s according to the suggestion
of Croesus. After this when Cyrus and the best part of the army 218 of
the Persians had marched back to the Araxes, and those who were unfit
for fighting had been left behind, then a third part of the army of
the Massagetai came to the attack and proceeded to slay, not without
resistance, 219 those who were left behind of the army of Cyrus; and
seeing the feast that was set forth, when they had overcome their
enemies they lay down and feasted, and being satiated with food and wine
they went to sleep. Then the Persians came upon them and slew many of
them, and took alive many more even than they slew, and among these the
son of the queen Tomyris, who was leading the army of the Massagetai;
and his name was Spargapises.

212. She then, when she heard that which had come to pass concerning the
army and also the things concerning her son, sent a herald to Cyrus and
said as follows: "Cyrus, insatiable of blood, be not elated with pride
by this which has come to pass, namely because with that fruit of the
vine, with which ye fill yourselves and become so mad that as the wine
descends into your bodies, evil words float up upon its stream,--because
setting a snare, I say, with such a drug as this thou didst overcome my
son, and not by valour in fight. Now therefore receive the word which
I utter, giving thee good advice:--Restore to me my son and depart from
this land without penalty, triumphant over a third part of the army of
the Massagetai: but if thou shalt not do so, I swear to thee by the Sun,
who is lord of the Massagetai, that surely I will give thee thy fill of
blood, insatiable as thou art."

213. When these words were reported to him Cyrus made no account of
them; and the son of the queen Tomyris, Spargapises, when the wine left
him and he learnt in what evil case he was, entreated Cyrus that he
might be loosed from his chains and gained his request, and then so
soon as he was loosed and had got power over his hands he put himself to
death.

214. He then ended his life in this manner; but Tomyris, as Cyrus did
not listen to her, gathered together all her power and joined battle
with Cyrus. This battle of all the battles fought by Barbarians I
judge to have been the fiercest, and I am informed that it happened
thus:--first, it is said, they stood apart and shot at one another, and
afterwards when their arrows were all shot away, they fell upon one
another and engaged in close combat wi