cyropaedia-第50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！


stand　together　we　give　our　enemy　more　trouble　than　we　get：　but　when　we
stood　alone　it　was　they　who　dealt　with　us　as　they　liked　best　and　we
liked　least。〃

＇8＇　Then　the　Cadousian　followed。

〃The　less　we　talk；〃　said　he；　〃about　breaking…up　and　going　home
separately　the　better；　separation　has　done　us　anything　but　good；　it
seems　to　me；　even　on　the　march。　My　men　and　I；　at　any　rate；　very　soon
paid　the　penalty　for　private　excursions；　as　I　dare　say　you　have　not
forgotten。〃

＇9＇　Upon　that　Artabazus　rode；　the　Mede　who　had　claimed　kinship　with
Cyrus　in　the　old　days。

〃Cyaxares；〃　said　he；　〃in　one　respect　I　differ　from　those　who　have
spoken　before　me：　they　think　we　should　stay　here　in　order　to　go　on
with　the　campaign；　but　I　think　I　am　always　on　campaign　at　home。　＇10＇　I
was　for　ever　out　on　some　expedition　or　other；　because　our　people　were
being　harried；　or　our　fortresses　threatened；　and　a　world　of　trouble　I
had；　what　with　fears　within　and　fighting　without；　and　all　too　at　my
own　expense。　As　it　is　now；　I　occupy　the　enemy's　forts；　my　fear　of　them
is　gone；　I　make　good　cheer　on　their　own　good　things；　and　I　drink　their
own　good　wine。　Since　home　means　fighting　and　service　here　means
feasting；　I　am　not　in　favour　myself；〃　said　he；　〃of　breaking　up　the
company。〃

＇11＇　Then　Gobryas　spoke。

〃Friends；〃　said　he；　〃I　have　trusted　Cyrus'　word　and　had　no　fault　to
find　with　him：　what　he　promises　that　he　performs：　but　if　he　leaves　the
country　now；　the　Assyrian　will　be　reprieved；　he　will　never　be　punished
for　the　wrongs　he　tried　to　inflict　on　you　and　did　inflict　on　me：　I
shall　be　punished　instead；　because　I　have　been　your　friend。〃

＇12＇　At　that　Cyrus　rose　at　last　and　said：

〃Gentlemen；　I　am　well　aware　that　the　disbanding　of　our　forces　must
mean　the　decrease　of　our　power　and　the　increase　of　theirs。　If　some　of
them　have　given　up　their　weapons；　they　will　soon　procure　others；　if
some　have　lost　their　horses；　the　loss　will　soon　be　made　good；　if　some
have　fallen　in　battle；　others；　younger　and　stronger；　will　take　their
place。　We　need　not　be　surprised　if　they　are　soon　in　a　condition　to
cause　us　trouble　again。　＇13＇　Why；　then；　did　I　ask　Cyaxares　to　put　the
question　to　debate？　Because；　I　answer；　I　am　afraid　of　the　future。　I
see　opponents　against　us　whom　we　cannot　fight；　if　we　conduct　the
campaign　as　we　are　doing　now。　＇14＇　Winter　is　advancing　against　us；　and
though　we　may　have　shelter　for　ourselves　we　have　nothing；　heaven
knows；　for　our　horses　and　our　servants　and　the　great　mass　of　our
soldiery；　without　whom　we　cannot　even　think　of　a　campaign。　As　to
provisions；　up　to　the　limits　of　our　advance　and　because　of　that
advance　they　have　been　exhausted；　and　beyond　that　line；　owing　to　the
terror　we　inspire；　the　inhabitants　will　have　stowed　their　supplies
away　in　strong　places　where　they　can　enjoy　them　and　we　cannot　get
them。　＇15＇　Where　is　the　warrior；　stout　of　heart　and　strong　of　will；
who　can　wage　war　with　cold　and　hunger？　If　our　style　of　soldiering　is
to　be　only　what　it　has　been；　I　say　we　ought　to　disband　at　once　of　our
own　accord；　and　not　wait　to　be　driven　from　the　field　against　our　will
by　sheer　lack　of　means。　If　we　do　wish　to　go　forward；　this　is　what　we
must　do：　we　must　detach　from　the　enemy　all　the　fortresses　we　can　and
secure　all　we　can　for　our　own：　if　this　is　done；　the　larger　supply　will
be　in　the　hands　of　those　who　can　stow　away　the　larger　store；　and　the
weaker　will　suffer　siege。　＇16＇　At　present　we　are　like　mariners　on　the
ocean：　they　may　sail　on　for　ever；　but　the　seas　they　have　crossed　are
no　more　theirs　than　those　that　are　still　unsailed。　But　if　we　hold　the
fortresses；　the　enemy　will　find　they　are　living　in　a　hostile　land；
while　we　have　halcyon　weather。　＇17＇　Some　of　you　may　dread　the　thought
of　garrison　duty　far　from　home；　if　so；　dispel　your　doubts。　We
Persians；　who　must；　as　it　is；　be　exiles　for　the　time；　will　undertake
the　positions　that　are　nearest　to　the　foe；　while　it　will　be　for　you　to
occupy　the　land　on　the　marches　between　Assyria　and　yourselves　and　put
it　under　tillage。　＇18＇　For；　if　we　can　hold　his　inner　line；　your　peace
will　not　be　disturbed　in　the　outlying　parts：　he　will　scarcely　neglect
the　danger　at　his　door　to　attack　you　out　in　the　distance。〃

