he covenant and called the gods to witness, and to
this day they keep it still, the Persians and the Great King. And when
it was done, Cyrus took his leave and came back to Media. [28] There,
with the full consent of his father and his mother, he wedded the
daughter of Cyaxares, the fame of whose beauty has lasted to this
day. And after the marriage his steeds were yoked and they set out for
Babylon.

[C.6] When he was in Babylon once more, he thought it would be well to
appoint satraps and set them over the conquered tribes. Yet he did not
wish the commandants in the citadels and the captains in charge of the
garrisons throughout the country to be under any authority but his own.
Herein he showed his foresight, realising that if any satrap became
insolent and rebellious, relying on his own wealth and the numbers at
his back, he would at once find a power to oppose him within his own
district. [2] In order to carry out this plan, Cyrus resolved to summon
a council of the leading men and explain the terms on which the
satraps who went would go. In this way, he thought, they would not feel
aggrieved, whereas, if a man found himself appointed and then learnt the
restrictions for the first time, he might well take it ill, fancying it
a sign of personal mistrust. [3] So it was that Cyrus called a council
and spoke as follows:

"Gentlemen and friends of mine, you are aware that we have garrisons and
commandants in the cities we conquered, stationed there at the time. I
left them with orders simply to guard the fortifications and not
meddle with anything else. Now I do not wish to remove them from their
commands, for they have done their duty nobly, but I propose to send
others, satraps, who will govern the inhabitants, receive the tribute,
give the garrisons their pay, and discharge all necessary dues. [4]
Further, I think it right that certain of you who live here and yet on
whom I may lay the task of travelling to these nations and working for
me among them, should possess houses there and estates, where tribute
may be brought them, and where they may find a place of their own to
lodge in."

[5] With these words he assigned houses and districts to many of
his friends among the lands he had subdued: and to this day their
descendants possess the estates, although they reside at court
themselves. [6] "Now," he added, "we must choose for the satraps who are
to go abroad persons who will not forget to send us anything of valu