need required and each part thereof to bestow for most advantage yea and to lead it on speedily where occasion is of prevention All these points and such like feats he thought did belong to that Captaine * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is expert in the ordinance of a battaile And even so right carefull and studious was he in them all And verily in his journeies he marched with his host not alwaies alike and in the same order but evermore accommodated to divers occurrents and sodaine accidents Howbeit in the pitching of his campe he used for the most part this dispose which I have rehearsed Now when they had journeyed so farre as they were come into the Medes countrey Cyrus turned in to Cyaxares for to lodge with him And after they had embraced one another Cyrus said first to Cyaxares that there was provided for him in Babylon a choice dwelling house with stately edifices that if he came thither he might keepe his Court there as in his owne Then bestowed he upon him very many and those right goodly presents Cyaxares when he had received them at his hands sent his daughter unto him who brought with her for him a golden Coronet a paire of bracelets and a collar of gold with a most beautifull Median robe Here quoth Cyaxares I give unto you Cyrus this young Lady mine owne daughter to be your wedded wife For so your father espoused my fathers daughter whose sonne you are And this is even very she whom you being a child many a time in our house were wont to sport with and dandle as a nurceling And when any one asked her whose wife she would be she was wont to make answer that Cyrus should be her husband And with her I give over and above for a dowry the Kingdome of Media and enfeoffe her wholly in it since I have no issue male of mine owne legitimate Thus said Cyaxares Vnto whom Cyrus made this answer The parentage good Vnkle Cyaxares I commend The young maiden I praise and of the dowry I like well enough but before I conclude of a marriage I will have the consent of my father and mother And albeit Cyrus thus said yet bestowed he upon the Damoisell all those gifts wherein he thought hee might gratifie Cyaxares Which done hee tooke his leave and went forward on his journey for Persia CHAP. VIII How Cyrus arrived in Persia where Cambyses treateth with him and his Lords and chiefe Commanders about the affaires of State How hee tooke to wife the daughter of Cyaxares and being returned to Babylon sent Rulers and Deputies into all his Provinces WHEN he was come so farre as into the Frontiers of Persia the rest of his forces he left there and went himselfe accompanied with his friends to the Susa City bringing with him as well beasts sufficient both to sacrifice and also to feast the whole nation of the Persians as gifts meet to present unto his father and mother and other his friends there yea and such as might beseeme the Head Magistrates Auncients and noble Gentlemen called Homotimi in generall Moreover he gave a largesse among all the Persians both men and women even such congiaries as at this day the King useth to deale among them whensoever he commeth into Persia After this Cambyses assembled a Councell of the Elders of Persia togither with such Rulers as had the menaging of the weightiest affaires in Common-wealth Who being come togither he called Cyrus also unto them and then made a speech to this effect My Lords of Persia
and you likewise my sonne Cyrus I heartily affect you all as good reason I have both the one and the other For as I am your King so you Cyrus are my sonne Meet it is therefore and in all congruence it beseemeth that I open here before you whatsoever I may seeme to know concerning your good and welfare As for you the Persians in times past yee honoured my sonne when yee did put an armie into his hands and chose him Generall thereof And Cyrus being once the Commaunder of that power by the assistance of God hath made you Persians renowned with all men and honoured throughout all Asia And verily as the valiantest Knights of those that served under him he hath enriched so to the very multitude of Common souldiers he hath truly paid their wages and found them food Moreover by erecting a Cavallery among the Persians he hath effected that they be as good horsemen upon the plaines as others If yee therefore hereafter persist in this mind still yee shall procure one unto another manifold commodities But if either you for your part Cyrus being puffed up for the late good successe of fortune shall goe about to be an absolute Lord over the Persians thereby to make a private gaine of them as over other nations or yee that are natives and subjects envious of his puissance endeavour and practise to depose him and overthrow his royall estate know this for certaine that yee shall hinder one another in the atchieving of many great and noble exploits To the end therefore that these inconveniences befall not unto you that yee may enjoy all good blessings I have thought it meet after we have sacrificed togither and called the Gods to record to make this covenant that you Cyrus for your part in the behalfe of the Persians if any one either enterprize the invasion of the Persian land or attempt to breake and abrogate the Persian lawes shall be aiding and assisting to them with all your might and yee likewise that are Persians if either any Alien goe about to dispossesse Cyrus of his Kingdome or if subjects rebell and revolt from him shall be ready to assist both your selves and Cyrus according to his Commandement And verily so long as God shall lend me life mine is the Kingdome