Page:The land of enchantment (1907, Cassell).djvu/83

 “Yes,” said Herodotus, “for the herald came to Agbatana, where Cambyses and his army lay, and he went straight through the host and proclaimed his message.

“Cambyses immediately imagined that Prexaspes, whom he had charged to kill Smerdis, had dealt falsely. So he turned upon him and taxed him with treachery.

“‘O, my king,’ replied Prexaspes, ‘unless the dead can come to life, thou hast no need to fear Smerdis thy brother. Question, I pray thee, this herald, and see if this be not some trick.’

“Cambyses approved of this, and the herald confessed that he had not seen Smerdis—the king’s brother—since the day Cambyses left for Egypt. It was Patizeithes who had given him the message, purporting to come from Smerdis.

“Then Prexaspes cried:—

“‘I see it all now, O king. Patizeithes hath a brother named Smerdis. It is a trick—a plot.’

“Then Cambyses also saw the truth, and bitterly he grieved that he had slain his brother needlessly, for the Smerdis of his dream was doubtless the brother of Patizeithes. Wild with anger at his ill-luck, he sprang to his horse, meaning to be revenged on his enemies, but as he leapt to the saddle the button of his scabbard fell off, wounding him in the thigh, in exactly the same spot where he had wounded Apis.

“‘Alas!’ cried Cambyses, who felt the wound was mortal, ‘what do they call this city?’

“The people replied, ‘Agbatana,’ and Cambyses remembered that it had been prophesied he should die at a place of that name. The shock brought back his senses, and he said:—

“‘Here, then, Cambyses, son of Cyrus, is doomed to die.’

“When he felt his end approaching, he summoned the Persians around him, and gave them many instructions as to regaining the kingdom, which they carefully omitted to carry out after his death.

“Bitterly did Cambyses lament his misfortunes before he died, but since they were of his own making, one can waste little pity on him.”

“And what happened to the mock Smerdis?”” asked Harry.

“The people believed he was the real one after all, and as Prexaspes turned round and vowed he had not slain him he reigned in peace for eight months. Cyrus, thou wilt remember, was a great and mighty king. It is told of him that when he was beginning to be successful,