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HISTORY OF THE PERSIAN EMPIRE |
[4.1.1]
Cyrus remained there for a while with his army and
showed that they were ready to do battle, if any one should come out. But as no
one did come out against him, he withdrew as far as he thought proper and
encamped. And when he had stationed his outposts and sent out his scouts, he
called together his own men, took his place in their midst, and addressed them
as follows:
[4.1.2]
"Fellow-citizens of Persia, first of all I praise the gods with all my soul; and so, I believe, do all of you; for we not only
have won a victory, but our lives have been spared. We ought, therefore, to
render to the gods thank-offerings of whatsoever we have. And I here and now
commend you as a body, for you have all contributed to this glorious
achievement; but as for the deserts of each of you individually, I shall try by
word and deed to give every man his due reward, when I have ascertained from
proper sources what credit each one deserves. [4.1.3] But as to Captain
Chrysantas, who fought next to me, I have no need to make enquiry from others,
for I myself know how gallant his conduct was; in everything else he did just as
I think all of you also did; but when I gave the word to retreat and called to
him by name, even though he had his sword raised to smite down an enemy he
obeyed me at once and refrained from what he was on the point of doing and
proceeded to carry out my order; not only did he himself retreat but he also
with instant promptness passed the word on to the others; and so he succeeded in
getting his division out of range before the enemy discovered that we were
retreating or drew their bows or let fly their javelins. And thus by his
obedience he is unharmed himself and he has kept his men unharmed. [4.1.4] But
others," said he, "I see wounded; and when I have enquired at what
moment of the engagement they received their wounds, I will then express my
opinion concerning them. But Chrysantas, as a mighty man of war, prudent and
fitted to command and to obey--him I now promote to a colonelship. And when God
shall vouchsafe some further blessing, then, too, I shall not forget him.
[4.1.5]
"I wish also to leave this thought with all of you,"
he went on: "never cease to bear in mind what you have just seen in this
day's battle, so that you may always judge in your own hearts whether courage is
more likely to save men's lives than running away, and whether it is easier for
those to withdraw who wish to fight than for those who are unwilling, and what
sort of pleasure victory brings; for you can best judge of these matters now
when you have experience of them and while the event is of so recent occurrence.
[4.1.6] And if you would always keep this in mind, you would be more valiant
men."Now go to dinner, as men beloved of God and brave and wise; pour
libations to the gods, raise the song of victory, and at the same time be on the
lookout for orders that may come."
[4.1.7]
When he had said this, he mounted his horse and rode away to Cyaxares. They
exchanged congratulations, as was fitting, and after Cyrus had taken note of
matters there and asked if there were anything he could do, he rode back to his
own army. Then he and his followers dined, stationed their pickets duly, and
went to rest.
[4.1.8]
The Assyrians, on the other hand, inasmuch as they had lost their general and with him nearly all their best men, were
all disheartened, and many of them even ran away from the camp in the course of
the night. And when Croesus and the rest of their allies saw this, they too lost
heart; for the whole situation was desperate; but what caused the greatest
despondency in all was the fact that the leading contingent of the army had
become thoroughly demoralized. Thus dispirited, then, they quitted their camp
and departed under cover of the night. [4.1.9] And when it became day and the
enemy's camp was found to be forsaken of men, Cyrus at once led hPersians first
across the entrenchments. And many sheep and many cattle and many wagons packed
full of good things had been left behind by the enemy. Directly after this,
Cyaxares also and all his Medes crossed over and had breakfast there. [4.1.10]
And when they had breakfasted, Cyrus called together his captains and spoke as
follows:"What good things, fellow-soldiers, and how great, have we let
slip, it seems, while the gods were delivering them into our hands! Why, you see
with your own eyes that the enemy have run away from us; when people behind
fortifications abandon them and flee, how would any one expect them to stand and
fight, if they met us in a fair and open field? And if they did not stand their
ground when they were yet unacquainted with us, how would they withstand us now,
when they have been defeated and have suffered heavy loss at our hands? And when
their bravest men have been slain, how would their more cowardly be willing to
fight us?"
[4.1.11]
"Why not pursue them as swiftly as possible," said one of the men; "now that the good things we have let slip are
so manifest to us?""Because," he replied, "we have not
horses enough; for the best of the enemy, those whom it were most desirable
either to capture or to kill, are riding off on horseback. With the help of the
gods we were able to put them to flight, but we are not able to pursue and
overtake them."
[4.1.12]
"Then why do you not go and tell Cyaxares this?" said they."Come
with me, then, all of you," he answered, "so that he may know that we
are all agreed upon this point."Thereupon they all followed and submitted
such arguments as they thought calculated to gain their object.
[4.1.13]
Now Cyaxares seemed to feel some little jealousy because the proposal came from
them; at the same time, perhaps, he did not care to risk another engagement;
then, too, he rather wished to stay where he was, for it happened that he was
busily engaged in making merry himself, and he saw that many of the other Medes
were doing the same. However that may be, he spoke as follows:
[4.1.14]
"Well, Cyrus, I know from what I see and hear that you Persians are more
careful than other people not to incline to the least intemperance in any kind
of pleasure. But it seems to me that it is much better to be moderate in the
greatest pleasure than to be moderate in lesser pleasures; and what brings to
man greater pleasure than success, such as has now been granted us?
[4.1.15]
"If, therefore [when we are successful], we follow up our success with
moderation, we might, perhaps, be able to grow old in happiness unalloyed with
danger. But if we enjoy it intemperately and try to pursue first one success and
then another, see to it that we do not share the same fate that they say many
have suffered upon the sea, that is, because of their success they have not been
willing to give up seafaring, and so they have been lost; and many others, when
they have gained a victory, have aimed at another and so have lost even what
they gained by the first. [4.1.16] And that is the way with us; for if it were
because they were inferior to us in numbers that the enemy are fleeing from us,
perhaps it might be safe for us actually to pursue this lesser army. But, as it
is, reflect with what a mere fraction of their numbers we, with all our forces,
have fought and won, while the rest of theirs have not tasted of battle; and if
we do not compel them to fight, they will remain unacquainted with our strength
and with their own, and they will go away because of their ignorance and
cowardice. But if they discover that they are in no less danger if they go away
than if they remain in the field, beware lest we compel them to be valiant even
against their will. [4.1.17] And let me assure you that you are not more eager
to capture their women and children than they are to save them. And bethink you
that even wild swine flee with their young, when they are discovered, no matter
how great their numbers may be; but if any one tries to catch one of the young,
the old one, even if she happens to be the only one, does not think of flight
but rushes upon the man who is trying to effect the capture. [4.1.18] And now,
when they had shut themselves up in their fortifications, they allowed us to
manage things so as to fight as many at a time as we pleased. But if we go
against them in an open plain and they learn to meet us in separate detachments,
some in front of us (as even now), some on either flank, and some in our rear,
see to it that we do not each one of us stand in need of many hands and many
eyes. And besides," said he, "now that I see the Medes making merry, I
should not like to rout them out and compel them to go into danger."
[4.1.19] As soon as they reached a halting place, Xenophon
went straight to Cheirisophus, just as he was, and proceeded to reproach him for
not waiting, but compelling them to flee and fight at the same time; "and
now," he went on, "two fine, brave fellows have lost their lives, and
we were not able to pick up their bodies or bury them." [4.1.20]
Cheirisophus' reply was, "Take a look," said he, "at the
mountains, and observe how impassable all of them are. The only road is the one
there, which you see, a steep one, too, and on that you can see the great crowd
of people who have taken possession of it and are guarding our way out. [4.1.21]
That's the reason why I was hurrying and why I would not wait for you, for I
hoped to reach the pass and occupy it before they did. The guides that we have
say there is no other road." [4.1.22] And Xenophon answered, "Well, I
also have two men. For at the time when the enemy were giving us trouble, we set
an ambush. It allowed us, for one thing, to catch our breath; but, besides, we
killed a number of them, and we took especial pains to get some prisoners for
this very purpose, of being able to employ as guides men who know the
country."
