anabasis-第28章

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n　the　same　route　as　the　rest；　but　the　baggage　animals　could　not　mount　by　any　other　way　than　this。

Here　then；　with　shouts　of　encouragement　to　each　other；　they　dashed　at　the　hill　with　their　storming　columns；　not　from　all　sides；　but　leaving　an　avenue　of　escape　for　the　enemy；　if　he　chose　to　avail　himself　of　it。　For　a　while；　as　the　men　scrambled　up　where　each　best　could；　the　natives　kept　up　a　fire　of　arrows　and　darts；　yet　did　not　receive　them　at　close　quarters；　but　presently　left　the　position　in　flight。　No　sooner；　however；　were　the　Hellenes　safely　past　this　crest；　than　they　came　in　sight　of　another　in　front　of　them；　also　occupied；　and　deemed　it　advisable　to　storm　it　also。　But　now　it　struck　Xenophon　that　if　they　　13　left　the　ridge　just　taken　unprotected　in　their　rear；　the　enemy　might　re…occupy　it　and　attack　the　baggage　animals　as　they　filed　past；　presenting　a　long　extended　line　owing　to　the　narrowness　of　the　road　by　which　they　made　their　way。　To　obviate　this；　he　left　some　officers　in　charge　of　the　ridgeCephisodorus；　son　of　Cephisophon；　an　Athenian；　Amphicrates；　the　son　of　Amphidemus；　an　Athenian；　and　Archagoras；　an　Argive　exilewhile　he　in　person　with　the　rest　of　the　men　attacked　the　second　ridge；　this　they　took　in　the　same　fashion；　only　to　find　that　they　had　still　a　third　knoll　left；　far　the　steepest　of　the　three。　This　was　none　other　than　the　mamelon　mentioned　as　above　the　outpost；　which　had　been　captured　over　their　fire　by　the　volunteer　storming　party　in　the　night。　But　when　the　Hellenes　were　close；　the　natives；　to　the　astonishment　of　all；　without　a　struggle　deserted　the　knoll。　It　was　conjectured　that　they　had　left　their　position　from　fear　of　being　encircled　and　besieged；　but　the　fact　was　that　they；　from　their　higher　ground；　had　been　able　to　see　what　was　going　on　in　the　rear；　and　had　all　made　off　in　this　fashion　to　attack　the　rearguard。

So　then　Xenophon；　with　the　youngest　men；　scaled　up　to　the　top；　leaving　orders　to　the　rest　to　march　on　slowly；　so　as　to　allow　the　hindmost　companies　to　unite　with　them；　they　were　to　advance　by　the　road；　and　when　they　reached　the　level　to　ground　arms＇3＇。　Meanwhile　the　Argive　Archagoras　arrived；　in　full　flight；　with　the　announcement　that　they　had　been　dislodged　from　the　first　ridge；　and　that　Cephisodorus　and　Amphicrates　were　slain；　with　a　number　of　others　besides；　all　in　fact　who　had　not　jumped　down　the　crags　and　so　reached　the　rearguard。　After　this　achievement　the　barbarians　came　to　a　crest　facing　the　mamelon；　and　Xenophon　held　a　colloquy　with　them　by　means　of　an　interpreter；　to　negotiate　a　truce；　and　demanded　back　the　dead　bodies。　These　they　agreed　to　restore　if　he　would　not　burn　their　houses；　and　to　these　terms　Xenophon　agreed。　Meanwhile；　as　the　rest　of　the　army　filed　past；　and　the　colloquy　was　proceeding；　all　the　people　of　the　place　had　time　to　gather　gradually；　and　the　enemy　formed；　and　as　soon　as　the　Hellenes　began　to　descend　from　the　mamelon　to　join　the　others　where　the　troops　were　halted；　on　rushed　the　foe；　in　full　force；　with　hue　and　cry。　They　　　20　reached　the　summit　of　the　mamelon　from　which　Xenophon　was　descending；　and　began　rolling　down　crags。　One　man's　leg　was　crushed　to　pieces。　Xenophon　was　left　by　his　shield…bearer；　who　carried　off　his　shield；　but　Eurylochus　of　Lusia＇4＇；　an　Arcadian　hoplite；　ran　up　to　him；　and　threw　his　shield　in　front　to　protect　both　of　them；　so　the　two　together　beat　a　retreat；　and　so　too　the　rest；　and　joined　the　serried　ranks　of　the　main　body。

＇3＇　To　take　up　position。

＇4＇　I。e。　of　Lusi　（or　Lusia）；　a　town　（or　district）　in　Northern　Arcadia。

After　this　the　whole　Hellenic　force　united；　and　took　up　their　quarters　there　in　numerous　beautiful　dwellings；　with　an　ample　store　of　provisions；　for　there　was　wine　so　plentiful　that　they　had　it　in　cemented　cisterns。　Xenophon　and　Cheirisophus　arranged　to　recover　the　dead；　and　in　return　restored　the　guide；　afterwards　they　did　everything　for　the　dead；　according　to　the　means　at　their　disposal；　with　the　customary　honours　paid　to　good　men。

