of　men　will　be　yoursbut　the　craving　for　what　is　out　of　reach；　the
  load　of　cares；　the　restless　passion　to　rival　my　achievements；　the
  plots　and　counterplots；　they　will　follow　him　who　wears　the　crown；　and
  they　are　things；　be　well　assured；　that　leave　little　leisure　for
  happiness。　＇13＇　And　you；　Cambyses；　you　know　of　yourself；　without　words
  from　me；　that　your　kingdom　is　not　guarded　by　this　golden　sceptre；　but
  by　faithful　friends；　their　loyalty　is　your　true　staff；　a　sceptre　which
  shall　not　fail。　But　never　think　that　loyal　hearts　grow　up　by　nature　as
  the　grass　grows　in　the　field：　if　that　were　so；　the　same　men　would　be
  loyal　to　all　alike；　even　as　all　natural　objects　are　the　same　to　all
  mankind。　No；　every　leader　must　win　his　own　followers　for　himself；　and
  the　way　to　win　them　is　not　by　violence　but　by　loving…kindness。　＇14＇
  And　if　you　would　seek　for　friends　to　stand　by　you　and　guard　your
  throne；　who　so　fit　to　be　the　first　of　them　as　he　who　is　sprung　from
  the　self…same　loins？　Our　fellow…citizens　are　nearer　to　us　than
  foreigners；　and　our　mess…mates　dearer　than　strangers；　and　what　of
  those　who　are　sprung　from　the　same　seed；　suckled　at　the　same　breast；
  reared　in　the　same　home；　loved　by　the　same　parents；　the　same　mother；
  the　same　father？　＇15＇　What　the　gods　have　given　to　be　the　seal　of
  brotherhood　do　not　make　of　none　effect　yourselves。　But　build　upon　it：
  make　it　the　foundation　for　other　loving　deeds；　and　thus　the　love
  between　you　shall　never　be　overcome。　The　man　who　takes　thought　for　his
  brother　cares　for　his　own　self。　For　who　but　a　brother　can　win　glory
  from　a　brother's　greatness？　Who　can　be　honoured　as　a　brother　can
  through　a　brother's　power？　Or　who　so　safe　from　injury　as　the　brother
  of　the　great？　＇16＇　Let　no　one；　Tanaoxares；　be　more　eager　than　yourself
  to　obey　your　brother　and　support　him：　to　no　one　can　his　triumph　or　his
  danger　come　so　near。　Ask　yourself　from　whom　you　could　win　a　richer
  reward　for　any　kindness。　Who　could　give　you　stouter　help　in　return　for
  your　own　support？　And　where　is　coldness　so　ugly　as　between　brothers？
  Or　where　is　reverence　so　beautiful？　And　remember；　Cambyses；　only　the
  brother　who　holds　pre…eminence　in　a　brother's　heart　can　be　safe　from
  the　jealousy　of　the　world。　＇17＇　I　implore　you　both；　my　sons；　by　the
  gods　of　our　fathers；　hold　each　other　in　honour；　if　you　care　at　all　to
  do　me　pleasure：　and　none　of　you　can　say　you　know　that　I　shall　cease　to
  be　when　I　cease　to　live　this　life　of　ours。　With　your　bodily　eyes　you
  have　never　seen　my　soul；　and　yet　you　have　discerned　its　presence
  through　its　working。　＇18＇　And　have　you　never　marked　the　terrors　which
  the　spirits　of　those　who　have　suffered　wrong　can　send　into　the　hearts
  of　their　murderers；　and　the　avenging　furies　they　let　loose　upon　the
  wicked？　Think　you　the　honours　of　the　dead　would　still　abide；　if　the
  souls　of　the　departed　were　altogether　powerless？　＇19＇　Never　yet；　my
  sons；　could　I　be　persuaded　that　the　soul　only　lives　so　long　as　she
  dwells　within　this　mortal　body；　and　falls　dead　so　soon　as　she　is　quit
  of　that。　Nay；　I　see　for　myself　that　it　is　the　soul　which　lends　life　to
