e asked Mandane, "why you dislike
this Sacian so much?"

"Why, every time that I want to come and see my grandfather," replied
Cyrus, "this teazing man always stops me, and will not let me come in.
I wish, grandfather, you would let me have the rule over him just for
three days."

"Why, what would you do to him?" asked Astyages.

"I would treat him as he treats me now," replied Cyrus. "I would stand
at the door, as he does when I want to come in, and when he was coming
for his dinner, I would stop him and say, 'You can not come in now;
he is busy with some men.'"

In saying this, Cyrus imitated, in a very ludicrous manner, the
gravity and dignity of the Sacian's air and manner.

"Then," he continued, "when he came to supper, I would say, 'He is
bathing now; you must come some other time;' or else, 'He is going to
sleep, and you will disturb him.' So I would torment him all the time,
as he now torments me, in keeping me out when I want to come and see
you."

Such conversation as this, half playful, half earnest, of course
amused Astyages and Mandane very much, as well as all the other
listeners. There is a certain charm in the simplicity and confiding
frankness of childhood, when it is honest and sincere, which in
Cyrus's case was heightened by his personal grace and beauty. He
became, in fact, more and more a favorite the longer he remained. At
length, the indulgence and the attentions which he received began to
produce, in some degree, their usual injurious effects. Cyrus became
too talkative, and sometimes he appeared a little vain. Still, there
was so much true kindness of heart, such consideration for the
feelings of others, and so respectful a regard for his grandfather,
his mother, and his uncle,[A] that his faults were overlooked, and he
was the life and soul of the company in all the social gatherings
which took place in the palaces of the king.

[Footnote A: The uncle here referred to was Mandane's brother. His
name was Oyaxares. He was at this time a royal prince, the heir
apparent to the throne. He figures very conspicuously in the
subsequent portions of Xenophon's history as Astyages's successor on
the throne. Herodotus does not mention him at all, but makes Cyrus
himself the direct successor of Astyages.]

At length the time arrived for Mandane to return to Persia. Astyages
proposed that she should leave Cyrus in Media, to be educated there
under his grandfather's charge. Mandane replied that she