Xenophon, Cyropaedia, ed. Edgar Carew Marchant, 7.2

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[1]
καὶ οἱ μὲν ἀμφὶ τὸν Κῦρον δειπνοποιησάμενοι καὶ φυλακὰς καταστησάμενοι, ὥσπερ ἔδει, ἐκοιμήθησαν. Κροῖσος μέντοι εὐθὺς ἐπὶ Σάρδεων ἔφευγε σὺν τῷ στρατεύματι· τὰ δʼ ἄλλα φῦλα ὅποι ἐδύνατο προσωτάτω ἐν τῇ νυκτὶ τῆς ἐπʼ οἶκον ὁδοῦ ἕκαστος ἀπεχώρει.

[2] ἐπειδὴ δὲ ἡμέρα ἐγένετο, εὐθὺς ἐπὶ Σάρδεις ἦγε Κῦρος. ὡς δʼ ἐγένετο πρὸς τῷ τείχει τῷ ἐν Σάρδεσι, τάς τε μηχανὰς ἀνίστη ὡς προσβαλῶν πρὸς τὸ τεῖχος καὶ κλίμακας παρεσκευάζετο.

[3] ταῦτα δὲ ποιῶν κατὰ τὰ ἀποτομώτατα δοκοῦντα εἶναι τοῦ Σαρδιανῶν ἐρύματος τῆς ἐπιούσης νυκτὸς ἀναβιβάζει Χαλδαίους τε καὶ Πέρσας. ἡγήσατο δʼ αὐτοῖς ἀνὴρ Πέρσης δοῦλος γεγενημένος τῶν ἐν τῇ ἀκροπόλει τινὸς φρουρῶν καὶ καταμεμαθηκὼς κατάβασιν εἰς τὸν ποταμὸν καὶ ἀνάβασιν τὴν αὐτήν.

[4] ὡς δʼ ἐγένετο τοῦτο δῆλον ὅτι εἴχετο τὰ ἄκρα, πάντες δὴ ἔφευγον οἱ Λυδοὶ ἀπὸ τῶν τειχῶν ὅποι ἐδύνατο ἕκαστος τῆς πόλεως. Κῦρος δὲ ἅμα τῇ ἡμέρᾳ εἰσῄει εἰς τὴν πόλιν καὶ παρήγγειλεν ἐκ τῆς τάξεως μηδένα κινεῖσθαι.

[5] ὁ δὲ Κροῖσος κατακλεισάμενος ἐν τοῖς βασιλείοις Κῦρον ἐβόα· ὁ δὲ Κῦρος τοῦ μὲν Κροίσου φύλακας κατέλιπεν, αὐτὸς δὲ ἀπαγαγὼν πρὸς τὴν ἐχομένην ἄκραν ὡς εἶδε τοὺς μὲν Πέρσας φυλάττοντας τὴν ἄκραν, ὥσπερ ἔδει, τὰ δὲ τῶν Χαλδαίων ὅπλα ἔρημα ʽκατεδεδραμήκεσαν γὰρ ἁρπασόμενοι τὰ ἐκ τῶν οἰκιῶν̓, εὐθὺς συνεκάλεσεν αὐτῶν τοὺς ἄρχοντας καὶ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς ἀπιέναι ἐκ τοῦ στρατεύματος ὡς τάχιστα.

[6] οὐ γὰρ ἄν, ἔφη, ἀνασχοίμην πλεονεκτοῦντας ὁρῶν τοὺς ἀτακτοῦντας. καὶ εὖ μέν, ἔφη, ἐπίστασθε ὅτι παρεσκευαζόμην ἐγὼ ὑμᾶς τοὺς ἐμοὶ συστρατευομένους πᾶσι Χαλδαίοις μακαριστοὺς ποιῆσαι· νῦν δʼ, ἔφη, μὴ θαυμάζετε ἤν τις καὶ ἀπιοῦσιν ὑμῖν κρείττων ἐντύχῃ.

