The Good Book

by A. C. Grayling

  Chapter 9

  1. Cyaxares reigned over the Medes forty years, and was succeeded by his son Astyages.

  2. This king had a daughter, Mandane, whom he married to a Persian of good family and quiet demeanour,

  3. Not wishing any Mede to marry his daughter lest such a son-in-law should become ambitious of usurping his throne.

  4. All Persians regarded Medes as inferior in rank to themselves, and Cyaxares thought that by marrying Mandane to a Persian he would be safe from the ambition of usurpers.

  5. Now this Persian was called Cambyses, and he took Mandane to his home.

  6. But Cyaxares was of a suspicious and anxious temper, and he soon began to think that from the womb of his daughter would flow a line of sons,

  7. Who, because of their royal connection, would think that Persians had a right to the throne, and would become dangerous.

  8. So he sought to recall Mandane, and when he learned that she was with child he determined to destroy the baby when it was born.

  9. He called a loyal and favourite servant named Harpagus to him, and instructed him as follows:

  10. ‘Harpagus, I beseech you not to neglect the business I am going to charge you with.

  11. ‘For your king’s sake you must take the child born of Mandane my daughter, and carry it to your home, and there slay it and bury it.’

  12. Harpagus replied, ‘O king, never have I disobliged you in anything, and be sure that in all future time I never will.

  13. ‘If this is your will, it is for me to serve with diligence.’ So he went and fetched the child, which was dressed in the garb of death, and weeping for its hard fate he hastened back to his home.

  14. There he found his wife and told her what Astyages had commanded him. And she said, ‘Will you do it?’

  15. ‘No,’ replied Harpagus, ‘I cannot. First, this child is my own kin. Second, the king is old, and when he dies his daughter Mandane will succeed him;

  16. ‘And if I slay her child I shall be in fearful danger. But yet, if the child continues to live, I shall be in danger also: from the king.’

  17. Said his wife, ‘Alas, what is to be done?’ And he replied, ‘The child must die; but not by my hand or the hand of our kin; it must be killed by someone belonging to Astyages.’

  18. So saying he sent a messenger to fetch a certain Mitradates, a herdsman in the employment of Astyages, who tended flocks in the fastness of mountains far from the city;

  19. A fit place for the child to be disposed of, being remote and full of wild beasts. These mountains lie north of Ecbatana, towards the Euxine, and are covered in forests.

  20. When Mitradates came to Harpagus’ house, the latter instructed him, saying, ‘The king requires you to take this baby and expose it in the wildest part of the mountains, there to be consumed by the wild beasts.

  21. ‘If you do not do this the king will subject you to the most painful of deaths.’ Mitradates saw the child lying amidst the fearful and weeping inhabitants of Harpagus’ house,

  22. Swaddled in gold and wrappings of beautiful colours, itself panting and whimpering because untended and unfed.

  23. Trembling under this dreadful instruction, Mitradates took the child and returned to the mountains,

  24. Where his wife, Spaco, one of the king’s female slaves, was just then daily expecting a child of her own.

  25. Discussing the burden imposed on them by Harpagus, they became yet more troubled and afraid on their own account;

  26. And the anxieties made Spaco fall into labour, and because she was fearful and wretched, the baby she delivered was stillborn.

  27. ‘Wife,’ said Mitradates, ‘when I left Harpagus’ house with this child in my arms, a servant accompanied me for part of the way, and told me all:

  28. ‘That this is the offspring of Mandane, the king’s daughter, and Cambyses the Persian, and the king wishes it to be killed for fear that it or its father will usurp his throne.’

  29. So saying he unswaddled the whimpering baby, which he and his wife saw was fine and beautiful;

  30. And Spaco burst into tears, and clasped her husband’s knees, beseeching him on no account to expose the child to so cruel a death.

  31. ‘Take the body of our own child, stillborn but now, and lay it in the mountains,’ she implored him, ‘and let us bring up this child as our own.