[4.1.23] They brought up the two men at once and
questioned them separately as to whether they knew any other road besides the
one that was in plain sight. The first man said he did not, despite all the
numerous threats that were made to him; and since he would give no information,
he was slaughtered before the eyes of the second one. [4.1.24] The latter now
said that the reason why this first man had maintained that he did not know any
other road, was because he chanced to have a daughter living in that
neighbourhood with a husband to whom he had given her; but as for himself, he
said that he would lead the Greeks by a road that could be traversed even by
baggage animals. [4.1.25] Upon being asked whether there was any point on it
which was difficult to pass, he replied that there was a height which they could
not possibly pass unless they should seize it beforehand.
[4.1.26] Thereupon it was decided to call together the
captains, both of peltasts and hoplites, to set forth to them the existing
situation, and to ask if there was any one among them who would like to prove
himself a brave man and to undertake this expedition as a volunteer. [4.1.27]
Volunteers came forward, from the hoplites Aristonymus of Methydrium and Agasias
of Stymphalus, while in rivalry with them Callimachus of Parrhasia said that he
was ready to make the expedition and take with him volunteers from the entire
army; "for I know," he continued, "that many of the young men
will follow if I am in the lead." [4.1.28] Then they asked whether any one
among the captains of light troops wanted to join in the march. The volunteer
was Aristeas of Chios, who on many occasions proved himself valuable to the army
for such services.
[4.2.1]
It was now late afternoon, and they ordered the volunteers to take a snatch of
food and set out. They also bound the guide and turned him over to the
volunteers, and made an agreement with them that in case they should capture the
height, they were to guard it through the night and give a signal at daybreak
with the trumpet; then those on the height were to proceed against the
Carduchians who were holding the visible way out,1 while the main army was to
come to their support, pushing forward as fast as it could. [4.2.2] This
agreement concluded, the volunteers, about two thousand in number, set out on
their march; and there was a heavy downpour of rain; at the same time Xenophon
with the rearguard began advancing toward the visible way out, in order that the
enemy might be giving their attention to that road and that the party1 taking
the roundabout route might, so far as possible, escape observation. [4.2.3] But
as soon as the troops of the rearguard were at a gorge which they had to cross
before marching up the steep hill, at that moment the barbarians began to roll
down round stones large enough for a wagon-load, with larger and smaller ones
also; they came down with a crash upon the rocks below and the fragments of them
flew in all directions, so that it was quite impossible even to approach the
ascending road. [4.2.4] Then some of the captains, unable to proceed by this
route, would try another, and they kept this up until darkness came on. It was
not until they imagined that their withdrawal would be unobserved that they went
back to dinner--and it chanced that they had had no breakfast either. The enemy,
however, never stopped rolling down their stones all through the night, as one
could judge from the noise.
[4.2.5] Meanwhile the party with the guide, proceeding by
a roundabout route, found the guards1 sitting around a fire, and after killing
some of them and chasing away the others they remained at the post themselves,
supposing that they held the height. [4.2.6] In fact, they were not holding it,
for it was a round hill above them and past it ran this narrow road upon which
the guards had been sitting. Nevertheless, from the place they did hold there
was a way of approach to the spot, upon the visible road,1 where the main body
of the enemy were stationed. [4.2.7] At this place, then, they passed the night,
and when day was beginning to break, they took up their march silently in battle
array against the enemy; for there was a mist, and consequently they got close
up to them without being observed. When they did catch sight of one another, the
trumpet1 sounded and the Greeks raised the battle cry and rushed upon the enemy.
And the Carduchians did not meet their attack, but abandoned the road and took
to flight; only a few of them, however, were killed, for they were agile
fellows. [4.2.8] Meanwhile Cheirisophus and his command, hearing the trumpet,
charged immediately up the visible road; and some of the other generals made
their way without following any road from the points where they severally
chanced to be and, clambering up as best they could, pulled one another up with
their spears; [4.2.9] and it was they who were first to join the troops that had
already gained possession of the place.But Xenophon with half the rearguard set
out by the same rouwhich the party with the guide had followed, because this was
the easiest route for the baggage animals; and behind the baggage animals he
posted the other half of the rearguard. [4.2.10] As they proceeded they came
upon a hill above the road which had been seized by the enemy, and found
themselves compelled either to dislodge them or be completely separated from the
rest of the Greeks; and while, so far as the troops themselves were concerned,
they might have taken the same route that the rest1 followed, the baggage
animals could not get through by any other road than this one2 by which Xenophon
was proceeding. [4.2.11] Then and there, accordingly, with words of cheer to one
another, they charged upon the hill with their companies in column, not
surrounding it, but leaving the enemy a way of retreat in case they chose to use
it. [4.2.12] For a while, as the Greeks were climbing up by whatever way they
severally could, the barbarians discharged arrows and other missiles upon them;
they did not let them get near, however, but took to flight and abandoned the
place. No sooner had the Greeks passed by this hill, than they saw a second one
ahead similarly occupied by the enemy, and decided to proceed against this one
in its turn. [4.2.13] Xenophon, however, becoming apprehensive lest, if he
should leave unoccupied the hill he had just captured, the enemy might take
possession of it again and attack the baggage train as it passed (and the train
stretched out a long way because of the narrowness of the road it was
following), left three captains upon the hill, Cephisodorus, son of Cephisophon,
an Athenian, Amphicrates, son of Amphidemus, also an Athenian, and Archagoras,
an Argive exile; while he himself with the rest of the troops proceeded against
the second hill, which they captured in the same fashion as the first.
[4.2.14] There still remained a third round hill,1 far the
steepest of them all, the one that rose above the guard post, by the fire, which
had been captured during the night by the volunteers. [4.2.15] But when the
Greeks got near this hill, the barbarians abandoned it without striking a blow,
so that everybody was filled with surprise and imagined that they had quit the
place out of fear that they might be surrounded and blockaded. As it proved,
however, they had seen, looking down from their height, what was going on
farther back, and were all setting out to attack the Greek rearguard.1 [4.2.16]
Meanwhile Xenophon proceeded to climb the abandoned height with his youngest
troops, ordering the rest to move on slowly in order that the hindmost companies
might catch up; then they were to advance along the road and halt under arms on
the plateau1 at the top of the pass.
[4.2.17] At this time Archagoras the Argive came up in
flight and reported that the Greeks had been dislodged lodged from the first
hill, that Cephisodorus and Amphicrates had been killed, and likewise all the
rest except such as had leaped down the rocks and reached the rearguard.1
[4.2.18] After accomplishing this achievement the barbarians came to a hill
opposite the round hill,1 and Xenophon, through an interpreter, held a colloquy
with them in regard to a truce and asked them to give back the bodies of the
Greek dead. [4.2.19] They replied that they would give them back on condition
that the Greeks should not burn their houses. To this Xenophon agreed. But while
the rest of the army was passing by and they were engaged in this conference,
all the enemy from that neighbourhood had streamed together to the spot;
[4.2.20] and as soon as Xenophon and his men began to descend from the round
hill, in order to join the rest of the Greeks at the place where they were
halted under arms, the enemy took this opportunity to rush upon them in great
force and with a great deal of uproar. When they had reached the crest of the
hill from which Xenophon was descending, they proceeded to roll down stones.
They broke one man's leg, and Xenophon found himself deserted by the servant who
was carrying his shield; [4.2.21] but Eurylochus of Lusi, a hoplite, ran up to
him and, keeping his shield held out in front of them both, fell back with him;
and the rest also made good their retreat to the main array.
