small and also
rugged, let us change from it and inhabit another which is better: and
there are many near at hand, and many also at a greater distance, of
which if we take one, we shall have greater reverence and from more men.
It is reasonable too that men who are rulers should do such things; for
when will there ever be a fairer occasion than now, when we are rulers
of many nations and of the whole of Asia?" Cyrus, hearing this and not
being surprised at the proposal, 123 bade them do so if they would;
but he exhorted them and bade them prepare in that case to be no longer
rulers but subjects; "For," said he, "from lands which are not rugged
men who are not rugged are apt to come forth, since it does not belong
to the same land to bring forth fruits of the earth which are admirable
and also men who are good in war." So the Persians acknowledged that he
was right and departed from his presence, having their opinion defeated
by that of Cyrus; and they chose rather to dwell on poor land and be
rulers, than to sow crops in a level plain and be slaves to others.

NOTES TO BOOK IX

1 [ "the same who at the former time also were of one accord
together."]

2 [ {ta ekeinon iskhura bouleumata}: some good MSS. omit
{iskhura}, and so many Editors.]

3 [ {up agnomosunes}.]

4 [ {boulen}.]

5 [ {exeneikai es ton dumon}.]

6 [ {aleoren}.]

7 [ Cp. viii. 140 (a).]

8 [ {to men ap emeon outo akibdelon nemetai epi tous Ellenas},
"that which we owe to the Hellenes is thus paid in no counterfeit
coin."]

9 [ {ekeleusan}, i.e. "their bidding was" when they sent us.]

901 [ This clause, "with no less--each man of them," is omitted
in some MSS. and considered spurious by several Editors.]

10 [ Cp. ch. 55.]

11 [ {perioikon}.]

12 [ {ton emerodromon}, cp. vi. 105.]

13 [ {tugkhane eu bouleoumenos}: perhaps, "endeavour to take
measures well."]

14 [ {prodromon}, a conjectural emendation of {prodromos}.]

15 [ {boiotarkhai}, i.e. the heads of the Boeotian
confederacy.]

16 [ {os epi deka stadious malista ke}.]

17 [ {klinai}: several Editors have altered this, reading
{klithenai} or {klinenai}, "they were made to recline."]

18 [ {diapinonton}, cp. v. 18.]

19 [ {polla phroneonta medenos krateein}.]

20 [ {sphodra}: not quite satisfactory with {emedizon}, but it
can hardly go with {ouk ekontes}, as Krueger suggests.]

21 [ {pheme}, as in ch. 100.]

22 [ {proopto thanato}.]

23