of Persia but after my decease Cyrus shall be King thereof if he survive Who when he * As King once come into Persia shall do well and devoutly to offer sacrifices for you like as now my selfe doth sacrifice But whiles he makes his abode in another country I suppose it will be expedient for you that one of our line and blood whom yee thinke the very best performe that which appertaineth to religion and the worship of God When Cambyses had uttered these words both Cyrus and the Rulers also of Persia agreed thereto and by enacting a decree ratified the same And as they then capitulated and passed these Covenants calling the Gods to witnesse so at this time the Persians and their King doe constantly observe the same After these affaires thus accomplished Cyrus departed and when he was returned backe into Media by the consent both of his father and mother he tooke to wife the daughter of Cyaxares aforesaid of whom the speech goes even at this day that she was exceeding beautifull Howbeit some Historiographers there be who write that he wedded his mothers sister But she had beene doubtlesse by this time an old stale woman and * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 no fresh Damoisell No sooner was the marriage solemnized but presently he tooke her with him and departed After he was come to Babylon he thought good now to send Lieutenants Generall and Presidents into those nations which he had subdued As for the Captaines of Garrison-Castles and those Colonels likewise over thousands who had the keeping of the country he would not have them to obey any but himselfe For this forecast he had considering how it would prejudice his owne State in case any of those Rulers and Lieutenants presuming upon their wealth and the multitude of men under them should beare themselves insolently and shake off the yoke of their alleageance namely to have in readinesse within the Countrey such as would make head against them Intending therefore to bring this about first he thought it good policy to call togither the chiefe Gentlemen of sort and to declare this businesse unto them that they might take knowledge upon what motives they went thither who were to be sent For by this meanes he thought they would take it the better But if any such were appointed Governours and Deputies first and then afterwards should understand so much he supposed they would beare it hard as who might thinke all this was done for their infidelity and his distrust in them Having therefore assembled those principall Gentlemen togither hee spake much after this manner unto them My good friends we have in those Cities which we won both garrison souldiers and also Captaines over them such as then wee left behind us unto whom at my departure I gave no other charge busily to meddle in but only to defend their Forts And those surely will I not put out of their places of Government considering they have duly observed their commission But other Deputies and Governours I meane to send for to be Presidents over the people and inhabitants of the countries who gathering tribute and receiving the revenues of the State are to pay the garrison souldiers their wages and to performe all services necessarie Also to as many of you as here live and whom I employ about my affaires in foraine parts I thinke it meet whiles I send them away unto these nations about some businesses which they are to menage for to assigne house and lands there to the end that tribute may be brought hither unto them and when they come thither they may be lodged and entertained in their owne When he had thus said he gave houses and subjects to commaund in all the cities which he had conquered And even at this day the posterity descended from them who at that time received these Donaitons remaine still in possession of those lands situate and lying some in one countrey and some in another whereas they themselves abide at the Court with the King But necessary it is moreover quoth he that yee consider of those Deputies and Governours who are to goe into these Provinces that they be such as will be mindfull to send hither also what good thing and speciall commodity there is in each land to the end that we also residing here may be partakers of all the profits that any country yeeldeth wheresoever For if any fearefull and dangerous object should present it selfe unto them we must for our parts defend them Thus having said he concluded his speech And then such friends of his as he knew desirous to goe upon those termes abovesaid he made choise of and sent them as Lords-Deputies who were
where King Cyaxares offered him his daughter in marriage and gave with her for a portion the Kingdome of Media THE next day those Allies who came unto him as voluntaries he sent home every man except those that desired to dwell with him For he enfeoffed them in house and land to them and their heires for ever And verily the posterity descended from those who then stayed enjoy the same possessions to this day These for the most part were Medes and Hyrcanians When he had dealt away gifts among them at their departure and taken such order as neither Captaine nor souldier had cause to complaine hee dismissed them After this he distributed among his owne souldiers what money and treasure he got at Sardes To the Colonels verily over ten thousand men To the Serjeants and Servitours that attended about his owne person he gave peculiarly great and singular gifts according to the worthinesse of every one The rest he divided here and there amongst them all For having bestowed upon every such Colonell