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with the other preparations and by bringing the woman into the women's quarters of the tent, and with her the female musicians who had been chosen for Cyaxares. Meanwhile the messenger reported the message from Cyrus to Cyaxares, and he set out with those of the Median cavalry who had remained with him. And when Cyrus knew that he was approaching, taking the Persian horsemen, who were already numerous, and the Medes who were present and the Armenians and the best-mounted of the other allies, he went to meet him, displaying his force to Cyaxares. And he, seeing that Cyrus was followed by many and good men, but he himself by a small and worthless retinue, it seemed to him to be a dishonor, and grief seized him, and he was brought to open tears. But Cyrus, taking him aside privately and sitting down beside him, conversed with him, and asked the cause of his anger and his grief. And after saying and hearing many things, finally he said, "By the gods, uncle, cease for the present from blaming me, but when you have had experience of how we feel toward you, then either acknowledge your gratitude to me or blame me." And Cyaxares agreed; and he, coming up, kissed him. And when the Medes and the Persians and the others saw this, they were overjoyed. Mounting their horses then, Cyrus and Cyaxares departed for the camp, and they led Cyaxares to the tent set apart for him. And the Medes went to him bringing gifts, each one the finest thing he had received. And when it was time for dinner, Cyaxares 1.242 was busy with his dinner, but Cyrus was concerned that the allies might stay with him, and gathering those of his friends who were able to cooperate with him in what was needed, he urged them to devise how they might persuade the allies not to desert them, but to assist them still. On the next day they all gathered before Cyaxares. And before they met with him, the friends brought to Cyrus one after another of the allied nations, begging him to remain and to participate in the war with him. At this point Cyaxares came out of his tent and said, "Allied men, we must consider whether it seems to be the time to campaign still or to disband the army now." Therefore each man came forward and spoke, and all gave their opinion that they must continue the campaign. And after all of them, Cyrus said, "It does not escape me either, men, that if we disband the army, our own affairs would become weaker, and those of the enemy will increase. But I see adversaries approaching us with whom we will not be able to fight. For winter is coming on and a lack of provisions. For some things have been consumed by us, and others, because of us, have been carried away by the enemy into strongholds. Who