through the first course may not join them. In the same way the youths
who have fulfilled the duties of their class are entitled eventually
to rank with the men, and to share in office and honour: but they must
first spend their full time among the youths; if not, they go no
further. Finally, those who as grown men have lived without reproach
may take their station at last among the elders. Thus these elders
form a college, every member of which has passed through the full
circle of noble learning; and this is that Persian polity and that
Persian training which, in their belief, can win them the flower of
excellence. [16] And even to this day signs are left bearing witness
to that ancient temperance of theirs and the ancient discipline that
preserved it. To this day it is still considered shameful for a
Persian to spit in public, or wipe the nose, or show signs of wind, or
be seen going apart for his natural needs. And they could not keep to
this standard unless they were accustomed to a temperate diet, and
were trained to exercise and toil, so that the humours of the body
were drawn off in other ways. Hitherto we have spoken of the Persians
as a whole: we will now go back to our starting-point and recount the
deeds of Cyrus from his childhood.

[C.3] Until he was twelve years old or more, Cyrus was brought up in
the manner we have described, and showed himself to be above all his
fellows in his aptitude for learning and in the noble and manly
performance of every duty. But about this time, Astyages sent for his
daughter and her son, desiring greatly to see him because he had heard
how noble and fair he was. So it fell out that Mandane came to
Astyages, bringing her son Cyrus with her. [2] And as soon as they
met, the boy, when he heard that Astyages was his mother's father,
fell on his neck and kissed him without more ado, like the loving lad
nature had made him, as though he had been brought up at his