the interval, while Cyrus is gathering forces to attack Thomyris,
the author, as is her fashion likewise, surrenders herself to the joys
of digression. We have a great deal of retrospective history of Aryante,
and at last the famous Scythian philosopher, Anacharsis, is introduced,
bringing with him the rest of the Seven Ancient Sages--with whom we
could dispense, but are not allowed to do so. There is a Banquet of them
all at the end of the first volume of the Part; and they overflow into
the second, telling stories about Pisistratus and others, and discussing
"love in the _aib_-stract," as frigidly as might be expected, on such
points as, "Can you love the same person _twice_?"[184] But the last
half of this IX. ii. is fortunately business again. There is much hard
fighting with Thomyris, who on one occasion wishes to come to actual
sword-play with Cyrus, and of whom we have the liveliest _ecphrasis_, or
set description, in the whole romance.

[Sidenote: Thomyris on the warpath.]

As for Thomyris, she was so beautiful that day that there
was no one in the world save Mandane, who could have
disputed a heart with her[185] without the risk of losing.
This Princess was mounted on a fine black horse, trapped
with gold; her dress was of cloth of gold, with green panels
shot with a little carnation, and was of the shape of that
of Pallas when she is represented as armed. The skirt was
caught up on the hip with diamond clasps, and showed buskins
of lions' muzzles made to correspond with the rest. Her
head-dress was adorned with jewels, and a great number of
feathers--carnation, white and green--hung over her
beautiful fair tresses, while these, fluttering at the
wind's will, mixed themselves with the plumes as she turned
her head, and with their careless curls gave a marvellous
lustre to her beauty. Besides, as her sleeves were turned
up, and caught on the shoulder, while she held the bridle of
her horse with one hand and her sword with the other, she
showed the loveliest arms in the world. Anger had flushed
her complexion, so that she was more beautiful than usual;
and the joy of once more seeing Cyrus, and seeing him also
in an action respectful towards her,[186] effaced the marks
of her immediately preceding fury so completely that he
could see nothing but what was amiable and charming.

Thomyris, how