is to you, because you serve my grandfather
well and faithfully; and this to you, because you honor my mother."
Thus he went on until he had distributed all that he had received,
though he omitted, as it seemed designedly, to give any thing to the
Sacian cup-bearer. This Sacian being an officer of high rank, of tall
and handsome figure, and beautifully dressed, was the most conspicuous
attendant at the feast, and could not, therefore, have been
accidentally passed by. Astyages accordingly asked Cyrus why he had
not given any thing to the Sacian--the servant whom, as he said, he
liked better than all the others.

"And what is the reason," asked Cyrus, in reply, "that this Sacian is
such a favorite with you?"

"Have you not observed," replied Astyages, "how gracefully and
elegantly he pours out the wine for me, and then hands me the cup?"

The Sacian was, in fact, uncommonly accomplished in respect to the
personal grace and dexterity for which cup-bearers in those days were
most highly valued, and which constitute, in fact, so essential a part
of the qualifications of a master of ceremonies at a royal court in
every age. Cyrus, however, instead of yielding to this argument, said,
in reply, that he could come into the room and pour out the wine as
well as the Sacian could do it, and he asked his grandfather to allow
him to try. Astyages consented. Cyrus then took the goblet of wine,
and went out. In a moment he came in again, stepping grandly, as he
entered, in mimicry of the Sacian, and with a countenance of assumed
gravity and self-importance, which imitated so well the air and manner
of the cup-bearer as greatly to amuse the whole company assembled.
Cyrus advanced thus toward the king and presented him with the cup,
imitating, with the grace and dexterity natural to childhood, all the
ceremonies which he had seen the cup-bearer himself perform, except
that of tasting the wine. The king and Mandane laughed heartily.
Cyrus then, throwing off his assumed character, jumped up into his
grandfather's lap and kissed him, and turning to the cup-bearer, he
said, "Now, Sacian, you are ruined. I shall get my grandfather to
appoint me in your place. I can hand the wine as well as you, and
without tasting it myself at all."

"But why did you not taste it?" asked Astyages; "you should have
performed that part of the duty as well as the rest."

It was, in fact, a very essential part of the duty of a cup-bearer to
taste the wine