he has the hill-country to which he can retire, and there for
the moment lie secure, knowing that he himself is safely out of reach,
with everything that he can convoy thither; unless we are prepared to
carry on a siege, as my father actually did."

[14] Thereupon Cyrus said, "Now if you are willing to send me with
a moderate force of cavalry--I will not ask for many men--I believe,
heaven helping me, I could compel him to send the troops and the
tribute. And I even hope that in the future he may become a firmer
friend that he is now." [15] And Cyaxares said: "I think myself they are
more likely to listen to you than to me. I have been told that his sons
were your companions in the chase when you were lads, and possibly old
habits will return and they will come over to you. Once they were in our
power, everything could be done as we desire." "Then," said Cyrus,
"this plan of ours had better be kept secret, had it not?" "No doubt,"
answered Cyaxares. "In that way they would be more likely to fall into
our hands, and if we attack them they would be taken unprepared."

[16] "Listen then," said Cyrus, "and see what you think of this. I have
often hunted the marches between your country and Armenia with all
my men, and sometimes I have taken horsemen with me from our comrades
here." "I see," said Cyaxares, "and if you chose to do the like again
it would seem only natural, but if your force was obviously larger than
usual, suspicion would arise at once." [17] "But it is possible," said
Cyrus, "to frame a pretext which would find credit with us and with them
too, if any rumour reached them. We might give out that I intend to hold
a splendid hunt and I might ask you openly for a troop of horse."

"Admirable!" said Cyaxares. "And I shall refuse to give you more than a
certain number, my reason being that I wish to visit the outposts on the
Syrian side. And as a matter of fact," he added, "I do wish to see them
and put them in as strong a state as possible. Then, as soon as you have
started with your men, and marched, let us say, for a couple of days,
I could send you a good round number of horse and foot from my own
detachment. And when you have them at your back, you could advance at
once, and I will follow with the rest of my men as near you as I may,
close enough to appear in time of need."

[18] Accordingly, Cyaxares proceeded to muster horse and foot for his
own march, and sent provision-waggons forward to meet him on th