cyropaedia-第14章

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numbers　will　not　please　you；　but　remember　these　Peers　of　ours；　though
they　are　few；　find　it　easy　to　rule　the　rest　of　the　Persians；　who　are
many。　But　now；〃　he　added；　〃have　you　any　need　of　us　at　all？　Perhaps　it
was　only　a　false　alarm　that　troubled　you；　and　the　enemy　are　not
advancing？〃

〃Indeed　they　are；〃　said　the　other；　〃and　in　full　force。〃

＇4＇　〃How　do　you　know？〃　asked　Cyrus。

〃Because；〃　said　he；　〃many　deserters　come　to　us；　and　all　of　them；　in
one　fashion　or　another；　tell　the　same　tale。〃

〃Then　we　must　give　battle？〃　said　Cyrus。

〃Needs　must；〃　Cyaxares　replied。

〃Well；〃　answered　Cyrus；　〃but　you　have　not　told　me　yet　how　great　their
power　is；　or　our　own　either。　I　want　to　hear；　if　you　can　tell　me；　so
that　we　may　make　our　plans。〃

〃Listen；　then；〃　said　Cyaxares。　＇5＇　〃Croesus　the　Lydian　is　coming；　we
hear；　with　10；000　horse　and　more　than　40；000　archers　and　targeteers。
Artamas　the　governor　of　Greater　Phrygia　is　bringing；　they　say；　8000
horse；　and　lancers　and　targeteers　also；　40；000　strong。　Then　there　is
Aribaius　the　king　of　Cappadocia　with　6000　horse　and　30；000　archers　and
targeteers。　And　Aragdus　the　Arabian　with　10；000　horse；　a　hundred
chariots；　and　innumerable　slingers。　As　for　the　Hellenes　who　dwell　in
Asia；　it　is　not　clear　as　yet　whether　they　will　send　a　following　or
not。　But　the　Phrygians　from　the　Hellespont；　we　are　told；　are　mustering
in　the　Caystrian　plain　under　Gabaidus；　6000　horse　and　40；000
targeteers。　Word　has　been　sent　to　the　Carians；　Cilicians；　and
Paphlagonians；　but　it　is　said　they　will　not　rise；　the　Lord　of　Assyria
and　Babylon　will　himself；　I　believe；　bring　not　less　than　20；000　horse；
and　I　make　no　doubt　as　many　as　200　chariots；　and　thousands　upon
thousands　of　men　on　foot；　such　at　least　has　been　his　custom　whenever
he　invaded　us　before。〃

＇6＇　Cyrus　answered：　〃Then　you　reckon　the　numbers　of　the　enemy　to　be；
in　all；　something　like　60；000　horse　and　200；000　archers　and
targeteers。　And　what　do　you　take　your　own　to　be？〃

〃Well；〃　he　answered；　〃we　ourselves　can　furnish　over　10；000　horse　and
perhaps；　considering　the　state　of　the　country；　as　many　as　60；000
archers　and　targeteers。　And　from　our　neighbours；　the　Armenians；〃　he
added；　〃we　look　to　get　4000　horse　and　20；000　foot。〃

〃I　see；〃　said　Cyrus；　〃you　reckon　our　cavalry　at　less　than　a　third　of
the　enemy's；　and　our　infantry　at　less　than　half。〃

＇7＇　〃Ah；〃　said　Cyaxares；　〃and　perhaps　you　feel　that　the　force　you　are
bringing　from　Persia　is　very　small？〃

〃We　will　consider　that　later　on；〃　answered　Cyrus；　〃and　see　then　if　we
require　more　men　or　not。　Tell　me　first　the　methods　of　fighting　that
the　different　troops　adopt。〃

〃They　are　much　the　same　for　all；〃　answered　Cyaxares；　〃that　is　to　say；
their　men　and　ours　alike　are　armed　with　bows　and　javelins。〃

〃Well；〃　replied　Cyrus；　〃if　such　arms　are　used；　skirmishing　at　long
range　must　be　the　order　of　the　day。〃　〃True；〃　said　the　other。　＇8＇　〃And
in　that　case；〃　went　on　Cyrus；　〃the　victory　is　in　the　hands　of　the
larger　force；　for　even　if　the　same　numbers　fall　on　either　side；　the
few　would　be　exhausted　long　before　the　many。〃　〃If　that　be　so；〃　cried
Cyaxares；　〃there　is　nothing　left　for　us　but　to　send　to　Persia；　and
make　them　see　that　if　disaster　falls　on　Media　it　will　fall　on　Persia
next；　and　beg　them　for　a　larger　force。〃　〃Ah；　but；〃　said　Cyrus；　〃you
must　remember　that　even　if　every　single　Persian　were　to　come　at　once；
we　could　not　outnumber　our　enemies。〃　＇9＇　〃But；〃　said　the　other；　〃can
you　see　anything　else　to　be　done？〃　〃For　my　part；〃　answered　Cyrus；　〃if
I　could　have　my　way；　I　would　arm　every　Persian　who　is　coming　here　in
precisely　the　same　fashion　as　our　Peers　at　home；　that　is　to　say；　with
a　corslet　for　the　breast；　a　shield　for　the　left　arm；　and　a　sword　or
battle…axe　for　the　right　hand。　If　you　will　give　us　these　you　will　make
it　quite　safe　for　us　to　close　with　the　enemy；　and　our　foes　will　find
that　flight　is　far　pleasanter　than　defence。　But　we　Persians；〃　he
added；　〃will　deal　with　those　who　do　stand　firm；　leaving　the　fugitives
to　you　and　to　your　cavalry；　who　must　give　them　no　time　to　rally　and　no
time　to　escape。〃

