red his
diligence to go unrewarded; consequently, in every undertaking, the best
qualified officers were said to be ready to assist him.

19. If he noticed any one that was a skilful manager, with strict regard
to justice, stocking the land of which he had the direction, and
securing income from it, he would never take anything from such a
person, but was ever ready to give him something in addition; so that
men laboured with cheerfulness, acquired property with confidence, and
made no concealment from Cyrus of what each possessed; for he did not
appear to envy those who amassed riches openly, but to endeavour to
bring into use the wealth of those who concealed it.

20. Whatever friends he made, and felt to be well-disposed to him, and
considered to be capable of assisting him in anything that he might wish
to accomplish, he is acknowledged by all to have been most successful in
attaching them to him. 21. For, on the very same account on which he
thought that he himself had need of friends, namely, that he might have
co-operators in his undertakings, did he endeavour to prove an efficient
assistant to his friends in whatever he perceived any of them desirous
of effecting.

22. He received, for many reasons, more presents than perhaps any other
single individual; and these he outdid every one else in distributing
amongst his friends, having a view to the character of each, and to what
he perceived each most needed. 23. Whatever presents any one sent him of
articles of personal ornament, whether for warlike accoutrement, or
merely for dress, concerning these, they said, he used to remark, that
he could not decorate his own person with them all, but that he thought
friends well equipped were the greatest ornament a man could have. 24.
That he should outdo his friends, indeed, in conferring great benefits,
is not at all wonderful, since he was so much more able; but, that he
should surpass his friends in kind attentions, and an anxious desire to
oblige, appears to me far more worthy of admiration. 25. Frequently,
when he had wine served him of a peculiarly fine flavour, he would send
half-emptied flagons of it to some of his friends, with a message to
this effect: "Cyrus has not for some time met with pleasanter wine than
this; and he has therefore sent some of it to you, and begs you will
drink it to-day, with those whom you love best." 26. He would often,
too, send geese partly eaten, and the halves of loaves, and other