[7] ἀκούσαντες ταῦτα οἱ Χαλδαῖοι ἔδεισάν τε καὶ ἱκέτευον παύσασθαι ὀργιζόμενον καὶ τὰ χρήματα πάντα ἀποδώσειν ἔφασαν. ὁ δʼ εἶπεν ὅτι οὐδὲν αὐτῶν δέοιτο. ἀλλʼ εἴ με, ἔφη, βούλεσθε παύσασθαι ἀχθόμενον, ἀπόδοτε πάντα ὅσα ἐλάβετε τοῖς διαφυλάξασι τὴν ἄκραν. ἢν γὰρ αἴσθωνται οἱ ἄλλοι στρατιῶται ὅτι πλεονεκτοῦσιν οἱ εὔτακτοι γενόμενοι, πάντα μοι καλῶς ἕξει.

[8] οἱ μὲν δὴ Χαλδαῖοι οὕτως ἐποίησαν ὡς ἐκέλευσεν ὁ Κῦρος· καὶ ἔλαβον οἱ πειθόμενοι πολλὰ καὶ παντοῖα χρήματα. ὁ δὲ Κῦρος καταστρατοπεδεύσας τοὺς ἑαυτοῦ, ὅπου ἐδόκει ἐπιτηδειότατον εἶναι τῆς πόλεως, μένειν ἐπὶ τοῖς ὅπλοις παρήγγειλε καὶ ἀριστοποιεῖσθαι.

[9]
ταῦτα δὲ διαπραξάμενος ἀγαγεῖν ἐκέλευσεν αὑτῷ τὸν Κροῖσον. ὁ δὲ Κροῖσος ὡς εἶδε τὸν Κῦρον, χαῖρε, ὦ δέσποτα, ἔφη· τοῦτο γὰρ ἡ τύχη καὶ ἔχειν τὸ ἀπὸ τοῦδε δίδωσι σοὶ καὶ ἐμοὶ προσαγορεύειν.

[10] καὶ σύ γε, ἔφη, ὦ Κροῖσε, ἐπείπερ ἄνθρωποί γέ ἐσμεν ἀμφότεροι. ἀτάρ, ἔφη, ὦ Κροῖσε, ἆρʼ ἄν τί μοι ἐθελήσαις συμβουλεῦσαι; καὶ βουλοίμην γʼ ἄν, ἔφη, ὦ Κῦρε, ἀγαθόν τί σοι εὑρεῖν· τοῦτο γὰρ ἂν οἶμαι ἀγαθὸν κἀμοὶ γενέσθαι.

[11] ἄκουσον τοίνυν, ἔφη, ὦ Κροῖσε· ἐγὼ γὰρ ὁρῶν τοὺς στρατιώτας πολλὰ πεπονηκότας καὶ πολλὰ κεκινδυνευκότας καὶ νῦν νομίζοντας πόλιν ἔχειν τὴν πλουσιωτάτην ἐν τῇ Ἀσίᾳ μετὰ Βαβυλῶνα, ἀξιῶ ὠφεληθῆναι τοὺς στρατιώτας. γιγνώσκω γάρ, ἔφη, ὅτι εἰ μή τινα καρπὸν λήψονται τῶν πόνων, οὐ δυνήσομαι αὐτοὺς πολὺν χρόνον πειθομένους ἔχειν. διαρπάσαι μὲν οὖν αὐτοῖς ἐφεῖναι τὴν πόλιν οὐ βούλομαι· τήν τε γὰρ πόλιν νομίζω ἂν διαφθαρῆναι, ἔν τε τῇ ἁρπαγῇ εὖ οἶδʼ ὅτι οἱ πονηρότατοι πλεονεκτήσειαν ἄν.

[12] ἀκούσας ταῦτα ὁ Κροῖσος ἔλεξεν· ἀλλʼ ἐμέ, ἔφη, ἔασον λέξαι πρὸς οὓς ἂν ἐγὼ Λυδῶν ἔλθω ὅτι διαπέπραγμαι παρὰ σοῦ μὴ ποιῆσαι ἁρπαγὴν μηδὲ ἐᾶσαι ἀφανισθῆναι παῖδας καὶ γυναῖκας· ὑπεσχόμην δέ σοι ἀντὶ τούτων ἦ μὴν παρʼ ἑκόντων Λυδῶν ἔσεσθαι πᾶν ὅ τι καλὸν κἀγαθόν ἐστιν ἐν Σάρδεσιν.

