a faire day valiant men have and how badly cowards speed Then as hee went from them and came to Abradatas he stayed And Abradatas having given the reines unto the under chariotier dismounted and made towards him others also came running unto him whose places were neere at hand as well footmen as those who had the conduct of chariots And when they were come Cyrus spake in this wise God hath according to your request ô Abradatas judged both you and yours worthy to lead in the vaward before our Associats Remember therefore that when you are to fight they be the Persians who shall both behold and also second you neither will they suffer you to be forlorne and succourlesse Then Abradatas For mine owne selfe Cyrus I thinke all well enough with us But for the sides of the battaile I am perplexed and troubled For I see that the enemies points be stretched out in length and those very firme by reason as well of their chariots as all other forces Whereas we have opposed against those nothing but chariots And therefore but that the charge of this place is by lot fallen unto me I would have beene abashed to be here in such safety me thinks I am Goe to quoth Cyrus If you be well for your owne part take you no thought for them For I trust with the helpe of God to order the matter so that I shall shew unto you these sides of the enemies naked And here I beseech you not to give the onset upon the enemies before you see even those whom you feare now so much put to flight These brave words verily gave Cyrus forth at the point of battaile being otherwise none of these great and vanting boasters But when you see these quoth Cyrus once to flie then thinke me to be hard at hand and then lustily charge you For then shall you find the enemies to be starke cowards and your friends right hardie souldiers And verily whiles you have leisure ô Abradatas ride every way all about your chariots encourage and exhort your men to give the onset partly by your lightsome countenance embolden them and partly by hopes relieve them And that yee may seeme the best and most valorous of all those that be mounted in Chariots kindle some emulation among them For know assuredly that if this be done they will hereafter say that nothing is more gainefull than Vertue So Abradatas gat up againe into his Chariot and did accordingly But Cyrus passed on and being come to the left wing were Hystaspas was with halfe of the Persian Cavallery called unto him by name and said You see now Hystaspas a piece of service wherein there is need of your celerity and expedition For if now we can get the start of our enemies and fall first to the killing of them there shall not one of us die Hystaspes smiling hereat Let me alone quoth hee with the enemies afront And for those on the side give you the charge to others that they be not idle Why quoth Cyrus I my selfe will take them in hand But Hystaspes remember you this that unto whomsoever of us God shall give the upper hand in case there remaine still any daunger of hostility we alwaies set upon that part that maketh head and maintaineth fight Having thus said hee went forward and being come as farre as to the side and to the Captaine of the chariots which were there he said unto him Come I am to succour you But when you perceive once that we charge the enemies at the ends then doe yee also your devoir to breake thorow the mids of them For in more safety shall yee be when ye are without than enclosed within Passing on still untill he was behind the wagons hee commaunded Artagerses and Pharmathus to stay there with a thousand footmen and as many horsemen And so soone as ye understand saith he that I fall upon them that are in the right wing take yee also them in hand that be opposite unto you For yee shall fight against the point in that place where the maine battalion is become weaker And keepe yee embattailed as yee are in a thicke squadron that yee may be the stronger And verily the enemies horsemen as yee see are raunged hinmost against whom in any wise oppose the raunged troupe of the Camels For know this assuredly that before ye fight ye shall see your enemies to become ridiculous and to make you good sport After these directions given Cyrus crossed over to the right side CHAP. II. The great battaile and slaughter of the Lydians where King Croesus and his forces were discomfited The Aegyptians yeeld unto Cyrus CRoesus supposing that the Regiment under his conduct drew very neere already unto the enemies *** and that the wings were stretched out along did set up a signall unto the said wings to proceed no higher but in that very place to turne short Now when they all made a stand beheld the host of Cyrus embattailed he gave the Signe unto them for to advance against the enemies By this meanes three squadrons charged upon Cyrus his armie one full afront and of the other twaine one on the right hand the other on the left In so much as great feare seized upon the armie of Cyrus For like unto a little bricke couched within a greater the battalion of Cyrus was environed on every side with the enemies what with horsemen armed footmen light targuatiers and what with chariots all but behind Howbeit after that Cyrus had given direction they all turned a-brest upon the enemie And verily there was on all parts a deepe silence for feare of the future event But when Cyrus now saw his time hee began to sing the Paean and the whole Armie chaunâ—ed and answered him Then with a loud and cheerefull note they sounded Alala to Mars and with that Cyrus shewed himselfe and presently with his men of armes flanking the enemies with all speed joyned battaile The footmen also in good array soone followed after and charged them on every side so as that they had the greater vantage of them by farre For with their maine battalion they gave a charge upon the wing whereby it came to passe that the enemies were mightily discomfited and quickly put to flight When Artagerses perceived that Cyrus was in Action and entred into the medley himselfe also came in fiercely with his Camels on the left side according as Cyrus had commaunded Their Horses could not abide these Camels a great way off but as their nature is being madded some runne away others flung out of their ranks and some againe rushed one upon another For thus fare horses when once they espie Camels And Artagerses with his owne men in good array and himselfe well appointed preassed hard upon them thus disranked and withall put forth his Chariots at once both on the right side and also on the left Whereupon many of them to avoid the Chariots were killed
as he may seeme worthy of commaund and government THE SEVENTH BOOKE CHAP. I. How Cyrus entred the field with his puissance Approched King Croesus to give him battaile The manner that both armies used to fight with their best advantage THESE Captaines then having made their oraisons to the Gods departed to their Ensignes But unto Cyrus and the Gentlemen of his traine whiles they were yet about offring sacrifice the servitours brought both meate and drinke And Cyrus even as he stood after consecration of the first essay tooke his dinner and ever gave part to him that most wanted who also when he had performed the complements of libations and prayed withall dranke himselfe and so did all the rest that were about him Which done having besought Iupiter the protectour of his native countrey to vouchsafe him his guidance and helper hee mounted on horsebacke and commaunded all the rest to doe the same Now were they all that attended upon Cyrus armed as he was to wit in purple tabards corslets and head-pieces of brasse with white crests and with swords every man also with a javelin of corneil wood Their horses were bard with frontlets poictrels and side peeces of brasse Of the same matter likewise were the greives that every man wore This onely was the difference of Cyrus his armour from the rest that whereas their harneis was vernished over and laid with a golden colour his glittered like a Crystall mirour When he was once mounted and sat still a while looking to his way that he was to goe it thundered on his right hand in token of good whereupon he said Thee will we follow most mighty Iupiter And so he did set forward having on his right side Chrysantas Generall of the horse with his men of armes and Arasambas Colonell of the footmen on his left Hee gave commaundement also that they should cast an eye to the maine Standard to keepe even pace and to follow in order Now this Ensigne Royall that he had was a golden Spred-Eagle displaied upon a long speare And at this very day the King of Persia retaineth the same standard But before they came within sight of the enemies he caused the Armie by resting thrice to refresh themselves And by that time that they had marched out-right twenty stadia they began to descrie their enemies power to approach and come forward against them Now when they were all evidently seene one of another and the enemies determined on both sides to environ the battalion of footmen afront them they stood still with their owne maine battalion For otherwise there can be no encompassing round and then wheeled about therwith for to enclose the enemies in the minds to the end that when they had embattailed themselves on both sides after the forme of the Greek letter Gamma they might every way fight all at once Which albeit Cyrus saw well enough yet staied he never the more for it but led still as before and perceiving how far off the enemies stretched out on both sides the wings and points of their battaile Marke you not Chrysantas quoth he where the enemies begin to fetch a winding compasse Yes very well saith Chrysantas and I mervaile much thereat For me thinks they distract the points very farre from their owne maine battaile yea and from ours too quoth Cyrus I assure you And why so said Chrysantas because quoth he lest if their wings were neere unto us and their owne maine battaile farre remooved wee might charge upon them But how can they then afterwards helpe one another said Chrysantas when they be so farre asunder It is evident quoth Cyrus that their purpose is when their wings have proceeded so farre as to flanke us and to stand against the sides of our host then to turne short againe as it were into squadrons and so at once on every side to set upon us But what thinke you saith Chrysantas is this their policy good or no Good quoth Cyrus in regard of that which they see but in respect of that which they see not they hurt themselves more then if they should assaile us afront point to point But you Arsamas quoth Cyrus goe softly before the Infantery like as you see me to doe And you Chrysantas semblably as he doth follow close with your Cavallery As for me thither will I goe where I thinke it best to begin the battaile yet withall as I passe by view I will and consider how every thing stands with us After I am thither come and when wee are at the very point to encounter I will begin to sing the Paan and then see that yee all second me But when we buckle and joyne fight with our enemies yee shall soone perceive For there will be I suppose no small shouts and escries And then shall Abradatas with the chariots charge upon his opposites For he shall have word and direction so to doe Then must yee follow on as neere and close as you possibly can to the Chariots For by this meanes shall we fall upon our enemies when they are most in disorder I will my selfe also be present in person and by Gods helpe with all speed pursue them When he had thus said and withall pronounced this Motto Iupiter Saviour and Guide he advanced forward And as he rode on betweene the Chariots and the Corfelettiers ever as he spied any orderly in their Companies he would one while say thus unto them Oh how it doth me good my souldiours to see your faces Another while to others Goe to Sirs Thinke that this present fight is not onely for this dayes victorie but in regard of that also which heretofore yee have atchieved yea and for all felicity whatsoever As he came to some he would use these words From this time forward we shall never have cause to blame the Gods for they have put into our hands the meanes to attaine to many and those goodly chievances But yet wee must my good souldiours play the parts of valiant men To others againe such a speech as this he would use What more gawdy feast could we possibly bid one another unto than to this For now the opportunity we have bearing our selves manfully to stead and benefit passing well one another many wayes To another Company thus would he speake Yee know I suppose my souldiers that these rewards are now proposed to wit unto winners To chace to wound to kill to be possessed of goods to gaine renowne and fame to enjoy freedome to commaund and to rule But unto Cowards what else but the contrary Whosoever therefore loveth himselfe let him enter battaile and fight as I doe For with my good will no example shall I give of cowardise nor admit of any lewd and dishonorable act Moreover as he came to some of those who had served with him in the former battaile he said As for you my douty souldiours what need I to speake unto you For yee wote well enough what
