ague
rumours which were being circulated against them, had besought Prexaspes
to proclaim to the people that the reigning monarch was indeed Smerdis
himself. But Prexaspes, instead of making the desired declaration,
informed the multitude that the son of Cyrus was indeed dead, for he
himself had murdered him at the bidding of Cambyses, and, having
made this confession, he put himself to death, in order to escape
the vengeance of the Magi. This act of Prexaspes was an additional
inducement to the conspirators to execute their purpose. The guard
stationed at the gates of the palace dared not refuse admission to so
noble a company, and when the throne-room was reached and the eunuchs
forbade further advance, the seven boldly drew their swords and forced
their way to the apartment occupied by the two Magi. The usurpers
defended themselves with bravery, but succumbed at length to the
superior number of their opponents, after having wounded two of the
conspirators. Gobryas pinioned Gaumata with his arms, and in such a way
that Darius hesitated to make the fatal thrust for fear of wounding
his comrade; but the latter bade him strike at all hazards, and by good
fortune the sword did not even graze him. The crime accomplished, the
seven conspirators agreed to choose as king that member of their company
whose horse should first neigh after sunrise: a stratagem of his groom
caused the election to fall on Darius. As soon as he was duly enthroned,
he instituted a festival called the "magophonia," or "massacre of the
Magi," in commemoration of the murder which had given him the crown.

His first care was to recompense the nobles to whom he owed his position
by restoring to them the privileges of which they had been deprived by
the pseudo-Smerdis, namely, the right of free access to the king, as
well as the right of each individual to a funeral pyre; but the usurper
had won the affection of the people, and even the inhabitants of those
countries which had been longest subject to the Persian sway did not
receive the new sovereign favourably. Darius found himself, therefore,
under the necessity of conquering his dominions one after the other.*

* The history of the early part of the reign of Darius is
recorded in the great inscription which the king caused to
be cut in three languages on the rocks of Behistun. The
order of the events recorded in it is not always easy to
determine. I have finally adopted, with s