he knowes how to doe it as well as any man but if they resolue the contrarie we will all returne ouer the riuer backe againe So shall it come to passe that Cyrus will vse vs both for Garrisons and for Commanders as the most obedient and most faithfull souldiers of his Armie and if there bee any thing else you shall request of him I assure my selfe you shall finde him your especiall friend The souldiers hearing this yeelded to his perswasion and passed the riuer before the other could resolue vpon an answer Cyrus perceiuing they were passed ouer was glad at heart and sent Glous vnto them willing him to say in his name Cyrus at this present praiseth and commendeth you but he will indeuour to giue you cause hereafter to praise him else would he not haue you thinke him to be Cyrus The souldiers filled with great hopes wished him good successe in all designes It is said he sent rich presents vnto Menon This done he passed the riuer and the whole Armie after him and not a man was wet aboue his brests in wading ouer The Thapsacens report that the riuer was neuer passed ouer on foot before but with shipping alone which Abrocomas had burnt to the intent to hinder Cyrus in his passage This seemed to be a miracle and that the riuer gaue way to Cyrus portending hee should be King From thence in nine encampings hee marched fiftie Parasangs thorow Syria and they came to the riuer Araxes where were many villages replenished with Corne and Wine There remained they three dayes and made prouision of victualls From thence in fiue encampings in the wildernesse he marched thorow Arabia 35 Parasangs hauing Euphrates on the right hand The territorie of this Countrey was a Plaine all ouer euen like vnto the Sea but full of wormewood and if any shrubs or reeds grew there they yeelded a sweet sauour like vnto spices but there was not a tree to be seene Of vntamed beasts the most were wilde Asses and not a few Ostriches There were also Bustards and wilde Goats These asses being chaced first fled on afore and afterward turned and stood at a gaze for they were much swifter than a horse again did the like when a horse came neere them So that it was a matter impossible to take them vnlesse the horsemen hunted with their horses placed in distance and taking the chace one from another The flesh of them being caught is in taste like a red Deere sauing that it is a little more tender No man could lay hand vpon an Ostrich and the horsemen that gaue her chace soone quitted it For she runs away flying vsing her feet for course lifting vp her selfe with her wings as it were with the sailes of a ship As for the Bustards they are easily caught if a man sodainly spring them for they both make a short flight as Partriges doe and are soone weary The flesh of them is very delicate pleasant Proceeding on thorow this country the Armie came to the Riuer Masca which carrieth 100 foot in bredth Here was a great Citie but dispeopled named Corsote which hath the Riuer Masca running round about it where they staied three daies making prouision for the Armie From hence in thirteene encampings in the wildernesse Cyrus marched 90 Parasangs hauing Euphrates on his right hand came to the streights In these encampings many carriage-beasts were lost for want of food The inhabitants digging out and fashioning milstones about the riuer carried them to Babylon and sold them buying with the price victualls to maintaine their liues The Army was now destitute of victuall neither was there any to be bought elsewhere than only in the Lydian market amongst the Barbariās that followed Cyrus where a Capitha of meale was sold for foure Sicles a Sicle is valued at 7 Attick Oboli a half and a Capitha containes 2 Atticke Chaenices The Souldiers therefore fed vpon flesh These encampings were a great distance one from another they fell out to be the longer because Cyrus was forced to march on till he came either to water or fodder And if it chanced that the way leading thorow streights or mire were hardly passable for the Chariots Cyrus would stay with the best and gallantest of his traine command Glous or Pigres to take some of the Barbarian army draw the Chariots out of the mire And in case they seemed too slow he would as it were in anger command the strongest of the Persians that followed him to put to their hands and free the chariots There might a man haue beheld no smal peece of obedience For casting off their skarlet cloaks called Candyes in the place where euery one stood they hasted as if a man should runne for a wager euen against the steepnesse of hills being clad with rich coats and embrodered breeches some of them with chaines of gold about their neckes and bracelets about their wrests and yet with these leaping quickly into the mire they hoysed and brought out the wagons sooner than a man would haue imagined In a word Cyrus spared no manner of diligence all the way to haste the iourney forward staying in no place vnlesse there where he must needs furnish himselfe with prouision or else set downe for some other necessary cause conceiuing the more speed he made the rather he should surprise the King and fall vpon him at vnawares and the more he loitered the greater Armie the King should be able to raise For it was easie for any man that would marke to perceiue that the Kings dominion was strong in largenesse of Territories and multitudes of men but weake in length of waies and separation of his forces in case warre were roundly moued against him Beyond Euphrates and the encampings in the wildernesse there was a great and rich Citie the name whereof was Carmanda out of which the Armie made their prouision passing ouer in boats which boats were contriued vpon the sudden in this sort The skins which they vsed for couerings they filled with light hay and chaffe binding and sowing them so close that the water could not come into the chaffe and vpon those they went ouer and got prouision which was wine pressed out of Palme nuts corne called Millet whereof there was great plentie in this country Here a controuersie falling out betwixt a Souldier of Clearchus and another of Menons Regiment Clearchus commanded Menons Souldier to be beaten iudging him to be in the wrong This Souldier went to his owne quarter and complained hereof to his companions and they hearing what had passed grew discontent and angry with Clearchus The same day Clearchus going to the passage of the riuer and there viewing the Market rid backe to his owne Tent with small attendance thorow Menons quarter Cyrus was not yet arriued but was vpon the way comming forward It fortuned at the same time that one of