Next　day　they　set　off　without　a　guide；　and　the　enemy；　by　keeping　up　a　continuous　battle　and　occupying　in　advance　every　narrow　place；　obstructed　passage　after　passage。　Accordingly；　whenever　the　van　was　obstructed；　Xenophon；　from　behind；　made　a　dash　up　the　hills　and　broke　the　barricade；　and　freed　the　vanguard　by　endeavouring　to　get　above　the　obstructing　enemy。　Whenever　the　rear　was　the　point　attacked；　Cheirisophus；　in　the　same　way；　made　a　detour；　and　by　endeavouring　to　mount　higher　than　the　barricaders；　freed　the　passage　for　the　rear　rank；　and　in　this　way；　turn　and　turn　about；　they　rescued　each　other；　and　paid　unflinching　attention　to　their　mutual　needs。　At　times　it　happened　that；　the　relief　party　having　mounted；　encountered　considerable　annoyance　in　their　descent　from　the　barbarians；　who　were　so　agile　that　they　allowed　them　to　come　up　quite　close；　before　they　turned　back；　and　still　escaped；　partly　no　doubt　because　the　only　weapons　they　had　to　carry　were　bows　and　slings。

They　were；　moreover；　excellent　archers；　using　bows　nearly　three　cubits　long　and　arrows　more　than　two　cubits。　When　discharging　the　arrow；　they　draw　the　string　by　getting　a　purchase　with　the　left　foot　planted　　　　　　　　28　forward　on　the　lower　end　of　the　bow。　The　arrows　pierced　through　shield　and　cuirass；　and　the　Hellenes；　when　they　got　hold　of　them；　used　them　as　javelins；　fitting　them　to　their　thongs。　In　these　districts　the　Cretans　were　highly　serviceable。　They　were　under　the　command　of　Stratocles；　a　Cretan。



III

During　this　day　they　bivouacked　in　the　villages　which　lie　above　the　　　　　1　plain　of　the　river　Centrites＇1＇；　which　is　about　two　hundred　feet　broad。　It　is　the　frontier　river　between　Armenia　and　the　country　of　the　Carduchians。　Here　the　Hellenes　recruited　themselves；　and　the　sight　of　the　plain　filled　them　with　joy；　for　the　river　was　but　six　or　seven　furlongs　distant　from　the　mountains　of　the　Carduchians。　For　the　moment　then　they　bivouacked　right　happily；　they　had　their　provisions；　they　had　also　many　memories　of　the　labours　that　were　now　passed；　seeing　that　the　last　seven　days　spent　in　traversing　the　country　of　the　Carduchians　had　been　one　long　continuous　battle；　which　had　cost　them　more　suffering　than　the　whole　of　their　troubles　at　the　hands　of　the　king　and　Tissaphernes　put　together。　As　though　they　were　truly　quit　of　them　for　ever；　they　laid　their　heads　to　rest　in　sweet　content。

＇1＇　I。e。　the　Eastern　Tigris。

But　with　the　morrow's　dawn　they　espied　horsemen　at　a　certain　point　across　the　river；　armed　cap…a…pie；　as　if　they　meant　to　dispute　the　passage。　Infantry；　too；　drawn　up　in　line　upon　the　banks　above　the　cavalry；　threatened　to　prevent　them　debouchng　into　Armenia。　These　troops　were　Armenian　and　Mardian　and　Chaldaean　mercenaries　belonging　to　Orontas　and　Artuchas。　The　last　of　the　three；　the　Chaldaeans；　were　said　to　be　a　free　and　brave　set　of　people。　They　were　armed　with　long　wicker　shields　and　lances。　The　banks　before　named　on　which　they　were　drawn　up　were　a　hundred　yards　or　more　distant　from　the　river；　and　the　single　road　which　was　visible　was　one　leading　upwards　and　looking　like　a　regular　artificially　constructed　highway。　At　this　point　the　Hellenes　endeavoured　to　cross；　but　on　their　making　the　attempt　the　water　proved　　6　to　be　more　than　breast…deep；　and　the　river　bed　was　rough　with　great　slippery　stones；　and　as　to　holding　their　arms　in　the　water；　it　was　out　of　the　questionthe　stream　swept　them　awayor　if　they　tried　to　carry　them　over　the　head；　the　body　was　left　exposed　to　the　arrows　and　other　missiles；　accordingly　they　turned　back　and　encamped　there　by　the　bank　of　the　river。

At　the　point　where　they　had　themselves　been　last　night；　up　on　the　mountains；　they　could　see　the　Carduchians　collected　in　large　numbers　and　under　arms。　A　shadow　of　deep　despair　again　descended　on　their　souls；　whichever　way　they　turned　their　eyesin　front　lay　the　river　so　difficult　to　ford；　over；　on　the　other　side；　a　new　enemy　threatening　to　bar　the　passage；　on　the　hills　behind；　the　Carduchians　ready　to　fall　upon　their　rear　should　they　once　again　attempt　to　cross。　Thus　for　this　day　and　night　they　halted；　sunk　in　perplexity。　But　Xenophon　had　a　dream。　In　his　sleep　he　thought　that　he　was　bound　in　fetters；　but　these；　of　their　own　accord；　fell　from　off