[4.2.22] Then the entire Greek army united, and the troops
took up quarters there in many fine houses and in the midst of abundant
supplies; for the inhabitants had wine in such quantities that they kept it in
cemented cisterns. [4.2.23] Meanwhile Xenophon and Cheirisophus effected an
arrangement by which they recovered the bodies of their dead and gave back the
guide; and they rendered to the dead, so far as their means permitted, all the
usual honours that are paid to brave men.
[4.2.24] On the next day they continued their march
without a guide, while the enemy, by fighting and by seizing positions in
advance wherever the road was narrow, tried to prevent their passage. [4.2.25]
Accordingly, whenever they blocked the march of the van, Xenophon would push
forward from the rear to the mountains and break the blockade of the road for
the van by trying to get higher than those who were halting it, [4.2.26] and
whenever they attacked the rear, Cheirisophus would sally forth and, by trying
to get higher than the obstructing force, would break the blockade of the
passage-way for the rear; in this way they continually aided one another and
took zealous care for one another. [4.2.27] There were times, indeed, when the
barbarians caused a great deal of trouble even to the troops who had climbed to
a higher position, when they were coming down again; for their men were so agile
that even if they took to flight from close at hand, they could escape; for they
had nothing to carry except bows and slings. [4.2.28] As bowmen they were most
excellent; they had bows nearly three cubits long and their arrows were more
than two cubits, and when they shot, they would draw their strings by pressing
with the left foot against the lower end of the bow; and their arrows would go
straight through shields and breastplates.1 Whenever they got hold of them, the
Greeks would use these arrows as javelins, fitting them with thongs. In these
regions the Cretans made themselves exceedingly useful. They were commanded by a
Cretan named Stratocles.
[4.3.1]
For that day again1 they found quarters in the villages that lie above the plain
bordering the Centrites river, which is about two plethra in width and separates
Armenia and the country of the Carduchians. There the Greeks took breath, glad
to behold a plain; for the river was distant six or seven stadia from the
mountains of the Carduchians. [4.3.2] At the time, then, they went into their
quarters very happily, for they had provisions and likewise many recollections
of the hardships that were now past. For during all the seven days of their
march through the land of the Carduchians they were continually fighting, and
they suffered more evils than all which they had suffered taken together at the
hands of the King and Tissaphernes. In the feeling, therefore, that they were
rid of these troubles they lay down happily to rest.
[4.3.3] At daybreak, however, they caught sight of
horsemen at a place across the river, fully armed and ready to dispute their
passage, and likewise foot-soldiers drawn up in line of battle upon the bluffs
above the horsemen, to prevent their pushing up into Armenia. [4.3.4] All these
were the troops of Orontas1 and Artuchas,2 and consisted of Armenians, Mardians,
and Chaldaean mercenaries. The Chaldaeans were said to be an independent and
valiant people; they had as weapons long wicker shields and lances. [4.3.5] Now
the bluffs just mentioned, upon which these troops were drawn up, were distant
three or four plethra from the river, and there was only one road to be seen
that led up them, apparently an artificial road; so at this point1 the Greeks
undertook to cross the river. [4.3.6] When they made the attempt, however, the
water proved to be more than breast deep and the river bed was rough with large,
slippery stones; furthermore, they could not carry their shields in the water,
for if they tried that, the cuwould snatch them away, while if a man carried
them on his head, his body was left unprotected against arrows and other
missiles; so they turned back and went into camp there by the side of the river.
[4.3.7] Meanwhile, at the point where they had themselves spent the previous
night, on the mountain side, they could see the Carduchians gathered together
under arms in great numbers. Then it was that deep despondency fell upon the
Greeks, as they saw before them a river difficult to cross, beyond it troops
that would obstruct their crossing, and behind them the Carduchians, ready to
fall upon their rear when they tried to cross.
[4.3.8] That day and night, accordingly, they remained
there, in great perplexity. But Xenophon had a dream; he thought that he was
bound in fetters, but that the fetters fell off from him of their own accord, so
that he was released and could take as long steps1 as he pleased. When dawn
came, he went to Cheirisophus, told him he had hopes that all would be well, and
related to him his dream. [4.3.9] Cheirisophus was pleased, and as soon as day
began to break, all the generals were at hand and proceeded to offer sacrifices.
And with the very first victim the omens were favourable. Then the generals and
captains withdrew from the sacrifice and gave orders to the troops to get their
breakfasts.
[4.3.10] While Xenophon was breakfasting, two young men
came running up to him; for all knew that they might go to him whether he was
breakfasting or dining, and that if he were asleep, they might awaken him and
tell him whatever they might have to tell that concerned the war. [4.3.11] In
the present case the young men reported that they had happened to be gathering
dry sticks for the purpose of making a fire, and that while so occupied they had
descried across the river, among some rocks that reached down to the very edge
of the river, an old man and a woman and some little girls putting away what
looked like bags of clothes in a cavernous rock. [4.3.12] When they saw this
proceeding, they said, they made up their minds that it was safe for them to
cross, for this was a place that was not accesible to the enemy's cavalry. They
accordingly stripped, keeping only their daggers, and started across naked,
supposing that they would have to swim; but they went on and got across without
wetting themselves up to the middle; once on the other side, they took the
clothes and came back again.
[4.3.13] Upon hearing this report Xenopohon immediately
proceeded to pour a libation himself, and directed his attendants to fill a cup
for the young men and to pray to the gods who had revealed the dream and the
ford, to bring to fulfilment the other blessings also.1 The libation
accomplished, he at once led the young men to Cheirisophus, and they repeated
their story to him. [4.3.14] And upon hearing it Cheirisophus also made
libation. Thereafter they gave orders to the troops to pack up their baggage,
while they themselves called together the generals and took counsel as to how
they might best effect a crossing so as to defeat the enemy in front without
suffering any harm from those in their rear. [4.3.15] The decision was, that
Cheirisophus should take the lead with half the army and attempt a crossing,
that the other half with Xenophon should stay behind for a while, and that the
baggage animals and camp followers should cross between the two divisions.
[4.3.16] When these arrangements had been satisfactorily
made, they set out, the young men leading the way and keeping the river on the
left; and the distance to the ford was about four stadia. [4.3.17] As they
proceeded, the squadrons of the enemy's cavalry kept along opposite to them.
When they reached the ford, they halted under arms, and Cheirisophus put a
wreath upon his head,1 threw off his cloak, and took up his arms, giving orders
to all the others to do the same; he also directed the captains to lead their
companies in column, part of them upon his left and the rest upon his right.
Meanwhile the soothsayers were offering sacrifice to the river, [4.3.18] and the
enemy were shooting arrows and discharging slings, [4.3.19] but not yet reaching
their mark; and when the sacrifices proved favourable, all the soldiers struck
up the paean and raised the war shout, while the women, everyone of them, joined
their cries with the shouting of the men--for there were a large number of women
in the camp.
[4.3.20] Then Cheirisophus and his division proceeded into
the river; but Xenophon took the nimblest troops of the rearguard and began
running back at full speed to the ford1 that was opposite the road which led out
into the Armenian mountains, pretending that he meant to cross at that point and
thus cut off2 the horsemen who were by the side of the river. [4.3.21] The enemy
thereupon, when they saw Cheirisophus and his division crossing the river
without difficulty and likewise saw Xenophon and his men running back, were
seized with fear that they might be cut off, and they fled at full speed to
reach the road which led up from the river. This road once gained, they hastened
on upward in the direction of the mountain. [4.3.22] Then Lycius, who commanded
the squadron of Greek cavalry, and Aeschines, commander of the battalion of
peltasts that was with Cheirisophus, upon seeing the enemy in full flight set
off in pursuit, while the rest of the Greek troops shouted to them not to fall
behind, but to follow the fugitives right up to the mountain. [4.3.23] As for
Cheirisophus, after getting across he chose not to pursue the hostile cavalry,
but immediately pushed up over the bluffs that reached down to the river against
the infantry on top of them.1 And these troops, seeing their own cavalry in
flight and hoplites advancing upon them, abandoned the heights above the river.
