〃since you drive me to the truth。〃 ＇12＇ 〃Then answer me now； point by
point；〃 said Cyrus。 〃If you have an officer and he does wrong； do you
suffer him to remain in office； or do you set up another in his
stead？〃 〃I set up another。〃 〃And if he have great riches； to you leave
him all his wealth； or do you make him a beggar？〃 〃I take away from
him all that he has。〃 〃And if you found him deserting to your enemies；
what would you do？〃 〃I would kill him；〃 he said： 〃why should I perish
with a lie on my lips rather than speak the truth and die？〃
＇13＇ But at this his son rent his garments and dashed the tiara from
his brows； and the women lifted up their voices in wailing and tore
their cheeks； as though their father was dead already； and they
themselves undone。 But Cyrus bade them keep silence； and spoke again。
〃Son of Armenia； we have heard your own judgment in this case； and now
tell us； what ought we to do？〃 But the king sat silent and perplexed；
wondering whether he should bid Cyrus put him to death； or act in the
teeth of the rule he had laid down for himself。 ＇14＇ Then his son
Tigranes turned to Cyrus and said； 〃Tell me； Cyrus； since my father
sits in doubt； may I give counsel in his place and say what I think
best for you？〃
Now Cyrus remembered that； in the old hunting days； he had noticed a
certain man of wisdom who went about with Tigranes and was much
admired by him； and he was curious to know what the youth would say。
So he readily agreed and bade him speak his mind。
＇15＇ 〃In my view； then；〃 said Tigranes； 〃if you approve of all that my
father has said and done； certainly you ought to do as he did； but if
you think he has done wrong； then you must not copy him。〃
〃But surely；〃 said Cyrus； 〃the best way to avoid copying the wrongdoer
is to practise what is right？〃
〃True enough；〃 answered the prince。
〃Then on your own reasoning； I am bound to punish your father； if it
is right to punish wrong。〃
〃But would you wish your vengeance to do you harm instead of good？〃
〃Nay；〃 said Cyrus； 〃for then my vengeance would fall upon myself。〃
＇16＇ 〃Even so；〃 said Tigranes； 〃and you will do yourself the greatest
harm if you put your own subjects to death just when they are most
valuable to you。〃
〃Can they have any value；〃 asked Cyrus； 〃when they are detected doing
wrong？〃
〃Yes；〃 answered Tigranes； 〃if that is when they turn to good and learn
sobriety。 For it is my belief； Cyrus； that without this virtue all
others are in vain。 What good will you get from a strong man or a
brave if he lack sobriety； be he never so good a horseman； never so
rich； never so powerful in the state？ But with sobriety every friend
is a friend in need and every servant a blessing。〃
＇17＇ 〃I take your meaning；〃 answered Cyrus； 〃your father； you would
have me think； has been changed in this one day from a fool into a
wise and sober…minded man？〃
〃Exactly；〃 said the prince。
〃Then you would call sober…mindedness a condition of our nature； such
as pain； not a matter of reason that can be learnt？ For certainly； if
he who is to be sober…minded must learn wisdom first； he could not be
converted from folly in a day。〃
＇18＇ 〃Nay； but； Cyrus；〃 said the prince； 〃surely you yourself have
known one man at least who out of sheer folly has set himself to fight
a stronger man than he； and on the day of defeat his senselessness has
been cured。 And surely you have known a city ere now that has
marshalled her battalions against a rival state； but with defeat she
changes suddenly and is willing to obey and not resist？〃
＇19＇ 〃But what defeat；〃 said Cyrus； 〃can you find in your father's
case to make you so sure that he has come to a sober mind？〃
〃A defeat；〃 answered the young man； 〃of which he is well aware in the
secret chambers of his soul。 He set his heart on liberty； and he has
found himself a slave as never before： he had designs that needed
stealth and speed and force； and not one of them has he been able to
carry through。 With you he knows that design and fulfilment went hand
in hand； when you wished to outwit him； outwit him you did； as though
he had been blind and deaf and dazed； when stealth was needed； your
stealth was such that the fortresses he thought his own you turned
into traps for him； and your speed was such that you were upon him
from miles away with all your armament before he found time to muster
the forces at his command。〃
＇20＇ 〃So you think；〃 said Cyrus； 〃that merely to learn another is
stronger than himself is defeat enough to bring a man to his senses？〃
〃I do；〃 answered Tigranes； 〃and far more truly than mere defeat in
battle。 For he who is conquered by force may fancy that if he trains
he can renew the war； and captured cities dream that with the help of
allies they will fight again one day； but if we meet with men who are
better than ourselves and whom we recognise to be so； we are ready to
obey them of our own free will。〃 ＇21＇ 〃You imagine then；〃 said Cyrus；
〃that the bully and the tyrant cannot recognise the man of self…
restraint； nor the thief the honest man； nor the liar the truth…