[13] ἢν γὰρ ταῦτα ἀκούσωσιν, οἶδʼ ὅτι ἥξει σοι πᾶν ὅ τι ἐστὶν ἐνθάδε καλὸν κτῆμα ἀνδρὶ καὶ γυναικί· καὶ ὁμοίως εἰς νέωτα πολλῶν καὶ καλῶν πάλιν σοι πλήρης ἡ πόλις ἔσται. ἢν δὲ διαρπάσῃς, καὶ αἱ τέχναι σοι, ἃς πηγάς φασι τῶν καλῶν εἶναι, διεφθαρμέναι ἔσονται.

[14] ἐξέσται δέ σοι ἰδόντι ταῦτα ἐλθόντα ἔτι καὶ περὶ τῆς ἁρπαγῆς βουλεύσασθαι. πρῶτον δʼ, ἔφη, ἐπὶ τοὺς ἐμοὺς θησαυροὺς πέμπε καὶ παραλαμβανόντων οἱ σοὶ φύλακες παρὰ τῶν ἐμῶν φυλάκων. ταῦτα μὲν δὴ πάντα οὕτω συνῄνεσε ποιεῖν ὁ Κῦρος ὥσπερ ἔλεξεν ὁ Κροῖσος.

[15]
τάδε δέ μοι πάντως, ἔφη, ὦ Κροῖσε, λέξον πῶς σοι ἀποβέβηκε τὰ ἐκ τοῦ ἐν Δελφοῖς χρηστηρίου· σοὶ γὰρ δὴ λέγεται πάνυ γε τεθεραπεῦσθαι ὁ Ἀπόλλων καί σε πάντα ἐκείνῳ πειθόμενον πράττειν.

[16] ἐβουλόμην ἄν, ἔφη, ὦ Κῦρε, οὕτως ἔχειν· νῦν δὲ πάντα τἀναντία εὐθὺς ἐξ ἀρχῆς πράττων προσηνέχθην τῷ Ἀπόλλωνι. πῶς δέ; ἔφη ὁ Κῦρος· δίδασκε· πάνυ γὰρ παράδοξα λέγεις.

[17] ὅτι πρῶτον μέν, ἔφη, ἀμελήσας ἐρωτᾶν τὸν θεόν, εἴ τι ἐδεόμην, ἀπεπειρώμην αὐτοῦ εἰ δύναιτο ἀληθεύειν. τοῦτο δʼ, ἔφη, μὴ ὅτι θεός, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἄνθρωποι καλοὶ κἀγαθοί, ἐπειδὰν γνῶσιν ἀπιστούμενοι, οὐ φιλοῦσι τοὺς ἀπιστοῦντας.

[18] ἐπεὶ μέντοι ἔγνω καὶ μάλʼ ἄτοπα ἐμοῦ ποιοῦντος, καίπερ πρόσω Δελφῶν ἀπέχοντος, οὕτω δὴ πέμπω περὶ παίδων.

[19] ὁ δέ μοι τὸ μὲν πρῶτον οὐδʼ ἀπεκρίνατο· ἐπεὶ δʼ ἐγὼ πολλὰ μὲν πέμπων ἀναθήματα χρυσᾶ, πολλὰ δʼ ἀργυρᾶ, πάμπολλα δὲ θύων ἐξιλασάμην ποτὲ αὐτόν, ὡς ἐδόκουν, τότε δή μοι ἀποκρίνεται ἐρωτῶντι τί ἄν μοι ποιήσαντι παῖδες γένοιντο· ὁ δὲ εἶπεν ὅτι ἔσοιντο.