[4.3.24] Xenophon no sooner saw that all was going well on
the other side than he started back with all speed to join the troops that were
crossing, for by this time the Carduchians could be seen descending into the
plain with the manifest intention of attacking the hindmost. [4.3.25] Meanwhile
Cheirisophus was in possession of the bluffs, and Lycius, venturing a pursuit
with his small squadron,1 had captured the straggling portion of the enemy's
baggage train, and with it fine apparel and drinking cups. [4.3.26] And now,
with the Greek baggage train and the camp followers in the very act of crossing,
Xenophon wheeled his troops so that they took a position facing the Carduchians,
and gave orders to the captains that each man of them should form his own
company by squads,1 moving each squad by the left into line of battle; then the
captains and squad leaders were to face toward the Carduchians and station file
closers on the side next to the river. [4.3.27] But as soon as the Carduchians
saw the rearguard stripped of the crowd of camp followers and looking now like a
small body, they advanced to the attack all the more rapidly, singing a kind of
songs. As for Cheirisophus, since everything was safe on his side, he sent back
to Xenophon the peltasts, slingers, and bowmen, and directed them to do whatever
Xenophon might order. [4.3.28] But when he saw them beginning to cross, Xenophon
sent a messenger and directed them to stay where they were, on the bank of the
river, without crossing; at the moment, however, when his own men should begin
to cross, they were to enter the river opposite them, on this side and that, as
though they were going to cross it, the javelin men with hand on the thong and
the bowmen with arrow on the string; but they were not to proceed far into the
river. [4.3.29] The orders he gave to his own men were, that when sling-stones
reached them and shields rang, they were to strike up the paean and charge upon
the enemy, and when the enemy turned to flight and the trumpeter on the
river-bank sounded the charge,1 they were to face about to the right, the file
closers were to take the lead, and all of them were to run and cross as fast as
they could with every man keeping his proper place in the line, so that they
should not interfere with one another; and he that got to the other side first
would be the besman.
[4.3.30] Now the Carduchians, seeing that those who were
left were by this time few in number (for many even of those detailed to stay
had gone off to look after pack animals or baggage or women, as the case might
be), at that moment proceeded to press upon them boldly and began to sling
stones and shoot arrows. [4.3.31] Then the Greeks struck up the paean and
charged at them on the run, and they did not meet the attack; for while they
were equipped well enough for attack and retreat in the mountains, their
equipment was not adequate for hand-to-hand fighting. [4.3.32] At that instant
the Greek trumpeter sounded his signal; and while the enemy began to flee much
faster than before, the Greeks turned about and set out on their own flight
through the river at top speed. [4.3.33] Some few of the enemy, perceiving this
movement, ran back to the river and wounded a few Greeks with arrows, but most
of them, even when the Greeks were on the other side, could still be seen
continuing their flight. [4.3.34] But the troops that came to meet Xenophon,
behaving like men and advancing farther than they should have gone, crossed back
again in the rear of Xenophon's command; and some of them also were wounded.
[4.4.1]
When they had accomplished the crossing, they formed in line of battle about
midday and marched through Armenia, over entirely level country and gently
sloping hills, not less than five parasangs; for there were no villages near the
river because of the wars between the Armenians and Carduchians. [4.4.2] The
village which they finally reached was a large one and had a palace for the
satrap, while most of the houses were surmounted by turrets; and provisions were
plentiful. [4.4.3] From there they marched two stages, ten parasangs, until they
passed the headwaters of the Tigris river. From there they marched three stages,
fifteen parasangs, to the Teleboas river. This was a beautiful river, though not
a large one, and there were many villages about it. [4.4.4] This region was
called Western Armenia. Its lieutenant-governor1 was Tiribazus, who had proved
himself a friend to the King and, so often as he was present, was the only man
permitted to help the King mount his horse. [4.4.5] He rode up to the Greeks
with a body of horsemen, and sending forward an interpreter, said that he wished
to confer with their commanders. The generals decided to hear what he had to
say, and, after approaching within hearing distance, they asked him what he
wanted. [4.4.6] He replied that he wished to conclude a treaty with these
conditions, that he on his side would not harm the Greeks, and that they should
not burn the houses, but might take all the provisions they needed. This
proposition was accepted by the generals, and they concluded a treaty on these
terms.
[4.4.7] From there they marched three stages, fifteen
parasangs, through level country, Tiribazus and his command following along at a
distance of about ten stadia from them; and they reached a palace with many
villages round about it full of provisions in abundance. [4.4.8] While they were
in camp there, there was a heavy fall of snow1 during the night, and in the
morning they decided to quarter the several divisions of the army, with their
commanders, in the different villages; for there was no enemy within sight, and
the plan seemed to be a safe one by reason of the great quantity of snow.
[4.4.9] There they had all possible good things in the way of supplies--animals
for sacrifice, grain, old wines with a fine bouquet, dried grapes, and beans of
all sorts. But some men who straggled away from their quarters reported that
they saw in the night the gleam of a great many fires. [4.4.10] The generals
accordingly decided that it was unsafe to have their divisions in separate
quarters, and that they must bring all the troops together again; so they came
together, especially as the storm seemed to be clearing up. [4.4.11] But there
came such a tremendous fall of snow while they were bivouacked there that it
completely covered both the arms and the men as they slept, besides hampering
the baggage animals; and everybody was very reluctant to get up, for as the men
lay there the snow that had fallen upon them--in case it did not slip off--was a
source of warmth. [4.4.12] But once Xenophon had mustered the courage to get up
without his cloak and set about splitting wood, another man also speedily got
up, took the axe away from him, and went on with the splitting. Thereupon still
others got up and proceeded to build fires and anoint themselves; [4.4.13] for
they found ointment there in abundance which they used in place of olive
oil--made of pork fat, sesame, bitter almonds, or turpentine. They found also a
fragrant oil made out of these same ingredients.
[4.4.14] After this it was deemed necessary to distribute
the troops again to quarters in the houses of the several villages. Then
followed plenty of joyful shouting as the men went back to their houses and
provisions, and all those who just before had wantonly burned the houses they
were leaving, paid the penalty by getting poor quarters. [4.4.15] After this
they sent Democrates of Temnus with a body of troops during the night to the
mountains where the stragglers said they had seen the fires; for this Democrates
enjoyed the reputation of having made accurate reports in many previous cases of
the same sort, describing what were facts as facts and what were fictions as
fictions. [4.4.16] Upon his return he stated that he had not seen the fires; he
had captured, however, and brought back with him a man with a Persian bow and
quiver and a battleaxe of the same sort that Amazons carry. [4.4.17] When this
man was asked from what country he came, he said he was a Persian and was on his
way from the camp of Tiribazus to get provisions. They asked him how large
Tiribazus' army was and for what purpose it had been gathered. [4.4.18] He
replied that it was Tiribazus with his own forces and Chalybian and Taochian
mercenaries, and that he had made his preparations with the idea of taking a
position upon the mountain pass, in the defile through which ran the only road,
and there attacking the Greeks.
[4.4.19] When the generals heard these statements, they
resolved to bring the troops together into a camp; then, after leaving a
garrison and Sophaenetus the Stymphalian as general in command of those who
stayed behind, they set out at once, with the captured man as guide. [4.4.20] As
soon as they had begun to cross the mountains, the peltasts, pushing on ahead
and descrying the enemy's camp, did not wait for the hoplites, but raised a
shout and charged upon the camp. [4.4.21] When the barbarians heard the uproar,
they did not wait to offer resistance, but took to flight; nevertheless, some of
them were killed, about twenty horses were captured, and likewise Tiribazus'
tent, with silver-footed couches in it, and drinking cups, and people who said
they were his bakers and his cup-bearers. [4.4.22] As soon as the generals of
the hoplites learned of these results, they deemed it best to go back as
speedily as possible to their own camp, lest some attack might be made upon
those they had left behind. So they immediately sounded the recall with the
trumpet and set out on the return journey, arriving at their camp on the same
day.
