cyropaedia-第61章

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men　on　either　side。　Thus　confronted　with　each　other　they　were　more
than　a　little　vexed；　and　both　imagined　they　had　been　cheated。　＇5＇
However；　Adousius　began：

〃Gentlemen；　I　took　an　oath　to　you　that　I　would　enter　your　walls
without　fraud　or　guile　and　for　the　welfare　of　those　who　received　me。
Now　if　I　am　forced　to　destroy　either　of　you；　I　am　persuaded　I　shall
have　entered　to　the　detriment　of　the　Carians。　But　if　I　give　you　peace；
so　that　you　can　till　your　lands　in　safety；　I　imagine　I　shall　have　come
for　your　welfare。　Therefore　from　this　day　forwards　you　must　meet　on
friendly　terms；　cultivate　your　fields　without　fear；　give　your　children
to　each　other；　and　if　any　one　offends　against　these　laws；　Cyrus　and
ourselves　will　be　his　enemies。〃

＇6＇　At　that　the　city　gates　were　flung　wide　open；　the　roads　were　filled
with　folk　hurrying　to　one　another；　the　fields　were　thronged　with
labourers。　They　held　high　festival　together；　and　the　land　was　full　of
peace　and　joyfulness。

＇7＇　Meanwhile　messengers　came　from　Cyrus　inquiring　whether　there　was
need　for　more　troops　or　siege…engines；　but　Adousius　answered；　on　the
contrary　his　present　force　was　at　Cyrus'　service　to　employ　elsewhere
if　he　wished；　and　so　drew　off　his　army；　only　leaving　a　garrison　in　the
citadels。　Thereupon　the　Carians　implored　him　to　remain；　and　when　he
would　not；　they　sent　to　Cyrus　begging　him　to　make　Adousius　their
satrap。

＇8＇　Meanwhile　Cyrus　had　sent　Hystaspas　with　an　army　into　Phrygia　on
the　Hellespont；　and　when　Adousius　came　back　he　bade　him　follow；　for
the　Phrygians　would　be　more　willing　to　obey　Hystaspas　if　they　heard
that　another　army　was　advancing。

＇9＇　Now　the　Hellenes　on　the　seaboard　offered　many　gifts　and　bargained
not　to　receive　the　Asiatics　within　their　walls；　but　only　to　pay
tribute　and　serve　wherever　Cyrus　commanded。　＇10＇　But　the　king　of
Phrygia　made　preparations　to　hold　his　fortresses　and　not　yield；　and
sent　out　orders　to　that　effect。　However；　when　his　lieutenants　deserted
him　and　he　found　himself　all　alone；　he　had　to　put　himself　in　the　hands
of　Hystaspas；　and　leave　his　fate　to　the　judgment　of　Cyrus。　Then
Hystaspas　stationed　strong　Persian　garrisons　in　all　the　citadels；　and
departed；　taking　with　him　not　only　his　own　troops　but　many　mounted　men
and　targeteers　from　Phrygia。　＇11＇　And　Cyrus　sent　word　to　Adousius　to
join　Hystaspas；　put　himself　at　the　head　of　those　who　had　submitted　and
allow　them　to　retain　their　arms；　while　those　who　showed　a　disposition
to　resist　were　to　be　deprived　of　their　horses　and　their　weapons　and
made　to　follow　the　army　as　slingers。

＇12＇　While　his　lieutenants　were　thus　employed；　Cyrus　set　out　from
Sardis；　leaving　a　large　force　of　infantry　to　garrison　the　place；　and
taking　Croesus　with　him；　and　a　long　train　of　waggons　laden　with　riches
of　every　kind。　Croesus　presented　an　accurate　inventory　of　everything
in　each　waggon；　and　said；　as　he　delivered　the　scrolls：

〃With　these　in　your　possession；　Cyrus；　you　can　tell　whether　your
officers　are　handing　over　their　freights　in　full　or　not。〃

＇13＇　And　Cyrus　answered：

〃It　was　kindly　done；　Croesus；　on　your　part；　to　take　thought　for　this：
but　I　have　arranged　that　the　freights　should　be　in　charge　of　those　who
are　entitled　to　them；　so　that　if　the　men　steal；　they　steal　their　own
property。〃

With　these　words　he　handed　the　documents　to　his　friends　and　officers
to　serve　as　checks　on　their　own　stewards。

＇14＇　Cyrus　also　took　Lydians　in　his　train；　allowing　some　to　carry
arms；　those；　namely；　who　were　at　pains　to　keep　their　weapons　in　good
order；　and　their　horses　and　chariots；　and　who　did　their　best　to　please
him；　but　if　they　gave　themselves　ungracious　airs；　he　took　away　their
horses　and　bestowed　them　on　the　Persians　who　had　served　him　from　the
beginning　of　the　campaign；　burnt　their　weapons；　and　forced　them　to
follow　the　army　as　slingers。　＇15＇　Indeed；　as　a　rule；　he　compelled　all
the　subject　population　who　had　been　disarmed　to　practise　the　use　of
the　sling：　it　was；　he　considered；　a　weapon　for　slaves。　No　doubt　there
are　occasions　when　a　body　of　slingers；　working　with　other　detachments；
can　do　excellent　service；　but；　taken　alone；　not　all　the　slingers　in
the　world　could　face　a　mere　handful　armed　with　steel。

