es, "A monstrous fine fellow
you are, Pheraulas!" said one: "you are to give us our orders, it
seems!"

"Oh, yes," said Pheraulas, "and carry your baggage too. Here I come with
two cloaks as it is, one for you and another for somebody else: you must
choose whichever you like the best."

[8] At that the officer put out his hand to take the cloak; he had clean
forgotten his jealousy, and fell to asking Pheraulas which he had
better choose. And Pheraulas gave his advice, adding, "But if you inform
against me, and let out that I gave you the choice, the next time I have
to wait upon you you will find me a very different sort of serving-man."

Thus he distributed the gifts he brought, and then he saw to the
arrangements for the procession so that everything should be as far as
possible.

[9] On the morrow all things were ready before day-break, ranks lining
the road on either hand, as they do to this day when the king is
expected to ride abroad--no one may pass within the lines unless he is
a man of mark--and constables were posted with whips, to use at any sign
of disturbance.

In front of the palace stood the imperial guard of lancers, four
thousand strong, drawn up four deep on either side of the gates. [10]
And all the cavalry were there, the men standing beside their horses,
with their hands wrapped in their cloaks, as is the custom to this day
for every subject when the king's eye is on him. The Persians stood on
the right, and the allies on the left, and the chariots were posted in
the same way, half on one side and half on the other. [11] Presently the
palace-gates were flung open, and at the head of the procession were
led out the bulls for sacrifice, beautiful creatures, four and four
together. They were to be offered to Zeus and to any other gods that the
Persian priests might name. For the Persians think it of more importance
to follow the guidance of the learned in matters pertaining to the gods
than in anything else whatever.

[12] After the oxen came horses, an offering to the Sun, then a white
chariot with a golden yoke, hung with garlands and dedicated to Zeus,
and after that the white car of the Sun, wreathed like the one before
it, and then a third chariot, the horses of which were caparisoned with
scarlet trappings, and behind walked men carrying fire upon a mighty
hearth. [13] And then at last Cyrus himself was seen, coming forth from
the gates in his chariot, wearing his tiara on his head, and a