Artaxerxes   

The first Artaxerxes, among all the kings of Persia the most remarkable
for a gentle and noble spirit, was surnamed the Long-handed, his right
hand being longer than his left, and was the son of Xerxes. The second,
whose story I am now writing, who had the surname of the Mindful,
was the grandson of the former, by his daughter Parysatis, who brought
Darius four sons, the eldest Artaxerxes, the next Cyrus, and two younger
than these, Ostanes and Oxathres. Cyrus took his name of the ancient
Cyrus, as he, they say, had his from the sun, which, in the Persian
language, is called Cyrus. Artaxerxes was at first called Arsicas;
Dinon says Oarses; but it is utterly improbable that Ctesias (however
otherwise he may have filled his books with a perfect farrago of incredible
and senseless fables) should be ignorant of the name of the king with
whom he lived as his physician, attending upon himself, his wife,
his mother, and his children.
Cyrus, from his earliest youth, showed something of a headstrong and
vehement character; Artaxerxes, on the other side, was gentler in
everything, and of a nature more yielding and soft in its action.
He married a beautiful and virtuous wife, at the desire of his parents,
but kept her as expressly against their wishes. For King Darius, having
put her brother to death, was purposing likewise to destroy her. But
Arsicas, throwing himself at his mother's feet, by many tears, at
last, with much ado, persuaded her that they should neither put her
to death nor divorce her from him. However, Cyrus, was his mother's
favourite, and the son whom she most desired to settle in the throne.
And therefore, his father Darius now lying ill, he, being sent for
from the sea to the court, set out thence with full hopes that by
her means he was to be declared the successor to the kingdom. For
Parysatis had the specious plea in his behalf, which Xerxes on the
advice of Demaratus had of old made use of, that she had borne him
Arsicas when he was a subject, but Cyrus, when a king. Notwithstanding,
she prevailed not with Darius, but the eldest son, Arsicas, was proclaimed
king, his name being changed into Artaxerxes; and Cyrus remained satrap
of Lydia, and commander in the maritime provinces.
It was not long after the decease of Darius that the king, his successor,
went to Pasargadae, to have the ceremony of his inauguration consummated
by the Persian priests. There is a temple dedicated to a warlike goddess,
whom one might liken to Minerva, into which when the royal person
to be initiated has passed, he must strip himself of his own robe,
and put on that which Cyrus the first wore before he was king; then,
having devoured a frail of figs, he must eat turpentine, and drink
a cup of sour milk. To which if they superadd any other rites, it
is unknown to any but those that are present at them. Now Artaxerxes
being about to address himself to this solemnity, Tisaphernes came
to him, bringing a certain priest, who, having trained up Cyrus in
his youth in the established discipline of Persia, and having taught
him the Magian philosophy, was likely to be as much disappointed as
any man that his pupil did not succeed to the throne. And for that
reason his veracity was the less questioned when he charged Cyrus
as though he had been about to lie in wait for the king in the temple,
and to assault and assassinate him as he was putting off his garment.
Some affirm that he was apprehended upon this impeachment, others
that he had entered the temple and was pointed out there, as he lay
lurking by the priest. But as he was on the point of being put to
death, his mother clasped him in her arms, and, entwining him with
the tresses of her hair, joined his neck close to her own, and by
her bitter lamentation and intercession to Artaxerxes for him, succeeded
in saving his life; and sent him away again to the sea and to his
former province. This, however, could no longer content him; nor did
he so well remember his delivery as his arrest, his resentment for
which made him more eagerly desirous of the kingdom than before.
Some say that he revolted from his brother, because he had not a revenue
allowed him sufficient for his daily meals; but this is on the face
of it absurd. For had he had nothing else, yet he had a mother ready