[4.5.1]
On the next day it seemed that they must continue their march with all speed,
before the hostile army could be gathered together again and take possession of
the narrow passes. They accordingly packed up and set out at once, marching
through deep snow with a large number of guides; and before the day ended they
crossed over the summit at which Tiribazus was intending to attack them and went
into camp. [4.5.2] From there they marched three stages through desert country,
fifteen parasangs, to the Euphrates river, and crossed it, wetting themselves up
to the navel; [4.5.3] and report was that the sources of the river were not far
distant.From there they marched over a plain and through deep snow three stages,
thirteen parasangs. The third stage proved a hard one, with the north wind,
which blew fuin their faces, absolutely blasting everything and freezing the
men. [4.5.4] Then it was that one of the soothsayers bade them offer sacrifice
to the wind, and sacrifice was offered; and it seemed quite clear to everybody
that the violence of the wind abated. But the depth of the snow was a fathom, so
that many of the baggage animals and slaves perished, and about thirty of the
soldiers. [4.5.5] They got through that night by keeping up fires, for there was
wood in abundance at the halting-place; those who came up late, however, had
none, and consequently the men who had arrived early and were keeping a fire
would not allow the late comers to get near it unless they gave them a share of
their wheat or anything else they had that was edible. [4.5.6] So then they
shared with one another what they severally possessed. Now where the fire was
kindled the snow melted, and the result was great holes clear down to the
ground; and there, of course, one could measure the depth of the snow.
[4.5.7] From there they marched all the following day
through snow, and many of the men fell ill with hunger-faintness. And Xenophon,
with the rear-guard, as he came upon the men who were falling by the way, did
not know what the trouble was. [4.5.8] But as soon as a person who was
acquainted with the disease had told him that they manifestly had
hunger-faintness, and if they were given something to eat would be able to get
up, he went around among the baggage animals, and wherever he saw anything that
was edible, he would distribute it among the sick men, or send hither and
thither people who had the strength to run along the lines, to give it to them.
[4.5.9] And when they had eaten something, they would get up and continue the
march.As the army went on, Cheirisophus reached a village about dusk, and found
at the spring outside the wall women and girls who had come from the village to
fetch water. [4.5.10] They asked the Greeks who they were, and the interpreter
replied in Persian that they were on their way from the King to the satrap. The
women answered that he was not there, but about a parasang away. Then, inasmuch
as it was late, the Greeks accompanied the water-carriers within the wall to
visit the village chief. [4.5.11] So it was that Cheirisophus and all the troops
who could muster strength enough to reach the village, went into quarters there,
but such of the others as were unable to complete the journey spent the night in
the open without food or fire; and in this way some of the soldiers perished.
[4.5.12] Meanwhile they were being followed by the enemy,
some of whom had banded together and were seizing such of the pack animals as
lacked the strength to go on, and fighting over them with one another. Some of
the soldiers likewise were falling behind--those whose eyes had been blinded by
the snow, or whose toes had rotted off by reason of the cold. [4.5.13] It was a
protection to the eyes against the snow if a man marched with something black in
front of them, and a protection to the feet if one kept moving and never quiet,
and if he took off his shoes for the night; [4.5.14] but in all cases where men
slept with their shoes on, the straps sunk into their flesh and the shoes froze
on their feet; for what they were wearing, since their old shoes had given out,
were brogues made of freshly flayed ox-hides.
[4.5.15] It was under compulsion of such difficulties that
some of the soldiers were falling behind; and espying a spot that was dark
because the snow just there had disappeared, they surmised that it had melted;
and in fact it had melted, on account of a spring which was near by, steaming in
a dell; here they turned aside and sat down, refusing to go any farther.
[4.5.16] But when Xenophon with some of the rearguard observed them, he begged
them by all manner of means not to be left behind, telling them that a large
body of the enemy had gathered and were pursuing, and finally he became angry.
They told him, however, to kill them, for they could not go on. [4.5.17] In this
situation it seemed to be best to frighten the pursuing enemy, if they could, in
order to prevent their falling upon the sick men. It was dark by this time, and
the enemy were coming on with a great uproar, quarrelling over the booty they
had. [4.5.18] Then the men of the rearguard, since they were sound and well,
started up and charged upon the enemy, while the invalids raised as big a shout
as they could and clashed their shields against their spears. And the enemy,
seized with fear, threw themselves down over the snow into the dell, and not a
sound was heard from them afterwards.
[4.5.19] Thereupon Xenophon and his men, after telling the
invalids that on the next day people would come back after them, continued their
march, but before they had gone four stadia they came upon their comrades lying
down in the road upon the snow, wrapped up in their cloaks, and without so much
as a single guard posted. They tried to get them up, but the men said that the
troops in front would not make way for them. [4.5.20] Xenophon accordingly
passed along and, sending forward the strongest of the peltasts, directed them
to see what the hindrance was. They reported back that the whole army was
resting in this way. [4.5.21] Thereupon Xenophon also and his party bivouacked
where they were, without a fire and without dinner, after stationing such guards
as they could. When it came toward morning, Xenophon sent the youngest of his
troops to the sick men with orders to make them get up and force them to
proceed.
[4.5.22] Meanwhile Cheirisophus sent some of the troops
quartered in the village to find out how the people at the rear were faring.
Xenophon's party were glad enough to see them, and turned over the invalids to
them to carry on to the camp, while they themselves continued their journey, and
before completing twenty stadia reached the village where Cheirisophus was
quartered. [4.5.23] When all had come together, the generals decided that it was
safe for the different divisions of the army to take up quarters in the several
villages. Cheirisophus accordingly remained where he was, while the other
generals distributed by lot the villages within sight, and all set off with
their respective commands. [4.5.24] Then it was that Polycrates, and Athenian
captain, asked to be detached from his division; and with an active group of men
he ran to the village which had fallen to Xenophon's lot and there took
possession of all the villagers, the village chief included, seventeen colts
which were being reared for tribute to the King, and the village chief's
daughter, who had been married eight days before; her husband, however, was off
hunting hares, and was not taken in the village.
[4.5.25] The houses here were underground, with a mouth
like that of a well, but spacious below; and while entrances were tunnelled down
for the beasts of burden, the human inhabitants descended by a ladder.1 In the
houses were goats, sheep, cattle, fowls, and their young; and all the animals
were reared and took their fodder there in the houses. [4.5.26] Here were also
wheat, barley, and beans, and barleywine in large bowls. Floating on the top of
this drink were the barley-grains and in it were straws, some larger and others
smaller, without joints; [4.5.27] and when one was thirsty, he had to take these
straws into his mouth and suck. It was an extremely strong drink unless one
diluted it with water, and extremely good when one was used to it.
[4.5.28] Xenophon made the chief man of this village his
guest at dinner and bade him be of good cheer, telling him that he should not be
deprived of his children, and that before they went away they would fill his
house with provisions by way of reward in case he should prove to have given the
army good guidance until they should reach another tribe. [4.5.29] He promised
to do this, and in a spirit of kindliness told them where there was wine buried.
For that night, then, all Xenophon's soldiers, in this village where they were
thus separately quartered, went to bed amid an abundance of everything, keeping
the village chief under guard and his children all together within .
[4.5.30] On the next day Xenophon took the village chief
and set out to visit Cheirisophus; whenever he passed a village, he would turn
aside to visit the troops quartered there, and everywhere he found them faring
sumptuously and in fine spirits; there was no place from which the men would let
them go until they had served them a luncheon, [4.5.31] and no place where they
did not serve on the same table lamb, kid, pork, veal, and poultry, together
with many loaves of bread, some of wheat and some of barley. [4.5.32] And
whenever a man wanted out of good fellowship to drink another's health, he would
draw him to the bowl, and then one had to stoop over and drink from it, sucking
like an ox. To the village chief they offered the privilege of taking whatever
he wanted. He declined for the most part to accept anything, but whenever he
caught sight of one of his kinsmen, he would always take the man to his side.