  32. ‘When we show the remains of our dead child, it will be thought the other;

  33. ‘And so you will not be charged with disobedience to the will of the king. Our own child will have a royal funeral, and this beautiful baby will live.’

  34. So Mitradates and Spaco dressed the corpse of their own baby in the gold and royal cloths, and Mitradates took it to the wildest places;

  35. And after three days he fetched it again, mauled by the beasts, and carried it to the city to show Harpagus.

  36. The latter was satisfied, and had the child buried with royal pomp at his own bidding.

  Chapter 10

  1. Now the child brought up as the herdsman’s son they named Cyrus.

  2. He grew strong and noble, and as early as the age of ten displayed great command and intelligence.

  3. He took charge of his playmates, who elected him their king,

  4. And he ordered them, and arranged them in troops and led them into pretend battles.

  5. One of his playmates was the son of a noble Mede of distinction, and this boy refused to obey Cyrus’ boyish commands,

  6. Not only because of his supposed lowly rank as a herdsman’s son, but because he was a Persian.

  7. Angered by the Median youth’s refusal to obey, Cyrus took a whip and chastised him.

  8. Outraged, the boy complained to his father, who as a high courtier went to King Astyages to complain.

  9. The king wished to please his noble courtier, and summoned the herdsman and his supposed son Cyrus to answer for the latter’s behaviour.

  10. When they came to the palace Astyages said to Cyrus, ‘Have you, the son of so mean a fellow, dared to behave rudely to the son of a noble of my court?’

  11. To which Cyrus replied, ‘My lord, I only treated him as he deserved.

  12. ‘I was chosen king in play by the boys of our village, because they thought me the best for it. He himself was one of those who chose me.

  13. ‘All the others did my bidding; but he refused, and made light of them,

  14. ‘Until at last he got his due reward. If for this I deserve punishment, here I am ready to submit to it.’

  15. While the boy was speaking Astyages was struck with a suspicion who he was.

  16. He thought he saw something in the character of his face like his own, and there was a nobleness about the answer he made;

  17. Besides which his age seemed to tally with the time when his grandchild was exposed.

  18. Astonished at all this, Astyages could not speak for a while. At last, recovering himself with difficulty,

  19. And wishing to be quit of the noble Mede who had complained, that he might examine the herdsman alone,

  20. He said to the Mede, ‘I promise to settle this business that neither you nor your son shall have any cause to complain.’

  21. The courtier left the presence chamber, and the king’s attendants took Cyrus to an inner room, leaving Astyages and the herdsman alone.

  Chapter 11

  1. Astyages then enquired about the boy, and Mitradates at first insisted that he and his wife Spaco were the true parents.

  2. But when Astyages ordered him to be tortured for the truth, Mitradates broke down in terror and told Astyages everything,

  3. Ending with supplications and tears to be forgiven for what he had done.

  4. Astyages was very little concerned with the herdsman, but was outraged at the disloyalty of Harpagus, whom he summoned immediately.

  5. When Harpagus came the king asked him, ‘By what death did you slay the child of my daughter Mandane?’

  6. Seeing the herdsman in the room, Ha
rpagus did not try to dissemble.

  7. ‘Sir,’ he said, ‘When you gave the child into my hands I considered with myself how I could carry out your wishes,

  8. ‘And yet, while guiltless of any unfaithfulness towards you, avoid steeping my hands in blood which was in truth your own.

  9. ‘And this was how I contrived it. I sent for this herdsman, and gave the child to him, telling him that by the king’s orders it was to be put to death.

  10. ‘And in this I told no lie, for you had so commanded.

  11. ‘Moreover, when I gave him the child, I enjoined him to lay it somewhere in the wilds of the mountains, until it was dead; and I threatened him with punishment if he failed.

  12. ‘Afterwards, when he had done according to all that I commanded, and the child had died, I sent some of the most trustworthy of my eunuchs,

  13. ‘Who viewed the body for me, and then I had the child buried. This, sir, is the simple truth, and this is the death by which the child died.’

