spicion as he is to-day."
[12] "And free he would be," Cyrus went on, "if I were to attack his
strongholds as though in earnest, and he were to repel me in force.
I might capture some of his men, and he some of my soldiers, or some
messengers sent by me to those you say are the enemies of Assyria, and
these prisoners would let it be known that they were on their way to
fetch an army with scaling-ladders to attack this fortress, and the
eunuch, hearing their story, would pretend that he came to warn the
commandant in time." [13] "Undoubtedly," said Gobryas, "if things went
thus, the commandant would admit him; he would even beg him to stay
there until you withdrew."

"And then," Cyrus continued, "once inside the walls, he could put the
place into our hands?" [14] "We may suppose so," said Gobryas. "He
would be there to settle matters within, and you would be redoubling the
pressure from without."

"Then be off at once," said Cyrus, "and do your best to teach him his
part, and when you have arranged affairs, come back to me; and as for
pledges of good faith, you could offer him none better than those you
received from us yourself."

[15] Then Gobryas made haste and was gone, and the eunuch welcomed
him gladly; he agreed to everything and helped to arrange all that was
needed. Presently Gobryas brought back word that he thought the eunuch
had everything in readiness, and so, without more ado, Cyrus made his
feigned attack on the following day, and was beaten off. [16] But on
the other hand there was a fortress, indicated by Gadatas himself, that
Cyrus took. The messengers Cyrus had sent out, telling them exactly
where to go, fell into the hands of Gadatas: some were allowed
to escape--their business was to fetch the troops and carry the
scaling-ladders--but the rest were narrowly examined in the presence of
many witnesses, and when Gadatas heard the object of their journey he
got his equipment together and set out in the night at full speed
to take the news. [17] In the end he made his way into the fortress,
trusted and welcomed as a deliverer, and for a time he helped the
commandant to the best of his ability. But as soon as Cyrus appeared he
seized the place, aided by the Persian prisoners he had taken. [18] This
done, and having set things in order within the fortress, Gadatas went
out to Cyrus, bowed before him according to the custom of his land, and
said, "Cyrus, may joy be yours!"

[19] "Joy is mine already," a