Key to Easy Latin Stories for beginners/Part I/XV
XV.CYRUS.
His youth.
77.Astyages, his son, succeeded Cyaxares, the king of the Medes. He gave his daughter Mandane, on account of a dream vouchsafed to him, to a Persian, Cambyses by name. Mandane subsequently gave birth to a son. Astyages being thoroughly frightened by another dream, gave this boy to a certain Harpagus to be killed. Now Harpagus gave the boy to a slave to be exposed on the mountains, but he exposed his own dead child, and brought up Cyrus as his son. But afterwards Cyrus, having become king of the Persians, completely conquered Astyages in war, and got possession of the empire of the Medes.
Solon and Croesus.
78.Solon the Athenian, having gone away from home, betook himself to Amasis in Egypt, and also to Croesus at Sardis. There he was received in the royal palace with hospitality by Croesus. Then on the third or fourth day after, at the orders of Croesus, the servants of the king took Solon round, showing him all the treasures. Then Croesus questioned him as follows: ‘Athenian stranger,’ said he, ‘great fame concerning you has reached us, both on account of your wisdom, and also of your travels: for being devoted to the study of wisdom you have visited many lands. 'Now, therefore, there comes upon me a desire of asking questions of you. Whom, pray, have you hitherto seen (to be) the happiest of all men?’ Now, he seemed to himself to be the happiest of alL
Tellus the Athenian.
79.But Solon, using no flattery, replied: ‘The happiest man, indeed, that I have ever seen, was Tellus the Athenian.’ Wondering at this saying, Croesus asks, ‘For what reason, pray, do you think Tellus the happiest?’ To whom said Solon, ‘Tellus (with) the State flourishing, had had sons, good and honourable men, and free sons of his sons, and all of them surviving; and the same man had a glorious end, for he was slain while fighting most gallantly in a battle in defence of his country, after the enemy had been utterly defeated. Then he was buried in the same place by Athenians, praising (him as) a most distinguished man.’ Then Croesus said, ‘Who, pray, is the second happiest you have seen?’
Cleobis and Biton.
80.But the other said, ‘Cleobis and Biton. For these had a sufficient provision, and great strength of body. They are also said, going under the yoke themselves, to have drawn their mother in a waggon to the temple of Juno, for the oxen from the farm were not at hand. After doing this, they ended their life most gloriously. For when all were praising the strength of the youths, and saying that the mother of such sons was a happy (woman), then their mother, standing before the image of the goddess, prayed in these words: “O goddess, give the best reward to my sons, Cleobis and Biton.” After the sacriflce had been offered, the youths having feasted, gave themselves up to slumber, and in the morning were found dead. Then the citizens placed in the temple of the goddess the statues of the same, as (those) of very distinguished men.’
The fall of Croesus foretold.
81.Cyrus, king of the Persians, had undertaken an expedition against Croesus. Meanwhile, a portent of the following nature was vouchsafed to Croesus. Avast multitude of serpents appeared near the city. The horses, leaving their usual food, devoured a great quantity of these. That seemed to Croesus to be a portent, therefore, he at once sent men, ordered to consult the soothsayers. To these, the soothsayers said, ‘A foreign army will invade the territory of Croesus, and overwhelm the inhabitants; for the serpents are the sons of the land, but the horses are enemies and foreigners.’ And these things, indeed, the soothsayers answered, after Croesus had been already captured, but (being) themselves ignorant of (that) event.
The capture of Babylon.
82.Cyrus, having subdued the whole continent of lower Asia to his power, attacked the Assyrians, Now there are many other distinguished Assyrian towns, and Babylon, the most celebrated and best fortified of alL Moreover, its walls were two hundred feet high each. When Cyrus began to approach nearer the city, the Babylonians fought in a battle with him; but being defeated, they were driven back into the city. Then Cyrus, having turned the course of the stream, entered the city by the channel of the Euphrates, without the knowledge of the inhabitants. Now Babylon was taken in the reign of Labynetus.
The islanders of the Araxes.
83.In the river Araxes are many islands. The people who live in these feed on roots of every kind in the summer. Moreover, they keep the fruits of the trees, and live on them in the winter. They throw into the fire a certain (kind of ) fruit; they become intoxicated with the odour of these, as the Greeks do with wine: but when a greater quantity of the fruit has been burnt, they become more intoxicated: at length they rise for dancing and singing. Such is their way of living.
The fate of Cyrus.
84.At that time the empire of the Massagetae was in the power of a woman; the king, dying, had left her a widow. Tomyris was the queen’s name. Cyrus having sent ambassadors, wished to betroth her to himself, desiring to have her in marriage. Tomyris, however, rejected Cyrus. Subsequently, Cyrus, having led an army to tiie Araxes, attacked the Ma^agetae in open war. The Persians slew and captured many (of them): and among others, the queen’s son. But he killed himself with his own hand. But Tomyris, having collected forces, fought in a battle with the Persians. They fought for a long while: at length the Massagetae came off victorious. Among others, Cyrus himself also perished. Then Tomyris suspended the head of Cyrus in a vessel filled with blood; mocking the dead man in these words, she said: ‘Thou hast ruined me (though) alive, and thy victress: for thou hast slain my son; but I will satiate thee with blood.’