idding him ride round and see where the place was
easiest of approach, and meanwhile send his trustiest Persians to enter
the fortress and bring him word what they found within. [4] Cyrus, who
really wished to see if the citadel admitted of attack in case Gobryas
proved false, rode all round the walls, and found they were too strong
at every point. Presently the messengers who had gone in brought back
word that there were supplies enough to last a whole generation and
still not fail the garrison. [5] While Cyrus was wondering what this
could mean, Gobryas himself came out, and all his men behind him,
carrying wine and corn and barley, and driving oxen and goats and
swine, enough to feast the entire host. [6] And his stewards fell to
distributing the stores at once, and serving up a banquet. Then Gobryas
invited Cyrus to enter the castle now that all the garrison had left it,
using every precaution he might think wise; and Cyrus took him at his
word, and sent in scouts and a strong detachment before he entered the
palace himself. Once within, he had the gates thrown open and sent for
all his own friends and officers. [7] And when they joined him, Gobryas
had beakers of gold brought out, and pitchers, and goblets, and costly
ornaments, and golden coins without end, and all manner of beautiful
things, and last of all he sent for his own daughter, tall and fair,
a marvel of beauty and stateliness, still wearing mourning for her
brother. And her father said to Cyrus, "All these riches I bestow on
you for a gift, and I put my daughter in your hands, to deal with as you
think best. We are your suppliants; I but three days gone for my son,
and she this day for her brother; we beseech you to avenge him."

[8] And Cyrus made answer:

"I gave you my promise before that if you kept faith with me I would
avenge you, so far as in me lay, and to-day I see the debt is due, and
the promise I made to you I repeat to your daughter; God helping me, I
will perform it. As for these costly gifts," he added, "I accept them,
and I give them for a dowry to your daughter, and to him who may win her
hand in marriage. One gift only I will take with me when I go, but
that is a thing so precious that if I changed it for all the wealth of
Babylon or the whole world itself I could not go on my way with half so
blithe a heart."

[9] And Gobryas wondered what this rare thing could be, half suspecting
it might be his daughter. "What is it, my lord?" sai