o
parasangs. It was built of bricks made of clay, but there was under it a
stone foundation,[145] the height of twenty feet. 8. This city the king
of the Persians,[146] at the time when the Persians wrested[147] the
empire from the Medes, was unable by any means to take; a cloud,
however, having covered the sun, hid it from view,[148] till the people
deserted it,[149] and so it was taken. 9. Near the city was a stone
pyramid of the breadth[150] of one plethrum, and the height of two
plethra. Upon it[151] were many of the Barbarians who had fled from the
neighbouring villages.

10. Hence they proceeded one day's journey, six parasangs, to a large
unoccupied fortress,[152] situated near a city, the name of which was
Mespila; the Medes had formerly inhabited it. The foundation of the wall
was of polished stone, full of shells,[153] the breadth fifty feet, and
the height fifty; 11. and on it was constructed a wall of bricks, fifty
feet broad, and a hundred high; the circumference of it was six
parasangs. Here Medea, the king's wife, is said to have taken refuge,
when the Medes were deprived of their empire by the Persians. 12. The
king of the Persians, on besieging this city, was unable to reduce it
either by length of time or by assault, but Jupiter, as with a
thunder-stroke,[154] deprived the inhabitants of their senses, and thus
it was taken.

13. Hence they proceeded one day's journey, a distance of four
parasangs. In the course of this day's march Tissaphernes made his
appearance, having with him the cavalry which he himself commanded, the
force of Orontes, who had married the king's daughter, the Barbarian
troops with which Cyrus went up, the troops with which the king's
brother came to assist him, and, besides these, all that the king
himself had given him; so that his army appeared extremely numerous. 14.
When he came near, he stationed some of his companies in the rear, and
brought others round upon our flanks, but did not venture to make a
charge, or show any disposition to endanger himself, but ordered his men
to use their slings and bows. 15. But when the Rhodians, who were
dispersed among the ranks, began to use their slings, and the Scythian
archers[155] discharged their arrows, no one failing to hit a man, (for
it would not have been easy to do so, even if they had been ever so
desirous,) Tissaphernes hastily retreated beyond reach of the missiles,
and the other divisions drew off at the same time. 16. Duri