cyropaedia-第51部分

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myself　by　thinking；　'when　he　is　done　with　this　he　will　have　a　little
leisure　for　me。'　And　then　came　the　terrible　news　that　the　whole　world
was　gathering　in　arms　against　us；　I　could　not　deny　that　these　were
important　matters；　but　still　I　felt　certain；　if　all　went　well；　a　time
would　come　at　last　when　you　need　not　grudge　me　your　company；　and　we
should　be　together　to　my　heart's　content；　you　and　I。　＇53＇　Now；　the　day
has　come；　we　have　conquered　in　the　great　battle；　we　have　taken　Sardis
and　Babylon；　the　world　is　at　our　feet；　and　yesterday；　by　Mithras！
unless　I　had　used　my　fists　a　hundred　times；　I　swear　I　could　never　have
got　near　you　at　all。　Well；　you　grasped　my　hand　and　gave　me　greeting；
and　bade　me　wait　beside　you；　and　there　I　waited；　the　cynosure　of　every
eye；　the　envy　of　every　man；　standing　there　all　day　long；　without　a
scrap　to　eat　or　a　drop　to　drink。　＇54＇　So　now；　if　any　way　can　be　found
by　which　we　who　have　served　you　longest　can　get　the　most　of　you；　well
and　good：　but；　if　not；　pray　send　me　as　your　messenger　once　more；　and
this　time　I　will　tell　them　they　can　all　leave　you；　except　those　who
were　your　friends　of　old。〃

＇55＇　This　appeal　set　them　all　laughing；　Cyrus　with　the　rest。　Then
Chrysantas　the　Persian　stood　up　and　spoke　as　follows：

〃Formerly；　Cyrus；　it　was　natural　and　right　that　you　should　appear　in
public；　for　the　reasons　you　have　given　us　yourself；　and　also　because
we　were　not　the　folk　you　had　to　pay　your　court　to。　We　did　not　need
inviting：　we　were　with　you　for　our　own　sakes。　It　was　necessary　to　win
over　the　masses　by　every　means；　if　they　were　to　share　our　toils　and
our　dangers　willingly。　＇56＇　But　now　you　have　won　them；　and　not　them
alone；　you　have　it　in　your　power　to　gain　others；　and　the　moment　has
come　when　you　ought　to　have　a　house　to　yourself。　What　would　your
empire　profit　you　if　you　alone　were　left　without　hearth　or　home？　Man
has　nothing　more　sacred　than　his　home；　nothing　sweeter；　nothing　more
truly　his。　And　do　you　not　think；〃　he　added；　〃that　we　ourselves　would
be　ashamed　if　we　saw　you　bearing　the　hardships　of　the　camp　while　we
sat　at　home　by　our　own　firesides？　Should　we　not　feel　we　had　done　you
wrong；　and　taken　advantage　of　you？〃

＇57＇　When　Chrysantas　had　spoken　thus；　many　others　followed　him；　and
all　to　the　same　effect。　And　so　it　came　about　that　Cyrus　entered　the
palace；　and　those　in　charge　brought　the　treasures　from　Sardis　thither；
and　handed　them　over。　And　Cyrus　when　he　entered　sacrificed　to　Hestia；
the　goddess　of　the　Hearth；　and　to　Zeus　the　Lord；　and　to　any　other　gods
named　by　the　Persian　priests。

