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The Persians, who had long been impatient of the Median dominion,
now that they had found a leader, were delighted to shake off the
yoke. Meanwhile Astyages, informed of the doings of Cyrus, sent a
messenger to summon him to his presence. Cyrus replied, "Tell
Astyages that I shall appear in his presence sooner than he will
like." Astyages, when he received this message, instantly armed all
his subjects, and, as if God had deprived him of his senses,
appointed Harpagus to be their general, forgetting how greatly he had
injured him. So when the two armies met and engaged, only a few of
the Medes, who were not in the secret, fought; others deserted
openly to the Persians; while the greater number counterfeited fear,
and fled.
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