by secret, underhand practices to obtain; this
double-dealing has so much meanness in it, that it necessarily lessens our
opinion of the person, and extremely sullies the lustre of those good
qualities, which in other respects, he possesses.

(M184) DEJOCES reigned fifty-three years.(1064) When he had ascended the
throne, he endeavoured to convince the people, that they were not mistaken
in the choice they had made of him, for restoring of order. At first he
resolved to have his dignity of king attended with all the marks that
could inspire an awe and respect for his person. He obliged his subjects
to build him a magnificent palace in the place he appointed. This palace
he strongly fortified, and chose out from among his people such persons as
he judged fittest to be his guards, from their attachment to his
interests, and his reliance on their fidelity.

After having thus provided for his own security, he applied himself to
polish and civilize his subjects, who, having been accustomed to live in
the country and in villages, almost without laws and without polity, had
contracted the disposition and manners of savages. To this end he
commanded them to build a city, marking out himself the place and
circumference of the walls. This city was compassed about with seven
distinct walls, all disposed in such a manner, that the outermost did not
hinder the parapet of the second from being seen, nor the second that of
the third, and so of all the rest. The situation of the place was
extremely favourable for such a design, for it was a regular hill, whose
ascent was equal on every side. Within the last and smallest enclosure
stood the king's palace, with all his treasures: in the sixth, which was
next to that, there were several apartments for lodging the officers of
his household; and the intermediate spaces, between the other walls, were
appointed for the habitation of the people: the first and largest
enclosure was about the bigness of Athens. The name of this city was
Ecbatana.

The prospect of it was magnificent and beautiful; for, besides the
disposition of the walls, which formed a kind of amphitheatre, the
different colours wherewith the several parapets were painted formed a
delightful variety.

After the city was finished, and Dejoces had obliged part of the Medes to
settle in it, he turned all his thoughts to composing of laws for the good
of the state. But being persuaded, that the majesty of kings is most
respect