an was not convinced. The giving and expending, he maintained,
would be to him, in itself, a source of pleasure. He should like to
have much, for the very purpose of being able to expend much. Finally,
Pheraulas proposed to the Sacian, since he seemed to think that riches
would afford him so much pleasure, and as he himself, Pheraulas, found
the possession of them only a source of trouble and care, that he
would convey all his wealth to the Sacian, he himself to receive only
an ordinary maintenance from it.

"You are in jest," said the Sacian.

"No," said Pheraulas, "I am in earnest." And he renewed his
proposition, and pressed the Sacian urgently to accept of it.

The Sacian then said that nothing could give him greater pleasure than
such an arrangement. He expressed great gratitude for so generous an
offer, and promised that, if he received the property, he would
furnish Pheraulas with most ample and abundant supplies for all his
wants, and would relieve him entirely of all responsibility and care.
He promised, moreover, to obtain from Cyrus permission that Pheraulas
should thereafter be excused from the duties of military service, and
from all the toils, privations, and hardships of war, so that he might
thenceforth lead a life of quiet, luxury, and ease, and thus live in
the enjoyment of all the benefits which wealth could procure, without
its anxieties and cares.

The plan, thus arranged, was carried into effect. Pheraulas divested
himself of his possessions, conveying them all to the Sacian. Both
parties were extremely pleased with the operation of the scheme, and
they lived thus together for a long time. Whatever Pheraulas acquired
in any way, he always brought to the Sacian, and the Sacian, by
accepting it, relieved Pheraulas of all responsibility and care. The
Sacian loved Pheraulas, as Xenophon says, in closing this narrative,
because he was thus continually bringing him gifts; and Pheraulas
loved the Sacian, because he was always willing to take the gifts
which were thus brought to him.

Among the other conversations, whether real or imaginary, which
Xenophon records, he gives some specimens of those which took place at
festive entertainments in Cyrus's tent, on occasions when he invited
his officers to dine with him. He commenced the conversation, on one
of these occasions, by inquiring of some of the officers present
whether they did not think that the common soldiers were equal to the
officers themse