[20] καὶ ἐγένοντο μέν, οὐδὲ γὰρ οὐδὲ τοῦτο ἐψεύσατο, γενόμενοι δὲ οὐδὲν ὤνησαν. ὁ μὲν γὰρ κωφὸς ὢν διετέλει, ὁ δὲ ἄριστος γενόμενος ἐν ἀκμῇ τοῦ βίου ἀπώλετο. πιεζόμενος δὲ ταῖς περὶ τοὺς παῖδας συμφοραῖς πάλιν πέμπω καὶ ἐπερωτῶ τὸν θεὸν τί ἂν ποιῶν τὸν λοιπὸν βίον εὐδαιμονέστατα διατελέσαιμι· ὁ δέ μοι ἀπεκρίνατο,

σαυτὸν γιγνώσκων εὐδαίμων, Κροῖσε, περάσεις.

[21] ἐγὼ δʼ ἀκούσας τὴν μαντείαν ἥσθην· ἐνόμιζον γὰρ τὸ ῥᾷστόν μοι αὐτὸν προστάξαντα τὴν εὐδαιμονίαν διδόναι. ἄλλους μὲν γὰρ γιγνώσκειν τοὺς μὲν οἷόν τʼ εἶναι τοὺς δʼ οὔ· ἑαυτὸν δὲ ὅστις ἐστὶ πάντα τινὰ ἐνόμιζον ἄνθρωπον εἰδέναι.

[22] καὶ τὸν μετὰ ταῦτα δὴ χρόνον, ἕως μὲν εἶχον ἡσυχίαν, οὐδὲν ἐνεκάλουν μετὰ τὸν τοῦ παιδὸς θάνατον ταῖς τύχαις· ἐπειδὴ δὲ ἀνεπείσθην ὑπὸ τοῦ Ἀσσυρίου ἐφʼ ὑμᾶς στρατεύεσθαι, εἰς πάντα κίνδυνον ἦλθον· ἐσώθην μέντοι οὐδὲν κακὸν λαβών. οὐκ αἰτιῶμαι δὲ οὐδὲ τάδε τὸν θεόν. ἐπεὶ γὰρ ἔγνων ἐμαυτὸν μὴ ἱκανὸν ὑμῖν μάχεσθαι, ἀσφαλῶς σὺν τῷ θεῷ ἀπῆλθον καὶ αὐτὸς καὶ οἱ σὺν ἐμοί.

[23] νῦν δʼ αὖ πάλιν ὑπό τε πλούτου τοῦ παρόντος διαθρυπτόμενος καὶ ὑπὸ τῶν δεομένων μου προστάτην γενέσθαι καὶ ὑπὸ τῶν δώρων ὧν ἐδίδοσάν μοι καὶ ὑπʼ ἀνθρώπων, οἵ με κολακεύοντες ἔλεγον ὡς εἰ ἐγὼ θέλοιμι ἄρχειν, πάντες ἂν ἐμοὶ πείθοιντο καὶ μέγιστος ἂν εἴην ἀνθρώπων, ὑπὸ τοιούτων δὲ λόγων ἀναφυσώμενος, ὡς εἵλοντό με πάντες οἱ κύκλῳ βασιλεῖς προστάτην τοῦ πολέμου, ὑπεδεξάμην τὴν στρατηγίαν, ὡς ἱκανὸς ὢν μέγιστος γενέσθαι,

[24] ἀγνοῶν ἄρα ἐμαυτόν, ὅτι σοὶ ἀντιπολεμεῖν ἱκανὸς ᾤμην εἶναι, πρῶτον μὲν ἐκ θεῶν γεγονότι, ἔπειτα δὲ διὰ βασιλέων πεφυκότι, ἔπειτα δʼ ἐκ παιδὸς ἀρετὴν ἀσκοῦντι· τῶν δʼ ἐμῶν προγόνων ἀκούω τὸν πρῶτον βασιλεύσαντα ἅμα τε βασιλέα καὶ ἐλεύθερον γενέσθαι. ταῦτʼ οὖν ἀγνοήσας δικαίως, ἔφη, ἔχω τὴν δίκην.

