cyropaedia-第53章

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had　better　leave　us。　Let　him　join　our　opponents；　he　will　do　us　far
more　service　there　than　here。〃

＇21＇　When　Cyrus　had　ended；　Chrysantas　the　Persian　stood　up　and　said：

〃Cyrus；　you　must　not　wonder　if　the　faces　of　some　were　clouded　when
they　heard　the　news。　The　cloud　was　a　sign　of　annoyance；　not　of　fear。
Just　as　if；〃　he　went　on；　〃a　company　were　expecting　breakfast
immediately；　and　then　were　told　there　was　some　business　that　must　be
got　through　first；　I　do　not　suppose　any　of　them　would　be　particularly
pleased。　Here　we　were；　saying　to　ourselves　that　our　fortunes　were
made；　and　now　we　are　informed　there　is　still　something　to　be　done；　and
of　course　our　countenances　fell；　not　because　we　were　afraid；　but
because　we　could　have　wished　it　all　over　and　done　with。　＇22＇　However；
since　it　now　appears　that　Syria　is　not　to　be　the　only　prizethough
there　is　much　to　be　got　in　Syria；　flocks　and　herds　and　corn　and　palm…
trees　yielding　fruitbut　Lydia　as　well；　Lydia　the　land　of　wine　and
oil　and　fig…trees；　Lydia；　to　whose　shores　the　sea　brings　more　good
things　than　eyes　can　feast　on；　I　say　that　once　we　realise　this　we　can
mope　no　longer；　our　spirits　will　rise　apace；　and　we　shall　hasten　to
lay　our　hands　on　the　Lydian　wealth　without　delay。〃

So　he　spoke；　and　the　allies　were　well　pleased　at　his　words　and　gave
him　loud　applause。

＇23＇　〃Truly；　gentlemen；〃　said　Cyrus；　〃as　Chrysantas　says；　I　think　we
ought　to　march　without　delay；　if　only　to　be　beforehand　with　our　foes；
and　reach　their　magazines　before　they　do　themselves；　and　besides；　the
quicker　we　are；　the　fewer　resources　we　shall　find　with　them。　＇24＇　That
is　how　I　put　the　matter；　but　if　any　one　sees　a　safer　or　an　easier　way；
let　him　instruct　us。〃

But　many　speakers　followed；　all　urging　an　immediate　march；　without　one
speech　in　opposition；　and　so　Cyrus　took　up　the　word　again　and　said：

