1

Arms and Arts. He extended his Conquests fo far, as to reduce all Afia Minor under his Subjection, of which his own Kingdom of Lydia made but a very small part. His Court was the Refort of most of the Philofophers and Men of Genius of his Time. Solon, after he had finifh'd his Body of Athenian Laws, refolving to employ fome time in travelling, came to Sardis, to vifit the Court of the renowned Grafus, where he had that famous Converfation with him upon Happinefs, occafion'd by a Question Crafus propos'd to him, viz. If in all his Travels he had met with a Man that was truly happy? To which Solon reply'd he had, and inftanc'd in fome who had liv'd in estimation, and had died honoura¬ bly from whence he drew this Conclufion (containing an Apology for not reckoning Crefus among the number of happy Perfons he had known) That human Life being fubject to fo many Viciffitudes, none could be pronounc'd truly happy while alive: the Truth of which he foon fadly experienc'd, both in the Calamities of his Family, and the fatal Catastrophe of his Kingdom, as will be found in the following Book.

Book IV. Containing the Hiftory of Cyrus.

1. Perfia anciently was no more than a Province of that vaft Country which afterwards was call'd by that Name. Before Cyrus, it was a fe parate Kingdom, and his Father Cambyfes was King of it. (according to Xenophon, whom our Author follows rather than Herodotus.) There Laws in general were remarkably good, but particularly thofe relating to Education of Youth; which was not, as in other Countries, left entirely to the Pleafure of Parents, (who

through

through Indulgence, Negligence or Incapacity are often very unfit for that Charge) but was regulated by publick Laws, which extended even.to their Exercifes, Eating, Drinking, Chaftisements, &c. They divided the Males into four Claffes, according to their Age: the first confifted of Boys, which comprehended all under fixteen; the fecond of young Men, which Denomination they kept till they were twenty-five or twenty-fix: the third Class was of full-grown Men, and took in all under fifty: the fourth comprehended all the reft. There was one uniform Method of Education for all, of what Rank and Quality foever they were; and Rules prescribed, and Stations affign'd them fuitable to their Age or Clafs. In this manner was Cyrus educated, and in all the Periods of his Life exceeded those of his Clafs, both in Docility and Capacity. At twelve Years of age he went along with his Mother to the Court of his Grandfather Aftyages, where, by the Sweetnefs of his Temper, and Vivacity of his Spirit, he gain'd the Love and Efteem of all. After three Years ftay in Media, his Father fent for him home to finish his Education after the Perfian manner. Aftyages being dead, his Son Cyaxares (Cyrus's Uncle) apprehending a terrible War with the Babylonians, who were not only making vaft Preparations themselves, but stirring up the King of India, and all the neighbouring Powers againft the Medes; Tent for Succours to Cambyfes King of Perfia, who accordingly fent his Son Cyrus with 30000 Men to his affiftance. When he arriv'd in Media, his Uncle fent him against the Armenians, who had taken this opportunity to revolt but Cyrus not only reduc'd them to their former Subjection to the Medes, but made

་

1

them

them furnish both Money and Troops for carrying on the War with the Babylonians; against whom Cyrus and his Uncle accordingly march'd, defeated them in Battle, killed their King Nerigliffor, took many Captives, and much Plunder: all which Cyrus leaving with his Uncle, purfu'd the Enemy, and after ravaging the Country, and gaining many Nations from the Subjection of the Affyrians, he return'd with fo much Honour and Reputation, that his Uncle was jealous of him, fufpecting that he had debauch'd his Subjects; but he fo fully fatisfied him of his Fidelity, and Attachment to his Intereft, that he gave him his only Daughter, with the Affurance of all Media for her Dowry.

After having made all neceffary Preparations for profecuting the War, Cyrus fet out with his Army, and hearing that Crafus was made Generaliffimo of the confederate Forcès, he march'd into Lydia, fought and routed his Enemies (who were double in number) in the memorable Battle of Thymbrea, of which Xenophon gives a very full and particular Account. The next day after the Battle he took the City Sardis, whofe Inhabitants were fpar'd upon delivering up all their Money; Crafus alfo deliver'd his immenfe Treasures, and was nobly and honourably us❜d by Cyrus, who allow'd him all the Dignity and Authority of a King, except the Power of making War. When he had fubdu'd all Afia Minor, Syria and Arabia, he advanc'd towards Ba bylon, which was the only City of all the Eaft that stood out against him.

A

11

The Siege of Babylon was a prodigious Undertaking, the Walls being fo high and fo.ftrong, that they feem'd impregnable and there being án infinite Number of Men to guard them. Be

fides.

fides, they were furnished with Provifions fufficient for twenty Years. Cyrus defpairing to take it by Storm, drew a Line of Circumvalla tion quite round it, as if he intended to reduce it by Famine which thofe in the City laugh'd at, as a ridiculous Project. When the Trench was quite finifhed, Cyrus took this Opportunity to put his defign in execution. Being inform'd that the Babylonians were to celebrate a great Festival, at which they were wont to spend the whole Night in Drinking and Debauchery, both at Court, and all over the City, he plac'd a Body of Troops at the Place were the River enters the City, and another where it goes out, with Orders to go into the Town by the Chan nel of the River,as foon as they found it paffable: which done, when Night came, he opened the Trenches on both fides the River, both above and below the City, and fo let out the Water, which flow'd round by the Trenches, by which - means the Channel was foon left dry. Then the two Bodies of Troops entring according to their Orders, march'd on without refiftance to the very Heart of the City, furpriz'd the Guards, broke into, and made themselves Mafters of the Palace, and meeting the King (who had put himself at the head of those he could find to follow him) they kill'd him feede

Thus Cyrus having taken Babylon, order'd all that he found in the Streets to be put to the Sword; then he order'd all the Citizens to der liver up their Arms, and not to fir out of their Houses. The next Morning, when the Garris fon, that was in the Citadel, found that the City was taken and the King kill'd, they furren der'd; and thus Cyrus, almost without Atriking a Stroke, made himself Master of the strongeft

City

City in the World. Defigning to fix the principal Seat of the Empire at Babylon, and knowing that the Inhabitants could have no good will to him, for his better fecurity he took all the Officers that were to be near his Perfon, whether in the Bath, at Table, or when afleep, from among the Eunuchs, (who having no Children or Family, and befides, by their Circumftances being contemptible to all the World) he thought they could have no intereft separate from their Mafter, and for that reafon must be inviolably attach'd to him. After having appointed proper Officers for the Militia; Revenues, and Adminiftration of Juftice, and order'd every thing in the beft manner, he made a Journey into Perfia. But before he fet out he offer'd a Sacrifice, with extraordinary Magnificence and Expence, at which he himself affifted richly clad, and attended by a numerous Cavalcade of his principal Officers, drefs'd after the Fashion of the Medes, and all the People as he paffed along proftrated themfélves before him. In his way to Perfia he made a vifit to his Uncle Cyaxares, and as he return'd brought him with him to Babylon, allowing him while he lived the firft rank, and greatest share in the Adminiftration of this vaft Empire, which they divided into a hundred and twenty Provinces; over which were as many Lieutenants; call'd Satrapæ, and over thefe Satrape were three Superintendants, the Chief of whom was Daniel the Prophet, who Dan. 6. had for many Years held the greatest Offices under the Kings of Babylon. Cyrus reign'd after -his. Uncle's Death feven Years (in the firft of which he publish'd the famous Edict for rebuilding Jerufalem) and enjoy'd the Fruits of his No. XVII. 1732. Hh VOL. III.

Con