Harpagus

CYRUS  Chapter 3,  part3

By

Theseustoo

As Harpagus entered the throne room, escorted by two guards, he saw Mitradates and Ambares standing in front of the throne; although he recognized the cowherd immediately he did not know who the youth was at all. Mitradates was hanging his head, but he looked up at the king’s minister sheepishly as Harpagus quickly approached the throne. As the conversation progressed between the monarch and his minister, the confusion which had expressed itself on the youth’s face gradually turned into an expression of wonder as enlightenment gradually adorned his handsome visage.

As soon as he saw the herdsman, Mitradates, Harpagus gave him a suspicious glance and fear began to rise in his breast. He wondered what this cowherd could possibly be doing here with a boy of that age, noticing the remarkable resemblance the young lad bore to Astyages. He dared not even think about what he now began to suspect, though the suspicion grew into a certainty as he approached the throne. Astyages was expressionless however, as he now asked his servant in a quiet voice, “Harpagus, how did you kill the child of my daughter whom I gave into your hands?”

Harpagus instantly knew now with dreadful certainty who this youth must be; he could only be the child of Cambyses and Mandane, whom he had long ago given into the hands of this cowherd to dispose of. Harpagus, as the king’s own personal minister, knew Astyages well enough to know that he would recognize a lie instantly and decided that his only hope lay in telling the whole truth… very carefully.

“Sire,” he began hesitantly, “when you gave me the child I instantly wondered how I could fulfil your wishes, and yet, without being unfaithful to you, avoid blood-guilt for shedding blood which in truth was your daughter’s and your own. So I sent for this cowherd and gave the child to him, telling him that by the king’s orders it was to be put to death. And this was no lie, for so you had commanded! I ordered him to expose the baby in the wilds of the mountains, and to stay near and watch till it was dead; I threatened him with all manner of punishment if he failed. Afterwards, when he had done all that I had commanded, I sent the most trustworthy of my eunuchs to view the body; and then I had the child buried. This, sire, is the simple truth, and this is the death by which the child died.”

Astyages showed not the slightest sign of displeasure, let alone anger as he said simply, “The child you buried was the stillborn son of this man’s wife; this lad here is my grandson!”

For a brief moment Astyages watched the fear rising in Harpagus’ eyes as it simultaneously drained the blood from his face. Harpagus watched the king’s face closely, trying to determine what he was thinking as the monarch continued speaking, still in a calm and steady voice which betrayed no emotion; apparently undisturbed by this startling revelation.

“So! The boy is alive;” the king was saying to him softly as Harpagus recovered his wits, “and it is best as it is. For the child’s fate was a great sorrow to me, and the reproaches of my daughter went to my heart. Truly fortune has done us a good turn in this. Go home now, and send me your son to be with the new-comer. Tonight I shall sacrifice thank-offerings for the child’s safety to the gods to whom such honour is due; I hope you will be my guest of honour at the banquet.”

Managing, with some difficulty, to hide both his relief and his surprise at the king’s mood, and this apparent change of heart towards his grandson which it now indicated; yet not quite trusting his voice to remain steady because his throat was dry from fear; Harpagus silently nodded his acceptance of Astyages’ generous, if rather astonishing invitation. Then he bowed more deeply than ever towards the king, and left the great hall.

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The two guards who were on sentry duty at the city gates leaned heavily on their spears, looking forward to sunset, when the evening shift would be coming to relieve them; in a little over an hour’s time, they estimated, from the lowering position of the reddening sun as it fell towards the horizon in the western sky. Suddenly a young lad of about nine or ten years old strode up to them, as proud as a young peacock, and announced, “Guards, I am the son of Harpagus; the king has sent for me.”

The guards exchanged a knowing glance with each other and one of them, putting his arm around the lad’s shoulders, with exaggerated friendliness, said, “Oh yes… We were told to expect you; you are to come with us…”

Too young and inexperienced to notice anything the least bit unusual in their behaviour, the boy walked freely between them as the two guards escorted him unsuspectingly deep into the city’s interior. The pride the youth felt at having been summoned personally into the royal presence and which was clearly reflected in his cocky attitude, remained undiminished as, instead of taking him to the throne-room of Astyages, or otherwise to the apartment of the king’s newly-rediscovered grandson; whose companion the boy had been informed he was appointed to be; the guards escorted him directly to the kitchens.

The unfortunate youth was still looking forward to meeting his new companion when a sudden unexpected blow to the back of his head mercifully rendered him unconscious.

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(To be continued)