[25] ἀλλὰ νῦν δή, ἔφη, ὦ Κῦρε, γιγνώσκω μὲν ἐμαυτόν· σὺ δʼ, ἔφη, ἔτι δοκεῖς ἀληθεύειν τὸν Ἀπόλλω ὡς εὐδαίμων ἔσομαι γιγνώσκων ἐμαυτόν; σὲ δὲ ἐρωτῶ διὰ τοῦτο ὅτι ἄριστʼ ἄν μοι δοκεῖς εἰκάσαι τοῦτο ἐν τῷ παρόντι· καὶ γὰρ δύνασαι ποιῆσαι.

[26]
καὶ ὁ Κῦρος εἶπε· βουλήν μοι δὸς περὶ τούτου, ὦ Κροῖσε· ἐγὼ γάρ σου ἐννοῶν τὴν πρόσθεν εὐδαιμονίαν οἰκτίρω τέ σε καὶ ἀποδίδωμι ἤδη γυναῖκά τε ἔχειν ἣν εἶχες καὶ τὰς θυγατέρας ʽἀκούω γάρ σοι εἶναἰ, καὶ τοὺς φίλους καὶ τοὺς θεράποντας καὶ τράπεζαν σὺν οἵᾳπερ ἐζῆτε· μάχας δέ σοι καὶ πολέμους ἀφαιρῶ.

[27] μὰ Δία μηδὲν τοίνυν, ἔφη ὁ Κροῖσος, σὺ ἐμοὶ ἔτι βουλεύου ἀποκρίνασθαι περὶ τῆς ἐμῆς εὐδαιμονίας· ἐγὼ γὰρ ἤδη σοι λέγω, ἢν ταῦτά μοι ποιήσῃς ἃ λέγεις, ὅτι ἣν ἄλλοι τε μακαριωτάτην ἐνόμιζον εἶναι βιοτὴν καὶ ἐγὼ συνεγίγνωσκον αὐτοῖς, ταύτην καὶ ἐγὼ νῦν ἔχων διάξω.

[28] καὶ ὁ Κῦρος εἶπε· τίς δὴ ὁ ἔχων ταύτην τὴν μακαρίαν βιοτήν; ἡ ἐμὴ γυνή, εἶπεν, ὦ Κῦρε· ἐκείνη γὰρ τῶν μὲν ἀγαθῶν καὶ τῶν μαλακῶν καὶ εὐφροσυνῶν πασῶν ἐμοὶ τὸ ἴσον μετεῖχε, φροντίδων δὲ ὅπως ταῦτα ἔσται καὶ πολέμου καὶ μάχης οὐ μετῆν αὐτῇ. οὕτω δὴ καὶ σὺ δοκεῖς ἐμὲ κατασκευάζειν ὥσπερ ἐγὼ ἣν ἐφίλουν μάλιστα ἀνθρώπων, ὥστε τῷ Ἀπόλλωνι ἄλλα μοι δοκῶ χαριστήρια ὀφειλήσειν.

[29] ἀκούσας δʼ ὁ Κῦρος τοὺς λόγους αὐτοῦ ἐθαύμασε μὲν τὴν εὐθυμίαν, ἦγε δὲ τὸ λοιπὸν ὅποι καὶ αὐτὸς πορεύοιτο, εἴτε ἄρα καὶ χρήσιμόν τι νομίζων αὐτὸν εἶναι εἴτε καὶ ἀσφαλέστερον οὕτως ἡγούμενος.

Cyropaedia. Xenophon. ed. Edgar Carew Marchant. Oxford. 1910.

Sponsored by Perseus Project, Tufts University.

Funding provided by The Annenberg CPB/Project.

Current edition Perseus

Κύρου παιδεία (Greek) (Xenophon. Opera omnia, Vol. 4. Marchant, Edgar Cardew, editor. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1910.)

Translations (1)

Cyropaedia Perseus (Xenophon in Seven Volumes, Vol 5-6. Miller, Walter,editor, translator. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press; London: William Heinemann Ltd., 1914.) — 7.2 focus

[1]
When Cyrus and his men had finished dinner and stationed guards, as was necessary, they went to rest. As for Croesus and his army, they fled straight towards Sardis , while the other contingents got away, each man as far as he could under cover of the night on his way toward home.

