n a hill, and she, they say, has put her fairest raiment on him
and her jewels, and she is seated on the ground with his head upon her
knees."

[6] Then Cyrus smote his hand upon his thigh and leapt up and sprang to
horse, galloping to the place of sorrow, with a thousand troopers at his
back. [7] He bade Gadatas and Gobryas take what jewels they could find
to honour the dear friend and brave warrior who had fallen, and follow
with all speed: and he bade the keepers of the herds, the cattle, and
the horses drive up their flocks wherever they heard he was, that he
might sacrifice on the grave.

[8] But when he saw Pantheia seated on the ground and the dead man lying
there, the tears ran down his cheeks and he cried:

"O noble and loyal spirit, have you gone from us?"

Then he took the dead man by the hand, but the hand came away with his
own: it had been hacked by an Egyptian blade. [9] And when he saw that,
his sorrow grew, and Pantheia sobbed aloud and took the hand from Cyrus
and kissed it and laid it in its place, as best she could, and said:

[10] "It is all like that, Cyrus. But why should you see it?" And
presently she said, "All this, I know, he suffered for my sake, and for
yours too, Cyrus, perhaps as much. I was a fool: I urged him so to bear
himself as became a faithful friend of yours, and he, I know, he never
thought once of his own safety, but only of what he might do to show his
gratitude. Now he has fallen, without a stain upon his valour: and I,
who urged him, I live on to sit beside his grave."

[11] And Cyrus wept silently for a while, and then he said:

"Lady, his end was the noblest and the fairest that could be: he died
in the hour of victory. Take these gifts that I have brought and adorn
him."

For now Gobryas and Gadatas appeared with store of jewels and rich
apparel. "He shall not lack for honour," Cyrus said; "many hands will
raise his monument: it shall be a royal one; and we will offer such
sacrifice as befits a hero. [12] And you, lady," he added, "you shall
not be left desolate. I reverence your chastity and your nobleness, and
I will give you a guardian to lead you withersoever you choose, if you
will but tell me to whom you wish to go."

[13] And Pantheia answered:

"Be at rest, Cyrus, I will not hide from you to whom I long to go."

[14] Therewith Cyrus took his leave of her and went, pitying from his
heart the woman who had lost so brave a husband, and the dead man in his