[4.5.33] Again, when they reached Cheirisophus, they found his troops also
feasting in their quarters, crowned with wreaths of hay and served by Armenian
boys in their strange, foreign dress; and they were showing the boys what to do
by signs, as if they were deaf and dumb.
[4.5.34] As soon as Cheirisophus and Xenophon had
exchanged warm greetings, they together asked the village chief, through their
Persian-speaking interpreter, what this land was. He replied that it was
Armenia. They asked him again for whom the horses were being reared. He
answered, as tribute for the King; and he said that the neighbouring country was
that of the Chalybians, and told them where the road was. [4.5.35] Then Xenophon
took the village chief back for the time to his own household, and gave him a
horse that he had got when it was rather old, to fatten up and sacrifice, for he
understood that it was sacred to the Sun-god. He did this out of fear that the
horse might die, for it had been injured by the journey; and he took for himself
one of the colts1 and gave his captains also a colt apiece. [4.5.36] The horses
of this region were smaller than the Persian horses, but very much more
spirited. It was here also that the village chief instructed them about wrapping
small bags round the feet of their horses and beasts of burden when they were
going through the snow; for without these bags the animals would sink in up to
their bellies.
[4.6.1]
When seven days had passed, Xenophon gave over the village chief to Cheirisophus
to act as guide, leaving his family behind with the exception of his son, who
was just coming into the prime of youth; this son he gave into the keeping of
Pleisthenes of Amphipolis, in order that the father, if he should serve them
well as guide, might take him also back with him. Then, after putting into his
house as large a quantity of supplies as they could,1 they broke camp and set
out upon the march. [4.6.2] The village chief, who was not bound,1 guided their
way through the snow; but by the time they were on the third stage Cheirisophus
got angry with him for not leading them to villages. He replied that there were
none in this region. [4.6.3] Then Cheirisophus struck him, but neglected to bind
him. The result was that he stole away during the night, leaving his son behind.
And this was the only cause of difference between Cheirisophus and Xenophon
during the course of the march, this ill-treatment of the guide and carelessness
in not guarding him. Pleisthenes, however, fell in love with the boy, took him
home with him, and found him absolutely faithful.
[4.6.4] After this they marched seven stages at the rate
of five parasangs a day to the Phasis river, which was a plethrum in width.
[4.6.5] From there they marched two stages, ten parasangs; and on the pass
leading over to the plain they encountered a body of Chalybians, Taochians, and
Phasians. [4.6.6] As soon as Cheirisophus caught sight of the enemy on the pass,
he halted, while still at a distance of about thirty stadia, in order not to get
near the enemy while his troops were marching in column; and he gave orders to
the other officers also to move along their companies so as to bring the army
into line of battle.1 [4.6.7] When the rearguard had come up, he called generals
and captains together and spoke as follows: "The enemy, as you see, are in
possession of the pass over the mountain, and it is time for us to take counsel
as to how we can best make our fight. [4.6.8] My own view is, that we should
give orders to the soldiers to get their breakfast while we ourselves consider
whether it is best to attempt to cross over the mountain today or
to-morrow." [4.6.9] "My opinion is," said Cleanor, "that as
soon as we have breakfasted, we should arm ourselves and advance upon these men
with all the strength we have. For if we waste this day, not only will the enemy
who are now looking at us become bolder, but others, in greater numbers, when
these are once emboldened, are likely to join them."
[4.6.10]
After Cleanor had spoken, Xenophon said: "And I think this way: if it is
necessary for us to fight, our preparation should have this end in view, to make
the strongest possible fight; but if we wish to effect a passage in the easiest
way we can, then, in my opinion, our consideration should be on this point, how
we may sustain the fewest wounds and sacrifice the fewest lives. [4.6.11] Now
this mountain--or the part of it that we see--extends over more than sixty
stadia, but as for men to guard it against us, none are to be seen anywhere
except on the road above; it is far better, therefore, to turn to the unoccupied
part of the mountain and try either to steal a position by eluding the enemy's
observation or to seize it by getting ahead of them, in whatever way we can,
rather than to fight against strong places and men prepared. [4.6.12] For it is
far easier to march uphill without fighting than over level ground with enemies
on this side and that; one can see what is in front of him more easily by night
if he is not fighting than by day if he is fighting; and the rough road is more
comfortable to men who are going over it without fighting than the smooth road
to men who are being pelted on the head. [4.6.13] And as for stealing a
position, that does not seem to me impossible, for we can go during the night so
as not to be seen, and we can get far enough away from the enemy so as not to be
heard. I do think, however, that if we should make a feint of attacking here, we
should find the rest of the mountain all the more deserted, for the enemy would
be more likely to remain in a body where they are. [4.6.14] But why should I be
the man to make suggestions about stealing? For, as I hear, Cheirisophus, you
Lacedaemonians, at least those among you who belong to the peers,1 practise
stealing even from childhood, and count it not disgraceful but honourable to
steal anything that the law does not prevent you from taking. [4.6.15] And in
order that you may steal with all possible skill and may try not to be caught at
it, it is the law of your land that, if you are caught stealing, you are
flogged. Now, therefore, is just the time for you to display your training, and
to take care that we do not get caught stealing any of the mountain, so that we
shall not get a beating."
[4.6.16] "Well, for all that," said
Cheirisophus, "I hear on my side that you Athenians are terribly clever at
stealing the public funds, even though it is terribly dangerous for the stealer,
and, in fact, that your best people do it most, at least if they really are your
best who are deemed worthy to rule; hence it is time for you also to be
displaying your training." [4.6.17] "Well," said Xenophon,
"I am ready to set out with the rearguard, as soon as we have dined, to
seize possession of the mountain. And I have guides, too; for the light troops
set an ambush and captured some of the stealing rascals who are following us.
From these fellows I also learn that the mountain is not impassable, but is
pastured with goats and cattle; therefore if we once get possession of any part
of the mountain, our pack animals also will find it passable. [4.6.18] And I
hope that the enemy will remove themselvefrom our way as soon as they see us on
a level with them upon the heights; for they are not willing now to come down
and meet us on our level." [4.6.19] Then Cheirisophus said: "But why
should you be the one to go, and leave your post with the rearguard? Send others
rather, unless some good men offer themselves as volunteers." [4.6.20] At
that, Aristonymus of Methydrium, commanding hoplites, came forward, and Aristeas
the Chian with light troops, and Nicomachus the Oetaean with light troops; and
they made an agreement that as soon as they were in possession of the heights,
they would kindle a number of fires. [4.6.21] This agreement concluded, they
proceeded to take breakfast; and immediately after breakfast Cheirisophus led
the whole army forward about ten stadia toward the enemy, in order to make them
quite certain that he was going to advance upon them by this road.
[4.6.22] After they had had dinner and night had come on,
the men appointed to the task set forward and gained possession of the mountain,
while the remainder of the troops rested where they were. And when the enemy
perceived that the mountain was occupied, they staid awake and kept many fires
burning through the night. [4.6.23] As soon as day came Cheirisophus offered
sacrifice and led the army forward along the road, while the party that had
seized the mountain, advanced along the heights. [4.6.24] As for the enemy, the
majority remained at the pass over the mountain, but a part of them went to meet
the detachment on the heights. Now before the two main bodies got near one
another, those upon the heights came to close combat, and the Greeks were
victorious and began their pursuit. [4.6.25] Meanwhile the main body of the
Greeks was moving upward from the plain, the peltasts charging at a run upon the
enemy's battleline and Cheirisophus following at a quick-step with the hoplites.
