Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-05-06
The Cup Bearer.
"a One-act Piay.)
BY ROBERT BRADON.

Cyrus afterward the great King of Per-
STA. was most carefully brought up by his
father, the king, in the simple and manly
ways of the Persian people. When the
boy was about twelve years old his grand
father. Astyages. sent for him to come into
Media. of which country Astyages was
king. According to the custom of the
Modes, who were by no means so simple
and manly as the Persians. either in dress
or habits, Astyages set before his little
grandson all sorts Of extravagant and
costly entertainments. This is supposed
to have happened about $500 years ago.
Xenophon. the Greek, whose wonderful
countrymen were even then engaged in
with the Persians, wrote this story
about $50 years after the events related:
Scene The dining hall in the palace Of
Astyages, King of Media.
Astyages and Cyrus are found dining to-
gether at a table heaped with all manner
of dainty dishes. Astyages eats heartily.
but casting puzzled glances toward Cyrus,
who eats not at all. A cup-bearer and 9TH
er servants stand in waiting. After
while Cyrus. very quick and prim, says:
Cyrus-In Persia, grandpa, they say I
talk too much. Think you 1 do?
Astyages-Indeed. / do. my Cyrus. If
talking be the cause Of your not eating
Cyrus--In Persia we like plain food-and
just enough.
Astyages (surprised)-Is not enough
here, Cyrus?
Cyrus-Too much, grandpa. In Persia
we would think 1t a great trouble to have
more than enough.
Astyages Shaking his finger at Cyrus)-
You lazy Persians.
CYRUS (starting to his feet)-Grandpa.
may 1 prove we are not lazy? You give
me all this food? Well, sir, 1 give 1t to
those who need ito my masters here
who make me ride as well as even your
Modes do; to another because he gives me
a real javelin and teaches me to use it: to
another because he serves the king so hon
estly, my grandfather. distributes every
one of the dishes among the servants and
gives the kings wine to the cup-bearer.)
Astyages Gnterested)-And do you your
self, my Cyrus serve the king so honestly?
You have taken the kings wine even and
given it to his cup-bearer-
Cup-bearer (eXclaiming in aStonlShmenf)
oh, wicked waste Of nerve. What makes
him do It,
Astyages turning to cup-bearer)-Sym-
pathy that steals away his peace Of mind
and holds 1t until he buys 1t back by act
ing. (To Cyrus) Well?
Cyrus (puzzled and ashamed)-Oh, am
sorry. grandpa. 1t is not just, so says the
King Of Persia, my dear father. to give to
one by taking from another. Indeed, was
wrong umpetuously snatching the cup
from the cup-bearer) Here! Give me
back that wine, you useless cup-bearer!
you do this servant as great wrong as first
you did to me.
Cyrus-Not quite, you know. for. grand
pa, is 1t not trif1ing service your paid
man does? To fill the cup with wine and
hold it on three fingers toward the king
Cyrus imitates) deserves no great reward.
Why, any boy can do as much.
Astyages-Can rus?
Cyrus (airily)-Why, indeed, and better
the paid man in a thousand ways. Pours
out wine for king in very clever imitation
of the cup bearer) Drink grandpa
Astyages (refusing)-No; you have not
bettered him yet.
omitted?
Astyages-Have you tasted?
Cyrus-And would you have me. just q
little boy, drink-poison?
Astyages (startled)-How, now! Poison,
did you say?
Cyrus-Why, truly. for this paid mans
wine. I notice, makes every Mede who
much to his still talking neighbor that
neither understands the other. You know
in Persia boys are whipped for too much
talking. And then the nonsense they
must sing aloud and call 1t music and
poetry. And then they dance-or try to,
for they cannot stand up Straightforward.
all heaped together on the floor. subject
and king each forgets himself and thinks
him some one else. And so you boast that
you can better the work Of every man
that's not yourself and leave your own
undone.
Astyages (interrupting with a solemn
shake Of the head and raising his hand)-
more than this my cup-bearer. (Cyrus is
again crestfallen.) Tell me- them Cy-
rus, does not this poison act in Persia?
Cyrus Every modestly)-No, sir; the