he was more wife and virtuous than those he governed: (r) He was alfo perfuaded, that the fureft means for a prince to gain the refpect of his courtiers, and of fuch as approached his perfon, was to have fo much regard for them, as never to do or fay any thing before them, contrary to the rules of de cency and good manners.

66

(5) Liberality he looked upon as a virtue truly royal, nor did he think there was any thing great or valuable in riches, but the pleasure of diftributing them to others. () "I have prodigious riches (fays he to his courtiers) I own, and I am glad the world knows it; but you may affure yourselves, "they are as much yours as mine. For to what end fhould I heap up wealth? For my own ufe, and to confume it my"felf? That would be impoffible, if I defired it: No: The "chief end I aim at is to have it in my power to reward those "who ferve the publick faithfully, and to fuccour and relieve "thofe that will acquaint me with their wants and neceffities." (u) Craefus one day reprefented to him, that by continual giving he would at laft make himfelf poor, whereas he might have amaffed infinite treasures, and have been the richest prince in the world." And to what fum (replied Cyrus) do "you think thofe treafures might have amounted ?" Cræfus amed a certain fum, which was immenfely great. Cyrus thereupon ordered a little note to be writ to the lords of his court, in which it was fignified to them, that he had occafion for money. Immediately a much larger fum was brought to him, than Crofus had mentioned. Look here (fays Cyrus "to him) here are my treasures; the chefts I keep my riches in, are the hearts and affections of my fubjects.'

But as much as he esteemed liberality, he ftill laid a greater Arefs upon kindness and condefcenfion, affability and humanity, which are qualities ftill more engaging, and more apt to acquire the affection of a people, which is properly to reign. For a prince to be more generous than others in giving, when he is infinitely more rich than they, has nothing in it fo furprifing or extraordinary, as to defcend in a manner from the throne, and to put himself upon a level with his fubjects.

(z) But what Cyrus preferred to all other things, was the worship of the gods, and a refpect for religion. Upon this therefore he thought himself obliged to beftow his first and principal care, as foon as he became more at leifure, and more mafter of his time, by the conqueft of Babylon. He began by establishing a number of Magi, to fing daily a morning fer

vice

(r) Cyrop 1. viii. p. 204. (s) Pag. 209. () Pag. 245. (u) Pag, 210. fw) Pag. 204.

vice of praise to the honour of the gods, and to offer facrifices; which was always practifed amongst them in fucceeding ages.

The prince's difpofition quickly became, as is ufual, the prevailing difpofition among his people; and his example became the rule of their condu&t. The Perfians, who faw that Cyrus's reign had been but one continued chain and feries of profperity and fuccefs, believed, that by ferving the gods as he did, they should be bleffed with the like happinefs and profperity : Befides they were fenfible, that it was the fureft way to pleafe their prince, and to make their court to him fuccefsful. Cyrus on the other hand was extremely glad to find them have fuch fentiments of religion, being convinced, that whofoever fincerely fears and worships God, will at the fame time be faithful to his king, and preferve an inviolable attachment to his perfon, and to the welfare of the state. All this is excellent, but is only true and real in the true religion.

(x) Cyrus being refolved to fettle his chief refidence at Babylon, a powerful city, which could not be very well affected to him, thought it neceffary to be more cautious, than he had been hitherto, in regard to the fafety of his perfon. The moft dangerous hours for princes within their palaces, and the most likely for treasonable attempts upon their lives, are thofe of bathing, eating, and fleeping. He determined therefore to fuffer no body to be near him at thofe times, but fuch perfons on whofe fidelity he could abfolutely rely; and on this account he thought eunuchs preferable to all others; becaufe, as they had neither wives, children, or families, and befides were generally defpifed on account of the meanness of their birth, and the ignominy of their condition, they were engaged by all forts of reafons to an entire attachment to their mafter, on whofe life their whole fortune depended, and on whose account alone it was, that they were of any confideration. Cyrus therefore filled all the offices of his houfhold with eunuchs; and as this had been the practice before his time, from thenceforth it became the general custom of all the eaftern countries.

It is well known, that in after-times this ufage prevailed also amongst the Roman emperors, with whom the eunuchs were the reigning all-powerful favourites; nor is it any wonder. It was very natural for the prince, after having confided his perfon to their care, and experienced their zeal, fidelity and merit, to entrust them also with the management of their affairs, and by degrees to give himself up to them. Thefe expert courtiers knew how to improve thofe favourable moments, when fovereigns, delivered from the weight of their dignity, which is a

I 4

(») Cyrog. l. vii. p. 196.

burden

burden to them, become men, and familiarize themselves with their officers. And by this policy having got poffeffion of their mafters minds and confidence, they came to be in great credit at court, to have the adminiftration of publick affairs, and the difpofal of employments and honours, and to arrive themselves at the highest offices and dignities in the state.

(y) But the good emperors, fuch as Alexander Severus, had the eunuchs in abhorrence, looking upon them as creatures fold and attached only to their fortune, and enemies by principle to the publick good; perfons, whofe whole view was to get poffeffion of the prince's mind, to keep all perfons of merit from him, to conceal affairs as much as poffible from his knowledge, and to keep him fhut up and imprifoned in a manner, within the narrow circle of three or four officers, who had an entire afcendant and dominion over him: Claudentes principem, fuum, & agentes ante omnia ne quid fciat.