[4.6.26] But the enemy on the road no sooner saw their detachment on the heights
being defeated than they took to flight; and while not many of them were killed,
a great number of wicker shields were captured, which the Greeks rendered
useless by slashing them with their sabres. [4.6.27] When they had climbed to
the top of the pass, after offering sacrifice and setting up a trophy they
descended into the plain on the farther side, and reached villages full of many
good things.
[4.7.1]
After this they marched into the country of the Taochians five stages, thirty
parasangs; and their provisions were running low, for the Taochians dwelt in
strongholds, and in these strongholds they kept all their provisions stored
away. [4.7.2] Now when the Greeks arrived at one of them which contained no town
nor houses, but was only a place where men and women and a great number of
cattle were gathered, Cheirisophus proceeded to attack this stronghold as soon
as he reached it; and when his first battalion grew weary, another advanced to
the attack, and yet another; for it was not possible for them to surround the
place in continuous line, because its sides were precipitous.
[4.7.3] The moment Xenophon came up with the rearguard,
consisting of both peltasts and hoplites, Cheirisophus said to him: "You
have come in the nick of time; for the place must be captured; for the army has
no provisions unless we capture this place." [4.7.4] Then they took counsel
together, and when Xenophon asked what it was that prevented their effecting an
entrance, Cheirisophus replied: "There is this one way of approach which
you see, but when one tries to go along by this way, they roll down stones from
this overhanging rock; and whoever gets caught, is served in this
fashion"--and with the words he pointed out men with their legs and ribs
crushed. [4.7.5] "But suppose they use up their stones," said
Xenophon, "there is nothing then, is there, to hinder one's passing? For
surely there is nothing we can see on the other side except a few men yonder,
and only two or three of them are armed. [4.7.6] Furthermore, as you can see for
yourself, the distance we must traverse under attack is about a plethrum and a
half. Now as much as a plethrum of that distance is covered with tall, scattered
pine trees, and if men should stand behind them, what harm could they suffer
either from the flying stones or the rolling ones? The remaining space, then,
amounts to about half a plethrum, and that we must cross on the run at a moment
when the stones stop coming." [4.7.7] "But," said Cheirisophus,
"the very moment we begin to push out toward the trees, the stones fly in
quantities." "Precisely the thing we want," said Xenophon,
"for they will use up their stones the sooner. But let us make our way to a
spot from which we shall have only a short distance to run across, in case we
can do that, and an easy retreat, in case we choose to come back."
[4.7.8] Thereupon Cheirisophus and Xenophon set forth, and
with them Callimachus of Parrhasia, a captain; for he was the officer of the day
in command of the captains of the rearguard; and the other captains remained in
a place of safety. Following this lead about seventy men got out under shelter
of the trees, not all together, but one by one, each protecting himself as best
he could. [4.7.9] But Agasias of Stymphalus and Aristonymus of Methydrium, who
were likewise captains of the rearguard, and others also, took places outside
the cover of the trees, for not more than the one company1 could stand among
them with safety. [4.7.10] At that moment Callimachus hit upon a scheme: he
would run forward two or three steps from the particular tree he was under and,
when the stones began to fly, would draw back without any trouble; and at every
one of his dashes more than ten cart-loads of stones would be used up. [4.7.11]
But when Agasias saw what Callimachus was doing, with the whole army for
spectators, he became fearful that the other would be the first to make the run
across to the stronghold; so without asking Aristonymus or Eurylochus of Lusi
(though the former was close by and both were his friends) or any one else to
join him, he dashed forward himself and proceeded to go past everybody. [4.7.12]
Callimachus, however, when he saw him going by, seized the rim of his shield;
and at that moment Aristonymus of Methydrium ran past both of them, and upon his
heels Eurylochus of Lusi. For all these four were rivals in valour and
continually striving with one another; and in thus contending they captured the
stronghold, for once they had rushed in not a stone came down from above.
[4.7.13] Then came a dreadful spectacle: the women threw
their little children down from the rocks and then threw themselves down after
them, and the men did likewise. In the midst of this scene Aeneas of Stymphalus,
a captain, catching sight of a man, who was wearing a fine robe, running to cast
himself down, seized hold of him in order to stop him; [4.7.14] but the man
dragged Aeneas along after him, and both went flying down the cliffs and were
killed. In this stronghold only a very few human beings were captured, but they
secured cattle and asses in large numbers and sheep.
[4.7.15] From there they marched through the land of the
Chalybians seven stages, fifty parasangs. These were the most valiant of all the
peoples they passed through, and would come to hand-to-hand encounter. They had
corselets of linen reaching down to the groin, with a thick fringe of plaited
cords instead of flaps. [4.7.16] They had greaves also and helmets, and at the
girdle a knife about as long as a Laconian dagger, with which they would
slaughter whomever they might be able to vanquish; then they would cut off their
heads and carry them along on their march, and they would sing and dance
whenever they were likely to be seen by the enemy. They carried also a spear
about five cubits long, with a point at only one end.1 [4.7.17] These people
would stay within their towns, and when the Greeks had passed by, they would
follow them, always ready to fight. Their dwellings were in strongholds, and
therein they had stored away all their provisions; hence the Greeks could get
nothing in this country, but they subsisted on the cattle they had takefrom the
Taochians. [4.7.18] Leaving this land, the Greeks arrived at the Harpasus river,
which was four plethra in width. From there they marched through the territory
of the Scythinians four stages, twenty parasangs, over a level plain, and they
arrived at some villages, and there remained for three days and collected
provisions.
[4.7.19] From there they journeyed four stages, twenty
parasangs, to a large and prosperous inhabited city which was called Gymnias.
From this city the ruler of the land sent the Greeks a guide, in order to lead
them through territory that was hostile to his own. [4.7.20] When the guide
came, he said that he would lead them within five days to a place from which
they could see the sea;1 if he failed to do so, he was ready to accept death.
Thus taking the lead, as soon as he had brought them into the hostile territory,
he kept urging them to spread abroad fire and ruin, thereby making it clear that
it was with this end in view that he had come, and not out of good-will toward
the Greeks. [4.7.21] On the fifth day they did in fact reach the mountain;1 its
name was Theches. Now as soon as the vanguard got to the top of the mountain, a
great shout went up. [4.7.22] And when Xenophon and the rearguard heard it, they
imagined that other enemies were attacking in front; for enemies were following
behind them from the district that was in flames, and the rearguard had killed
some of them and captured others by setting an ambush, and had also taken about
twenty wicker shields covered with raw, shaggy ox-hides. [4.7.23] But as the
shout kept getting louder and nearer, as the successive ranks that came up all
began to run at full speed toward the ranks ahead that were one after another
joining in the shout, and as the shout kept growing far louder as the number of
men grew steadily greater, it became quite clear to Xenophon that here was
something of unusual importance; [4.7.24] so he mounted a horse, took with him
Lycius and the cavalry, and pushed ahead to lend aid; and in a moment they heard
the soldiers shouting, "The Sea! The Sea!" and passing the word along.
Then all the troops of the rearguard likewise broke into a run, and the pack
animals began racing ahead and the horses. [4.7.25] And when all had reached the
summit, then indeed they fell to embracing one another, and generals and
captains as well, with tears in their eyes. And on a sudden, at the bidding of
some one or other, the soldiers began to bring stones and to build a great
cairn. [4.7.26] Thereon they placed as offerings a quantity of raw ox-hides and
walking-sticks and the captured wicker shields; and the guide not only cut these
shields to pieces himself, but urged the others to do so.1 [4.7.27] After this
the Greeks dismissed the guide with gifts from the common stock--a horse, a
silver cup, a Persian dress, and ten darics; but what he particularly asked the
men for was their rings, and he got a considerable number of them. Then he
showed them a village to encamp in and the road they were to follow to the
country of the Macronians, and, as soon as evening came, took his departure.
