Even those who were most under the influence of wine, listened to their king in a kind of unconscious obedience.

He lowered his voice and went on: "I did not ask whether you wished for peace or war--I know that every Persian prefers the labor of war to an inglorious idleness--but I wished to know what answer you would give the Massagetan warriors.

Do you consider that the soul of my father--of the man to whom you owe all your greatness--has been sufficiently avenged ?" A dull murmur in the affirmative, interrupted by some violent voices in the negative, was the answer.

The king then asked a second question: "Shall we accept the conditions proposed by their envoys, and grant peace to this nation, already so scourged and desolated by the gods ?" To this they all agreed eagerly.
"That is what I wished to know," continued Cambyses.

"To-morrow, when we are sober, we will follow the old custom and reconsider what has been resolved on during our intoxication.