shot for you." But he did not show his weapons in
triumph: he only laid them down with the gore still on them where he
hoped his grandfather would see them. It is easy to guess the answer
Astyages gave:--"I must needs accept with pleasure every gift you bring
me, only I want none of them at the risk of your own life." And Cyrus
said, "If you really do not want them yourself, grandfather, will you
give them to me? And I will divide them among the lads." "With all my
heart," said the old man, "take them, or anything else you like; bestow
them where you will, and welcome." [11] So Cyrus carried off the spoil,
and divided it with his comrades, saying all the while, "What foolery
it was, when we used to hunt in the park! It was no better than hunting
creatures tied by a string. First of all, it was such a little bit of
a place, and then what scarecrows the poor beasts were, one halt,
and another maimed! But those real animals on the mountains and the
plains--what splendid beasts, so gigantic, so sleek and glossy! Why,
the stags leapt up against the sky as though they had wings, and the
wild-boars came rushing to close quarters like warriors in battle! And
thanks to their breadth and bulk one could not help hitting them. Why,
even as they lie dead there," cried he, "they look finer than those
poor walled-up creatures when alive! But you," he added, "could not your
fathers let you go out to hunt too?" "Gladly enough," answered they, "if
only the king gave the order." [12] "Well," said Cyrus, "who will speak
to Astyages for us?" "Why," answered they, "who so fit to persuade him
as yourself?" "No, by all that's holy, not I!" cried Cyrus. "I cannot
think what has come over me: I cannot speak to my grandfather any more;
I cannot look him straight in the face. If this fit grows on me, I am
afraid I shall become no better than an idiot. And yet, when I was a
little boy, they tell me, I was sharp enough at talking." To which the
other lads retorted, "Well, it is a bad business altogether: and if you
cannot bestir yourself for your friends, if you can do nothing for us
in our need, we must turn elsewhere." [13] When Cyrus heard that he was
stung to the quick: he went away in silence and urged himself to put on
a bold face, and so went in to his grandfather, not, however, without
planning first how he could best bring in the matter. Accordingly he
began thus: "Tell me, grandfather," said he, "if one of your slaves were
to run away, and