The Good Book_ A Secular Bible - A. C. Grayling [105]
19. And wishing to be quit of the noble Mede who had complained, that he might examine the herdsman alone,
20. He said to the Mede, ‘I promise to settle this business that neither you nor your son shall have any cause to complain.’
21. The courtier left the presence chamber, and the king’s attendants took Cyrus to an inner room, leaving Astyages and the herdsman alone.
Chapter 11
1. Astyages then enquired about the boy, and Mitradates at first insisted that he and his wife Spaco were the true parents.
2. But when Astyages ordered him to be tortured for the truth, Mitradates broke down in terror and told Astyages everything,
3. Ending with supplications and tears to be forgiven for what he had done.
4. Astyages was very little concerned with the herdsman, but was outraged at the disloyalty of Harpagus, whom he summoned immediately.
5. When Harpagus came the king asked him, ‘By what death did you slay the child of my daughter Mandane?’
6. Seeing the herdsman in the room, Harpagus did not try to dissemble.
7. ‘Sir,’ he said, ‘When you gave the child into my hands I considered with myself how I could carry out your wishes,
8. ‘And yet, while guiltless of any unfaithfulness towards you, avoid steeping my hands in blood which was in truth your own.
9. ‘And this was how I contrived it. I sent for this herdsman, and gave the child to him, telling him that by the king’s orders it was to be put to death.
10. ‘And in this I told no lie, for you had so commanded.
11. ‘Moreover, when I gave him the child, I enjoined him to lay it somewhere in the wilds of the mountains, until it was dead; and I threatened him with punishment if he failed.
12. ‘Afterwards, when he had done according to all that I commanded, and the child had died, I sent some of the most trustworthy of my eunuchs,
13. ‘Who viewed the body for me, and then I had the child buried. This, sir, is the simple truth, and this is the death by which the child died.’
14. Thus Harpagus related the whole story in a plain, straightforward way; upon which Astyages, letting no sign escape him of the anger he felt,
15. Began by repeating to him all that he had just heard from the herdsman, and then concluded with saying,
16. ‘So the boy is alive, and it is best as it is. For the child’s fate was a great sorrow to me, and the reproaches of my daughter went to my heart.
17. ‘Truly this has turned out well. Go home then, and send your own son to be with this newcomer who is my grandson,
18. ‘And tonight, let us have a banquet at which you will be guest of honour alongside my grandson, to rejoice in these events.’
19. Harpagus, on hearing this, bowed and went home rejoicing to find that his disobedience had turned out so fortunately.
20. The moment he reached home he called for his son, his only child, a youth of thirteen years, and told him to go to the palace, and do whatever Astyages should direct.
21. Then, in the gladness of his heart, he went to his wife and told her what had happened.
22. Astyages, meanwhile, took the son of Harpagus, and slew him, and cut him in pieces, and roasted some portions before the fire, and boiled others;
23. And when all were duly prepared, he kept them ready for use.
24. The hour for the banquet came, and Harpagus appeared, and with him the other guests, and all sat down to the feast.
25. Astyages and the rest of the guests had joints of meat served to them; but on the table of Harpagus, nothing was placed except the flesh of his own son,
26. All except the hands and feet and head, which were laid by themselves in a covered basket.
27. When Harpagus seemed to have eaten his fill, Astyages called out to him to know how he had enjoyed the repast.
28. On his reply that he had enjoyed it excessively, they whose business it was brought him the basket, and bade him open it, and take out what he pleased.
29. Harpagus accordingly uncovered the basket, and saw within it the remains of his son.
30. The sight, however, did not rob him of his self-possession. Being asked by Astyages if he knew what beast’s flesh it was