cyropaedia-第20章

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actual　fortifications　are　not　very　strong：　I　took　good　care　of　that。
But　he　has　the　hill…country　to　which　he　can　retire；　and　there　for　the
moment　lie　secure；　knowing　that　he　himself　is　safely　out　of　reach；
with　everything　that　he　can　convoy　thither；　unless　we　are　prepared　to
carry　on　a　siege；　as　my　father　actually　did。〃

＇14＇　Thereupon　Cyrus　said；　〃Now　if　you　are　willing　to　send　me　with　a
moderate　force　of　cavalryI　will　not　ask　for　many　menI　believe；
heaven　helping　me；　I　could　compel　him　to　send　the　troops　and　the
tribute。　And　I　even　hope　that　in　the　future　he　may　become　a　firmer
friend　that　he　is　now。〃　＇15＇　And　Cyaxares　said：　〃I　think　myself　they
are　more　likely　to　listen　to　you　than　to　me。　I　have　been　told　that　his
sons　were　your　companions　in　the　chase　when　you　were　lads；　and
possibly　old　habits　will　return　and　they　will　come　over　to　you。　Once
they　were　in　our　power；　everything　could　be　done　as　we　desire。〃
〃Then；〃　said　Cyrus；　〃this　plan　of　ours　had　better　be　kept　secret；　had
it　not？〃　〃No　doubt；〃　answered　Cyaxares。　〃In　that　way　they　would　be
more　likely　to　fall　into　our　hands；　and　if　we　attack　them　they　would
be　taken　unprepared。〃

＇16＇　〃Listen　then；〃　said　Cyrus；　〃and　see　what　you　think　of　this。　I
have　often　hunted　the　marches　between　your　country　and　Armenia　with
all　my　men；　and　sometimes　I　have　taken　horsemen　with　me　from　our
comrades　here。〃　〃I　see；〃　said　Cyaxares；　〃and　if　you　chose　to　do　the
like　again　it　would　seem　only　natural；　but　if　your　force　was　obviously
larger　than　usual；　suspicion　would　arise　at　once。〃　＇17＇　〃But　it　is
possible；〃　said　Cyrus；　〃to　frame　a　pretext　which　would　find　credit
with　us　and　with　them　too；　if　any　rumour　reached　them。　We　might　give
out　that　I　intend　to　hold　a　splendid　hunt　and　I　might　ask　you　openly
for　a　troop　of　horse。〃

〃Admirable！〃　said　Cyaxares。　〃And　I　shall　refuse　to　give　you　more　than
a　certain　number；　my　reason　being　that　I　wish　to　visit　the　outposts　on
the　Syrian　side。　And　as　a　matter　of　fact；〃　he　added；　〃I　do　wish　to　see
them　and　put　them　in　as　strong　a　state　as　possible。　Then；　as　soon　as
you　have　started　with　your　men；　and　marched；　let　us　say；　for　a　couple
of　days；　I　could　send　you　a　good　round　number　of　horse　and　foot　from
my　own　detachment。　And　when　you　have　them　at　your　back；　you　could
advance　at　once；　and　I　will　follow　with　the　rest　of　my　men　as　near　you
as　I　may；　close　enough　to　appear　in　time　of　need。〃

＇18＇　Accordingly；　Cyaxares　proceeded　to　muster　horse　and　foot　for　his
own　march；　and　sent　provision…waggons　forward　to　meet　him　on　the　road。
Meanwhile　Cyrus　offered　sacrifice　for　the　success　of　his　expedition
and　found　an　opportunity　to　ask　Cyaxares　for　a　troop　of　his　junior
cavalry。　But　Cyaxares　would　only　spare　a　few；　though　many　wished　to
go。　Soon　afterwards　he　started　for　the　outposts　himself　with　all　his
horse　and　foot；　and　then　Cyrus　found　the　omens　favourable　for　his
enterprise；　and　led　his　soldiers　out　as　though　he　meant　to　hunt。　＇19＇
He　was　scarcely　on　his　way　when　a　hare　started　up　at　their　feet；　and
an　eagle；　flying　on　the　right；　saw　the　creature　as　it　fled；　swooped
down　and　struck　it；　bore　it　aloft　in　its　talons　to　a　cliff　hard　by；
and　did　its　will　upon　it　there。　The　omen　pleased　Cyrus　well；　and　he
bowed　in　worship　to　Zeus　the　King；　and　said　to　his　company；　〃This
shall　be　a　right　noble　hunt；　my　friends；　if　God　so　will。〃

＇20＇　When　he　came　to　the　borders　he　began　the　hunt　in　his　usual　way；
the　mass　of　horse　and　foot　going　on　ahead　in　rows　like　reapers；
beating　out　the　game；　with　picked　men　posted　at　intervals　to　receive
the　animals　and　give　them　chase。　And　thus　they　took　great　numbers　of
boars　and　stags　and　antelopes　and　wild…asses：　even　to　this　day　wild…
asses　are　plentiful　in　those　parts。　＇21＇　But　when　the　chase　was　over；
Cyrus　had　touched　the　frontier　of　the　Armenian　land；　and　there　he　made
the　evening　meal。　The　next　day　he　hunted　till　he　reached　the　mountains
which　were　his　goal。　And　there　he　halted　again　and　made　the　evening
meal。　At　this　point　he　knew　that　the　army　from　Cyaxares　was　advancing；
and　he　sent　secretly　to　them　and　bade　them　keep　about　eight　miles　off；
and　take　their　evening　meal　where　they　were；　since　that　would　make　for
secrecy。　And　when　their　meal　was　over　he　told　them　to　send　their
officers　to　him；　and　after　supper　he　called　his　own　brigadiers
together　and　addressed　them　thus：

