and was buried 37 by the priests without the knowledge of Cambyfes.

XXX. The Ægyptians affirm, that in confequence of this impiety Cambyfes became immediately infane, who indeed did not before appear to have the proper use of his reafon. The first impulfe of his fury was directed against Smerdis, his own brother, who had become the object of his jealousy, because he was the only Perfian who had been able to bend the bow which the Ichthyophagi brought from Ethiopia, the breadth of two fingers. He was therefore ordered to return to Perfia, where as foon as he came Cambyfes faw this vifion: a meffenger appeared to arrive from Perfia, informing him that Smerdis, feated on the royal throne, touched the heavens with his head. Cambyfes was instantly struck with the apprehension that Smerdis would kill him, and feize his dominions; to prevent which he dispatched Prexafpes, a Perfian, and one of his moft faithful adherents, to put him to death. He arrived at Sufa, and deftroyed Smerdis, fome fay, by taking him aside whilft engaged in the diverfion of the chace; others believe that he drowned him in the Red Sea; this, however, was the commencement of the calamities of Cambyfes.

XXXI. The next victim of his fury was his

37 Buried by the priests.]-This account is contradicted by Plutarch, who tells us, that Apis having been flain by Cambyfes, was by his order expofed and devoured by dogs.-T. D. 3

fifter,

fifter, who had accompanied him to Ægypt. She was alfo his wife, which thing he thus accomplished: before this prince, no Perfian had ever been known to marry his fifter 38 ; but Cambyfes, being paffionately fond of one of his, and knowing that there was no precedent to justify his making her his wife, affembled those who were called the royal judges; of them he desired to know whether there was any law which would permit a brother to marry his fifter, if he thought proper to do fo. The royal judges in Perfia are men of the most approved integrity, who hold their places for life, or till they shall be convicted of fome crime 39,

38 Marry his fifter.]-Ingenious and learned men of all ages have amused themselves with drawing a comparison betwixt the laws of Solon and Lycurgus. The following particularity affords ample room for conjecture and difcuffion: At Athens a man was fuffered to marry his fifter by the father, but forbidden to marry his fifter by the mother. At Lacedæmon things were totally reverfed, a man was allowed to marry his fifter by the mother, and forbidden to marry his fifter by the father.-See what Bayle fays on the circumstance of a man's marrying his fifter, article Sarah.-T.

39 of fome crime.]-An appointment like this, manifeftly leading to corruption, and the perverfion of juftice, prevailed in this country with respect to judges, till the reign of George the Third, when a law was paffed, the wifdom of which cannot be fufficiently admired, making the judges independent of the king, his minifters, and fucceffors. Yet, however this provifion may in appearance diminish the ftrength of the executive power, the riot-act, combined with, the affiftance of the standing army, which is always kept up in this country, add as much to the influence of the crown, as it may at first fight seem to have lost in prerogative. Such, however, was the opinion of judge Blackstone.-T.

Me

247

Every thing is referred to their decifion, they are the interpreters of the laws, and determine all private difputes. In anfwer to the enquiry of Cambyfes, they replied fhrewdly, though with truth, that although they could find no law which would permit a brother to marry his fifter, they had discovered one which enabled a monarch of Perfia to do what he pleased. In this anfwer the awe of Cambyfes prevented their adopting literally the fpirit of the Perfian laws; and to fecure their perfons, they took care to discover what would justify him who wished to marry his fifter. Cambyfes, therefore, inftantly married the fifter whom hẻ loved 4o, and not long afterwards a fecond +1. The younger of these, who accompanied him to Ægypt, he put to death.

40

XXXII. The manner of her death, like that of Smerdis, is differently related. The Greeks fay that Cambyfes made the cub of a lionefs and a young whelp engage each other, and that this princefs was prefent at the combat; and when this latter was vanquished, another whelp of the fame litter broke what confined it, and flew to affift the other, and that both together were too much for the young lion. Cambyfes feeing this, expreffed great fatisfaction; but the princess burst into tears. Camby

4° Whom he loved.]-Her name, according to the Scholiast of Lucian, was Atoffa, who next married Smerdis, one of the magi, and afterwards Darius, fon of Hyftafpes.-Larcher.

41 Afterwards a fecond.]-If Libanius may be credited, the name of this lady was Meroe.-Wesseling.

ses obferved her weep, and enquired the reason fhe answered, that feeing one whelp affift another of the fame brood, fhe could not but remember Smerdis, whofe death fhe feared nobody would revenge. For which faying, the Greeks affirm, that Cambyfes put her to death. On the contrary, if we may believe the Ægyptians, this princefs was fitting at table with her husband, and took a lettuce in her hand, dividing it leaf by leaf: "Which," faid fhe, "feems in your eyes most agreeable, this lettuce "whole, or divided into leaves?" He replied, "When whole." "You," fays fhe, "refemble this

lettuce, as I have divided it, for you have thus "torn in funder the houfe of Cyrus." Cambyfes was fo greatly incenfed, that he threw her down, and leaped upon her; and being pregnant, fhe was delivered before her time, and loft her life.

XXXIII. To fuch exceffes in his own family was Cambyfes impelled, either on account of his impious treatment of Apis, or from fome other of thofe numerous calamities which afflict mankind. From the firft hour of his birth he laboured under what by fome is termed the facred difeafe. It is, therefore, by no means aftonishing that fo great a bodily infirmity should at length injure the mind.

XXXIV. His phrenzy, however, extended to, the other Perfians. He once made a remarkable fpeech to Prexafpes, for whom he profeffed the greatest regard, who received all petitions to the king, and whofe fon enjoyed the honourable office.

of

of royal cup-bearer. "What," fays he, upon fome
occafion," do the Perfians think of me, or in what
"terms do they speak of me?" "Sir," he replied,
" in all other respects they speak of you with honour;
"but it is the general opinion that you are too much
"addicted to wine." "What!" returned the prince in
anger, "I fuppose they say that I drink to excefs, and
"am deprived of reafon; their former praise, there-
17
"fore, could not be fincere." At fome preceding
period he had afked of those whom he used most
familiarly, and of Crofus among the reft, whether
they thought he had equalled the greatness of his
father Cyrus. In reply they told him, that he was
the greater of the two, for that to all which Cyrus
had poffeffed, he had added the empire of Ægypt
and of the ocean. Crofus, who was prefent, did
not affent to this. "Sir," faid he to Cambyfes,
❝ in my opinion you are not equal to your father;
you have not fuch a fon as he left behind him."
Which fpeech of Crofus was highly agreeable to
Cambyfes.

37.
42 great anger to Prexafpes: "You," faid he, "fhall

XXXV. Remembering this, he turned with

87

"prefently be witnefs of the truth or falfhood of
"what the Perfians fay. If I hit directly through
"the heart your fon, who ftands yonder, it will

42

"be

42 Through the heart.]-The ftory of William Tell, the great deliverer of the Swifs cantons from the yoke of the Germans, may be properly introduced in this place. Grifler governed Switzerland for the Emperor Albert. He ordered William Tell,

a Swifs

18.

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