[2]
When daylight came, Cyrus led his army¹ straight on against Sardis . And as soon as he came up to the walls of the city, he set up his engines as if intending to assault it and made ready his scaling ladders.

[3] But though he did this, in the course of the following night he sent some Chaldaeans and Persians to climb up by what was considered the most precipitous side of the Sardian citadel. The way was shown them by a Persian who had been the slave of one of the guards of the acropolis and had discovered a way down to the river and up again by the same route.

[4]
When it became known that the citadel was taken, all the Lydians immediately fled from the walls to whatever part of the city they could. And Cyrus at daybreak entered the city and gave orders that not a man of his should stir from his post.

[5] But Croesus shut himself up in his palace and called for Cyrus. Cyrus, however, left behind a guard to watch Croesus, while he himself drew off his army to the citadel now in his possession; for he saw that the Persians were holding guard over it, as it was² their duty to do, but that the quarters of the Chaldaeans were deserted, for they had run down into the city to get plunder from the houses. He at once called their officers together and told them to leave his army with all speed.

[6] For said he, I could not endure to see men who are guilty of insubordination better off than others. And let me tell you, he added, that I was getting ready to make you Chaldaeans who have been helping in my campaigns objects of envy in the eyes of all other Chaldaeans; but, as it is, you need not be surprised if some one who is your superior in strength should fall in with you, even as you go away.

[7]
When they heard this, the Chaldaeans were afraid; they besought him to lay aside his wrath and promised to give up their plunder. But he said he did not want it. But said he, if you wish³ me to forget my displeasure, surrender all that you have taken to those who have not relaxed their guard of the citadel. For if the rest of the soldiers find out that those who have been obedient to orders are better off than the rest, everything will be as I wish.

[8]
The Chaldaeans, accordingly, did as Cyrus bade; and the obedient received a large amount of spoil of every description. And Cyrus encamped his men in that part of the city where he deemed it most convenient, ordering them to stay in their quarters and take luncheon there.

[9]
When he had attended to this, he ordered⁴ Croesus to be brought before him. And when Croesus saw Cyrus, he said: I salute you, my sovereign lord; for fortune grants that henceforth you should bear this title and I address you by it.

[10]
And I you, Croesus; for we are both men. But, Croesus, he added, would you be willing to give me a bit of advice?
Aye, Cyrus, said he; I wish I could find something of practical value to say to you. For that, I think, would prove good for me as well.

[11]
Listen, then, Croesus, said he. I observe that my soldiers have gone through many toils and dangers and now are thinking that they are in possession of the richest city in Asia , next to Babylon ; and I think that they deserve some reward. For I know that if they do not reap some fruit of their labours, I shall not be able to keep them in obedience very long. Now, I do not wish to abandon the city⁵ to them to plunder; for I believe that then the city would be destroyed, and I am sure that in the pillaging the worst men would get the largest share.

[12]
Well said Croesus on hearing these words, permit me to say to any Lydians that I meet that I have secured from you the promise not to permit any pillaging nor to allow the women and children to be carried off, and that I, in return for that, have given you my solemn promise that you should get from the Lydians of their own free will everything there is of beauty or value in Sardis .

[13] For when they hear this, I am sure that whatever fair possession man or woman has will to come to you; and next year you will again find the city just as full of wealth as it is now; whereas, if you pillage it completely, you will find even the industrial arts utterly ruined; and they say that these are the fountain of wealth.

[14] But when you have seen what is brought in, you will still have the privilege of deciding about plundering the city. And first of all, he went on, send to my treasuries and let your guards obtain from my guards what is there.
All this, accordingly, Cyrus agreed to have done as Croesus suggested.

[15]
But pray tell me, Croesus, he resumed,⁶ what has come of your responses from the oracle at Delphi ? For it is said that Apollo has received much service from you and that everything that you do is done in obedience to him.

