[3] She was the wife of Abradatas, a Susian, and when the Assyrian army was captured it happened that her husband was away: his master had sent him on an embassy to Bactria to conclude an alliance there, for he was the friend and host of the Bactrian king.

And now Cyrus asked Araspas to guard the captive lady until her husband could take her back himself.

[4] To that Araspas replied, "Have you seen the lady whom you bid me guard ?" "No, indeed," said Cyrus, "certainly I have not." "But I have," rejoined the other, "I saw here when we chose her for you.
When we came into the tent, we did not make her out at first, for she was seated on the ground with all her maidens round her, and she was clad in the same attire as her slaves, but when we looked at them all to discover the mistress, we soon saw that one outshone the others, although she was veiled and kept her eyes on the ground.

[5] And when we bade her rise, all her women rose with her, and then we saw that she was marked out from them all by her height, and her noble bearing, and her grace, and the beauty that shone through her mean apparel.

And, under her veil, we could see the big tear-drops trickling down her garments to her feet.