se he led out and having engaged battle with
the Persians he was worsted, and Astyages himself was taken alive, and
he lost also those of the Medes whom he had led forth.

129. Then when Astyages was a prisoner, Harpagos came and stood near him
and rejoiced over him and insulted him; and besides other things which
he said to grieve him, he asked him especially how it pleased him to
be a slave instead of a king, making reference to that dinner at which
Astyages had feasted him with the flesh of his own son. 135 He looking
at him asked him in whether he claimed the work of Cyrus as his own
deed: and Harpagos said that since he had written the letter, the deed
was justly his. Then Astyages declared him to be at the same time the
most unskilful and the most unjust of men; the most unskilful because,
when it was in his power to become king (as it was, if that which had
now been done was really brought about by him), he had conferred the
chief power on another, and the most unjust, because on account of that
dinner he had reduced the Medes to slavery. For if he must needs confer
the kingdom on some other and not keep it himself, it was more just
to give this good thing to one of the Medes rather than to one of the
Persians; whereas now the Medes, who were guiltless of this, had become
slaves instead of masters, and the Persians who formerly were slaves of
the Medes had now become their masters.

130. Astyages then, having been king for five-and-thirty years, was thus
caused to cease from being king; and the Medes stooped under the yoke of
the Persians because of his cruelty, after they had ruled Asia above the
river Halys for one hundred and twenty-eight years, except during that
period for which the Scythians had rule. 136 Afterwards however it
repented them that they had done this, and they revolved from Dareios,
and having revolted they were subdued again, being conquered in a
battle. At this time then, I say, in the reign of Astyages, the Persians
with Cyrus rose up against the Medes and from that time forth were
rulers of Asia: but as for Astyages, Cyrus did no harm to him besides,
but kept him with himself until he died. Thus born and bred Cyrus became
king; and after this he subdued Croesus, who was the first to begin the
quarrel, as I have before said; and having subdued him he then became
ruler of all Asia.

131. These are the customs, so far as I know, which the Persians
practise:--Images and temples and altars th