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
the Temple In case he neglect this the goddesse will take order for her owne From Cerasunt they that were before shipped held on their course by Sea the rest made forward by land When they were come to the borders of the Mosynecans they sent vnto them Timositheâ—s a Trapezâ—â—tâ—â—e who was their guest to demand whether they should passe thorow their countrey as friends or as enemies They trusting to the strength of their countrey answered It would be all one to them which they did Timositheos after this answer returned gaue the Grecians to vnderstand that there were other Mosynecans dwelling further off that were enemies to those whereupon it was thought good to send vnto them to see if they would enter into fellowship of warre with the Greciâ—â—s Timositheos being sent returned bringing with him the chiefe Magistrates After their arriuall they and the Grecian Coronels assembled together Xenophon began in this manner Timositheos being his Interpreter We ô Mosynecans because we want shipping are desirous to passe into Greece on foot They who hinder vs as we vnderstand are your enemies You haue now an opportunitie presented vnto you if you lift to imbrace it by entring into societie of war with vs to be reuenged of them for all the wrong they haue any time hereâ—ofore done you and to make them henceforth your vassals If you at this present let vs passe by without taking the opportunitie consider with your selues if euer hereafter you are like to haue the like forces ioine with you in league The chiefe Magistrate of the Mosynâ—cans answered he was desirous to effect the proposition and to ioyne in society of warre with the Greciâ—â—â— Goe to then quoth Xenophon wherein will yoâ— imploy vs if we become your confâ—derates and you what aide can you giue vs to further our passage They replied We are of strength enough to enter our common enemies countrey on the further side and to send you shipping and men both to assist you in the field and to be guides of your iourney Vpon this taking and giuing assurance they departed The next day they came with 300 boats euery boat made of one peece of wood In each boat were three men of whom two landing laid downe their armes in order one remained behinde in the boat And they which remained in the boats sailed away straightwaies the other staied behinde and embattelled themselues in this manner They stood a hundred deepe like as the stage-dancers are wont filing themselues one opposite to the other hauing all Wicker Targets couered with white hayrie oxe-hydes the Targets in forme like to an Iuie leafe In the right hand each man held a dart of about six cubits long armed with a head before the stele being round They had coats that couered their knees were as thicke as a hempen cord that you binde a couerlet withall VpoÌ„ their heads they had leather head-peeces like to them which the Paphlagonians weare in the middest whereof ariseth a Cone resembling the forme of a Tyara They bore iron hatchets besides After this one of them beginning all the rest sung and marched forward by measure and passing through the rankes and armes of the Grecians forthwith aduanced against the enemy toward a Fort which seemed easie to be won It lay before the Citie which is called the Metropolis or mother Citie and is held in chiefe estimation amongst the Mosynecans and for it they warred one against another For they who enioyed it had their feet vpon the neckes of the other Mosynecans They said that the present possessours had no right nor lawfull possession but being common to all they had done wrong in entring detaining it to themselues alone Some of the Grecians also followed them not by order or appointment of the Coronels but in greedinesse of pillage The enemy held himselfe coy a while but when he saw them neere the Fort he sallied out and putting them to flight killed a great number of the Barbarians and some of the Grecians thatascended with them and followed the chace till he might see the army of the Grecians ready to come to reskue Then turning about he retired and cutting off the heads of those that were slaine shewed them to the Grecians and to their enemies and withall danced singing a kinde of measure The Grecians were much grieued that by this action the enemy was emboldned and that the Grecians in good number were seene to flie which they neuer did before in all this iourney But Xenophon calling the Souldiers together spake vnto them in this sort Be not dismayed O Souldiers with that which is happened The good of it is as great as the euill For first of all you now know certainly that those that shall be our guides are enemies to them vnto whom of necessitie we must be enemies Then those Grecians that seemed to contemne our order and thinking themselues to be able to â—o as much with the Barbarians as with vs feele the smart of their owne folly will hardly hereafter be brought to leaue our company But you must prepare your selues to shew the Barbarians your