[4.8.1]
From there the Greeks marched through the country of the Macronians three
stages, ten parasangs. On the first of these days they reached the river which
separated the territory of the Macronians from that of the Scythinians. [4.8.2]
There they had on the right, above them, an exceedingly difficult bit of ground,
and on the left another river, into which the boundary stream that they had to
cross emptied. Now this stream was fringed with trees, not large ones, but of
thick growth, and when the Greeks came up, they began felling them in their
haste to get out of the place as speedily as possible. [4.8.3] But the
Macronians, armed with wicker shields and lances and hair tunics, were drawn up
in line of battle opposite the place where the Greeks must cross, and they were
cheering one another on and throwing stones, which fell into the stream; for
they never reached the Greeks or did them any harm.
[4.8.4] At this moment one of the peltasts came up to
Xenophon, a man who said that he had been a slave at Athens, with word that he
knew the language of these people; "I think," he went on, "that
this is my native country, and if there is nothing to hinder, I should like to
have a talk with them." [4.8.5] "Well, there is nothing to
hinder," said Xenophon; "so talk with them, and learn, to begin with,
who they are." In reply to his inquiry they said, "Macronians."
"Well, then," said Xenophon, "ask them why they are arrayed
against us and want to be our enemies." [4.8.6] They replied, "Because
you are coming against our land." The generals directed the man to say,
"We have not come to do you any harm whatever, but we have been at war with
the King and are on our way back to Greece, and we want to reach the sea."
[4.8.7] The Macronians asked whether they would give pledges to this effect.
They replied that they were ready both to give and to receive pledges. Thereupon
the Macronians gave the Greeks a barbarian lance and the Greeks gave them a
Greek lance, for the Macronians said that these were pledges; and both sides
called the gods to witness.
[4.8.8] After this exchange of pledges the Macronians at
once began to help the Greeks cut down the trees and to build the road in order
to get them across, mingling freely with the Greeks; and they supplied as good a
market1 as they could, and conducted the Greeks on their way for three days,
until they brought them to the boundaries of the Colchians. [4.8.9] At this
place was a great mountain, and upon this mountain the Colchians were drawn up
in line of battle. At first the Greeks formed an opposing line of battle, with
the intention of advancing in this way upon the mountain, but afterwards the
generals decided to gather together and take counsel as to how they could best
make the contest.
[4.8.10] Xenophon accordingly said that in his opinion
they should give up the line of battle and form the companies in column.1
"For the line," he continued, "will be broken up at once; for we
shall find the mountain hard to traverse at some points and easy at others; and
the immediate result will be discouragement, when men who are formed in line of
battle see the line broken up. [4.8.11] Furthermore, if we advance upon them
formed in a line many ranks deep, the enemy will outflank us, and will use their
outflanking wing for whatever purpose they please; on the other hand, if we are
formed in a line a few ranks deep, it would be nothing surprising if our line
should be cut through by a multitude both of missiles and men falling upon us in
a mass; and if this happens at any point, it will be bad for the whole line.
[4.8.12] But it seems to me we should form the companies in column and, by
leaving spaces between them, cover enough ground so that the outermost companies
should get beyond the enemy's wings; in this way not only shall we outflank the
enemy's line, but advancing in column our best men will be in the van of the
attack, and wherever it is good going, there each captain will lead forward his
men. [4.8.13] And it will not be easy for the enemy to push into the space
between the columns when there are companies on this side and that, and not any
easier for him to cut through a company that is advancing in column. Again, if
any one of the companies is hard pressed, its neighbour will come to its aid;
and if one single company can somehow climb to the summit, not a man of the
enemy will stand any longer."
[4.8.14] This plan was decided upon, and they proceeded to
form the companies in column. And as Xenophon was going back from the right wing
to the left,1 he said to the troops: "Soldiers, these men yonder whom you
see are the only ones who still stand in the way of our being forthwith at the
place we have long been striving to reach; if we possibly can, we must simply
eat these fellows raw."2
[4.8.15] When the officers had got to their several
positions and had formed their companies in column, the result was about eighty
companies of hoplites with each company numbering close upon one hundred;1 the
peltasts andthe bowmen, on the other hand, they formed in three divisions, one
beyond the left wing of the hoplites, the second beyond the right, and the third
in the centre, each division numbering about six hundred men.2 [4.8.16] After
this the generals passed along the order to offer prayer, and when they had
prayed and sung the paean they set forth. Now Cheirisophus and Xenophon1 and the
peltasts with them got beyond the wings of the enemy's line in their advance;
[4.8.17] and when the enemy saw this, they ran out, some to the right and others
to the left, to confront them, with the result that their line was pulled apart
and a large portion of it in the centre was left deserted. [4.8.18] Then the
peltasts of the Arcadian division, who were commanded by Aeschines the
Acarnanian, getting the idea that the enemy were in flight, set up a shout and
began to run; and they were the first to reach the summit of the mountain, while
following close after them came the Arcadian division of hoplites, under the
command of Cleanor of Orchomenus. [4.8.19] As for the enemy, once the peltasts
began to run they no longer stood their ground, but betook themselves hither and
thither in flight.After accomplishing the ascent the Greeks took up quarters in
numerous villages, which contained provisions in abundance. [4.8.20] Now for the
most part there was nothing here which they really found strange; but the swarms
of bees in the neighbourhood were numerous, and the soldiers who ate of the
honey all went off their heads, and suffered from vomiting and diarrhoea, and
not one of them could stand up, but those who had eaten a little were like
people exceedingly drunk, while those who had eaten a great deal seemed like
crazy, or even, in some cases, dying men. [4.8.21] So they lay there in great
numbers as though the army had suffered a defeat, and great despondency
prevailed. On the next day, however, no one had died, and at approximately the
same hour as they had eaten the honey they began to come to their senses; and on
the third or fourth day they got up, as if from a drugging.
[4.8.22] From there they marched two stages, seven
parasangs, and reached the sea at Trapezus, an inhabited Greek city on the
Euxine Sea, a colony of the Sinopeans in the territory of Colchis. There they
remained about thirty days in the villages of the Colchians, and from these as a
base plundered Colchis. [4.8.23] And the Trapezuntians supplied a market for the
army, received the Greeks kindly, and gave them oxen, barley-meal, and wine as
gifts of hospitality. [4.8.24] They likewise took part in negotiations with the
Greeks in behalf of the near-by Colchians, who dwelt for the most part on the
plain, and from these people also the Greeks received hospitable gifts of oxen.
[4.8.25] After this they made ready the sacrifice which they had vowed;1 and a sufficient number of oxen had come to them so that they could pay their thank-offerings to Zeus for deliverance, to Heracles for guidance, and to the other gods according as they had vowed. They instituted also athletic games on the mountain side, just where they were encamped; and they chose Dracontius, a Spartan, who had been exiled from home as a boy because he had accidentally killed another boy with the stroke of a dagger, to look out for a race-course and to act as manager of the games. [4.8.26] When, accordingly, the sacrifice had been completed, they turned over the hides1 to Dracontius and bade him lead the way to the place he had fixed upon for his race-course. He pointed out the precise spot where they chanced to be standing, and said, "This hill is superb for running, wherever you please." "How, then," they said, "can men wrestle on ground so hard and overgrown as this is?" And he replied, "The one that is thrown will get hurt a bit more." [4.8.27] The events were, a stadium race1 for boys, most of them belonging to the captives, a long race,2 in which more than sixty Cretans took part, wrestling, boxing, and the pancratium;3 and it made a fine spectacle; for there were a great many entries and, inasmuch as the comrades of the contestants were looking on, there was a great deal of rivalry. [4.8.28] There were horseraces also, and the riders had to drive their horses down the steep slope, turn them around on the shore, and bring them back again to the altar.1 And on the way down most of the horses rolled over and over, while on the way up, against the exceedingly steep incline, they found it hard to keep on at a walk; so there was much shouting and laughter and cheering.