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His son Darius. Cyrus's dream. Hystaspes's commission. Cyrus marches into the queen's country. Success of the stratagem. Spargapizes taken prisoner. Tomyris's concern for her son's safety. Her conciliatory message. Mortification of Spargapizes. Cyrus gives him liberty within the camp. Death of Spargapizes. Grief and rage of Tomyris. The great battle. Cyrus is defeated and slain.
They gave themselves up to the most unbounded joy, and their whole camp was soon a universal scene of rioting and excess. Even the commander, Spargapizes, Tomyris's son, became intoxicated with the wine. While things were in this state, the main body of the army of Cyrus returned suddenly and unexpectedly, and fell upon their now helpless enemies with a force which entirely overwhelmed them.
Spargapizes watched an opportunity to seize a weapon when he was not observed by his guards, and killed himself. His mother Tomyris, when she heard of his fate, was frantic with grief and rage. She considered Cyrus as the wanton destroyer of the peace of her kingdom and the murderer of her son, and she had now no longer any reason for restraining her thirst for revenge.
Spargapizes was, moreover, the commander-in-chief of the armies of the queen. The first plan which Cyrus formed for the annexation of the realm of the Massagetæ to his own dominions was by a matrimonial alliance.
The booty was recovered, large numbers of the enemy were slain, and others were taken prisoners. Spargapizes himself was captured; his hands were bound; he was taken into Cyrus's camp, and closely guarded.
One of the Scythian or northern nations to which we have referred were called the Massagetæ. They formed a very extensive and powerful realm. They were governed, at this time, by a queen named Tomyris. She was a widow, past middle life. She had a son named Spargapizes, who had, like the sons of Cyrus, attained maturity, and was the heir to the throne.
He refused to deliver up the captive prince, or to withdraw from the country, and both parties began to prepare again for war. Spargapizes was intoxicated when he was taken, and was unconscious of the calamity which had befallen him.
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