Whereas, if you hand over the government to some who have not offended, they may either think that you mistrust them, and thus, although you are their benefactor, you cannot be their friend, or else in your anxiety not to rouse their enmity you may leave no check on their insolence, and in the end you will need to sober them even more than us." [28] "Nay, but by all the gods," cried Cyrus, "little joy should I ever take in those who served me from necessity alone.

Only if I recognise some touch of friendship or goodwill in the help it is their duty to render, I could find it easier to forgive them all their faults than to accept the full discharge of service paid upon compulsion by those who hate me." Then Tigranes answered, "You speak of friendship, but can you ever find elsewhere so great a friendship as you may find with us ?" "Surely I can," he answered, "and with those who have never been my enemies, if I choose to be their benefactor as you would have me yours." [29] "But to-day, and now, can you find another man in the world whom you could benefit as you can benefit my father?
Say you let a man live who has never done you wrong, will he be grateful for the boon?
Say he need not lose his children and his wife, will he love you for that more than one who knows he well deserved the loss?
Say he may not sit upon the throne of Armenia, will he suffer from that as we shall suffer?
And is it not clear that the one who feels the pain of forfeiture the most will be the one most grateful for the granting of the gift?
[30] And if you have it at all at heart to leave matters settled here, think for yourself, and see where tranquillity will lie when your back is turned.

Will it be with the new dynasty, or with the old familiar house?
And if you want as large a force as possible at your command, where will you find a man better fitted to test the muster-roll than the general who has used it time and again?
If you need money, who will provide the ways and means better than he who knows and can command all the resources of the country?
I warn you as a friend," he added, "that if you throw us aside you will do yourself more harm than ever my father could have done." [31] Such were the pleadings of the prince, and Cyrus, as he listened, was overjoyed, for he felt he would accomplish to the full all he had promised Cyaxares; his own words came back to him, "I hope to make the Armenian a better friend than before." Thereupon he turned to the king and said, "Son of Armenia, if I were indeed to hearken unto you and yours in this, tell me, how large an army would you send me and how much money for the war ?" [32] And the king replied, "The simplest answer I can make and the most straightforward is to tell you what my power is, and then you may take the men you choose, and leave the rest to garrison the country.

And so with the money: it is only fair that you should know the whole of our wealth, and with that knowledge to guide you, you will take what you like and leave what you like." [33] And Cyrus said, "Tell me then, and tell me true: how great is your power and your wealth ?" Whereupon the Armenian replied: "Our cavalry is 8000 strong and our infantry 40,000; and our wealth," said he, "if I include the treasures which my father left, amounts in silver to more than 3000 talents." [34] And Cyrus, without more ado, said at once, "Of your whole armament you shall give me half, not more, since your neighbours the Chaldaeans are at war with you: but for the tribute, instead of the fifty talents which you paid before, you shall hand over twice as much to Cyaxares because you made default; and you will lend me another hundred for myself, and I hereby promise you, if God be bountiful, I will requite you for the loan with things of higher worth, or I will pay the money back in full, if I can; and if I cannot, you may blame me for want of ability, but not for want of will." [35] But the Armenian cried, "By all the gods, Cyrus, speak not so, or you will put me out of heart.

I beg you to look on all I have as yours, what you leave behind as well as what you take away." "So be it then," answered Cyrus, "and to ransom your wife, how much money would you give ?" "All that I have," said he.