CYRUS I., founder of the Persian monarchy, began to reign about ae. 559. Even in the time of Herodotus the history of Cyrus was so obscured by legendary tales that the truth could not be separated from the fiction. His original name appears to have been Agradatos (Straws, p. 729 d.): the word Cyrus is said to have signified the sun, and this name was probably assumed by him when he became king. (Heeren, Ideen.') Cyrus was the son of Cambyses, a Persian, and Mandane, daughter of Astyages, king of Media, and hence was called by the oracle a mule. (Herod. i. 91.) In consequence of a dream of Mimes, which portended that the offspring of his daughter would tal e the throne of the Medea, he ordered Cyrus to be destroyed as soar as he was born. Harpagus, a person of rank in the king's household, was charged with the commission, but being reluctant to execute it, gave the child to the king's herdsman to put to death. The herdsman's wife, who just at this time was delivered of a still born male child, persuaded her husband to preserve the life of the royal infant, and their own dead child was accordingly exposed instead of Cyrus, whom they brought up under their own roof. Among his boyish playmates Cyrus exhibited all the royal symptoms of an inclination to command and be obeyed. In their games the youths made him king, and the severity with which he enforced his orders on one of these occasions led to his being brought before Astyaga, who recognised in his feature. a likeness to himself, and found that the time of the expoenre of his grandson and the age of Cyrus agreed. The circumstances of his preservation were disclosed, and ho was sent to his real parents. Astyages was less enraged against the herds man than against Harpagus, on whom he wreaked his vengeance by the murder of his son : the youth's mangled limbs were dressed and served up at supper when Harpagus was present, and the head, hands, and feet were afterwards shown to the father in a basket, with insulting expressions. Harpagus said nothing, but meditated revenge; and it was not long before he succeeded in rousing Cyrus against Astyages.
Cyrus induced the Persians to revolt agaiust the Medea and dethroned Astysges ac. 560. He next attacked and took Sardis, and made Creams prisoner n.e. 546. [Cluzscs.) He besieged and took the city of Babylon n.e. 533, which he entered by diverting the course of the Euphrates and leading his army into the city by the dry bed of the river (i. 190.191.) At last he carried his arms against the Massagetre, and was defeated and slain by Tomyris, their queen (ac. 529), who had his head cut off and put into a leathern bag full of human blood, saying, "Though I am alive and have conquered you, you have undone me by taking my son ; but I will, as I threatened, satiate you with blood." He had reigned twenty-nine years (i. 214.) This is the accouut given by Herotiotus, which, with a few variations, is copied by Justin. Xenophon's work on the education of Cyrus is rather an historical romance than A history, and therefore his narrative is less to be depended on than that of Herodotus, from which it differs mate rially. Both Xenophon and Ctesias Persica,' c. 8) [Creates], make Cyrus die quietly a natural death. (See the last chapter of Cicero ' De Senectute.') The account of Cicalas as to his death is conforma ble with the story in Arrian Anab.' vi. 29) of the body of Cyrus being interred at Pasargadie. [Male:men III.] The fame of Cyrus appears to have !sated to the downfall of the Persian empire ; he was regarded by his countrymen as their great national hero ; and his fame is still preserved in the annals of modern Peraia. The Persians gave him the title of father (iii. 39), while they called his sou, Cambyses, a tyrant. The capture of Babylon by Cyrus is the point at which sacred history first touches on profane. (Clinton, ' Fast. Bah,' p. 301.) Cyrus left two sons, Cambysee, who succeeded him on the throne, and Smerdis, who was murdered by the command of Cambyses. (Herod. iii. 30.)