＇22＇　〃My　friends；　in　old　days　the　Armenian　was　a　faithful　ally　and
subject　of　Cyaxares；　but　now　when　he　sees　an　enemy　against　us；　he
assumes　contempt：　he　neither　sends　the　troops　nor　pays　the　tribute。　He
is　the　game　we　have　come　to　catch；　if　catch　we　can。　And　this；　I　think；
is　the　way。　You；　Chrysantas；〃　said　he；　〃will　sleep　for　a　few　hours；
and　then　take　half　the　Persians　with　you；　make　for　the　hill　country；
and　seize　the　heights　which　we　hear　are　his　places　of　refuge　when
alarmed。　I　will　give　you　guides。　＇23＇　The　hills；　they　tell　us；　are
covered　with　trees　and　scrub；　so　that　we　may　hope　you　will　escape
unseen：　still　you　might　send　a　handful　of　scouts　ahead　of　you；
disguised　as　a　band　of　robbers。　If　they　should　come　across　any
Armenians　they　can　either　make　them　prisoners　and　prevent　them　from
spreading　the　news；　or　at　least　scare　them　out　of　the　way；　so　that
they　will　not　realise　the　whole　of　your　force；　and　only　take　measures
against　a　pack　of　thieves。　＇24＇　That　is　your　task；　Chrysantas；　and　now
for　mine。　At　break　of　day　I　shall　take　half　the　foot　and　all　the
cavalry　and　march　along　the　level　straight　to　the　king's　residence。　If
he　resists；　we　must　fight；　if　he　retreats　along　the　plain　we　must　run
him　down；　if　he　makes　for　the　mountains；　why　then；〃　said　Cyrus；　〃it
will　be　your　business　to　see　that　none　of　your　visitors　escape。　＇25＇
Think　of　it　as　a　hunt：　we　down　below　are　the　beaters　rounding　up　the
game；　and　you　are　the　men　at　the　nets：　only　bear　in　mind　that　the
earths　must　all　be　stopped　before　the　game　is　up；　and　the　men　at　the
traps　must　be　hidden；　or　they　will　turn　back　the　flying　quarry。　＇26＇
One　last　word；　Chrysantas：　you　must　not　behave　now　as　I　have　known　you
do　in　your　passion　for　the　chase：　you　must　not　sit　up　the　whole　night
long　without　a　wink　of　sleep；　you　must　let　all　your　men　have　the
modicum　of　rest　that　they　cannot　do　without。　＇27＇　Nor　must　youjust
because　you　scour　the　hills　in　the　hunt　without　a　guide；　following　the
lead　of　the　quarry　and　that　alone；　checking　and　changing　course
wherever　it　leads　youyou　must　not　now　plunge　into　the　wildest　paths：
you　must　tell　your　guides　to　take　you　by　the　easiest　road　unless　it　is
much　the　longest。　＇28＇　In　war；　they　say；　the　easiest　way　is　the
quickest。　And　once　more；　because　you　can　race　up　a　mountain　yourself
you　are　not　to　lead　on　your　men　at　the　double；　suit　your　pace　to　the
strength　of　all。　＇29＇　Indeed；　it　were　no　bad　thing　if　some　of　your
best　and　bravest　were　to　fall　behind　here　and　there　and　cheer　the
laggards　on：　and　it　would　quicken　the　pace　of　all；　when　the　column　has
gone　ahead；　to　see　them　racing　back　to　their　places　past　the　marching
files。〃

＇30＇　Chrysantas　listened；　and　his　heart　beat　high　at　the　trust　reposed
in　him。　He　took　the　guides；　and　gave　the　necessary　orders　for　those
who　were　to　march　with　him；　and　then　he　lay　down　to　rest。　And　when　all
his　men　had　had　the　sleep　he　thought　sufficient　he　set　out　for　the
hills。　＇31＇　Day　dawned；　and　Cyrus　sent　a　messenger　to　the　Armenian
with　these　words：　〃Cyrus　bids　you　see　to　it　that　you　bring　your
tribute　and　troops　without　delay。〃　〃And　if　he　asks　you　where　Cyrus　is；
tell　the　truth　and　say　I　am　on　the　frontier。　And　if　he　asks　whether　I
am　advancing　myself；　tell　the　truth　again　and　say　that　you　do　not
know。　And　if　he　enquires　how　many　we　are；　bid　him　send　some　one　with
you　to　find　out。〃

＇32＇　Having　so　charged　the　messenger　he　sent　him　on　forthwith；　holding
this　to　be　more　courteous　than　to　attack　without　warning。　Then　he　drew
up　his　troops　himself　in　the　order　best　suited　for　marching；　and；　if
necessary；　for　fighting；　and　so　set　forth。　The　soldiers　had　orders
that　not　a　soul　was　to　be　wronged；　and　if　they　met　any　Armenians　they
were　to　bid　them　to　have　no　fear；　but　open　a　market　wherever　they
wished；　and　sell　meat　or　drink　as　they　chos