＇25＇　〃My　friends　and　allies；　God　helping　us；　our　hearts；　our　bodies；
and　our　weapons　have　now　been　long　prepared：　all　that　remains　is　to
get　together　what　we　need　for　ourselves　and　our　animals　on　a　march　of
at　least　twenty　days。　I　reckon　that　the　journey　itself　must　take　more
than　fifteen；　and　not　a　vestige　of　food　shall　we　find　from　end　to　end。
It　has　all　been　made　away　with；　partly　by　ourselves；　partly　by　our
foes；　so　far　as　they　could。　＇26＇　We　must　collect　enough　corn；　without
which　one　can　neither　fight　nor　live：　and　as　for　wine；　every　man　must
carry　just　so　much　as　will　accustom　him　to　drink　water：　the　greater
part　of　the　country　will　be　absolutely　devoid　of　wine；　and　the　largest
supply　we　could　take　with　us　would　not　hold　out。　＇27＇　But　to　avoid　too
sudden　a　change　and　the　sickness　that　might　follow；　this　is　what　we
must　do。　We　must　begin　by　taking　water　with　our　food：　we　can　do　this
without　any　great　change　in　our　habits。　＇28＇　For　every　one　who　eats
porridge　has　the　oatmeal　mixed　with　water；　and　every　one　who　eats
bread　has　the　wheat　soaked　in　water；　and　all　boiled　meat　is　prepared
in　water。　We　shall　not　miss　the　wine　if　we　drink　a　little　after　the
meal　is　done。　＇29＇　Then　we　must　gradually　lessen　the　amount；　until　we
find　that；　without　knowing　it；　we　have　become　water…drinkers。　Gradual
change　enables　every　creature　to　go　through　a　complete　conversion；　and
this　is　taught　us　by　God；　who　leads　us　little　by　little　out　of　winter
until　we　can　bear　the　blazing　heat　of　summer；　and　out　of　heat　back
again　into　the　depths　of　winter。　So　should　we　follow　God；　and　take　one
step　after　another　until　we　reach　our　goal。　＇30＇　What　you　might　spend
on　heavy　rugs　and　coverlets　spend　rather　on　food：　any　superfluity
there　will　not　be　wasted：　and　you　will　not　sleep　less　soundly　for　lack
of　bedclothes；　if　you　do；　I　give　you　leave　to　blame　me。　But　with
clothing　the　case　is　different：　a　man　can　hardly　have　too　much　of　that
in　sickness　or　in　health。　＇31＇　And　for　seasoning　you　should　take　what
is　sharp　and　dry　and　salted；　for　such　meats　are　more　appetising　and
more　satisfying。　And　since　we　may　come　into　districts　as　yet　unravaged
where　we　may　find　growing　corn；　we　ought　to　take　handmills　for
grinding：　these　are　the　lightest　machines　for　the　purpose。　＇32＇　Nor
must　we　forget　to　supply　ourselves　with　medicinesthey　are　small　in
bulk　and；　if　need　arises；　invaluable。　And　we　ought　to　have　a　large
supply　of　strapsI　wonder　what　is　not　fastened　by　a　strap　to　man　or
horse？　But　straps　wear　out　and　get　broken　and　then　things　are　at　a
standstill　unless　there　are　spare　ones　to　be　had。　＇33＇　Some　of　you
have　learnt　to　shave　spears；　so　that　it　would　be　as　well　not　to　forget
a　plane；　and　also　to　carry　a　rasp；　for　the　man　who　sharpens　a
spearhead　will　sharpen　his　spirit　too。　He　will　feel　ashamed　to　whet
the　edge　and　be　a　coward。　And　we　must　take　plenty　of　timber　for
chariots　and　waggons；　there　is　bound　to　be　many　a　breakdown　on　the
road。　＇34＇　Also　we　shall　need　the　most　necessary　tools　for　repairs；
since　smiths　and　carpenters　are　not　to　be　found　at　every　turn；　but
there　are　few　who　cannot　patch　up　a　makeshift　for　the　time。　Then　there
should　be　a　mattock　and　a　shovel　apiece　for　every　waggon；　and　on　every
beast　of　burden　a　billhook　and　an　axe；　always　useful　to　the　owner　and
sometimes　a　boon　to　all。　＇35＇　The　provisions　must　be　seen　to　by　the
officers　of　the　fighting…line；　they　must　inspect　the　men　under　their
command　and　see　that　nothing　is　omitted　which　any　man　requires；　the
omission　would　be　felt　by　us　all。　Those　of　you　who　are　in　command　of
the　baggage…train　will　inspect　what　I　have　ordered　for　the　animals　and
insist　upon　every　man　being　provided　who　is　not　already　supplied。　＇36＇
You；　gentlemen；　who　are　in　command　of　the　road…makers；　you　have　the
lists　of　the　soldiers　I　have　disqualified　from　serving　as　javelin…men；
bowmen；　or　slingers；　and　you　will　make　the　old　javelin　men　march　with
axes　for　felling　timber；　the　bowmen　with　mattocks；　and　the　slingers
with　shovels。　They　will　advance　by　squads　in　front　of　the　waggons　so
that　if　there　is　any　road…making　to　be　done　you　may　set　to　work　at
once；　and　in　case　of　need　I　may　know　where　to　get　the　men　I　want。　＇37＇
I　mean　also　to　take　a　corps　of　smiths；　carpenters；　and　cobblers；　men
of　military　age；　provided　with　the　proper　tools；　to　supply　any
possible　need。　These　men　will　not　be　in　the　fighting…line；　but　they
will　have　a　place　assigned　to　them　where　they　can　be　hired　by　any　one
who　likes。　＇38＇　If　any　huckster　wishes　to　follow　the　army　with　his
wares；　he　may　do　so；　but　if　caught　selling　anything　during　the　fifteen
days　for　which　provisions　have　been　ordered；　he　will　be　deprived　of
all　his　goods：　after　the　fifteen　days　are　done　he　may　sell　what　he
likes。　Any　merchant　who　offers　us　a　well…stocked　market　will　receive
recompense　and　honour　from　the　allies　and　myself。　＇39＇　And　if　any　one
needs　an　advance　of　money　for　trading；　he　must　send　me　guarantors　who
will　undertake　that　he　will　march　with　the　army；　and　then　he　can　draw
on　our　funds。　These　are　the　general　orders：　and　I　will　ask　any　of　you
who　think　that　anything　has　been　omitted　to　point　it　out　to　me。　＇40＇
You　will　now　go　back　to　your　quarters　and　make　your　preparations；　and
while　you　do　so　I　will　offer　sacrifice　for　our　journey　and　when　the
signs　are　favourable　we　will　give　the　signal。　At　that　you　must　present
yourselves；　with　everything　I　have　ordered；　at　the　appointed　place；
under　your　own　officers。　＇41＇　And　you；　gentlemen；〃　said　he；　turning　to
the　officers；　〃when　your　divisions　are　all　in　line；　you　will　come　to
me　in　a　body　to　receive　your　final　orders。〃

＇C。3＇　With　these　instructions　the　army　went　to　make　their　preparations
while　Cyrus　offered　sacrifice。

As　soon　as　the　victims　were　favourable；　he　set　out　with　his　force。

On　the　first　day　they　encamped　as　near　by　as　possible；　so　that
anything　left　behind　could　easily　be　fetched　and　any　omission　readily
supplied。　＇2＇　Cyaxares　stayed　in　Media　with　a　third　of　the　Median
troops　in　order　not　to　leave　their　own　country　undefended。　Cyrus
himself　pushed　forward　with　all　possible　speed；　keeping　his　cavalry　in
the　van　and　constantly　sending　explorers　and　scouts　ahead　to　some
look…out。　Behind　the　cavalry　came　the　baggage；　and　on　the　plains　he
had　long　strings　of　waggons　and　beasts　of　burden；　and　the　main　army
beh