But it is a mistake to suppose that the king has one chosen "eye." It is little that one man can see or one man hear, and to hand over the office to one single person would be to bid all others go to sleep.

Moreover, his subjects would feel they must be on their guard before the man they knew was "the king's eye." The contrary is the case; the king will listen to any man who asserts that he has heard or seen anything that needs attention.

[12] Hence the saying that the king has a thousand eyes and a thousand ears; and hence the fear of uttering anything against his interest since "he is sure to hear," or doing anything that might injure him "since he may be there to see." So far, therefore, from venturing to breathe a syllable against Cyrus, every man felt that he was under the eye and within the hearing of a king who was always present.

For this universal feeling towards him I can give no other reason than his resolve to be a benefactor on a most mighty scale.
[13] It is not surprising, no doubt, that being the wealthiest of men, he could outdo the world in the splendour of his gifts.

The remarkable thing was to find a king outstrip his courtiers in courtesy and kindness.