And when she went on to ask him the reason, he answered, so the story says, "Because at home I am thought to be the best of the lads at shooting and hurling the javelin, and so I think I am: but here I know I am the worst at riding, and that you may be sure, mother, annoys me exceedingly.

Now if you leave me here and I learn to ride, when I am back in Persia you shall see, I promise you, that I will outdo all our gallant fellows on foot, and when I come to Media again I will try and show my grandfather that, for all his splendid cavalry, he will not have a stouter horseman than his grandson to fight his battles for him." [16] Then said his mother, "But justice and righteousness, my son, how can you learn them here when your teachers are at home ?" "Oh," said Cyrus, "I know all about them already." "How do you know that you do ?" asked Mandane.

"Because," answered the boy, "before I left home my master thought I had learnt enough to decide the cases, and he set me to try the suits.

Yes! and I remember once, said he, "I got a whipping for misjudgment.

[17] I will tell you about that case.