ring which the Scythians had rule, and Astyages son of
Kyaxares received from him the kingdom. To him was born a daughter whom
he named Mandane; and in his sleep it seemed to him that there passed
from her so much water as to fill his city and also to flood the whole
of Asia. This dream he delivered over 122 to the Magian interpreters of
dreams, and when he heard from them the truth at each point he became
afraid. And afterwards when this Mandane was of an age to have a
husband, he did not give her in marriage to any one of the Medes who
were his peers, because he feared the vision; but he gave her to a
Persian named Cambyses, whom he found to be of a good descent and of a
quiet disposition, counting him to be in station much below a Mede of
middle rank.

108. And when Mandane was married to Cambyses, in the first year
Astyages saw another vision. It seemed to him that from the womb of this
daughter a vine grew, and this vine overspread the whole of Asia. Having
seen this vision and delivered it to the interpreters of dreams, he sent
for his daughter, being then with child, to come from the land of the
Persians. And when she had come he kept watch over her, desiring to
destroy that which should be born of her; for the Magian interpreters
of dreams signified to him that the offspring of his daughter should
be king in his room. Astyages then desiring to guard against this, when
Cyrus was born, called Harpagos, a man who was of kin near him and whom
he trusted above all the other Medes, and had made him manager of all
his affairs; and to him he said as follows: "Neglect not by any means,
Harpagos, the matter which I shall lay upon thee to do, and beware lest
thou set me aside, 123 and choosing the advantage of others instead,
bring thyself afterwards to destruction. Take the child which Mandane
bore, and carry it to thy house and slay it; and afterwards bury it in
whatsoever manner thou thyself desirest." To this he made answer: "O
king, never yet in any past time didst thou discern in me an offence
against thee, and I keep watch over myself also with a view to the time
that comes after, that I may not commit any error towards thee. If it
is indeed thy pleasure that this should so be done, my service at least
must be fitly rendered."

109. Thus he made answer, and when the child had been delivered to him
adorned as for death, Harpagos went weeping to his wife all the words
which had been spoken by Astyages. And she said t