BABYLON AND PERSIA

KAMBYSES, 529-522 B.C. 34$just the faults that are most heinous and dan¬gerousin a man armed with absolute power: un¬governable temper and suspiciousness.The formerfrequently carried him beyond all bounds of decencyand moderation, converting even acts of justice intothe enormities of a raving tyrant. Thus on one occa¬sion, having detected one of the seven supreme judgesin dishonest practices, such as taking bribes and tam¬pering with justice, he had him flayed, ordered hischair to be covered with the skin, and compelled hisson, who succeeded him in the office, to sit in thatchair, when trying cases as a warning. True, hewas quick to regret his violent outbreaks ; still hemust have inspired more terror than love in his im¬mediate circle, and we may well credit the report,mentioned by Herodotus, that his subjects drew thisdifference between him and the great Kyros, that,while they used to call the latter " father," they hadno title for Kambyses but the formal one of " mas¬ter." Of this feeling towards him he was sensitivelyaware and bitterly resented it. This unamiable na¬ture was further poisoned by the jealousy with whichhe regarded his only brother, young Bardiya,*whom he not unjustly suspected of being the peo¬ple's favorite, and therefore looked upon as his owndangerous rival. Yet he at first acted honorably,even generously by that brother : he either gave him* The Greeks give the name as Smerdis, having probably heard"Berdis"; some call this prince Tanaoxares or Tanyoxarkes,which Eranian scholars lake to be a corruption for the Persian" thauvarakhshathra," i. e., " king of the bow " ; not unlikely, forwe are told that Bardiya had the reputation of being the best aicherand marksman among tlie l'er.iians.