at
many other captives and much plunder, after one of the great battles
which Cyrus fought with the Assyrians. Her husband was an Assyrian
general, though he himself was not captured at this time with his
wife. The spoil which came into possession of the army on the occasion
of the battle in which Panthea was taken was of great value. There
were beautiful and costly suits of arms, rich tents made of splendid
materials and highly ornamented, large sums of money, vessels of
silver and gold, and slaves--some prized for their beauty, and others
for certain accomplishments which were highly valued in those days.
Cyrus appointed a sort of commission to divide this spoil. He pursued
always a very generous policy on all these occasions, showing no
desire to secure such treasures to himself, but distributing them with
profuse liberality among his officers and soldiers.

The commissioners whom he appointed in this case divided the spoil
among the various generals of the army, and among the different bodies
of soldiery, with great impartiality. Among the prizes assigned to
Cyrus were two singing women of great fame, and this Susian lady.
Cyrus thanked the distributors for the share of booty which they had
thus assigned to him, but said that if any of his friends wished for
either of these captives, they could have them. An officer asked for
one of the singers. Cyrus gave her to him immediately, saying, "I
consider myself more obliged to you for asking her, than you are to me
for giving her to you." As for the Susian lady, Cyrus had not yet seen
her, but he called one of his most intimate and confidential friends
to him, and requested him to take her under his charge.

The name of this officer was Araspes. He was a Mede, and he had been
Cyrus's particular friend and playmate when he was a boy, visiting his
grandfather in Media. The reader will perhaps recollect that he is
mentioned toward the close of our account of that visit, as the
special favorite to whom Cyrus presented his robe or mantle when he
took leave of his friends in returning to his native land.

Araspes, when he received this charge, asked Cyrus whether he had
himself seen the lady. Cyrus replied that he had not. Araspes then
proceeded to give an account of her. The name of her husband was
Abradates, and he was the king of Susa, as they termed him. The reason
why he was not taken prisoner at the same time with his wife was, that
when the battle was fought and the