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Afterwards, when Cyrus grew to manhood, and became known as the
bravest and most popular of all his compeers, Harpagus, who was bent
on revenging himself upon Astyages, began to pay him court by gifts
and messages. His own rank was too humble for him to hope to obtain
vengeance without some foreign help. When therefore he saw Cyrus,
whose wrongs were so similar to his own, growing up expressly (as it
were) to be the avenger whom he needed, he set to work to procure his
support and aid in the matter. He had already paved the way for his
designs, by persuading, severally, the great Median nobles, whom
the harsh rule of their monarch had offended, that the best plan would
be to put Cyrus at their head, and dethrone Astyages. These
preparations made, Harpagus, being now ready for revolt, was anxious
to make known his wishes to Cyrus, who still lived in Persia; but as
the roads between Media and Persia were guarded, he had to contrive a
means of sending word secretly, which he did in the following way. He
took a hare, and cutting open its belly without hurting the fur, he
slipped in a letter containing what he wanted to say, and then
carefully sewing up the paunch, he gave the hare to one of his most
faithful slaves, disguising him as a hunter with nets, and sent him
off to Persia to take the game as a present to Cyrus, bidding him
tell Cyrus, by word of mouth, to paunch the animal himself, and let
no one be present at the time.
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