  it；　while　she　inhabits　there。　＇20＇　I　cannot　believe　that　she　must　lose
  all　sense　on　her　separation　from　the　senseless　body；　but　rather　that
  she　will　reach　her　highest　wisdom　when　she　is　set　free；　pure　and
  untrammelled　at　last。　And　when　this　body　crumbles　in　dissolution；　we
  see　the　several　parts　thereof　return　to　their　kindred　elements；　but　we
  do　not　see　the　soul；　whether　she　stays　or　whether　she　departs。　＇21＇
  Consider；〃　he　went　on；　〃how　these　two　resemble　one　another；　Death　and
  his　twin…brother　Sleep；　and　it　is　in　sleep　that　the　soul　of　a　man
  shows　her　nature　most　divine；　and　is　able　to　catch　a　glimpse　of　what
  is　about　to　be；　for　it　is　then；　perhaps；　that　she　is　nearest　to　her
  freedom。　＇22＇　Therefore；　if　these　things　are　as　I　believe；　and　the
  spirit　leaves　the　body　behind　and　is　set　free；　reverence　my　soul；　O
  sons　of　mine；　and　do　as　I　desire。　And　even　if　it　be　not　so；　if　the
  spirit　must　stay　with　the　body　and　perish；　yet　the　everlasting　gods
  abide；　who　behold　all　things；　with　whom　is　all　power；　who　uphold　the
  order　of　this　universe；　unmarred；　unaging；　unerring；　unfathomable　in
  beauty　and　in　splendour。　Fear　them；　my　sons；　and　never　yield　to　sin　or
  wickedness；　in　thought　or　word　or　deed。　＇23＇　And　after　the　gods；　I
  would　have　you　reverence　the　whole　race　of　man；　as　it　renews　itself
  for　ever；　for　the　gods　have　not　hidden　you　in　the　darkness；　but　your
  deeds　will　be　manifest　in　the　eyes　of　all　mankind；　and　if　they　be
  righteous　deeds　and　pure　from　iniquity；　they　will　blazon　forth　your
  power：　but　if　you　meditate　evil　against　each　other；　you　will　forfeit
  the　confidence　of　every　man。　For　no　man　can　trust　you；　even　though　he
  should　desire　it；　if　he　sees　you　wrong　him　whom　above　all　you　are
  bound　to　love。　＇24＇　Therefore；　if　my　words　are　strong　enough　to　teach
  you　your　duty　to　one　another；　it　is　well。　But；　if　not；　let　history
  teach　you；　and　there　is　no　better　teacher。　For　the　most　part；　parents
  have　shown　kindness　to　their　children　and　brothers　to　their　brothers；
  but　it　has　been　otherwise　with　some。　Look；　then；　and　see　which　conduct
  has　brought　success；　choose　to　follow　that；　and　your　choice　will　be
  wise。　＇25＇　And　now　maybe　I　have　said　enough　of　this。　As　for　my　body；
  when　I　am　dead；　I　would　not　have　you　lay　it　up　in　gold　or　silver　or
  any　coffin　whatsoever；　but　give　it　back　to　the　earth　with　all　speed。
  What　could　be　more　blessed　than　to　lie　in　the　lap　of　Earth；　the　mother
  of　all　things　beautiful；　the　nurse　of　all　things　good？　I　have　been　a
  lover　of　men　all　my　life；　and　methinks　I　would　fain　become　a　part　of
  that　which　does　good　to　man。　＇26＇　And　now；〃　he　added；　〃now　it　seems　to
  me　that　my　life　begins　to　ebb；　I　feel　my　spirit　slipping　away　from
  those　parts　she　leaves　the　first。　If　you　would　take　my　hand　once　more；
  or　look　into　my　eyes　while　life　is　there；　draw　near　me　now；　but　when　I
  have　covered　my　face；　let　no　man　look　on　me　again；　not　even　you；　my
  sons。　＇27＇　But　you　shall　bid　the　Persians　come；　and　all　our　allies；　to
  my　sepulchre；　and　you　shall　rejoice　with　me　and　congratulate　me　that　I