extraordinarie paine in the head The Palme when the head is taken out waxeth wholly dry Here they rested three daies and hither Tissaphernes and the Kings Wiues Brother and three other Persians with many attendants came from the great King When the Coronels of the Grecians met them Tissaphernes by an Interpreter began thus I ô Grecians haue my habitation neere Greece and seeing the dangers misaduentures which you are fallen into to be without issue I besought the King that he would be pleased to giue me some meanes whereby if possibly I could I might deliuer you into Greece in safetie For I imagine the doing hereof would be acceptable to you and to all Greece beside In this minde I made suit to the King alleaging he had good cause to be gracious in my suit for that I first brought newes that Cyrus raised an Armie against him and withall brought him aid and alone of all that were ordered in battell against the Greciaâ—s fled not but brake thorow them and ioined with him in their Campe whither the King came after he had slaine Cyrus and with those that are now in my company who are most faithfull to the King followed the chace vpon the Barbarians that serued Cyrus Whereupon he promised mee to aduise But he commanded me to goe to you and demand the reason why you tooke vp armes against him I would counsell you therefore to make a milde answer that I may more easily compasse the good which shall lie in my power to doe for you After this the Grecians withdrew themselues to consult and giue answer and Clearchus in the name of the rest said Wee neither assembled our selues to make warre nor did we take this iourney in hand against the King Cyrus found many pretences as you very well know to ingage vs and bring vs hither When we saw him in distresse we were ashamed before gods and men to betray him hauing in former times addicted our selues to his seruice Now Cyrus is dead we neither oppose against the Kings gouernment nor is there cause for vs to infest his Countries or to seeke his death but we would without offence of any man returne to our countrey If wrong be offered vs we will by the helpe of God defend our selues as well as we can If on the other side any man shew vs fauour we will not to our power be behinde in kindnesse Thus much Clearchus which Tissaphernes hearing said I will report these things to the King and to you againe what the Kings pleasure is Let the truce continue till I come We will exhibite you a market The next day he came not so that the Grecians were in a perplexitie and knew not what to thinke The third day he came and said he had obtained power of the King to preserue the Grecians albeit many gainesaid and vrged that it stood not with the Kings honour to suffer those that had made warre against him to depart quietly He added at last you may now take assurance of vs if you will to make the countrey your friend and that without fraud we shall lead you into Greece exhibiting all the way a market of things necessarie for you and that where you haue it not you may lawfully take prouision of the countrey as you finde it You on the contrary side must sweare that you will passe thorow the countrey peaceably taking onely meat and drinke where you haue no market where you haue buying and paying for such things as you stand in need of These points were concluded and Tissaphernes and the Kings wiues brother gaue their oathes and right hands to the Coronels and Captaines of the Grecians and tooke the like of them Afterward Tissaphernes said I must for the present depart to the King When I haue my dispatch I will come with my baggage readie both to guide you into Greece also to return to my gouernment The Grecians and Ariaeus encamping neere together waited for Tissaphernes more than twentie daies In the meane space Ariaeus his brother and many other of his friends came to him and to the Persians with him some encouraging them other some bringing the Kings right hand and assurance that he would forget that they had serued Cyrus in his warre and all things else that were past after which it might easily be perceiued that Ariaeus and his armie made small account of the Grecians in comparison of that they did before so that this also was not greatly pleasing to the most part of the Grecians who came to Clearchus and the other Coronels saying Why stay we here know we not that the King would giue any thing to haue vs destroied to the end that other Grecians may hereafter be put in feare of bearing armes against him And now he keepeth vs here because his armie is dispersed which being againe assembled he will in all likelihood set vpon vs. It may be also hee is intrenching or raising a wall somewhere to blocke vp our way For he would not willingly haue vs returne into Greece and report that being so few in number we haue vanquished his forces euen before his owne gates and now depart homeward in scorne and derision of him Clearchus answered them that so discoursed The things you speake are likewise in my minde But I conceiue withall that if we now depart we shall seeme to depart as men that seeke warre and besides doe against the truce Furthermore no man will furnish vs with a market nor shall we haue corne in any place Then who shall be our guide Further I know not whether we haue any other Riuer to passe For it is impossible to passe ouer Euphrates the enemie opposing against vs. And if we chance to fight we haue no Horse whereas the enemies Horse are many and much esteemed so that albeit we get the victorie whom shall we kill If we be beaten not a man of vs can escape If therefore the King should harbour so much as a thought to make vs away I cannot see why in so many aduantages he should sweare giue his right hand adiure the gods and so eleuate his bands of assurance both with the Grecians and with the Barbarians He spoke many other things to this purpose About this time came Tissaphernes with his owne Forces making semblance to march homeward and with him Orontes and his Forces which last led with him the Kings daughter whom he had lately maried From thence the Grecians proceeded in their iourney Tissaphernes being their guide and exhibiting a market of all things needfull Ariaeus also hauing with him the Armie of Barbarians that serued Cyrus marched with Tissaphernes and Orontes and lodged in the same Campe. The Grecians being iealous hereof marched alone by themselues with their guides They euer encamped a Parasang or little lesse one from another and they obserued and watched one another as enemies are wont which straightway bred a suspicion
