cyropaedia-第15章

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him　who　chooses　take　them　up　and　write　his　name　with　the　brigadier　in
the　same　roll　as　ours。　And　if　a　man　prefers　to　remain　a　mercenary；　let
him　do　so；　he　carries　the　arms　of　a　servant。〃

＇19＇　Thus　spoke　Cyrus；　and　the　Persians；　every　man　of　them；　felt　they
would　be　ashamed　for　the　rest　of　their　days；　and　deservedly；　if　they
drew　back　now；　when　they　were　offered　equal　honour　in　return　for　equal
toil。　One　and　all　they　inscribed　their　names　and　took　up　the　new　arms。

＇20＇　And　now　in　the　interval；　before　the　enemy　were　actually　at　hand；
but　while　rumour　said　they　were　advancing；　Cyrus　took　on　himself　a
three…fold　task：　to　bring　the　physical　strength　of　his　men　to　the
highest　pitch；　to　teach　them　tactics；　and　to　rouse　their　spirit　for
martial　deeds。　＇21＇　He　asked　Cyaxares　for　a　body　of　assistants　whose
duty　it　should　be　to　provide　each　of　his　soldiers　with　all　they　could
possibly　need；　thus　leaving　the　men　themselves　free　for　the　art　of
war。　He　had　learnt；　he　thought；　that　success；　in　whatever　sphere；　was
only　to　be　won　by　refusing　to　attempt　a　multitude　of　tasks　and
concentrating　the　mind　on　one。

Thus　in　the　military　training　itself　he　gave　up　the　practice　with　bow
and　javelin；　leaving　his　men　to　perfect　themselves　in　the　use　of
sabre；　shield；　and　corslet；　accustoming　them　from　the　very　first　to
the　thought　that　they　must　close　with　the　enemy；　or　confess　themselves
worthless　as　fellow…combatants；　a　harsh　conclusion　for　those　who　knew
that　they　were　only　protected　in　order　to　fight　on　behalf　of　their
protectors。　＇22＇　And　further；　being　convinced　that　wherever　the
feeling　of　emulation　can　be　roused；　there　the　eagerness　to　excel　is
greatest；　he　instituted　competitions　for　everything　in　which　he
thought　his　soldiers　should　be　trained。　The　private　soldier　was
challenged　to　prove　himself　prompt　to　obey；　anxious　to　work；　eager　for
danger；　and　yet　ever　mindful　of　discipline；　an　expert　in　the　science
of　war；　an　artist　in　the　conduct　of　his　arms；　and　a　lover　of　honour　in
all　things。　The　petty　officer　commanding　a　squad　of　five　was　not　only
to　equal　the　leading　private；　he　must　also　do　what　he　could　to　bring
his　men　to　the　same　perfection；　the　captain　of　ten　must　do　the　same
for　his　ten；　and　the　company's　captain　for　the　company；　while　the
commander　of　the　whole　regiment；　himself　above　reproach；　must　take　the
utmost　care　with　the　officers　under　him　so　that　they　in　their　turn
should　see　that　their　subordinates　were　perfect　in　all　their　duties。
＇23＇　For　prizes；　Cyrus　announced　that　the　brigadier　in　command　of　the
finest　regiment　should　be　raised　to　the　rank　of　general；　the　captain
of　the　finest　company　should　be　made　a　brigadier；　the　captain　of　the
finest　squad　of　ten　captain　of　a　company；　and　the　captain　of　the　best
five　a　captain　of　ten；　while　the　best　soldiers　from　the　ranks　should
become　captains　of　five　themselves。　Every　one　of　these　officers　had
the　privilege　of　being　served　by　those　beneath　him；　and　various　other
honours　also；　suited　to　their　several　grades；　while　ampler　hopes　were
offered　for　any　nobler　exploits。　＇24＇　Finally　prizes　were　announced　to
be　won　by　a　regiment　or　a　company　or　a　squad　taken　as　a　whole；　by
those　who　proved　themselves　most　loyal　to　their　leaders　and　most
zealous　in　the　practice　of　their　duty。　These　prizes；　of　course；　were
such　as　to　be　suitable　for　men　taken　in　the　mass。

