Cambyses ground his teeth and asked in a voice of great emotion: "Can you testify to the words of the eunuch, Hystaspes ?" "Yes." "Why did you not lay hands on the offender ?" "We are soldiers, not policemen." "Or rather you care for every knave more than for your king." "We honor our king, and abhor the criminal just as we formerly loved the innocent son of Cyrus." "Did you recognize Bartja distinctly ?" "Yes." "And you, Croesus, can you too give no other answer ?" "No! I fancied I saw your brother in the moonlight then, as clearly as I see him now; but I believe we must have been deceived by some remarkable likeness." Boges grew pale at these words; Cambyses, however, shook his head as if the idea did not please him, and said: "Whom am I to believe then, if the eyes of my best warriors fail them?
and who would wish to be a judge, if testimony such as yours is not to be considered valid ?" "Evidence quite as weighty as ours, will prove that we must have been in error." "Will any one dare to give evidence in favor of such an outrageous criminal ?" asked Cambyses, springing up and stamping his foot.
"We will," "I," "we," shouted Araspes, Darius, Gyges and Zopyrus with one voice.
"Traitors, knaves!" cried the king.

But as he caught sight of Croesus' warning eye fixed upon him, he lowered his voice, and said: "What have you to bring forward in favor of this fellow?
Take care what you say, and consider well what punishment awaits perjurers." "We know that well enough," said Araspes, "and yet we are ready to swear by Mithras, that we have not left Bartja or his garden one moment since we came back from hunting." "As for me," said Darius, "I, the son of Hystaspes, have especially convincing evidence to give in favor of your brother's innocence; I watched the rising of the Tistar-star with him; and this, according to Boges, was the very star that shone on his flight." Hystaspes gazed on his son in astonishment and doubt at hearing these words, and Cambyses turned a scrutinizing eye first on the one and then on the other party of these strange witnesses, who wished so much, and yet found it so impossible, to believe one another, himself unable to come to a decision.
Bartja, who till now had remained perfectly silent, looking down sadly at his chained hands, took advantage of the silence to say, making at the same time a deep obeisance: "May I be allowed to speak a few words, my King ?" "Speak!" "From our father we learnt to strive after that which was pure and good only; so up to this time my life has been unstained.

If you have ever known me take part in an evil deed, you have a right not to believe me, but if you find no fault in me then trust to what I say, and remember that a son of Cyrus would rather die than tell a lie.

I confess that no judge was ever placed in such a perplexing position.

The best men in your kingdom testify against one another, friend against friend, father against son.