anabasis-第12章

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im；　and　such　service　we　will　render　you；　not　as　hirelings　merely　for　pay's　sake；　but　for　the　gratitude　which　we　shall　rightly　feel　to　you；　to　whom　we　owe　our　lives。　As　I　dwell　on　these　matters；　I　confess；　the　idea　of　your　feeling　mistrust　of　us　is　so　astonishing；　that　I　would　give　much　to　discover　the　name　of　the　man；　who　is　so　clever　of　speech　that　he　can　persuade　you　that　we　harbour　designs　against　you。〃　Clearchus　ended；　and　Tissaphernes　responded　thus

＇2＇　We　learn　from　Diodorus　Siculus；　xiv。　35；　that　the　Egyptians　had　　　　　revolted　from　the　Persians　towards　the　end　of　the　reign　of　Darius。

〃I　am　glad；　Clearchus；　to　listen　to　your　sensible　remarks；　for　with　the　sentiments　you　hold；　if　you　were　to　devise　any　mischief　against　me；　it　could　only　be　out　of　malevolence　to　yourself。　But　if　you　imagine　that　you；　on　your　side；　have　any　better　reason　to　mistrust　the　king　and　me；　than　we　you；　listen　to　me　in　turn；　and　I　will　undeceive　you。　I　ask　you；　does　it　seem　to　you　that　we　lack　the　means；　if　we　had　the　will；　to　destroy　you？　have　we　not　horsemen　enough；　or　infantry；　or　whatever　other　arm　you　like；　whereby　we　may　be　able　to　injure　you；　without　risk　of　suffering　in　return？　or；　possibly；　do　we　seem　to　you　　　　17　to　lack　the　physical　surroundings　suitable　for　attacking　you？　Do　you　not　see　all　these　great　plains；　which　you　find　it　hard　enough　to　traverse　even　when　they　are　friendly？　and　all　yonder　great　mountain　chains　left　for　you　to　cross；　which　we　can　at　any　time　occupy　in　advance　and　render　impassable？　and　all　those　rivers；　on　whose　banks　we　can　deal　craftily　by　you；　checking　and　controlling　and　choosing　the　right　number　of　you　whom　we　care　to　fight！　Nay；　there　are　some　which　you　will　not　be　able　to　cross　at　all；　unless　we　transport　you　to　the　other　side。

〃And　if　at　all　these　points　we　were　worsted；　yet　'fire；'　as　they　say；　'is　stronger　than　the　fruit　of　the　field'：　we　can　burn　it　down　and　call　up　famine　in　arms　against　you；　against　which　you；　for　all　your　bravery；　will　never　be　able　to　contend。　Why　then；　with　all　these　avenues　of　attack；　this　machinery　of　war；　open　to　us；　not　one　of　which　can　be　turned　against　ourselves；　why　should　we　select　from　among　them　all　that　method；　which　alone　in　the　sight　of　God　is　impious　and　of　man　abominable？　Surely　it　belongs　to　people　altogether　without　resources；　who　are　helplessly　struggling　in　the　toils　of　fate；　and　are　villains　to　boot；　to　seek　accomplishment　of　their　desires　by　perjury　to　heaven　and　faithlessness　to　their　fellows。　We　are　not　so　unreasoning；　Clearchus；　nor　so　foolish。

〃Why；　when　we　had　it　in　our　power　to　destroy　you；　did　we　not　proceed　to　do　it？　Know　well　that　the　cause　of　this　was　nothing　less　than　my　passion　to　prove　myself　faithful　to　the　Hellenes；　and　that；　as　Cyrus　went　up；　relying　on　a　foreign　force　attracted　by　payment；　I　in　turn　might　go　down　strong　in　the　same　through　service　rendered。　Various　ways　in　which　you　Hellenes　may　be　useful　to　me　you　yourself　have　mentioned；　but　there　is　one　still　greater。　It　is　the　great　king's　privilege　alone　to　wear　the　tiara　upright　upon　his　head；　yet　in　your　presence　it　may　be　given　to　another　mortal　to　wear　it　upright；　here；　upon　his　heart。〃

Throughout　this　speech　he　seemed　to　Clearchus　to　be　speaking　the　truth；　and　he　rejoined：　〃Then　are　not　those　worthy　of　the　worst　　　　　　　　　24　penalties　who；　in　spite　of　all　that　exists　to　cement　our　friendship；　endeavour　by　slander　to　make　us　enemies？〃　〃Even　so；〃　replied　Tissaphernes；　〃and　if　your　generals　and　captains　care　to　come　in　some　open　and　public　way；　I　will　name　to　you　those　who　tell　me　that　you　are　plotting　against　me　and　the　army　under　me。〃　〃Good；〃　replied　Clearchus。　〃I　will　bring　all；　and　I　will　show　you；　on　my　side；　the　source　from　which　I　derive　my　information　concerning　you。〃