＇58＇　This　done；　he　set　himself　to　regulate　the　matters　that　remained。
Thinking　over　his　position；　and　the　attempt　he　was　making　to　govern　an
enormous　multitude；　preparing　at　the　same　time　to　take　up　his　abode　in
the　greatest　of　all　famous　cities；　but　yet　a　city　that　was　as　hostile
to　him　as　a　city　could　be；　pondering　all　this；　he　concluded　that　he
could　not　dispense　with　a　bodyguard　for　himself。　＇59＇　He　knew　well
enough　that　a　man　can　most　easily　be　assassinated　at　his　meals；　or　in
his　bath；　or　in　bed；　or　when　he　is　asleep；　and　he　asked　himself　who
were　most　to　be　trusted　of　those　he　had　about　him。　A　man；　he　believed；
can　never　be　loyal　or　trustworthy　who　is　likely　to　love　another　more
than　the　one　who　requires　his　guardianship。　＇60＇　He　knew　that　men　with
children；　or　wives；　or　favourites　in　whom　they　delight；　must　needs
love　them　most：　while　eunuchs；　who　are　deprived　of　all　such　dear　ones；
would　surely　make　most　account　of　him　who　could　enrich　them；　or　help
them　if　they　were　injured；　or　crown　them　with　honour。　And　in　the
conferring　of　such　benefits　he　was　disposed　to　think　he　could　outbid
the　world。　＇61＇　Moreover　the　eunuch；　being　degraded　in　the　eyes　of
other　men；　is　driven　to　seek　the　assistance　of　some　lord　and　master。
Without　some　such　protection　there　is　not　a　man　in　the　world　who　would
not　think　he　had　the　right　to　over…reach　a　eunuch：　while　there　was
every　reason　to　suppose　that　the　eunuch　would　be　the　most　faithful　of
all　servants。　＇62＇　As　for　the　customary　notion　that　the　eunuch　must　be
weak　and　cowardly；　Cyrus　was　not　disposed　to　accept　it。　He　studied　the
indications　to　be　observed　in　animals：　a　vicious　horse；　if　gelded；
will　cease　to　bite　and　be　restive；　but　he　will　charge　as　gallantly　as
ever；　a　bull　that　has　been　cut　will　become　less　fierce　and　less
intractable；　but　he　will　not　lose　his　strength；　he　will　be　as　good　as
ever　for　work；　castration　may　cure　a　dog　of　deserting　his　master；　but
it　will　not　ruin　him　as　a　watch…dog　or　spoil　him　for　the　chase。　＇63＇
So；　too；　with　men；　when　cut　off　from　this　passion；　they　become
gentler；　no　doubt；　but　not　less　quick　to　obey；　not　less　daring　as
horsemen；　not　less　skilful　with　the　javelin；　not　less　eager　for
honour。　＇64＇　In　war　and　in　the　chase　they　show　plainly　enough　that　the
fire　of　ambition　is　still　burning　in　their　hearts。　And　they　have　stood
the　last　test　of　loyalty　in　the　downfall　of　their　masters。　No　men　have
shown　more　faithfulness　than　eunuchs　when　ruin　has　fallen　on　their
lords。　＇65＇　In　bodily　strength；　perhaps；　the　eunuchs　seem　to　be
lacking；　but　steel　is　a　great　leveller；　and　makes　the　weak　man　equal
to　the　strong　in　war。　Holding　this　in　mind；　Cyrus　resolved　that　his
personal　attendants；　from　his　doorkeepers　onwards；　should　be　eunuchs
one　and　all。

＇66＇　This　guard；　however；　he　felt　was　hardly　sufficient　against　the
multitude　of　enemies；　and　he　asked　himself　whom　he　could　choose　among
the　rest。　＇67＇　He　remembered　how　his　Persians　led　the　sorriest　of
lives　at　home　owing　to　their　poverty；　working　long　and　hard　on　the
niggard　soil；　and　he　felt　sure　they　were　the　men　who　would　most　value
the　life　at　his　court。　＇68＇　Accordingly　he　selected　ten　thousand
lancers　from　among　them；　to　keep　guard　round　the　palace；　night　and
day；　whenever　he　was　at　home；　and　to　march　beside　him　whenever　he　went
abroad。　＇69＇　Moreover；　he　felt　that　Babylon　must　always　have　an
adequate　garrison；　whether　he　was　in　the　country　or　not；　and　therefore
he　stationed　a　considerable　body　of　troops　in　the　city；　and　he　bade
the　Babylonians　provide　their　pay；　his　object　being　to　make　the
citizens　helpless；　and　therefore　humble　and　submissive。　＇70＇　This
royal　guard　that　he　established　there；　and　the　city　guard　for　Babylon；
survive　to　this　day　unaltered。

Lastly；　as　he　pondered　how　the　whole　empire　was　to　be　kept　together；
and　possibly　another　added　to　it；　he　felt　convinced　that　his
mercenaries　did　not　make　up　for　the　smallness　of　their　numbers　by
their　superiority　to　the　subject　peoples。　Therefore　he　must　keep
together　those　brave　warriors；　to　whom　with　heaven's　help　the　victory
was　due；　and　he　must　take　all　care　that　they　did　not　lose　their
valour；　hardihood；　and　skill。　＇71＇　To　avoid　the　appearance　of
dictating　to　them　and　to　bring　it　about　that　they　should　see　for
themselves　it　was　best　to　stay　with　him　and　remember　their　valour　and
their　training；　he　called　a　council　of　the　Peers　and　of　the　leading
men　who　seemed　to　him　most　worthy　of　sharing　their　dangers　and　their
rewards。　＇72＇　And　when　they　were　met　he　began：