upon his Avantcourriers as they stragled and overran the confines as for the light horsmen nimbly appointed he sent certein forth out of every band to make rodes some one way some another with commandement to overspread every place and whatsoever came within their reach to drive the same to his hand Which service they performed accordingly When advertisement was giuen to King Astyages that enemies were already entred into his land both himselfe in person went forth with such as were about him to relieve the marches and his sonne also with such a troupe of horsemen as were in readinesse accompanied him Not forgetting withall to send out his commissions to all others for to come forward in aid The Medes when they saw a great power of the Assyrians arraunged in good order together with their men of armes keeping their ground and not stirring made also a stand themselves And Cyrus for his part seeing others on all sides ready to set forth in defence of the Frontiers did the same likewise Which was the first time that ever he put harneis on his backe a thing not permitted him before to do so desirous was he to be armed and truly a very fayre armour it was and well befitting him which his Grandfather had caused to be made compleat for his body Thus armed at all peeces and mounted upon a goodly courser hee rode forward to the service Astyages seeing this albeit he mervayled much at whose commaund he came yet required he him to abide with him and not to stirre one foot Cyrus then so soone as he discovered a number of horsemen afront demaunded saying Be those yonder our enemies Grandfather who sit still upon their horse-backs so quietly yea quoth he enemies they are And what are they a farre off that ride and drive before them quoth Cyrus be they likewise enemies yes said Astyages and they too Now surely Grandsire quoth he they seeme to be but cowards and to ride upon very jades and titts who thus harry and drive before them our goods It were a good deed yea and uery requisite that some of us made a rode out after them Yea but see you not my Child answered he what a strong troupe of great horse and men of armes standeth on a plump in battell-ray who if we should make after those would intercept us by the way and stop our passage besides our forces are not yet come together But if you will tarry here replyed Cyrus and receive such as are comming hither to aide those that stand still hereby will be afraid and not once dare to quetch those other also who are driving booties will immediately forgoe their prey upon the very sight of some that charge upon them Having thus said he seemed unto Astyages for to speake somewhat to the purpose Who wondring withall at his prudent forecast and vigilant circumspection commaunded Cyaxares his sonne to take a Cornet of horsemen for to set forward and to charge those that were a boot-haling And I for my part quoth Astyages will make head at these here if they once seeme to stirre and advance against you so that they shall be forced to have a watchfull eye unto us Thus Cyaxares taking with him the valiantest men and best mounted did put forwards And Cyrus so soone as he perceived them to come on speedily breaketh out with them and long it was not but himselfe was the foremost of the troup and led them all a great pace Cyaxares followed hard and the rest were nothing behind Whom when they that drave the booty saw to approach incontinently they abandoned all and fled But the company about Cyrus intercepted them and whomsoeuer they could ouertake and reach they wounded out of hand and Cyrus was the foremost but as many as ouerrode them and escaped their hands those they pursued hotely and neuer gave over untill they had taken some of them prisoners And like as a generous Hound untrained yet and without experience runneth all on the head rashly upon the wild Bore Even so for all the world rode Cyrus upon the spurre looking at this onely how he might strike whomsoeuer he could overtake and regarded nothing els The enemies seeing their fellowes thus distressed and in jeoâ—pardy came forward with their maine troupe supposing that the chace would ceasse if they were seene once to advance toward them As for Cyrus he slacked never a whit the more but for joy called upon his unkle to hold on and maintaine the chace still And for that he had gotten the upper hand he did put the enemies to an exceeding great rout And verily Cyaxares the yonger for his part followed haply for a reverent regard of his father the rest likewise came after being then more willing by such an example to make pursuit who otherwise were not very courageous nor resolute to encounter the enemy Astyages perceiving them inconsiderately to follow on still and the enemies many in number and those in good order of battaile redy to confront and receive them being affrayd withall in the behalfe of his owne sonne and of Cyrus lest they being in disaray should rashly rush upon the other so well appointed and so endanger themselves directly led against the enemies who on the other side perceiuing the Medes making towards them stood still some with their darts redy to lance others with bowes and arrowes bent to shoot and so kept their ground supposing that the other likewise would stay and stand so soone as they came within shot according as they were wont to doe For their manner was thus neere and no more to approach one another and so many a time to skirmish only with shot at randam even untill night But now seeing their owne men to flye unto them amaine and therewith the souldiers about Cyrus pursuing them fiercely hard at heeles and Astyages likewise with his Cauallery already within arrow shot they declined from them at one side and fled The other who also at once followed in chace tooke many of them by force one with another and whomsoeuer they caught downe they went both horse and man killing and slaying all that fell and never gave over the execution untill they came as farre as to the Assyrians Infantery And there verily for feare of some greater ambushment in covert to intercept and cut them off they stayed themselves Then Astyages retired with his forces as right joyfull for the horsemens victory But of Cyrus he wist not what to make or say For well he knew that he was the chiefe authour of this exploit but he saw withall how in all the service for his audacious adventure he fared like unto one furiously transported For even at that time I assure you when others were returning homeward he onely did nothing els but ride up and downe all about to view them that were ouerthrowne and slaine in so much as hardly could they who had commission so to doe hale him away and bring him to Astyages and
weapons abovesaid Now when the same were in good forwardnesse and almost ready the said Peeres were by that time come with the armie sent out of Persia. Whom Cyrus after he had assembled together spake by report unto them in this wise CHAP. II. The speech that Cyrus made unto the Chiefetaines of all his hoast for to incite their souldiers to take the harneis and armes that Cyrus had prepared for the Persians MY friends seeing as I did your selves in armes so well appointed and in hearts so resolute as men ready to joyne in close fight with the enemies knowing withall that the Persians who follow you are not otherwise armed than to skirmish a farre off I was not a little affraid least yee being few in number and abiding the shocke of a battayle destitute of those that were to second you and falling upon your enemies so many in number should haply incurre some hard extremity But now considering yee are hither come with such able and manly bodies as cannot be found fault with and that they againe shall have the like armour unto yours it remaineth onely that for your parts yee whet and quicken their hearts For it is the office of a Captaine not onely to shew himselfe hardy but also to endeavour effectually that his souldiers undr him may prove right valiant When he had thus said they rejoyced all verily for that they thought they should have many more to accompanie them in fight but one of them above the rest delivered also these words I shall be thought peradventure to speake wonderous absurdly if I should advise Cyrus to say ought in our behalfe what time as they shall receive their armour who are to fight with vs against the enemies For this I know that whosoever be most able either to doe a good turne or to worke mischiefe their words enter deepest into the hearts of the heareâ—s Such men also if they bestow any gifts although they be lesse than those that come from equals yet the receivers doe much more prize the same at their hands Semblably the Persians now in case Cyrus should exhort them would joy farre more than if they were exhorted by us And being admitted into the order of the Petres they will account the preferment more assured and the benefit better worth if it proceed both from a Kings Sonne and also from a Lord Generall than if by our meanes they were advanced to the very same place of dignity And yet ought not we to faile in performing our parts accordingly but by all â—â—mes wee can encourage these men and give an edge to their stomacks For the more valorous that these prove the better it will be for our selves Cyrus therefore having thus laid downe the armour aforesaid in the mids of the open place and called together all the Persian souldiers made unto them such an oration as this CHAP. III. The exhortation of Cyrus unto the Persian souldiers to put on the armour that King Cyaxares had prepared MY friends yee that are Persians as yee were borne and bred up in the same region with us and are in bodie besides framed nothing inferiour to us so it is meet that your minds also be not worse then ours And albeit such ye are indeed yet in our native countrey yee were not in equall estate and condition with us not for that yee were by us put by but because yee were enforced to provide necessaries Now both I by the leave and power of God will take order that yee shall have the same degree and your selves also if yee be so disposed using the same armes that we doe how ever otherwise in meaner place than we are may enter upon the same daungers with us and upon the archievement of any noble and worthy exploit receive the like guerdon to ours Heretofore yee were archers and darters as well as wee In which manner of service if yee carried not your selves equall to us it is no marvaile For why yee had not time to practise these feats as wee had But in this kind of armature here we shall have no vantage at all ever you For every one of you shall have a curace fitted for his brest a light buckler in his left hand as wee all were wont to carry and in his right an arming sword or battle axe wherewith we are to smite our enemy that standeth opposite unto us and need not feare to misse whensoever we offer to strike What is it then considering this manner of fight wherein one of us should passe another unlesse it bee in boldnesse and courage which yee ought to shew as well as we And as for victory whereby all good things and excellent are both gotten and kept what reason is there that we should desire it more than yee To speake of Soveraignty which giveth all away to the Conquerours from them that be conquered why should it concerne us more than you to seeke therefore To conclude then saith hee yee have heard all and see the very armour Take every man what he needeth and is fit for his body and then give his name to the Captaine of some company for to be enrolled in the same degree and ranke with us But whosoever is content with the place of a mercenary souldier let him remaine still in such armes as are meet for servitours unto others CHAP. IIII. The ordinances that Cyrus made for the exercise of his souldiers and to keep them in all obedience THese were the words of Cyrus which when the Persians had heard they made this account that worthy they were from that time forward to live all their dayes in penury and want if being thus called to take paines alike for to enjoy therefore like availes they would not accept thereof Whereupon they all entred their names and being once registred tooke every man his armour But all the while that the enemies were said to be comming neere at hand and yet appeared not in sight Cyrus endeavoured both to exercise his souldiers bodies in such feats as it might gather more strength to teach them also to set their array and embattaile yea and to whet their stomacks against warre-service But first of all having received ministers and officers from Cyaxares he commaunded them to furnish every souldier sufficiently with all things needfull Which order being taken he left them by this meanes nothing else to doe but to exercise onely martiall deeds seeming that he had learned and observed thus much that they became alwaies in every point most excellent who leaving to busie their heads to deale in many things gave their minds to one worke onely and no more Nay more than so even of military exercises cutting off their training to the use of bowes arrowes and darts hee left them nought else to practise but to fight with sword buckler and brest-plate whereby it came to passe that immediately he imprinted this opinion in them that either they must buckle with their enemies close
