anabasis-第10章

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armed　man　in　sight；　he　summoned　the　ambassadors；　and　himself　went　forward　to　meet　them　with　the　soldiers；　who　for　choice　accoutrement　and　noble　aspect　were　the　flower　of　his　force；　a　course　which　he　had　invited　the　other　generals　also　to　adopt。

And　now；　being　face　to　face　with　the　ambassadors；　he　questioned　them　as　to　what　their　wishes　were。　They　replied　that　they　had　come　to　arrange　a　truce；　and　were　persons　competent　to　carry　proposals　from　the　king　to　the　Hellenes　and　from　the　Hellenes　to　the　king。　He　returned　answer　to　them：　〃Take　back　word　then　to　your　master；　that　we　need　a　battle　first；　for　we　have　had　no　breakfast；　and　he　will　be　a　brave　man　who　will　dare　mention　the　word　'truce'　to　Hellenes　without　providing　them　with　breakfast。〃　With　this　message　the　heralds　rode　off；　but　were　back　again　in　no　time；　which　was　a　proof　that　the　king；　or　some　one　appointed　by　him　to　transact　the　business；　was　hard　by。　They　reported　that　〃the　message　seemed　reasonable　to　the　king；　they　had　now　come　bringing　guides　who；　if　a　truce　were　arranged；　would　conduct　them　where　they　would　get　provisions。〃　Clearchus　inquired　〃whether　the　truce　was　offered　to　the　individual　men　merely　as　they　went　and　came；　or　to　all　alike。〃　〃To　all；〃　they　replied；　〃until　the　king　receives　your　final　answer。〃　When　they　had　so　spoken；　Clearchus；　having　removed　the　ambassadors；　held　a　council；　and　it　was　resolved　to　make　a　truce　at　once；　and　then　quietly　to　go　and　secure　provisions；　and　Clearchus　said：　〃I　agree　to　the　resolution；　still　I　do　not　propose　to　announce　it　at　once；　but　to　wile　away　time　till　the　ambassadors　begin　to　fear　that　we　have　decided　against　the　truce；　though　I　suspect；〃　he　added；　〃the　same　fear　will　be　operative　on　the　minds　of　our　soldiers　also。〃　As　soon　as　the　right　moment　seemed　to　have　arrived；　he　delivered　his　answer　in　favour　of　the　truce；　and　bade　the　ambassadors　at　once　conduct　them　to　the　provisions。

So　these　led　the　way；　and　Clearchus；　without　relaxing　precaution；　in　spite　of　having　secured　a　truce；　marched　after　them　with　his　army　in　line　and　himself　in　command　of　the　rearguard。　Over　and　over　again　they　encountered　trenches　and　conduits　so　full　of　water　that　they　could　not　　10　be　crossed　without　bridges；　but　they　contrived　well　enough　for　these　by　means　of　trunks　of　palm　trees　which　had　fallen；　or　which　they　cut　down　for　the　occasion。　And　here　Clearchus's　system　of　superintendence　was　a　study　in　itself；　as　he　stood　with　a　spear　in　his　left　hand　and　a　stick　in　the　other；　and　when　it　seemed　to　him　there　was　any　dawdling　among　the　parties　told　off　to　the　work；　he　would　pick　out　the　right　man　and　down　would　come　the　stick；　nor；　at　the　same　time；　was　he　above　plunging　into　the　mud　and　lending　a　hand　himself；　so　that　every　one　else　was　forced　for　very　shame　to　display　equal　alacrity。　The　men　told　off　for　the　business　were　the　men　of　thirty　years　of　age；　but　even　the　elder　men；　when　they　saw　the　energy　of　Clearchus；　could　not　resist　lending　their　aid　also。　What　stimulated　the　haste　of　Clearchus　was　the　suspicion　in　his　mind　that　these　trenches　were　not；　as　a　rule；　so　full　of　water；　since　it　was　not　the　season　to　irrigate　the　plain；　and　he　fancied　that　the　king　had　let　the　water　on　for　the　express　purpose　of　vividly　presenting　to　the　Hellenes　the　many　dangers　with　which　their　march　was　threatened　at　the　very　start。

