Page:Plutarch's Lives (Clough, v.5, 1865).djvu/440

 432 ARTAXERXES. knew that they were enemies. One of them, therefore, not dreaming that it was Cyrus, ventured to strike him behind with a dart. The vein under the knee was cut open, and Cyrus fell, and at the same time struck his wounded temple against a stone, and so died. Thus runs Ctesias's account, tardily, with the slowness of a blunt weapon, effecting the victim's death. When he was now dead, Artasyras, the kmg's eye,* passed by on horseback, and, having observed the eunuchs lamenting, he asked the most trusty of them, " Who is this, Pariscas, whom you sit here deploring ? " He replied, " Do not you see, Artasyras, that it is my master, Cyrus?" Then Artasyras wondering, bade the eunuch be of good cheer, and keep the dead body safe. And going in all haste to Artaxerxes, who had now given up all hope of his affairs, and was in great suffer- ing also with his thirst and his wound, he with much joy assured him that he had seen Cyrus dead. Upon this, at first, he set out to go in person to the place, and com- manded Artasyras to conduct him where he lay. But when there was a great noise made about the Greeks, who were said to be in full pursuit, conquering and carrying all before them, he thought it best to send a number of persons to see ; and accordingly thirty men went with torches in their hands. Meantime, as he seemed to be almost at the point of dying from thirst, his eunuch Satibarzanes ran about seeking drink for him ; for the place had no water in it, and he was at a good distance from his camp. After a long search he at King's ears were the official titles of the King's eye, whom certain of particular officers of the Per- ambassadors have brought down sian government, and are men- to Athens out of Persia, and tioned by Aristotle and Xenophon. who utters some barbarous Greek Aristophanes also brings upon the words. Btii^e, in his Achamians, a gro-
 * The King's eyes and the tesque personage with the name