anabasis-第6章

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　terra　firma。

＇1＇　The　choenix　=　about　1　quart　（or；　according　to　others；　1　1/2　pint）。　　　　　It　was　the　minimum　allowance　of　corn　for　a　man；　say　a　slave；　per　　　　　diem。　The　Spartan　was　allowed　at　the　public　table　2　choenices　a　　　　　day。

Altogether　it　was　plain　that　Cyrus　was　bent　on　pressing　on　the　march；　and　averse　to　stoppages；　except　where　he　halted　for　the　sake　of　provisioning　or　some　other　necessary　object；　being　convinced　that　the　more　rapidly　he　advanced；　the　less　prepared　for　battle　would　he　find　the　king；　while　the　slower　his　own　progress；　the　larger　would　be　the　hostile　army　which　he　would　find　collected。　Indeed；　the　attentive　observer　could　see；　at　a　glance；　that　if　the　king's　empire　was　strong　in　its　extent　of　territory　and　the　number　of　inhabitants；　that　strength　is　compensated　by　an　inherent　weakness；　dependent　upon　the　length　of　roads　and　the　inevitable　dispersion　of　defensive　forces；　where　an　invader　insists　upon　pressing　home　the　war　by　forced　marches。

On　the　opposite　side　of　the　Euphrates　to　the　point　reached　on　one　of　these　desert　stages；　was　a　large　and　flourishing　city　named　Charmande。　From　this　town　the　soldiers　made　purchases　of　provisions；　crossing　the　river　on　rafts；　in　the　following　fashion：　They　took　the　skins　which　they　used　as　tent　coverings；　and　filled　them　with　light　grass；　they　then　compressed　and　stitched　them　tightly　together　by　the　ends；　so　that　the　water　might　not　touch　the　hay。　On　these　they　crossed　and　got　provisions：　wine　made　from　the　date…nut；　and　millet　or　panic…corn；　the　common　staple　of　the　country。　Some　dispute　or　other　here　occurred　between　the　soldiers　of　Menon　and　Clearchus；　in　which　Clearchus　sentenced　one　of　Menon's　men；　as　the　delinquent；　and　had　him　flogged。　The　man　went　back　to　his　own　division　and　told　them。　Hearing　what　had　been　done　to　their　comrade；　his　fellows　fretted　and　fumed；　and　were　highly　incensed　against　Clearchus。　The　same　day　Clearchus　visited　the　passage　of　the　river；　and　after　inspecting　the　market　there；　was　returning　with　a　few　followers；　on　horseback；　to　his　tent；　and　had　to　　　12　pass　through　Menon's　quarters。　Cyrus　had　not　yet　come　up；　but　was　riding　up　in　the　same　direction。　One　of　Menon's　men；　who　was　splitting　wood；　caught　sight　of　Clearchus　as　he　rode　past；　and　aimed　a　blow　at　him　with　his　axe。　The　aim　took　no　effect；　when　another　hurled　a　stone　at　him；　and　a　third；　and　then　several；　with　shouts　and　hisses。　Clearchus　made　a　rapid　retreat　to　his　own　troops；　and　at　once　ordered　them　to　get　under　arms。　He　bade　his　hoplites　remain　in　position　with　their　shields　resting　against　their　knees；　while　he；　at　the　head　of　his　Thracians　and　horsemen；　of　which　he　had　more　than　forty　in　his　armyThracians　for　the　most　partadvanced　against　Menon's　soldiers；　so　that　the　latter；　with　Menon　himself；　were　panic…stricken；　and　ran　to　seize　their　arms；　some　even　stood　riveted　to　the　spot；　in　perplexity　at　the　occurrence。　Just　then　Proxenus　came　up　from　behind；　as　chance　would　have　it；　with　his　division　of　hoplites；　and　without　a　moment's　hesitation　marched　into　the　open　space　between　the　rival　parties；　and　grounded　arms；　then　he　fell　to　begging　Clearchus　to　desist。　The　latter　was　not　too　well　pleased　to　hear　his　trouble　mildly　spoken　of；　when　he　had　barely　escaped　being　stoned　to　death；　and　he　bade　Proxenus　retire　and　leave　the　intervening　space　open。　At　this　juncture　Cyrus　arrived　and　inquired　what　was　happening。　There　was　no　time　for　hesitation。　With　his　javelins　firmly　grasped　in　his　hands　he　galloped　upescorted　by　some　of　his　faithful　bodyguard；　who　were　presentand　was　soon　in　the　midst；　exclaiming：　〃Clearchus；　Proxenus；　and　you　other　Hellenes　yonder；　you　know　not　what　you　do。　As　surely　as　you　come　to　blows　with　one　another；　our　fate　is　sealedthis　very　day　I　shall　be　cut　to　pieces；　and　so　will　you：　your　turn　will　follow　close　on　mine。　Let　our　fortunes　once　take　an　evil　turn；　and　these　barbarians　whom　you　see　around　will　be　worse　foes　to　us　than　those　who　are　at　present　serving　the　king。〃　At　these　words　Clearchus　came　to　his　senses。　Both　parties　paused　from　battle；　and　retired　to　their　quarters：　order　reigned。