Proceeding　on　their　way　they　reached　some　villages；　where　their　guides　indicated　to　them　that　they　would　find　provisions。　They　were　found　to　contain　plenty　of　corn；　and　wine　made　from　palm　dates；　and　an　acidulated　beverage　extracted　by　boiling　from　the　same　fruit。　As　to　the　palm　nuts　or　dates　themselves；　it　was　noticeable　that　the　sort　which　we　are　accustomed　to　see　in　Hellas　were　set　aside　for　the　domestic　servants；　those　put　aside　for　the　masters　are　picked　specimens；　and　are　simply　marvellous　for　their　beauty　and　size；　looking　like　great　golden　lumps　of　amber；　some　specimens　they　dried　and　preserved　as　sweetmeats。　Sweet　enough　they　were　as　an　accompaniment　of　wine；　but　apt　to　give　headache。　Here；　too；　for　the　first　time　in　their　lives；　the　men　tasted　the　brain＇1＇　of　the　palm。　No　one　could　help　being　struck　by　the　beauty　of　this　object；　and　the　peculiarity　of　its　delicious　flavour；　but　this；　like　the　dried　fruits；　was　exceedingly　apt　to　give　headache。　When　this　cabbage　or　brain　has　been　removed　from　the　palm　the　whole　tree　withers　from　top　to　bottom。

＇1＇　I。e。　the　cabbage…like　crown。

In　these　villages　they　remained　three　days；　and　a　deputation　from　the　　　17　great　king　arrivedTissaphernes　and　the　king's　brother…in…law　and　three　other　Persianswith　a　retinue　of　many　slaves。　As　soon　as　the　generals　of　the　Hellenes　had　presented　themselves；　Tissaphernes　opened　the　proceedings　with　the　following　speech；　through　the　lips　of　an　interpreter：　〃Men　of　Hellas；　I　am　your　next…door　neighbour　in　Hellas。　Therefore　was　it　that　I；　when　I　saw　into　what　a　sea　of　troubles　you　were　fallen；　regarded　it　as　a　godsend；　if　by　any　means　I　might　obtain；　as　a　boon　from　the　king；　the　privilege　of　bringing　you　back　in　safety　to　your　own　country：　and　that；　I　take　it；　will　earn　me　gratitude　from　you　and　all　Hellas。　In　this　determination　I　preferred　my　request　to　the　king；　I　claimed　it　as　a　favour　which　was　fairly　my　due；　for　was　it　not　I　who　first　announced　to　him　the　hostile　approach　of　Cyrus？　who　supported　that　announcement　by　the　aid　I　brought；　who　alone　among　the　officers　confronted　with　the　Hellenes　in　battle　did　not　flee；　but　charged　right　through　and　united　my　troops　with　the　king　inside　your　camp；　where　he　was　arrived；　having　slain　Cyrus；　it　was　I；　lastly；　who　gave　chase　to　the　barbarians　under　Cyrus；　with　the　help　of　those　here　present　with　me　at　this　moment；　which　are　also　among　the　trustiest　followers　of　our　lord　the　king。　Now；　I　counsel　you　to　give　a　moderate　answer；　so　that　it　may　be　easier　for　me　to　carry　out　my　design；　if　haply　I　may　obtain　from　him　some　good　thing　on　your　behalf。〃

Thereupon　the　Hellenes　retired　and　took　counsel。　Then　they　answered；　and　Clearchus　was　their　spokesman：　〃We　neither　mustered　as　a　body　to　make　war　against　the　king；　nor　was　our　march　conducted　with　that　object。　But　it　was　Cyrus；　as　you　know；　who　invented　many　and　divers　pretexts；　that　he　might　take　you　off　your　guard；　and　transport　us　hither。　Yet；　after　a　while；　when　we　saw　that　he　was　in　sore　straits；　we　were　ashamed　in　the　sight　of　God　and　man　to　betray　him；　whom　we　had　permitted　for　so　long　a　season　to　benefit　us。　But　now　that　Cyrus　is　dead；　we　set　up　no　claim　to　his　kingdom　against　the　king　himself；　there　is　neither　person　nor　thing　for　the　sake　of　which　we　would　care　　　23　to　injure　the　king's　country；　we　would　not　choose　to　kill　him　if　we　could；　rather　we　would　march　straight　home；　if　we　were　not　molested；　but；　God　helping　us；　we　will　retaliate　on　all　who　injure　us。　On　the　other　hand；　if　any　be　found　to　benefit　us；　we　do　not　mean　to　be　outdone　in　kindly　deeds；　as　far　as　in　us　lies。〃

So　he　spoke；　and　Tissaphernes　listened　and　replied：　〃That　answer　will　I　take　back　to　the　king　and　bring　you　word　from　him　again。　Until　I　come　again；　let　the　truce　continue；　and　we　will　furnish　you　with　a　market。〃　All　next　day　he　did　not　come　back；　and　the　Hellenes　were　troubled　with　anxieties；　but　on　the　third　day　he　arrived　with　the　news　that　he　had　obtained　from　the　king　the　boon　he　asked；　he　was　permitted　to　save　the　Hellenes；　though　there　were　many　gainsayers　who　argued　that　it　was　not　seemly　for　the　king　to　let　those　who　had　marched　against　him　depart　in　peace。　And　at　last　he　said：　〃You　may　now；　if　you　like；　take　pledges　from　us；　that　we　will　make　the　countries　through　which　you　pass　friendly　to　you；　and　will　lead　you　back　without　treachery　into　Hellas；　and　will　furnish　you　with　a　market；　and　wherever　you　cannot　purchase；　we　will　permit　you　to　take　provisions　from　the　district。　You；　on　your　side；　must　swear　that　you　will　march　as　through　a　friendly　country；　without　damagemerely　taking　food　and　drink　wherever　we　fail　to　supply　a　marketor；　if　we　afford　a　market；　you　shall　only　obtain　provisions　by　paying　for　them。〃　This　was　agreed　to；　and　oaths　and　pledges　exchanged　between　themTissaphernes　and　the　king's　brother…in…law　upon　the　one　side；　and　the　generals　and　officers　of　the　Hellenes　on　the　other。　After　this　Tissaphernes　said：　〃And　now　I　go　back　to　the　king；　as　soon　as　I　have　transacted　what　I　have　a　mind　to；　I　will　come　back；　ready　equipped；　to　lead　you　away　to　Hellas；　and　to　return　myself　to　my　own　dominion。〃



IV

After　these　things　the　Hellenes　and　Ariaeus　waited　for　Tissaphernes；　　　　1　being　encamped　close　to　one　another：　for　more　than　twenty　days　they　waited；　during　which　time　there　came　visitors　to　Ariaeus；　his　brother　and　other　kinsfolk。　To　those　under　him　came　certain　other　Persians；　encouraging　them　and　bearing　pledges　to　some　of　them　from　the　king　himselfthat　he　would　bear　no　grudge　against　them　on　account　of　the　part　they　bore　in　the　expedition　against　him　with　Cyrus；　or　for　aught　else　of　the　things　which　were　past。　Whilst　these　overtures　were　being　made；　Ariaeus　and　his　friends　gave　manifest　signs　of　paying　less　attention　to　the　Hellenes；　so　much　so　that；　if　for　no　other　reason；　the　majority　of　the　latter　were　not　well　pleased；　and　they　came　to　Clearchus　and　the　other　generals；　asking　what　they　were　waiting　for。　〃Do　we　not　know　full　well；〃　they　said；　〃that　the　king　would　give　a　great　deal　to　destroy　us；　so　that　other　Hellenes　may　take　warning　and　think　twice　before　they　march　against　the　king。　To…day　it　suits　his　purpose　to　induce　us　to　stop　here；　because　his　army　is　scattered；　but　as　soon　as　he　has　got　together　another　armament；　attack　us　most　certainly　he　will。　How　do　we　know　he　is　not　at　this　moment　digging　away　at　trenches；　or　running　up　walls；　to　make　our　path　impassable。　It　is　not　to　be　supposed　that　he　will　desire　us　to　return　to　Hellas　with　a　tale　how　a　handful　of　men　like　ourselves　beat　the　king　at　his　own　gates；　laughed　him　to　scorn；　and　then　came　home　again。〃　Clearchus　replied：　〃I　too　am　keenly　aware　of　all　this；　but　I　reason　thus：　if　we　turn　our　backs　now；　they　will　say；　we　mean　war　and　are　acting　contrary　to　the　truce；　and　then　what　follows？　First　of　all；　no　one　will　furnish　us　with　a　market　or　means　of　providing　ourselves　with　food。　Next；　we　shall　have　no　one　to　guide　us；　moreover；　such　action　on　our　part　will　be　a　signal　to　Ariaeus　to　hold　aloof　from　us；　so　that　not　a　friend　will　be　left　to　us；　even　those　who　were　formerly　our　friends　will　now　be　numbered　with　our　enemies。　What　other　river；　or　rivers；　we　may　find　we　have　to　cross；　I　do　not　know；　but　this　we　know；　to　cross　the　Euphrates　in　face　of　resistance　is　impossible。　You　see；　in　the　event　of　being　driven　to　an　engagement；　we　have　no　cavalry　to　help　us；　but　with　the　enemy　it　is　the　reversenot　only　the　most；　but　the　best　of　his　troops　are　cavalry；　so　that　if　we　are　victorious；　we　shall　kill　no　one；　but　if　we　are　defeated；　not　a　man　of　us　can　escape。　For　my　part；　I　cannot　see　why　the　king；　who　has　so　many　advantages　on　his　side；　if　　　7　he　desires　to　destroy　us；　should　swear　oaths　and　tender　solemn　pledges　merely　in　order　to　perjure　himself　in　the　sight　of　heaven；　to　render　his　word　worthless　and　his　credit　discreditable　the　wide　world　over。〃　These　arguments　he　propounded　at　length。

Meanwhile　Tissap