(2) When Cyrus had given orders about every thing relating to the government, he refolved to fhew himself publickly to his people, and to his new conquered fubjects, in a folemn auguft ceremony of religion, by marching in a pompous cavalcade to the places confecrated to the gods, in order to offer facrifices to them. In this proceffion Cyrus thought fit to dif play all poffible fplendor and magnificence, to catch and dazzle the eyes of the people. This was the first time that prince ever aimed at procuring refpect to himself, not only by the attractions of virtue (fays the hiftorian) but by fuch an external pomp, as was proper to attract the multitude, and worked like a charm or inchantment upon their imaginations. He ordered the fuperior officers of the Perfians and allies to attend him, and gave each of them a fuit of cloaths after the Median fafhion, that is to fay, long garments, which hung down to the feet. These cloaths were of various colours, all of the finest and brigheft dye, and richly embroidered with gold and filver. Befides thofe that were for themselves, he gave them others, very fplendid alfo, but lefs coftly, to prefent to the fubaltern officers. It was on this occafion the Perfians firft dreffed themfelves after the manner of the Medes, (a) and began to imitate them in colouring their eyes, to make them appear more lively, and in painting their faces, in order to beautify their complexions.

When the day appointed for the ceremony was come, the whole company affembled at the king's palace by break of day. Four

(y) Lamprid, in yita Alex. Sever. (a) Pag. 206.

* ̓Αλλὰ καὶ καταγοητεύειν μετο χρῆναι αὐτάς.

(x) Cyrop. 1. viii. p. 213, 220..

Four thoufand of the guards, drawn up four deep, placed themselves in front of the palace, and two thousand on the two fides of it ranged in the fame order. The whole cavalry were alfo drawn out, the Perfians on the right, and that of the allies on the left. The chariots of war were ranged half on one fide,, and half on the other. As foon as the palace gates were opened, a great number of bulls of exquifite beauty were led out by four and four: Thefe were to be facrificed to Jupiter and other gods, according to the ceremonies prefcribed by the Magi. Next followed the horfes, that were to be facrificed to the fun. Immediately after them a white chariot, crowned, with flowers, the pole of which was gilt: This was to be offered to Jupiter. Then came a fecond chariot of the fame colour, and adorned in the fame manner, to be offered to the fun. After these followed a third, the horses of which were caparisoned with scarlet houfings. Behind came the men, who, carried the facred fire in a large hearth. When all these were on their march, Cyrus himself began to appear upon his car, with his upright tiara upon his head, encircled with the royal diadem. His under tunick was of purple mixed with white,. which was a colour peculiar to kings. Over his other garments he wore a large purple cloak. His hands were uncovered. A little below him fat his mafter of the horse, who was of a comely ftature, but not fo tall as Cyrus, for which, reafon the ftature of the latter appeared ftill more advantageously. As foon as the people perceived the prince, they all fell proftrate before him, and worshipped him; whether it was, that certain perfons appointed on purpofe, and placed at proper distances, led others on by their example, or that the people were moved to do it of their own accord, being ftruck with the appearance of fo much pomp and magnificence, and with fo many awful circumftances of majesty and fplendor. The Perfians had never proftrated themselves in this manner before Cyrus, till on this occafion.

When Cyrus's chariot was come out of the palace, the four thoufand guards began to march: The other two thousand moved at the fame time, and placed themselves on each fide the chariot. The eunuchs, or great officers of the king's houfhold, to the number of three hundred, richly clad, with javelins in their hands, and mounted upon ftately horfes, marched immediately after the chariot. After them followed two hundred led horfes of the king's ftable, each of them having embroidered furniture, and bits of gold. Next came the Perfian cavalry, divided into four bodies, each confifting of ten thou fand men ; then the Median horfe, and after those the cavalry

I. 5

of.

of the allies. The chariots of war, four in a breast, marched in the rear, and closed the proceffion.

When they came to the fields confecrated to the gods, they offered their facrifices first to Jupiter, and then to the fun. To the honour of the first were burnt bulls, and to the honour of the fecond horfes. They likewife facrificed fome victims to the earth, according to the appointment of the Magi; then to the demi-gods, the patrons and protectors of Syria.

In order to recreate the people after this grave and folemn ceremony, Cyrus thought fit that it fhould conclude with games, and horfe and chariot-races. The place where they were was large and fpacious. He ordered a certain portion of it to be marked out, about the quantity of five + ftadia, and propofed prizes for the victors of each nation, which were to encounter feparately, and among themfelves. He himself won the prize in the Perfian horfe-races, for no body was fo compleat an horfeman as he. The chariots run but two at a time, one against another.

This kind of racing continued a long time afterwards among the Perfians, except only, that it was not always attended with facrifices. All the ceremonies being ended, they returned to the city in the fame order.

(b) Some days after, Cyrus, to celebrate the victory he had obtained in the horfe-races, gave a great entertainment to all his chief officers, as well ftrangers, as Medes and Perfians. They had never yet feen any thing of the kind fo fumptuous and magnificent. At the conclufion of the feaft he made every one a noble prefent; fo that they all went home with hearts overflowing with joy, admiration, and gratitude: And allpowerful as he was, mafter of all the eaft, and fo many kingdoms, he did not think it defcending from his majefty to conduct the whole company to the door of his apartment. Such were the manners and behaviour of those ancient times, when men underftood how to unite great fimplicity with the highest degree of human grandeur.

The hiftory of CYRUS, from the taking of BABYLON to the time of his death.

YRUS finding himself mafter of all the eaft, by the

C not imitate

other conquerors, who fully the glory of their victories by a

(b) Cyrop. 1. viii. p. 220-224.

formon ribe ancients, Syria is often | † A little above balf a mile,

but Allyria,

volup