rus spoke: "Gentlemen, since we are all so well agreed, suppose
we make it a rule that every one who receives a horse from me shall
be considered to disgrace himself if he is seen trudging afoot, be his
journey long or short?"

[23] Thus Cyrus put the question, and one and all assented; and hence it
is that even to this day the custom is retained, and no Persian of the
gentle class would willingly be seen anywhere on foot.

[C.4] In this debate their time was spent, and when it was past midday
the Median cavalry and the Hyrcanians came galloping home, bringing in
men and horses from the enemy, for they had spared all who surrendered
their arms. [2] As they rode up the first inquiry of Cyrus was whether
all of them were safe, and when they answered yes, he asked what they
had achieved. And they told their exploits in detail, and how bravely
they had borne themselves, magnifying it all. [3] Cyrus heard their
story through with a pleasant smile, and praised them for their work.
"I can see for myself," he said, "that you have done gallant deeds. You
seem to have grown taller and fairer and more terrible to look on than
when we saw you last."

[4] Then he made them tell him how far they had gone, and whether they
had found the country inhabited. They said they had ridden a long way,
and that the whole country was inhabited, and full of sheep and goats
and cattle and horses, and rich in corn and every good thing.

[5] "Then there are two matters," he said, "to which we must attend;
first we must become masters of those who own all this, and next we must
ensure that they do not run away. A well-populated country is a rich
possession, but a deserted land will soon become a desert. [6] You have
put the defenders to the sword, I know, and rightly--for that is the
only safe road to victory; but you have brought in as prisoners those
who laid down their arms. Now if we let these men go, I maintain we
should do the very best thing for ourselves. [7] We gain two points;
first, we need neither be on our guard against them nor mount guard over
them nor find them victuals (and we do not propose to starve them, I
presume), and in the next place, their release means more prisoners
to-morrow. [8] For if we dominate the country all the inhabitants are
ours, and if they see that these men are still alive and at large they
will be more disposed to stay where they are, and prefer obedience to
battle. That is my own view, but if any one sees