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pay double the tribute to Cyaxares; "But lend me," he said, "another hundred." And having said this, he gave the Armenian his wife and children as a gift, and to Tigranes his own, since he was newly married, and he released them all. Now between the neighboring Armenians and Chaldeans there were always disputes and battles; but Cyrus reconciled them to one another, and so departed. And the army which he had taken from the Armenian he sent to Cyaxares, but when he arrived among the Medes, he distributed some of the money to his own commanders. Then with Cyaxares he invaded the enemy's country, and they encamped and gathered much plunder from there. And when they learned that the Assyrians were also approaching, they advanced in battle array, and they encamped a parasang distant from one another. On the next day, Cyrus led out his own army and drew it up, and on the other wing was Cyaxares with the Medes, and on the other side were the Assyrians and their allies. And having encouraged one another, the Persians charged forward at a run, and Cyrus himself with them. The enemy, however, no longer waited, but fled into their stronghold. And the Persians, following them, struck down many of them as they pushed against each other, and leaping upon those who fell into the trenches, they killed them. And the cavalry of the Medes charged the enemy cavalry; and they gave way; and then there was a pursuit of both horses and men, and slaughter on both sides. And the women of the Assyrians and their allies, seeing these things, cried out and ran in terror, and tearing their garments 1.232 and beating their breasts they begged everyone to defend both them and their children and themselves. There indeed the kings themselves with their most faithful men, standing at the entrances, fought and encouraged the others. But Cyrus, fearing that if his men, being few, should force their way into the palisade, they might be overthrown by the many, gave the order to retreat slowly out of range of missiles; and they quickly did as ordered. Then he led his men back as far as seemed proper, and encamped. But the Assyrians, since their leader was dead and nearly all the best men with him, were disheartened. And seeing these things, Croesus and all their other allies were grieved. From there they abandoned the camp and departed during the night. And when at daybreak the enemy's palisade appeared deserted, Cyrus led the Persians across first, and then Cyaxares and his men also crossed. Now to Cyrus it seemed best to pursue the enemy, but to Cyaxares the very opposite was preferable. And Cyrus said, "Give me then some of the Medes to go with me, those indeed who will