at hand-strokes or else confesse themselves to bee warre-fellowes of no worth But to acknowledge thus much was very hard and harsh to them knowing as they did that they were kept for no other purpose but in defence of those that gave them maintenance Furthermore weighing well with himselfe that men be much more willing to practise all those feats about which ariseth an emulation and contentious desire of victory he proclaimed games of price and triall of masteries among them in all those points that he deemed expedient for souldiers to put in ure Now the particulars that he ordained and published were these Imprimis for a private souldier that he beare himselfe hardy obey his Rulers and Captaines be willing to labour forward and prest to adventure yet so as hee keep order in his ranke expert in military affaires elegant and neat in his armour and in all such things desirous of praise and honour For a Cinquenier that both in his owne person he behave himselfe as becommeth a valorous private souldier and withall performe to the uttermost of his power that the Quincury under his charge may be like unto himselfe For a Dizinier that semblably he tend his Decurie the Caporall likewise his band The Centinier his hundred For every Captaine beside that he not onely demeane himselfe without touch and blame but bee carefull also that other peti-captaines under him keepe those in good order whom they commaunded Now the rewards or prizes which he proposed were these For the Centiniers That as many of them as brought their Centuries to best proufe might be made Colonels For the Caporals that such of them as were thought to have trained their bands most sufficiently might succeed in their places who had beene Centurions In like maner that the best Decurions should be advanced to the rowme of Caporals and the Quincurions likewise to the leading of Decuries Finally that private souldiers such as excelled the rest should step into the Quincurions degree And verily all these Captaines gained this at first To be esteemed of those Companies whereof they had the rule then other honours consequently followed as were beseeming every one according to their calling Furthermore he made shew of greater hopes to such as were praise worthy if haply in time to come there should appeare any shew of father commodity Hee proclaimed likewise rewards of victory to whole Centuries as also to whole Decuries and Quincuries according as they shewed themselves right faithfull and obedient to their Captaines yea and most ready to execute the services appointed unto them And such were their rewards as best befitted a multitude Thus much as touching these particulars which himselfe published and wherein the Soldiours were exercised Moreover he provided for them Pavilions for number as many as there were Centurions and for their capacity sufficient every one to receive a Company and each Company contained one hundred Soldiers And thus pitched they their tents by the hundreds Of encamping thus and lodging together he supposed this commodity would arise unto them against any future battaile in that they saw themselves one with another kept and maintained alike In which regard none could have pretense of Cowardise for to shrinke or beare himselfe worse in fighting with his enemy as having smaller availes one than another This conversing also under one roufe he thought would make much for their mutuall acquaintance For in knowing each other he was perswaded they would bee all more abashed to doe amisse Whereas those who are unknowne like unto such as live in darknesse seeme in some sort more prone to commit wickednesse Againe it seemed unto him that by reason of this society in campe and pavilion they should finde much good in the exact ordinance of their Companies and setting them in array For the Centurions had under them their hundreds lying and lodging in so good dispose as if every Century marched by it selfe upon the way Semblably the Caporals of their bands The Decurions their Tenns and Quicurions their fives This precise order of severall bands and companies he thought very profitable both to prevent all trouble and confusion and also in case they were once shuffled and in desarary to rally and reduce them againe sooner into order like as stones and pieces of timber which are to bee joyned and set together in building how ever they chance to lye asunder and cast aside may yet be easily fitted and couched one to another if they have certaine marks by which it may evidently appeare from what place every of them came Finally by such fellowship in living together at bed and boord he thought they should finde this benefit in that they would be more louth to forsake one another because hee saw that even wild beasts feeding together hoan exceedingly after their fellowes if happly any man plucke and sever them asunder Moreover Cyrus had a speciall eye to this also that his Soldiours should never goe in to dinner or supper unlesse they had laboured first untill they sweat againe For he either led them forth on hunting and so caused them to sweat or else devised for them such games and pastimes as might drive them into a sweat And if it happened that himselfe were to performe any exploit hee would in person lead them and set into the action so as they should be sure not to returne without sweating For this he supposed to bee very good for them causing them to eate their meat with better stomack and delight to preserve their health and to enable them unto labour Yea and this fellowship in paines taking as he thought would make them to be more milde and gentle one unto another For even horses accustomed to worke and labour togither abroad are wont to stand more gently and quietly in the stable And certaine it is that those Soldiours will sticke to it more couragiously against their enemies who are privy to themselves that they have beene well exercised Furthermore Cyrus for himselfe reared a pavilion sufficient for the receit of those whom he bade at any time to supper And for the most part he invited to his table such Centiniers as he thought meet Sometimes Caporals otherwhiles Diziniers and Cinquiniers Now and then also he admitted to his boord certaine private souldiers yea and whole companies or bands of fives and tennes of twenty fives and hundreds at a time This manner of inviting and doing them honour he used whensoever hee saw some of them to have executed that exploit which he would have had joyntly performed by all As for the service of dishes up to the boord it was no other for Cyrus himselfe than for his guests The ministers in the campe hee made equall in condition with the rest and partakers of all things For that he judged these officers no lesse worthy of honour and advancement than either Heraults or Embassadors For he supposed that such ought to be
trusty expert in military affaires quicke witted and of good conceit hardy besides and active forward to action and firme in resolution yea and more than so Cyrus judged that these ministers ought to be as much respected every way and to enjoy as many preferments as those who were reputed the very best and therefore so to bee inured as that they might refuse no labour but thinke all things meet for them to doe which their Captaine commaunded CHAP. V. How Cyrus devised and communed graciously with his Chiefetaines and of the pleasant narrations that they related unto him for to doe him pleasure OVer and besides Cyrus whensoever hee with his invited guests made merry togither in one Pavilion endeavored alwaies to have such talke and speeches interlaced among as might cause most mirth and withall incite to vertue and prowesse And one time above the rest he fell into such a discourse as this What thinke yee Sirs saith he seeme others beside our selves inferiour unto us any jote in this regard that they had not had the same education and breeding with us or will there be no difference at all betweene them and us either in mutuall conversing together or in manner of fight when we are to joyne battayle with our enemies Then Hystaspes made answer and said How they will demeane themselves against the enemie I wote not yet but in their daily conversation so helpe me God some of them seeme peevish and teasty enough already For of late Cyaxares sent unto every severall Company beasts slaine for sacrifice to make good cheere with so as there should fall to every one of our shares three pieces of flesh or more as they were served and carried round And verily the Cooke when he went about with the first service began at me But as he came in the second time to deale about I willed him to begin at the hinmost and so to hold on his course the contrary way Whereat one of those souldiers which sat in the mids of the Circle cryed out and said Pardie here is no indifferent dealing if no man will begin at us here in the midst Which when I heard I was not a little grieved that they should thinke themselves cut short and to have lesse than the rest and therewith I called presently for the said party to come and sit by me who herein very orderly obeyed and came Now when the meat that went about came unto us whereof by that time the smallest portion remained by reason as I take it that wee were then the last to be served this fellow then would hold no longer nor dissimule his griefe but sofâ—ly to himselfe brake out into these words What ill lucke have I who being now called hither must needs come and fare worse then others for my labour Take it not so to the heart quoth I vnto him For the Cooke will presently begin at vs and then shall you bee first serued with the greatest piece With that comes the Cooke with his third and last course euen all that which remained behind Then that souldier tooke his part next after me But when a third also had receiued his share and seemed to the other for to haue gotten a bigger piece than he he casteth from him that which he had taken already as intending to lay hold on a greater piece But the Cooke supposing the man had enough already needed no more pittance went his way from him and so made an end of his course about before the party could meet with another piece Whereupon he was so ill appaied for his hard hap that when the meat was eaten vp which he had once receiued the rest sauce and all wherein he should dip in such a pelting chafe was he and so angry with his ill fortune he quite ouerturned A Caporall that sate next vnto us seeing this clapped both his hands together and laughed thereat full heartily But I quoth Hystaspes made as though I coughed For I assure you I could not containe my selfe but laugh a good And such an one quoth he ô Cyrus can I shew unto you out of our owne fellowes Here at they laughed all as they might well enough Then another Centurion This man quoth he ô Cyrus met belike with a fellow thus froward and discontented But I quoth he when you had taught us the maner of marshalling our companies and so sent us away commaunding every one to teach his owne company what we had learned of you did my selfe when I was gone from you according as I saw the reâ—t to doe and instructed one band Now when I had set the Caporall or leader of that band formost and next unto him placed a lusty young fellow and so others in order as I thought meet I stood then my selfe before them all and looking toward the said band when I saw my time commaunded them all to march forward Whereat this said youngster aduanced himselfe before the leader and marched formost which I seeing Whither now good fellow quoth I what meanest thou to do I march on Sir quoth he as you commaund Then replied I Why I bad not thee alone but all the rest to come forward which when he heard turning backe to his fellowes Come on Sirs quoth he Heare ye not how he commaundeth us all to march Then they all stepped afore the Caporall and came toward me whereupon the said Caporall called them all backe againe to their places with that they stomached the matter and grumbled saying whether of the twaine must we now obey for the one biddeth vs march on and the other forbiddeth vs. Well I tooke all in good part disposing them eftsoones in order with this charge that none of them behind should set one foot forward untill the former led the way but all of them have a speciall eye to this onely even to follow the former Now it hapned that one intending to take a journey into Persia came and called upon mee for my letter which I had written home to my friends Whereupon I willed a Caporall for he knew where the said letter lay to runne unto the tent and fetch the same He ran accordingly but the foresaid youngster followed the Caporall hard at heeles armed as he was in his curace and with his curtelace All the rest of the whole band seeing him to runne ranne also amaine for company and so they all of them came and brought me my letter Thus hath my band saith he learned all that you have enjoyned us Hereat all the rest verily that were present laughed as well they might and namely at this warlike guard and convoy of the letter But Cyrus said O Iupiter and all yee the Gods besides what manner of Associats have we to fight for us so tractable and easie to bee wonne that many of them will become good friends for a small piece of meate and some againe so obsequious that before they know what they are commaunded be ready to
assembled in the Pavilion of Cyrus to referre this question in hand to a Scrutinie and that who ever would be reputed a man in deed should accord thereto A Centurion there was in place who smiling hereat One man quoth he of the common sort I know who will soone agree that this even partage thus hand over head shall not passe And who may hee be I pray you asked another It is saith he a tent-fellow of mine who in all things by his good will would have more than others What! saith another In labour and paines taking too Nay quoth he Ho there Here I am taken in a lye For in travailes and all such matters he ever suffreth very gently any one that will to have more than himselfe Then Cyrus I ordaine saith he that such fellowes as he now speaketh of should be called and displaced if wee intend to have a valiant and obedient army For of this opinion am I that the multitude in generall of souldiers stand thus affected even to follow which way soever any man leadeth them Now such I suppose as be honest and valourous endeauour to be leaders unto good and honest actions but lewd and wicked persons unto lewd and naughty deeds And truely it falleth out oftentimes that lewd folke induce more to follow them and take their part than the better sort For vice conversing among pleasures which soone offer and present themselves useth their helpe joyntly to perswade many to assent unto her whereas vertue leading the way directly up to steep ascents is not very powerfull and able so quickly and out of hand to winne and draw men unto her especially if there be others againe who allure them to gentle easie and pleasant descents And therefore if there be any who onely in sluggardy loitering and refusing to take paines become naught such I repute as drones to endamage their fellowes in matter of expense and nothing else but such as in paines taking with others be slacke howbeit in seeking their owne gaine forward enough and shamelesse withall they become ringleaders also unto lewdnesse For they are able many times to shew and prove that wickednesse hath sped best and gained most Wherefore such as these in any wise we ought to discharge and remoove from among us And verily yee are not so much to consider how yee may supply and make up these your broken bands with your owne countrimen but like as in horses yee lay for them that be best and not bred at home even so in choice of men of all others take them whom yee thinke likely and meet both to adde most strength and bring also greatest honour to your selves And that such a course will speed well I presume also upon the testimony of this one instance For that neither can a chariot