The histories of Herodotus;

52 HERODOTUS—BOOK I, CLIO [126-128
and about eighteen or twenty stadia square, and directed them
to clear it during the day : when the Persians had finished the
appointed task, he next told them to come again on the next
day, having first washed themselves. In the meantime Cyrus,
having collected together all his father's flocks and herds,
had them killed and dressed, as purposing to entertain the
Persian forces, and he provided wine and bread in abundance.
The next day, when the Persians were assembled, he made
them lie down on the turf, and feasted them ; and after the
repast was over, Cyrus asked them whether the treatment
they had received the day before, or the present, were preferable.
They answered that the difference was great; for on
the preceding day they had every hardship, but on the pres-
ent everything that was good. Cyrus therefore, having received
this answer, discovered his intentions, and said : " Men
of Persia, the case stands thus : if you will hearken to me, you
may enjoy these, and numberless other advantages, without
any kind of servile labour; but if you will not hearken to
me, innumerable hardships, like those of yesterday, await
you. Now, therefore, obey me, and be free ; for I am per-
suaded I am born of divine providence to undertake this work
and I deem you to be men in no way inferior to the Medes,
either in other respects or in war: since then these things
. are so, revolt with all speed from Astyages."
The Persians having obtained a leader, gladly asserted
their freedom, having for a long time felt indignant at being
governed by the Medes. Astyages, being informed of what
Cyrus was doing, sent a messenger and summoned him
but Cyrus bade the messenger take back word that he would
come to him sooner than Astyages desired. When Astyages
heard this, he armed all the Medes, and, as if the gods had
deprived him of understanding, made Harpagus their general,
utterly forgetting the outrage he had done him. And when
the Medes came to an engagement with the Persians, such
of them as knew nothing of the plot, fought, but others went
over to the Persians ; and the far greater part purposely behaved
as cowards and fled. The army of the Medes being thus
shamefully dispersed, as soon as the news was brought to
Astyages, he exclaimed, threatening Cyrus, " Not even so
shall Cyrus have occasion to rejoice." Having so said, he
first impaled the Magi, who had interpreted his dream, and
advised him to let Cyrus go; then he armed all the Medes
that were left in the city, both old and young; and leading
them out, he engaged the Persians, and was defeated. Astyages
himself was made prisoner, and he lost all the Medes
;