anabasis-第49章

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all　the　way　to　Heraclea；　which　lies　on　the　right　hand　as　you　sail　into　the　Euxine。　It　is　a　long　day's　voyage　for　a　war…ship；　using　her　three　banks　of　oars；　from　Byzantium　to　Heraclea；　and　between　these　two　there　is　not　a　single　Hellenic　or　friendly　city；　but　only　these　Bithynian　Thracians；　who　have　a　bad　reputation　for　the　savagery　with　which　they　treat　any　Hellenes　cast　ashore　by　shipwreck　or　otherwise　thrown　into　their　power。

Now　the　haven　of　Calpe　lies　exactly　midway；　halving　the　voyage　between　Byzantium　and　Heraclea。　It　is　a　long　promontory　running　out　into　the　sea；　the　seaward　portion　being　a　rocky　precipice；　at　no　point　less　than　twenty　fathons　high；　but　on　the　landward　side　there　is　a　neck　　　　　　3　about　four　hundred　feet　wide；　and　the　space　inside　the　neck　is　capable　of　accommodating　ten　thousand　inhabitants；　and　there　is　a　haven　immediately　under　the　crag　with　a　beach　facing　the　west。　Then　there　is　a　copious　spring　of　fresh　water　flowing　on　the　very　marge　of　the　sea　commanded　by　the　stronghold。　Again；　there　is　plenty　of　wood　of　various　sorts；　but　most　plentiful　of　all；　fine　shipbuilding　timber　down　to　the　very　edge　of　the　sea。　The　upland　stretches　into　the　heart　of　the　country　for　twenty　furlongs　at　least。　It　is　good　loamy　soil；　free　from　stones。　For　a　still　greater　distance　the　seaboard　is　thickly　grown　with　large　timber　trees　of　every　description。　The　surrounding　country　is　beautiful　and　spacious；　containing　numerous　well　populated　villages。　The　soil　produces　barley　and　wheat；　and　pulse　of　all　sorts；　millet　and　sesame；　figs　in　ample　supply；　with　numerous　vines　producing　sweet　wines；　and　indeed　everything　else　except　olives。　Such　is　the　character　of　the　country。

The　tents　were　pitched　on　the　seaward…facing　beach；　the　soldiers　being　altogether　averse　to　camping　on　ground　which　might　so　easily　be　converted　into　a　city。　Indeed；　their　arrival　at　the　place　at　all　seemed　very　like　the　crafty　design　of　some　persons　who　were　minded　to　form　a　city。　The　aversion　was　not　unnatural；　since　the　majority　of　the　soldiers　had　not　left　their　homes　on　so　long　a　voyage　from　scantiness　or　subsistence；　but　attracted　by　the　fame　of　Cyrus's　virtues；　some　of　them　bringing　followers；　while　others　had　expended　money　on　the　expedition。　And　amongst　them　was　a　third　set　who　had　run　away　from　fathers　and　mothers；　while　a　different　class　had　left　children　behind；　hoping　to　return　to　them　with　money　or　other　gains。　Other　people　with　Cyrus　won　great　success；　they　were　told＇1＇；　why　should　it　not　be　so　with　them？　Being　persons　then　of　this　description；　the　one　longing　of　their　hearts　was　to　reach　Hellas　safely。

＇1＇　I。e。　〃his　society　was　itself　a　passport　to　good　fortune。〃

It　was　on　the　day　after　their　meeting　that　Xenophon　sacrificed　as　a　preliminary　to　a　military　expedition；　for　it　was　needful　to　march　out　in　search　of　provisions；　besides　which　he　designed　burying　the　dead。　　　　9　As　soon　as　the　victims　proved　favourable　they　all　setout；　the　Arcadians　following　with　the　rest。　The　majority　of　the　dead；　who　had　lain　already　five　days；　they　buried　just　where　they　had　fallen；　in　groups；　to　remove　their　bodies　now　would　have　been　impossible。　Some　few；　who　lay　off　the　roads；　they　got　together　and　buried　with　what　splendour　they　could；　considering　the　means　in　their　power。　Others　they　could　not　find；　and　for　these　they　erected　a　great　cenotaph＇2＇；　and　covered　it　with　wreaths。　When　it　was　all　done；　they　returned　home　to　camp。　At　that　time　they　supped；　and　went　to　rest。

＇2＇　〃Cenotaph〃；　i。e。　〃an　empty　tomb。〃　The　word　is　interesting　as　　　　　occuring　only　in　Xenophon；　until　we　come　to　the　writers　of　the　　　　　common　dialect。　Compare　〃hyuscyamus；〃　hogbean；　our　henbane；　which　　　　　we　also　owe　to　Xenophon。　〃Oecon。〃　i。　13；　see　Sauppe；　〃Lexil。　Xen。〃　　　　　s。vv。

Next　day　there　was　a　general　meeting　of　the　soldiers；　collected　chiefly　by　Agasias　the　Stymphalian；　a　captain；　and　Hieronymus；　an　Eleian；　also　a　captain；　and　other　seniors　of　the　Arcadians；　and　they　passed　a　resolution　that；　for　the　future；　whoever　revived　the　idea　of　breaking　up　the　army　should　be　punished　by　death。　And　the　army；　it　was　decided；　would　now　resume　its　old　position　under　the　command　of　its　former　generals。　Though　Cheirisophus；　indeed；　had　already　died　under　medical　treatment　for　fever＇3＇；　and　Neon　the　Asinaean　had　taken　his　place。

