, 1901-01-22
CYRUS THE GREAT"
FEW CHARACTERS ACCORDED
SUCH A TITLE.
They May Be Enumerated on the Fin
gers OF the Hands-Why Wore They
Great?-Cyrus. the First In the List
His Characterization.
Especial letter.

lSpSClal Letter.
Among the names that Time has not
effaced from the annals of history but
few are followed with the title THE
Great" They can be enumerated on
the fingers of the hands-Cyrus, Alex
ander, Charles, Alfred, Louis XIV, Pc
ter and Frederick.
Cyrus the Great.
OF these great characters Cyrus was
the first to appear. He was born about
500 B.. c., and was the son of Cambyses,
King of Persia, and his mother was
Mundane. daughter of Astyages, King
of the Modes. This Astyages Is known
in the Scriptures as Ahasuerus. At
this time the Persians were divided
into twelve tribes and inhabited only
one province of the vast country which
has since borne the name Of Persia,
and they numbered less than 100 900.
Through. the valor and prudence of
Cyrus this small province became the
great Persian empire and the Persian
population reached the millions. Cyrus
was of fine appearance, possessed noble
qualities of mind, a gentle disposition,
was full of good nature and humanity
and had a great desire for learning. He
was never afraid Of any danger, or dis
couraged by any hardship or difficulty.
He was brought up according to the
laws and customs Of the Persians,
which were excellent in those days in
respect to education. The training OF
children was looked upon as the most
important duty and the most essential
part OF government. Boys were
brought up in common and everything
was regulated by law for them-the
place and length Of their exercises. the
times of eating, the quality If their
meat and drink, and their different
kinds of punishment.
Modest and Temperate.
All through his life he was noted for
his modesty and temperate habits.
Pride, luxury and magnificence reigned
around him whenever he went beyond
the confines of the Persian province,
but never did they in any way con-
taminate him. He always followed the
simple, frugal life Of his youthful
days. Wherever he went his modest
but noble bearing, his affable manners
and his generosity procured him gen.
eral love and esteem. His desire to be
Just led him to be looked upon as the
great arbiter of all serious disputes.
During his career Of conquest, although
a stern disciplinarian and often p
pearing cruel and tyrannical, he was
usually just and generous to his fol-
lowers as well as the peoples he van
pushed. He sought to make allies
rather than enemies of those he con-
quered, and in this aim he was highly
successful. Many provinces surrendered
to him without resistance, when their
rulers learned of generous treatment,
and others sought alliance with so just
and powerful a king. In most con-
querors courage, resolution, intrepid
ity, a capacity for martial exploits, and
such talents as make a noise in the
world are usually the only ones found.
Combined with these characteristics
Cyrus had IN inward stock Of good
ness, compassion and g%entleness to-
ward the unhappy; an air of modera-
ton and reserve even in prosperity
and victory; an in%sinuating and per-
suaSive behavior, the art of gaining
peoples hearts and attaching them to