had won for them from his
grandfather through his sheer goodness of heart; and many, now that they
had seen the Hyrcanians and heard say they were leading them to untold
treasures, went out from simple love of gain. [11] So they sallied
forth, the entire body of the Persians and all the Medes, except those
who were quartered with Cyaxares: these stayed behind, and their men
with them. But all the rest went out with radiant faces and eager
hearts, not following him from constraint, but offering willing service
in their gratitude. [12] So, as soon as they were well afield, Cyrus
went to the Medes and thanked them, praying that the gods in their mercy
might guide them all, and that he himself might have power given him to
reward their zeal. He ended by saying that the infantry would lead the
van, while they would follow with the cavalry, and whenever the column
halted on the march they were to send him gallopers to receive his
orders. [13] Then he bade the Hyrcanians lead the way, but they
exclaimed, "What? Are you not going to wait until we bring the hostages?
Then you could begin the march with pledges from us in return for
yours."

But he answered, as the story says, "If I am not mistaken, we hold the
pledges now, in our own hearts and our own right hands. We believe that
if you are true to us we can do you service, and if you play us false,
you will not have us at your mercy; God willing, we shall hold you at
ours. Nevertheless," he added, "since you tell us your own folk follow
in the Assyrian rear, point them out to us as soon as you set eyes upon
them, that we may spare their lives."

[14] When the Hyrcanians heard this they led the way as he ordered,
marvelling at his strength of soul. Their own fear of the Assyrians, the
Lydians, and their allies, had altogether gone; their dread now was lest
Cyrus should regard themselves as mere dust in the balance, and count it
of no importance whether they stayed with him or not.

[15] As night closed in on their march, the legend runs that a strange
light shone out, far off in the sky, upon Cyrus and his host, filling
them with awe of the heavenly powers and courage to meet the foe.
Marching as they did, their loins girt and their pace swift, they
covered a long stretch of road in little time, and with the half light
of the morning they were close to the Hyrcanian rear-guard. [16] As soon
as the guides saw it, they told Cyrus that these were their own men:
they knew this,