friends that you are better men than they and to let the enemy know that they haue at this present to do with another sort of people than with those who fought disorderly with them of late This day therefore they rested The next day after they had sacrificed and the sacrifice portended good fortune they dined and ordering their companies in file and placing the Barbarians on the left hand they aduanced against the enemy hauing the Archers betwixt the companies that were in file somwhat more backward than the front of the armed For some of the light-armed of the enemy ran forth and cast stones which quickly were repressed by our Archers Peltasts The rest aduanced leisurely first toward the Fort from which the day before the Barbarians and Grecians were put to flight For there the enemie stood embattelled and made head against the Grecians And first they fought and made good the place against the Peltasts but when the armed approached immediatly they turned their backs The Peltasts followed with speed giuing chace vpward toward the mother City or Metropolis the armed moued forward in order When they were come vp to the houses of the Metropolis the enemies ioyned and fought all together and threw darts and hauing thicke and long pikes such as a man could hardly weild with those they endeuoured to defend themselues hand to hand When the Grecians gaue no ground but ioyntly pushed forward the Barbarians fled and all of them forsooke the Fort. Their King that was in a woodden Tower built in the Citadell whom in common they nourish as long as he remaineth there and guardeth the place sought not to escape away nor they that were in the Fort before taken in but were burnt together with the woodden houses The Grecians rifling and spoyling the place found
a Citie This Cities name was Mesphila the Medians sometimes inhabited it The foundation was of hollow carued stone and had 50 foot in bredth 50 foot in heighth Vpon it was raised a stone wall 50 foot broad and 100 foot high The circuit of the wall was 6 Parasangs It is said that Media the Kings wife fled hither when the Persians wrung the Empire out of the Medians hands and that the Persian King could not take it either by time or force till Iupiter sent a madnesse amongst the inhabitants and so it was ouercome From thence they marched 4 Parasangs in one encamping Here Tissaphernes appeared with his owne horse with the forces of Orontes who had with him â—he Kings daughter with the Barbarians that ascended with Cyrus with those that the Kings brother brought to the Kings aide and with as many other as the King gaue him So that the Armie seemed huge and mighty When he came neere he ordered some of his troopes against the reare of the Grecians some against the flanks yet durst he not charge nor had in minde to hazard battell He commanded only his Souldiers to sling and shoot When the â—hodians that were here and there dispersed amongst the Grecians began to sling and the Archers after the Scythian manner to shoot and no man missed his marke for he could not though he would in such a multitude both Tissaphernes quickly retired out of danger and his troopes likewise The rest of the day the Grecians marched on and the Persians followed but yet forbore to skirmish any more For the Rhodians slinged further than the Persians could sling and further than most of their archers shot The Persian bowes are great so that the arrowes that were gathered vp serued the Cretans to good purpose For they vsed them much and endeuoured by raising their compasse to send them a great distance In the villages thereabouts both many Bow-strings were found much Lead which they conuerted to the vse of slings And so this day after the Grecians had quartered in the villages which they happened vpon the Barbarians departed hauing the worst in the skirmish The next day they sate still and made prouision of victuals for there was plenty in the villages The next day after they marched forward thorow the Champeigne and Tissaphernes followed skirmishing Here they perceiued that a Plaesium or hollow battell with equall sides was no good forme to march in the enemy following in the reare For in case the wings of the Plaesium thronged together either by reason of the straight way or compulsion of mountaines or of a bridge the armed foot must needs be brought out of order and march at small ease being partly thronged partly forced out of the place they held and in this disarray there would be no great vse of them And when the wings were againe opened they that were so disordered must needes be broken asunder and the middest of the wings emptie the souldiers discomforted especially the enemy being at their heeles And if a Bridge were to be passed or some such straight euery man would haste desiring to be ouer first So that the enemy had then a faire opportunity to giue on The Coronels perceiuing this framed six Companies euery one consisting of an hundred men and appointed Captaines ouer them and Penteconters and Enomotarches These Captaines when