  14. Thus Harpagus related the whole story in a plain, straightforward way; upon which Astyages, letting no sign escape him of the anger he felt,

  15. Began by repeating to him all that he had just heard from the herdsman, and then concluded with saying,

  16. ‘So the boy is alive, and it is best as it is. For the child’s fate was a great sorrow to me, and the reproaches of my daughter went to my heart.

  17. ‘Truly this has turned out well. Go home then, and send your own son to be with this newcomer who is my grandson,

  18. ‘And tonight, let us have a banquet at which you will be guest of honour alongside my grandson, to rejoice in these events.’

  19. Harpagus, on hearing this, bowed and went home rejoicing to find that his disobedience had turned out so fortunately.

  20. The moment he reached home he called for his son, his only child, a youth of thirteen years, and told him to go to the palace, and do whatever Astyages should direct.

  21. Then, in the gladness of his heart, he went to his wife and told her what had happened.

  22. Astyages, meanwhile, took the son of Harpagus, and slew him, and cut him in pieces, and roasted some portions before the fire, and boiled others;

  23. And when all were duly prepared, he kept them ready for use.

  24. The hour for the banquet came, and Harpagus appeared, and with him the other guests, and all sat down to the feast.

  25. Astyages and the rest of the guests had joints of meat served to them; but on the table of Harpagus, nothing was placed except the flesh of his own son,

  26. All except the hands and feet and head, which were laid by themselves in a covered basket.

  27. When Harpagus seemed to have eaten his fill, Astyages called out to him to know how he had enjoyed the repast.

  28. On his reply that he had enjoyed it excessively, they whose business it was brought him the basket, and bade him open it, and take out what he pleased.

  29. Harpagus accordingly uncovered the basket, and saw within it the remains of his son.

  30. The sight, however, did not rob him of his self-possession. Being asked by Astyages if he knew what beast’s flesh it was that he had been eating,

  31. He answered that he knew very well, and that whatever the king did was agreeable.

  32. After this reply, he took with him such morsels of the flesh as were uneaten, and went home, intending to bury them.

  33. Such was the manner in which Astyages punished Harpagus.

  34. But Harpagus concealed in his heart his own desire for revenge on Astyages; and he waited until the time was ready.

  Chapter 12

  1. Astyages meanwhile, seeing that his grandson was a fine youth, but not wishing to have a Persian for an heir,

  2. Decided to send him to his daughter Mandane and her husband, the real parents, thinking by this means to be rid of responsibility for him.

  3. There in Persia Cyrus grew amain, and when Harpagus believed him to be ready, he sent him a letter concealed in the belly of a hare,

  4. Telling him to rise against Astyages and take the empire of the Medes for his own.

  5. ‘Whether Astyages appoint me his general, or some other noble Mede, does not signify;

  6. ‘For we are all ready to revolt against his tyrannical rule, and see him overthrown,’ Harpagus wrote.

  7. Cyrus considered with himself how he might best inspire the Persians to revolt against Astyages.

  8. The idea he devised was as follows. He took a roll of paper, and called the Persians to an assembly.

  9. Flourishing the roll aloft he said, ‘King Astyages has appointed me your general.

  10. ‘I command each of you to go home and fetch your reaping-hook.’ He then dismissed the assembly.

  11. Now the Persian nation is made up of many tribes. Those Cyrus assembled and persuaded to revolt from the Medes were the principal ones on which all the others are dependent.

  12. They are the Pasargadae, the Maraphians and the Maspians, of whom the Pasargadae are the noblest.

  13. The Achaemenidae, from which spring all the Perseid kings, is one of their clans.

  14. The rest of the Persian tribes are the Panthialaeans, the Derusiaeans, the Germanians, who are engaged in husbandry;

  15. The Daans, the Mardians, the Dropicans and the Sagartians, who are nomads.

  16. When, in obedience to the orders they had received, the Persians came with their reaping-hooks,

  17. Cyrus led them to a tract of ground, about twenty furlongs each way, covered with thorns, and ordered them to clear it before evening.