speaker； nor the unjust man the upright？ Has not your own father lied
even now and broken his word with us； although he knew that we had
faithfully observed every jot and tittle of the compact Astyages
made？〃 ＇22＇ 〃Ah； but；〃 replied the prince； 〃I do not pretend that the
bare knowledge alone will bring a man to his senses； it cannot cure
him unless he pays the penalty as my father pays it to…day。〃 〃But；〃
answered Cyrus； 〃your father has suffered nothing at all so far：
although he fears； I know； that the worst suffering may be his。〃 ＇23＇
〃Do you suppose then；〃 asked Tigranes； 〃that anything can enslave a
man more utterly than fear？ Do you not know that even the men who are
beaten with the iron rod of war； the heaviest rod in all the world；
may still be ready to fight again； while the victims of terror cannot
be brought to look their conquerors in the face； even when they try to
comfort them？〃 〃Then； you maintain；〃 said Cyrus； 〃that fear will
subdue a man more than suffering？〃 ＇24＇ 〃Yes；〃 he answered； 〃and you
of all men know that what I say is true： you know the despondency men
feel in dread of banishment； or on the eve of battle facing defeat； or
sailing the sea in peril of shipwreckthey cannot touch their food or
take their rest because of their alarm： while it may often be that the
exiles themselves； the conquered； or the enslaved； can eat and sleep
better than men who have not known adversity。 ＇25＇ Think of those
panic…stricken creatures who through fear of capture and death have
died before their day； have hurled themselves from cliffs； hanged
themselves； or set the knife to their throats； so cruelly can fear；
the prince of horrors； bind and subjugate the souls of men。 And what；
think you； does my father feel at this moment？ He； whose fears are not
for himself alone； but for us all； for his wife； and for his
children。〃 ＇26＇ And Cyrus said； 〃To…day and at this time； it may be
with him as you say： but I still think that the same man may well be
insolent in good fortune and cringing in defeat： let such an one go
free again； and he will return to his arrogance and trouble us once
more。〃 ＇27＇ 〃I do not deny it； Cyrus；〃 said the prince。 〃Our offences
are such that you may well mistrust us： but you have it in your power
to set garrisons in our land and hold our strong places and take what
pledges you think best。 And even so；〃 he added； 〃you will not find
that we fret against our chains； for we shall remember we have only
ourselves to blame。 Whereas； if you hand over the government to some
who have not offended； they may either think that you mistrust them；
and thus； although you are their benefactor； you cannot be their
friend； or else in your anxiety not to rouse their enmity you may
leave no check on their insolence； and in the end you will need to
sober them even more than us。〃 ＇28＇ 〃Nay； but by all the gods；〃 cried
Cyrus； 〃little joy should I ever take in those who served me from
necessity alone。 Only if I recognise some touch of friendship or
goodwill in the help it is their duty to render； I could find it
easier to forgive them all their faults than to accept the full
discharge of service paid upon compulsion by those who hate me。〃
Then Tigranes answered； 〃You speak of friendship； but can you ever
find elsewhere so great a friendship as you may find with us？〃 〃Surely
I can；〃 he answered； 〃and with those who have never been my enemies；
if I choose to be their benefactor as you would have me yours。〃 ＇29＇
〃But to…day； and now； can you find another man in the world whom you
could benefit as you can benefit my father？ Say you let a man live who
has never done you wrong； will he be grateful for the boon？ Say he
need not lose his children and his wife； will he love you for that
more than one who knows he well deserved the loss？ Say he may not sit
upon the throne of Armenia； will he suffer from that as we shall
suffer？ And is it not clear that the one who feels the pain of
forfeiture the most will be the one most grateful for the granting of
the gift？ ＇30＇ And if you have it at all at heart to leave matters
settled here； think for yourself； and see where tranquillity will lie
when your back is turned。 Will it be with the new dynasty； or with the
old familiar house？ And if you want as large a force as possible at
your command； where will you find a man better fitted to test the
muster…roll than the general who has used it time and again？ If you
need money； who will provide the ways and means better than he who
knows and can command all the resources of the country？ I warn you as
a friend；〃 he added； 〃that if you throw us aside you will do yourself
more harm than ever my father could have done。〃
＇31＇ Such were the pleadings of the prince； and Cyrus； as he listened；
was overjoyed； for he felt he would accomplish to the full all he had
promised Cyaxares； his own words came back to him； 〃I hope to make the
Armenian a better friend than before。〃
Thereupon he turned to the king and said； 〃Son of Armenia； if I were
indeed to hearken unto you and yours in this； tell me； how large an
army would you send me and how much