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subdue a man more than suffering？〃 ＇24＇ 〃Yes；〃 he answered； 〃and you
of all men know that what I say is true： you know the despondency men
feel in dread of banishment； or on the eve of battle facing defeat； or
sailing the sea in peril of shipwreckthey cannot touch their food or
take their rest because of their alarm： while it may often be that the
exiles themselves； the conquered； or the enslaved； can eat and sleep
better than men who have not known adversity。 ＇25＇ Think of those
panic…stricken creatures who through fear of capture and death have
died before their day； have hurled themselves from cliffs； hanged
themselves； or set the knife to their throats； so cruelly can fear；
the prince of horrors； bind and subjugate the souls of men。 And what；
think you； does my father feel at this moment？ He； whose fears are not
for himself alone； but for us all； for his wife； and for his
children。〃 ＇26＇ And Cyrus said； 〃To…day and at this time； it may be
with him as you say： but I still think that the same man may well be
insolent in good fortune and cringing in defeat： let such an one go
free again； and he will return to his arrogance and trouble us once
more。〃 ＇27＇ 〃I do not deny it； Cyrus；〃 said the prince。 〃Our offences
are such that you may well mistrust us： but you have it in your power
to set garrisons in our land and hold our strong places and take what
pledges you think best。 And even so；〃 he added； 〃you will not find
that we fret against our chains； for we shall remember we have only
ourselves to blame。 Whereas； if you hand over the government to some
who have not offended； they may either think that you mistrust them；
and thus； although you are their benefactor； you cannot be their
friend； or else in your anxiety not to rouse their enmity you may
leave no check on their insolence； and in the end you will need to
sober them even more than us。〃 ＇28＇ 〃Nay； but by all the gods；〃 cried
Cyrus； 〃little joy should I ever take in those who served me from
necessity alone。 Only if I recognise some touch of friendship or
goodwill in the help it is their duty to render； I could find it
easier to forgive them all their faults than to accept the full
discharge of service paid upon compulsion by those who hate me。〃
Then Tigranes answered； 〃You speak of friendship； but can you ever
find elsewhere so great a friendship as you may find with us？〃 〃Surely
I can；〃 he answered； 〃and with those who have never been my enemies；
if I choose to be their benefactor as you would have me yours。〃 ＇29＇
〃But to…day； and now； can you find another man in the world whom you
could benefit as you can benefit my father？ Say you let a man live who
has never done you wrong； will he be grateful for the boon？ Say he
need not lose his children and his wife； will he love you for that
more than one who knows he well deserved the loss？ Say he may not sit
upon the throne of Armenia； will he suffer from that as we shall
suffer？ And is it not clear that the one who feels the pain of
forfeiture the most will be the one most grateful for the granting of
the gift？ ＇30＇ And if you have it at all at heart to leave matters
settled here； think for yourself； and see where tranquillity will lie
when your back is turned。 Will it be with the new dynasty； or with the
old familiar house？ And if you want as large a force as possible at
your command； where will you find a man better fitted to test the
muster…roll than the general who has used it time and again？ If you
need money； who will provide the ways and means better than he who
knows and can command all the resources of the country？ I warn you as
a friend；〃 he added； 〃that if you throw us aside you will do yourself
more harm than ever my father could have done。〃
＇31＇ Such were the pleadings of the prince； and Cyrus； as he listened；
was overjoyed； for he felt he would accomplish to the full all he had
promised Cyaxares； his own words came back to him； 〃I hope to make the
Armenian a better friend than before。〃
Thereupon he turned to the king and said； 〃Son of Armenia； if I were
indeed to hearken unto you and yours in this； tell me； how large an
army would you send me and how much money for the war？〃
＇32＇ And the king replied； 〃The simplest answer I can make and the
most straightforward is to tell you what my power is； and then you may
take the men you choose； and leave the rest to garrison the country。
And so with the money： it is only fair that you should know the whole
of our wealth； and with that knowledge to guide you； you will take
what you like and leave what you like。〃 ＇33＇ And Cyrus said； 〃Tell me
then； and tell me true： how great is your power and your wealth？〃
Whereupon the Armenian replied： 〃Our cavalry is 8000 strong and our
infantry 40；000； and our wealth；〃 said he； 〃if I include the treasures
which my father left； amounts in silver to more than 3000 talents。〃
＇34＇ And Cyrus； without more ado； said at once； 〃Of your whole
armament you shall give me half； not more； since your neighbours the
Chaldaeans are at war with you： but for the tribute； instead of the
fifty talents which you paid before； you shall hand over twice as much
to Cyaxares because you made default； and you will lend me another
hundred for myself； and I hereby promise you； if God be bountiful； I
will requite you for the loan with things of higher worth； or I will
pay the money back in full； if I can； and if I cannot； you may blame
me for want of ability； but not for want of will。〃 ＇35＇ But the
Armenian cried； 〃By all the gods； Cyrus； speak not so； or you will put
me out of heart。 I beg you to look on all I have as yours； what you
leave behind as well as what you take away。〃
〃So be it then；〃 answered Cyrus； 〃and to ransom your wife； how much
money would you give？〃 〃All that I have；〃 said he。 〃And for your
sons？〃 〃For them too； all that I have。〃 〃Good；〃 answered Cyrus； 〃but
is not that already twice as much as you possess？ ＇36＇ And you；
Tigranes；〃 said he； 〃at what price would you redeem your bride？〃 Now
the youth was but newly wedded； and his wife was beyond all things
dear to him。 〃I would give my life；〃 said he； 〃to save her from
slavery。〃 ＇37＇ 〃Take her then；〃 said Cyrus； 〃she is yours。 For I hold
that she has never yet been made a prisoner； seeing that her husband
never deserted us。 And you； son of Armenia；〃 said he； turning to the
king； 〃you shall take home your wife and children； and pay no ransom
for them； so that they shall not feel they come to you from slavery。
But now；〃 he added； 〃you shall stay and sup with us； and afterwards
you shall go wherever you wish。〃
And so the Armenians stayed。 ＇38＇ But when the company broke up after
the evening meal； Cyrus asked Tigranes； 〃Tell me； where is that friend
of yours who used to hunt with us； and whom； as it seemed to me； you
admired so much？〃 〃Do you not know；〃 he said； 〃that my father put him
to death？〃 〃And why？〃 said Cyrus； 〃what fault did he find in him？〃 〃He
thought he corrupted me；〃 said the youth； 〃and yet； I tell you； Cyrus；
he was so gentle and so brave； so beautiful in soul； that when he came
to die； he called me to him and said； 'Do not be angry with your
father； Tigranes； for putting me to death。 What he does is not done
from malice； but from ignorance； and the sins of ignorance； I hold；
are unintentional。'〃
＇39＇ And at that Cyrus could not but say： 〃Poor soul！ I grieve for
him。〃 But the king spoke in his own defence： 〃Remember this； Cyrus；
that the man who finds another with his wife kills him not simply
because he believes that he has turned the woman to folly； but because
he has robbed him of her love。 Even so I was jealous of that man who
seemed to put himself between my son and me and steal away his
reverence。〃 ＇40＇ 〃May the gods be merciful to us！〃 said Cyrus； 〃you
did wrong； but your fault was human。 And you； Tigranes；〃 said he；
turning to the son； 〃you must forgive your father。〃
And so they talked in all friendliness and kindliness； as befitted
that time of reconciliation； and then the father and son mounted their
carriages； with their dear ones beside them； and drove away rejoicing。
＇41＇ But when they were home again； they all spoke of Cyrus； one
praising his