cyropaedia-第31章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


kindnesses　that　he　had　shown　them；　many　could　recall　the　favours　the
boy　had　won　for　them　from　his　grandfather　through　his　sheer　goodness
of　heart；　and　many；　now　that　they　had　seen　the　Hyrcanians　and　heard
say　they　were　leading　them　to　untold　treasures；　went　out　from　simple
love　of　gain。　＇11＇　So　they　sallied　forth；　the　entire　body　of　the
Persians　and　all　the　Medes；　except　those　who　were　quartered　with
Cyaxares：　these　stayed　behind；　and　their　men　with　them。　But　all　the
rest　went　out　with　radiant　faces　and　eager　hearts；　not　following　him
from　constraint；　but　offering　willing　service　in　their　gratitude。　＇12＇
So；　as　soon　as　they　were　well　afield；　Cyrus　went　to　the　Medes　and
thanked　them；　praying　that　the　gods　in　their　mercy　might　guide　them
all；　and　that　he　himself　might　have　power　given　him　to　reward　their
zeal。　He　ended　by　saying　that　the　infantry　would　lead　the　van；　while
they　would　follow　with　the　cavalry；　and　whenever　the　column　halted　on
the　march　they　were　to　send　him　gallopers　to　receive　his　orders。　＇13＇
Then　he　bade　the　Hyrcanians　lead　the　way；　but　they　exclaimed；　〃What？
Are　you　not　going　to　wait　until　we　bring　the　hostages？　Then　you　could
begin　the　march　with　pledges　from　us　in　return　for　yours。〃

But　he　answered；　as　the　story　says；　〃If　I　am　not　mistaken；　we　hold　the
pledges　now；　in　our　own　hearts　and　our　own　right　hands。　We　believe
that　if　you　are　true　to　us　we　can　do　you　service；　and　if　you　play　us
false；　you　will　not　have　us　at　your　mercy；　God　willing；　we　shall　hold
you　at　ours。　Nevertheless；〃　he　added；　〃since　you　tell　us　your　own　folk
follow　in　the　Assyrian　rear；　point　them　out　to　us　as　soon　as　you　set
eyes　upon　them；　that　we　may　spare　their　lives。〃

＇14＇　When　the　Hyrcanians　heard　this　they　led　the　way　as　he　ordered；
marvelling　at　his　strength　of　soul。　Their　own　fear　of　the　Assyrians；
the　Lydians；　and　their　allies；　had　altogether　gone；　their　dread　now
was　lest　Cyrus　should　regard　themselves　as　mere　dust　in　the　balance；
and　count　it　of　no　importance　whether　they　stayed　with　him　or　not。

＇15＇　As　night　closed　in　on　their　march；　the　legend　runs　that　a　strange
light　shone　out；　far　off　in　the　sky；　upon　Cyrus　and　his　host；　filling
them　with　awe　of　the　heavenly　powers　and　courage　to　meet　the　foe。
Marching　as　they　did；　their　loins　girt　and　their　pace　swift；　they
covered　a　long　stretch　of　road　in　little　time；　and　with　the　half　light
of　the　morning　they　were　close　to　the　Hyrcanian　rear…guard。　＇16＇　As
soon　as　the　guides　saw　it；　they　told　Cyrus　that　these　were　their　own
men：　they　knew　this；　they　added；　from　the　number　of　their　fires；　and
the　fact　that　they　were　in　the　rear。　＇17＇　Therefore　Cyrus　sent　one　of
the　guides　to　them；　bidding　them　come　out　at　once；　if　they　were
friendly；　with　their　right　hands　raised。　And　he　sent　one　of　his　own
men　also　to　say；　〃According　as　you　make　your　approach；　so　shall　we
Persians　comport　ourselves。〃

Thus　one　of　the　two　messengers　stayed　with　Cyrus　while　the　other　rode
up　to　his　fellows。　＇18＇　Cyrus　halted　his　army　to　watch　what　the　tribe
would　do；　and　Tigranes　and　the　Median　officers　rode　along　the　ranks　to
ask　for　orders。　Cyrus　explained　that　the　troops　nearest　to　them　were
the　Hyrcanians；　and　that　one　of　the　ambassadors　had　gone；　and　a
Persian　with　him；　to　bid　them　come　out　at　once；　if　they　were　friendly；
with　their　right　hands　raised。　〃If　they　do　so；〃　he　added；　〃you　must
welcome　them　as　they　come；　each　of　you　at　your　post；　and　take　them　by
the　hand　and　encourage　them；　but　if　they　draw　sword　or　try　to　escape；
you　must　make　an　example　of　them：　not　a　man　of　them　must　be　left。〃

Such　were　his　orders。　＇19＇　However；　as　soon　as　the　Hyrcanians　heard
the　message；　they　were　overjoyed：　springing　to　their　steeds　they
galloped　up　to　Cyrus；　holding　out　their　right　hands　as　he　had　bidden。
Then　the　Medes　and　Persians　gave　them　the　right　hand　of　fellowship　in
return；　and　bade　them　be　of　courage。　＇20＇　And　Cyrus　spoke：

〃Sons　of　the　Hyrcanians；　we　have　shown　our　trust　in　you　already；　and
you　must　trust　us　in　return。　And　now　tell　me；　how　far　from　here　do　the
Assyrian　headquarters　lie；　and　their　main　body？〃　〃About　four　miles
hence；〃　they　answered。