be swift in which the steeds be slow nor a Councell or judiciall Court be just wherein unrighteous men be joyned with others in Commission ne yet a house well governed that employeth lewd and naughty servants Nay lesse detriment should an house receive wanting servants altogether than being pestered with those that be false and wicked Certes my friends I would have you to know thus much that by weeding out lewd souldiers not onely this good shall ensue that such persons will be rid away and gone but of those also who shall remaine behind with us as many as be already infected and growne full of wickednesse shall be purged of the same againe Yea and the good when they shall see the wicked disgraced and put to shame will with farre greater alacritie embrace vertue When Cyrus had thus said all his friends approoved well of his words and did accordingly Then began Cyrus eft-soones to jest and inferre a pleasant conceited speech For perceiving one of the Centiniers to bring with him as a guest to supper and to have sitting close by his side a certeine fellow exceeding hairy and withall as foule and deformed he called unto him the said Captaine and spake thus unto him How now Sambaulas for that was his name leade you after the Greeke fashion about with you as your shaddow this pretty youth that sitteth here next unto you because he is so faire and well-favoured Yea verily doe I quoth Sambaulas And so loue me God as I delight both to be in his company and also to behold his countenance When the other tent-fellowes heard this they looked wistly upon the partie and perceiving his face to be passing foule and ill-favoured they all fell a laughing And one among the rest Now for Gods sake quoth he Sambaulas for what good demerit is this man so highly in your favour I will tell you truly quoth Sambaulas How often so ever I called him either by night or by day he never pretended for his excuse any businesse of his owne nor used to tell his steps as he went but alwaies ranne at my command When so ever I have set him about any thing I never saw him doe ought but he swet at it Moreover hee hath made the whole dowzain beside like unto himselfe shewing them not by word but by deed how they ought to behave themselves Then said one If he be such an one as you speake of kisse you him not as you are wont your kinsmen To this the party himselfe with that deformed face of his Not so ywis for hee cannot away with paines taking And if he should but kisse me once it might serve for all his other exercises whatsoever Such matters as these both in mirth and earnest were delivered and debated at this feast In the end after they had performed the third complement of sacred Libations and withall prayed unto the Gods for to give them good successe they arose from boord to bed and so brake up their meeting CHAP. VII The Oration of Cyrus unto his whole Campe. The opinions of Chrysantas and Pheraulas as touching that which Cyrus had proposed And what was the conclusion and determination thereof THE morrow after when Cyrus had gathered all his souldiers togither he made a speech unto them in this manner Friends we have a battaile toward For our enimies approach And rewards belong only to victorie If we be victours certeine it is that both the enimies will be ours and likewise all the enimies goods but if we be vanquished for this must alwaies be our saying semblably all our goods in case we be overcome are present prizes and rewards evermore for the winners Moreover thus much yee ought to know that if men taking part togither in warre shall every one set downe this reckoning that nothing will succeede well vnlesse for their parts and places they play the valiant men they will soone atchieue many and those right braue exploits For such as they will not neglect through slouth any seruice that is to be done But when ech one thinketh that some other man there will be to do the seruice to fight though himself sit still
which I shall now deliver have beene long since considered upon and approved by you no lesse than by us but haply abashed you are to utter the same least if your selfe made mention of leading forth our armie you might seeme weary of finding and maintaining us as you doe Seing therefore you keepe silence I my selfe both for you and us will propound the businesse now in hand For we are all of this mind seeing we be so well appointed not to fight then when as the enemie shall invade your land nor to wait for his comming sitting still as we doe in our friends country but with all speed to make a rode into the territories of our enemies For now so long as we remaine in your land much hurt we doe even against our wils unto many things of yours but if we remoove into our enemies quarters we shall worke them the like displeasure as willingly Moreover now are we kept at your great charges but if wee warre abroad without your marches we shall be victualled from out of our enemies countrey Furthermore were it so that some greater perill might betide us there than here then peradventure the safest course were to bee chosen But now the case is all one with them whether wee waite here for them or set forward to meet them there In like manner wee also shall be the same in fight whether we receive them comming hither or goe thither and give them battaile But in very truth the hearts of our souldiers we shall finde more courageous if we invade our enemies and seeme not loth to affront them and looke them in the face Semblably they will bee much more in feare of us when they shall heare that we sit not still at home as men smitten with dread of them but upon intelligence of their comming are ready to encounter them on the way for to joyne battaile with all speed and not tarry untill our owne country be endamaged but preventing their attempts waste their land first Certes if we make them any whit more fearefull or our selves bolder I suppose it will bee to our great advantage And by this meanes verily I make accompt that our danger will be lesse and our enemies hazard much greater Moreover my father was alwaies wont to say you also to confesse and all others to accord that fields are fought and battailes tried rather by the resolution of mens hearts than the strength of their bodies Thus verily said Cyrus unto whom Cyaxares made this answere But I would not have you Cyrus and the rest of the Persians once to suspect that I thinke much to mainteine you with victuals Yet am I also of this minde that in every respect it will be more expedient for us even now to invade our enemies land Since then quoth Cyrus we concurre in one opinion let us joyntly trusse up bagge and baggage and so dislodge and in case our sacrifices unto the Gods assent soone unto our desires with all speed set forward Hereupon after warning given to packe up and to put themselves in readinesse Cyrus sacrificed to Iupiter King first afterwards to the rest of the Gods praying withall that they would vouchsafe to be propitious and favourable guides unto the Armie and shew themselves gracious Assistants assured helpers and Associates yea and Counsellers for good in all their Affaires He invocated likewise the tutelar powers that inhabited and patronized the Median Land Now when he had finished the sacrifices with lucky presages and that the armie was wholly assembled togither before him in the very marches after tokens likewise of bird-flight promising happy successe he did set foot within the enemies country And no sooner was hee entred the borders but presently hee there procured the gracious favour of Dame Tellus with Libatours and liquid offerings The Gods also and inhabitant Patrons of Assyria he pacified with solide hosts and sacrifices Which complements done and ended he sacrificed eft-soones to Iupiter the Protectour of his owne native soile and looke what other of the Gods soever came into his knowledge he neglected them not CHAP. VII How Cyrus went to encampe neere unto the Assyrians and prepared to give them battaile WHEN all these things were accomplished in good sort the Infantery forthwith marched on and made no great journey but soone pitched their tents Howbeit having put forth the Cavallery to make incursions and to raunge abroad they gate great pillage of all things Then remooved they and being now furnished with all provision necessary and forraging the country still they encamped and waited the enemies comming Now when noised it was that their army was on foot and within ten daies journey Cyrus said It is now high time ô Cyaxares to put on and to meet with them And let us give no cause to be thought either of our enemies or our owne men to shrinke backe and not to abide them but rather shew our selves not unwilling to fight When Cyaxares allowed well hereof they marched on alwaies after in battaile ray going forward every day as farre as they thought good As for their suppers they never tooke them but by day-light and in the night they made no fires within the campe Howbeit before the campe they burnt fire to the end that by the light thereof they might see if any came by night towards them and yet not be seene themselves Many times also to deceive the enemie they did set fires aburning behind the campe whereby otherwhiles the enemies spies fell into the hands of their formost escont-watch For by reason that the said fires were behind they thought themselves had beene yet farre from the campe Now the Assyrians with their Confederates and Allies after that the Armies approched one the other entrenched themselves A thing that the Barbarian Kings use to do even at this day For when they pitch their tents an easie matter it is for them to cast a trench about their campe so many hands have they to set on worke And they know that a power of horsemen in the night is soone disordered and so of little or no service especially if it consist of Barbarians For such use to have their horses tied by the feet at their mangers And if any man should charge upon them a labour it wer◠by night to unloose the horses a trouble to bridle them a paine to saddle and trap them much adoe also to bard them and doe on their harnois Yea and when they are mounted on horsebacke impossible it is by any meanes to ride them through the campe For all these causes they also like as all other Barbarians enclosed these within certeine fortifications thought they might being thus within the safegard of a sensed place fight when they list themselves and not otherwise Whiles they were thus busied they approched one the other and being about a Parasang off the Assyrians encamped thus as I said in a place entrenched round about howbeit open and exposed to the eye
but if he perceived any to be tumultuous and disorderly after the cause thereof knowne he would labour to appease the misrule One thing there remaineth yet as touching the diligence and care which he shewed in the night march namely that he sent forth before the whole armie certaine footmen lightly appointed and those not many in number who being both seene of Chrysantas and also seeing him should as Otacusts listen and advertise him of all occurrents occasions and opportunities presented And one there was over these Avantcurriers to rule and order them and whatsoever was ought worth and materiall he would give notice thereof and what was not hee troubled him not with shewing the same And thus verily marched he by night But when the day was come certaine of the Cadâ—sian horsemen heâ—cleft with their Infantery marching as they did hinmost for that they should not goe naked and destitute of men of Armes the rest hee commaunded to ride on to the Vantguard because the enemies affronted it to the end that if any encountred full opposite unto him he having the strength of his armie in battaile ray might make head and fight with them but if they were seene any whereto flie he might be most ready to pursue them for he had ever about him some appointed to follow the chace when there was need of pursuit others againe to abide with him for never would he suffer a whole Regiment to be dismembred In this wise led Cyrus his Armie forth Yet kept not he himselfe alwayes in one place but riding to and fro and up and down surveied his souldiers and with good care tooke order for whatsoever they wanted Thus much of the march of Cyrus and his host CHAP. VI. A Conspiracy against Gadatas An Ambush layd by the Assyrian King Where hee received a great overthrow How Cyrus saved Gadatas and all his men NOvv it happened that a certeine great person one of Gadatas his men of armes considering how his Lord and Master was revolted from the Assyrian King thought this with himselfe that if ought but well should come unto Gadatas hee might obteine at the Kings hand the seizure of all his goods and lands Vpon which project of his hee sends one of his trusty servants unto the said Assyrian King with these instructions That in case he found the Assyrian forces already in Gadatas his country hee should give the King to understand that if he lay in ambushment hee might take both Gadatas himselfe and all his companie willing him withall to signifie what power Gadatas had in his conduct likewise that Cyrus accompanied him not as also to shew which way he would come Moreover to the end he might be the better beleeved he charged his owne servants to deliver up the Castle which himselfe held within the territorie of Gadatas with all that was therein into the hands of the King of Assyria Furthermore he promised that after he had slaine Gadatas he would come to him in person if hee could if not yet would hee from that time forward take the Kings part The messenger appointed for this errand rode post and with great speed came unto the Assyrian King and declared unto the King the cause of his comming which when he heard he presently entred upon the said Castle and with a great power of horsemen and a number of chariots laid wait in the villages standing thicke thereabout Gadatas when he drew neere to those villages sent forth certeine in espiall to cleere the coasts The Assyrian King having intelligence that these espies were comming commaunded two or three of the chariots and some few