the wings closed and thronged too neere in marching staid behinde and kept without the wings for feare of disordering them When the sides of the square battell opened too wide they filled the middest if the space were narrow by Companies if a little wider by fifties if very wide by Enomoties So that the middest was alway shut vp and full If a bridge or other straight were to be passed there was no disorder because the Captaines euery one led ouer his Company apart and when a Phalange was needfull sleeued vp one by another In this manner they marched foure encampings the fifth brought them to the sight of a Palace and of many villages about it The way leading to it was ouer high hills which began from a mountaine vnder which a village was situate The Grecians were glad to see the hills as was reason the most part of the enemies forces being Hors-men But when marching out of the Champeigne they had gained the first hill and descending from thence raised their battell vp against the second the Barbarians were forth with at hand and cast weapons at them downe from the higher ground being compelled with stripes to sling and shoot and they wounded many and had the better of the Grecian light armed and shut them vp within the battell of the armed so that this whole day the Slingers and Archers did little or rather no seruice being glad to hide themselues amongst the vnarmed multitude And when the Grecian armed being hardly laid vnto sought to fall out they had much adoe to climbe the hill in their armour whereas the enemy retired with ease Againe when they retired to the rest of the armed their danger was as great Whereupon the Coronels thought good not to moue the army from the third hill Notwithstanding they led certaine Targetiers from the right flanke of the square battell toward the mountaine After these had gotten aboue the heads of the enemy the enemy forbore to presse vpon such as descended fearing to be cut off by our Souldiers that enclosed them on both sides Thus marched the Grecians the rest of the day some by the way vpon the hills other some right ouer against them on the side of the mountaine till they came to the villages where they appointed eight Physicians because many of the Souldiers were hurt Here they staied three daies both to fauour the wounded and also for that much victuall was found meale wine and barley which last was laid vp for horses in abundance All these things were stored and laid vp for the ruler of the Prouince The fourth day they descended into the Champeigne where when Tissaphernes had ouertaken them with his forces he taught them by necessitie to encampe in the first village they reached vnto and to march no more fighting For many were vnfit to fight by reason of their wounds many by carrying the wounded and no lesse they that had the armes of both charged vpon their backes After they had taken vp their lodging the Barbarians comming to the village offered skirmish in which the Grecians had a great deale the better For it was much easier to sally and so represse the enemy than to march fighting with them as they followed at their backes When it was night the enemy was to depart For the Barbarians fearing to be assailed by night neuer encampe lesse than sixtie furlongs from the Grecians Their manner of encamping is dangerous also in the night Their Horse are tied and for the most part fettered left being loose they might happen to run away And
one of the targetiers came to Xenophon and told him that he had serued as a slaue in Athens added that he seemed to know the language of the enemy I thinke quoth he that this is mine own country and if you thinke good I would faine speake with them You may do it freely quoth Xenophon if you lift and know of them first what people they are They answered they were Macrons Aske them againe quoth he why they oppose against vs in armes desire to be our enemies They answered because you go about to inuade our countrey The Coronels willed the interpreter to say they came not to offer wrong but hauing made war against the king they returned into Greece and would faine come to the Sea The Macrons asked the Grecians againe whether they would giue assurance of that they said Who answered they were readie to giue take assurance Hereupon the Macrons gaue to the Grecians a Barbarian speare and the Grecians a Grecian speare to them For they said that this was the manner of assurance amongst them But both parties called the gods to witnesse After assurance giuen the Macrons helped the Grecians to cut down trees leuelled the way to further our passage came and conuersed with the Grecians furnishing out such a market as they were able and led them forward three daies iourney till they had set them vpon the Colchan mountaines There was in that countrey a high Mountaine but yet passable vpon which the Colchans had ranged themselues in battell At the first the Grecians ordered their troops against them in a Phalange as if they purposed to inuade the Mountaine in that forme Xenophon aduised