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back the tears。 ＇8＇ But Cyrus gave him no sign of friendship or
courtesy； and only said； 〃You have come in time； you may be present
now to hear your father tried。〃 With that he summoned the leaders of
the Persians and the Medes； and any Armenian of rank and dignity who
was there； nor would he send away the women as they sat in covered
carriages； but let them listen too。 ＇9＇ When all was ready he began：
〃Son of Armenia； I would counsel you； in the first place； to speak the
truth； so that at least you may stand free from what deserves the
utmost hate： beyond all else； be assured； manifest lying checks the
sympathy of man and man。 Moreover；〃 said he； 〃your own sons； your
daughters； and your wife are well aware of all that you have done； and
so are your own Armenians who are here： if they perceive that you say
what is not true； they must surely feel that out of your own lips you
condemn yourself to suffer the uttermost penalty when I learn the
truth。〃 〃Nay；〃 answered the king； 〃ask me whatever you will； and I
will answer truly； come what come may。〃 ＇10＇ 〃Answer then；〃 said
Cyrus； 〃did you once make war upon Astyages； my mother's father； and
his Medes？〃 〃I did；〃 he answered。 〃And were you conquered by him； and
did you agree to pay tribute and furnish troops whenever he required；
and promise not to fortify your dwellings？〃 〃Even so；〃 he said。 〃Why
is it； then； that to…day you have neither brought the tribute nor sent
the troops； and are building forts？〃 〃I set my heart on liberty： it
seemed to me so fair a thing to be free myself and to leave freedom to
my sons。〃 ＇11＇ 〃And fair and good it is；〃 said Cyrus； 〃to fight for
freedom and choose death rather than slavery； but if a man is worsted
in war or enslaved by any other means and then attempts to rid himself
of his lord； tell me yourself； would you honour such a man as upright；
and a doer of noble deeds； or would you； if you got him in your power；
chastise him as a malefactor？〃 〃I would chastise him；〃 he answered；
〃since you drive me to the truth。〃 ＇12＇ 〃Then answer me now； point by
point；〃 said Cyrus。 〃If you have an officer and he does wrong； do you
suffer him to remain in office； or do you set up another in his
stead？〃 〃I set up another。〃 〃And if he have great riches； to you leave
him all his wealth； or do you make him a beggar？〃 〃I take away from
him all that he has。〃 〃And if you found him deserting to your enemies；
what would you do？〃 〃I would kill him；〃 he said： 〃why should I perish
with a lie on my lips rather than speak the truth and die？〃
＇13＇ But at this his son rent his garments and dashed the tiara from
his brows； and the women lifted up their voices in wailing and tore
their cheeks； as though their father was dead already； and they
themselves undone。 But Cyrus bade them keep silence； and spoke again。
〃Son of Armenia； we have heard your own judgment in this case； and now
tell us； what ought we to do？〃 But the king sat silent and perplexed；
wondering whether he should bid Cyrus put him to death； or act in the
teeth of the rule he had laid down for himself。 ＇14＇ Then his son
Tigranes turned to Cyrus and said； 〃Tell me； Cyrus； since my father
sits in doubt； may I give counsel in his place and say what I think
best for you？〃
Now Cyrus remembered that； in the old hunting days； he had noticed a
certain man of wisdom who went about with Tigranes and was much
admired by him； and he was curious to know what the youth would say。
So he readily agreed and bade him speak his mind。
＇15＇ 〃In my view； then；〃 said Tigranes； 〃if you approve of all that my
father has said and done； certainly you ought to do as he did； but if
you think he has done wrong； then you must not copy him。〃
〃But surely；〃 said Cyrus； 〃the best way to avoid copying the wrongdoer
is to practise what is right？〃
〃True enough；〃 answered the prince。
〃Then on your own reasoning； I am bound to punish your father； if it
is right to punish wrong。〃
〃But would you wish your vengeance to do you harm instead of good？〃
〃Nay；〃 said Cyrus； 〃for then my vengeance would fall upon myself。〃
＇16＇ 〃Even so；〃 said Tigranes； 〃and you will do yourself the greatest
harm if you put your own subjects to death just when they are most
valuable to you。〃
〃Can they have any value；〃 asked Cyrus； 〃when they are detected doing
wrong？〃
〃Yes；〃 answered Tigranes； 〃if that is when they turn to good and learn
sobriety。 For it is my belief； Cyrus； that without this virtue all
others are in vain。 What good will you get from a strong man or a
brave if he lack sobriety； be he never so good a horseman； never so
rich； never so powerful in the state？ But with sobriety every friend
is a friend in need and every servant a blessing。〃
＇17＇ 〃I take your meaning；〃 answered Cyrus； 〃your father； you would
have me think； has been changed in this one day from a fool into a
wise and sober…minded man？〃
〃Exactly；〃 said the prince。
〃Then you would call sober…mindedness a condition of our nature； such
as pain； not a matter of reason that can be learnt？ For certainly； if
he who is to be sober…minded must learn wisdom first； he could not be
converted from folly in a day。〃
＇18＇ 〃Nay； but； Cyrus；〃 said the prince； 〃surely you yourself have
known one man at least who out of sheer folly has set himself to fight
a stronger man than he； and on the day of defeat his senselessness has
been cured。 And surely you have known a city ere now that has
marshalled her battalions against a rival state； but with defeat she
changes suddenly and is willing to obey and not resist？〃
＇19＇ 〃But what defeat；〃 said Cyrus； 〃can you find in your father's
case to make you so sure that he has come to a sober mind？〃
〃A defeat；〃 answered the young man； 〃of which he is well aware in the
secret chambers of his soul。 He set his heart on liberty； and he has
found himself a slave as never before： he had designs that needed
stealth and speed and force； and not one of them has he been able to
carry through。 With you he knows that design and fulfilment went hand
in hand； when you wished to outwit him； outwit him you did； as though
he had been blind and deaf and dazed； when stealth was needed； your
stealth was such that the fortresses he thought his own you turned
into traps for him； and your speed was such that you were upon him
from miles away with all your armament before he found time to muster
the forces at his command。〃
＇20＇ 〃So you think；〃 said Cyrus； 〃that merely to learn another is
stronger than himself is defeat enough to bring a man to his senses？〃
〃I do；〃 answered Tigranes； 〃and far more truly than mere defeat in
battle。 For he who is conquered by force may fancy that if he trains
he can renew the war； and captured cities dream that with the help of
allies they will fight again one day； but if we meet with men who are
better than ourselves and whom we recognise to be so； we are ready to
obey them of our own free will。〃 ＇21＇ 〃You imagine then；〃 said Cyrus；
〃that the bully and the tyrant cannot recognise the man of self…
restraint； nor the thief the honest man； nor the liar the truth…
speaker； nor the unjust man the upright？ Has not your own father lied
even now and br