Page:Plutarch's Lives (Clough, v.5, 1865).djvu/437

 ARTAXERXES. 429 destruction of the life and fortune of Cyrus, than he by his heat and rashness. For had the king made it his business to discover a place, where having posted the Grecians, he might encounter them with the least hazard, he would never have found out any other but that which was most remote from himself and those near him ; of his defeat in which he was insensible, and, though Clearchus had the victory, yet Cyrus coidd not know of it, and could take no advantage of it before his fall. Cyrus knew well enough what was expedient to be done, and commanded Clearchus with his men to take their place in the centre. Clearchus replied that he would take care to have all arranged as was best, and then spoiled all. For the Grecians, where they were, defeated the bar- barians till they were weary, and chased them success- fully a very great way. But Cyrus being mounted upon a noble but a headstrong and hard-mouthed horse, bear- ing the name, as Ctesias tells us, of Fasacas, Artagerses, the leader of the Cadusians, galloped up to him, cry- ing aloud, " most unjust and senseless of men, who are the disgrace of the honored name of Cyrus, are you come here leading the wicked Greeks on a wicked jour- ney, to plunder the good things of the Persians, and this with the intent of slaying your lord and brother, the master of ten thousand times ten thousand servants that are better men than you ? as you shall see this instant; for you shall lose your head here, before you look upon the face of the king." Which when he had said, he cast his javelin at him. But the coat of mail stoutly repelled it, and Cyrus was not wounded ; yet the stroke falling heavy upon him, he reeled under it. Then Artagei-ses turning his horse, Cyrus threw his weapon, and sent the head of it through his neck near the shoulder bone. So that it is almost universally agreed to by all the authors that Artagerses was slain by him.