them that laying aside the forme of a Phalange the best course would be to put themselues into single Companies drawne out in File For a Phalange said he will soone be broken by reason of the inequalitie of way which in some part of the Mountaine will be easie enough in other parts hard to ascend And it will quickly discourage the Souldiers to see the Phalange disordered in which they march Furthermore if we aduance in a large Front the enemie that exceedeth vs in number will ouer-front vs and vse his multitude to most aduantage if in a narrow Front it will be no maruell to see our Phalange cut in peeces with the number of missiue weapons and with multitude of men that will fall vpon it which comming to passe in any part the whole Phalange will be distressed Therefore as I said I hold it best to order our selues in companies stretched out in file or depth euery companie hauing such distance from other that the out-most companies may ouer-front and be without the points of the enemies wings So shall we both gain the aduantage of ouer-fronting their army marching on the companies being in file our best men shall first giue on vpon the enemie And let euerie companie make choise of the fittest way for ascent Now for the spaces betwixt each companie it will not be easie for the enemie to enter them the companies flancking euerie space nor yet to cut off a companie aduancing in such depth And if any companie chance to be distressed the next companie is to succour it And in case any one of the companies attaine the top of the Hill assure your selues no enemie will keepe his ground The aduice was approued by all and they drew their companies euerie one into a File Xenophon going from the right wing to the left said to the Souldiers These ô Souldiers whom you see are the only hindrance of our passage thither whither we haste with so great desire If it be possible we must deuoure them raw When euerie man was in his place and euerie companie in File the companies of the armed amounted to about 80 in number and euerie companie contained well-neere 100 men The Targetiers and Archers were diuided into three parts One part marched without the left Wing another without the right the third in the middest Then the Coronels commanded the Souldiers to pray When they had praied they sang the Pâ—an and so aduanced forward and the enemie made head against them Cherisophus and Xenophon and the Targetiers with them being without the points of the enemies battell marched on The enemie perceiuing it sought to meet them and some of them drawing to the right some to the left hand they rent their Phalange asunder and left much void space in the middest When the Arcadian Peltasts whose Captaine Aeschines the Acarnan was saw them distracted and seuered they imagined they fled and ran on with as much speed as they could They were the first that gained the Mountaine The armed Arcadians commanded by Cleanor the Orchomenian followed at their heeles The enemie stood firme in no place after they saw them come running on but fled some one way some another So the Grecians ascending the Mountaine quartered in many Villages replenished with all things necessarie In other things there was no cause of maruell only there were many Bee-hiues the Hony-combes whereof whosoeuer eat they became euerie man mad and scoured vpward and downeward and none was able to stand vpon their feet They that eat but a little were like drunken that eat much like mad and some like dead men and there lay so many vpon the ground that a man would haue thought an ouerthrow had been receiued from an enemie which caused much discouragement amongst the Troopes The next day there was no man found dead and they came to their right sense about the same houre they fel into their malady The third fourth day after they arose as if they had receiued some medicine From thence they marched seuen Parasangs in two encampings came to the sea side to Trapezond a Grecian city well inhabited which is situate vpon the Euxine Sea being a Colonie of the Sinopeans planted in the Colchan Countrey They remained about 30 dayes in the Colchan countrey spoiling preying it The Trapezuntines exhibited a Market to the Campe and gaue the Grecians gifts of hospitalitie viz. Oxen Meale and Wine entertaining them kindly They transacted likewise for the next neighbour Colchans especially for those that inhabited the Plaine from whom also were sent gifts of hospitalitie which were for the most part Oxen. Here the Armie prepared the sacrifice which they had vowed for a sufficient number of Oxen was sent vnto them to Iupiter the sauiour to Hercules who had so well guided and protected them in their whole iourney They praied likewise to other gods Besides they ordeined Games of exercise in the Mountaine where they encamped chose Dracontius the Lacedemonian who being yet a boy fled his Countrey for killing another boy with the stroke of a Cimitery against his will to order the running and to be president of the Games When the sacrifice was ended they gaue the beasts skins to Dracontius willed him to leade
