§1.108.1συνοικεούσης δὲ τῷ Καμβύσῃ τῆς Μανδάνης, ὁ Ἀστυάγης τῷ πρώτῳ ἔτεϊ εἶδε ἄλλην ὄψιν, ἐδόκεε δέ οἱ ἐκ τῶν αἰδοίων τῆς θυγατρὸς ταύτης φῦναι ἄμπελον, τὴν δὲ ἄμπελον ἐπισχεῖν τὴν Ἀσίην πᾶσαν.
While Mandane was living with Cambyses, Astyages in the first year saw another vision; it seemed to him that a vine grew from the private parts of this daughter, and that the vine covered the whole of Asia.
§1.108.2ἰδὼν δὲ τοῦτο καὶ ὑπερθέμενος τοῖσι ὀνειροπόλοισι, μετεπέμψατο ἐκ τῶν Περσέων τὴν θυγατέρα ἐπίτεκα ἐοῦσαν, ἀπικομένην δὲ ἐφύλασσε βουλόμενος τὸ γενόμενον ἐξ αὐτῆς διαφθεῖραι· ἐκ γάρ οἱ τῆς ὄψιος οἱ τῶν Μάγων ὀνειροπόλοι ἐσήμαινον ὅτι μέλλοι ὁ τῆς θυγατρὸς αὐτοῦ γόνος βασιλεύσειν ἀντὶ ἐκείνου.
Having seen this and having communicated it to the dream-interpreters, he sent for his daughter from the Persians when she was near her time of delivery, and upon her arrival he kept her under guard, wishing to destroy the child that should be born of her; for the dream-interpreters of the Magi indicated to him from the vision that the offspring of his daughter was destined to reign in his stead.
§1.108.3ταῦτα δὴ ὦν φυλασσόμενος ὁ Ἀστυάγης, ὡς ἐγένετο ὁ Κῦρος, καλέσας Ἅρπαγον ἄνδρα οἰκήιον καὶ πιστότατόν τε Μήδων καὶ πάντων ἐπίτροπον τῶν ἑωυτοῦ, ἔλεγὲ οἱ τοιάδε. §1.108.4Ἅρπαγε, πρῆγμα τὸ ἄν τοι προσθέω, μηδαμῶς παραχρήσῃ, μηδὲ ἐμέ τε παραβάλῃ καὶ ἄλλους ἑλόμενος ἐξ ὑστέρης σοὶ αὐτῷ περιπέσῃς·
Astyages, therefore, guarding against this, when Cyrus was born, called Harpagus, a man of his own kin and the most faithful of the Medes, and the administrator of all his affairs, and spoke to him as follows: "Harpagus, the matter which I shall entrust to you, by no means neglect it, nor betray me and, by choosing others, bring ruin upon yourself hereafter.
λάβε τὸν Μανδάνη ἔτεκε παῖδα, φέρων δὲ ἐς σεωυτοῦ ἀπόκτεινον, μετὰ δὲ θάψον τρόπῳ ὅτεῳ αὐτὸς βούλεαι. §1.108.5ὁ δὲ ἀμείβεται
ὦ βασιλεῦ, οὔτε ἄλλοτε κω παρεῖδες ἀνδρὶ τῷδε ἄχαρι οὐδέν, φυλασσόμεθα δὲ ἐς σὲ καὶ ἐς τὸν μετέπειτα χρόνον μηδὲν ἐξαμαρτεῖν.
Take the child whom Mandane has borne, carry him to your own house and kill him, and afterwards bury him in whatever way you yourself wish." And he replied: "O King, never yet at any time have you found anything displeasing in this man, and we take care not to offend against you either now or in the time to come.
ἀλλʼ εἲ τοι φίλον τοῦτο οὕτω γίνεσθαι, χρὴ δὴ τό γε ἐμὸν ὑπηρετέεσθαι ἐπιτηδέως.
But if it is your pleasure that this should be done so, it is indeed necessary that my part at least should be performed dutifully."