§2.33.1ἐπὶ δὲ τούτου συστῆναι μέγαν πόλεμον τοῖς Μήδοις πρὸς Καδουσίους διὰ τοιαύτας αἰτίας.
During his reign, a great war arose between the Medes and the Cadusians for the following reasons.
Παρσώνδην τὸν Πέρσην, θαυμαζόμενον ἐπʼ ἀνδρείᾳ καὶ συνέσει καὶ ταῖς ἄλλαις ἀρεταῖς, φίλον τε ὑπάρξαι τῷ βασιλεῖ καὶ μέγιστον ἰσχῦσαι τῶν μετεχόντων τοῦ βασιλικοῦ συνεδρίου.
Parsondas the Persian, who was admired for his courage, intelligence, and other virtues, was both a friend of the king and had the greatest influence among those who participated in the royal council.
§2.33.2τοῦτον δʼ ὑπὸ τοῦ βασιλέως ἔν τινι κρίσει λυπηθέντα φυγεῖν μετὰ πεζῶν μὲν τρισχιλίων, ἱππέων δὲ χιλίων εἰς Καδουσίους, παρʼ οἷς ἦν ἐκδεδομένος τὴν ἰδίαν ἀδελφὴν τῷ μάλιστα δυναστεύοντι κατὰ τούτους τοὺς τόπους.
But this man, having been aggrieved by the king in a certain judgment, fled with three thousand infantry and one thousand cavalry to the Cadusians, with whom he had given his own sister in marriage to the man of the greatest power in those parts.
§2.33.3γενόμενον δʼ ἀποστάτην καὶ πείσαντα τὸ σύμπαν ἔθνος ἀντέχεσθαι τῆς ἐλευθερίας, αἱρεθῆναι στρατηγὸν διὰ τὴν ἀνδρείαν.
Having become a rebel and having persuaded the entire nation to strive for their freedom, he was chosen general because of his courage.
ἔπειτα πυνθανόμενον ἀθροιζομένην ἐπʼ αὐτὸν μεγάλην δύναμιν, καθοπλίσαι τοὺς Καδουσίους πανδημεί, καὶ καταστρατοπεδεῦσαι πρὸς ταῖς εἰς τὴν χώραν εἰσβολαῖς ἔχοντα τοὺς σύμπαντας οὐκ ἐλάττους εἴκοσι μυριάδων.
Then, learning that a great force was being assembled against him, he armed the Cadusians in full force and encamped near the passes into the country, having in total no fewer than two hundred thousand men.
§2.33.4τοῦ δὲ βασιλέως Ἀρταίου στρατεύσαντος ἐπʼ αὐτὸν μυριάσιν ὀγδοήκοντα μάχῃ κρατῆσαι καὶ πλείους μὲν τῶν πεντακισμυρίων ἀνελεῖν, τὴν δʼ ἄλλην δύναμιν ἐκβαλεῖν ἐκ τῆς Καδουσίων χώρας.
And when King Artaeus marched against him with eighty myriads, Parsondas defeated him in battle and slew more than fifty thousand, and drove the rest of the force out of the country of the Cadusians.
διὸ καὶ παρὰ τοῖς ἐγχωρίοις θαυμαζόμενον αἱρεθῆναί τε βασιλέα καὶ τὴν Μηδίαν συνεχῶς λεηλατεῖν καὶ πάντα τόπον καταφθείρειν.
For this reason also, being admired by the inhabitants, he was chosen king, and continually plundered Media and laid waste every place.
§2.33.5μεγάλης δὲ δόξης τυχόντα, καὶ γήρᾳ μέλλοντα καταστρέφειν τὸν βίον, ἀρὰν θέσθαι παραστησάμενον τὸν διαδεχόμενον τὴν ἀρχήν, ὅπως μηδέποτε διαλύσωνται τὴν ἔχθραν Καδούσιοι πρὸς Μήδους· εἰ δὲ σύνθοιντο ὁμολογίας, ἐξώλεις γενέσθαι τούς τε ἀπὸ τοῦ γένους αὐτοῦ καὶ Καδουσίους ἅπαντας.
Having attained great glory, and being about to end his life in old age, he laid a curse after summoning the successor to his rule to his side, that the Cadusians should never dissolve their enmity toward the Medes; and if they should agree to a treaty, both those of his own lineage and all the Cadusians should utterly perish.
§2.33.6διὰ δὴ ταύτας τὰς αἰτίας ἀεὶ πολεμικῶς ἐσχηκέναι Καδουσίους πρὸς Μήδους, καὶ μηδέποτε τοῖς τούτων βασιλεῦσιν ὑπηκόους γεγονέναι, μέχρι οὗ Κῦρος εἰς Πέρσας μετέστησε τὴν ἡγεμονίαν.
For these very reasons indeed, the Cadusians were always hostilely disposed toward the Medes, and were never subject to their kings, until Cyrus transferred the empire to the Persians.