You see, he has no Sacas to mix his wine for him." "But, Cyrus," put in his mother, "why are you so unkind to Sacas ?" "Because I do so hate him," answered the boy.

"Time after time when I have wanted to go to my grandfather this old villain has stopped me.

Do please, grandfather, let me manage him for three days." "And how would you set about it ?" Astyages asked.

"Why," said the boy, "I will plant myself in the doorway just as he does, and then when he wants to go in to breakfast I will say 'You cannot have breakfast yet: HE is busy with some people,' and when he comes for dinner I will say 'No dinner yet: HE is in his bath,' and as he grows ravenous I will say 'Wait a little: HE is with the ladies of the court,' until I have plagued and tormented him as he torments me, keeping me away from you, grandfather, when I want to come." [12] Thus the boy delighted his elders in the evening, and by day if he saw that his grandfather or his uncle wanted anything, no one could forestall him in getting it; indeed nothing seemed to give him greater pleasure than to please them.
[13] Now when Mandane began to think of going back to her husband, Astyages begged her to leave the boy behind.

She answered that though she wished to please her father in everything, it would be hard to leave the boy against his will.