is　to　be　oursand　we　must　believe　it　will　be　ours；　we　must　make　it
  oursthe　prizes　of　victory　will　be　nothing　short　of　the　enemy　himself
  and　all　that　he　possesses。　And　if　the　victory　should　be　his；　then；　in
  like　manner；　all　the　goods　of　the　vanquished　must　lie　at　the　victor's
  feet。　＇3＇　Therefore　I　would　have　you　take　this　to　your　hearts：
  wherever　those　who　have　joined　together　for　war　remember　that　unless
  each　and　every　one　of　them　play　his　part　with　zeal　nothing　good　can
  follow；　there　we　may　look　for　glorious　success。　For　there　nothing　that
  ought　to　be　done　will　be　left　undone。　But　if　each　man　thinks　'My
  neighbour　will　toil　and　fight；　even　though　my　own　heart　should　fail
  and　my　own　arm　fall　slack；'　then；　believe　me；　disaster　is　at　the　door
  for　each　and　all　alike；　and　no　man　shall　escape。　＇4＇　Such　is　the
  ordinance　of　God：　those　who　will　not　work　out　their　own　salvation　he
  gives　into　the　hands　of　other　men　to　bear　rule　over　them。　And　now　I
  call　on　any　man　here；〃　he　added；　〃to　stand　up　and　say　whether　he
  believes　that　virtue　will　best　be　nourished　among　us　if　he　who　bears
  the　greatest　toil　and　takes　the　heaviest　risk　shall　receive　the
  highest　honours。　Or　whether　we　should　hold　that　cowardice　makes　no
  difference　in　the　end；　seeing　that　we　all　must　share　alike？〃
  ＇5＇　Thereupon　Chrysantas　of　the　Peers　rose　up。　He　was　a　man　of
  understanding；　but　his　bodily　presence　was　weak。　And　now　he　spoke
  thus：
  〃I　do　not　imagine；　Cyrus；　that　you　put　this　question　with　any　belief
  that　cowards　ought　really　to　receive　the　same　share　as　the　brave。　No；
  you　wished　to　make　trial　of　us　and　see　whether　any　man　would　dare　to
  claim　an　equal　part　in　all　that　his　fellows　win　by　their　nobleness；
  though　he　never　struck　a　single　valiant　stroke　himself。　＇6＇　I　myself；〃
  he　continued；　〃am　neither　fleet　of　foot　nor　stout　of　limb；　and　for
  aught　I　can　do　with　my　body；　I　perceive　that　on　the　day　of　trial
  neither　the　first　place　nor　the　second　can　be　mine；　no；　nor　yet　the
  hundredth；　nor　even；　it　may　be；　the　thousandth。　But　this　I　know　right
  well；　that　if　our　mighty　men　put　forth　all　their　strength；　I　too　shall
  receive　such　portion　of　our　blessings　as　I　may　deserve。　But　if　the
  cowards　sit　at　ease　and　the　good　and　brave　are　out　of　heart；　then　I
  fear　that　I　shall　get　a　portion；　a　larger　than　I　care　to　think；　of
  something　that　is　no　blessing　but　a　curse。〃
  ＇7＇　And　so　spoke　Chrysantas；　and　then　Pheraulas　stood　up。　He　was　a　man
  of　the　people；　but　well　known　to　Cyrus　in　the　old　days　at　home　and
  well…beloved　by　him：　no　mean　figure　to　look　at；　and　in　soul　like　a　man
  of　noble　birth。　Now　he　spoke　as　follows：
  ＇8＇　〃Cyrus；　friends；　and　Persians；　I　hold　to　the　belief　that　on　this
  day　we　all　start　equal　in　that　race　where　valour　is　the　goal。　I　speak
  of　what　I　see：　we　are　trained　on　the　same　fare；　we　are　held　worthy　of
  the　same　comradeship；　we　contend　for　the　same　rewards。　All　of　us　alike
  are　told　to　obey　our　leaders；　and　he　who　obeys　most　frankly　never
  fails　to　meet　with　honour　at　the　hands　of　Cyrus。　Valour　is　no　longer
  the　privilege　of　one　class　alone：　it　has　become　the　fairest　prize　that