  18. They accomplished their task; upon which he issued a second order to them, to take a bath the following day, and again come to him.

  19. Meanwhile he collected together all his father’s flocks, both sheep and goats, and all his oxen,

  20. And slaughtered them, and made ready to give a feast to the entire Persian army.

  21. Wine, too, and bread of the choicest kinds were prepared for the occasion.

  22. When the morrow came, and the Persians appeared, he bade them recline on the grass, and enjoy themselves.

  23. After the feast was over, he requested them to tell him ‘which they liked best, today’s work, or yesterday’s?’

  24. They answered that ‘The contrast was indeed strong: yesterday brought them nothing but what was laborious, today everything that was pleasant.’

  25. Cyrus instantly seized on their reply, and explained his purpose in these words:

  26. ‘Men of Persia, thus do matters stand with you. If you choose to listen to my words, you may enjoy these and ten thousand similar delights,

  27. ‘And never condescend to any slavish toil; but if you will not listen, prepare yourselves for unnumbered toils as hard as yesterday’s.

  28. ‘Now therefore follow my bidding, and be free. For myself I am ready to undertake your liberation;

  29. ‘And you, I am sure, are no whit inferior to the Medes in anything, least of all courage.

  30. ‘Revolt, therefore, from Astyages, without a moment’s delay.’

  Chapter 13

  1. The Persians, who had long been impatient of the Median yoke, now that they had found a leader, were delighted.

  2. Meanwhile Astyages, informed of Cyrus’ doings, sent a messenger to summon him.

  3. Cyrus replied, ‘Tell Astyages that I shall appear in his presence sooner than he will like.’

  4. Astyages, when he received this message, instantly armed all his subjects,

  5. And, as if he had lost his senses, appointed Harpagus as their general, forgetting how greatly he had injured him.

  6. So when the two armies met, only a few of the Medes fought; others deserted openly to the Persians; while the greater number counterfeited fear, and fled.

  7. Astyages, on learning the shameful flight and dispersion of his army, broke out into threats against Cyrus,

  8. And directly armed all the Medes who had remained in the city, both young and old;


  9. And leading them against the Persians, fought a battle, in which he was utterly defeated, his army destroyed, and he himself captured.

  10. Harpagus then, seeing him a prisoner, came near, and exulted over him with jeers.

  11. Among other cutting speeches he made, he alluded to the supper where the flesh of his son was given him to eat,

  12. And asked Astyages to answer him now, how he enjoyed being a slave instead of a king?

  13. Astyages looked in his face, and asked him in return, why he claimed as his own the achievements of Cyrus?

  14. ‘Because,’ said Harpagus, ‘it was my letter which made him revolt, and so I am entitled to the credit of the enterprise.’

  15. Then Astyages declared that in that case he was at once the silliest and the most unjust of men:

  16. The silliest, if when it was in his power to put the crown on his own head, he had placed it on the head of another;

  17. The most unjust, if on account of that supper he had brought slavery on his own people, the Medes.

  18. For, supposing that he was obliged to invest another with the kingly power, and not retain it himself, yet justice required that a Mede, rather than a Persian, should receive the dignity.

  19. Now, however, the Medes, who had been no parties to the wrong of which he complained, were made slaves instead of lords,

  20. And slaves moreover of those who till recently had been their subjects.

  21. Thus after a reign of thirty-five years, Astyages lost his crown, and the Medes, in consequence of his cruelty, were brought under the rule of the Persians.

  22. The Medes’ empire over the parts of Asia beyond the Halys had lasted one hundred and twenty-eight years, except during the time when the Scythians had the dominion.

  23. Cyrus kept Astyages at his court during the remainder of his life, without doing him any further injury, because he was his grandfather.

  24. Such were the circumstances of the birth and upbringing of Cyrus, and such were the steps by which he mounted the throne.

  25. It was at a later date that he was attacked by Croesus, and overthrew him, as related in an earlier portion of this history.