assembled his generals and rewarded them with
different tokens of distinction, such as costly robes, gold chains,
rings, swords, and stars formed of precious stones. Gold and silver
coins were distributed among the common soldiers.

The principal attack of the Egyptians had been directed against the
centre of the Persian army, where Cambyses commanded in person; and
with such effect that the guards had already begun to give way. At
that moment Bartja, arriving with his troop of horsemen, had put fresh
courage into the wavering, had fought like a lion himself, and by his
bravery and promptitude decided the day in favor of the Persians.

The troops were exultant in their joy: they shouted his praises, as "the
conqueror of Pelusium" and the "best of the Achaemenidae."

Their cries reached the king's ears and made him very angry. He knew
he had been fighting at the risk of life, with real courage and the
strength of a giant, and yet the day would have been lost if this boy
had not presented him with the victory. The brother who had embittered
his days of happy love, was now to rob him of half his military glory.
Cambyses felt that he hated Bartja, and his fist clenched involuntarily
as he saw the young hero looking so happy in the consciousness of his
own well-earned success.

Phanes had been wounded and went to his tent; Aristomachus lay near him,
dying.

"The oracle has deceived me, after all," he murmured. "I shall die
without seeing my country again."

"The oracle spoke the truth," answered Phanes. "Were not the last words
of the Pythia?"

'Then shall the lingering boat to the beckoning meadows convey thee,
Which to the wandering foot peace and a home will afford?'

"Can you misunderstand their meaning? They speak of Charon's lingering
boat, which will convey you to your last home, to the one great
resting-place for all wanderers--the kingdom of Hades."

"Yes, my friend, you are right there. I am going to Hades."

"And the Five have granted you, before death, what they so long
refused,--the return to Lacedaemon. You ought to be thankful to the gods
for granting you such sons and such vengeance on your enemies. When my
wound is healed, I shall go to Greece and tell your son that his father
died a glorious death, and was carried to the grave on his shield, as
beseems a hero."

"Yes, do so, and give him my shield as a remembrance of his old father.
There is no need to exhort him to virtue."

"When Psam