doe the King good seruice if he pleased to be their friend For whether he were disposed to employ them otherwise or else in the warres against Aegypt they would vndertake to bring it vnder his subiection By this time came Clearchus asked whether they had yet giuen answer to the messengers or no Phalinus told him that the Coronels answered one one another another thing But I pray said he let vs heare your answer For my part quoth Clearchus I am glad to see you Phalinus and so I thinke are the rest of vs here present For you are a Graecian and we being so many in number as you behold and in this estate would willingly be aduised by you what were best to be done in that which is propounded vnto vs. Therefore we desire you for Gods cause to declare vnto vs what course in your opinion will be safest and most honourable for vs which also being reported in time to come may bring you reputation namely that Phalinus being sent a messenger from the King vnto the Graecians with commandement to deliuer vp their armes gaue such and such aduice For you know that the counsell which you giue vs cannot but be related in Greece Thus much insinuated Clearchus being desirous that Phalinus the Kings messenger should aduise the Graecians not to deliuer vp their armes that therby they might gather heart and receiue the greater encouragement But Phalinus withdrawing himselfe a little and streight-waies returning spake thus contrary to Clearchus his expectation If amongst 10000 hopes you had but one to saue your selues by bearing armes against the King I would counsell you not to deliuer vp your armes But seeing there is no hope to escape danger against his will I counsell you to seeke your safety by whatsoeuer meanes you can Hereunto Clearchus replied Well then this is your opinion But from vs returne this answer to the King that if we may be thought worthy to be his friends we shall be better friends hauing armes than deliuering them vp to any man else if no remedy be but warre we shall better make warre with armes than without after we haue rendred them vp We will quoth Phalinus deliuer your answer But we haue futher in charge from the King to say vnto you That as long as you stay where you are you may expect truce warre if you march forward or depart Say hereunto I pray whether you will stay and haue truce or else I shall carry tidings of warre vnto the King Clearchus answered Carry tidings with you that we are of the same opinion that the King is of What opinion is that quoth Phalinus To haue truce said Clearchus if we stay warre if we depart or march forward But he signified not what he meant to doe So Phalinus and those in his company departed Prâ—cles and Cherisophus were by this time returned from Ariaens but Menon remained still with him They brought answer from him whereby he signified that there were many Persians in all respects better than he who would neuer endure that he should be King But if you resolue said they to depart with him he willeth you to come this night if not he meaneth to march away early in the morning Clearchus said we must doe as you aduise if we goe vnto him If not we are to resolue vpon that which shall be thought most conuenient for vs. But neither signified he to these men what he purposed to doe After this about sunne set he called the Coronels and Captaines together and spake to them to this effect Euen now when I asked counsell of the gods by sacrifice whether we should goe against the King or no the intrayles assented not and not without caâ—se For as I now vnderstand the Riuer Tigris a Riuer nauigable lieth in the mid-way betwixt vs and the King which Riuer we cannot passe without shipping Shipping we haue none and being destitute of victuall we may not remaine here But the sacrifice was faire and allowed of our going to the friends of Cyrus This therefore must be our order We must for the present away euery man to his lodging and there sup with such as he hath When the horne giueth signe to rest let euery man make ready to depart At the second signe lay your baggage vpon the carriage-beasts at the third follow your leaders and in our march the cariage-beasts are to be placed next the riuer the armed without them The Coronels and Captaines hearing this departed and did so And thenceforward Clearchus commanded and they obeyed him not because he was chiefe by election but because they saw he onely was able to command the rest without experience The length of the iourney froÌ„ Ephesuâ— in Ionia to the place of the battell were 93 encampings 535 Parasangs 16030 furlongs From the place where the battell was fought to Babylon were by estimation 3060 furlongs Here Metocythes the Thracian when it was darke fled to the King with 40 Horsemen which were vnder his command and with 300 Thracian foot The rest Clearchus led according to the appointment made betweene them and the whole army at the first encamping came vp to Ariaeus and to his army about midnight and laying downe their armes in order the Coronels and Captaines of the Grecians resorted to Ariaeus and both the Grecians and Ariaeus and the chiefe men about him tooke an oath to be friends and confederates not to betray one another The Barbarians swore also to be faithfull Guides to the Grecians in their returne homeward This oath was taken killing a Boare a Bull a Woolfe and a Ram and the Grecians dipped the point of a sword the Barbarians of a speare in the bloud of these beasts being powred out into the hollownesse of a Target After they had taken mutuall assurance Clearchus said to Ariaeus Ariaeus seeing it so falleth out that your iourney and ours is all one tell me I pray your opinion whether we are to returne the same way we came or else can you direct vs any better way He answered If we returne the same way we came we shall for want of prouision all perish with hunger For in â—7 encampings aduaÌ„cing hither we found nothing in the country to relieue vs and that little that was left was consumed in our passage We are therfore resolued to returne by a way of more circuit but able enough to furnish out all manner of prouision for vs. And for our first encampings we had need to gaine in them as much ground as we can that the Kings army may be cast a great distance behinde vs. For if we get before him but two or three dayes iourney he can by no possibilitie be able to ouertake vs with a small army he will not dare to follow vs with a great he can make no speed besides that it is like to be destitute of Victuall This is mine opinion quoth he Which suggestion of his serued for no
