Book 5
2.14
When he had thus spoken, he claspedGobryas is impressed by the simple life Gobryas’s right hand in his and rose to depart, taking with him all his followers. And though Gobryas urged him to dine in the castle, he declined, but dined in camp and took Gobryas with him as his guest.
2.15
And as he reclined upon a mat of straw he asked this question: Tell me, Gobryas, do you think you have more coverlets than each one of us? I am perfectly sure, by Zeus, the other answered, that you have more coverlets and more couches,Costly coverlets and couches were a special feature of oriental luxury. and that your dwelling is much larger than mine; for you take heaven and earth for your dwelling, and you have as many couches as you can find resting-places on the ground, while you regard as your proper coverlets not wool that sheep produce, but whatever the mountains and plains bring forth.
2.16
Thus, as Gobryas dined with them for the first time and saw the simplicity of the food set before them, he thought his own people more refined than they.