and danced in Armes to the Flute and capred aloft nimbly and vsed Swords At the last one strooke another in such sort that one of them fell and euerie man conceiued that he was deadly wounded But the stroke was artificially giuen at which notwithstanding the Paphlagonians cried out as men are wont to doe in feare After he that strooke the other taking the spoile of his Armes departed singing a Thracian Song which they call Sitalca Other Thracians taking the body of him that fell caried it out as if he had beene dead whereas indeed he had no manner of harme Next after them the Aenians and Magnetians arose and danced the dance commonly called the Seed-dance in their armes The manner of the dance is this One of them laying by his armes soweth the land and driueth on his Oxen in the plow looking often backe as though he were afraid The theefe approacheth The other as soone as he seeth him snatcheth vp his armes and fighteth with him before the Plow All this is performed in measure to the Flute At the last the theefe bindeth the Plow-man and driueth away the Oxen and sometime the Plow-man bindeth the theefe and fastneth him to the Oxen his hands tied behinde him and so driueth away After this a Mysian came in bearing in each hand a Target and sometimes he danced making semblance as if he opposed against two sometime he vsed the Targets as it were against one man sometimes he whirled about in a circle and tumbled ouer his head holding the Targets still in his hands So that it was a pleasant sight to behold him Lastly he danced the Persian dance clapping his Targets together one against another and kneeled downe and straightwayes stood vp againe and all this he did by measure to the sound of the Flute Then the Mantinaeans and some other Arcadians stood vp armed as seemingly as they could and moued in measure the Flute sounding a point of warre and sung the Paean and danced as the manner is in supplications to the gods The Paphlagonians seeing this wondred that all dances were performed in armes The Mysian to increase their wonder after hee had gotten the assent of an Arcadian that had a dancing woman in his possession brought her in arming her as gorgeously as he might with a light Target in her hand She danced the dance called Pyrrhice with great agilitie and nimblenesse Hereupon there arose a great clapping of hands and the Paphlagonians asked whether women also were their companions in fight To whom answer was made that the women were they who beat the King of Persia out of the Grecian Campe. This was the end of that nights sport The next day they brought the Ambassadours to the Army and the Souldiers decreed that the Paphlagonians should doe them no wrong nor they any to the Paphlagonians So the Ambassadours departed The Grecians when they imagined they had sufficient store of shipping gathered together went aboord and sailing forward that day and night with a faire gale they left Paphlagonia on their left hand and the next day they came as farre as Sinope and cast anchor before Harmene a Port of the Sinopaeans The Sinopaeans inhabite a part of Paphlagania and are a Colonie of Milesians They sent hospitall gifts to the Grecians 3000 Medimnes of meale of wine 1500 Amphores Thither came Cherisophus with some gallies which he had prouided The Souldiers expected him and were in hope that when he came he would bring them some good â—idings He brought them only newes that Anaxibius the Admirall and the rest commended them much and that Anaxibius promised they should haue ready pay if they would come out of Pontus The army remained at Harmene fiue dayes The neerer they seemed to come to Greece the more carefull they were to get and to furnish themselues with something before they came home They were of opinion therefore that if they did chuse one Generall that that one should haue a more vniforme and a more absolute command ouer the Army both by night and by day than if the command were in many hands And if any thing were to be kept secret it might be better concealed if to be preuented it should receiue the lesse hindrance For there needed no conference and the resolution of one might quickly be put in execution whereas heretofore all things passed by pluralitie of voices of the Coronels Being in this conceit they turned to Xenophon and the Captaines comming to him told what the affection of the Army was and euery of them out of their loue perswaded him to take vpon him the command Xenophon himselfe was desirous of the place thinking that both his honour might hereby grow greater and his name more esteemed both with his friends and Citie and it might fall out that he might be occasion of some good to the Army These thoughts lifted him vp to desire the Generall-ship But when he weighed in his minde that no man fore-knew the euent of things to come and that hereby he might hazard his former reputation he began to be in doubt and being not able to resolue it seemed best to counsell with the