VI

As　they　advanced　from　this　point　（opposite　Charmande）；　they　came　upon　　　1　the　hoof…prints　and　dung　of　horses　at　frequent　intervals。　It　looked　like　the　trail　of　some　two　thousand　horses。　Keeping　ahead　of　the　army；　these　fellows　burnt　up　the　grass　and　everything　else　that　was　good　for　use。　Now　there　was　a　Persian；　named　Orontas；　he　was　closely　related　to　the　king　by　birth：　and　in　matters　pertaining　to　war　reckoned　among　the　best　of　Persian　warriors。　Having　formerly　been　at　war　with　Cyrus；　and　afterwards　reconciled　to　him；　he　now　made　a　conspiracy　to　destroy　him。　he　made　a　proposal　to　Cyrus：　if　Cyrus　would　furnish　him　with　a　thousand　horsemen；　he　would　deal　with　these　troopers；　who　were　burning　down　everything　in　front　of　them；　he　would　lay　an　ambuscade　and　cut　them　down；　or　he　would　capture　a　host　of　them　alive；　in　any　case；　he　would　put　a　stop　to　their　agressiveness　and　burnings；　he　would　see　to　it　that　they　did　not　ever　get　a　chance　of　setting　eyes　on　Cyrus's　army　and　reporting　its　advent　to　the　king。　The　proposal　seemed　plausible　to　Cyrus；　who　accordingly　authorised　Orontas　to　take　a　detachment　from　each　of　the　generals；　and　be　gone。　He；　thinking　that　he　had　got　his　horsemen　ready　to　his　hand；　wrote　a　letter　to　the　king；　announcing　that　he　would　ere　long　join　him　with　as　many　troopers　as　he　could　bring；　he　bade　him；　at　the　same　time；　instruct　the　royal　cavalry　to　welcome　him　as　a　friend。　The　letter　further　contained　certain　reminders　of　his　former　friendship　and　fidelity。　This　despatch　he　delivered　into　the　hands　of　one　who　was　a　trusty　messenger；　as　he　thought；　but　the　bearer　took　and　gave　it　to　Cyrus。　Cyrus　read　it。　Orontas　was　arrested。　Then　Cyrus　summoned　to　his　tent　seven　of　the　noblest　Persians　among　his　personal　attendants；　and　sent　orders　to　the　Hellenic　generals　to　bring　up　a　body　of　hoplites。　These　troops　were　to　take　up　a　position　round　his　tent。　This　the　generals　did；　bringing　up　about　three　thousand　hoplites。　Clearchus　was　also　invited　inside；　to　assist　at　the　court…martial；　a　compliment　due　to　the　position　he　held　among　the　other　generals；　in　the　opinion　not　only　of　Cyrus；　but　also　of　the　rest　of　the　court。　When　he　came　out；　he　reported　the　circumstances　of　the　trial　（as　to　which；　indeed；　there　was　no　mystery）　to　his　friends。　He　said　that　Cyrus　opened　the　inquiry　with　these　words：　〃I　have　invited　you　hither；　my　friends；　that　I　may　take　advice　with　you；　and　carry　out　whatever；　in　the　sight　of　God　and　man；　it　is　right　for　me　to　do；　as　concerning　the　man　before　you；　Orontas。　The　　　　　　6　prisoner　was；　in　the　first　instance；　given　to　me　by　my　father；　to　be　my　faithful　subject。　In　the　next　place；　acting；　to　use　his　own　words；　under　the　orders　of　my　brother；　and　having　hold　of　the　acropolis　of　Sardis；　he　went　to　war　with　me。　I　met　war　with　war；　and　forced　him　to　think　it　more　prudent　to　desist　from　war　with　me：　whereupon　we　shook　hands；　exchanging　solemn　pledges。　After　that；〃　and　at　this　point　Cyrus　turned　to　Orontas；　and　addressed　him　personally〃after　that；　did　I　do　you　any　wrong？〃　Answer；　〃Never。〃　Again　another　question：　〃Then　later　on；　having　received；　as　you　admit；　no　injury　from　me；　did　you　revolt　to　the　Mysians　and　injure　my　territory；　as　far　as　in　you　lay？〃〃I　did；〃　was　the　reply。　〃Then；　once　more　having　discovered　the　limits　of　your　power；　did　you　flee　to　the　altar　of　Artemis；　crying　out　that　you　repented？　and　did　you　thus　work　upon　my　feelings；　that　we　a　second　time　shook　hands　and　made　interchange　of　solemn　pledges？　Are　these　things　so？〃　Orontas　again　assented。　〃Then　what　injury　have　you　received　from　me；〃　Cyrus　asked；　〃that　now　for　the　third　time；　you　have　been　detected　in　a　treasonous　plot　against　me？〃〃I　must　needs　do　so；〃　he　answered。　Then　Cyrus　put　one　more　question：　〃But　the　day　may　come；　may　it　not；　when　you　will　once　again　be　hostile　to　my　brother；　and　a　faithful　friend　to　myself？〃　The　other　answered：　〃Even　if　I　were；　you　could　never　be　brought　to　believe　it；　Cyrus。〃

At　this　point　Cyrus　turned　to　those　who　were　present　and　said：　〃Such　has　been　the　conduct　of　the　prisoner　in　the　past：　such　is　his　language　now。　I　now　call　upon　you；　an