Harpage

Harpage (in Greek old Ἅρπαγος/ Hárpagos ) is a dignitary mède end of fifth century BC

According to Hérodote (I, 108 sqq.), it is charged by Astyage, king of the Mèdes, to kill its grandson Cyrus. Harpage disobeys and is satisfied to give up the child in a wood, where it is saved and raised by a shepherd. When years later Cyrus is made recognize by Astyage, this one, to be avenged for its vassal, makes cut the throat of the son of Harpage and is used the members for his father at the time of a feast.

Harpage then contemplates its revenge by being used the accession with the throne as Cyrus, of which he thinks that he must share his feelings against Astyage. According to Hérodote always, it communicates its action plan in Cyrus by hiding a message in the belly of a hare that it makes him carry by one of its servants. He proposes in Cyrus to raise Persians while him or any other Mède dignitary who will be in charge of the command of the army sent against Persians will betray Astyage, which was made odious at his place by its hardness. This tradition favorable to Harpage was undoubtedly transmitted to Hérodote by of Harpagides. Once Astyage makes captive of Cyrus, Hérodote brings back a dialog between Harpage and Astyage where, the irony and the insults of the first, the deposed king answered by reproaching Harpage his awkwardness for not having conquered the royalty for itself and its injustice to have delivered Mèdes to Persians.

In the war between Crésus and Cyrus, Harpage suggests with the Persian king the good tactics to break the Lydian rows.

Towards 545 - 544, Harpage receives the command of the Lydie, that Cyrus has just torn off with king Crésus. Cyrus indeed initially thought of entrusting the area lately conquered to Mède Tabalos and the transport of the gold of Crésus of the Pactyès Lydian, but this last, at once left Cyrus, went to besiege Tabalos in the citadel of Sardinians with the assistance of the other Lydians. Cyrus sends initially Mède Mazarès MATER the rebellion, but Mazarès dies of disease. It is under these conditions that Harpage, arrived of High-Asia, succeeds to him to subject the Ionian cities (Phocée, Téos, etc) which did not make allegiance with Cyrus yet. Then, it enters to shift against Cariens, Cauniens and Lyciens.

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