Shall we go at once, or are we to wait for another order?
Is Darius safe upon the throne?
Who is to be chiefest at the court--one of the seven princes, I suppose, or his old father?
Come, do you know anything of all these changes?
Why have you never told me what was going to happen--you who are high in power and know everything ?" "Your questions flock upon me like doves to a maiden who feeds them from her hand," said Zoroaster, with a smile, "and I know not which shall be fed first.

As for the king, I know that he will be great, and will hold securely the throne, for he has already the love of the people from the Western sea to the wild Eastern mountains.

But it seemed as though the seven princes would have divided the empire amongst them, until this news came.

I think he will more likely take one of your people for his close friend than trust to the princes.

As for our journey, we must depart betimes, or the king will have gone before us from Shushan to Stakhar in the south, where they say he will build himself a royal dwelling and stay in the coming winter time.