faithless creature should be disciplined, and the hypocrite, who had
dared to make sport of him--the All-powerful--forced to atone for her
crimes.

Then he said to himself: "Bartja must not stay here; fire and water have
more in common than we two--he always fortunate and happy, and I so
miserable. Some day or other his descendants will divide my treasures,
and wear my crown; but as yet I am king, and I will show that I am."

The thought of his proud, powerful position flashed through him like
lightning. He woke from his dreams into new life, flung his golden
goblet far into the hall, so that the wine flew round like rain, and
cried: "We have had enough of this idle talk and useless noise. Let us
hold a council of war, drunken as we are, and consider what answer we
ought to give the Massagetae. Hystaspes, you are the eldest, give us
your opinion first."

[Herod. I. 134. The Persians deliberated and resolved when they
were intoxicated, and when they were sober reconsidered their
determinations. Tacitus tells the same of the old Germans. Germ,
c. 22.]

Hystaspes, the father of Darius, was an old man. He answered: "It seems
to me, that the messengers of this wandering tribe have left us no
choice. We cannot go to war against desert wastes; but as our host is
already under arms and our swords have lain long in their scabbards, war
we must have. We only want a few good enemies, and I know no easier work
than to make them."

At these words the Persians broke into loud shouts of delight; but