During the fourth century before Christ, Cyrus, King of Persia, led a military expedition against Artaxerxes. In his "Cyropaedia," Xenophon, an Athenian historian, describes how Cyrus took prisoner the wife, daughters, and daughter-in-law of an Armenian King. Fearing for their safety, the monarch had sent the women away to the mountains. There they were discovered and captured.
Tigranes, the eldest son of the king, had married, and his wife was among the prisoners. Returning from an expedition, he learned that his wife was in the hands of the enemy. At once he sought an audience with Cyrus. Eloquently he besought the freedom of his wife.
Cyrus asked Tigranes: "At what price would you purchase the liberty of your wife?”
Tigranes at once answered: "To save her from servitude, I would ransom her at the COST OF MY OWN LIFE.”
A noble reply! Cyrus was evidently affected by it, and granted Tigranes to take his own to himself. He entertained them all royally and hospitably before they departed.
Upon their return, they all spoke glowingly of Cyrus. One told of his wisdom; another of his kindness; others of his stature and beauty. At length Tigranes asked his wife: "And what do you think of Cyrus?”
She replied, "I do not think of him! I only think of him who said, to save me from servitude he would ransom me 'AT THE COST OF HIS OWN LIFE.”
"Herein is love, not that we
loved God, but that He loved
us, and sent His Son to be the
propitiation for our sins.”
"SEEK YE THE LORD WHILE HE
MAY BE FOUND, CALL YE
UPON HIM WHILE
HE IS NEAR.”