re. Prexaspes handed him the Ethiopian bow, and
pointed out a target at some distance. Cambyses laughed at the large
size of the target, weighted the bow with his right hand, challenged
his subjects to try their fortune first, and handed the bow to the aged
Hystaspes, as the highest in rank among the Achaemenidae.

While Hystaspes first, and then all the heads of the six other highest
families in Persia, were using their utmost efforts to bend this monster
weapon in vain, the king emptied goblet after goblet of wine, his
spirits rising as he watched their vain endeavors to solve the
Ethiopian's problem. At last Darius, who was famous for his skill in
archery, took the bow. Nearly the same result. The wood was inflexible
as iron and all his efforts only availed to move it one finger's
breadth. The king gave him a friendly nod in reward for his success,
and then, looking round on his friends and relations in a manner that
betokened the most perfect assurance, he said: "Give me the bow now,
Darius. I will show you, that there is only one man in Persia who
deserves the name of king;--only one who can venture to take the field
against the Ethiopians;--only one who can bend this bow."

He grasped it tightly with his left hand, taking the string, which was
as thick as a man's finger and made from the intestines of a lion, in
his right, fetched a deep breath, bent his mighty back and pulled and
pulled; collected all his strength for greater and greater efforts,
strained his sinews till they threatened to break, and the veins in his
forehead were swollen to bursting, did not even disdain to use his
feet and legs, but all in vain. After a quarter of an hour of almost
superhuman exertion, his strength gave way, the ebony, which he had
succeeded in bending even farther than Darius, flew back and set all
his further endeavors at nought. At last, feeling himself thoroughly
exhausted, he dashed the bow on to the ground in a passion, crying:
"The Ethiopian is a liar! no mortal man has ever bent that bow. What is
impossible for my arm is possible for no other. In three days we will
start for Ethiopia. I will challenge the impostor to a single combat,
and ye shall see which is the stronger. Take up the bow, Prexaspes,
and keep it carefully. The black liar shall be strangled with his own
bow-string. This wood is really harder than iron, and I confess that
the man who could bend it, would really be my master. I should not be
ashamed to ca