horsemen to give ground and flie making semblance as if they were affrighted and but few in number Which when those foreriders perceived they not onely themselves followed in pursuit but also gave the Al-arme to Gadatas Who being deceived thereby made after and followed amaine The Assyrians then for that they thought Gadatas at the point to be taken arose streight out of their embushment Gadatas with his companies seeing that fled as good cause they had The otherside againe with as great reason pursued them At which very time that traiterous villaine who had plotted to forelay Gadatas strake him and failed in deed of giving him a deadly blow but smote him in the shoulder and so wounded him Which deed done he went his wayes to joyne with those that followed in chace For being knowne who he was hee togither with the Assyrians put spurres to his horse and helped the King in his pursuit Then and there be you sure they that rode upon the heaviest and slowest jades were taken by those who had the swiftest steeds under them And verily Gadatas his horsemen being all sore overlayed for that they were tired out with their long journey no sooner espied Cyrus comming forward with his armie but a man might well thinke they were right joyous and glad as if out of some storme and tempest they had arrived to a safe harbour Cyrus at the first sight mervailed thereat but when hee understood what the matter was so long as they rode all afront toward him he led his forces in order of battaile against them But so soone as the enemies knowing how the world went reculed and fled Cyrus commaunded the light horsemen appointed therefore to make hote pursuit and himselfe with the rest followed hard after according as he thought it expedient There might a man have seene some Chariots taken out of which the drivers were fallen partly in the very turning and partly otherwise others againe intercepted by the horsemen and surprised They slew also very many and among the rest the traitour himself who had hurt Gadatas Meane-while the Assyrian footmen who were besieging Gadatas his fortresse abandoned that enterprise Some fled for succour into the Castle which had revolted from Gadatas others got away before their enemies and did put themselves into a great Citie of the Assyrian Kings whereinto himselfe with his chariots and horses was retyred Vpon these exploits thus atchieved Cyrus returned backe into Gadatas his country and after order given unto those whom it concerned to take charge of the captives he went directly to see how Gadatas did upon his hurt And as he went forward Gadatas having by that time his wound dressed and bound up met him on the way When Cyrus saw him he rejoyced and said I was comming to you for to see how you did And I quoth Gadatas so God me love was going to behold you againe and see what a countenance you carry bearing as you doe this brave minde who when I wist not my selfe what need you had now of my helpe nor you ever undertooke or promised to doe this for mee ne yet in your owne particular received so much as any small pleasure at my hand but onely for that I seemed unto you in some measure to benefit my friends have so lovingly and with such affection reskued mee as that now for
Espials he sent unto Cyrus signifying who he was Whereupon Cyrus gave order streightwaies that hee should be conducted directly to his wife Now when she and Abradatas her husband had seene one another they mutually embraced each other as reason it was meeting thus beyond all hope Then Panthea reported unto him the piety temperance and commisâ—ration of Cyrus toward her Which Abradatas hearing What were I best to doe my Panthea quoth he to requite Cyrus both in your behalfe and in mine owne also What else said Panthea but endeavour to beare your selfe toward him so as hee hath beene to youward After this went Abradatas to Cyrus and no sooner saw he him but taking him by the right hand thus he said For the favours you have done unto us ô Cyrus I know not what to say more than this That I will devote my selfe wholly unto you as a friend servitour and Associat in warre And whatsoever I see you studiously to affect therein shall I doe my best devoir to effect the same Why then quoth Cyrus I accept of you and now for this time I dismisse you to go and 〈◊〉 togither with your wife But henceforth you must lodge even in mine owne Pavilion with your Friends and mine Afterwards when Abradatas perceived Cyrus to see his mind earnestly upon those sythed chariots to affect likewise bard horses and horsemen armed at all pieces he endeavoured out of his owne Cavallery to provide him an hundred chariots with the like equipage to his yea and addresse himselfe in person to ride in a chariot as Captaine to governe the rest As for his owne chariot hee ordered it so that it had foure spires and eight steeds drew joyntly therein His wife Panthea out of her owne privy purse had made for him both a curer and also an helmet of beaten gold likewise a paire of golden Vambraces As for the horses belonging to his chariot she did set them out with furnitures and harnish all of brasse onely Thus verily was Abradatus busied But Cyrus when hee had seene his said Chariot with foure poles thought this with himselfe that he likewise might as well deuise one also of eight so as the nethermost rowne for engins might bee drawne with a teem of eight yoke of oxen Now tooke this Chariot with wheeles and all three fathome at the most from the ground That such turrets as these should follow with the maine battaile he thought might be a great helpe to his owne troupe and no lesse anoiance to the enemies battaile Vpon these foresaid rownes he made round compassed lofts with their battlements and in every such turret he bestowed 20. fighting men Now when hee had finished all that belonged to these faid turrets he made triall of the Draught and he found by proufe that eight yoke would draw a turret with all the soldiers upon it much more easily than each yoke the ordinary lode of stuffe and baggage For there was commonly charged upon single yoke as much as weighed about 25. talents Whereas in a turret drawne after this manner the timber carrying the thicknesse of a tragicall Pageant with 20. souldiers in it and armour besides the draught came to lesse in proportion than 15. talents for every yoke When he perceived therefore that the draught was so easie he provided to bring these turrets togither with his armie against the enemies For this he thought that in warre all catching and winning of advantage was both safe and just and withall fortunate CHAP. IIII. How the King of India sent an Embassage unto Cyrus to treat about a league with him who sent the said Embassadours to listen after as spies the affaires of the Assyrians The newes that they brought backe ABout this time there came unto his Presence those that brought him money from the Indian King and declared besides unto him their Credence That the King by way of answer greeted him in these termes It pleaseth me right well ô Cyrus and I take it kindly that you made me acquainted with what you stood in need of Willing therefore I am to entertaine the law of hospitality and friendship with you and so I send you money And if you want any thing else send and you shall have Moreover I have commaunded those that are come from me to you for to doe whatsoever you bid them Which newes when Cyrus heard Why then quoth he I charge all the rest of you to abide here in those tents which you have taken up already there to have the custodie of the said money and to live at your most pleasure onely three of you at my request shall make an errand to the enemies as if yee came as Embassadours from the Indian King to treat with them about an Association in these warres Wherein if yee doe me good service I will take my selfe more beholden unto you and give you greater thankes than for the treasure which yee have brought unto me For these common Spies in forme of slaves can learne and report no other thing but what all men know Whereas such men as yee are in quality of Embassadors doe many times come to the intelligence even of their secret projects also The Indians having heard this right gladly and beene for that time courteously intertained and rewarded by Cyrus did put themselves in readinesse and the next day set forward on their journey promising upon their fidelity that when they had learned what they could of the enemies they would repaire againe unto him with all speed possible And Cyrus verily as he was a man who projected no small enterprises provided all things for the warre magnificently Neither tooke he order for such matters onely as his Allies thought meet but also kindled an aemulation among his Friends who might shew themselves in their armour most gallant in horsmanship most skilfull in darting and shooting most cunning and in travaile most painfull And these feats wrought he what by training them forth to hunting and what by gracing and rewarding the best in every kind Such Captaines also and Rulers as he saw most studious and carefull in this point that their souldiers should prove right expert and valiant such I say he did put forward and embolden as well by praising as by gratifying them in whatsoever he could And if at any time he sacrificed or kept some festivall holiday he would then set forth and exhibit some games of price respective to all those feats which men practise for the use of warre Yea and to the victour hee gave rewards most magnificently So that much joy and mirth there was throughout his armie And now by this time were all things in manner finished which he minded to use in his expedition saving onely engins For the Persian horsemen were growne already to the compleat number of 10. thousand of siâ—hed chariots that himselfe had provided there were full one hundred and of others
that Abradatas the Susian tooke in hand to make according to the patterne of Cyrus his chariots there were as many Moreover Cyrus had perswaded Cyaxares to chaunge his Median chariots from the Trojane and Lybian fashion and to make them after his owne Of which sort also there was a third hundred Furthermore for the Camels were souldiers appointed to serve upon them for every one two archers And the most part of his armie carried this mind as if they had wonne the victorie already and as if the enemies were of no worth Now when as they stood thus affected and appointed after that the Indians also whom Cyrus had sent to discover were returned from the enemies and related how Croesus was elected the Generall and Conductor of all their forces How it was decreed by all the Confederate KK that every one should be present with all his puissance and bring with him great store of money to serve partly for to wage as many as they could levie and partly to bestow by way of largesse upon such as need required Moreover that many Thracians wearing swords by their sides were already hired and Aegyptians to the number of an hundred and twenty thousand were under saile and those armed with shields reaching down to their feet and great massie speares such as they use even at this day and long swords Also that a power of Cyprians was comming by sea And as for the Câ—â—licians That they were all arrived already The Phrygians likewise of both sorts togither with the Lycaonians Paphlagonians Cappadocians and Phoemcians Furthermore that with the Babylonian King the Assyrians lonians Aeolians and well neere all the Greeks inhabiting Asia were enforced to follow Croesus And that hee had sent unto Lacedaemon also for aide-souldiers That the maine armie was assembled about the river Pactolus That they would march forward to the Rendezvous at Thybarrhe where even now the Barbarians inhabiting the lower Syria that are in subjection to the King use to hold their meetings and how generall proclamation was made that every man should translate the mercate of all wares and chaffer vendible thither Semblably when the Captives also delivered almost the same Intelligence for Cyrus had given order that some should be taken prisoners of whom he might enquire and learne somewhat yea and sent out certaine Spies in likenesse of slaves as if they had bin runnagates from him Vpon these newes I say which the armie of Cyrus heard every man as good reason was began to muse and be sollicitous they walke also up and downe abroad more silent than they were wont neither seemed many of them to be cheereful and merry but flocked togither in companies questioning and communing one with another every where as touching these occurrents Cyrus perceiving then that feare had possessed his armie thorowout called togither the principall Captaines and Commaunders of all his forces yea and so many as whose discouragement might seeme to doe hurt and whose resolute courage doe good Hee gave his owne ministers about him also to understand that if any other souldiers bearing armes were desirous to draw neere and heare what speech he would make they should not prohibit or keep them backe And when they were gathered all togither hee spake unto them in this wise CHAP. V. The oration of Cyrus unto his souldiours to put them out of that fearâ— and astonishment which they had conceived of the newes they heard as touching the warre toward MY Friends and Allies I have called you togither because I saw somâ— of you upon the newes arrived from the enemies farre like unto men affraied And I mervaile much I assure you that any of you should be affrighted for that the report goes that our enemies are gathered togither especially seeing that we our selves be assembled now many more in number than heretofore when wee gave them an overthrow and are besides through Gods favour and grace farre better appointed at this present than ever before A wonder it is I say that when you see all this yee are not bold and courageous Oh the will of God if yee be smitten now with feare what would yee have done in case some had brought newes that those meanes which make for us had bin bent and brought against us If I say ye had heard First and formost that they who beforetime discomfited us made head againe as carrying in mind