The histories of Herodotus;

I54 HERODOTUS—BOOK III, THALIA [2-5
ing that he was born from this daughter of Apries ; for that
it was Cyrus, and not Cambyses, who sent to Amasis for his
daughter; but in saying this they err. Nor indeed could it
escape their notice (for if any people are well acquainted with
the Persian customs, the Egyptians are so) that, first of all,
it is not customary with them for a natural son to reign when
there is a legitimate son living; and secondly, that Cambyses
was the son of Cassandane, daughter of Pharnaspes, one of
the Achaemenidae, and not of the Egyptian woman. But they
pervert the truth, claiming to be related to the family of Cyrus.
And this is the real state of the case. This other story is also
told, which to me seems incredible. A certain Persian lady
visited Cyrus's women, and when she saw the children of
Cassandane, beautiful and tall, standing by her, praised them
highly, being exceedingly struck with them ; but Cassandane,
wife of Cyrus, said, " Though I am the mother of such children,
Cyrus holds me in disdain, and honours her whom he
has obtained from Egypt." This she said through envy of
Nitetis ; but the eldest of her sons, Cambyses, said, " Therefore,
mother, when I am a man, I will turn all Egypt upside
down." He said this when he was about ten years of age, and
the women were much astonished ; but he, bearing it in mind
when he grew up and was possessed of the kingdom, accordingly
invaded Egypt.
The following other incident also occurred to promote this
was among the auxiliaries of Amasis a man
invasion : There
by birth an Halicarnassian, whose name was Phanes, one
able in counsel and valiant in war. This Phanes, owing some
spite to Amasis, escaped in a ship from Egypt, with a design
to confer with Cambyses. But as he was a man of no small
consequence among the auxiliaries, and was very accurately
acquainted with the affairs of Egypt, Amasis sent in pursuit
of him, making every effort to take him ; and he sent the most
trusty of his eunuchs in pursuit of him, with a trireme, who
caught him in Lycia, but having taken him, did not bring
him back to Egypt, for Phanes overreached him by artifice;
for having intoxicated his guards, he got away to the Persians
; and coming over to Cambyses as he was preparing to
march against Egypt, and was in doubt about his route, how
he should pass the arid desert, he informed him both of
other affairs of Amasis, and explained to him the route, advising
him to send to the King of the Arabians, and ask
him to grant him a safe passage through his territories. By
this way only is there an open passage into Egypt. For from
Phoenicia to the confines of the city of Cadytis, which belongs