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第7章

anabasis-第7章

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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; and you first; Clearchus; to declare your opinionwhat think you?〃 And Clearchus answered: 〃My advice to you is to put this man out of the way as soon as may be; so that we may be saved the necessity of watching him; and have more leisure; as far as he is concerned; to requite the services of those whose friendship is sincere。〃〃To this opinion;〃 he told us; 〃the rest of the court adhered。〃 After that; at the bidding of Cyrus; each of those present;   10 in turn; including the kinsmen of Orontas; took him by the girdle; which is as much as to say; 〃Let him die the death;〃 and then those appointed led him out; and they who in old days were wont to do obeisance to him; could not refrain; even at that moment; from bowing down before him; albeit they knew he was being led forth to death。

After they had conducted him to the tent of Artapates; the trustiest of Cyrus's wand…bearers; none set eyes upon him ever again; alive or dead。 No one; of his own knowledge; could declare the manner of his death; though some conjectured one thing and some another。 No tomb to mark his resting…place; either then or since; was ever seen。



VII

From this place Cyrus marched through Babylonia three stagestwelve    1 parasangs。 Now; on the third stage; about midnight; Cyrus held a review of the Hellenes and Asiatics in the plain; expecting that the king would arrive the following day with his army to offer battle。 He gave orders to Clearchus to take command of the right wing; and to Menon the Thessalian of the left; while he himself undertook to the disposition of his own forces in person。 After the review; with the first approach of day; deserters from the great king arrived; bringing Cyrus information about the royal army。 Then Cyrus summoned the generals and captains of the Hellenes; and held a council of war to arrange the plan of battle。 He took this opportunity also to address the following words of compliment and encouragement to the meeting: 〃Men of Hellas;〃 he said; 〃it is certainly not from dearth of barbarians to fight my battles that I put myself at your head as my allies; but because I hold you to be better and stronger than many barbarians。 That is why I took you。 See then that you prove yourselves to be men worthy of the liberty which you possess; and which I envy you。 Libertyit is a thing which; be well assured; I would choose in preference to all my other possessions; multiplied many times。 But I would like you to know into what sort of struggle you are going: learn its nature from one who knows。 Their numbers are great; and they come on with much noise; but if you can hold out against these two things; I confess I am ashamed to think; what a sorry set of folk you will      4 find the inhabitants of this land to be。 But you are men; and brave you must be; being men: it is agreed; then if you wish to return home; any of you; I undertake to send you back; in such sort that your friends at home shall envy you; but I flatter myself I shall persuade many of you to accept what I will offer you here; in lieu of what you left at home。〃

Here Gaulites; a Samian exile; and a trusty friend of Cyrus; being present; exclaimed: 〃Ay; Cyrus; but some say you can afford to make large promises now; because you are in the crisis of impending danger; but let matters go well with you; will you recollect? They shake their heads。 Indeed; some add that; even if you did recollect; and were ever so willing; you would not be able to make good all your promises; and repay。〃 When Cyrus heard that; he answered: 〃You forget; sirs; my father's empire stretches southwards to a region where men cannot dwell by reason of the heat; and northwards to a region uninhabitable through cold; but all the intervening space is mapped out in satrapies belonging to my brother's friends: so that if the victory be ours; it will be ours also to put our friends in possession in their room。 On the whole my fear is; not that I may not have enough to give to each of my friends; but lest I may not have friends enough on whom to bestow what I have to give; and to each of you Hellenes I will give a crown of gold。〃

So they; when they heard these words; were once more elated than ever themselves; and spread the good news among the rest outside。 And there came into his presence both the generals and some of the other Hellenes also; claiming to know what they should have in the event of victory; and Cyrus satisfied the expectations of each and all; and so dismissed them。 Now the advice and admonition of all who came into conversation with him was; not to enter the battle himself; but to post himself in rear of themselves; and at this season Clearchus put a question to him: 〃But do you think that your brother will give battle   9 to you; Cyrus?〃 and Cyrus answered: 〃Not without a battle; be assured; shall the prize be won; if he be the son of Darius and Parysatis; and a brother of mine。〃

In the final arming for battle at this juncture; the numbers were as follows: Of Hellenes there were ten thousand four hundred heavy infantry with two thousand five hundred targeteers; while the barbarians with Cyrus reached a total of one hundred thousand。 He had too about twenty scythe…chariots。 The enemy's forces were reported to number one million two hundred thousand; with two hundred scythe…chariots; besides which he had six thousand cavalry under Artagerses。 These formed the immediate vanguard of the king himself。 The royal army was marshalled by four generals or field…marshals; each in command of three hundred thousand men。 Their names were Abrocomas; Tissaphernes; Gobryas; and Arbaces。 (But of this total not more than nine hundred thousand were engaged in the battle; with one hundred and fifty scythe…chariots; since Abrocomas; on his march from Phoenicia; arrived five days too late for the battle。) Such was the information brought to Cyrus by deserters who came in from the king's army before the battle; and it was corroborated after the battle by those of the enemy who were taken prisoners。

From this place Cyrus advanced one stagethree parasangswith the whole body of his troops; Hellenic and barbarian alike in order of battle。 He expected the king to give battle the same day; for in the middle of this day's march a deep sunk trench was reached; thirty feet broad; and eighteen feet deep。 The trench was carried inland through the plain; twelve parasang's distance; to the wall of Media'1'。 'Here are canals; flowing from the river Tigris; they are four in number; each a hundred feet broad; and very deep; with corn ships plying upon   15 them; they empty themselves into the Euphrates; and are at intervals of one parasang apart; and are spanned by bridges。'

'1' For 〃the wall of Media〃 see Grote; 〃Hist。 of Greece;〃 vol。 ix。 p。     87 and foll。 note 1 (1st ed。); and various authorities there     quoted or referred to。 The next passage enclosed in '' may     possibly be a commentator's or editor's note; but; on the whole; I     have thought it best to keep the words in the text instead of     relegating them; as heretofore; to a note。 Perhaps some future     traveller may clear up all difficulties。

Between the Euphrates and the trench was a narrow passage; twenty feet only in breadth。 The trench itself had been constructed by the great king upon hearing of Cyrus's approach; to serve as a line of defence。 Through this narrow passage then Cyrus and his army passed; and found themselves safe inside the trench。 So there was no battle to be fought with the king that day; only there were numerous unmistakable traces of horse and infantry in retreat。 Here Cyrus summoned Silanus; his Ambraciot soothsayer; and presented him with three thousand darics; because eleven days back; when sacrificing; he had told him that the king would not fight within ten days; and Cyrus had answered: 〃Well; then; if he does not fight within that time; he will not fight at all; and if your prophecy comes true; I promise you ten talents。〃 So now; that the ten days were passed; he presented him with the above sum。

But as the king had failed to hinder the passag

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