s had fallen,
continued to fight on till they were all slain. It was evident, at
last, that the Scythians were gaining the day. When night came on, the
Persian army was found to be almost wholly destroyed; the remnant
dispersed. When all was over, the Scythians, in exploring the field,
found the dead body of Cyrus among the other ghastly and mutilated
remains which covered the ground. They took it up with a ferocious and
exulting joy, and carried it to Tomyris.

Tomyris treated it with every possible indignity. She cut and
mutilated the lifeless form; as if it could still feel the injuries
inflicted by her insane revenge. "Miserable wretch!" said she; "though
I am in the end your conqueror, you have ruined my peace and happiness
forever. You have murdered my son. But I promised you your fill of
blood, and you shall have it." So saying, she filled a can with
Persian blood, obtained, probably, by the execution of her captives,
and, cutting off the head of her victim from the body, she plunged it
in, exclaiming, "Drink there, insatiable monster, till your murderous
thirst is satisfied."

This was the end of Cyrus. Cambyses, his son, whom he had appointed
regent during his absence, succeeded quietly to the government of his
vast dominions.

In reflecting on this melancholy termination of this great conqueror's
history, our minds naturally revert to the scenes of his childhood,
and we wonder that so amiable, and gentle, and generous a boy should
become so selfish, and unfeeling, and overbearing as a man. But such
are the natural and inevitable effects of ambition and an inordinate
love of power. The history of a conqueror is always a tragical and
melancholy tale. He begins life with an exhibition of great and noble
qualities, which awaken in us, who read his history, the same
admiration that was felt for him, personally, by his friends and
countrymen while he lived, and on which the vast ascendency which he
acquired over the minds of his fellow-men, and which led to his power
and fame, was, in a great measure, founded. On the other hand, he ends
life neglected, hated, and abhorred. His ambition has been gratified,
but the gratification has brought with it no substantial peace or
happiness; on the contrary, it has filled his soul with uneasiness,
discontent, suspiciousness, and misery. The histories of heroes would
be far less painful in the perusal if we could reverse this moral
change of character, so as to have the cru