gods He called therefore to him two Priests and sacrificed to Iupiter the King of gods who by the Oracle of Delphos was appointed his Councellour in matters to come and hee beleeued that the dreame which he saw when hee first was chosen Coronell of the Army proceeded from Iupiter And he remembred that when he went out of Ephesus to follow Cyrus an Eagle croaked at his right hand sitting on the ground which the sooth-sayer that accompanied him at that time said to be a great augury portending more than the estate of a priuate man and that it was illustrious but yet notwithstanding laborious For birds vse not to molest the Eagle by falling vpon her saue onely when she sitteth on the ground Further that no great profit was signified by the token because the Eagle taketh her prey rather when she is on wing The god therefore when he sacrificed foretold apparantly that he was neither to seeke after the Generalls place nor yet to accept of it if it were offered him This was the issue of that businesse Now the Army being assembled it was the opinion of all that one Generall was to be chosen and their choice inclined to Xenophon who when he saw if they went to the election their resolution would be to giue him the place he stood vp and spake thus I ô Souldiers if I be a man haue cause to be glad of this honour which you offer vnto me and to giue you thankes and to pray to God that any occasion may be ministred whereby I may be able to doe you seruice But to chuse me your Generall a Lacedemonian being present seemeth neither for your nor yet for mine owne auaile in as much as if hereafter you shall happen to stand
all in the Cities which will make warre against vs. Which warre will not want a iust ground considering we sought not to possesse any Barbarian Citie albeit we won them by force and now we put to spoile the first Grecian Citie to which we are arriued For my part I wish my selfe 1000. Fathoms vnder the ground before I see so shamefull an act committed by you and I would counsell you being Grecians to seeke things right and iust not by force but by obedience to them that are rulers of the Grecians which if you cannot obtaine yet is it not fit that because we are wronged we should therefore depriue our selues of Greece And now I am of opinion that we are to signifie to Anaxibius that we come into the Citie not to vse any violence but if it might be to obtaine some friendship at his hands If not to shew vnto him that we depart not being deceiued but obeying his command These things were decreed and they sent away Hieronymus the Elaean and Eurylochus the Arcadian and Philesius the Achaean to deliuer the message In the meane time while they remained in the place expecting their messengers returne came Cyrotades a Theban who was no banished man from Greece but went from place to place desirous to haue the command of an army offering himselfe to any Citie or Nation that needed a Generall He then comming to the army told them he would lead them to that part of Thrace which was called Delta where they should inrich themselues with the spoile of the Countrey and if they would accept him for their Generall he would bountifully bestow meat and drinke vpon them The Souldiers at the same time heard his proposition and the message of Anaxibius who returned answer that they should neuer repent themselues of their obedience to him for he said he would signifie it to the Magistrates of his Citie and be readie to gratifie them to the vttermost of his power Hereupon the Souldiers tooke Cyrotades for their Generall and went out of the walles Cyrotades appointed to be with the army the next day bringing with him sacrifice a soothsayer and meat and drinke for the army When they were departed the Citie Anaxibius shut the gates and made Proclamation that whatsoeuer Souldier hee found in the Citie hee would sell him as a slaue The next day Cyrotades came with sacrifice and a soothsayer 20. men followed him laden with barley meale other twenty with wine three with oyle one that bore as great a burden of Garlicke as he could another of Onions Laying these things downe as it were to be diuided amongst the souldiers he sacrificed Xenophon in the meane sending to Cleander desired him to get leaue for him to come within the walls and to take shipping to saile from Bizantium Cleander came vnto him With much adoe quoth he I haue obtained that which you desire For Anaxibius said it would not sute well that Xenophon should be within the walls and the Armie without so neere to the Citie especially the Bizantians being at diuision amongst themselues and ill-minded one against another Notwithstanding he willed you to come in if you minded to saile away with him Xenophon saluting and bidding the Souldiers farewell entred the Citie with Cleander Cyrotades found no good successe in his sacrifice the first day nor did he distribute any thing to the Souldiers The next day he brought the beast to the Altar and stood crowned as though he meant to sacrifice Timasion the Dardanian and