＇10＇　That　was　the　counsel　of　Cyrus；　and　Cyaxares　approved　it。　He
thought　no　more　of　sending　for　a　larger　force；　but　set　about　preparing
the　equipment　he　had　been　asked　for；　and　all　was　in　readiness　just
about　the　time　when　the　Peers　arrived　from　Persia　at　the　head　of　their
own　troops。　＇11＇　Then；　so　says　the　story；　Cyrus　called　the　Peers
together　and　spoke　to　them　as　follows：　〃Men　of　Persia；　my　friends　and
comrades；　when　I　looked　at　you　first　and　saw　the　arms　you　bore　and　how
you　were　all　on　fire　to　meet　the　enemy；　hand　to　hand；　and　when　I
remembered　that　your　squires　are　only　equipped　for　fighting　on　the
outskirts　of　the　field；　I　confess　my　mind　misgave　me。　Few　and　forlorn
they　will　be；　I　said　to　myself；　swallowed　up　in　a　host　of　enemies；　no
good　can　come　of　it。　But　to…day　you　are　here；　and　your　men　behind　you；
stalwart　and　stout　of　limb；　and　to…morrow　they　shall　have　armour　like
our　own。　None　could　find　fault　with　their　thews　and　sinews；　and　as　for
their　spirit；　it　is　for　us　to　see　it　does　not　fail。　A　leader　must　not
only　have　a　stout　heart　himself；　he　must　see　to　it　that　his　followers
are　as　valiant　as　he。〃

＇12＇　Thus　Cyrus　spoke；　and　the　Peers　were　well　satisfied　at　his　words；
feeling　that　on　the　day　of　battle　they　would　have　more　to　help　them　in
the　struggle。　＇13＇　And　one　of　them　said；　〃Perhaps　it　will　seem　strange
if　I　ask　Cyrus　to　speak　in　our　stead　to　our　fellow…combatants　when
they　receive　their　arms；　and　yet　I　know　well　that　the　words　of　him　who
has　the　greatest　power　for　weal　or　woe　sink　deepest　into　the
listener's　heart。　His　very　gifts；　though　they　should　be　less　than　the
gifts　of　equals；　are　valued　more。　These　new　comrades　of　ours；〃　he　went
on；　〃would　rather　be　addressed　by　Cyrus　himself　than　by　us；　and　now
that　they　are　to　take　their　place　among　the　Peers　their　title　will
seem　to　them　far　more　secure　if　it　is　given　them　by　the　king's　own　son
and　our　general…in…chief。　Not　that　we　have　not　still　our　own　duties
left。　We　are　bound　to　do　our　best　in　every　way　to　rouse　the　spirit　of
our　men。　Shall　we　not　gain　ourselves　by　all　they　gain　in　valour？〃

＇14＇　So　it　came　about　that　Cyrus　had　the　new　armour　placed　before　him
and　summoned　a　general　meeting　of　the　Persian　soldiery；　and　spoke　to
them　as　follows：

＇15＇　〃Men　of　Persia；　born　and　bred　in　the　same　land　as　ourselves；
whose　limbs　are　as　stout　and　as　strong　as　our　own；　your　hearts　should
be　as　brave。　I　know　they　are；　and　yet　at　home　in　the　land　of　our
fathers　you　did　not　share　our　rights；　not　that　we　drove　you　out
ourselves；　but　you　were　banished　by　the　compulsion　that　lay　upon　you
to　find　your　livelihood　for　yourselves。　Now　from　this　day　forward；
with　heaven's　help；　it　shall　be　my　care　to　provide　it　for　you；　and
now；　if　so　you　will；　you　have　it　in　your　power　to　take　the　armour　that
we　wear　ourselves；　face　the　same　perils　and　win　the　same　honours；　if
so　be　you　make　any　glorious　deed　your　own。　＇16＇　In　former　days　you
were　trained；　like　ourselves；　in　the　use　of　bow　and　javelin；　and　if
you　were　at　all　inferior　to　us　in　skill；　that　was　not　to　be　wondered
at；　you　had　not　the　same　leisure　for　practice　as　we；　but　now　in　this
new　accoutrement　we　shall　have　no　pre…eminence　at　all。　Each　of　us　will
wear　a　corslet　fitted　to　his　breast　and　carry　a　shield　on　his　left　arm
of　the　type　to　which　we　are　all　accustomed；　and　in　his　right　hand　a
sabre　or　a　battle…axe。　With　these　we　shall　smite　the　enemy　before　us；
and　need　have　no　fear　that　we　shall　miss　the　mark。　＇17＇　How　can　we
differ　from　one　another　with　these　arms？　There　can　be　no　difference
except　in　daring。　And　daring　you　may　foster　in　your　hearts　as　much　as
we　in　ours。　What　greater　right　have　we　than　you　to　love　victory　and
follow　after　her；　victory　who　wins　for　us　and　preserves　to　us　all
things　that　are　beautiful　and　good？　Why　should　you；　any　more　than　we；
be　found　lacking　in　that　power　which　takes　the　goods　of　weaklings　and
bestows　them　on　the　strong？〃

＇18＇　He　ended：　〃Now　you　have　heard　all。　There　lie　your　weapons；　let
him　who　chooses　take　them　up　and　write　his　name　with　the　brigadier　in
the　same　roll　as　ours。　And　i