herodotus

upon Prexaspes and said: "Prexaspes, was it thus that thou didstperform for me the thing which I gave over to thee to do?" and hesaid: "Master, the saying is not true that Smerdis thy brother hasrisen up against thee, nor that thou wilt have any contention arisingfrom him, either great or small: for I myself, having done that whichthou didst command me to do, buried him with my own hands. Iftherefore the dead have risen again to life, then thou mayest expectthat Astyages also the Mede will rise up against thee; but if it is asit was beforetime, there is no fear now that any trouble shall springup for you, at least from him. Now therefore I think it well that someshould pursue after the herald and examine him, asking from whom hehas come to proclaim to us that we are to obey Smerdis as king." 63.When Prexaspes had thus spoken, Cambyses was pleased with the advice,and accordingly the herald was pursued forthwith and returned. Thenwhen he had come back, Prexaspes asked him as follows: "Man, thousayest that thou art come as a messenger from Smerdis the son ofCyrus: now therefore speak the truth and go away in peace. I ask theewhether Smerdis himself appeared before thine eyes and charged thee tosay this, or some one of those who serve him." He said: "Smerdis theson of Cyrus I have never yet seen, since the day that king Cambysesmarched to Egypt: but the Magian whom Cambyses appointed to beguardian of his household, he, I say, gave me this charge, saying thatSmerdis the son of Cyrus was he who laid the command upon me to speakthese things to you." Thus he spoke to them, adding no falsehoods tothe first, and Cambyses said: "Prexaspes, thou hast done that whichwas commanded thee like an honest man, and hast escaped censure; butwho of the Persians may this be who has risen up against me andusurped the name of Smerdis?" He said: "I seem to myself, O king, tohave understanding of this which has come to pass: the Magians haverisen against thee, Patizeithes namely, whom thou didst leave ascaretaker of thy household, and his brother Smerdis." 64. ThenCambyses, when he heard the name of Smerdis, perceived at once thetrue meaning of this report and of the dream, for he thought in hissleep that some one had reported to him that Smerdis was sitting uponthe royal throne and had touched the heaven with his head: andperceiving that he had slain his brother without need, he began tolament for Smerdis; and having lamented for him and sorrowed greatlyfor the whole mishap, he was leaping upon his horse, meaning asquickly as possible to march his army to Susa against the Magian; andas he leapt upon his horse, the cap of his sword-sheath fell off, andthe sword being left bare struck his thigh. Having been wounded thenin the same part where he had formerly struck Apis the god of theEgyptians, and believing that he had been struck with a mortal blow,Cambyses asked what was the name of that town, and they said"Agbatana." Now even before this he had been informed by the Oracle atthe city of Buto that in Agbatana he should bring his life to an end: