He died crowning you, but in reality, it is you and I who are more the cause of his ruin than the valor of the Lydians. Yes, Cyrus, it is your generosity, my gratitude, and his own that have led him to this dismal state. You see him covered in his own blood and that of your enemies. The numerous wounds sustained across his body are clear evidences of those he inflicted on those he fought. His courage transformed the desperation of the Egyptians. This hand, almost severed from his arm, clearly shows that he did not let go of his weapons until he had lost his life. We saw, Cyrus, him fighting with such fervor that it seemed this battle's victory would place the crown of the entire world upon his head. He paid with his person, his blood, and his life the debt that I owe to you. Therefore, noble Cyrus, it is your generosity, my gratitude, and his that have caused his death and my sadness.

However, I do not accuse you, I am too fair for that. On the contrary, I thank you for the comfort you offer me. I see in you the commendable sentiment that makes you shed tears on the very day of your victory, and that makes you regret more the loss of a friend than the conquest and defeat of all your enemies. But after acknowledging your merit, allow me to lament the cruel fate that required, in order to protect my honor, I had to put my dear Abradate himself into the battle in which he lost his life. It was only for the love of me that he abandoned Crœsus's side. Though he had justifiable reasons to serve him, the memory of his fondly loved father influenced his decisions. As soon as I shared my debt to you with him, he offered to fulfill this responsibility. Your fame had already swayed his heart to meet my request, and because he had a deep respect for you, it was easy for him to love you. Finally, Cyrus, on this occasion he displayed much gratitude towards you and a tremendous love towards me. "No, Panthée," he told me, "Abradate cannot be the enemy of your protector. He wiped your tears, I must shed my blood for it. He watched over your honor, my courage must assist in his conquests. He lost a man he loved dearly to protect you, I must repair this loss and ensure that nobody feels the absence of Araspes on the battleground. Yes," he added, raising his voice, "I will lose my life or I will show Cyrus that those who receive a favor like this are sometimes as generous as those who give it." Alas! I must confess, I did not oppose these words, blindly overlooking the obvious tragedy. I encouraged his noble sentiment and will, I expressed my gratitude for what was to become my ultimate torment. And contributing to my own misery, I spurred his bravery to perform the deeds that caused his death today and will keep him alive forever.

Cruel memory! Injustice of fate! Why did Abradate have to be the only one defeated among all the victors? Why did he, after pouring out his blood so heroically for the victory of the battle, have to be among the few not to bask in the fruits of triumph? But ...

65