Book 5
3.1
As they thus proceeded, they arrived on theThe Persians prove to Gobryas their generosity fourth day at the boundaries of Gobryas’s domains. And as soon as Cyrus was in the enemy’s country, he arranged in regular order under his own command the infantry and as much of the cavalry as seemed to him best. The rest of the cavalry he sent out to forage, with orders to kill those who were under arms but to bring every one else to him, as well as any cattle they might take. The Persians he ordered to join the foraging party. And many of them were thrown from their horses and came back, but many of them also came bringing a great quantity of plunder.
3.2
When all the booty was brought in, he called the peers and the officers of the Medes and Hyrcanians together and addressed them as follows: My friends, Gobryas has entertained us all with great munificence. So, if we should set apart the share of the spoil ordained for the gods and a portion sufficient for the army and give the rest to him, should we not be doing the right thing? For we should be giving immediate proof that we are trying to outdo those who do good to us, in the good we do to them.
