Just as there were different stories about the death of Smerdis, there are also two different accounts of how Cambyses’ sister and wife died. The Greeks and the Egyptians each told the story in their own way. Although the details differ, both versions show the same thing: Cambyses had become cruel, violent, and unable to control his anger.
The Greek Version The Story of the Dogs
According to the Greeks, Cambyses once ordered a young dog to fight a lion cub. His wife, who was also his sister, was sitting nearby and watching the fight. At first, the dog was losing. The lion cub was stronger, and it seemed the dog would be defeated Daily Sofia Tours.
Suddenly, something unexpected happened. Another puppy from the same litter broke free from its chain and rushed to help its brother. Together, the two dogs attacked the lion cub and managed to defeat it. Cambyses was greatly pleased by this sight and admired the courage and loyalty of the dogs.
However, his sister reacted very differently. Instead of smiling, she began to cry. When Cambyses noticed her tears, he asked her why she was weeping during such an impressive scene. She replied honestly and without fear. She said that seeing the puppy help its brother reminded her of Smerdis, their murdered brother. Smerdis, she said, had no one to help him when he was killed.
This remark angered Cambyses deeply. The Greeks say that because she reminded him of his crime and spoke openly about it, Cambyses put her to death. In this version, her words alone were enough to seal her fate.
The Egyptian Version The Story of the Lettuce
The Egyptians told the story differently. According to them, Cambyses and his sister were sitting together at a meal. During the meal, the sister took a lettuce and began to strip off its leaves one by one. Then she asked her brother a question: when did the lettuce look more beautiful—when it was full of leaves, or now that it was stripped bare?
Cambyses answered that it looked better when it had all its leaves. His sister then replied sharply. She said that he had done the same thing to the house of Cyrus, their father. By killing Smerdis, he had stripped the royal family bare, just as she had stripped the lettuce Cambyses and the Beginning of His Madness.
This bold and painful truth enraged Cambyses. In a fit of fury, he leapt at her violently. She was pregnant at the time, and because of the attack, she miscarried and died soon afterward. In this account, her death was not planned but was the result of Cambyses’ uncontrollable rage.
Cambyses’ Madness and Possible Causes
Both stories, though different, agree on one thing: Cambyses was dangerously violent toward his own family. His actions showed a mind that was no longer balanced or merciful. Many believed that his madness came as punishment for his treatment of the sacred bull Apis in Egypt. Others thought there were many causes, as misfortune often has more than one source.
It was also said that Cambyses suffered from a serious illness from birth, a disease known by some as “the sacred sickness,” which we now call epilepsy. Because his body was so badly afflicted, people believed it was not surprising that his mind also suffered.
The death of Cambyses’ sister, whether told by Greeks or Egyptians, reveals a tragic truth about his character. Fear, guilt, and uncontrolled anger ruled his actions. These stories serve as powerful examples of how absolute power, combined with illness and inner torment, can destroy both a ruler and those closest to him.