  can　fall　to　the　lot　of　any　man。　＇9＇　And　to…day　a　battle　is　before　us
  where　no　man　need　teach　us　how　to　fight：　we　have　the　trick　of　it　by
  nature；　as　a　bull　knows　how　to　use　his　horns；　or　a　horse　his　hoofs；　or
  a　dog　his　teeth；　or　a　wild　boar　his　tusks。　The　animals　know　well
  enough；〃　he　added；　〃when　and　where　to　guard　themselves：　they　need　no
  master　to　tell　them　that。　＇10＇　I　myself；　when　I　was　a　little　lad；　I
  knew　by　instinct　how　to　shield　myself　from　the　blow　I　saw　descending：
  if　I　had　nothing　else；　I　had　my　two　fists；　and　used　them　with　all　my
  force　against　my　foe：　no　one　taught　me　how　to　do　it；　on　the　contrary
  they　beat　me　if　they　saw　me　clench　my　fists。　And　a　knife；　I　remember；
  I　never　could　resist：　I　clutched　the　thing　whenever　I　caught　sight　of
  it：　not　a　soul　showed　me　how　to　hold　it；　only　nature　herself；　I　do
  aver。　I　did　it；　not　because　I　was　taught　to　do　it；　but　in　spite　of
  being　forbidden；　like　many　another　thing　to　which　nature　drove　me；　in
  spite　of　my　father　and　mother　both。　Yes；　and　I　was　never　tired　of
  hacking　and　hewing　with　my　knife　whenever　I　got　the　chance：　it　did　not
  seem　merely　natural；　like　walking　or　running；　it　was　positive　joy。
  ＇11＇　Well；　to…day　we　are　to　fight　in　this　same　simple　fashion：　energy；
  rather　than　skill；　is　called　for；　and　glorious　it　will　be　to　match
  ourselves　against　our　friends；　the　Peers　of　Persia。　And　let　us
  remember　that　the　same　prizes　are　offered　to　us　all；　but　the　stakes
  differ：　our　friends　give　up　a　life　of　honour；　the　sweetest　life　there
  can　be；　but　we　escape　from　years　of　toil　and　ignominy；　and　there　can
  be　no　life　worse　than　that。　＇12＇　And　what　fires　me　most　of　all；　my
  friends；　and　sends　me　into　the　lists　most　gladly；　is　the　thought　that
  Cyrus　will　be　our　judge：　one　who　will　give　no　partial　verdict。　I　call
  the　gods　to　witness　when　I　say　that　he　loves　a　valiant　man　as　he　loves
  his　own　soul：　I　have　seen　him　give　such　an　one　more　than　he　ever　keeps
  for　himself。　＇13＇　And　now；〃　he　added；　〃I　know　that　our　friends　here
  pride　themselves　upon　their　breeding　and　what　it　has　done　for　them。
  They　have　been　brought　up　to　endure　hunger　and　thirst；　cold　and
  nakedness；　and　yet　they　are　aware　that　we　too　have　been　trained　in　the
  self…same　school　and　by　a　better　master　than　they：　we　were　taught　by
  Necessity；　and　there　is　no　teacher　so　good；　and　none　so　strict。　＇14＇
  How　did　our　friends　here　learn　their　endurance？　By　bearing　arms；
  weapons　of　war；　tools　that　the　wit　of　the　whole　human　race　has　made　as
  light　as　well　could　be：　but　Necessity　drove　us；　my　fellows　and　myself；
  to　stagger　under　burdens　so　heavy　that　to…day；　if　I　may　speak　for
  myself；　these　weapons　of　mine　seem　rather　wings　to　lift　me　than
  weights　to　bear。　＇15＇　I　for　one　am　ready；　Cyrus；　to　enter　the　lists；
  and；　however　I　prove；　I　will　ask　from　you　no　more　than　I　deserve：　I
  would　have　you　believe　this。　And　you；〃　he　added；　turning　to　his
  fellows；　〃you；　men　of　the　people；　I　would　have　you　plunge　into　the
  battle　and　match　yourselves　with　these　gentlemen…warriors：　the　fine
