herodotus

31. This they say was the first beginning of the evil deeds ofCambyses; and next after this he put to death his sister, who hadaccompanied him to Egypt, to whom also he was married, she being hissister by both parents. Now he took her to wife in the followingmanner (for before this the Persians had not been wont at all to marrytheir sisters):--Cambyses fell in love with one of his sisters, anddesired to take her to wife; so since he had it in mind to do thatwhich was not customary, he called the Royal Judges and asked themwhether there existed any law which permitted him who desired it tomarry his sister. Now the Royal Judges are men chosen out from amongthe Persians, and hold their office until they die or until someinjustice is found in them, so long and no longer. These pronouncedecisions for the Persians and are the expounders of the ordinances oftheir fathers, and all matters are referred to them. So when Cambysesasked them, they gave him an answer which was both upright and safe,saying that they found no law which permitted a brother to marry hissister, but apart from that they had found a law to the effect thatthe king of the Persians might do whatsoever he desired. Thus on theone hand they did not tamper with the law for fear of Cambyses, and atthe same time, that they might not perish themselves in maintainingthe law, they found another law beside that which was asked for, whichwas in favour of him who wished to marry his sisters. So Cambyses atthat time took to wife her with whom he was in love, but after no longtime he took another sister. Of these it was the younger whom he putto death, she having accompanied him to Egypt. 32. About her death, asabout the death of Smerdis, two different stories are told. TheHellenes say that Cambyses had matched a lion's cub in fight with adog's whelp, and this wife of his was also a spectator of it; and whenthe whelp was being overcome, another whelp, its brother, broke itschain and came to help it; and having become two instead of one, thewhelps then got the better of the cub: and Cambyses was pleased at thesight, but she sitting by him began to weep; and Cambyses perceived itand asked wherefore she wept; and she said that she had wept when shesaw that the whelp had come to the assistance of its brother, becauseshe remembered Smerdis and perceived that there was no one who wouldcome to his[25] assistance. The Hellenes say that it was for thissaying that she was killed by Cambyses: but the Egyptians say that asthey were sitting round at table, the wife took a lettuce and pulledoff the leaves all round, and then asked her husband whether thelettuce was fairer when thus plucked round or when covered withleaves, and he said "when covered with leaves": she then spoke thus:"Nevertheless thou didst once produce the likeness of this lettuce,when thou didst strip bare the house of Cyrus." And he moved to angerleapt upon her, being with child, and she miscarried and died.33. These were the acts of madness done by Cambyses towards those of