then, fighting with hunger and cold, could continue a campaign? But I think it is necessary to take away the enemy's fortifications, and to make as many fortifications as possible for ourselves. For if we have forts, these will alienate the country from the enemy, and will be to our advantage." And when these and many more such things were said, all said they would eagerly cooperate in these things, including Cyaxares himself, and they agreed to make siege engines. But Cyrus, knowing 1.243 that there would be a delay concerning these things, made the army secure, and led it out on foraging expeditions, so that they might have abundant necessities and so that they might be healthier from the labor, and so that they might be reminded of good order. And deserters coming from Babylon said that the Assyrian had gone to Lydia taking many talents of gold and silver and all sorts of treasure. The common soldiers, therefore, said that he was putting his valuables in a safe place, already being afraid, but Cyrus said that the Assyrian had gone to seek allies, and he made counter-preparations on the grounds that there would still be need of a battle. And it seemed good to him also to send a spy to Lydia, so that he might learn what the Assyrian was doing. And for this purpose Araspas seemed to him suitable, the one guarding the beautiful woman, who, being seized by love for the woman, made advances to her; but she refused and was faithful to her husband even in his absence, however, she did not denounce Araspas to Cyrus. But when the lover threatened her that if she did not yield willingly, he would take her by force, fearing the violence, she sends the eunuch to Cyrus and bids him everything

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τῇ τε αλλῃ παρασκευῇ καὶ τῷ γυναῖκα εἰσαγαγεῖν εἰς τὸν γυναικῶνα τῆς σκηνῆς, καὶ σὺν ταύτῃ τὰς μουσουργοὺς αιπερ τῷ Κυαξάρῃ ἐξῄρηντο. ἐν τοσούτῳ δὲ ὁ αγγελος τὰ παρὰ τοῦ Κύρου τῷ Κυαξάρῃ ἀπήγγειλε, καὶ ος ἐπορεύετο σὺν τοῖς παραμείνασιν αὐτῷ τῶν Μήδων ἱππεῦσιν. ὡς δ' εγνω προσιόντα αὐτὸν ὁ Κῦρος, λαβὼν τούς τε τῶν Περσῶν ἱππέας, πολλοὺς ηδη οντας, καὶ τοὺς Μήδους παρόντας καὶ τοὺς ̓Αρμενίους καὶ τῶν αλλων συμμάχων τοὺς εὐιπποτάτους, ἀπήντα, ἐπιδεικνὺς τῷ Κυαξάρῃ τὴν δύναμιν. ὁ δὲ ἰδὼν τῷ Κύρῳ μὲν πολλούς τε καὶ ἀγαθοὺς ἑπομένους, ἑαυτῷ δὲ ὀλίγην τε καὶ ὀλίγου ἀξίαν θεραπείαν, ατιμόν τι αὐτῷ εδοξεν ειναι, καὶ αχος αὐτὸν ελαβε, καὶ εἰς φανερὰ κατήνεκτο δάκρυα. ὁ δὲ Κῦρος ἰδίᾳ τοῦτον ἀπολαβόμενος καὶ παρακαθίσας διειλέχθη, καὶ τῆς ὀργῆς καὶ τῆς λύπης ἠρώτα τὸ αιτιον. καὶ πολλά τε εἰπὼν καὶ ἀκούσας, τέλος "πρὸς θεῶν" εφη, "ω θεῖε, παῦσαι τὸ νῦν εχον μεμφόμενός μοι, ἐπειδὰν δὲ πεῖραν ἡμῶν λάβῃς πῶς εχομεν πρὸς σέ, τότε μοι η χάριτας ὁμολόγει η μέμφου." καὶ ὁ Κυαξάρης κατέθετο· ὁ δ' ἐφίλησεν αὐτὸν προσελθών. καὶ ὡς ειδον οἱ Μῆδοί τε καὶ οἱ Πέρσαι καὶ οἱ λοιποί, ὑπερήσθησαν. ἀναβάντες ουν τοὺς ιππους ὁ Κῦρος καὶ ὁ Κυαξάρης ἀπῄεσαν ἐπὶ τὸ στρατόπεδον, καὶ ἐπὶ τὴν ἐξῃρημένην αὐτῷ σκηνὴν τὸν Κυαξάρην ἀπήγαγον. οἱ δὲ Μῆδοι ῃεσαν πρὸς αὐτὸν δῶρα αγοντες, εκαστος εν γέ τι ων εἰλήφει τὸ κάλλιστον. ἐπεὶ δὲ ωρα δείπνου ην, ὁ μὲν 1.242 Κυαξάρης ἀμφὶ δεῖπνον ειχε, ὁ δὲ Κῦρος ὡς αν αὐτῷ παραμείναιεν οἱ σύμμαχοι ἐφρόντιζε, καὶ συλλέξας τῶν φίλων τοὺς ἱκανοὺς τὰ δέοντα συμπράττειν αὐτῷ μηχανᾶσθαι ἠξίου οπως πείσαιεν τοὺς συμμάχους μὴ ἀποστῆναι αὐτῶν, ἀλλ' ἐπαρήγειν ετι. τῇ δ' ὑστεραίᾳ πρὸς Κυαξάρην απαντες συνελέγησαν. καὶ πρὶν ἐντυχεῖν ἐκείνῳ προσῆγον οἱ φίλοι τῷ Κύρῳ αλλος αλλο τῶν ἐθνῶν τῶν συμμάχων, δεομένων αὐτοῦ μένειν καὶ συμμετέχειν τοῦ πολέμου αὐτῷ. ̓Εν τούτῳ δὲ Κυαξάρης τῆς σκηνῆς ἐξελθών "ανδρες σύμμαχοι" εφη, "σκοπεῖν δέον πότερον στρατεύεσθαι ετι καιρὸς ειναι δοκεῖ η διαλύειν ηδη τὴν στρατιάν." εκαστος ουν παριὼν ελεγε, καὶ πάντες στρατεύεσθαι δεῖν γνώμην εδοσαν. ἐπὶ πᾶσι δὲ ὁ Κῦρος ειπεν "οὐδ' ἐμὲ λανθάνει, ω ανδρες, ὡς εἰ διαλύσομεν τὸ στράτευμα, τὰ μὲν ἡμέτερα γίνοιντ' αν ἀσθενέστερα, τὰ δὲ τῶν πολεμίων αὐξήσεται. ἀλλ' ὁρῶ ἡμῖν ἀντιπάλους προσιόντας οις οὐ δυνησόμεθα μάχεσθαι. προσέρχεται γὰρ χειμὼν καὶ τῶν ἐπιτηδείων ελλειψις. τὰ μὲν γὰρ ἀνήλωται παρ' ἡμῶν, τὰ δὲ δι' ἡμᾶς ὑπὸ τῶν ἐναντίων ἀνακεκόμισται εἰς ἐρύματα. τίς ουν λιμῷ καὶ ῥίγει μαχόμενος στρατεύεσθαι δύναιτ' αν; δοκῶ δὲ χρῆναι τὰ μὲν τῶν ἐναντίων παραιρεῖν ὀχυρώματα, ἑαυτοῖς δὲ πλεῖστα ποιήσασθαι ὀχυρά. ἐὰν γὰρ φρούρια ἡμῖν γένηται, ταῦτα τοῖς μὲν πολεμίοις ἀλλοτριώσει τὴν χώραν, ἡμῖν δὲ εἰς λυσιτέλειαν εσται." ὡς δὲ ταῦτά τε καὶ πλείω τοιαῦτα ἐρρήθη, πάντες συμπροθυμήσεσθαι ταῦτ' εφασαν, καὶ ὁ Κυαξάρης αὐτός, καὶ μηχανὰς ποιήσειν κατέθεντο πολιορκητικάς. Κῦρος δὲ γνοὺς 1.243 διατριβὴν εσεσθαι ἀμφὶ ταῦτα, τὸ μὲν στράτευμα ἐν ἀσφαλεῖ ἐποιήσατο, ἐξῆγε δὲ εἰς προνομάς, ινα τε αφθονα εχοιεν τὰ χρειώδη καὶ ινα μᾶλλον ὑγιαίνοιεν κοπιῶντες, καὶ οπως τῆς εὐταξίας ὑπομιμνήσκοιντο. ̓Εκ δὲ Βαβυλῶνος ἰόντες αὐτόμολοι ελεγον ὡς ὁ ̓Ασσύριος οιχοιτο ἐπὶ Λυδίαν πολλὰ τάλαντα χρυσίου καὶ ἀργυρίου αγων καὶ κόσμον παντοδαπόν. ὁ μὲν ουν οχλος ὁ στρατιωτικὸς ελεγεν ὑπεκτίθεσθαι αὐτὸν ηδη δεδιότα τὰ χρήματα, ὁ δὲ Κῦρος ελεγεν οιχεσθαι τὸν ̓Ασσύριον συμμάχους ζητοῦντα, καὶ ὡς μάχης ετι δεῆσον ἀντιπαρεσκευάζετο. εδοξε δ' αὐτῷ καὶ κατάσκοπον ἐπὶ Λυδίαν πέμψαι, ιν' ο,τι πράττει ὁ ̓Ασσύριος γνῷ. καὶ πρὸς τοῦτο ἐπιτήδειος αὐτῷ ὁ ̓Αράσπας ἐδόκει ὁ τὴν καλὴν γυναῖκα φυλάττων, ος ληφθεὶς ερωτι τῆς γυναικὸς προσήγαγε λόγους αὐτῇ· ἡ δὲ ἀπέφησε καὶ ην πιστὴ τῷ ἀνδρὶ καὶ ἀπόντι, οὐ μέντοι κατεῖπε τοῦ ̓Αράσπου πρὸς Κῦρον. ἐπεὶ δὲ ὁ ἐρῶν ἠπείλει αὐτῇ ὡς εἰ μὴ ἑκοῦσα ἐνδοίη, ακουσα ποιήσει τοῦτο, δείσασα τὴν βίαν πέμπει τὸν εὐνοῦχον πρὸς τὸν Κῦρον καὶ κελεύει πάντα