Page 153 - The Prophet-statesman a Drama of Daniel

CHAPTER XXXIII

CYRUS COMES TO BABYLON

It was early in the year B.C. 536. The elder statesman Daniel sat in the executive
offices in the right wing of the palace immersed in a multitude of reports that had
come in from the princes who ruled over the various satrapies of the empire. Since the
execution of Parmashta and Adalia, all of the 120 divisions of the empire had fallen

upon the shoulders of Daniel. He was not now the senior of three presidents but the
only president. He had the onerous responsibility of keeping his hand on the pulse of
public affairs in all of these satrapies, and of making the decision with respect to every
problem that arose. Darius had been a military man all of his life, and made no

pretense of being a statesman or civil administrator.

On this morning, Kind Darius came into the executive offices to consult with the
Prime Minister. After the usual amenities of greeting, the King sat down and produced

from the folds of his regal garments a communication sealed with the royal seal of
Persia. “Oh, Daniel” commenced the King, “It is with mingled feelings of sorrow and
satisfaction, that I deliver to you for your perusal this letter from the King-Emperor
Cyrus—sorrow that it means the near termination of an association with you which

has been the most blessed experience of my life, and satisfaction that I am to be
relieved of duties and responsibilities for which I am neither fitted nor prepared.”

The elder-statesman received the communication from the hand of Darius and his

eyes rapidly scanned the lines. The letter revealed the fact that Cyrus was planning
shortly to move down from Ecbatana to Babylon, making Babylon thenceforth his
own headquarters and the imperial capital. He desired that Darius would prepare to
change places with him and move up to Ecbatana (otherwise called Achmetha) and

take charge of affairs there.

Having completed the reading of the latter, Daniel looked up and remarked: “I

judge that you will remain here in Babylon, O King Darius, until you have made the
transfer and yielded over to the emperor Cyrus your portfolio of government here.”
“Indeed, I shall remain here until Cyrus comes, and hand everything over to him at
that time. The legacy that I shall bequeathe to him from my time spent here, most
proudly and yet most sadly, is yourself, O Daniel. Your wisdom and experience have

spelled the difference between a successful administration and one of bungling and
ineptitude had I tried to carry on without you. You have not only taught me much of