other purpose but for a speedy shifting and running away But fortune afterward was a better guide for vs. As soone as it was day all set forward hauing the sunne on the right hand imagining that by sun-set they should reach to Villages of the Babylonian Territorie Neither were they deceiued in their imagination About euening they thought they saw the enemies Horse and both the Grecians which were out of order ranne to their places and Ariaeus for he rode on a Waggon because of his wound receiued in the battell alighted and put on his curace as did the rest likewise that were in his Company But while they were arming the scouts brought tydings that they were no Horse but onely carriage-beasts at pasture and streightwaies euery man easily coniectured that the Kings Campe was some where not farre of Howbeit Clearchus led not against the enemy both because our Souldiers courages began to fall and also because they had beene fasting that whole day and now it grew something late Yet turned not out of the way left hee might seeme to flie but holding on right forth by sunne-set he reached to the villages with the Vant-guard and there quartered The tymber of the houses of some of the villages was broken downe and carried away by the Souldiers of the Kings armie Therefore they that came first lodged themselues reasonably well the last being benighted euery one tooke vp his lodging as fell out and calling one vpon another made a great noise so that the Kings army heard it Whereby came to passe that the enemy next at hand fled out of their tents This appeared the next day For neither was there carriage-beast nor campe nor smoake at hand to be seene The King also as it should seeme was terrified with the accesse of our armie which he declared by the next dayes worke Yet in the processe of the night a feare seised vpon the Grecians themselues and the tumult and hurliburley was such as is wont when men are possessed with feare Clearchus in this distresse called Tolmides the Elean whom hee had with him the best Cryer of those times and after silence enioyned willed him to make proclamation that the Coronells signified whosoeuer in generall could bring forth the author of this tumult should haue a talent of siluer for his reward By the proclamation the Souldiers perceiued that their feare was vaine and their commanders in safetie As soone as it was day Clearchus commanded the Grecians to fall into the same order they held when the battell was fought And where I before wrote that the King was put into a feare by our accesse it hereby appeared to be so because the day before he sent an Imperious commandement to deliuer vp our armes and now this day he imploied messengers about a truce They after they came to our out-guards asked for the Coronels The out-guards aduertised Clearchus hereof who was then viewing the order of our embatteling and he willed them to say to the messengers that they should stay where they were till his further leasure After he had so ordered the Armie that the whole Phalange appeared in a faire thicknesse well compacted together and no vnarmed man in sight he called for the messengers and both himselfe taking with him some of the best armed and gallantest Souldiers of the Troopes and willing the other Coronels to do the like he aduanced to meet them Meeting together he demanded the cause of their comming They said they came about a â—â—uce and had full power to deliuer the Kings pleasure vnto them and to returne their answer to the King Clearchus answered Tell the King now from me that there is no other way but first to fight For we haue no dinner neither dares any man speake a word to the Grecians about Truce without offering them meat to eat The messengers hearing this posted away and returned presently Whereby also appeared that the king was at hand or at least some other man that had authoritie about this negotiation They said the King allowed the motion and if the Truce were concluded would send guides to conduct them to sufficient prouision Clearchus asked whether the Truce should stretch to all in generall or to those only which were to goe betweene They answered to all till your propositions be related to the king After these things spoken Clearchus fell to counsell with the Coronels It seemed good to all to embrace a Truce forthwith and quietly to goe to the place where the prouision was and there to take it I am of your minde quoth Clearchus but I would not signifie so much to the messengers but linger a little to put them in feare of our refusall of Truce and I thinke our Souldiers are in the like feare When he iudged it time he told the messengers he accepted the Truce and willed them to leade immediatly to the place where prouision might be found which they did Clearchus albeit he purposed to accept Truce yet marched on with his Armie in order of battell himselfe following in the Reare He chanced vpon Ditches and draines full of water which were not passable without Bridges Yet framed they a passage with Palme trees of which some were alreadie fallen to the ground othersome they felled themselues A man might hereby perceiue the sufficiencie of Clearchus his command who carying in the left hand a Pike in the right a Trunchion in case any man appointed to worke seemed to slacke chusing a fit man in his place he chastised and put him off and withall thrusting into the dirt himselfe set his hand to the worke So that it seemed a shame to all that had the worke in hand not to make haste and be earnest in it The worke was by him laid vpon the Souldiers of 30 yeeres of age But the elder sort vndertooke it also when they saw Clearchus so busie about it And he hasted the more suspecting that the Ditches were not at all times so full of water for it was no time of the yeere to water the Plaine but that the King had let the water in to the end that the difficulties of the iourney might seeme to the Grecians greater and more in shew than they were in deed Marching on they came to the villages in which the guides assigned their prouision There was much Wheat and Wine of Palme to be found and Vineger boiled out of Palme nuts Those Nuts of Palme such as are not to be seene in Greece were reserued for the Seruants but the Masters had other chosen out from the rest of wonderfull beautie and greatnesse The colour of them nothing differeth from Amber and being dried some of them were vsually set vpon the Table for dainties The Wine is pleasant but raising paine in the head This was the place where the Souldiers first fed vpon the Marrow of the Nuts of Palme and many wondred at the kinde and propertie of pleasantnesse of them This also bred