Neon the Asinaean and Cleanor the Orchomenian told Cyrotades it would be in vaine to sacrifice in hope to be Generall of the Armie vnlesse he gaue prouision to maintaine them He bid that the prouision should be diuided amongst them when he could not furnish out so much as would serue euery Souldier for one dayes prouision he tooke his sacrifice with him and renounced the Generals place Neon the Asinaean and Phryniscus the Achaian and Timasion the Dardanian remained with the Armie and leading it to the Thracian villages about Byzantium encamped there The Coronels were diuided amongst themselues Cleanor and Phryniscus wishing to leade the Armie to Seuthes for he had wonne them giuing the one a horse the other a woman Neon to Cherronesus imagining if they were vnder the Lacedemonians he should be chiefe Commander Timasion the Dardanian was desirous to passe it ouer againe into Asia hoping thereby to be restored to his countrey which the Souldiers likewise desired Much time being spent herein many of the Souldiers selling their armes in the countrey thereabout forsooke the Armie other dispersed themselues into the neighbour Cities Anaxibius was filled with ioy hearing that the Armie went to wracke For that comming to passe he conceiued he should gratifie Pharnabazus Anaxibius now sailing from Byzantium encountred at Cyzicus Aristarchus the successor of Cleander gouernour of Byzantium He told Anaxibius that Polus his successor in the Admirals place was only not arriued at Hellespont Anaxibius willed Aristarchus if he found any of Cyrus his Souldiers at Byzantium he should sell them for slaues Clearchus sold none nay rather those that were sicke he in pitie made much of and compelled men to take them into their houses But Aristarchus hasting to Byzantium as soone as he came there sold no lesse than 400 of them for slaues Anaxibius sailed to Parium and sent to Pharnabazus expecting an answer according to their composition He after he perceiued that Aristarchus was come Gouernour to Byzantium and that Anaxibius was no more Admirall regarded Anaxibius little and practised the same with Aristarchus concerning Cyrus his Souldiers that he had before concluded with Anaxibius Hereupon Anaxibius calling Xenophon vnto him willed him with all his cunning to saile to the Armie and keepe them together and to gather as many as he could of those that were dispersed and leading them to Perinthus to transport them into Asia with all speed He gaue also a Galley and a letter to Xenophon and sent an expresse messenger to command the Perinthians to furnish Xenophon with horse and send him with all speed vnto the Armie So Xenophon sailing away came to the Armie The Souldiers entertained him with ioy and streightway followed him willingly being in hope to passe ouer out of Thrace into Asia Seuthes hearing that Xenophon was come sent Medosades by Sea vnto him and intreated him to bring the Armie into Thrace promising whatsoeuer he thought would tempt him to giue way vnto his request Xenophon answered it was impossible to be done Medosades after this answer was giuen rode away When the Grecians were come to Perinthus Neon separating his Regiment from the rest of the Army encamped apart hauing about 800 men All the rest of the Armie set downe together hard by the walls of Perinthus Xenophon in the meane time practised all he could to get shipping for the speedy transportation of the Armie into Asia Whilest this was
Xenophon assented vnto In the meane time Seuthes the Thracian sent Medosades and desired Xenophon to be a meanes and furtherance to the transportation of the Armie adding he should not repent himselfe in so doing Xenophon answered that the Armie without all question was to come ouer and in regard thereof Seuthes need not giue any thing either to him or to any man else After the transportation quoth he I am to depart Let him therefore addresse himselfe in such sort as he thinketh best to those that remaine behinde and shall be most for his purpose So all the Armie came ouer to Byzantium Anaxibius gaue them not pay according to his promise but made proclamation that taking their Armes and baggage they should depart out of the Citie as if he had a purpose to send them away and to take muster of them Hereupon the Souldiers weâ—â— discoâ—tenâ— because they wanted money to make prouision for their iourney and they made no great haâ—â—e in trussing vp their baggage Xeâ—â—phâ—â— being become now a Guest to Cleander the Gouernour went to him and saluted him hauing in minde â—o take shipping presently You shall not doe so â—oth he If you doe you will be blamed For alreadie they lay the fault vpon you that the Armie is so slow in departing the Citie Yet am not I in fault quoth Xenophon For the Souldiers wanting victuall and money for their iourney are in that regard loth to leaue the Citie Yet would I counsell you quoth he to goe out as though you meant to march with them and when the Armie is out of the Gates to depart whither you list Let vs goe then to Anaxibius quoth