＇3＇　This　I　take　to　be　the　meaning　of　the　words；　which　are　necessarily　　　　　ambiguous；　since　｛pharmakon｝；　〃a　drug；〃　also　means　〃poison。〃　Did　　　　　Cheirisophus　conceivably　die　of　fever　brought　on　by　some　poisonous　　　　　draught？　or　did　he　take　poison　whilst　suffering　from　fever？　or　did　　　　　he　die　under　treatment？

After　these　resolutions　Xenophon　got　up　and　said：　〃Soldiers；　the　journey　must　now；　I　presume；　be　conducted　on　foot；　indeed；　this　is　clear；　since　we　have　no　vessels；　and　we　are　driven　to　commence　it　at　once；　for　we　have　no　provisions　if　we　stop。　We　then；〃　he　continued；　〃will　sacrifice；　and　you　must　prepare　yourselves　to　fight　now；　if　ever；　for　the　spirit　of　the　enemy　has　revived。〃

Thereupon　the　generals　sacrificed；　in　the　presence　of　the　Arcadian　seer；　Arexion；　for　Silanus　the　Ambraciot　had　chartered　a　vessel　at　Heraclea　and　made　his　escape　ere　this。　Sacrificing　with　a　view　to　　　　　　　13　departure；　the　victims　proved　unfavourable　to　them。　Accordingly　they　waited　that　day。　Certain　people　were　bold　enough　to　say　that　Xenophon；　out　of　his　desire　to　colonise　the　place；　had　persuaded　the　seer　to　say　that　the　victims　were　unfavourable　to　departure。　Consequently　he　proclaimed　by　herald　next　morning　that　any　one　who　liked　should　be　present　at　the　sacrifice；　or　if　he　were　a　seer　he　was　bidden　to　be　present　and　help　to　inspect　the　victims。　Then　he　sacrificed；　and　there　were　numbers　present；　but　though　the　sacrifice　on　the　question　of　departure　was　repeated　as　many　as　three　times；　the　victims　were　persistently　unfavourable。　Thereat　the　soldiers　were　in　high　dudgeon；　for　the　provisions　they　had　brought　with　them　had　reached　the　lowest　ebb；　and　there　was　no　market　to　be　had。

Consequently　there　was　another　meeting；　and　Xenophon　spoke　again：　〃Men；〃　said　he；　〃the　victims　are；　as　you　may　see　for　yourselves；　not　yet　favourable　to　the　march；　but　meanwhile；　I　can　see　for　myself　that　you　are　in　need　of　provisions；　accordingly　we　must　narrow　the　sacrifice　to　the　particular　point。〃　Some　one　got　up　and　said：　〃Naturally　enough　the　victims　are　unfavourable；　for；　as　I　learnt　from　some　one　on　a　vessel　which　arrived　here　yesterday　by　accident；　Cleander；　the　governor　at　Byzantium；　intends　coming　here　with　ships　and　men…of…war。〃　Thereat　they　were　all　in　favour　of　stopping；　but　they　must　needs　go　out　for　provisions；　and　with　this　object　he　again　sacrificed　three　times；　and　the　victims　remained　adverse。　Things　had　now　reached　such　a　pass　that　the　men　actually　came　to　Xenophon's　tent　to　proclaim　that　they　had　no　provisions。　His　sole　answer　was　that　he　would　not　lead　them　out　till　the　victims　were　favourable。

So　again　the　next　day　he　sacrificed；　and　nearly　the　whole　army；　so　strong　was　the　general　anxiety；　flocked　round　the　victims；　and　now　the　very　victims　themselves　failed。　So　the　generals；　instead　of　leading　out　the　army；　called　the　men　together。　Xenophon；　as　was　incumbent　on　him；　spoke：　〃It　is　quite　possible　that　the　enemy　are　collected　in　a　body；　and　we　shall　have　to　fight。　If　we　were　to　leave　our　baggage　in　the　strong　place〃　（pointing　overhead）　〃and　sally　forth　prepared　for　battle；　the　victims　might　favour　us。〃　But　the　soldiers；　on　hearing　　　　　　22　this　proposal；　cried　out；　〃No　need　to　take　us　inside　that　place；　better　sacrifice　with　all　speed。〃　Now　sheep　there　were　none　any　longer。　So　they　purchased　oxen　from　under　a　wagon　and　sacrificed；　and　Xenophon　begged　Cleanor　the　Arcadian　to　superintend　the　sacrifice　on　his　behalf；　in　case　there　might　be　some　change　now。　But　even　so　there　was　no　improvement。

Now　Neon　was　general　in　place　of　Cheirisophus；　and　seeing　the　men　suffering　so　cruelly　from　want；　he　was　willing　to　do　them　a　good　turn。　So　he　got　hold　of　some　Heracleot　or　other　who　said　he　knew　of　villages　close　by　from　which　they　could　get　provisions；　and　proclaimed　by　herald：　〃If　any　one　liked　to　come　out　and　get　provisions；　be　it　known　that　he；　Neon；　would　be　their　leader。〃　So　out