After　this　conversation　Tissaphernes；　with　kindliest　expression；　invited　Clearchus　to　remain　with　him　at　the　time；　and　entertained　him　at　dinner。　Next　day　Clearchus　returned　to　the　camp；　and　made　no　secret　of　his　persuasion　that　he　at　any　rate　stood　high　in　the　affections　of　Tissaphernes；　and　he　reported　what　he　had　said；　insisting　that　those　invited　ought　to　go　to　Tissaphernes；　and　that　any　Hellene　convicted　of　calumnious　language　ought　to　be　punished；　not　only　as　traitors　themselves；　but　as　disaffected　to　their　fellow…countrymen。　The　slanderer　and　traducer　was　Menon；　so；　at　any　rate；　he　suspected；　because　he　knew　that　he　had　had　meetings　with　Tissaphernes　whilst　he　was　with　Ariaeus；　and　was　factiously　opposed　to　himself；　plotting　how　to　win　over　the　whole　army　to　him；　as　a　means　of　winning　the　good　graces　of　Tissaphernes。　But　Clearchus　wanted　the　entire　army　to　give　its　mind　to　no　one　else；　and　that　refractory　people　should　be　put　out　of　the　way。　Some　of　the　soldiers　protested：　the　captains　and　generals　had　better　not　all　go；　it　was　better　not　to　put　too　much　confidence　in　Tissaphernes。　But　Clearchus　insisted　so　strongly　that　finally　it　was　arranged　for　five　generals　to　go　and　twenty　captains。　These　were　accompanied　by　about　two　hundred　of　the　other　soldiers；　who　took　the　opportunity　of　marketing。

On　arrival　at　the　doors　of　Tissaphernes's　quarters　the　generals　were　summoned　inside。　They　were　Proxenus　the　Boeotian；　Menon　the　Thessalian；　Agias　the　Arcadian；　Clearchus　the　Laconian；　and　Socrates　the　Achaean；　while　the　captains　remained　at　the　doors。　Not　long　after　that；　at　one　and　the　same　signal；　those　within　were　seized　and　those　without　cut　down；　after　which　some　of　the　barbarian　horsemen　galloped　over　the　plain；　killing　every　Hellene　they　encountered；　bond　or　free。　　　32　The　Hellenes；　as　they　looked　from　the　camp；　viewed　that　strange　horsemanship　with　surprise；　and　could　not　explain　to　themselves　what　it　all　meant；　until　Nicarchus　the　Arcadian　came　tearing　along　for　bare　life　with　a　wound　in　the　belly；　and　clutching　his　protruding　entrails　in　his　hands。　He　told　them　all　that　had　happened。　Instantly　the　Hellenes　ran　to　their　arms；　one　and　all；　in　utter　consternation；　and　fully　expecting　that　the　enemy　would　instantly　be　down　upon　the　camp。　However；　they　did　not　all　come；　only　Ariaeus　came；　and　Artaozus　and　Mithridates；　who　were　Cyrus's　most　faithful　friends；　but　the　interpreter　of　the　Hellenes　said　he　saw　and　recognised　the　brother　of　Tissaphernes　also　with　them。　They　had　at　their　back　other　Persians　also；　armed　with　cuirasses；　as　many　as　three　hundred。　As　soon　as　they　were　within　a　short　distance；　they　bade　any　general　or　captain　of　the　Hellenes　who　might　be　there　to　approach　and　hear　a　message　from　the　king。　After　this；　two　Hellene　generals　went　out　with　all　precaution。　These　were　Cleanor　the　Orchomenian＇3＇；　and　Sophaenetus　the　Stymphalion；　attended　by　Xenophon　the　Athenian；　who　went　to　learn　news　of　Proxenus。　Cheirisophus　was　at　the　time　away　in　a　village　with　a　party　gathering　provisions。　As　soon　as　they　had　halted　within　earshot；　Ariaeus　said：　〃Hellenes；　Clearchus　being　shown　to　have　committed　perjury　and　to　have　broken　the　truce；　has　suffered　the　penalty；　and　he　is　dead；　but　Proxenus　and　Menon；　in　return　for　having　given　information　of　his　treachery；　are　in　high　esteem　and　honour。　As　to　yourselves；　the　king　demands　your　arms。　He　claims　them　as　his；　since　they　belonged　to　Cyrus；　who　was　his　slave。〃　To　this　the　Hellenes　made　answer　by　the　mouth　of　Cleanor　of　Orchomenus；　their　spokesman；　who　said；　addressing　Ariaeus：　〃Thou　villain；　Ariaeus；　and　you　the　rest　of　you；　who　were　Cyrus's　friends；　have　you　no　shame　before　God　or　man；　first　to　swear　to　us　that　you　have　the　same　friends　and　the　same　enemies　as　we　ourselves；　and　then　to　turn　and　betray　us；　making　common　cause　with　Tissaphernes；　that　most　impious　and　villainous　of　men？　With　him　you　have　murdered　the　very　men　to　whom　you　gave　your　solemn　word　and　oath；　and　to　the　rest　of　us　turned　traitors；　and；　having　so　done；　　　39　you　join　hand　with　our　enemies　to　come　against　us。〃　Ariaeus　answered：　〃There　is　no　doubt　but　that　Clearchus　has　been　known　for　some　time　to　harbour　designs　agaisnt　Tissaphernes　and　Orontas；　and　all　of　us　who　side　with　them。〃　Taking　up　this　assertion；　Xenophon　said：　〃Well；　then；　granting　that　Clearchus　broke　the　truce　contrary　to　our　oaths；　he　has　his　deserts；　for　perjurers　deserve　to　perish；　but　where　are　Proxenus　and　Menon；　our　generals　and　your　good　friends　and　benefactors；　as　you　admit？　Send　them　back　to　us。　Surely；　just　because　they　are　friends　of　both　parites；　they　will　try　to　give　us　the　best　advice　for　you　and　for　us。〃