betweene them Sometime going for wood to the same place and gathering fodder and such like they fel to blowes which also set them at further ods After three dayes encamping they came to the Wall of Media It was built of Bricke mortered with asphalt being in thicknesse 20 in height 100 Foot The length was said to be 20 Parasangs It was not far distant from Babylon From hence they marched eight Parasangs in two encampings and passed ouer two great Draines one vpon a Bridge the other vpon Ships ioyned together These Draines came out of the Riuer Tygris and from them were sewers deriued to water the Countrey being at the first greater then lesse lastly little Draines such as they vse in Greece when Panick seed is sowen From thence they came to the Riuer Tygris neere to which stood a great Citie well peopled named Sitaca being distant from the Riuer 15 Furlongs The Grecians encamped by the Citie neere a faire and large Parke wherein grew plentie of all manner of Trees The Barbarians passed ouer the Riuer and were out of sight After supper Proxenus and Xenophon chanced to walke before the place of Armes when there came one and asked the out-watch where he might finde Proxenus or Clearchus He sought not for Menon albeit he came from Ariaeus Menons guest When Proxenus told him he was the man whom he sought Ariaeus and Artaosus quoth he that were faithfull to Cyrus while he liued and are now your friends haue sent me vnto you and aduise you by me to keepe good watch to night lest the Barbarians assault your Campe. There is a great army in the Parke Besides they counsell you to put a good guard vpon the Riuer Tygris because Tissaphernes is determined this night to breake the Bridge if he can to the end to hinder your passage and to inclose you betwixt the Bridge and the Draine After they heard this they led the man to Clearchus and imparted the message vnto him Clearchus was much troubled and in extreme feare with the newes But a young man then present after he had well ruminated the matter said It hangs not together that Tissaphernes should goe about to charge vs and to breake downe the Bridge For it is euident that charging vs he must either ouercome or be beaten If he ouercome what need the Bridge be broken For admit there were many Bridges yet should we haue no where to saue our selues by flight If he be beaten whither shall his Armie fly the Bridge being broken and most of the Armie being beyond the Riuer how shall they succour one another but by the Bridge After Clearchus heard this he asked what quantitie of Land lay betwixt Tygris and the Draine He answered that the territorie was large had many villages great cities in it Here-hence they perceiued that the Barbarians sent the man vnderhand fearing that the Grecians would not passe the Bridge but remaine in the Island hauing for their Fortification the Riuer Tygris on the one side and the Draine on the other taking their prouision out of the Countrey where it was both plenteous and verie good in which also many Labourers inhabited Besides the place would be fit for retreat in case they were disposed to make inroades vpon the Kings dominions After this they gaue themselues to rest and yet were not vnmindfull to send a Guard to the Bridge But neither did any man assault the Greekish Campe nor yet as the Guard brought newes did any of the enemie come to the Bridge Assoone as it was day they passed the Bridge in as good order as was possible which Bridge was laid ouer the Riuer vpon 37 Ships Some of the Grecians in Tissaphernes Campe gaue intelligence they should be charged in their passage ouer But nothing of this was true During the time of their passage Glus and others were seene to obserue whether they passed ouer or no and when they saw them passing they spurred away with all speed From Tygris they marched 20 Parasangs in foure encampings as farre as the Riuer Fyscus It hath a Bridge vpon it and neere it a great Citie inhabited the name wherof is Opis hard by which the bastard-Brother of Cyrus and of Artaxerxes leading a great Armie from Sufae and Ecbatana to the Kings aid met the Grecians and causing his owne Armie to stay beheld the Grecians in their march Clearchus led his men two in a ranke and oftentimes made Alt in his going on As long as the Front of the Armie stood still so long the whole Armie stood also still so that both the Grecians held it a great Armie and the Persian was astonied at the sight thereof From hence they marched in six encampings 30 Parasangs in the Wildernesse thorow Media euen vp to the Villages which appertained to Parisatis Mother of Cyrus and of the King These did Tissaphernes permit the Grecians in derision of Cyrus to ransacke and take out of them what they list excepting only the bodies of men Much Corne and many Sheep and other goods were found there From thence in fiue encampings in the Wildernesse they marched 20 Parasangs leauing the Riuer Tygris on the left hand In the first encamping beyond the Riuer was a great and rich Citie called Caenae out of which the Barbarians transported Bread Cheese and Wine vpon flote-Boates made of Skins After this they came to the Riuer Zabatus which was foure Plethers broad and there remained three daies and still they increased their iealousies but no manifest deceit or lying in wait of one against the other was perceiued Therefore Clearchus thought it best to conferre with Tissaphernes to allay if he could these distrusts before they broke out into open hostilitie And hee sent a speciall messenger vnto him to signifie that hee desired to speake with him who readily answered hee might come when he pleased At their meeting Clearchus begun and said I know well Tissaphernes that we haue sworne and giuen mutuall right hands not to infest or annoy one another I see notwithstanding you keepe narrow watch vpon vs as vpon enemies and we perceiuing it doe as much vpon you But when according to my poore vnderstanding I looked into the matter and could not finde you sought to wrong vs and knew for certain that to wrong you was furthest from our thoughts I desired conference that thereby we might as much as was possible take each from other this diffidence For I am not ignorant that men fearing one another whether out of sinister delations or of iealousie to the end rather to preuent than to suffer bring remedilesse euills vpon them that neither seeke nor thinke the harme which they imagine is intended Conceiuing therefore that such errours are easily laid asleepe by familiar conference I come to you to signifie that you distrust vs without cause For first and chiefly our oathes forbid vs to be enemies