[16]
I would it were so, Cyrus, he answered. But as it is; I have from the very beginning behaved toward Apollo in a way contrary to all that he has advised.
How so? asked Cyrus; please explain; for your statement sounds very strange.

[17]
At first, he answered, instead of asking the god for the particular favour I needed, I proceeded to put him to the test to see if he could tell the truth. And when even men, if they are gentlemen—to say nothing of a god—discover that they are mistrusted, they have no love for those who mistrust them.

[18] However, as he knew even about the gross absurdities I was engaged in, far as I was from Delphi ,⁷ I then sent to him to inquire if I should have male issue.

[19] And at first he did not even answer me; but when I had at last propitiated him, as I thought, by sending many offerings of gold and many of silver and by sacrificing very many victims, then he did answer my question as to what I should do to have sons; and he said that I should have them.

[20] And I had; for not even in this did he speak falsely; but those that were born to me have been no joy to me. For the one has continued dumb until now, and the other, the better of the two, was killed in the flower of his youth. Then, overwhelmed by the afflictions I suffered in connection with my sons, I sent again and inquired of the god what I should do to pass the rest⁸ of my life most happily; and he answered me:
Knowing thyself, O Croesus—thus shalt thou live and be happy.⁹

[21]
And when I heard this response, I was glad; for I thought that it was the easiest task in the world that he was laying upon me as the condition to happiness. For in the case of others, it is possible to know some; and some, one cannot know; but I thought that everybody knows who and what he himself is.

[22]
For the succeeding years, as long as I lived at peace, I had no complaint to make of my fortunes after the death of my son. But when I was persuaded by the Assyrian king to take the field against you, I fell into every sort of danger. However, I was saved without having suffered any harm. Here again I have no fault to find with the god. For when I recognized that I was not your match in battle, with his help I got off in safety, both I and my men.

[23]
And lately again, spoiled by the wealth I had and by those who were begging me to become their leader, by the gifts they gave me and by the people who flattered me, saying that if I would consent to take command they would all obey me and I should be the greatest of men—puffed up by such words, when all the princes round about chose me to be their leader in the war, I accepted the command, deeming myself fit to be the greatest; but, as it seems, I did not know myself.

[24] For I thought I was capable of carrying on war against you; but I was no match for you; for you are in the first place a scion of the gods and in the second place the descendant of an unbroken line of kings, and finally you have been practising virtue from your childhood on, while the first of my ancestors to wear a crown, I am told, was at the same time king and freedman.¹⁰ Therefore, as I was thus without knowledge, I have my just deserts.

[25]
But, Cyrus, said he, I know myself now. But do you think Apollo’s declaration still holds true, that if I know myself I shall be happy? I ask you this for the reason that under the present circumstances it seems to me you can judge best; for you are also in a position to fulfil it.

[26]
You must give me time to consider this,¹¹ Croesus, Cyrus replied; for when I think of your happiness hitherto, I am sorry for you, and I now restore to you your wife, whom you once had, your daughters (for I understand you have daughters), your friends, your servants, and the table that you and yours used to enjoy. But wars and battles I must forbid you.

[27]
In the name of Zeus, said Croesus, pray do not trouble yourself further to answer me in regard to my happiness; for I assure you even now that if you do for me what you say you will, I, too, shall have and enjoy that life which others have always considered most blissful; and I have agreed with them.

[28]
And who is it, asked Cyrus, that enjoys such a life of bliss?
My wife, Cyrus, said he. For she always shared equally with me my wealth and the luxuries and all the good cheer that it brought, but she had no share in the anxieties of securing it nor in war or battle. So, then, you seem to be putting me in the same position as I did her whom I loved more than all the world, so that I feel that I shall owe Apollo new thank-offerings.

[29]
At hearing these words Cyrus wondered at his good spirits, and after that he always used to take Croesus with him wherever he went, whether, as may well have been, because he thought Croesus was of some service to him, or whether he considered that this was the safer course.

Xenophon Cyropaedia 7.2

ed. Edgar Carew Marchant

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