＇16＇　Cyrus　was　marching　to　Babylon；　but　on　his　way　he　subdued　the
Phrygians　of　Greater　Phrygia　and　the　Cappadocians；　and　reduced　the
Arabians　to　subjection。　These　successes　enabled　him　to　increase　his
Persian　cavalry　till　it　was　not　far　short　of　forty　thousand　men；　and
he　had　still　horses　left　over　to　distribute　among　his　allies　at　large。

At　length　he　came　before　Babylon　with　an　immense　body　of　cavalry；
archers；　and　javelin…men；　beside　slingers　innumerable。

＇C。5＇　When　Cyrus　reached　the　city　he　surrounded　it　entirely　with　his
forces；　and　then　rode　round　the　walls　himself；　attended　by　his　friends
and　the　leading　officers　of　the　allies。　＇2＇　Having　surveyed　the
fortifications；　he　prepared　to　lead　off　his　troops；　and　at　that　moment
a　deserter　came　to　inform　him　that　the　Assyrians　intended　to　attack　as
soon　as　he　began　to　withdraw；　for　they　had　inspected　his　forces　from
the　walls　and　considered　them　very　weak。　This　was　not　surprising；　for
the　circuit　of　the　city　was　so　enormous　that　it　was　impossible　to
surround　it　without　seriously　thinning　the　lines。　＇3＇　When　Cyrus　heard
of　their　intention；　he　took　up　his　post　in　the　centre　of　his　troops
with　his　own　staff　round　him　and　sent　orders　to　the　infantry　for　the
wings　to　double　back　on　either　side；　marching　past　the　stationary
centre　of　the　line；　until　they　met　in　the　rear　exactly　opposite
himself。　＇4＇　Thus　the　men　in　front　were　immediately　encouraged　by　the
doubling　of　their　depth；　and　those　who　retired　were　equally　cheered；
for　they　saw　that　the　others　would　encounter　the　enemy　first。　The　two
wings　being　united；　the　power　of　the　whole　force　was　strengthened；
those　behind　being　protected　by　those　in　front　and　those　in　front
supported　by　those　behind。　＇5＇　When　the　phalanx　was　thus　folded　back
on　itself；　both　the　front　and　the　rear　ranks　were　formed　of　picked
men；　a　disposition　that　seemed　calculated　to　encourage　valour　and
check　flight。　On　the　flanks；　the　cavalry　and　the　light　infantry　were
drawn　nearer　and　nearer　to　the　commander　as　the　line　contracted。　＇6＇
When　the　whole　phalanx　was　in　close　order；　they　fell　back　from　the
walls；　slowly；　facing　the　foe；　until　they　were　out　of　range；　then　they
turned；　marched　a　few　paces；　and　then　wheeled　round　again　to　the　left；
and　halted；　facing　the　walls；　but　the　further　they　got　the　less　often
they　paused；　until；　feeling　themselves　secure；　they　quickened　their
pace　and　went　off　in　an　uninterrupted　march　until　they　reached　their
quarters。

＇7＇　When　they　were　encamped；　Cyrus　called　a　council　of　his　officers
and　said；　〃My　friends　and　allies；　we　have　surveyed　the　city　on　every
side；　and　for　my　part　I　fail　to　see　any　possibility　of　taking　by
assault　walls　so　lofty　and　so　strong：　on　the　other　hand；　the　greater
the　population　the　more　quickly　must　they　yield　to　hunger；　unless　they
come　out　to　fight。　If　none　of　you　have　any　other　scheme　to　suggest；　I
propose　that　we　reduce　them　by　blockade。〃

＇8＇　Then　Chrysantas　spoke：

〃Does　not　the　river　flow　through　the　middle　of　the　city；　and　it　is　not
at　least　a　quarter　of　a　mile　in　width？〃

〃To　be　sure　it　is；〃　answered　Gobryas；　〃and　so　deep　that　the　water
would　cover　two　men；　one　standing　on　the　other's　shoulders；　in　fact
the　city　is　even　better　protected　by　its　river　than　by　its　walls。〃

＇9＇　At　which　Cyrus　said；　〃Well；　Chrysantas；　we　must　forego　what　is
beyond　our　power：　but　let　us　measure　off　at　once　the　work　for　each　of
us；　set　to；　and　dig　a　trench　as　wide　and　as　deep　as　we　can；　that　we
may　need　as　few　guards　as　possible。〃

＇10＇　Thereupon　Cyrus　took　his　measurements　all　round　the　city；　and；
leaving　a　space　on　either　bank　of　the　river　large　enough　for　a　lofty
tower；　he　had　a　gigantic　trench　dug　from　end　to　end　of　the　wall；　his
men　heaping　up　the　earth　on　their　own　side。　＇11＇　Then　he　set　to　work
to　build　his　towers　by　the　river。　The　foundations　were　of　palm…trees；
a　hundred　feet　long　and　morethe　palm…tree　grows　to　a　greater　height
than　that；　and　under　pressure　it　will　curve