Thalia   

condition- none of you shall claim to exercise rule over me or my seed
for ever." The six agreed to these terms, and Otanes withdraw and
stood aloof from the contest. And still to this day the family of
Otanes continues to be the only free family in Persia; those who
belong to it submit to the rule of the king only so far as they
themselves choose; they are bound, however, to observe the laws of the
land like the other Persians.
After this the six took counsel together, as to the fairest way of
setting up a king: and first, with respect to Otanes, they resolved,
that if any of their own number got the kingdom, Otanes and his seed
after him should receive year by year, as a mark of special honour,
a Median robe, and all such other gifts as are accounted the most
honourable in Persia. And these they resolved to give him, because
he was the man who first planned the outbreak, and who brought the
seven together. These privileges, therefore, were assigned specially
to Otanes. The following were made common to them all:- It was to be
free to each, whenever he pleased, to enter the palace unannounced,
unless the king were in the company of one of his wives; and the
king was to be bound to marry into no family excepting those of the
conspirators. Concerning the appointment of a king, the resolve to
which they came was the following:- They would ride out together
next morning into the skirts of the city, and he whose steed first
neighed after the sun was up should have the kingdom.
Now Darius had a groom, a sharp-witted knave, called Oebares.
After the meeting had broken up, Darius sent for him, and said,
"Oebares, this is the way in which the king is to be chosen- we are to
mount our horses, and the man whose horse first neighs after the sun
is up is to have the kingdom. If then you have any cleverness,
contrive a plan whereby the prize may fall to us, and not go to
another." "Truly, master," Oebares answered, "if it depends on this
whether thou shalt be king or no, set thine heart at ease, and fear
nothing: I have a charm which is sure not to fail." "If thou hast
really aught of the kind," said Darius, "hasten to get it ready. The
matter does not brook delay, for the trial is to be to-morrow." So
Oebares when he heard that, did as follows:- When night came, he
took one of the mares, the chief favourite of the horse which Darius
rode, and tethering it in the suburb, brought his master's horse to
the place; then, after leading him round and round the mare several
times, nearer and nearer at each circuit, he ended by letting them
come together.
And now, when the morning broke, the six Persians, according to
agreement, met together on horseback, and rode out to the suburb. As
they went along they neared the spot where the mare was tethered the
night before, whereupon the horse of Darius sprang forward and
neighed. just at the same time, though the sky was clear and bright,
there was a flash of lightning, followed by a thunderclap. It seemed
as if the heavens conspired with Darius, and hereby inaugurated him
king: so the five other nobles leaped with one accord from their
steeds, and bowed down before him and owned him for their king.
This is the account which some of the Persians gave of the
contrivance of Oebares; but there are others who relate the matter
differently. They say that in the morning he stroked the mare with his
hand, which he then hid in his trousers until the sun rose and the
horses were about to start, when he suddenly drew his hand forth and
put it to the nostrils of his master's horse, which immediately
snorted and neighed.
Thus was Darius, son of Hystaspes, appointed king; and, except the
Arabians, all they of Asia were subject to him; for Cyrus, and after
him Cambyses, had brought them all under. The Arabians were never
subject as slaves to the Persians, but had a league of friendship with
them from the time when they brought Cambyses on his way as he went
into Egypt; for had they been unfriendly the Persians could never have
made their invasion.
And now Darius contracted marriages of the first rank, according