herodotus

Perseïd[134] kings. But other Persian tribes there are, as follows:--the Panthaliaians, the Derusiaians and the Germanians, these are alltillers of the soil; and the rest are nomad tribes, namely the Daoi,Mardians, Dropicans and Sagartians.) 126. Now there was a certainregion of the Persian land which was overgrown with thorns, extendingsome eighteen or twenty furlongs in each direction; and when all hadcome with that which they had been before commanded to bring, Cyrusbade them clear this region for cultivation within one day: and whenthe Persians had achieved the task proposed, then he bade them come tohim on the next day bathed and clean. Meanwhile Cyrus, having gatheredtogether in one place all the flocks of goats and sheep and the herdsof cattle belonging to his father, slaughtered them and prepared withthem to entertain the host of the Persians, and moreover with wine andother provisions of the most agreeable kind. So when the Persians cameon the next day, he made them recline in a meadow and feasted them.And when they had finished dinner, Cyrus asked them whether that whichthey had on the former day or that which they had now seemed to thempreferable. They said that the difference between them was great, forthe former day had for them nothing but evil, and the present daynothing but good. Taking up this saying Cyrus proceeded to lay barehis whole design, saying: "Men of the Persians, thus it is with you.If ye will do as I say, ye have these and ten thousand other goodthings, with no servile labour; but if ye will not do as I say, yehave labours like that of yesterday innumerable. Now therefore do as Isay and make yourselves free: for I seem to myself to have been bornby providential fortune to take these matters in hand; and I thinkthat ye are not worse men than the Medes, either in other matters orin those which have to do with war. Consider then that this is so, andmake revolt from Astyages forthwith."127. So the Persians having obtained a leader willingly attempted toset themselves free, since they had already for a long time beenindignant to be ruled by the Medes: but when Astyages heard that Cyruswas acting thus, he sent a messenger and summoned him; and Cyrus badethe messenger report to Astyages that he would be with him sooner thanhe would himself desire. So Astyages hearing this armed all the Medes,and blinded by divine providence he appointed Harpagos to be theleader of the army, forgetting what he had done to him. Then when theMedes had marched out and began to fight with the Persians, some ofthem continued the battle, namely those who had not been madepartakers in the design, while others went over to the Persians; butthe greater number were wilfully slack and fled. 128. So when theMedian army had been shamefully dispersed, so soon as Astyages heardof it he said, threatening Cyrus: "But not even so shall Cyrus atleast escape punishment." Thus having spoken he first impaled theMagian interpreters of dreams who had persuaded him to let Cyrus go,