Darius the Great

In describing the character and the action of the personages whose histories form the subjects of this series, the writer makes no attempt to darken the colors in which he depicts their deeds of violence and wrong, or to increase, by indignant denunciations, the obloquy which heroes and conquerors have so often brought upon themselves, in the estimation of mankind, by their ambition, their tyranny, or their desperate and reckless crimes. In fact, it seems desirable to diminish, rather than to increase, the spirit of censoriousness which often leads men so harshly to condemn the errors and sins of others, committed in circumstances of temptation to which they themselves were never exposed. Besides, to denounce or vituperate guilt, in a narrative of the transactions in which it was displayed, has little influence in awakening a healthy sensitiveness in the conscience of the reader. We observe, accordingly, that in the narratives of the sacred Scriptures, such denunciations are seldom found. The story of Absalom's undutifulness and rebellion, of David's adultery and murder, of Herod's tyranny, and all other narratives of crime, are related in a calm, simple, impartial, and forbearing spirit, which leads us to condemn the sins, but not to feel a pharisaical resentment and wrath against the sinner.

This example, so obviously proper and right, the writer of this series has made it his endeavor in all respects to follow.

CONTENTS.

Chapter Page

I. CAMBYSES 13

II. THE END OF CAMBYSES 38

III. SMERDIS THE MAGIAN 59

IV. THE ACCESSION OF DARIUS 82

V. THE PROVINCES 99

VI. THE RECONNOITERING OF GREECE 123

VII. THE REVOLT OF BABYLON 144

VIII. THE INVASION OF SCYTHIA 167

IX. THE RETREAT FROM SCYTHIA 189

X. THE STORY OF HISTIÆUS 210

XI. THE INVASION OF GREECE 233

XII. THE DEATH OF DARIUS 264

ENGRAVINGS.

Page

MAP OF THE PERSIAN EMPIRE.

DARIUS CROSSING THE BOSPORUS Frontispiece.

THE ARMY OF CAMBYSES OVERWHELMED IN THE DESERT 35

PHÆDYMA FEELING FOR SMERDIS'S EARS 69

THE INDIAN GOLD HUNTERS 121

THE BABYLONIANS DERIDING DARIUS FROM THE WALL 156

MAP OF GREECE 232

THE INVASION OF GREECE 256

[Illustration: MAP OF THE PERSIAN EMPIRE.]

DARIUS THE GREAT

CHAPTER I.

CAMBYSES.

B.C. 530-524

Cyrus the Great.--His extended conquests.--Cambyses and Smerdis.--Hystaspes and Darius.--Dream of Cyrus.--His anxiety and fears.--Accession of Cambyses.--War with Egypt.--Origin of the war with Egypt.--Ophthalmia.--The Egyptian physician.--His plan of revenge.--Demand of Cyrus.--Stratagem of the King of Egypt.--Resentment of Cassandane.--Threats of Cambyses.--Future conquests.--Temperament and character of Cambyses.--Impetuosity of Cambyses.--Preparations for the Egyptian war.--Desertion of Phanes.--His narrow escape.--Information given by Phanes.--Treaty with the Arabian king.--Plan for providing water.--Account of Herodotus.--A great battle.--Defeat of the Egyptians.--Inhuman conduct of Cambyses.--His treatment of Psammenitus.--The train of captive maidens.--The young men.--Scenes of distress and suffering.--Composure of Psammenitus.--Feelings of the father.--His explanation of them.--Cambyses relents.--His treatment of the body of Amasis.--Cambyses's desecrations.--The sacred bull Apis.--Cambyses stabs the sacred bull.--His mad expeditions.--The sand storm.--Cambyses a wine-bibber.--Brutal act of Cambyses.--He is deemed insane.

About five or six hundred years before Christ, almost the whole of the interior of Asia was united in one vast empire. The founder of this empire was Cyrus the Great. He was originally a Persian; and the whole empire is often called the Persian monarchy, taking its name from its founder's native land.

Cyrus was not contented with having annexed to his dominion all the civilized states of Asia. In the latter part of his life, he conceived the idea that there might possibly be some additional glory and power to be acquired in subduing certain half-savage regions in the north, beyond the Araxes. He accordingly raised an army, and set off on an expedition for this purpose, against a country which was governed by a barbarian queen named Tomyris. He met with a variety of adventures on this expedition, all of which are fully detailed in our history of Cyrus. There is, however, only one occurrence that it is necessary to allude to particularly here. That one relates to a remarkable dream which he had one night, just after he had crossed the river.