was done in every way by
the grace of Auramazda. Auramazda helped me, and such other gods as there
be. Auramazda and the other gods gave me help, because I was not swift to
anger, nor a liar, nor a violent ruler, neither I nor my kinsmen. I have
shown favor unto him who helped my brethren, and I have punished severely
him who was my enemy. Thou who shalt be king after me, be not merciful
unto him who is a liar or a rebel, but punish him with a severe
punishment. Thus saith Darius the King: Thou who shalt hereafter behold
this tablet which I have written, or these pictures, destroy them not,
but so long as thou shalt live preserve them, &c."

It now only remains to be told that Zopyrus, the son of Megabyzus,
continued to the last the king's most faithful friend.

A courtier once showed the king a pomegranate, and asked him of what one
gift of fortune he would like so many repetitions, as there were seeds in
that fruit. Without a moment's hesitation Darius answered, "Of my
Zopyrus."--[Plutarch]

The following story will prove that Zopyrus, on his part, well understood
how to return his royal friend's kindness. After the death of Cambyses,
Babylon revolted from the Persian empire. Darius besieged the city nine
months in vain, and was about to raise the siege, when one day Zopyrus
appeared before him bleeding, and deprived of his ears and nose, and
explained that he had mutilated himself thus in order to cheat the
Babylonians, who knew him well, as he had formerly been on intimate terms
with their daughters. He said he wished to tell the haughty citizens,
that Darius had thus disfigured him, and that he had come to them for
help in revenging himself. He thought they would then place troops at his
disposal, with which he intended to impose upon them by making a few
successful sallies at first. His ultimate intention was to get possession
of the keys, and open the Semiramis gate to his friends.

These words, which were spoken in a joking tone, contrasted so sadly with
the mutilated features of his once handsome friend, that Darius wept, and
when at last the almost impregnable fortress was really won by Zopyrus'
stratagem, he exclaimed: "I would give a hundred Babylons, if my Zopyrus
had not thus mutilated himself."

He then appointed his friend lord of the giant city, gave him its entire
revenues, and honored him every year with the rarest presents. In later
days he used to say that, with the exception of Cyrus, who had n