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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?