in their march one while fighting and another while giuing themselues to rest The next day fell a sharpe storme and yet a necessitie was laid vpon vs to continue our march because our prouision failed Cherisophus led the Vaunt Xenophon brought vp the Reare and the enemy pressed vs sore and the Countrey being full of straights they came vp close and plied vs wirh arrowes and stones out of slings so that the Grecians sometimes giuing chace sometimes retiring were forced to march on slowly It fell out often that Xenophon sent word to that Vaunt to stay especially at that time being roundly put to by the enemy Cherisophus that at other times vpon the receit of such messages made vsually Alt made not Alt then but led away apace and commanded the rest to follow So that it appeared there was some great occasion and yet there was no leisure to send and know the cause The march seemed to the bringers vp to be a plaine running and there was then slaine Cleonymus a braue and valiant Lacedemonian being strucken into the side with an arrow thorow his target and Souldiers coat and Basius an Arcadian pierced in the head When they were come to their quarter Xenophon attired as he was stepped forthwith to Cherisophus and blamed him he made not Alt whereby he forced them in the Reare to fight in their flight and now quoth hee we haue lost two gallant and worthy Souldiers and were neither able to bring them off nor yet to bury them Cherisophus answered Looke vp quoth he to those mountaines and behold how vnpassable they are There is no way but that steepe one you see and vpon it you may discerne the huge multitude which haue taken and doe guard the passage The cause of my speeding and not staying for you was to trie if by any meanes I might preuent their seising vpon the height For the guides affirme there is no other way but this But I haue two guides quoth Xenophon For when they ceased not to molest vs I laid an ambush whereby both we found way to breathe and also killed some of them and some other wee endeuoured to take aliue for this cause especially that we might vse such as knew the Countrey for guides and immediately bringing forth the men they examined them apart whether they knew any other way than that which was in sight One of them albeit he were diuersly put in feare would not confesse When they could get nothing out of him that was to purpose they slew him the other looking on Hee that remained aliue said that his Companion would confesse nothing because he had bestowed a daughter of his in mariage to a man dwelling thereabout But I said he will teach you a way thorow which the very carriage may easily passe Being demanded If that way had no impediment or incumbrance he answered There was a top of a hill which vnlesse it were possessed it would be impossible to proceed further Hereupon it was thought good to call for the Captaines of the Targetiers and of the armed Foot and to impart vnto them the estate of the present affaires and to aske if any would shew himselfe a gallant and willingly vndertake the iourney There offered their seruice Aristonimus an Arcadian of Methydria and Agasias another Arcadian of Stymphaly Callimachus a Parrhasian Arcadian and this Agasias were alwaies at emulation and stroue one with another in all imploiments He offered himselfe vpon condition he might be permitted to take with him the voluntaries of the whole army For I know quoth he that many of the youth will follow if I haue the leading Then they asked if any of the light-armed or Taxiarchs would beare the armed Company Aristarchus the Chian a worthy man and one that in the like case had often heretofore done good seruice to the army presented himselfe It was now late and the Souldiers were commanded to sup and presently to march away The guide was deliuered bound vnto them and order giuen that if they tooke the top of the hill they should make good the place that night and as soone as it was day giue a signe with the trumpet and descend and charge the forestallers of the knowne way and the rest of the army beneath ascend and ioine with them in as great speed as was possible This order being taken there marched out to the number of two thousand In the meane time fell much raine Xenophon hauing with him the Reare-commanders led toward the knowne passage to the end the enemy might be intentiue vpon that way and those that were appointed to take the top might the better passe by vnespied When the Reare was come to a hollow bottome thorow which they must needs passe ere they came to ascend the steepe hill the Barbarians tumbled downe round stones of which euery one was of weight sufficient to load a waggon and many other great and little stones which rolling and beating vpon the rockes came bouncing with such force as if they had beene sent out of a sling and made it impossible to come neere the way Some of the Captaines seeing that way shut vp sought to finde another This continued till it was darke The Grecians when they imagined that their departure could not be discerned went hence to supper For the Reare had not dined that day The enemy ceased not the whole night to send downe stones which might easily appeare by the continuall sound and noise of the fall In the meane time those that had the guide fetching a compasse fell vpon the enemies guards as they sat by the fire and killing some and giuing chace to the rest themselues maintained the place that night as if they had gained the top But they were deceiued for there remained yet a little knop aboue them neere which the straight it selfe was where the enemies guards did sit There was indeed a passage from thence that led to the enemy That night therefore they spent there As soone as day appeared they aduanced silently and in good order against the enemy They were neere before they could be descried because of a mist that fell at the same instant When they saw one another the trumpet sounded and the Grecians giuing a shout aduanced against the enemy who receiued not the charge but forsaking the way and flying lost some few of their people For they were light-armed The rest of the army with Cherisophus hearing the sound of the trumpet made all haste to ascend by the common way Some of the Coronels tooke by-pathes euery one as it came to hand and climbing as they could drew one another vp by the pikes and so they were the first that ioyned with them that had won the top Xenophon with halfe the Reare followed the way that the guide had showne to the first for it was the easiest for the carriage-beasts the other halfe he ordered after the carriage-beasts Marching
