Cyropaedia

For now many domestics look to me for food, many for drink, and many for clothes, while some need doctors; and one comes to me with a tale about sheep attacked by wolves, or of oxen killed by falling over a precipice, or to say that some disease has broken out among the cattle. And so it looks to me, said Pheraulas, as if I had more trouble now through possessing much than I used to have from possessing little.

But still, by Zeus, said the Sacian, when everything is going well, you must at the sight of so many blessings be many times as happy as I. The pleasure that the possession of wealth gives, my good Sacian, said Pheraulas, is not nearly so great as the pain that is caused by its loss. And you shall be convinced that what I say is true: for not one of those who are rich is made sleepless for joy, but of those who lose anything you will not see one who is able to sleep for grief.

Not so, by Zeus, said the Sacian; but of those who get anything not one could you see who gets a wink of sleep for very joy.

True said the other; for, you see, if having were as pleasant as getting, the rich would be incomparably happier than the poor. But, you see, my good Sacian, it is also a matter of course that he who has much should also spend much both in the service of the gods and for his friends and for the strangers within his gates. Let me assure you, therefore, that any one who takes inordinate pleasure in the possession of money is also inordinately distressed at having to part with it.

Aye, by Zeus, answered the Sacian; but I am not one of that sort; my idea of happiness is both to have much and also to spend much.

In the name of the gods, then, said[*](Pheraulas gets rid of his burden of wealth) Pheraulas, please make yourself happy at once and make me happy, too! Take all this and own it and use it as you wish. And as for me, you need do no more than keep me as a guest—aye, even more sparingly than a guest, for I shall be content to share whatever you have.

You are joking, said the Sacian.But Pheraulas assured him with an oath that he was really in earnest in what he proposed. And I will get you other favours besides from Cyrus, my Sacian—exemption from attending at court and from serving in the field; you may just stay at home with your wealth. I will attend to those other duties for you as well as for myself; and if I secure anything more of value either through my attendance upon Cyrus or from some campaign, I will bring it to you, so that you may have still more wealth at your command. Only deliver me from this care. For if you will relieve me of its burden, I think you will do a great service also to Cyrus as well as to myself.

When they had thus talked things over together, they came to an agreement according to this last suggestion and proceeded to act upon it. And the one thought that he had been made a happy man because he had command of great riches, while the other considered himself most blessed because he was to have a steward who would give him leisure to do only whatever was pleasant to him.

Now, Pheraulas was naturally a good fellow,[*](He delights to serve others) and nothing seemed to him so pleasant or so useful as to serve other people. For he held man to be the best and most grateful of all creatures, since he saw that when people are praised by any one they are very glad to praise him in turn; and when any one does them a favour, they try to do him one in return; when they recognize that any one is kindly disposed toward them they return his good-will; and when they know that any one loves them they cannot dislike him; and he noticed especially that they strive more earnestly than any other creature to return the loving care of parents both during their parents’ lifetime and after their death; whereas all other creatures, he knew, were both more thankless and more unfeeling than man.

And so Pheraulas was[*](An unusual partnership) greatly delighted to think that he could be rid of the care of all his worldly goods and devote himself to his friends; and the Sacian, on his part, was delighted to think that he was to have much and enjoy much. And the Sacian loved Pheraulas because he was always bringing him something more; and Pheraulas loved the Sacian because he was willing to take charge of everything; and though the Sacian had continually more in his charge, none the more did he trouble Pheraulas about it. Thus these two continued to live.

When Cyrus had sacrificed and was celebrating[*](A royal banquet) his victory with a banquet, he invited in those of his friends who showed that they were most desirous of magnifying his rule and of honouring him most loyally. He invited with them Artabazus the Mede, Tigranes the Armenian, Gobryas, and the commander of the Hyrcanian horse.

Now Gadatas was the chief of the mace-bearers, and the whole household was managed as he directed. Whenever guests dined with Cyrus, Gadatas did not even take his seat, but attended upon them. But when they were by themselves, he would dine with Cyrus, for Cyrus enjoyed his company. And in return for his services he received many valuable presents from Cyrus himself and, through Cyrus’s influence, from others also.

So when invited guests came to dinner, he did[*](Order of preferment at Cyrus’s dinners) not assign them their seats at random, but he seated on Cyrus’s left the one for whom he had the highest regard, for the left side was more readily exposed to treacherous designs than the right; and the one who was second in esteem he seated on his right, the third again on the left, the fourth on the right, and so on, if there were more.

For he thought it a good plan to show publicly how much regard he had for each one, because where people feel that the one who merits most will neither have his praise proclaimed nor receive a prize, there is no emulation among them; but where the most deserving is seen to receive the most preferment, there all are seen to contend most eagerly for the first place.

Accordingly, Cyrus thus made public recognition of those who stood first in his esteem, beginning even with the places they took when sitting or standing in his company. He did not, however, assign the appointed place permanently, but he made it a rule that by noble deeds any one might advance to a more honoured seat, and that if any one should conduct himself ill he should go back to one less honoured. And Cyrus felt it a discredit to himself, if the one who sat in the seat of highest honour was not also seen to receive the greatest number of good things at his hands. And we observe, furthermore, that this custom introduced in the time of Cyrus continues in force even to our own times.

Now, when they were at dinner, it struck[*](Cyrus’s generosity) Gobryas as not at all surprising that there was a great abundance of everything upon the table of a man who ruled over wide domains; but what did excite his wonder was that Cyrus, who enjoyed so great good fortune, should never consume by himself any delicacy that he might receive, but took pains to ask his guests to share it, and that he often saw him send even to some of his friends who were not there something that he happened to like very much himself.

And so when the dinner was over and Cyrus had sent around to others all that was left from the meal—and there was a great deal left—Gobryas could not help remarking: Well, Cyrus, I used to think that you surpassed all other men in that you were the greatest general; and now, I swear by the gods, you seem actually to excel even more in kindness than in generalship.

Aye, by Zeus, answered Cyrus; and what is more, I assure you that I take much more pleasure in showing forth my deeds of kindness than ever I did in my deeds of generalship. How so? asked Gobryas. Because said he, in the one field, one must necessarily do harm to men; in the other, only good.

Later, when they were drinking after their[*](Why Hystaspas felt slighted) meal, Hystaspas asked: Pray, Cyrus, would you be displeased with me, if I were to ask you something that I wish to know from you? Why, no; by the gods, no, he answered; on the contrary, I should be displeased with you if I found that you refrained from asking something that you wished to ask. Tell me, then, said the other, did I ever fail to come when you sent for me? Hush said Cyrus. Or, obeying, did I ever obey reluctantly? No; nor that. Or did I ever fail to do your bidding in anything? I make no such accusation, answered Cyrus.And is there anything I did that you found me doing otherwise than eagerly or cheerfully? That, least of all, answered Cyrus.

Then why, in heaven’s name, Cyrus, he said, did you put Chrysantas down for a more honourable place than mine? Am I really to tell you? asked Cyrus. By all means, answered Hystaspas. And you, on your part, will not be angry with me when you hear the truth?