e
was appointed both commander of their army and guardian of their walls.

158. But when Dareios made an attack according to the agreement on every
side of the wall, then Zopyros discovered all his craft: for while
the Babylonians, having gone up on the wall, were defending themselves
against the attacks of the army of Dareios, Zopyros opened the gates
called the gates of Kissia and of Belos, and let in the Persians within
the wall. And of the Babylonians those who saw that which was done fled
to the temple of Zeus Belos, but those who did not see remained each in
his own appointed place, until at last they also learnt that they had
been betrayed.

159. Thus was Babylon conquered for the second time: and Dareios when he
had overcome the Babylonians, first took away the wall from round their
city and pulled down all the gates; for when Cyrus took Babylon before
him, he did neither of these things: and secondly Dareios impaled the
leading men to the number of about three thousand, but to the rest of
the Babylonians he gave back their city to dwell in: and to provide that
the Babylonians should have wives, in order that their race might be
propagated, Dareios did as follows (for their own wives, as has been
declared at the beginning, the Babylonians had suffocated, in provident
care for their store of food):--he ordered the nations who dwelt round to
bring women to Babylon, fixing a certain number for each nation, so that
the sum total of fifty thousand women was brought together, and from
these women the present Babylonians are descended.

160. As for Zopyros, in the judgment of Dareios no one of the Persians
surpassed him in good service, either of those who came after or of
those who had gone before, excepting Cyrus alone; for to Cyrus no man of
the Persians ever yet ventured to compare himself: and Dareios is said
to have declared often that he would rather that Zopyros were free
from the injury than that he should have twenty Babylons added to his
possession in addition to that one which he had. Moreover he gave him
great honours; for not only did he give him every year those things
which by the Persians are accounted the most honourable, but also he
granted him Babylon to rule free from tribute, so long as he should
live; and he added many other gifts. The son of this Zopyros was
Megabyzos, who was made commander in Egypt against the Athenians and
their allies; and the son of this Megabyzos was Zopyros, who went ov