40 THALIA.

yourself, you must have known from others; how
shall we elude these?" "There are many circum­
stances, Otanes," returned Darius, " which we cannot
so well explain by our words as by our actions. There
are others which may be made very plausible by
words, but are capable of no splendour in the execu­
tion. You cannot suppose that it will be difficult for
us to pass the guards; who among them will not be
impelled by reverence for our persons, or fear of our
authority, to admit us ? Besides this, I am furnished
with an undeniable excuse; I can say that I am just
arrived from Persia, and have business from my
father with the king. If a falsehood must be spoken,
let it be so. They who are sincere, and they who
are not, have the same object in view. Falsehood is
prompted by views of interest, and the language of
truth is dictated by some promised benefit, or by the
hope of inspiring confidence. So that, in fact, these
are only two differents paths to the same end : if no
emolument were proposed, the sincere man would be
false, and the false man sincere. As to the guards,
he who suffers us to pass, shall hereafter be remem­
bered to his advantage; he who opposes us shall be
deemed an enemy: let us, therefore, now hasten to
the palace, and execute our purpose."

LXXIII. When he had finished, Gobryas spake
as follows: " My friends, to recover the empire will
indeed be glorious; but if we fail, it will be nobler to
die, than for Persians to live in subjection to a Mede,
and he too deprived of his ears. You who were
present at the last hours of Cambyses, cannot but re­
member the imprecations which he uttered against
the Persians, if they did not attempt the recovery of
the empire. We then refused him attention, thinking
him influenced by malignity and resentment; but now
I at least second the proposal of Darius, nor would I
have this assembly break up, but to proceed instantly
against the magus." The sentiments of Gobryas
gave universal satisfaction.

LXXIV. During the interval of this consultation,
the two magi had together determined to make a
friend of Prexaspes: they were aware that he had