Such　were　the　orders　of　the　Persian　leader；　and　such　the　exercises　of
the　Persian　troops。　＇25＇　For　their　quarters；　he　arranged　that　a
separate　shelter　should　be　assigned　to　every　brigadier；　and　that　it
should　be　large　enough　for　the　whole　regiment　he　commanded；　a　regiment
consisting　of　100　men。　Thus　they　were　encamped　by　regiments；　and　in
the　mere　fact　of　common　quarters　there　was　this　advantage；　Cyrus
thought；　for　the　coming　struggle；　that　the　men　saw　they　were　all
treated　alike；　and　therefore　no　one　could　pretend　that　he　was
slighted；　and　no　one　sink　to　the　confession　that　he　was　a　worse　man
than　his　neighbours　when　it　came　to　facing　the　foe。　Moreover　the　life
in　common　would　help　the　men　to　know　each　other；　and　it　is　only　by
such　knowledge；　as　a　rule；　that　a　common　conscience　is　engendered；
those　who　live　apart；　unknowing　and　unknown；　seem　far　more　apt　for
mischief；　like　those　who　skulk　in　the　dark。　＇26＇　Cyrus　thought　the
common　life　would　lead　to　the　happiest　results　in　the　discipline　of
the　regiments。　By　this　system　all　the　officersbrigadiers；　company…
captains；　captains　of　the　squadscould　keep　their　men　in　as　perfect
order　as　if　they　were　marching　before　them　in　single　file。　＇27＇　Such
precision　in　the　ranks　would　do　most　to　guard　against　disorder　and
re…establish　order　if　ever　it　were　broken；　just　as　when　timbers　and
stones　have　to　be　fitted　together　it　is　easy　enough　to　put　them　into
place；　wherever　they　chance　to　lie；　provided　only　that　they　are　marked
so　as　to　leave　no　doubt　where　each　belongs。　＇28＇　And　finally；　he　felt；
there　was　the　fact　that　those　who　live　together　are　the　less　likely　to
desert　one　another；　even　the　wild　animals；　Cyrus　knew；　who　are　reared
together　suffer　terribly　from　loneliness　when　they　are　severed　from
each　other。

＇29＇　There　was　a　further　matter；　to　which　he　gave　much　care；　he　wished
no　man　to　take　his　meal　at　morning　or　at　night　till　he　had　sweated　for
it。　He　would　lead　the　men　out　to　hunt；　or　invent　games　for　them；　or　if
there　was　work　to　be　done；　he　would　so　conduct　it　that　they　did　not
leave　it　without　sweat。　He　believed　this　regimen　gave　them　zest　for
their　food；　was　good　for　their　health；　and　increased　their　powers　of
toil；　and　the　toil　itself　was　a　blessed　means　for　making　the　men　more
gentle　towards　each　other；　just　as　horses　that　work　together　grow
gentle；　and　will　stand　quietly　side　by　side。　Moreover　the　knowledge　of
having　gone　through　a　common　training　would　increase　tenfold　the
courage　with　which　they　met　the　foe。

＇30＇　Cyrus　had　his　own　quarters　built　to　hold　all　the　guests　he　might
think　it　well　to　entertain；　and；　as　a　rule；　he　would　invite　such　of
the　brigadiers　as　the　occasion　seemed　to　call　for；　but　sometimes　he
would　send　for　the　company…captains　and　the　officers　in　command　of　the
smaller　squads；　and　even　the　private　soldiers　were　summoned　to　his
board；　and　from　time　to　time　a　squad　of　five；　or　of　ten；　or　an　entire
company；　or　even　a　whole　regiment；　or　he　would　give　a　special
invitation　by　way　of　honour　to　any　one　whom　he　knew　had　undertaken
some　work　he　had　at　heart　himself。　In　every　case　there　was　no
distinction　whatever　between　the　meats　for　himself　and　for　his　guests。
＇31＇　Further　he　always　insisted　that　the　army　servants　should　share
and　share　alike　with　the　soldiers　in　everything；　for　he　held　that
those　who　did　such　service　for　the　army　were　as　much　to　be　honoured　as
heralds　or　ambassadors。　They　were　bound；　he　said；　to　be　loyal　and
intelligent；　alive　to　all　a　soldier's　needs；　active；　swift；
unhesitating；　and　withal　cool　and　imperturbable。　Nor　was　that　all；　he
was　convinced　that　they　ought　also　to　possess　those　qualities　which
are　thought　to　be　peculiar　to　what　we　call　〃the　better　classes；〃　and
yet　never　despise　their　work；　but　feel　that　everything　their　commander
laid　upon　them　must　be　fit　for　them　to　do。

＇C。2＇　It　was　the　constant　aim　of　Cyrus　whenever　he　and　his　soldiers
messed　together；　that　the　talk　should　be　lively　and　full　of　grace；　and
at　the　same　time　do　the　listeners　good。　Thus　one　day　he　brought　the
conversation　round　to　the　following　theme：

〃Do　you　think；　gentlemen；〃　said　he；　〃that　our　new　comrades　appear
somewhat　deficient　in　certain　respects　simply　because　they　have　not
been　educated　in　the　same　fashion　as　ourselves？　Or　will　they　show
themselves　our　equals　in　daily　life　and　on　the　field　of　battle　when
the　time　comes　to　meet　the　foe？〃

＇2＇　Hystaspas　took　up　the　challenge：〃What　sort　of　warriors　they　will
prove　I　do　not　pretend　to　know；　but　this　I　do　say；　in　private　life
some　of　them　are　cross…grained　fellows　enough。　Only　the　other　day；〃　he
went　on；　〃Cyaxares　sent　a　present　of　sacrificial　meat　to　every
regiment。　There　was　flesh　enough　for　three　courses　apiece　or　more；　and
the　attendant　had　handed　round　the　first；　beginning　with　myself。　So
when　he　came