CȲRUS (2)
Post paucōs annōs
Cȳrus, Persārum prīnceps,
cōpiās
in Mēdōrum
agrōs dūxit,
et tōtam regiōnem celeriter vīcit.
Itaque et Mēdiae et Persiae,
ingentis rēgnī, rēx
erat.
Croesus, ubi cīvēs
Cȳrī
facta nūntiāvērunt,
"Sī Cȳrus," inquit, "adhūc adolēscēns, tam celeriter Mēdōs
superāvit, sine dubiō ego, rēx maximus dīvitissimusque,
Cȳrum superābō."
Cōpiās igitur cito
collēgit et in fīnitimōs agrōs dūxit. Sed nōn bene rem gessit. Nōn diū rēgis
exercitus hostium impetum sustinēbat. Persae Croesī mīlitēs fugāvērunt. In Lȳdiam contendērunt et omnia loca ferrō
et ignī vastāvērunt;
hominēs necāvērunt; vīcōs et frūmentum incendērunt. Rēx
perterritus rēgiam petīvit. Eō
intrāvit Cȳrus.
Cȳrus, vehementer īrātus,
"Cūr, Ō Croese," rogāvit, "sine causā bellum in agrōs meōs
intulistī? Tū igitur stultitiae tuae poenās gravissimās mihi dabis. Servī
meī rogum ingentem trabibus validīs
aedificābunt; tē in rogum impōnent; tum tē rogumque incendent."
Media, -ae [1/f]:
Media, a country south of the Caspian Sea
[i]
cōpiae, -ārum [1/f
pl.]: forces
ferrum, -ī [2/n]:
iron, sword
impetus, -ūs
[4/m]: attack
Medī, -ōrum [2/m
pl.]: Medes
Persae, -ārum [1/m
pl.]: Persians
rogus, -ī [2/m]:
funeral pile
trabs, trabis
[3/f]: beam
[ii]
maximus, -a, -um:
greatest, very great
[iii]
colligō, -ere [3]:
collect
gerō, -ere [3]:
carry on; rem bene gerō: succeed
inferō, inferre:
bring into, inflict on
nūntiō, -āre [1]:
announce
superō, -āre [1]:
overcome
sustineō, -ēre
[2]: hold up, sustain
vastō, -āre [1]:
devastate, destroy
____________________
After a few years
Cyrus, leader of the Persians, led an army into the territory of the Medes and
quickly conquered the whole region. Therefore he became king of both Media and
Persia, a vast kingdom.
When the subjects
of Cyrus reported these deeds, Croesus said:
"If Cyrus,
still a young man, has conquered the Medes so quickly, then surely I, the
greatest and richest of kings, shall conquer Cyrus."
Accordingly, he
quickly gathered his forces and led them into the neighbouring territory. But
he was not successful. The king's army did not withstand the enemy's attack for
long. The Persians put Croesus' soldiers to flight. They advanced into Lydia
and laid waste all places with fire and sword; they killed people and burned
villages and grain crops. Terrified, the king made for the royal palace.
Cyrus entered it.
Greatly angered, Cyrus asked:
"Why, O
Croesus, did you without cause bring war upon my lands? Therefore you shall pay
me the severest penalty for your folly. My slaves will build a huge funeral
pyre from sturdy beams; they will place you upon the pyre; then they will set
fire to both you and the pyre."
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