anabasis-第23章
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hey did not catch a single man。
The dearth of cavalry told against the Hellenes; nor were their infantry able to overhaul the enemy's infantry; with the long start they had; and considering the shortness of the race; for it was out of the question to pursue them far from the main body of the army。 On the 10 other hand; the Asiatic cavalry; even while fleeing; poured volleys of arrows behind their backs; and wounded the pursuers; while the Hellenes must fall back fighting every step of the way they had measured in the pursuit; so that by the end of that day they had not gone much more than three miles; but in the late afternoon they reached the villages。
Here there was a return of the old despondency。 Cheirisophus and the eldest of the generals blamed Xenophon for leaving the main body to give chase and endangering himself thereby; while he could not damage the enemy one whit the more。 Xenophon admitted that they were right in blaming him: no better proof of that was wanted than the result。 〃The fact is;〃 he added; 〃I was driven to pursue; it was too trying to look on and see our men suffer so badly; and be unable to retaliate。 However; when we did charge; there is no denying the truth of what you say; we were not a whit more able to injure the enemy; while we had considerable difficulty in beating a retreat ourselves。 Thank heaven they did not come upon us in any great force; but were only a handful of men; so that the injury they did us was not large; as it might have been; and at least it has served to show us what we need。 At present the enemy shoot and sling beyond our range; so that our Cretan archers are no match for them; our hand…throwers cannot reach as far; and when we pursue; it is not possible to push the pursuit to any great distance from the main body; and within the short distance no foot…soldier; however fleet of foot; could overtake another foot…soldier who has a bow…shot the start of him。 If; then; we are to exclude them from all possibility of injuring us as we march; we must get slingers as soon as possible and cavalry。 I am told there are in the army some Rhodians; most of whom; they say; know how to sling; and their missile will reach even twice as far as the Persian slings (which; on account of their being loaded with stones as big as one's fist; have a comparatively short range; but the Rhodians are skilled in the use of leaden bullets'2')。 Suppose; then; we investigate and 18 find out first of all who among them possess slings; and for these slings offer the owner the money value; and to another; who will plait some more; hand over the money price; and for a third; who will volunteer to be enrolled as a slinger; invent some other sort of privilege; I think we shall soon find people to come forward capable of helping us。 There are horses in the army I know; some few with myself; others belonging to Clearchus's stud; and a good many others captured from the enemy; used for carrying baggage。 Let us take the pick of these; supplying their places by ordinary baggage animals; and equipping the horses for cavalry。 I should not wonder if our troopers gave some annoyance to these fugitives。〃
'2' These words sound to me like an author's note; parenthetically; and perhaps inadvertently; inserted into the text。 It is an 〃aside〃 to the reader; which in a modern book would appear as a footnote。
These proposals were carried; and that night two hundred slingers were enrolled; and next day as many as fifty horse and horsemen passed muster as duly qualified; buff jackets and cuirasses were provided for them; and a commandant of cavalry appointed to commandLycius; the son of Polystratus; by name; an Athenian。
IV
That day they remained inactive; but the next they rose earlier than 1 usual; and set out betimes; for they had a ravine to cross; where they feared the enemy might attack them in the act of crossing。 When they were across; Mithridates appeared again with one thousand horse; and archers and slingers to the number of four thousand。 This whole body he had got by request from Tissaphernes; and in return he undertook to deliver up the Hellenes to Tissaphernes。 He had grown contemptuous since his late attack; when; with so small a detachment; he had done; as he thought; a good deal of mischief; without the slightest loss to himself。
When the Hellenes were not only right across; but had got about a mile from the ravine; Mithridates also crossed with his forces。 An order had been passed down the lines; what light infantry and what heavy infantry were to take part in the pursuit; and the cavalry were instructed to follow up the pursuit with confidence; as a considerable 3 support was in their rear。 So; when Mithridates had come up with them; and they were well within arrow and sling shot; the bugle sounded the signal to the Hellenes; and immediately the detachment under orders rushed to close quarters; and the cavalry charged。 There the enemy preferred not to wait; but fled towards the ravine。 In this pursuit the Asiatics lost several of their infantry killed; and of their cavalry as many as eighteen were taken prisoners in the ravine。 As to those who were slain the Hellenes; acting upon impulse; mutilated their bodies; by way of impressing their enemy with as frightful an image as possible。
So fared the foe and so fell back; but the Hellenes; continuing their march in safety for the rest of that day; reached the river Tigris。 Here they came upon a large deserted city; the name of which was Larissa'1': a place inhabited by the Medes in days of old; the breadth of its walls was twenty…five feet; and the height of them a hundred; and the circuit of the whole two parasangs。 It was built of clay…bricks; supported on a stone basis twenty feet high。 This city the king of the Persians'2' besieged; what time the Persians strove to snatch their empire from the Medes; but he could in no wise take it; then a cloud hid the face of the sun and blotted out the light thereof; until the inhabitants were gone out of the city; and so it was taken。 By the side of this city there was a stone pyramid in breadth a hundred feet; and in height two hundred feet; in it were many of the barbarians who had fled for refuge from the neighbouring villages。
'1' Larissa; on the side of the modern Nimrud (the south…west corner; as is commonly supposed; of Nineveh)。 The name is said to mean 〃citadel;〃 and is given to various Greek cities (of which several occur in Xenophon)。
'2' I。e。 Cyrus the Great。
From this place they marched one stage of six parasangs to a great deserted fortress 'which lay over against the city'; and the name of that city was Mespila'3'。 The Medes once dwelt in it。 The basement was 10 made of polished stone full of shells; fifty feet was the breadth of it; and fifty feet the height; and on this basement was reared a wall of brick; the breadth whereof was fifty feet and the height thereof four hundred; and the circuit of the wall was six parasangs。 Hither; as the story goes; Medea'4'; the king's wife; betook herself in flight what time the Medes lost their empire at the hands of the Persians。 To this city also the king of the Pesians laid siege; but could not take it either by length of days or strength of hand。 But Zeus sent amazement on the inhabitants thereof; and so it was taken。
'3' Opposite Mosul; the north…west portion of the ancient Nineveh; about eighteen miles above Larissa。 The circuit of Nineveh is said to have been about fifty…six miles。 It was overthrown by Cyrus in B。C。 558。
'4' The wife of Astyages; the last king of Media。 Some think 〃the wall of Media〃 should be 〃Medea's wall;〃 constructed in the period of Queen Nitocris; B。C。 560。
From this place they marched one stagefour parasangs。 But; while still on this stage; Tissaphernes made his appearance。 He had with him his own cavalry and a force belonging to Orontas; who had the king's daughter to wife; and there were; moreover; with them the Asiatics whom Cyrus had taken with him on his march up; together with those whom the king's brother had brought as a reinforcement to the king; besides those whom Tissaphernes himself had received as a gift from the king; so that the armament