Indeed, if the king gives his approval, no objection on the part of his subjects can be entertained.

The history of Iran too offers a sufficient number of examples, in which even slaves became the mothers of kings.

The queen mother, whose position, in the eyes of the people, is nearly as high as that of the monarch himself, will do nothing to thwart the happiness of her youngest and favorite son.

When she sees that he will not give up Sappho,--that his smiling face, in which she adores the image of her great husband Cyrus, becomes clouded, I verily believe she would be ready to sanction his taking even a Scythian woman to wife, if it could restore him to cheerfulness.

Neither will Cambyses himself refuse his consent if his mother press the point at a right moment." "In that case every difficulty is set aside," cried Rhodopis joyfully.
"It is not the marriage itself, but the time that must follow, which causes me uneasiness," answered Croesus.
"Do you think then that Bartja... ?" "From him I fear nothing.