His father and mother were long since dead in the course of nature, and Cyrus offered sacrifice according to the law, and led the sacred dance of his Persians after the manner of his forefathers, and gave gifts to every man according to his wont.
[2] But one night, as he lay asleep in the royal palace, he dreamt a dream.

It seemed to him that some one met him, greater than a man, and said to him, "Set your house in order, Cyrus: the time has come, and you are going to the gods." With that Cyrus awoke out of sleep, and he all but seemed to know that the end of his life was at hand.

[3] Straightway he took victims and offered sacrifice to Zeus, the god of his fathers, and to the Sun, and all the other gods, on the high places where the Persians sacrifice, and then he made this prayer: "Zeus, god of my fathers, and thou, O Sun, and all ye gods, accept this sacrifice, my offering for many a noble enterprise, and suffer me to thank you for the grace ye have shown me, telling me all my life, by victims and by signs from heaven, by birds and by the voices of men, what things I ought to do and what I ought to refrain from doing.

Deep is my thankfulness that I was able to recognise your care, and never lifted up my heart too high even in my prosperity.

I beseech you now to bless my children also, and my wife, and my friends, and my fatherland; and for myself, may my death be as my life has been." [4] Then Cyrus went home again and lay down on his bed, for he longed to rest.