“The time to reveal my great secret has arrived, O ye Persians.  Deceived by a vision, provoked and annoyed by my brother, I caused him to be murdered in my wrath.  Prexaspes wrought the evil deed by my command, but instead of bringing me the peace I yearned for, that deed has tortured me into madness and death.  By this my confession ye will be convinced, that my brother Bartja is really dead.  The Magi have usurped the throne of the Achaemenidae.  Oropastes, whom I left in Persia as my vicegerent and his brother Gaumata, who resembles Bartja so nearly that even Croesus, Intaphernes and my uncle, the noble Hystaspes, were once deceived by the likeness, have placed themselves at their head.  Woe is me, that I have murdered him who, as my nearest kinsman, should have avenged on the Magi this affront to my honor.  But I cannot recall him from the dead, and I therefore appoint you the executors of my last will.  By the Feruer of my dead father, and in the name of all good and pure spirits, I conjure you not to suffer the government to fall into the hands of the unfaithful Magi.  If they have obtained possession thereof by artifice, wrest it from their hands in like manner; if by force, use force to win it back.  Obey this my last will, and the earth will yield you its fruits abundantly; your wives, your flocks and herds shall be blessed and freedom shall be your portion.  Refuse to obey it, and ye shall suffer the corresponding evils; yea, your end, and that of every Persian shall be even as mine.”

After these words the king wept and sank back fainting, on seeing which, the Achaemenidae rent their clothes and burst into loud lamentations.  A few hours later Cambyses died in Croesus’ arms.  Nitetis was his last thought; he died with her name on his lips and tears of penitence in his eyes.  When the Persians had left the unclean corpse, Croesus knelt down beside it and cried, raising his hand to heaven:  “Great Cyrus, I have kept my oath.  I have remained this miserable man’s faithful adviser even unto his end.”

The next morning the old man betook himself, accompanied by his son Gyges, to the town of Barene, which belonged to him, and lived there many years as a father to his subjects, revered by Darius and praised by all his contemporaries.

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After Cambyses’ death the heads of the seven Persian tribes held a council, and resolved, as a first measure, on obtaining certain information as to the person of the usurper.  With this view, Otanes sent a confidential eunuch to his daughter Phaedime, who, as they knew, had come into the possession of the new king with the rest of Cambyses’ harem.