you told me of your
needs. I desire to be your friend and I offer you gifts; and if you have
need of anything more, I bid you say the word, and it shall be yours. I
have told my men to do whatever you command."

[2] Then Cyrus answered:

"This, then, is my bidding: the rest of you shall stay where you have
pitched your tents; you shall guard your treasures and live as you
choose: but three of you shall go to the enemy and make believe that you
have come to him about an alliance with your king, and thus you shall
learn how matters stand, and all they say and all they do, and so bring
me word again with speed. And if you serve me well in this, I shall owe
you even more than I could owe you for these gifts. There are some spies
who are no better than slaves, and have no skill to find out anything
more than is known already, but there are men of another sort, men of
your stamp, who can discover plans that are not yet disclosed."

[3] The Indians listened gladly, and for the moment made themselves at
home as the guests of Cyrus: but the next day they got ready and set
off on their journey, promising to find out as much as they could of the
enemy's secrets and bring him word again with all possible speed.

[4] Meanwhile Cyrus continued his preparations for the war on
a magnificent scale, like one who meant to accomplish no small
achievement. Not only did he carry out all the resolutions of the
allies, but he breathed a spirit of emulation into his own friends
and followers, till each strove to outshine his fellows in arms
and accoutrements, in horsemanship and spearmanship and archery, in
endurance of toil and danger. [5] Cyrus would lead them out to the
chase, and show especial honour to those who distinguished themselves in
any way: he would whet the ambition of the officers by praising all who
did their best to improve their men, and by gratifying them in every way
he could. [6] At every sacrifice and festival he instituted games and
contests in all martial exercises, and lavished prizes on the victors,
till the whole army was filled with enthusiasm and confidence. [7] By
this time Cyrus had almost everything in readiness for the campaign,
except the battering-machines. The Persian cavalry was made up to its
full number of ten thousand men, and the scythed chariots were complete,
a hundred of his own, and a hundred that Abradatas of Susa had provided.
[8] Beside these there were a hundred of the old Median chariots whic