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esieged Tabalos, having shut himself up in the citadel. 155. Hearingthis on his way, Cyrus said to Crœsus as follows: "Crœsus, what endshall I find of these things which are coming to pass? The Lydianswill not cease as it seems, from giving trouble to me and from havingit themselves. I doubt me if it were not best[157] to sell them all asslaves; for as it is, I see that I have done in like manner as if oneshould slay the father and then spare his sons: just so I tookprisoner and am carrying away thee, who wert much more than the fatherof the Lydians, while to the Lydians themselves I delivered up theircity; and can I feel surprise after this that they have revolted fromme?" Thus he said what was in his mind, but Crœsus answered him asfollows, fearing lest he should destroy Sardis: "O king, that whichthou hast said is not without reason; but do not thou altogether givevent to thy wrath, nor destroy an ancient city which is guiltless bothof the former things and also of those which have come to pass now:for as to the former things it was I who did them and I bear theconsequences heaped upon my head;[158] and as for what is now beingdone, since the wrongdoer is Pactyas to whom thou didst entrust thecharge of Sardis, let him pay the penalty. But the Lydians I pray theepardon, and lay upon them commands as follows, in order that they maynot revolt nor be a cause of danger to thee:--send to them and forbidthem to possess weapons of war, but bid them on the other hand put ontunics under their outer garments and be shod with buskins, andproclaim to them that they train their sons to play the lyre and theharp and to be retail-dealers; and soon thou shalt see, O king, thatthey have become women instead of men, so that there will be no fearthat they will revolt from thee." 156. Crœsus, I say, suggested to himthis, perceiving that this was better for the Lydians than to bereduced to slavery and sold; for he knew that if he did not offer asufficient reason, he would not persuade Cyrus to change his mind, andhe feared lest at some future time, if they should escape the presentdanger, the Lydians might revolt from the Persians and be destroyed.And Cyrus was greatly pleased with the suggestion made and slackenedfrom his wrath, saying that he agreed with his advice. Then he calledMazares a Mede, and laid charge upon him to proclaim to the Lydiansthat which Crœsus suggested, and moreover to sell into slavery all therest who had joined with the Lydians in the expedition to Sardis, andfinally by all means to bring Pactyas himself alive to Cyrus.157. Having given this charge upon the road, he continued his march tothe native land of the Persians; but Pactyas hearing that an army wasapproaching to fight against him was struck with fear and fled awayforthwith to Kyme. Then Mazares the Mede marched upon Sardis with acertain portion of the army of Cyrus, and as he did not find Pactyasor his followers any longer at Sardis, he first compelled the Lydiansto perform the commands of Cyrus, and by his commands the Lydians