nd ears" of the king may be compared to our police-
ministers. Darius may have borrowed the name from Egypt, where such
titles as "the 2 eyes of the king for Upper Egypt, the 2 ears of the
king for Lower Egypt" are to be found on the earlier monuments, for
instance in the tomb of Amen en, heb at Abd el Qurnah. And in
Herodotus II. 114. the boy Cyrus calls one of his playfellows "the
eye of the king," Herod. (I, 100.)]

The king was preceded by heralds bearing staves, and followed by a
host of fan, sedan and footstool-bearers, men carrying carpets, and
secretaries who the moment he uttered a command, or even indicated a
concession, a punishment or a reward, hastened to note it down and at
once hand it over to the officials empowered to execute his decrees.

In the middle of the brilliantly-lighted hall stood a gilded table,
which looked as if it must give way beneath the mass of gold and silver
vessels, plates, cups and bowls which were arranged with great order
upon it. The king's private table, the service on which was of immense
worth and beauty, was placed in an apartment opening out of the large
hall, and separated from it by purple hangings. These concealed him from
the gaze of the revellers, but did not prevent their every movement from
being watched by his eye. It was an object of the highest ambition to be
one of those who ate at the king's table, and even he to whom a portion
was sent might deem himself a highly-favored man.

As Cambyses entered the hall, nearly every one present prostrated
themselves before him; his relations alone, distinguished by the blue
and white fillet on the tiara, contented themselves with a deferential
obeisance.

After the king had seated himself in his private apartment, the rest
of the company took their places, and then a tremendous revel began.
Animals, roasted whole, were placed on the table, and, when hunger was
appeased, several courses of the rarest delicacies followed, celebrated
in later times even among the Greeks under the name of "Persian
dessert."

[Herodotus (I. 133.) writes that the Persians fancied the Greeks'
hunger was never satisfied, because nothing special was brought to
the table at the end of the meal.]

Slaves then entered to remove the remains of the food. Others brought in
immense jugs of wine, the king left his own apartment, took his seat
at the head of the table, numerous cup-bearers filled the golden
drinking-cups in th