brought them all back to Astyages, who sent them to Cyrus again. But
once more Cyrus sent them back to Media with this prayer to his
grandfather:--"If you would have me hold my head up when I come back
to you again, let my friends keep the gifts I gave them." And Astyages
did as the boy asked.

[27] And here, if a tale of boyish love is not out of place, we might
tell how, when Cyrus was just about to depart and the last good-byes
were being said, each of his kinsmen in the Persian fashion--and to
this day the custom holds in Persia--kissed him on the lips as they
bade him god-speed. Now there was a certain Mede, as beautiful and
brave a man as ever lived, who had been enamoured of Cyrus for many a
long day, and, when he saw the kiss, he stayed behind, and after the
others had withdrawn he went up to Cyrus and said, "Me, and me alone,
of all your kindred, Cyrus, you refuse to recognize?" And Cyrus
answered, "What, are you my kinsman too?" "Yes, assuredly," the other
answered, and the lad rejoined, "Ah, then, that is why you looked at
me so earnestly; and I have seen you look at me like that, I think,
more than once before." "Yes," answered the Mede, "I have often longed
to approach you, but as often, heaven knows, my heart failed me." "But
why should that be," said Cyrus, "seeing you are my kinsman?" And with
the word, he leant forward and kissed him on the lips. [28] Then the
Mede, emboldened by the kiss, took heart and said, "So in Persia it is
really the custom for relatives to kiss?" "Truly yes," answered Cyrus,
"when we see each other after a long absence, or when we part for a
journey." "Then the time has come," said the other, "to give me a
second kiss, for I must leave you now." With that Cyrus kissed him
again and so they parted. But the travellers were not far on their way
when suddenly the Mede came galloping after them, his charger covered
with foam. Cyrus caught sight of him:--"You have forgotten something?