＇21＇　〃Forward　then；　my　men；〃　said　Cyrus；　〃Persians；　Medes；　and
Hyrcanians。　I　have　learnt　already；　you　see；　to　call　you　friends　and
comrades。　All　of　you　must　remember　that　the　moment　has　come　when；　if
hand　falters　or　heart　fails；　we　meet　with　utter　disaster：　our　enemies
know　why　we　are　here。　But　if　we　summon　our　strength　and　charge　home；
you　shall　see　them　caught　like　a　pack　of　runaway　slaves；　some　on　their
knees；　others　in　full　flight；　and　the　rest　unable　to　do　even　so　much
for　themselves。　They　are　beaten　already；　and　they　will　see　their
conquerors　fall　on　them　before　they　dream　of　an　approach；　before　their
ranks　are　formed　or　their　preparations　made；　and　the　sight　will
paralyse　them。　＇22＇　If　we　wish　to　sleep　and　eat　and　live　in　peace　and
happiness　from　this　time　forth；　let　us　not　give　them　leisure　to　take
counsel　or　arrange　defence；　or　so　much　as　see　that　we　are　men；　and　not
a　storm　of　shields　and　battle…axes　and　flashing　swords；　sweeping　on
them　in　one　rain　of　blows。　＇23＇　You　Hyrcanians　must　go　in　front　of　us
as　a　screen；　that　we　may　lie　behind　you　as　long　as　may　be。　And　as　soon
as　I　close　with　them；　you　must　give　me；　each　of　you；　a　squadron　of
horse；　to　use　in　case　of　need　while　I　am　waiting　at　the　camp。　＇24＇　I
would　advise　the　older　men　among　you　and　the　officers；　to　ride　in
close　order；　so　that　your　ranks　should　not　be　broken；　if　you　come
across　a　compact　body　of　the　foe；　let　the　younger　men　give　chase；　and
do　the　killing；　our　safest　plan　to…day　is　to　leave　as　few　of　the　enemy
alive　as　possible。　＇25＇　And　if　we　conquer；〃　he　added；　〃we　must　beware
of　what　has　overset　the　fortune　of　many　a　conqueror　ere　now；　I　mean
the　lust　for　plunder。　The　man　who　plunders　is　no　longer　a　man；　he　is　a
machine　for　porterage；　and　all　who　list　may　treat　him　as　a　slave。　＇26＇
One　thing　we　must　bear　in　mind：　nothing　can　bring　such　gain　as
victory；　at　one　clutch　the　victor　seizes　all；　men　and　women；　and
wealth；　and　territory。　Therefore　make　it　your　one　object　to　secure　the
victory；　if　he　is　conquered；　the　greatest　plunderer　is　caught。　One
more　wordremember；　even　in　the　heat　of　pursuit　to　rejoin　me　while　it
is　still　daylight；　for　when　darkness　has　fallen　we　will　not　admit　a
soul　within　the　lines。〃

＇27＇　With　these　words　he　sent　them　off　to　their　appointed　stations；
bidding　them　repeat　his　instructions　on　the　way　to　their　own
lieutenants；　who　were　posted　in　front　to　receive　the　orders；　and　make
each　of　them　pass　down　the　word　to　his　own　file　of　ten。　Thereupon　the
advance　began；　the　Hyrcanians　leading　off；　Cyrus　holding　the　centre
himself；　marching　with　his　Persians；　and　the　cavalry　in　the　usual　way；
drawn　up　on　either　flank。

＇28＇　As　the　day　broke　the　enemy　saw　them　for　the　first　time：　some
simply　stared　at　what　was　happening；　others　began　to　realise　the
truth；　calling　and　shouting　to　each　other；　unfastening　their　horses；
getting　their　goods　together；　tearing　what　they　needed　off　the　beasts
of　burden；　and　others　arming　themselves；　harnessing　their　steeds；
leaping　to　horse；　others　helping　the　women　into　their　carriages；　or
seizing　their　valuables；　some　caught　in　the　act　of　burying　them；
others；　and　by　far　the　greatest　number；　in　sheer　headlong　flight。　Many
and　divers　were　their　shifts；　as　one　may　well　conceive；　save　only　that
not　one　man　stood　at　bay：　they　perished　without　a　blow。　＇29＇　Now
Croesus；　king　of　Lydia；　seeing　that　it　was　summer…time；　had　sent　his
women　on　during　the　night；　so　that　they　might　travel　more　pleasantly
in　the　cool；　and　he　himself　had　followed　with　his　cavalry　to　escort
them。　＇30＇　The　Lord　of　Hellespontine　Phrygia；　it　is　said；　had　done　the
same。　And　these　two；　when　they　heard　what　was　happening　from　the
fugitives　who　overtook　them；　fled　for　their　lives　with　the　rest。　＇31＇
But　it　was　otherwise　with　the　kings　of　Cappadocia　and　Arabia；　they　had
not　gone　far；　and　they　stood　their　ground；　but　they　had　not　even　time
to　put　on　their　corslets；　and　were　cut　down　by　the　Hyrcanians。　Indeed；
the　mass　of　those　who　fell　were　Assyrians　and　Arabians；　for；　being　in
their