＇19＇　At　this　the　whole　assembly　rose　to　express　their　eagerness　and
assent；　and　Cyaxares　stood　up　with　them。　And　both　Gadatas　and　Gobryas
offered　to　fortify　a　post　if　the　allies　wished；　and　thus　provide　two
cities　of　refuge　to　start　with。

＇20＇　Finally　Cyrus；　thus　assured　of　the　general　consent　to　his
proposals；　said；　〃If　we　really　wish　to　carry　out　what　we　have　set
ourselves；　we　must　prepare　battering…rams　and　siege　engines；　and　get
together　mechanics　and　builders　for　our　own　castles。〃　＇21＇　Thereupon
Cyaxares　at　once　undertook　to　provide　an　engine　at　his　own　expense；
Gadatas　and　Gobryas　made　themselves　responsible　for　a　second；　Tigranes
for　a　third；　and　Cyrus　himself　promised　he　would　try　to　furnish　two。
＇22＇　That　done；　every　one　set　to　work　to　find　engineers　and　artisans
and　to　collect　material　for　the　machines；　and　superintendents　were
appointed　from　those　best　qualified　for　the　work。

＇23＇　Now　Cyrus　was　aware　that　all　this　would　take　some　time；　and
therefore　he　encamped　his　troops　in　the　healthiest　spot　he　could　find
and　the　easiest　to　supply；　strengthening；　wherever　necessary；　the
natural　defences　of　the　place；　so　that　the　detachment　left　in　charge
for　the　time　should　always　be　in　complete　security；　even　though　he
might　be　absent　himself　with　the　main　body　of　his　force。　＇24＇　Nor　was
this　all；　he　questioned　those　who　knew　the　country　best；　and；　learning
where　he　would　be　rewarded　for　his　pains；　he　would　lead　his　men　out　to
forage；　and　thus　procure　as　large　supplies　as　possible；　keep　his
soldiers　in　the　best　of　health　and　strength；　and　fix　their　drill　in
their　minds。

＇25＇　So　Cyrus　spent　his　days；　and　meanwhile　the　deserters　from　Babylon
and　the　prisoners　who　were　captured　all　told　the　same　story：　they　said
that　the　king　had　gone　off　to　Lydia；　taking　with　him　store　of　gold　and
silver；　and　riches　and　treasures　of　every　kind。　＇26＇　The　mass　of　the
soldiers　were　convinced　that　he　was　storing　his　goods　away　from　fear；
but　Cyrus　knew　that　he　must　have　gone　to　raise；　if　possible；　an
opponent　who　could　face　them；　and　therefore　he　pushed　his　preparations
forward　vigorously；　feeling　that　another　battle　must　be　fought。　He
filled　up　the　Persian　cavalry　to　its　full　complement；　getting　the
horses　partly　from　the　prisoners；　partly　from　his　own　friends。　There
were　two　gifts　he　would　never　refuse；　horses　and　good　weapons。　＇27＇　He
also　procured　chariots；　taking　them　from　the　enemy　or　wherever　he
could　find　them。　The　old　Trojan　type　of　charioteering；　still　in　use　to
this　day　among　the　Cyrenaeans；　he　abolished；　before　his　time　the
Medes；　the　Syrians；　the　Arabians；　and　all　Asiatics　generally；　used
their　chariots　in　the　same　way　as　the　Cyrenaeans　do　now。　＇28＇　The
fault　of　the　system　to　his　mind　was　that　the　very　flower　of　the　army；
if　the　picked　men　were　in　the　chariots；　could　only　act　at　long　range
and　so　contribute　little　after　all　to　the　victory。　Three　hundred
chariots　meant　twelve　hundred　horses　and　three　hundred　fighting…men；
besides　the　charioteers；　who　would　naturally　be　men　above　the　common；
in　whom　the　warriors　could　place　confidence：　and　that　meant　another
three　hundred　debarred　from　injuring　the　enemy　in　any　kind　of　way。
＇29＇　Such　was　the　system　he　abolished　in　favour　of　the　war…chariot
proper；　with　strong　wheels　to　resist　the　shock　of　collision；　and　long
axles；　on　the　principle　that　a　broad　base　is　the　firmer；　while　the
driver's　seat　was　changed　into　what　might　be　called　a　turret；　stoutly
built　of　timber　and　reaching　up　to　the　elbow；　leaving　the　driver　room
to　manage　the　horses　above　the　rim。　The　drivers　themselves　were　all
fully　armed；　only　their　eyes　uncovered。　＇30＇　He　had　iron　scythes　about
two　feet　long　attached　to　the　axles　on　either　side；　and　others；　under
the　tree；　pointing　to　the　ground；　for　use　in　a　charge。　Such　was　the
type　of　chariot　invented　by　Cyrus；　and　it　is　still　in　use　to…day　among
the　subjects　of　the　Great　King。　Beside　the　chariots　he　had　a　large
number　of　camels；　collected　from　his　frie