still that victory which once they had atchieved then that they who at that time defaited the velitary fight and skirmish of Archers and Iaveletiers entred now eftsoones the field and brought with them many more and those equall to themselves Againe if word had come that like as these being in compleat armour overcame the footmen then so their horsemen now were comming throughly appointed against our men of armes and abandoning bowes arrowes and javelins taking every man to his strong launce advanced forward and rode on with full intent to cope hand to hand Semblably that there be chariots comming which are not to be so placed as heretofore turned backward as ready to serve for flight but as well the horses in the teeme drawing be bard and armed with brest-plates as the chariotiers which stand in within turrets of tymber have all their upper parts which are seene defended sure with cuiraces and morrions also that trenchant sythes of yâ—on are fitted fast to the axel-trees to the end that these also may drive directly and in a moment forcibly assaile the ranks of those who affront them Besides all this that they have Camels upon which they may ride forward and give the onset beasts so hideous as that an hundred horse will not abide to see one of them Furthermore that they march on with turrets from whence they will bee ready to helpe their owne side and to annoy you with darting so as yee shall not be able to fight on even ground In case I say one should tell you who are affraied already that our enemies had all these meanes what would yee doe then being so troubled now as yee are with these flying rumours That Croesus is elected Generall of their Field a man so much more cowardly than the Syrians as that when they were in battaile foyled and put to flight he seeing them vanquished whom hee ought to have succoured as his Associats ran himselfe away and escaped And besides all this it is verily bruited that our very enemies thinke not their owne forces sufficient to joyne battaile with us but hire others as if they would doe better service for them in the field than their owne selves The case standing thus If there be any that thinke the enemies condition puissant and the meanes they have terrible but contrariwise our owne to be slight and of no validity such men I say my friends are meet to have their passe and to be sent away unto our enemies For being there they will stead us better than if they were still with
have The other Colonels likewise having the conduct of ten thousand keepe your places still For when the fight is once aâ—foot it will be no fit time for any chariot to change or shift horses Enjoyne moreover the Centiniers and Caporals in the Vantguard to order their files every one divided in two parts phalang-wise ech part fronting one with another in a right line Now ech file conteined 24 souldiers Then spake one of the Colonels abovesaid in this wise Thinke you Sir that we shall be sufficient arraunged into so many files and those so shallow against so square and deepe a battalion of our enemies Why quoth Cyrus how thinke you of this These their squadrons standing deeper in file than with their weapons to reach unto their opposites doe they either hurt their enemies or helpe their fellow-souldiers For mine owne part quoth Cyrus I could wish that whereas these armed men of theirs raunged a hundred deepe in file had beene in depth ten thousand For by this meanes wee should encounter with fewest But as I order my battalion in thicknesse it will I trow so come to passe that by such a number the entier body thereof will be strong throughout and ready withall to mainteine a joynt fight in every part The Iavelotiers verily will I place after the Corseletmen and next after them the Archers For who would raunge them in front confessing themselves that they cannot endure any close fight at hand But if these have the Coselettiers before them to confront the enemies they will hold their ground and what with launcing darts and javelins and what with shooting arrowes over all their heads that stand embattailed afore them be able to annoy their enemies Now whatsoever it is wherewith a man endammageth his adversaries 〈…〉 that thereby he relieveth his friends But hinmost will I set those that be called after all For like as an house without a strong groundâ—â—ill and foundation laid with choise stones or without those peeces which frame the â—oufe to it is good for nought Even so a battalion stands in no stead either without the formost or without the hinmost if they be not right valiant See then quoth he that yee be thus arraunged as I give order Yee Captaines of the light Targuetiers place in like sort your bands after these Yee the Leaders of the Archers set your companies semblably next unto those Targuetiers As for you the chiefe Commander of the Reare see you keepe the Rereward and give a charge unto the other Rear-commaunders to have an eye to those under them encouraging those that doe their devoir and sharpely menacing such as â—lackâ— their service And if any turne backe upon a traiterous intent let him dye for it For it is the part of those Commaunders that stand formost by word and deed to embolden them that follow And even yee also who have your place After All ought to make Cowards to stand in more feare of you than of their enemies Thus much for you severally and what I would have you to doe But you Abradatas the Master of the Ordnance and Ruler over the Enginiers order the matter so that the beasts in teeme that draw the turrets follow as close as may be to the Phalang You Dauchus Captaine of the waggons that goe with the carriages next after those turrets conduct all such forces and let your Serjeants sharpely chastise those that either step forward before due time or lagge behinde And you Carduchus Captaine of those Carroches wherein the women are place them last even just behinde the said carriages of baggage For if all these follow in the Rear they shall both cause an opinion of a great multitude and also minister unto us good meanes to lay an ambush Yea and withall our enemies if they would environ us shall be forced to fetch a larger compasse And the more ground they take up in this compasse the weaker must they needs bee See then that yee thus doe according to my direction And now to you Artabazus and you Artagersus Those Regiments of a thousand footmen apeece which either of you commaund lead next after these abovesaid As for you twaine Pharnuchus and Asiadutas see that yee intermingle not your Regiments of a thousand horsemen apeece whereof ye both have the charge within the maine body of the Phalang but behind the waggons take your place well armed by your selves and then with the rest of the Leaders and Commaunders repaire unto us For so ought yee to be ready and appointed as those who must give the first charge and begin battaile Semblably you that are the Ruler of those that serve with the Camels keepe your place next after the waggons aforesaid and whatsoever Artagersus shall commaund that doe yee Yee that be Captaines of the war-chariots cast lots and unto whomsoever the lot falleth let him place his hundred chariots before the maine battaile of the other two Centuries of chariots let the one hundred being raunged directly and so flanking the right side follow the maine battaile in a wing and the other the left side In this manner embattailed Cyrus and marshalled them all CHAP. IX How Panthea enarmed her husband Abradate And Cyrus did put himselfe in readinesse to give battaile THEN Abradatas the Susian King replyed For my part quoth he ô Cyrus willing I am of mine owne accord to take my place even in the very face of the enemies battaile unlesse it seeme unto you otherwise expedient Whereat Cyrus admiring the man and taking him by the right hand demaunded of the Persians which were in the other Chariots in this wise Will yee also quoth he admit all this But when they answered that it could not stand with their reputation to give way thereto he did put it to the casting of lots and the lot fell upon Abradatas even as himselfe had undertaken and placed he was afront the Aegyptians Thus verily for that time they departed and having provided all things as I before shewed went to supper and after the watch set betooke themselves to their nights rest The next day early in the morning Cyrus sacrificed the rest also of the armie after they had dined and performed their sacred libations clad themselves with many gay and goodly coats of armes with many brest-plates besides and helmets as faire They harnessed also their horses with frontlets and poictrels The single horses likewise and coursers they armed with greves for their legs as also the Steeds that drew in their geeres with harnois for their sides in so much as the whole armie show againe with brazen armour and glittered throughout with red and purple liveries The foure poled chariot likewise of Abradatas drawne with eight Steeds was very bravely and gallantly set out But as he was putting on a tabard of linnen after his country fashion Panthea his
wife brought unto him an helmet of gold with vambraces likewise and broad bracelets to weare about the wrests of his hands Also a side purple cassocke downe to his foot with the skirts falling in plaits beneath togither with a crest upon his armet of an Hyacinth or Azure dye All these ornaments had shee wrought for her husband unwitting to him as having privily gotten the just measure of his armour Which when he beheld he wondered thereat and said unto Panthea How now my wife hast thou cut and mangled thine owne Iewels and ornaments for to make mee this faire armour No verily quoth Panthea I have not yet defaced the most precious and richest jewell of all For if you Sir appeare unto others as you seeme unto me your selfe shall be my greatest and most soveraine jewell And as shee thus said shee fell to enarme him and how ever she did what shee could not to be seene for to weepe yet for all that the teares trickled downe her cheeks And Abradatas albeit hee was before a goodly man to see to yet now after he was thus dight and harnessed with this armour he seemed right beautifull and of a most liberall presence as being by nature also correspondent thereto Then having taken of his charriottier the reines into his owne hand hee addressed himselfe presently to mount up into his chariot But then Panthea commanding all those that were present to void said thus unto him My Abradate If ever there were any woman that esteemed her husband more than her owne life I suppose you acknowledge mee also to be one of them And therefore what need I to particularize in every point For I am perswaded that the deeds which I have done already are of more credit with you than the words which I now speake Howbeit although I bee thus affected as you know well enough yet doe I solemnely professe my love to you-ward and yours also to mee and that I had rather togither with you having borne your selfe as a valiant Knight be enterred than live with you disgraced and taking disgrace my selfe So farre forth esteeme I both you and my selfe worthy of the best respect Moreover in my conceit we are much beholden unto Cyrus in this behalfe for that he daigned to enterteine mee a captive woman and selected for himselfe not using me as a slave with villany nor as a free woman with disparagement of mine honour but when he had received me kept me for you as if I had beene his owne brothers wife Againe when Araspas my Guardian revolted from him I assured him if he would give me leave to send unto you that you should come unto him a more faithfull friend and a better and every way by farre than Araspas Thus spake she and Abradatas much delighted with her speech softly touching her head and therewith looking up toward heaven made this prayer O most mightie Iupiter graunt that I may bee thought an husband meet for Panthea and a friend worthy of Cyrus who hath so honourably dealt with us With these words he mounted the Chariot at the entry and doore of the seat thereof When he was thus gotten up and that the Vnder-Chariotier had made fast and shut the seat close after him Panthea having no other meanes otherwise to embrace him kissed yet the very seat And so the Chariot went forward But she closely followed after her husband unseene of him untill such time as he turning himselfe and espying her said Be of good cheere my Panthea Farewell and now depart Then her Eunuches and waiting women tooke and conveied her into her Caroch and when they had laid her downe they covered her within the closet thereof But the folke there in place albeit both Abradatas and his Chariot also made a goodly show yet could they not behold him untill Panthea was quite gone Now when Cyrus had sacrificed with the favourable approbation of the Gods and the armie was set in aray as he commaunded and had appointed Avant Curriers one before another he assembled his Captaines togither and made a speech unto them in this wise Deare friends and Confederates The Gods shew unto us such signes in our sacrifices as they did sometime when they gave unto us our first victory I will recall therefore into your minds those points which if ye remember ye shall in mine opinion advance more couragiously to battaile For in martiall prowesse exercised ye are much more than your enemies In the same yee have beene brought up and trained farre longer than they and joyntly one with another have atchieved victory Whereas many of your enemies with their Associates have beene foyled and vanquished And of both sides as many as have not yet fought those of the enemies part know well enough that they have for Assistants such as will betray them but yee that side with us are sure that yee shall hazzard the fortune of battaile with them that are desirous to helpe their Allies And it standeth to good reason that they who repose mutuall trust one in another will joyntly sticke to it and fight with one accord but they that distrust must needs devise how every one may soonest get away and escape Advance wee therefore my friends against our enemies with strong armed Chariots against those that are not armed with horsemen likewise in compleat armour and horses bard against those that be naked ready to cope with them hand to hand As for you that are footmen yee shall deale with no other than yee have heretofore The Aegyptians be harnoised after the same sort and in like maner set in aray For greater shields they have than that they can either doe or see ought and being raunged by hundreds no doubt they will hinder one another in the medley except some very few Now if they trust by preassing hard upon us to make us give backe and lose ground First they must beare-off the brunt of the horses themselves then of the yron harnois wherewith the horses are strengthened And say that any of them shall hold out and abide by it how can they possibly at once mainteine fight against the horsemen and the maine battalion of footmen and the turrets beside For from those turrets our men will be alwaies ready to succour us and annoy the enemies so as being by us slaine they will rather despaire than fight it out Now if ye thinke that yee want ought let me know for with the leave of God yee shall lacke nothing Againe if any man be disposed to say ought let him speake his minde If not draw neere to the sacrifices and when yee have prayed unto those Gods to whom we have sacrificed repaire unto your companies See also that every one of you put them in minde who are under your charge concerning those points that I have admonished you of And let each one shew himselfe unto those that are in his conduct so undaunted and fearelesse in gesture countenance and speech
