.......................

It was night. The Persian soldiers, their position being unfortified,
were in order of battle, ready to meet any unexpected attack. The foot-
soldiers stood leaning on their shields, the horsemen held their horses
saddled and bridled near the camp-fires. Cambyses was riding through the
ranks, encouraging his troops by words and looks. Only one part of the
army was not yet ranged in order of battle--the centre. It was composed
of the Persian body-guard, the apple-bearers, Immortals, and the king's
own relatives, who were always led into battle by the king in person.

The Ionian Greeks too had gone to rest, at Phanes' command. He wanted to
keep his men fresh, and allowed them to sleep in their armor, while he
kept watch. Aristomachus was welcomed with shouts of joy by the Greeks,
and kindly by Cambyses, who assigned him, at the head of one half the
Greek troops, a place to the left of the centre attack, while Phanes,
with the other half, had his place at the right. The king himself was to
take the lead at the head of the ten thousand Immortals, preceded by the
blue, red and gold imperial banner and the standard of Kawe.
Bartja was to lead the regiment of mounted guards numbering a thousand
men, and that division of the cavalry which was entirely clothed in mail.

Croesus commanded a body of troops whose duty it was to guard the camp
with its immense treasures, the wives of Cambyses' nobles, and his own
mother and sister.

At last Mithras appeared and shed his light upon the earth; the spirits
of the night retired to their dens, and the Magi stirred up the sacred
fire which had been carried before the army the whole way from Babylon,
until it became a gigantic flame. They and the king united in feeding it