ught necessary and came with all speed. [15] And when he
caught sight of Cyrus, he cried: "Ah, my lord, blind mortals that we
are! How little can we see of the future, and how much we take in hand
to do! I set myself to win freedom and I made myself a slave, and now,
when we were captured and said to ourselves that we were utterly undone,
suddenly we find a safety we never had before. Those who troubled us are
taken now, even as I would have them. [16] Be well assured, Cyrus," he
added, "that I would have paid the sum you had from me over and over
again simply to dislodge the Chaldaeans from these heights. The things
of worth you promised me when you took the money have been paid in full
already, and we discover that we are not your creditors, but deep in
your debt for many kindnesses; and we shall be ashamed not to return
them, or we should be base indeed, for try as we may, we shall never be
able to requite in full so great a benefactor."

[17] Such thanks the Armenian gave.

Then the Chaldaeans came back, begging Cyrus to make peace with them.
And Cyrus asked them: "Am I right in thinking that you desire peace
to-day because you believe it will be safer for you than war, now that
we hold these heights?"

And the Chaldaeans said that so it was. [18] "Well and good," said he.
"And what if other benefits were gained by peace?" "We should be all the
better pleased," said they. "Is there any other reason," he asked, "for
your present poverty, except your lack of fertile soil?" They said that
there was none. "Well then," Cyrus went on, "would you be willing to pay
the same dues as the Armenians, if you were allowed to cultivate as much
of their land as you desired?" And the Chaldaeans said they would, if
only they could rely on being fairly treated. [19] "Now," said Cyrus,
turning to the Armenian king, "would you like that land of yours which
is now lying idle to be tilled and made productive, supposing the
workers paid you the customary dues?" "I would, indeed," said the king,
"so much so that I am ready to pay a large sum for it. It would mean a
great increase to my revenue." [20] "And you, Chaldaeans," said Cyrus,
"with your splendid mountains, would you let the Armenians use them for
pasture if the graziers paid you what was fair?" "Surely yes," said the
Chaldaeans, "it would mean much profit and no pains."

"Son of Armenia," said Cyrus, "would you take this land for grazing,
if by paying a small sum to the Chaldaea