ek fled, has there
been a single human being, in whom I have the least confidence or on
whose affection I can rely?"

These thoughts and questionings excited him so fearfully, that he sprang
from his bed, crying: "Love and I have nothing to do with one another.
Other men maybe kind and good if they like; I must be stern, or I shall
fall into the hands of those who hate me--hate me because I have been
just, and have visited heavy sins with heavy chastisements. They whisper
flattering words in my ear; they curse me when my back is turned. The
gods themselves must be my enemies, or why do they rob me of everything
I love, deny me posterity and even that military glory which is my just
due? Is Bartja so much better than I, that everything which I am forced
to give up should be his in hundred-fold measure? Love, friendship,
fame, children, everything flows to him as the rivers to the sea, while
my heart is parched like the desert. But I am king still. I can show
him which is the stronger of us two, and I will, though his forehead
may touch the heavens. In Persia there can be only one great man. He
or I,--I or he. In a few days I'll send him back to Asia and make him
satrap of Bactria. There he can nurse his child and listen to his wife's
songs, while I am winning glory in Ethiopia, which it shall not be in
his power to lessen. Ho, there, dressers! bring my robes and a good
morning-draught of wine. I'll show the Persians that I'm fit to be
King of Ethiopia, and can beat them all at bending a bow. Here, give me
another cup of wine. I'd bend that bow, if it were a young cedar and its
string a cable!" So saying he drained an immense bowl of wine and went
into the palace-garden, conscious of his enormous strength and therefore
sure of success.

All his nobles were assembled waiting for him there, welcomed him with
loud acclamations, and fell on their faces to the ground before their
king.

Pillars, connected by scarlet cords, had been quickly set up between the
closely-cut hedges and straight avenues. From these cords, suspended by
gold and silver rings, yellow and dark blue hangings fluttered in the
breeze. Gilded wooden benches had been placed round in a large circle,
and nimble cup-bearers handed wine in costly vessels to the company
assembled for the shooting-match.

At a sign from the king the Achaemenidae rose from the earth.

Cambyses glanced over their ranks, and his face brightened on seeing
that Bartja was not the