nderstand that men may be free and liberal without the
help of gold."

[4] "Come then," said Cyrus, "let us pay the priests our debt to heaven,
select what the army requires, and then summon Gobryas and give the rest
to him."

So they took what they needed and gave all the rest to Gobryas.

[5] Forthwith Cyrus pressed on towards Babylon, his troops in battle
order. But as the Assyrians did not come out to meet them, he bade
Gobryas ride forward and deliver this message:

"If the king will come out to fight for his land, I, Gobryas, will fight
for him, but, if he will not defend his own country, we must yield to
the conquerors."

[6] So Gobryas rode forward, just far enough to deliver the message in
safety. And the king sent a messenger to answer him:

"Thy master says to thee: 'It repents me, Gobryas, not that I slew thy
son, but that I stayed my hand from slaying thee. And now if ye will do
battle, come again on the thirtieth day from hence. We have no leisure
now, our preparations are still on foot.'"

[7] And Gobryas made answer:

"It repents thee: may that repentance never cease! I have begun to make
thee suffer, since the day repentance took hold on thee."

[8] Then Gobryas brought back the words of the king to Cyrus, and Cyrus
led his army off, and then he summoned Gobryas and said to him:

"Surely you told me that you thought the man who was made an eunuch by
the king would be upon our side?"

"And I am sure he will," answered Gobryas, "for we have spoken freely to
each other many a time, he and I." [9] "Then," said Cyrus, "you must go
to him when you think the right moment has come: and you must so act at
first that only he and you may know what he intends, and when you are
closeted with him, if you find he really wishes to be a friend, you
must contrive that his friendship remain a secret: for in war a man can
scarcely do his friends more good than by a semblance of hostility, or
his enemies more harm than under the guise of friendship." [10] "Aye,"
answered Gobryas, "and I know that Gadatas would pay a great price to
punish the king of Assyria. But it is for us to consider what he can
best do." [11] "Tell me now," rejoined Cyrus, "you spoke of an outpost,
built against the Hyrcanians and the Sakians, which was to protect
Assyria in time of war,--could the eunuch be admitted there by the
commandant if he came with a force at his back?" "Certainly he could,"
said Gobryas, "if he were as free from su