The histories of Herodotus;

82 HERODOTUS—BOOK I, CLIO [209-212
moned Hystaspes, and, taking him aside, said : " Hystaspes,
your son has been detected plotting against me and my empire
; and I will show you how I know it for a certainty. The
gods watch over me, and forewarn me of everything that is
about to befall me. Now, in the past night, as I was sleeping,
I saw the eldest of your sons with wings on his shoulders,
and with one of these he overshadowed Asia, and Europe
with the other; from this vision it can not be otherwise
than that your son is forming designs against me; do you
therefore go back to Persia with all speed, and take care, that
when I have conquered these people and return home, you
bring your son before me to be examined." Cyrus spoke thus
under a persuasion that Darius was plotting against him;
but the deity forewarned him that he himself would die in
that very expedition, and that his kingdom would devolve
on Darius. Hystaspes, however, answered in these words
" God forbid, O king, that a Persian should be born who
would plot against you ! But if any such there be, may sudden
destruction overtake him, for you have made the Persians
free instead of being slaves, and instead of being ruled over
by others, to rule over all : but if any vision informs you that
my son is forming any plot against you, I freely surrender
him to you to deal with as you please." Hystaspes, having
given this answer, repassed the Araxes and went to Persia,
for the purpose of keeping his son Darius in custody for
Cyrus.
Cyrus having advanced one day's march from the Araxes,
proceeded to act according to the suggestion of Crcesus. After
this, when Cyrus and the effective part of the Persian army
had marched back to the Araxes, leaving the ineffective part
behind, a third division of the army of the Massagetae attacked
those of Cyrus's forces that had been left behind, and, after
some resistance, put them to death. Then, seeing the feast
laid out, as soon as they had overcome their enemies they lay
down and feasted ; and being filled with food and wine, fell
asleep. But the Persians having attacked them, put many
of them to death, and took a still greater number prisoners,
and among them the son of Queen Tomyris, who commanded
the Massagetae, and whose name was Spargapises. She, when
she heard what had befallen her army and her son, sent a
herald to Cyrus with the following message : " Cyrus, insatiate
with blood, be not elated with what has now happened,
that by the fruit of the vine, with which ye yourselves, when
filled with it, so rave, that when it descends into your bodies
evil words float on your lips; be not elated that by such a
: