Polychronicon Ranulphi Higden maonachi Cestrensis; together with the English translations of John Trevisa and of an unknown writer of the fifteenth century.

Capitulum septimum.

THAT kynge Cirus, after that he hade subduede to hym Asia, intendende to ȝiffe a batelle to þe Messagetes. Tha|miris the qwene was redy anoon with a grete hoste to mete,

whiche suffrede hym to comme ouer a water called Araxes, that sche myȝhte fiȝhte with theym in the londe, and that the water scholde resiste theym if thei wolde flee. When kynge Cirus hade fixede his tentes with in that londe whiche repleneschede with victelles, feynede hym as to flee for fere. Thamiris the qwene sende here son to ȝiffe batelle to hym, takenge to hym the thrydde parte of here hoste, but this yonge man, not instructe in batelles, was deuicte rather with [folio 132b] wyne then with armes, whiche yonge man was sleyne by kynge Cirus. Thamiris the qwene, herenge that, wepede not for the dethe of here son, but thouȝhte that sche wolde recompense Cirus in like wise, whiche, feynenge here as to flee for the dethe of here son, drawede Cirus and his hoste vn to the streyte places of the hilles, where sche did sle Cirus the kynge and alle his hoste, that oon man of theyme

remaynede not on lyue that myȝhte brynge message home to his cuntre of that fiȝhte. Thamiris the qwene toke the hede of Cirus, and put hit in to a veselle replete with mannes bloode, with suche an exprobracion "Fylle the nowe with bloode that þow hase desirede alleweies." And so Cirus was sleyne after that he hade reignede xxx^ti yere regally.

Notes

• Petrus, capitulo centesimo septuagesimo octavo.