them all guilty to vse your owne iudgement in punishing all if one or two they are willing to put them into your hands to be iudged by you If therefore you lay the fault vpon any of vs we here present our selues vnto you if vpon any man else we desire you to name him For no man shall be with-held from you that will acknowledge our command Then Agasias stepped forth and said I am the man Cleander which tooke this Souldier from Dexippus who was leading him away and willed stones to be cast at Dexippus For I knew this man to be a worthy Souldier and that Dexippus being by the Army chosen Captaine of a Galley of 50 oares which wee craued from the Trapezuntians to gather other ships to saue our selues in both runne away from vs and also betrayed the Army with which himselfe was saued And by his meanes we not only defrauded the Trapezuntians of their ship but incurred the imputation of vniust men and as much as lay in him we all perished For he heard as well as we how impossible it was marching on foot to passe ouer the riuers that lay in our way and to come in safety into Greâ—ce He therefore being such a one I tooke the Souldier from him But if you Cleander or any about you that was no run-away from vs had apprehended him you may well conceiue I would haue forborne to doe as I did And I would haue you thinke if you take away my life you shall put an honest man to death for a cowards and a scundrels sake Cleander hearing this said I commend not Dexippus if he behaued himselfe as you haue related notwithstanding admit Dexippus were neuer so vile yet violence was not to be offred vnto him but he was to be brought to iudgement as you are at this time Now therefore you the Coronels may depart leauing this man behinde you and when I giue you notice returne to assist the Court in iudgement concerning these offences and I haue neither cause to accuse the Army nor any other man in priuate in as much as himselfe confesseth that it was he that made the rescous Then he that was rescued spake thus Lest you should thinke Cleander that I was apprehended as an offender I neither strooke any man nor threw stone I said only that the sheepe appertained to the generalitie For it was decreed that when the Armie went abroad all boot taken in priuate should be deliuered vp to the vse of the generalitie This was all I spake and for this Dexippus laid hands on me and would haue caried me away that all mens mouthes being stopped he might haue had his part and preserued the rest for those that contrary to the decree went about to deceiue the Army Hereunto Cleander answered Seeing you are so acute and witty stay you here also that we may aduise what to doe with you So went Cleander to dinner but Xenophon assembling the Army counselled them to send to Cleander and to make intercession for the prisoners Hereupon they decreed that the Coronels and Captaines and Dracontius the Lacedemonian and other that were fit should goe to Cleander and by all meanes intreat for their deliuerie Xenophon therefore being come to Cleander spake thus You haue O Cleander in safe keeping the men you desired and the Army hath referred vnto you not only to dispose of the prisoners as you please but also of themselues in generall Now they desire and intreat you to bestow the men vpon them and not to put them to death because in former times they haue done good seruice to the Army Obtaining this fauour at your hands they promise in regard thereof if it shall please you to accept the command ouer them to make manifest how modest they are and how dutifull to their Generall and the gods being propitious how fearelesse of the enemy Further they are humble suiters that you would be pleased to come vnto them and to make proofe of Dexippus and of them and of other whether shall be most respectiue and dutifull to their Commanders Cleander hearing this said he would streight-waies giue them answer and I release vnto you quoth he the men that are in durance and will my selfe come vnto you and conduct you into Greece if the gods permit The reports which are spread abroad of you are much differing from that which I my selfe now heare namely that the Armie should be in minde to reuolt from the Lacedemonians The Coronels much extolled him for his bounty and departed hauing the prisoners restored vnto them Cleander offred sacrifice about the iourney and vsed Xenophon with all kindnesse and contracted hospitalitie with him and when he saw the Armie orderly doe what was commanded he much rather desired to be their Generall But when he had sacrificed three dayes and the sacrifice assented not he called the Coronels together and said The sacrifices allow not that I should be your Generall Yet be not you therefore out of comfort For as it seemeth you are the men that are appointed to leade the Armie home Goe forward When you come where we haue to doe we will entertaine you in the best manner we can Hereupon the Souldiers offered him the sheepe that pertained to the generalitie which he receiued and gaue backe againe So he sailed away But the Souldiers diuiding amongst themselues the corne and other things which they had gathered together marched on thorow the countrey of Bithynia And when they found nothing in their right way for they held on as if the countrey had beene friend it seemed good to returne backe a day and nights iourney Doing this they tooke many slaues and sheepe and the eighth day came to Chrysopolis a Citie in the country of Chalcedon and staied there seuen dayes selling their spoile Finis Libri Sexti THE SEVENTH BOOKE OF THE HISTORIE OF XENOPHON TOVCHING THE Ascent of CYRVS the younger out of Asia the Lesse into the Higher COVNTREYS WHat the Grecians did in their Ascent with Cyrus vntill the battell and what after Cyrus was slaine in their iourney till they came into Pontus and what marching on Foot and sailing out of Pontus till they had passed the mouth of Pontus and came to Chrysopolis in Asia is described in the former discourse After this Pharnabazus fearing that the Armie would inuade his gouernment sent to Anaxibius the Admirall who then happened to be at Byzantium and desired him to transport it out of Asia promising him in that respect to doe whatsoeuer he required at his hands Anaxibius sent for the Coronels and Captaines to Byzantium promising to giue them pay if they would come ouer to him The other Coronels said they would aduise and returne him answer But Xenophon answered that he purposed to leaue the Armie and saile away Anaxibius commanded him first to come ouer with the Armie and gaue him libertie to depart afterward at his pleasure which