  fellows　must　meet　us　now；　for　this　is　the　people's　day。〃
  ＇16＇　That　is　what　Pheraulas　said；　and　many　rose　to　follow　him　and
  support　his　views。　And　it　was　resolved　that　each　man　should　be
  honoured　according　to　his　deserts　and　that　Cyrus　should　be　the　judge。
  So　the　matter　ended；　and　all　was　well。
  ＇17＇　Now　Cyrus　gave　a　banquet　and　a　certain　brigadier　was　the　chief
  guest；　and　his　regiment　with　him。　Cyrus　had　marked　the　officer　one　day
  when　he　was　drilling　his　men；　he　had　drawn　up　the　ranks　in　two
  divisions；　opposite　each　other；　ready　for　the　charge。　They　were　all
  wearing　corslets　and　carrying　light　shields；　but　half　were　equipped
  with　stout　staves　of　fennel；　and　half　were　ordered　to　snatch　up　clods
  of　earth　and　do　what　they　could　with　these。　＇18＇　When　all　were　ready；
  the　officer　gave　the　signal　and　the　artillery　began；　not　without
  effect：　the　missiles　fell　fast　on　shields　and　corslets；　on　thighs　and
  greaves。　But　when　they　came　to　close　quarters　the　men　of　the　staves
  had　their　turn：　they　struck　at　thighs　and　hands　and　legs；　or；　if　the
  adversary　stooped　and　twisted；　they　belaboured　back　and　shoulders；
  till　they　put　the　foe　to　utter　rout；　delivering　their　blows　with
  shouts　of　laughter　and　the　glee　of　boys。　Then　there　was　an　exchange　of
  weapons；　and　the　other　side　had　their　revenge：　they　took　the　staves　in
  their　turn；　and　once　more　the　staff　triumphed　over　the　clod。　＇19＇
  Cyrus　was　full　of　admiration；　partly　at　the　inventiveness　of　the
  commander；　partly　at　the　discipline　of　the　men；　it　was　good　to　see　the
  active　exercise；　and　the　gaiety　of　heart；　and　good　to　know　that　the
  upshot　of　the　battle　favoured　those　who　fought　in　the　Persian　style。
  In　every　way　he　was　pleased；　and　then　and　there　he　bade　them　all　to
  dinner。　But　at　the　feast　many　of　the　guests　wore　bandages；　some　on
  their　hands；　others　on　their　legs；　and　Cyrus　saw　it　and　asked　what　had
  befallen　them。　They　told　him　they　had　been　bruised　by　the　clods。　＇20＇
  〃At　close　quarters？〃　said　he；　〃or　at　long　range？〃　〃At　long　range；〃
  they　answered；　and　all　the　club…bearers　agreed　that　when　it　came　to
  close　quarters；　they　had　the　finest　sport。　But　here　those　who　had　been
  carbonaded　by　that　weapon　broke　in　and　protested　loudly　that　it　was
  anything　but　sport　to　be　clubbed　at　short　range；　and　in　proof　thereof
  they　showed　the　weals　on　hand　and　neck　and　face。　Thus　they　laughed　at
  one　another　as　soldiers　will；　and　on　the　next　day　the　whole　plain　was
  studded　with　combats　of　this　type；　and　whenever　the　army　had　nothing
  more　serious　in　hand；　this　sport　was　their　delight。
  ＇21＇　Another　day　Cyrus　noticed　a　brigadier　who　was　marching　his
  regiment　up　from　the　river　back　to　their　quarters。　They　were　advancing
  in　single　file　on　his　left；　and　at　the　proper　moment　he　ordered　the
  second　company　to　wheel　round　and　draw　up　to　the　front　alongside　the
  first；　and　then　the　third；　and　then　the　fourth；　and　when　the　company…
  captains　were　all　abreast；　he　passed　the　word　along；　〃Companies　in
  twos；〃　and　the　captains…of…ten　came　into　line；　and　then　at　the　right
  moment　he　gave　the　order；　〃Companies　in　fours；〃　and　the　captai