Xenophon and take order accordingly Comming to him they told what they had resolued He willed them so to doe and that the Souldiers should presently issue with their baggage and further to signifie that whosoeuer appeared not at the musters and view to be taken should thanke himselfe if any thing fell out contrarie to his expectation Hereupon the Coronels first went out and after them the rest and now were all out but a few and Ereoâ—â—â—s stood at the Gates readie to shut them and put in the barre assoone as all were gone Anaxibius calling then the Coronels and Captaines to him said For prouision you may take it out of the Thracian Villages There shall you finde plentie of Barley and of Wheaâ— and other victuall After you are furnished march on to Cherronesus where Cynisous shall giue you your pay Some of the Souldiers ouer-heard these words or else some of the Captaines reported them to the Armie The Coronels asked Seuthes whether the Countrey were enemie or friend and whether they were to march ouer the holy Mountaine or in circle thorow the middest of Thrace During this conference the Souldiers snatching vp their Armes ran with full speed to the Gates minding to enter within the Wals. Etâ—onicus and those with him when they saw the armed come running shut the Gates and made fast the barre The Souldiers beat at the Gates crying they were extremely wronged thus to be thrust out to the enemie and threatned to breake the Gates asunder if they opened them not of their owne accord Other some ran along by the Sea side and climbed vp the wall by the great stones that were laid betwixt the Sea and the wall to breake the violence of the waues There were of the Souldiers that remained yet within the Citie who when they saw the stirre about the Gates cut asunder the barres with axes and set the Gates wide open Xenophon beholding what was done fearing left the Armie should fall to spoile and worke inestimable damage to the Citie to him and to themselues ran amongst the rest and in the crowd was carried within the Gates As soone as the Byzantians perceiued that the Armie had entred the Citie by force they fled out of the market-place some toward the ships some to their houses They that were within the Citie fled out and some put the Gallies afloat hoping to finde safetie in them All accounted themselues lost none otherwise than if the City had beene taken by the enemie Anaxibius fled to the Sea taking a Fisher-boat and recouered the Castle from whence out of hand he sent for succour to Chalcedon thinking the Garrison of the Castle insufficient to make the place good against the Armie The Souldiers when they saw Xenophon said to him Now ô Xenophon it is in your owne hands to make your selfe a man you haue a Citie you haue Gallies you haue riches you haue so many men now if you please you may doe vs good and we will make you great You say well quoth Xenophon and I will follow your counsell onely if this be your desire put your selues in order of battell without delay Both himselfe gaue this command and he willed the other Coronels to giue direction to imbattell the Souldiers thereby to still and appease the vproare They putting themselues in order the armed stood in short time fiftie deepe and the Peltasts ran to both wings The place was fit to embattell in called Thracium being void of houses and an euen plot of ground After they had laid downe their Armes and were still Xenophon called the army together and made this speech vnto them I maruell not ô Souldiers that you are angry thinke you haue cause of discontent in regard of the deceit that is vsed towards you But if we giue reines to our anger and seeke reuenge vpon the Lacedemonians that are present and put the Citie that is blamelesse to sacke cast in your mindes what will be the issue And what kinde of war this will be they may iudge that haue seene and remember the euents of things lately passed For we the Athenians entred into war against the Lacedemonians and their Allieâ— being owners of no lesse than foure hundred Gallies which were in part abroad in part in our Arsenall And albeit that the Citie had much riches and a yeerely reuenew arising from the Citizens and from strangers no lesse than 1000. talents and besides was mistresse of all the Ilands and possessed many Cities in Asia many in Europe and amongst the rest this Byzantium it selfe where we now are yet were we ouercome as you all know Now then what can we expect to befall vs the Lacedemonians and Achaeans being linked in societie and the Athenians and all their confederates that then were being of the partie Tissaphernes and the other Barbarians on the other side of the Sea our enemies and the great King most of all other whose kingdome we sought to bereaue him of and to take his life if we could All these things being so is any man so simple to conceiue that wee shâ—ll haue the vpper hand For Gods sake let vs not be franticke nor cast away our selues shamefully in becomming enemy to our fathers friends and kinsfolke For they liue