volunteer to follow me eagerly." And Cyaxares permitted it, and sent with Cyrus the one who would announce this to the Medes. Meanwhile, messengers arrived from the Hyrcanians. Now the Hyrcanians are neighbors of the Assyrians, a nation not large, for which reason they were also subjects of the Assyrians; and they used them without sparing them either in labors or in dangers. And at that time they had been ordered to form the rear-guard, being about a thousand horsemen, so that if any danger should arise from behind, it would fall upon them before the others. But they, considering what they were suffering, sent messengers 1.233 to Cyrus to say that the Assyrians were justly hated by them, and if he wished to go against them, they would be his allies and guides. And he asked if they would overtake them; and the Hyrcanians said that if they were to march lightly equipped on the morrow at dawn, they would overtake them. And Cyrus asked for pledges that they were speaking the truth; and they offered to provide hostages, if he himself would also give his right hand and make a sworn pledge. And Cyrus indeed gave them pledges, that if they kept their word, he would treat them as friends and faithful allies, and that they would have no less honor with him than the Persians or the Medes. Upon these terms, while it was still light, Cyrus led out the army, and Tigranes with the Armenians was with him, and he ordered them to wait for the Hyrcanians, so that they might go together. And nearly all the Medes went out with Cyrus. He therefore ordered the Hyrcanians to lead the way; and having covered a great distance, he came near that of the Hyrcanians

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δασμοῦ διπλάσια Κυαξάρῃ ἀπόδος· ἐμοὶ δ'" εφη "αλλα ἑκατὸν δάνεισον." καὶ ταῦτα εἰπὼν τήν τε γυναῖκα τῷ ̓Αρμενίῳ καὶ τοὺς παῖδας δῶρον εδωκε, καὶ τῷ Τιγράνῃ τὴν οἰκείαν νεογάμῳ οντι, καὶ ἀφῆκε πάντας. ̓Αρμενίοις δὲ καὶ Χαλδαίοις ὁμοροῦσι διαφοραὶ ησαν ἀεὶ καὶ μάχαι· τούτους δ' ἀλλήλοις ὁ Κῦρος κατήλλαξε, καὶ ουτως ἀπῄει. καὶ τὸ μὲν στράτευμα ο ἐκ τοῦ ̓Αρμενίου ελαβεν επεμψε πρὸς Κυαξάρην, ἐπεὶ δ' ἀφίκετο εἰς Μήδους, μετέδωκε τῶν χρημάτων τοῖς αὐτοῦ ταξιάρχαις. ειτα σὺν τῷ Κυαξάρῃ ἐνέβαλεν εἰς τὴν πολεμίαν, καὶ ἐστρατοπεδεύσαντο καὶ λείαν πολλὴν ἐκεῖθεν συνήγαγον. ὡς δὲ προσιόντας καὶ τοὺς ̓Ασσυρίους ἐπύθοντο, συντεταγμένοι προσῄεσαν, καὶ ἐστρατοπεδεύσαντο ἀλλήλων παρασάγγην ἀπέχοντες. τῇ δ' ὑστεραίᾳ ἐξαγαγὼν ὁ Κῦρος τὸ ἑαυτοῦ στράτευμα παρετάξατο, καὶ καθ' ετερον κέρας σὺν τοῖς Μήδοις ὁ Κυαξάρης, ἑτέρωθεν δ' οἱ ̓Ασσύριοι καὶ οἱ συμμαχοῦντες αὐτοῖς. καὶ παραθήξαντες ἀλλήλους οἱ Πέρσαι ὁμόσε δρόμῳ ἐφέροντο καὶ ὁ Κῦρος αὐτός. οι γε μὴν πολέμιοι οὐκέτ' εμενον, ἀλλ' εφευγον εἰς τὸ ερυμα. καὶ οἱ Πέρσαι αὐτοῖς