ll drunk; then mounting his horse, he rode off at full speed with his
attendants, and reached a Persian outpost, where he had arranged with
his father that he should find a body of Persian troops. When the Medes
had slept off their drunkenness, and found their prisoner gone, they
pursued, and again overtaking Cyrus, who was now at the head of an armed
force, engaged him. They were, however, defeated with great loss, and
forced to retreat, while Cyrus, having beaten them off, made good his
escape into Persia.

When Astyages heard what had happened, he was greatly vexed; and,
smiting his thigh, he exclaimed, "Ah! fool, thou knewest well that it
boots not to heap favors on the vile; yet didst thou suffer thyself to
be gulled by smooth words; and so thou hast brought upon thyself this
mischief. But even now he shall not get off scot-free." And instantly
he sent for his generals, and commanded them to collect his host, and
proceed to reduce Persia to obedience. Three thousand chariots, two
hundred thousand horse, and a million footmen (!) were soon brought
together; and with these Astyages in person invaded the revolted
province, and engaged the army which Cyrus and his father Cambyses
had collected for defence. This consisted of a hundred chariots, fifty
thousand horsemen, and three hundred thousand light-armed foot, who were
drawn up in in front of a fortified town near the frontier. The first
day's battle was long and bloody, terminating without any decisive
advantage to either side; but on the second day Astyages, making skilful
use of his superior numbers, gained a great victory. Having detached one
hundred thousand men with orders to make a circuit and get into the
rear of the town, he renewed the attack; and when the Persians were all
intent on the battle in their front, the troops detached fell on the
city and took it, almost before its defenders were aware. Cambyses, who
commanded in the town, was mortally wounded and fell into the enemy's
hands. The army in the field, finding itself between two fires, broke
and fled towards the interior, bent on defending Pasargadse, the
capital. Meanwhile Astyages, having given Cambyses honorable burial,
pressed on in pursuit.

The country had now become rugged and difficult. Between Pasargadse and
the place where the two days' battle was fought lay a barrier of lofty
hills, only penetrated by a single narrow pass. On either side were two
smooth surfaces of rock, while the mounta