this attributed to Vlysses is not commonly true and the Arrow flieth further of both But how much The proportion is expressed in Statius As far as Arrowes fly at thrice and foure times with a Dart you throw He measureth out a Theater for Plaies and describeth it And it was so much ground saith he as you can reach with casting a Dart foure times and shooting an Arrow thrice Therfore an Arrow reached further than a Dart by a fourth part of distance And if that flew six hundred foot then this foure hundred and aboue So that I haue good cause to smile at the asseueration of an Italian Writer one yet skilfull in these things who constantly denieth that any Arme is of force sufficient to throw a Stone or other weapon fortie Paces Peace man and beleeue a thing so common in all antiquitie And had these Darts any force You haue seene in the kinde of Dart called Pilum whereof I haue entreated in my third Booke Will you heare of another kinde The Spaniards Gaules and sometimes the Romans vsed a Dart called Tragula Of it doth I know not what Writer report in Suidas Cotta fought with a weapon that is tearmed Tragula which he threw so violently that thorow Curace and sides he fastened to the earth as with a naile whomsoeuer he hit A Gods name what Armes were these how growne in strength either by Nature or by Skill gotten through exercise I will say nothing of Arrowes Both they were in estimation within the memorie of man and peraduenture they are now altogether giuen ouer not vpon the best aduice I finde in Plutarks Crassus that the Parthian Arrows forced all kinde of Armor In Agathias the Historian that Arrowes shot by the hand of one Aligernus a Gothe passed thorow a mans body Target Curace and all And that you will maruell at if they fell vpon a stone or other hard thing not easie to be broken they shiuered it to fitters with the violence of the blow Looke your selfe if you please in Procopius what he writeth euerie where of the Archers of his age I only take this out of him That an Arrow was put off with that force that neither Curace nor Target could make resistance This may suffice for light-weapons which notwithstanding are the principall in our warres They try the whole encounter and straight either gaine or lose the Field True and lasting fights are only now to be read of I speake not all this because I hold the ancient weapons better than those we now vse but only to shew that they are not to be contemned and that some of them are to be taken vp at this day and to be mingled with ours This would be a gallant and profitable manner of seruice if it were handled by men ripe in exercise otherwise these weapons are not worth a pinne Now for the fashion of arming the Romans what can be alleaged why it should not be the best of all other A man was armed from head to foot his legges not vncouered and had a large Target a principall defence both for Horse and Foot I affirme that there is no Armor of more vse than the Target But our sloth or rashnesse hath cast it cleane out of doores Some neighbours yet retaine it as the Polish Hors-men and Turks We as I said haue slothfully laid it downe or else carelesly as though we were safe by contempt of things seruing for our defence Yet I vrge it not because I see such as haue written of warre acknowledge this fault and exhort to amendment Surely the most of our men are vnarmed and what else but to be compared to velitarie bands open to hurts and therefore fearefull because nature carefull of her selfe compelleth to feare I speake not of Pike-men whom we arme according to the laudable custome of the Macedonians And yet we haue few of them I meane we Netherlanders or French The Spaniards haue I confesse who also by a prouerbe doe tearme the Pike Queene of weapons The Swisses most of all who in times past were famous in this kinde of fight and the true Phalangites But now they begin to vse them more sparingly and to mingle other kindes of light weapons with them And what is mine opinion I deliuer it not because Polybius hath spoken sufficiently for me where he compareth the Roman and Macedonian Armes of purpose What can I bring more wise or more sound than is by him alleaged Notwithstanding this is my iudgement That the Romans good and pliable to imitate all good things vsed few Pikes and in Marius and Caesars time they gaue ouer those that the Triarij did beare The cause was for that it is no conuenient weapon for a battell marshalled and distinguished into Maniples It ought to be a large and coherent body where Pikes are of force being diuided they are vnprofitable Further but few Pikes serue to much purpose in a great body seeing the first Rankes only can charge them and the rest giue no further helpe than by thrusting on with their bodies Moreouer such a battell vnmoueable for the most part vniforme is strong only in Front it can hardly turne vpon the suddaine and not breake Lastly he that carieth that weapon hath almost no vse of any other yet the Macedonians had also a Hurling-staffe and specially he cannot fitly beare or wield a great Target The Romans considered these things and perhaps more than these And albeit they often endangered Phalanges and sometimes with their owne danger as Paulus Aemilius is said to haue quaked at the sight of a thicke Phalange comming on with their Pikes charged yet did they more esteeme their owne weapons and iudge them better for all kinde of seruice For they themselues were able to fight in all kindes in Front in Flanke and behinde and also were able all to serue as occasion serued As in a body it is best when all parts are actiue and euerie one fit for his office so is it in a battell for as Liuy saith The Phalange is vnmoueable and of one kinde the Roman battell consisting of many parts easie to be diuided easie to be ioined and knit together if vse require Adde that the Romans could range and vnite themselues in rough and vneuen grounds the Phalange which consisteth of thicknesse and depth could not to any purpose And therefore if a ditch hill hedge or other thing came in the way it was presently disioyned and the manipular Battalion insinuated it selfe into the void spaces and so ouerthrew the Phalange And yet I denie not that Pikes are of good vse in our customes fights especially against horsemen whose charge they notably sustaine and repulse But what need is of them in the Roman manner of arming when the Velites for the most part gaue the first charge in the Front and made the horses stand off if they could not the Legionarie souldier with his Darts did easily stay or put