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Otanes, when he saw Darius so hot, replied, "But if thou wilt
force us to action, and not allow a day's delay, tell us, I pray
thee, how we shall get entrance into the palace, so as to set upon
them. Guards are placed everywhere, as thou thyself well knowest -
for if thou hast not seen, at least thou hast heard tell of them. How
are we to pass these guards, I ask thee?" answered Darius, "there
are many things easy enough in act, which by speech it is hard to
explain. There are also things concerning which speech is easy, but
no noble action follows when the speech is done. As for these guards,
ye know well that we shall not find it hard to make our way through
them. Our rank alone would cause them to allow us to enter - shame
and fear alike forbidding them to say us nay. But besides, I have
the fairest plea that can be conceived for gaining admission. I can
say that I have just come from Persia, and have a message to deliver
to the king from my father. An untruth must be spoken, where need
requires. For whether men lie, or say true, it is with one and the
same object. Men lie, because they think to gain by deceiving
others; and speak the truth, because they expect to get something by
their true speaking, and to be trusted afterwards in more important
matters. Thus, though their conduct is so opposite, the end of both
is alike. If there were no gain to be got, your true-speaking man
would tell untruths as much as your liar, and your liar would tell the
truth as much as your true-speaking man. The doorkeeper, who lets us
in readily, shall have his guerdon some day or other; but woe to the
man who resists us, he must forthwith be declared an enemy. Forcing
our way past him, we will press in and go straight to our work."
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