Page:Sinner's sobs, or, The way to Sion, a sermon.pdf/19



YRUS, when quite a youth, at the court of his grandfather, Astyages, undertook one day to perform the office of cup-bearer. He delivered the cup very gracefully, but omitted the usual custom of first tasting it himself. The king reminded him of it, supposing he had forgotten:

"No, Sir," replied Cyrus; "but I was afraid there might be poison in it; for I have observed that the lords of your court, after drinking, become noisy, quarrelsome, and frantic; and that even you, Sir, seem to have forgotten that you were a king."—"Does not the same thing," replied Astyages, "happen to your father?"— "Never," answered Cyrus.—"How then?—"Why, when he has taken what wine he chooses, he is no longer thirsty—that is all."