ἐφεπόμενοι ὠθουμένων αὐτῶν πολλοὺς κατεστρώννυσαν, τοὺς δὲ εἰς τὰς τάφρους ἐμπίπτοντας ἐπεισπηδῶντες ἐφόνευον. καὶ οἱ τῶν Μήδων δὲ ἱππεῖς εἰς τοὺς τῶν πολεμίων ἱππέας ηλαυνον· οἱ δ' ἐνέκλινον· ενθα δὴ καὶ ιππων διωγμὸς ην καὶ ἀνδρῶν καὶ φόνος ἐξ ἀμφοτέρων. ἰδοῦσαι δὲ αἱ γυναῖκες τῶν ̓Ασσυρίων καὶ τῶν συμμάχων ταῦτα, ἀνέκραγον καὶ εθεον ἐκπεπληγμέναι, καὶ τοὺς πέπλους 1.232 περιρρηγνύμεναι καὶ δρυπτόμεναι ἱκέτευον πάντας ἀμῦναι καὶ αὐταῖς καὶ τέκνοις καὶ σφίσιν αὐτοῖς. ενθα δὴ καὶ οἱ βασιλεῖς αὐτοὶ σὺν τοῖς πιστοτάτοις στάντες ἐπὶ τὰς εἰσόδους ἐμάχοντο καὶ τοῖς αλλοις παρεκελεύοντο. δείσας δ' ὁ Κῦρος μὴ ὀλίγοι οντες, εἰ βιάσαιντο εἰς τὸ χαράκωμα εἰσελθεῖν, ὑπὸ πολλῶν σφαλεῖεν, παρηγγύησεν ὑπὸ πόδα ἀνάγειν εξω βελῶν· καὶ ταχὺ τὸ κεκελευσμένον ἐποίησαν. ειτ' ἀπήγαγε τοὺς οἰκείους οσον ἐδόκει καλῶς εχειν, καὶ ἐστρατοπεδεύσατο. οἱ δ' ̓Ασσύριοι, καὶ τεθνηκότος τοῦ αρχοντος καὶ σχεδὸν σὺν αὐτῷ τῶν βελτίστων, ἠθύμουν. ὁρῶντες δὲ ταῦτα ο τε Κροῖσος καὶ οἱ αλλοι σύμμαχοι σφῶν πάντες ηλγουν. ἐντεῦθεν ἐκλείπουσι τὸ στρατόπεδον καὶ ἀπέρχονται τῆς νυκτός. ὡς δὲ μεθ' ἡμέραν ερημον ἐφάνη τὸ τῶν πολεμίων χαράκωμα, διαβιβάζει τοὺς Πέρσας ὁ Κῦρος πρώτους, ειτα καὶ οἱ ἀμφὶ Κυαξάρην διέβαινον. τῷ μὲν ουν Κύρῳ διώκειν τοὺς πολεμίους ἐδόκει, τῷ δέ γε Κυαξάρῃ τοὐναντίον απαν ην αἱρετόν. καὶ ὁ Κῦρος "δὸς δή μοι τῶν Μήδων" εφη "τινὰς συμπορευομένους μοι, ἐκείνους δὴ οσοι μοι ἐθελονταὶ συνέψεσθαι προθυμήσονται." καὶ ὁ Κυαξάρης ἐφῆκε, καὶ τὸν ἀγγελοῦντα ταῦτα τοῖς Μήδοις τῷ Κύρῳ συνέπεμψεν. ̓Εν τοσούτῳ δὲ αγγελοι ἐκ τῶν ̔Υρκανίων ἀφίκοντο. οἱ δ' ̔Υρκάνιοι ομοροι τῶν ̓Ασσυρίων εἰσίν, εθνος οὐ πολύ, διὸ καὶ ησαν τῶν ̓Ασσυρίων ὑπήκοοι· ἐχρῶντο δ' αὐτοῖς ουτ' ἐν πόνοις ουτ' ἐν κινδύνοις αὐτῶν φειδόμενοι. καὶ τότε δὲ οὐραγεῖν ἐτετάχατο, ἱππεῖς οντες ὡς χίλιοι, οπως ει τι οπισθεν ειη δεινόν, ἐκείνοις τοῦτ' ἐνσκήψειε πρὸ αὐτῶν. οἱ δὲ οια πάσχουσιν ἐννοούμενοι, επεμψαν ἀγγέλους 1.233 πρὸς Κῦρον ἐροῦντας ὡς μισοῖντο δικαίως παρ' αὐτῶν οἱ ̓Ασσύριοι, καὶ εἰ βούλοιτο ἰέναι ἐπ' αὐτούς, καὶ σφεῖς εσοιντο σύμμαχοι καὶ ἡγήσοιντο. ὁ δὲ ηρετο εἰ καταλήψοιντο αὐτούς· καὶ οἱ ̔Υρκάνιοι ειπον οτι καν αυριον εωθεν πορεύοιντο ευζωνοι, καταλήψοιντο σφᾶς. καὶ ὁ Κῦρος πίστεις ῃτει ὡς ἀληθεύοιεν· οἱ δὲ ὁμήρους κατέθεντο παρασχεῖν, εἰ καὶ αὐτὸς δεξιὰν δοίη καὶ πιστὰ θεῶν ποιήσαιτο. καὶ ὁ μὲν Κῦρος δίδωσιν αὐτοῖς πιστά, η μὴν ἐὰν α λέγουσιν ἐμπεδώσωσιν, ὡς φίλοις καὶ πιστοῖς χρῆσθαι αὐτοῖς, καὶ μήτε Περσῶν μήτε Μήδων μεῖον εχειν τι παρ' αὐτῷ. ̓Επὶ τούτοις ὁ Κῦρος ετι φάους οντος ἐξῆγε τὸ στράτευμα, καὶ ὁ Τιγράνης μετὰ τῶν ̓Αρμενίων συνῆν, καὶ τοὺς ̔Υρκανίους δὲ περιμένειν ἐκέλευσεν, ιν' αμα ιοιεν. τῶν δὲ Μήδων σχεδὸν απαντες συνεξῄεσαν τῷ Κύρῳ. ἡγεῖσθαι ουν τοὺς ̔Υρκανίους ἐκέλευε· καὶ πολλὴν ὁδὸν διανύσας πλησίον γίνεται τοῦ τῶν ̔Υρκανίων