by those who followed at the wing and as many there were who flying from them were intercepted and caught up by the Chariots Abradatas also for his part slacked no time but crying alowd Follow me friends follow mee spared no horse-flesh but by pricking his Steeds drew blood of them good store And with him the rest of the Chariotiers made a violent impression upon them Then immediatly the enemies Chariots fled from them some taking their riders with them others leaving them behind But Abradatas passed directly through them and violently assayled the Phalang of the Aegyptians and togither with him they also who stood embatteled next did set upon them And as many waies else it is cleere that there is no battaile more strongly arraunged than that which consisteth of friends assembled to fight togither so at this time that companie of his about him shewed no lesse For they were his familiar friends and companions at his table that stucke close to him and joyntly charged the enemie The rest of the Chariotiers when they saw how the Aegyptians with a strong troupe stiffely abid the shocke withdrew themselves toward the Chariots as they fled and followed after them But Abradatas his companie where they had once broken in because the Aegyptians could not give backe by reason of those their fellowes who stood thicke about them on every side look how many they encountred directly in their way with violence of horses they slew and overthrew and as they fell trampled and crushed in pieces themselves their armour their horses and wheeles whatsoever the yron sythes of the chariots tooke hold of they violently cut in twaine as well harnois and weapons as men In this tumultuous medley that cannot be expressed in word it fortuned that Abradatas for that his chariot wheeles were flowne off by reason of so many confused heaps of all sorts fell out of it with others besides that accompanied him in this exploit who having borne themselves with him in fight right manfully were there slaine and left dead in the place The Persians following hard after rushing thither where Abradatas his companie had made the overture disranked the enemies and killed them outright But the Aegyptians where they stood still in good order not disarrayed and these were many in number advanced directly forward all a-brest against the Persians where there was a hote and fierce conflict pell-mell with launces chasing staves and swords And to say a truth the Aegyptians had the ods as well in number as in weapon For they bare stiffe and long Launces which even at this day they use shields also which covered their bodies much more than the brestplates and bucklers of the Persians and helped them somewhat else to punch and shoove from them fitted as they were to their shoulders And therefore locking their targuets togither they went on and thrust from them But the Persians were not able to sustaine their force considering they carried their light bucklers of wicker at armes end but softly retired foot by foot giving and taking blowes untill such time as they gate close under their fabricks aforesaid When they were thither come the Aegyptians began to have the worse and to be wounded afresh from the Turrets They then who stood behind in the rere would suffer neither Archers nor Darters to flye but lifting up and bending their swords at them forced them both to shoot arrowes and also to fling darts Hereupon grew a great carnage of men and a mightie noise and clattering as well of armours as of casting weapons of all sorts togither with a wonderfully cry whiles some called to their fellowes others encouraged them to fight and a third sort cryed unto the Gods for their helpe Meane-while Cyrus who had pursued in chace those that stood against him came and seeing the Persians put backe and lose ground he grieved at it perceiving also that by no other meanes he could sooner stay the enemies from preassing still forward than by wheeling about and riding at their very taile he commaunded his men to follow him and so rode hard upon their rereward Thus they assaile and wound them behind yea and kill many of them looking another way Which when the Aegyptians perceived they cryed That the enemies were hard at their backs and withall amid their wounds were faine to turne head upon them and make resistance Then fought horsemen and footmen one with another And there it fortuned that one being falne under Cyrus his horse as he lay trampled under foot with his sword stabbed the horse in the bellie whereupon the beast winsing and flinging out with his heeles for paine of the wound never rested untill he had cast and overthrowne Cyrus But here a man might have seene what a worthy matter it is for a Prince to be loved of his subjects For presently they all did set up an outcry and with exceeding violence fought togither right manfully Here was thrusting to and fro here were blowes given and taken reciprocally But one at length of Cyrus his guard alighting from his owne horse mounted him thereupon Now when Cyrus was gotten up he might by that time see the Aegyptians beaten downe on every side For both Hystaspas was come already with the Persian Cavallery and Chrysantas also Howbeit he would not suffer them any longer to run upon the Aegyptians battalion but commaunded from without to discharge arrowes and darts at them Now after he had ridden all about untill he was come unto the fabricks he thought good to get up into one of the turrets to espy whether any other companie of the enemies stood to it and fought in any place When he was once aloft he saw the whole field and plaine before him full of horses men and chariots soâ—e flying others chacing some winners others losers to wit the enemies running away and his owne men having the upper hand And verily of those that were discomfited he could see none any more but onely the Aegyptians Who being driven to a streight cast themselves round into a ring so as their armour was onely seene and they set close covered under their shields And now verily nought did they else but abide many and grievous extremities Cyrus then wondring at them and pitying their distresse to see so hardy and valiant men to die caused all those to retyre that charged them on every side not permitting one of them to fight any longer He sent withall an Herault at Armes unto them demaunding whether they would all of them perish for their sakes who had betrayed them or rather save their owne lives with the reputation of brave and valourous soldiers Vnto whom they answered And how can we be saved and yet reputed 〈◊〉 souldiers Then Cyrus said againe For that yee are the men alone whom wee see to abide by it and willing to fight it out But from henceforth replyed the Aegyptians By what good and notable Action of ours may wee possibly be
saved In case quoth he yee deliver up your armes into our hands and joyne with them in amitie who when it lies in their power to destroy you choose rather to save your lives Which when the Aegyptians heard they asked this question Say we enter into league and friendship with you In what manner would you carry your selfe to usward Then answered Cyrus I will doe well by you and looke for the like at your hands as of true liege men And what good turne is that said they which you will deigne us Whereto Cyrus made this answer I will give you better pay during the warre than â— this time yee receive But if there be a peace concluded as many of you as list to tarry with me I will endow with lands to occupie and Cities to inhabitâ— I will bestow upon them wives and houshold servants Which when the Aegyptians heard they intreated him to except this onely in the Capitulation that they might not be compelled to beare armes against Croesus For him a lone said they we acquit of all fault As for all other Articles they agreed unto and therewith plighted their faith and troth interchangeably And even at this very day the posteritie of those Aegyptians who then stayed with him continue firme and loyall unto the King and yeeld alleageance to him Vnto whom Cyrus gaue Cities both those in the higher country which in these dayes be called the Aegyptians Cities and also Larissa and Cyllene neere to Cumes by the Sea side which be yet held peaceably in possession by their issue and off-spring When Cyrus had atchieved these exploits he withdrew his forces even when it was darke and encamped in the Thyribarians country CHAP. III. How Cyrus following the traine of his victorie forced the Citie Sardes and 〈◊〉 King Croesus prisoner The discourse that he held with him as touching the Oracle of Apollo And how hee did set him at â—bertie and saved the said Citie from saccage IN this battaile the Aegyptians alone of all the enemies bare themselves courageously and wonne renowne and of those on Cyrus side the Persian horsemen seemed to performe the bravest service In so much as that manner of armour which Cyrus caused them to be made for the men of Armes continueth still in credit and price to this very day Also those sythed Chariots were in high esteeme so that even in this age the King who reigneth in those parts reteines the use alwaies of that warlike kinde of Chariots The Camels onely affrighted the horses and did no other hurt For as they that rode upon them slew none of the horsemen so were not they killed by the horsemen because there was not an horse that came neere unto them And even that was thought then to doe good Howbeit there is no valiant man of any worth and qualitie willing either to keepe a Camel for his saddle or to practise fight and service from their backs Thus therefore being come againe to their wonted manner and fashion they are employed onely as beasts for carriage As for Cyrus his souldiers after they had supped and appointed their Sentinels betooke themselves as meet it was to their nights rest But Croesus upon this overthrow immediatly fled with his armie to Sardes the other nations departed and tooke the way homeward every man reaching so farre as possibly he could by night The morrow morning when day appeared Cyrus led his power forthwith directly to Sardes And no sooner was he come to the walles of the Citie but he planted his Ordnance and bent his Engins of Artillery intending to give an Assault thereto and prepared ladders to skale Whiles he was busied hereabout he caused the Chaldaees and Persians the night following to get up unto those munitions and bulwarks of the Sardians which seemed most steepe Now he that guided them was a Persian one who had beene a servant to a garrison souldier within the Castle of the City A man that had learned both the descent downe to the river and the ascent also into the Castle But when it was once knowne that the said high fortresse was surprized the Lydians all abandoned the wals and fled every man whither he could Cyrus by the breake of day entred the City and gave commaundement that no man should breake his ray or quit his place But Croesus being shut close within his royall Palace cryed out unto Cyrus Howbeiâ— Cyrus leaving a strong guard about him went in person to the Castle that was newly wonne Where seeing how the Persians kept the Piece as requisite it was and the Chaldaeans armour no where to bee seene for runne downe they were to rifle and ransake houses presently he called their Captaines togither and commaunded them with all speed to avoid out of the Armie For I cannot quoth he endure to see them that breake order and forsake their ranks to enrich themselves with pillage above others And know yee this assuredly quoth he that I had determined with my selfe to make you that serve with me such as all the Chaldaees might report to be happie But now mervaile not all if some one stronger than your selves set upon you as yee depart from hence Which the Chaldaees hearing were so strucken with feare that they besought him to lay downe his anger saying they would restore all the money and goods which they had taken To whom Cyrus made answer that himselfe had no need thereof But if yee would have me saith he to cease my displeasure and indignation Bestow all that yee have gotten vpon them that kept the Castle For if the rest of the souldiers shall perceive that they who forsake not their ranks and stations gaine greater commodities than others all will goe well on my side And even so did the Chaldaeans as Cyrus commaunded And as many as had behaved themselves obediently received much money and goods of all kinds Now when Cyrus had pitched tents for his owne souldiers in that place of the City wherein hee thought most commodious for them to abide in armes hee gave commaundement that to supper they should goe Thus having set all things in order he commaunded that Croesus should be brought unto him No sooner saw hee Cyrus but he said All haile my Lord and Master For this is the name that Fortune hath graunted both you to use from henceforth and me also to call you by And you likewise quoth Cyrus All haile ô Croesus since we both of us are mortall men But would you my Croesus quoth he giue me any Counsell I would to God saith hee ô Cyrus I could deuise some good thing for you For I might thinke that the same would be gainefull and commodious to my selfe Then quoth Cyrus listen O Croesus what I shall say Whereas I see my souldiers spent by taking exceeding paines and plunged into many daungers thinke now that they hold in possession the richest Citie in all Asia next to Babylon I judge them worthy to receive some