At　this；　the　Asiatics　stood　discussing　with　one　another　for　a　long　while；　and　then　they　went　away　without　vouchsafing　a　word。



VI

The　generals　who　were　thus　seized　were　taken　up　to　the　king　and　there　　　1　decapitated。　The　first　of　these；　Clearchus；　was　a　thorough　soldier；　and　a　true　lover　of　fighting。　This　is　the　testimony　of　all　who　knew　him　intimately。　As　long　as　the　war　between　the　Lacedaemonians　and　Athenians　lasted；　he　could　find　occupation　at　home；　but　after　the　peace；　he　persuaded　his　own　city　that　the　Thracians　were　injuring　the　Hellenes；　and　having　secured　his　object；　set　sail；　empowered　by　the　ephorate　to　make　war　upon　the　Thracians　north　of　the　Chersonese　and　Perinthus。　But　he　had　no　sooner　fairly　started　than；　for　some　reason　or　other；　the　ephors　changed　their　minds；　and　endeavoured　to　bring　him　back　again　from　the　isthmus。　Thereupon　he　refused　further　obedience；　and　went　off　with　sails　set　for　the　Hellespont。　In　consequence　he　was　condemned　to　death　by　the　Spartan　authorities　for　disobedience　to　orders；　and　now；　finding　himself　an　exile；　he　came　to　Cyrus。　Working　on　the　feelings　of　that　prince；　in　language　described　elsewhere；　he　received　from　his　entertainer　a　present　of　ten　thousand　darics。　Having　got　this　money；　he　did　not　sink　into　a　life　of　ease　and　indolence；　but　collected　an　army　with　it；　carried　on　war　against　the　Thracians；　and　　　　5　conquered　them　in　battle；　and　from　that　date　onwards　harried　and　plundered　them　with　war　incessantly；　until　Cyrus　wanted　his　army；　whereupon　he　at　once　went　off；　in　hopes　of　finding　another　sphere　of　warfare　in　his　company。

These；　I　take　it；　were　the　characteristic　acts　of　a　man　whose　affections　are　set　on　warfare。　When　it　is　open　to　him　to　enjoy　peace　with　honour；　no　shame；　no　injury　attached；　still　he　prefers　war；　when　he　may　live　at　home　at　ease；　he　insists　on　toil；　if　only　it　may　end　in　fighting；　when　it　is　given　to　him　to　keep　his　riches　without　risk；　he　would　rather　lessen　his　fortune　by　the　pastime　of　battle。　To　put　it　briefly；　war　was　his　mistress；　just　as　another　man　will　spend　his　fortune　on　a　favourite；　or　to　gratify　some　pleasure；　so　he　chose　to　squander　his　substance　on　soldiering。

But　if　the　life　of　a　soldier　was　a　passion　with　him；　he　was　none　the　less　a　soldier　born；　as　herein　appears；　danger　was　a　delight　to　him；　he　courted　it；　attacking　the　enemy　by　night　or　by　day；　and　in　difficulties　he　did　not　lose　his　head；　as　all　who　ever　served　in　a　campaign　with　him　would　with　one　consent　allow。　A　good　solder！　the　question　arises；　Was　he　equally　good　as　a　commander？　It　must　be　admitted　that；　as　far　as　was　compatible　with　his　quality　of　temper；　he　was；　none　more　so。　Capable　to　a　singular　degree　of　devising　how　his　army　was　to　get　supplies；　and　of　actually　getting　them；　he　was　also　capable　of　impressing　upon　those　about　him　that　Clearchus　must　be　obeyed；