case;
the king will listen to any man who asserts that he has heard or seen
anything that needs attention. [12] Hence the saying that the king has
a thousand eyes and a thousand ears; and hence the fear of uttering
anything against his interest since "he is sure to hear," or doing
anything that might injure him "since he may be there to see." So far,
therefore, from venturing to breathe a syllable against Cyrus, every man
felt that he was under the eye and within the hearing of a king who was
always present. For this universal feeling towards him I can give no
other reason than his resolve to be a benefactor on a most mighty scale.

[13] It is not surprising, no doubt, that being the wealthiest of men,
he could outdo the world in the splendour of his gifts. The remarkable
thing was to find a king outstrip his courtiers in courtesy and
kindness. There was nothing, so the story runs, that could ever shame
him more than to be outdone in courtesy. [14] Indeed, a saying of his is
handed down comparing a good king to a good shepherd--the shepherd must
manage his flock by giving them all they need, and the king must satisfy
the needs of his cities and his subjects if he is to manage them. We
need not wonder, then, that with such opinions his ambition was to excel
mankind in courtesy and care. [15] There was a noble illustration of his
philosophy in the answer we are told he gave to Croesus, who had
taken him to task, saying his lavish gifts would bring him to beggary,
although he could lay by more treasures for himself than any man had
ever had before. Cyrus, it is said, asked him in return, "How much
wealth do you suppose I could have amassed already, had I collected
gold, as you bid me, ever since I came into my empire?"

[16] And Croesus named an enormous sum. Then Cyrus said, "Listen,
Croesus, here is my friend, Hystaspas, and you must send with him a man
that you can trust." Then, turning to Hystaspas, "Do you," he said,
"go round to my friends and tell them that I need money for a certain
enterprise--and that is true, I do need it. Bid each of them write down
the amount he can give me, seal the letter, and hand it to the messenger
of Croesus, who will bring it here." [17] Thereupon Cyrus wrote his
wishes and put his seal on the letter, and gave it to Hystaspas to carry
round, only he added a request that they should all welcome Hystaspas
as a friend of his. And when the messengers came back, the officer of
Croesus carr