Vietnam or Thailand ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
Early in the morning she communicated the knowledge of the fact to her father. Otanes immediately made the case known to two of his friends, Persian nobles, who had, with him, suspected the imposture, and had consulted together before in respect to the means of detecting it. The question was, what was now to be done.
The inhabitants of all were, it appears, taxable, either with having failed to give contingents towards the Scythian expedition, or with having molested it on its return crimes these, which Otanes thought it right to punish by their general enslavement. Darius, meanwhile, had proceeded to the seat of government, which appears at this time to have been Susa.
Intaphernes and Otanes looked as annoyed as Boges had expected, on seeing their grandchild and daughter so pale, and in such miserable array, in the midst of all this splendor and magnificence. Cambyses had had experience of Phaedime's former extravagance in matters of dress, and, when he saw her standing before him so plainly dressed and so pale, looked both angry and astonished.
Of course, all was now tumult and commotion in the court-yard, and it happened to be just at this juncture that the seven conspirators came from the place of their consultation to the palace, with a view of executing their plans. They were soon informed of what had taken place. Otanes was now again disposed to postpone their attempt upon the life of the king.
Effect of Cambyses's measures. Opinion in regard to Smerdis. Acquiescence of the people. Dangerous situation of Smerdis. Arrangement with Patizithes. Smerdis lives in retirement. Special grounds of apprehension. Cambyses's wives. Smerdis appropriates them. Phædyma. Measures of Otanes. Otanes's communications with his daughter. Her replies. Phædyma discovers the deception.
It must be understood, however, by the reader, that a republic, as contemplated and intended by Otanes in this speech, was entirely different from the mode of government which that word denotes at the present day.
With a new monarchy arose a new oligarchy. Otanes was even exempted from allegiance to the monarch, and his posterity were distinguished by such exclusive honours and immunities, that Herodotus calls them the only Persian family which retained its liberty.
Otanes, as well as some other nobles of the court, had observed and reflected upon the extraordinary circumstances connected with the accession of Smerdis to the throne, and the singular mode of life that he led in secluding himself, in a manner so extraordinary for a Persian monarch, from all intercourse with his nobles and his people.
Otanes's republic. Principles of representation. Large assemblies. Nature of ancient republics. Nature of a representative republic. Megabyzus. He opposes the plan of Otanes. Speech of Megabyzus. He proposes an oligarchy. Speech of Darius. He advocates a monarchy. Four of the seven confederates concur with Darius. Otanes withdraws. Agreement made by the rest.
But Oroetes, the satrap of Sardis, compassed his death by foul treachery, and wrought many other crimes; whom Darius in turn put to death by guile, fearing to make open war upon him. And not long afterwards, he sent Otanes to make conquest of Samos. And during the same days there was a revolt of the Babylonians; and Darius went up against Babylon, yet for twenty months he could not take it.
Word Of The Day