a part he charged them that according to the proportion which he had delivered unto them they should distribute likewise unto others And verily the rest of the monies were bestowed so as every Captaine approved well of their owne Vnder Captaines But the last were divided by the * Captaines over sixe Sizainieirs after they had made proofe of their private souldiers in their charge according as they found each one worthy And thus they all received that which was meet in equity Which largesse being done some there were who gave out of Cyrus these or such like speeches Certes he must needs have much treasure himselfe who hath given to every one of us so liberally Others againe answered and said And what great thing is it that he hath It is not the manner of Cyrus to seeke wholly to be enriched but he taketh more pleasure in giving to others than in keeping for his owne use When Cyrus perceived what words men gave out and what opinion they had conceived of him he assembled his friends with all the men of action and quality and to this effect spake unto them I have seene ere now my good friends men in the world who would be thought to possesse more than they doe in deed supposing thereby to appeare more liberall But in my mind quoth he they come short of their reckoning and are haled away cleane contrary to their intent For when a man would be accoumpted rich and is not seene withall to benefit his friends after the rate of that wealth me thinks it is enough to set the brand upon him of base illiberality Againe there be others who would not be knowne how rich they are And they also in my judgement deserve but badly of their friends For by reason that their estate is unknowne oftentimes friends in their need acquaint them not therewith and making no mone unto them are deceived But I take this to be the part of the best plaine-dealing man to make his power and substance knowne and then accordingly to endeavour for to shew his goodnesse and honesty And therefore what riches of mine may be seene I am willing of my selfe to shew unto you and looke what can not be seene I will relate unto you by word of mouth Having thus said one part of his treasures which were many and faire he gave them leave to see the rest that were laid up our of sight he recoumpted unto them And in the end these words My friends This accoumpt yee ought all to make That these riches here are no more mine than yours For I doe not gather them either to spend them all my selfe or to weare them out which were a thing impossible but partly to have evermore about me wherewith I may at all times reward any of you as he performeth any brave service and partly that whosoever among you thinketh that he stands in need of ought he may come unto me and receive what he wanteth And there an end of these his words Now when he had well settled as he thought his estate in Babylon so as he might take a journey abroad he addressed himselfe to make a voiage into Persia and commaunded the rest to be in readinesse And when he supposed that he was sufficiently provided of all things needfull and requisite for such an expedition he remooved and tooke his journey But here I purpose to put downe how orderly his armie and traine so great as it was both in taking up their harbour by the way unpacked and discharged their carriage and at their setting forth againe trussed up bag and baggage as also how quickly they made stay and sat downe in any place as need required For where ever the King encampeth they all pitch their tents about him as well in summer as in winter And Cyrus verily at the first ordained that his owne Pavilion should be set so as it might have prospect into the East then he appointed how farre off from his Royall tent the Guard and Pensioners should quarter and have their lodgings After them he assigned for the bakers the right hand and for the cooks and victuallers the left He appointed for the horses of service the right side and for the other labouring and draught beasts the left Semblably all things else were digested so as that every man knew his owne place as well by measure as by the plot of ground Now when they dislodge and are upon their remoove every man packeth up such baggage as he is appointed to use Others there be againe ready to lay them upon the Sumpter beasts whereby it comes to passe that all the porters and carriers come together unto those packs and trusses that they are appointed to bring and every one at once layeth his owne stuffe upon his owne beasts So that the same time that serveth for the pitching and setting up of one tent is sufficient for all And at one and the same instant were all carriages discharged and laid downe likewise Moreover every man had his charge what to doe for purveying of victuals and all necessaries in due season so that one and the same time serveth for one part and for all to make provision thereof And as there was a severall place set by for the purveyours of necessaries meet for them so his armed souldiers in pitching of the campe had that quarter which was convenient for each kind of armature and munitioâ— They knew also which it was and in generall held and occupied it so as they never differed about it Certes even in a private house and family Cyrus thought it a speciall matter to be carefull for the order and fit placing of every thing in it For if one hath need of ought he is not to seeke whither to goe and where to find it but he supposed it was a much more excellent thing that in a campe the military tribes and regiments should be placed in good and convenient order For by