ted more eagerly now than before on the rigid execution of the
law; and wherever he detected an abuse his punishments were cruel and
inexorable. Hearing that a judge, named Sisamnes, had been bribed
to pronounce an unjust sentence, he condemned the wretched man to
be flayed, ordered the seat of justice to be covered with his skin,
appointed the son to the father's vacant place and compelled him to
occupy this fearful seat.--[Herodot. V. 25.]--Cambyses was untiring as
commander of the forces, and superintended the drilling of the troops
assembled near Babylon with the greatest rigor and circumspection.

The hosts were to march after the festival of the New Year, which
Cambyses celebrated this time with immense expense and profusion. The
ceremony over, he betook himself to the army. Bartja was there. He came
up to his brother, beaming with joy, kissed the hem of his robe, and
told him in a tone of triumph that he hoped to become a father. The king
trembled as he heard the words, vouchsafed his brother no answer, drank
himself into unconsciousness that evening, and the next morning called
the soothsayers, Magi and Chaldaeans together, in order to submit a
question to them. "Shall I be committing a sin against the gods, if I
take my sister to wife and thus verify the promise of the dream, which
ye formerly interpreted to mean that Atossa should bear a future king to
this realm?"

The Magi consulted a short time together. Then Oropastes cast himself at
the king's feet and said, "We do not believe, O King, that this marriage
would be a sin against the gods; inasmuch as, first: it is a custom
among the Persians to marry with their own kin; and secondly, though it
be not written in the law that the pure man may marry his sister, it
is written that the king may do what seemeth good in his own eyes. That
which pleaseth thee is therefore always lawful."

Cambyses sent the Magi away with rich gifts, gave Oropastes full
powers as regent of the kingdom in his absence, and soon after told
his horrified mother that, as soon as the conquest of Egypt and the
punishment of the son of Amasis should have been achieved, he intended
to marry his sister Atossa.

At length the immense host, numbering more than 800,000 fighting men,
departed in separate divisions, and reached the Syrian desert in
two months. Here they were met by the Arabian tribes whom Phanes had
propitiated--the Amalekites and Geshurites--bringing camels and horses
laden w