〃Gentlemen；　my　friends　and　allies；　we　owe　the　utmost　thanks　to　the
gods　because　they　have　given　us　what　we　believed　that　we　deserved。　We
are　masters　to…day　of　a　great　country　and　a　good；　and　those　who　till
it　will　support　us；　we　have　houses　of　our　own；　and　all　the　furniture
that　is　in　them　is　ours。　＇73＇　For　you　need　not　think　that　what　you
hold　belongs　to　others。　It　is　an　eternal　law　the　wide　world　over；　that
when　a　city　is　taken　in　war；　the　citizens；　their　persons；　and　all
their　property　fall　into　the　hands　of　the　conquerors。　It　is　not　by
injustice；　therefore；　that　you　hold　what　you　have　taken；　rather　it　is
through　your　own　human　kindness　that　the　citizens　are　allowed　to　keep
whatever　they　do　retain。

＇74＇　〃Yet　I　foresee　that　if　we　betake　ourselves　to　the　life　of
indolence　and　luxury；　the　life　of　the　degenerate　who　think　that　labour
is　the　worst　of　evils　and　freedom　from　toil　the　height　of　happiness；
the　day　will　come；　and　speedily；　when　we　shall　be　unworthy　of
ourselves；　and　with　the　loss　of　honour　will　come　the　loss　of　wealth。
＇75＇　Once　to　have　been　valiant　is　not　enough；　no　man　can　keep　his
valour　unless　he　watch　over　it　to　the　end。　As　the　arts　decay　through
neglect；　as　the　body；　once　healthy　and　alert；　will　grow　weak　through
sloth　and　indolence；　even　so　the　powers　of　the　spirit；　temperance；
self…control；　and　courage；　if　we　grow　slack　in　training；　fall　back
once　more　to　rottenness　and　death。　＇76＇　We　must　watch　ourselves；　we
must　not　surrender　to　the　sweetness　of　the　day。　It　is　a　great　work；
methinks；　to　found　an　empire；　but　a　far　greater　to　keep　it　safe。　To
seize　it　may　be　the　fruit　of　daring　and　daring　only；　but　to　hold　it　is
impossible　without　self…restraint　and　self…command　and　endless　care。
＇77＇　We　must　not　forget　this；　we　must　train　ourselves　in　virtue　from
now　henceforward　with　even　greater　diligence　than　before　we　won　this
glory；　remembering　that　the　more　a　man　possesses；　the　more　there　are
to　envy　him；　to　plot　against　him；　and　be　his　enemies；　above　all　when
the　wealth　he　wins　and　the　services　he　receives　are　yielded　by
reluctant　hands。　But　the　gods；　we　need　not　doubt；　will　be　upon　our
side；　we　have　not　triumphed　through　injustice；　we　were　not　the
aggressors；　it　was　we　who　were　attacked　and　we　avenged　ourselves。　＇78＇
The　gods　are　with　us；　I　say；　but　next　to　that　supreme　support　there　is
a　defence　we　must　provide　out　of　our　own　powers　alone；　and　that　is　the
righteous　claim　to　rule　our　subjects　because　we　are　better　men　than
they。　Needs　must　that　we　share　with　our　slaves　in　heat　and　cold　and
food　and　drink　and　toil　and　slumber；　and　we　must　strive　to　prove　our
superiority　even　in　such　things　as　these；　and　first　in　these。　＇79＇　But
in　the　science　of　war　and　the　art　of　it　we　can　admit　no　share；　those
whom　we　mean　to　make　our　labourers　and　our　tributaries　can　have　no
part　in　that；　we　will　set　ourselves　to　defraud　them　there；　we　know
that　such　exercises　are　the　very　tools　of　freedom　and　happiness；　given
by　the　gods　to　mortal　men。　We　have　taken　their　arms　away　from　our
slaves；　and　we　must　never　lay　our　own　aside；　knowing　well　that　the
nearer　the