in saying that it was because you saw your enemies
gathering together against you, and ready to sweep over your land and
you, that you sent to Persia asking for help, and to me in private,
praying me to come, if I could, myself, at the head of any forces they
might send. Was I not obedient to your word? Did I not come myself with
the best and bravest I could bring?"

[17] "You did indeed," answered Cyaxares.

"Tell me, then, before we go further, did you see any wrong in this? Was
it not rather a service and a kindly act?" "Certainly," said Cyaxares,
"so far as that went, I saw nothing but kindliness." [18] "Well, after
the enemy had come, and we had to fight the matter out, did you ever see
me shrink from toil or try to escape from danger?" "That I never did,"
said Cyaxares, "quite the contrary."

[19] "And afterwards, when, through the help of heaven, victory was
ours, and the enemy retreated, and I implored you to let us pursue them
together, take vengeance on them together, win together the fruits
of any gallant exploit we might achieve, can you accuse me then of
self-seeking or self-aggrandisement?"

[20] But at that Cyaxares was silent. Then Cyrus spoke again. "If you
would rather not reply to that, tell me if you thought yourself injured
because, when you considered pursuit unsafe, I relieved you of the risk,
and only begged you to lend me some of your cavalry? If my offence lay
in asking for that, when I had already offered to work with you, side by
side, you must prove it to me; and it will need some eloquence."

[21] He paused, but Cyaxares still kept silence. "Nay," said Cyrus, "if
you will not answer that either, tell me at least if my offence lay in
what followed, when you said that you did not care to stop your Medes in
their merry-making and drive them out into danger, do you think it was
wrong in me, without waiting to quarrel on that score, to ask you for
what I knew was the lightest boon you could grant and the lightest
command you could lay on your soldiers? For I only asked that he who
wished it might be allowed to follow me. [22] And thus, when I had
won your permission, I had won nothing, unless I could win them too.
Therefore I went and tried persuasion, and some listened to me, and with
these I set off on my march, holding my commission from your own self.
So that, if you look on this act as blameworthy, it would seem that not
even the acceptance of your own gifts can be free from blame. [23]