THE

Percy Anecdotes.

ANECDOTES OF YOUTH.

"Come hither, boy, and clear thy open brow; Yon summer clouds now like the Alps, and now A ship, a whale, change not so fast as thou."

ROGERS.

THE BOY KING.

ASTYAGES, King of the Medes, dreamed that while he was yet alive, the child of which his daughter Mandane was then pregnant, was raised to a throne; this so troubled him with fears for the safety of his crown, that he caused the infant as soon as born to be delivered to Harpagus, with strict orders to have it destroyed. Harpagus, willing to shift the sin of so cruel a deed from himself, entrusted the execution of it to the herdsman of Astyages; but the herdsman's wife happening at the very time to be delivered of a still-born child, she prevailed on her husband to substitute the living, for the dead, infant. When Cyrus (for such was the boy's name) grew up, he was particularly distinguished among his playmates, for his boldness and intelligence; and as an honour justly due to super-eminent merit, they conferred on him the

title of their KING. Cyrus put the rush crown on his head with all the confidence of one who was entitled to a real one. He proceeded to appoint one playmate to be his prime minister; another to be his chamberlain; a third to be his sword-bearer; so many to be of his privy council; and so many to be his guards. One of these boy-subjects, the son of a nobleman, called Artembaris, happening to disobey some of the royal commands, Cyrus ordered him to be seized by his guards, and soundly flogged. The lad, as soon as at liberty, ran home to his father, and complained bitterly of the treatment he had received. The father repaired to Astyages, and shewing him the bruised shoulders of his son, "Is it thus, O King!" said he," that we are treated by the son of thy bondsman and slave?" Astyages sent for the herdsman, and his supposed son; and addressing the latter, sternly said, "How darest thou, being the son of such a father as this, treat in so vile a manner the son of one of my court?" Sire," answered Cyrus, with firmness, "I have done nothing unto him but what was fit. The country lads (of whom he was one) chose me for their King in play, because I seemed the most worthy of that diguity; but when all the rest obeyed my commands, this boy alone regarded not what I said. For this was he punished; and if on his account I have merited to suffer any punishment, I am here ready to suffer it." While Cyrus spoke, Astyages was so struck with the family resemblance of the boy's features, that he was tempted to make some particular enquiries of the herdsman; and pressed him so hard, that he at last extorted from him a confession of the truth. Dismissing them for the present,

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Astyages went and consulted the Magi on the discovery he had made, revealing to them at the same time the purport of the dream, which had given such trouble to his mind. The Magi, ingenious in behalf of humanity, declared that in their opinion, all that the dream imported had been already realized, by the circumstance of Cyrus having played the King in sport. This interpretation lulled the fears of Astyages; he became reconciled to the boy's existence; and after acknowledging him as his grandson, sent him into Persia to his father.

But mark the sequel! Ere many years had elapsed, Cyrus stimulated the Persians to revolt, overcame Astyages, his grandfather, and united the empire of the Medes to that of the Persians.

In a visit which Cyrus made to his grandfather, shortly after his royal descent was recognized, Astyages was much charmed with his sprightliness and wit, and gave a sumptuous entertainment on his account, at which there was a profusion of every thing that was nice and delicate. All this exquisite cheer and magnificent preparation, Cyrus looked upon with great indifference. "The Persians," said he to the king, "have a much shorter way to appease their hunger; a little bread, and a few cresses, with them answers the purpose." Sacras, the king's cupbearer, displeased Cyrus; and Astyages praising him on account of the wonderful dexterity with which he served him; "Is that all, sir,” replied Cyrus ; "if that be sufficient to merit your favour, you shall see I will quickly obtain it; for I will take upon me to serve you better than he." Immediately Cyrus was equipped as a cupbearer, and very gracefully presented the cup to the

king, who embraced him with great fondness, saying, "I am mightily well pleased, my son; nobody can serve with a better grace; but you have forgot one essential ceremony, which is that of tasting." No," replied Cyrus," it was not through forgetfulness that I omitted that ceremony." "Why, then," said Astyages, "for what reason did you omit it?" "Because I apprehended there was poison in the liquor." "Poison, child! how could you think so?" 'Yes, poison, papa; for not long ago, at an entertainment you gave to the lords of your court, after the guests had drank a little of that liquor, I perceived all their heads were turned; they sung, made a noise, and talked they did not know what; you yourself seemed to have forgot that you were a king; and they that they were subjects; and when you would have danced, you were unable to stand." Why," says Astyages, "have you never seen the same thing happen to your father ?” No, never," says Cyrus. "What, then; how is it with him when he drinks ?" Why, when he has drank, his thirst is quenched; and that is all."

ALEXANDER THE GREAT.

The celebrated quarrel between Macedon and Persia, we are told originated in Alexander's refusing to pay the tribute of golden eggs, to which his father had agreed. "The bird that laid the eggs has flown to the other world," is reported to have been the laconic answer of the Macedonian prince to the Persian envoy, who demanded the tribute. After this, Darab (Darius) sent another ambassador to the court of the

Grecian monarch, whom he charged to deliver to him a bat, a ball, and a bag of very small seed, called Gunjad. The bat and ball were meant to throw a ridicule on Alexander's youth, being fit amusement for his age; the bag of seed was intended as an emblem of the Persian army, being innumerable. Alexander took the bat and ball into his hand, and said, "This is the emblem of my power with which I strike the ball of your monarch's dominion, and this fowl (he had ordered one to be brought) will soon show you what a morsel your numerous army will prove to mine. The grain was instantly eaten up, and Alexander gave a wild melon to the envoy, desiring him to tell his sovereign what he had heard and seen, and to give him that fruit, the taste of which would enable him to judge of the bitter fare which awaited him.

CATO OF UTICA.

Plutarch mentions a singular instance of the early manifestation of that bold and fearless spirit which distinguished this illustrious Roman. The Italian allies of Rome having demanded admission to the privilege of citizenship, Pompedius Silo, one of their deputies for urging this claim, was a guest at the house of Drusus, the maternal uncle of Cato; and in a jocose manner asked young Cato to recommend his suit to his uncle. The child was silent; but expressed by his looks that he had no inclination to comply with the request. Pompedius renewed his solicitations, but was unable to prevail. At length he took up the infant Cato in his arms, and carrying him to the window, threatened to throw him over if he persisted in