CHAPTER VII

HE IS COMPARED WITH CYRUS KING OF THE PERSIANS, AND WITH ALEXANDER OF MACEDON

ANCIENT history describes Cyrus as by far the most illustrious of all the Persian kings. And yet if we regard the end of his days, we find it but little corresponded with his past prosperity, since he met with an inglorious and dishonourable death at the hands of a woman.

Again, the Greeks celebrate Alexander the Macedonian as the conqueror of very many and diverse nations; yet we find that he was removed by an early death, before he had reached the full vigour of manhood, being carried off by the effects of revelry and drunkenness. His whole life embraced but the space of thirty-two years, and his reign extended to no more than a third part of that period. Unsparing as the thunderbolt, he pursued his career of slaughter, and reduced entire nations and cities with all their inhabitants to slavery. But when he had scarcely arrived at the maturity of life, and was lamenting the loss of youthful pleasures, death fell upon him with terrible stroke, and (lest he should make still further havoc of the human race) cut him off in a foreign and hostile land, leaving no children to inherit his fame, and without a home to call his own. His kingdom too was instantly dismembered, each of his officers at once tearing away and seizing on a portion for himself. And yet this man is extolled for such deeds as these!