  am　safe　at　last；　free　from　suffering　or　sorrow；　whether　I　am　with　God
  or　whether　I　have　ceased　to　be。　Give　all　who　come　the　entertainment
  that　is　fitting　in　honour　of　a　man　whose　life　on　earth　was　happy；　and
  so　send　them　away。　＇28＇　Remember　my　last　saying：　show　kindness　to　your
  friends；　and　then　shall　you　have　it　in　your　power　to　chastise　your
  enemies。　Good…bye；　my　dear　sons；　bid　your　mother　good…bye　for　me。　And
  all　my　friends；　who　are　here　or　far　away；　good…bye。〃
  And　with　these　words　he　gave　his　hand　to　them；　and　then　he　covered　his
  face　and　died。
  EPILOGUE
  ＇C。8＇　Of　all　the　powers　in　Asia；　the　kingdom　of　Cyrus　showed　itself　to
  be　the　greatest　and　most　glorious。　On　the　east　it　was　bounded　by　the
  Red　Sea；　on　the　north　by　the　Euxine；　on　the　west　by　Cyprus　and　Egypt；
  and　on　the　south　by　Ethiopia。　And　yet　the　whole　of　this　enormous
  empire　was　governed　by　the　mind　and　will　of　a　single　man；　Cyrus：　his
  subjects　he　cared　for　and　cherished　as　a　father　might　care　for　his
  children；　and　they　who　came　beneath　his　rule　reverenced　him　like　a
  father。
  ＇2＇　But　no　sooner　was　he　dead　than　his　sons　were　at　strife；　cities　and
  nations　revolted；　and　all　things　began　to　decay。　I　can　show　that　what
  I　say　is　true；　and　first　I　will　speak　of　their　impiety。　In　the　early
  days；　I　am　aware；　the　king　and　those　beneath　him　never　failed　to　keep
  the　oaths　they　had　sworn　and　fulfil　the　promises　they　had　given；　even
  to　the　worst　of　criminals。　＇3＇　In　fact；　if　such　had　not　been　their
  character　and　such　their　reputation；　none　of　the　Hellenic　generals　who
  marched　up　with　the　younger　Cyrus　could　have　felt　the　confidence　they
  did：　they　would　not　have　trusted　a　Persian　any　more　than　one　trusts
  them　to…day；　now　that　their　perfidy　is　known。　As　it　was；　they　relied
  on　their　old　reputation　and　put　themselves　in　their　power；　and　many
  were　taken　up　to　the　king　and　there　beheaded。　And　many　of　the　Asiatics
  who　served　in　the　same　war　perished　as　they　did；　deluded　by　one
  promise　or　another。
  ＇4＇　In　other　ways　also　the　Persians　have　degenerated。　Noble
  achievement　in　the　old　days　was　the　avenue　to　fame：　the　man　was
  honoured　who　risked　his　life　for　the　king；　or　brought　a　city　or　nation
  beneath　his　sway。　But　now；　if　some　Mithridates　has　betrayed　his　father
  Ariobarzanes；　or　some　Reomithres　has　left　his　wife　and　children　and
  the　sons　of　his　friend　as　hostages　at　the　court　of　Egypt；　and　then　has
  broken　the　most　solemn　of　all　pledgesit　is　they　and　their　like　who
  are　loaded　with　the　highest　honours；　if　only　they　are　thought　to　have
  gained　some　advantage　for　the　king。　＇5＇　With　such　examples　before
  them；　all　the　Asiatics　have　turned　to　injustice　and　impiety。　For　what
  the　leaders　are；　that；　as　a　rule；　will　the　men　below　them　be。　Thus　has
  lawlessness　increased　and　grown　among　them。　＇6＇　And　injustice　has
  grown；　and　thieving。　Not　only　criminals；　but　men　who　are　absolutely
  innocent　are　arrested　and　forced　to　pay　fines　for　no　reason
  whatsoever：　to　be　known　to　have　wealth　is　more　dangerous　than　guilt；
  so　that　the　rich　do　not　care　to　have　any　dealings