Zoroaster gazed down upon him with blazing eyes.
"Thou who wouldst crucify me upon Shushan," he said through his teeth.
"I will slay thee here even as thou didst slay Smerdis.

Hast thou anything to say?
Speak quickly, for thy hour is come." Even in the extremity of his agony, vanquished and at the point of death, Darius was brave, as brave men are, to the very last.

He would indeed have called for help now, but there was no breath in him.

He still gazed fearlessly into the eyes of his terrible conqueror.

His voice came in a hoarse whisper.
"I fear not death.