d he. And Cyrus
answered, "I will tell you. A man may hate injustice and impiety
and lies, but if no one offers him vast wealth or unbridled power or
impregnable fortresses or lovely children, he dies before he can show
what manner of man he is. [10] But you have placed everything in my
hands to-day, this mighty fortress, treasures of every kind, your own
power, and a daughter most worthy to be won. And thus you have shown
all men that I could not sin against my friend and my host, nor act
unrighteously for the sake of wealth, nor break my plighted word of my
own free will. [11] This is your gift, and, so long as I am a just man
and known to be such, receiving the praise of my fellow-men, I will
never forget it; I will strive to repay you with every honour I can
give. [12] Doubt not," he added, "but that you will find a husband
worthy of your daughter. I have many a good man and true among my
friends, and one of them will win her hand; but I could not say whether
he will have less wealth, or more, than what you offer me. Only of one
thing you may be certain; there are those among them who will not admire
you one whit the more because of the splendour of your gifts; they will
only envy me and supplicate the gods that one day it will be given to
them to show that they too are loyal to their friends, that they too
will never yield to their foes while life is in them, unless some god
strike them down; that they too would never sacrifice virtue and fair
renown for all the wealth you proffer and all the treasure of Syria and
Assyria to boot. Such is the nature, believe me, of some who are seated
here."

[13] And Gobryas smiled. "By heaven, I wish you would point them out to
me, and I would beg you to give me one of them to be my son-in-law." And
Cyrus said, "You will not need to learn their names from me; follow us,
and you will be able to point them out yourself."

[14] With these words he rose, clasped the hand of Gobryas, and went
out, all his men behind him. And though Gobryas pressed him to stay and
sup in the citadel, he would not, but took his supper in the camp and
constrained Gobryas to take his meal with them. [15] And there, lying on
a couch of leaves, he put this question to him, 'Tell me, Gobryas, who
has the largest store of coverlets, yourself, or each of us?" And the
Assyrian answered, "You, I know, have more than I, more coverlets, more
couches, and a far larger dwelling-place, for your home is earth and
he