History of the Wars, Books I and II | Page 8

leaving it neither day nor night; even when he was compelled to take
thought for food, he would only look about for something eatable
where he was, and when he found some bit, he would snatch it up and
eat it hurriedly; then overtaking the oyster immediately, he would sate
himself again with the sight he loved. At length a fisherman, they say,
noticed what was passing, but in terror of the monster he recoiled from
the danger; however, he reported the whole matter to the king, Perozes.

Now when Perozes heard his account, they say that a great longing for
the pearl came over him, and he urged on this fisherman with many
flatteries and hopes of reward. Unable to resist the importunities of the
monarch, he is said to have addressed Perozes as follows: "My master,
precious to a man is money, more precious still is his life, but most
prized of all are his children; and being naturally constrained by his
love for them a man might perhaps dare anything. Now I intend to
make trial of the monster, and hope to make thee master of the pearl.
And if I succeed in this struggle, it is plain that henceforth I shall be
ranked among those who are counted blessed. For it is not unlikely that
thou, as King of Kings, wilt reward me with all good things; and for me
it will be sufficient, even if it so fall out that I gain no reward, to have
shewn myself a benefactor of my master. But if it must needs be that I
become the prey of this monster, thy task indeed it will be, O King, to
requite my children for their father's death. Thus even after my death I
shall still be a wage-earner among those closest to me, and thou wilt
win greater fame for thy goodness,--for in helping my children thou
wilt confer a boon upon me, who shall have no power to thank thee for
the benefit--because generosity is seen to be without alloy only when it
is displayed towards the dead." With these words he departed. And
when he came to the place where the oyster was accustomed to swim
and the shark to follow, he seated himself there upon a rock, watching
for an opportunity of catching the pearl alone without its admirer. As
soon as it came about that the shark had happened upon something
which would serve him for food, and was delaying over it, the
fisherman left upon the beach those who were following him for this
service, and made straight for the oyster with all his might; already he
had seized it and was hastening with all speed to get out of the water,
when the shark noticed him and rushed to the rescue. The fisherman
saw him coming, and, when he was about to be overtaken not far from
the beach, he hurled his booty with all his force upon the land, and was
himself soon afterwards seized and destroyed. But the men who had
been left upon the beach picked up the pearl, and, conveying it to the
king, reported all that had happened. Such, then, is the story which the
Persians relate, just as I have set it down, concerning this pearl. But I
shall return to the previous narrative.

[484 A.D.] Thus Perozes was destroyed and the whole Persian army
with him. For the few who by chance did not fall into the ditch found
themselves at the mercy of the enemy. As a result of this experience a
law was established among the Persians that, while marching in hostile
territory, they should never engage in any pursuit, even if it should
happen that the enemy had been driven back by force. Thereupon those
who had not marched with Perozes and had remained in their own land
chose as their king Cabades, the youngest son of Perozes, who was then
the only one surviving. At that time, then, the Persians became subject
and tributary to the Ephthalitae, until Cabades had established his
power most securely and no longer deemed it necessary to pay the
annual tribute to them. And the time these barbarians ruled over the
Persians was two years.
V
But as time went on Cabades became more high-handed in the
administration of the government, and introduced innovations into the
constitution, among which was a law which he promulgated providing
that Persians should have communal intercourse with their women, a
measure which by no means pleased the common people. [486 A.D.]
Accordingly they rose against him, removed him from the throne, and
kept him in prison in chains. They then chose Blases, the brother of
Perozes, to be their king, since, as has been said, no male offspring of
Perozes was left, and