counted his partners in the exploit; and the distribution was on
the principle accepted, the best prizes to the bravest men: and if any
thought they had not received their deserts they were invited to come
and tell him. [36] At the same time he issued a proclamation to the
Babylonians, bidding them till the soil and pay the dues and render
willing service to those under whose rule they were placed. As for his
partners the Persians, and such of his allies as elected to remain
with him, he gave them to understand they were to treat as subjects the
captives they received.

[37] After this Cyrus felt that the time was come to assume the style
and manner that became a king: and he wished this to be done with the
goodwill and concurrence of his friends and in such a way that, without
seeming ungracious, he might appear but seldom in public and always with
a certain majesty. Therefore he devised the following scheme. At break
of day he took his station at some convenient place, and received all
who desired speech with him, and then dismissed them. [38] The people,
when they heard that he gave audience, thronged to him in multitudes,
and in the struggle to gain access there was much jostling and scheming
and no little fighting. [39] His attendants did their best to divide
the suitors, and introduce them in some order, and whenever any of his
personal friends appeared, thrusting their way through the crowd, Cyrus
would stretch out his hand and draw them to his side and say, "Wait, my
friends, until we have finished with this crowd, and then we can talk at
our ease." So his friends would wait, but the multitude would pour on,
growing greater and greater, until the evening would fall before there
had been a moment's leisure for his friends. [40] All that Cyrus could
do then was to say, "Perhaps, gentlemen, it is a little late this
evening and time that we broke up. Be sure to come early to-morrow. I am
very anxious myself to speak with you." With that his friends were only
too glad to be dismissed, and made off without more ado. They had done
penance enough, fasting and waiting and standing all day long. [41] So
they would get to rest at last, but the next morning Cyrus was at the
same spot and a much greater concourse of suitors round him than before,
already assembled long before his friends arrived. Accordingly Cyrus had
a cordon of Persian lancers stationed round him, and gave out that no
one except his personal friends and the