employed But Cyrus went forward out of Sardes toward Babylon leaving there in the City a strong garrison of footmen having Croesus in his company and carrying away with him many carts and waines loden with treasure and riches of all sorts Croesus also thither came who having precisely set downe in writing all the parcels of treasure which were in every waine gave up the said booke into Cyrus his hands saying withall unto him If you have about you quoth he O Cyrus this Inventary you shall know who dealeth truly and justly in delivering up his charge and who doth not Then said Cyrus You doe well good Croesus to provide thus for the worst But surely they shall for me carry the goods who are worthy even to be owners thereof so that if they embecile or steale any of it they shall but rob themselves of their owne goods Which said hee put those notes into the hands of his friends and Captaines that they might take account and know whether they that had the charge of those things delivered them backe safe and sound or no The Lydians likewise as many as he saw to shew themselves gallantly in armes on horsebacke and in chariots such also as endeavoured every way to performe that whereby they thought to doe him pleasure he led with him in his armie But whom he perceived to follow him unwillingly from them he tooke their horses and gave them to those Persians who first had served with him in the warres Their armour he burnt and constrained themselves to follow after with slings Yea and all those without armes whom he had vanquished and subdued he forced to exercise the sling thinking that kind of weapon and manner of service most base and servile For how ever it falleth out that slingers otherwhiles if they be in place with other forces stand in very good stead yet by themselves put them altogither if they encounter but a few of such as use weapons for close fight at hand they are not able to hold out the skirmish Now in his journey toward Babylon he brought under his subjection by the way the Phrygians inhabiting that great Phrygiaâ— the Cappadocians also and Arabians he subdued And with the harnois and weapons of all these hee furnished the Persian horsemen to the full number of 40000. Semblably many of the Captives horsemen he distributed among all his Associates throughout So he came before Babylon with a mighty power of horsemen with many archers also and darters but with slingers innumerable CHAP. VI. How Cyrus laid siege unto the City Babylon and by a wonderfull stratageme wonne it How the King of Assyria and his men were slaine the city put to the sacke and the fortresses rendred into his hands CYRVS being now set before Babylon with his whole armie invested the City Then accompanied with his friends and such of his Associates as were men of Action himselfe in person made a bravado and rode about the towne After he had well viewed the wals thereof he intended presently to withdraw his forces from the city At which time a certaine fugitive from out of the towne came and gave him intelligence that the Babylonians would sally forth upon him as hee should retire with his armie For when from the wals they beheld this maine battaile of yours saith he it seemed but weake And no mervaile in very truth that it should be so For when they encircled the wals being so large in compasse it could not otherwise be but the said maine battalion must grow thin and beare a small depth with it Which newes when Cyrus heard standing in the mids of the armie with his guard about him he commaunded the souldiers heavily armed to display and stretch out the said battalion from both ends and to goe off close by that part of the armie that stood still untill such time as both the said points raught unto him and enclosed the very mids Which when they did both they who kept their standing now that the bodie of the battaile was double in thicknesse as also those that went from both ends were more emboldened For they that stood still were presently neere unto the enemies But when by this manner of passing to and fro they had brought both points togither they stood more strong and confident as well they that went off by reason of them before as they before also for that those behind joyned unto them By meanes of displaying and spreading the battaile in this manner the best must needs bee raunged formost and hinmost but the worst cast into the mids Which order of embattailing seemed to be well provided both for to fight as also to keepe them from flight Moreover the horsemen and light appointed skirmishers in the wings approached ever to the Generall so much the neerer as the maine battaile thus reenforced and doubled bare greater thicknesse and became deeper After they were in this wise put in array they gave backe from thence foot by foot so farre as a dart shot raught from the wall But when they were once without their reach they turned their faces toward the city and verily at the first having stepped some few paces forward they shifted full upon their shields and stood so as they might behold the wall at full and the farther they were off they shifted so much thinner Now when they thought themselves to bee in safety they retired in a continued order togither untill they were come unto their tents And after they were encamped Cyrus calling to him his best warriours and men of action said thus unto them My Friends and Associates we have viewed the city round about and how it is possible to force by assault the wals so strong and high withall I cannot see But this I suppose that the greater multitude of people there be within the City so long as they yssew not forth to fight the sooner shall they be overtaken with hunger Vnlesse therefore yee can alleadge some other way my advise is that presently we lay siege and beleaguer them Then spake Chrysantas This river here which is above 2. furlongs over runneth it through the mids of the city Yes verily answered Gobryas and so deep it is withall that two men standing one upon the head of another will not reach above the water Whereby the city is better defended with the river than with the wals Let these matters goe by quoth Cyrus then unto Chrysantas which are above our strength and after that we have with all speed taken measure we must of necessity quarter our selves accordingly and goe in hand to dig a mighty deep and broad trench to the end that we may have need of as few warders as may be Having measured therefore all about the wals leaving a space from the river sufficient for great bulwarks hee digged an exceeding great trench round about the wall casting up the earth toward themselves Then the first thing that he
did was to raise skonces hard to the river side making their foundations upon Date trees which tooke up no lesse than an acre in length For they will grow out in length more than so because the nature of the Date trees is such that if they bee pressed downe with any weight they will swell or bunch upward after the manner of those great asses backs called Canthelij Now these trees he built upon of purpose that hee might seeme especially to lay siege unto the city and in case the River should breake into the trench yet it might not carry away the said skantses He erected also many other turrets or skantses upon the earth that was cast up to the end he might have as many places for Sentinels and warders as possibly he could And thus verily were they imployed But the Babylonians upon the wall made a mocke at this manner of siege as who were stored with victuals within for 20. yeeres and more Which when Cyrus heard he divided his armie into 12. parts that each part might by turnes watch and ward one moneth in the yeere The Babylonians likewise hearing of that derided them so much the more thinking this with themselves how the Phrygians Lycians Arabians and Cappadocians should haue the warding of them all whom they supposed to be more friendly affected unto themselves than to the Persians And now by this time were the trenches digged and cast up But Cyrus having intelligence that there was in Babylon such a feast solemnized whereat they use all to drinke eaâ—a and banket all night long thereupon so soone as it grew to be darke he tooke with him a number of men and opened the heads of the trenches toward the river Which done the water in the night time flowed and ran into the trenches and thereby the chanell of the river keeping his way through the city became so passible as that it might be waded through by men Whiles this was thus in hand about the river Cyrus commaunded the Persian millenarie Colonels as well of foot as horse to come unto him leading their regiments of thousands 2. by 2. in ranke As for the rest that were associats he gave order to follow at their backs arraunged as they were before And they verily presented themselves accordingly Then Cyrus causing officers and ministers both footmen and horsemen to enter into the drie part of the river commaunded them to found whether the bottom thereof were firme ground and passible or no And after they had brought word backe that it might be waded through hee assembled the Captaines as well of foot as horse unto whom he made such a speech as this This river my loving Friends hath left his ordinary course that leadeth into the City Let us enter in therefore with confidence fearing nought Considering that they against whom we now advance be no other than the very same whom when they were well friended and backed with associats when they were all awake sober armed and in order embattailed we defaited Whereas now we march against them what time as many of them are asleepe many drunke and all out of order But that they shall perceive also that we are gotten within the City they will be farre lesse able to fight than now For that they shall be astonied and amazed at this unexpected surprise And if any man haply thinke that wee shall have a hote welcome at our first entrance for feare least the townsmen get up to the rouses of their houses and from thence assaile us with shot on every side let this most of all embolden you For if any of them shall climbe up to their house-tops we have a God to helpe us even Vulcane For the porches of their houses be soone set on fire the dores are made of Date-tree-wood and those vernished and laid over with Bitumen which will soone catch fire and burne As for us good store we have of matches and torches which will quickly kindle and make a great fire We have pitch and hirds likewise that will as suddenly flame out Whereby it will come to passe that of necessitie they must either forsake their houses or bee soone consumed to ashes Goe to therefore and with good courage take armes And I my selfe in the name of God will lead you in this service As for you Gadatas and Gobryas shew us onely the wayes for yee know them full well and so soone as we be entred into the Citie guide us and bring us directly with all speed to the Kings Palace And that verily said the souldiers about Gobryas can be no wonderfull matter For the court gates will not be shut being as it is a time of banquetting and the whole Citie this night seemeth altogither set thereupon But we shall light upon the Warders before the Palace gates which are wont alwaies to be placed there as a Corps du guard Well saith Cyrus we must not therefore slacke our businesse but goe with all speed that we may take them most unprovided The word was no sooner spoken but they went forward And looke whomsoever they met in the way they were wounded and some slaine out-right others fled backe againe into the Citie and part of them made out-cryes and shours Semblably the souldiers about Gobryas and Gadatas answered them with like shours as if themselves had beene drinking and banquetting as well as they And so marched they on in great hast so farre as to the Kings Palace And verily Gadatas and Gobryas with their Companies being in ordinance of battaile found the Court-gates fast shut but such as were appointed to encounter the Warders ranne upon them drinking as they were by a great light fire and presently dealt with them as with enemies whereupon arose a huge noise and rumbling hurry which hurliburly when they within heard for the King commanded to see what the matter was certaine of them did set open the gates and ranne forth Then Gadatas his souldiers seeing the gates standing wide open rushed in chasing them as they fled backe againe into the Palace and beating them downe before them untill they came as farre as to the King himself whom they find standing with his cimiter that he had drawn And him the souldiers about Gadatas and Gobryas being many in number overcame and dispatched They also about him were slaine every mothers sonne whiles one opposed somewhat in their way another did what he could to flie and escape and in one word whiles every man defended himselfe by what meanes he might In this meane while Cyrus sent forth certaine Comets of horsemen into the streets with commandement to kill whomsoever they found out of their houses but to as many as kept within doores he made Proclamation by the mouth of those that were skilfull in the Syriacke tongue to abide still within house And looke who was taken abroad without doores there was no remedie but dye he must And thus did they