The king laughed bitterly: "A Greek! Ah, ha! perhaps some relation to
Bartja's faithful fair one! What can this stranger know of my family
affairs? I know these beggarly Ionians well. They are impudent enough
to meddle in everything, and think they can cheat us with their sly
tricks. How much have you had to pay for this new witness, uncle? A
Greek is as ready with a lie as a Magian with his spells, and I know
they'll do anything for gold. I'm really curious to see your witness.
Call him in. But if he wants to deceive me, he had better remember that
where the head of a son of Cyrus is about to fall, a Greek head has but
very little chance." And the king's eyes flashed with anger as he said
these words. Hystaspes, however, sent for the Greek.

Before he entered, the chamberlains fastened the usual cloth before his
mouth, and commanded him to cast himself on the ground before the king.
The Greek's bearing, as he approached, under the king's penetrating
glance, was calm and noble; he fell on his face, and, according to the
Persian custom, kissed the ground.

His agreeable and handsome appearance, and the calm and modest manner in
which he bore the king's gaze, seemed to make a favorable impression on
the latter; he did not allow him to remain long on the earth, and asked
him in a by no means unfriendly tone: "Who are you?"

"I am a Greek nobleman. My name is Phanes, and Athens is my home. I
have served ten years as commander of the Greek mercenaries in Egypt, and
not ingloriously."

"Are you the man, to whose clever generalship the Egyptians were indebted
for their victories in Cyprus?"