anabasis-第17章

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hey　did　not　catch　a　single　man。

The　dearth　of　cavalry　told　against　the　Hellenes；　nor　were　their　infantry　able　to　overhaul　the　enemy's　infantry；　with　the　long　start　they　had；　and　considering　the　shortness　of　the　race；　for　it　was　out　of　the　question　to　pursue　them　far　from　the　main　body　of　the　army。　On　the　　10　other　hand；　the　Asiatic　cavalry；　even　while　fleeing；　poured　volleys　of　arrows　behind　their　backs；　and　wounded　the　pursuers；　while　the　Hellenes　must　fall　back　fighting　every　step　of　the　way　they　had　measured　in　the　pursuit；　so　that　by　the　end　of　that　day　they　had　not　gone　much　more　than　three　miles；　but　in　the　late　afternoon　they　reached　the　villages。

Here　there　was　a　return　of　the　old　despondency。　Cheirisophus　and　the　eldest　of　the　generals　blamed　Xenophon　for　leaving　the　main　body　to　give　chase　and　endangering　himself　thereby；　while　he　could　not　damage　the　enemy　one　whit　the　more。　Xenophon　admitted　that　they　were　right　in　blaming　him：　no　better　proof　of　that　was　wanted　than　the　result。　〃The　fact　is；〃　he　added；　〃I　was　driven　to　pursue；　it　was　too　trying　to　look　on　and　see　our　men　suffer　so　badly；　and　be　unable　to　retaliate。　However；　when　we　did　charge；　there　is　no　denying　the　truth　of　what　you　say；　we　were　not　a　whit　more　able　to　injure　the　enemy；　while　we　had　considerable　difficulty　in　beating　a　retreat　ourselves。　Thank　heaven　they　did　not　come　upon　us　in　any　great　force；　but　were　only　a　handful　of　men；　so　that　the　injury　they　did　us　was　not　large；　as　it　might　have　been；　and　at　least　it　has　served　to　show　us　what　we　need。　At　present　the　enemy　shoot　and　sling　beyond　our　range；　so　that　our　Cretan　archers　are　no　match　for　them；　our　hand…throwers　cannot　reach　as　far；　and　when　we　pursue；　it　is　not　possible　to　push　the　pursuit　to　any　great　distance　from　the　main　body；　and　within　the　short　distance　no　foot…soldier；　however　fleet　of　foot；　could　overtake　another　foot…soldier　who　has　a　bow…shot　the　start　of　him。　If；　then；　we　are　to　exclude　them　from　all　possibility　of　injuring　us　as　we　march；　we　must　get　slingers　as　soon　as　possible　and　cavalry。　I　am　told　there　are　in　the　army　some　Rhodians；　most　of　whom；　they　say；　know　how　to　sling；　and　their　missile　will　reach　even　twice　as　far　as　the　Persian　slings　（which；　on　account　of　their　being　loaded　with　stones　as　big　as　one's　fist；　have　a　comparatively　short　range；　but　the　Rhodians　are　skilled　in　the　use　of　leaden　bullets＇2＇）。　Suppose；　then；　we　investigate　and　　　　　18　find　out　first　of　all　who　among　them　possess　slings；　and　for　these　slings　offer　the　owner　the　money　value；　and　to　another；　who　will　plait　some　more；　hand　over　the　money　price；　and　for　a　third；　who　will　volunteer　to　be　enrolled　as　a　slinger；　invent　some　other　sort　of　privilege；　I　think　we　shall　soon　find　people　to　come　forward　capable　of　helping　us。　There　are　horses　in　the　army　I　know；　some　few　with　myself；　others　belonging　to　Clearchus's　stud；　and　a　good　many　others　captured　from　the　enemy；　used　for　carrying　baggage。　Let　us　take　the　pick　of　these；　supplying　their　places　by　ordinary　baggage　animals；　and　equipping　the　horses　for　cavalry。　I　should　not　wonder　if　our　troopers　gave　some　annoyance　to　these　fugitives。〃

＇2＇　These　words　sound　to　me　like　an　author's　note；　parenthetically；　　　　　and　perhaps　inadvertently；　inserted　into　the　text。　It　is　an　　　　　〃aside〃　to　the　reader；　which　in　a　modern　book　would　appear　as　a　　　　　footnote。

These　proposals　were　carried；　and　that　night　two　hundred　slingers　were　enrolled；　and　next　day　as　many　as　fifty　horse　and　horsemen　passed　muster　as　duly　qualified；　buff　jackets　and　cuirasses　were　provided　for　them；　and　a　commandant　of　cavalry　appointed　to　commandLycius；　the　son　of　Polystratus；　by　name；　an　Athenian。



IV

That　day　they　remained　inactive；　but　the　next　they　rose　earlier　than　　　　1　usual；　and　set　out　betimes；　for　they　had　a　ravine　to　cross；　where　they　feared　the　enemy　might　attack　them　in　the　act　of　crossing。　When　they　were　across；　Mithridates　appeared　again　with　one　thousand　horse；　and　archers　and　slingers　to　the　number　of　four　thousand。　This　whole　body　he　had　got　by　request　from　Tissaphernes；　and　in　return　he　undertook　to　deliver　up　the　Hellenes　to　Tissaphernes。　He　had　grown　contemptuous　since　his　late　attack；　when；　with　so　small　a　detachment；　he　had　done；　as　he　thought；　a　good　deal　of　mischief；　without　the　slightest　loss　to　himself。

When　the　Hellenes　were　not　only　right　across；　but　had　got　about　a　mile　from　the　ravine；　Mithridates　also　crossed　with　his　forces。　An　order　had　been　passed　down　the　lines；　what　light　infantry　and　what　heavy　infantry　were　to　take　part　in　the　pursuit；　and　the　cavalry　were　instructed　to　follow　up　the　pursuit　with　confidence；　as　a　considerable　　3　support　was　in　their　rear。　So；　when　Mithridates　had　come　up　with　them；　and　they　were　well　within　arrow　and　sling　shot；　the　bugle　sounded　the　signal　to　the　Hellenes；　and　immediately　the　detachment　under　orders　rushed　to　close　quarters；　and　the　cavalry　charged。　There　the　enemy　preferred　not　to　wait；　but　fled　towards　the　ravine。　In　this　pursuit　the　Asiatics　lost　several　of　their　infantry　killed；　and　of　their　cavalry　as　many　as　eighteen　were　taken　prisoners　in　the　ravine。　As　to　those　who　were　slain　the　Hellenes；　acting　upon　impulse；　mutilated　their　bodies；　by　way　of　impressing　their　enemy　with　as　frightful　an　image　as　possible。

So　fared　the　foe　and　so　fell　back；　but　the　Hellenes；　continuing　their　march　in　safety　for　the　rest　of　that　day；　reached　the　river　Tigris。　Here　they　came　upon　a　large　deserted　city；　the　name　of　which　was　Larissa＇1＇：　a　place　inhabited　by　the　Medes　in　days　of　old；　the　breadth　of　its　walls　was　twenty…five　feet；　and　the　height　of　them　a　hundred；　and　the　circuit　of　the　whole　two　parasangs。　It　was　built　of　clay…bricks；　supported　on　a　stone　basis　twenty　feet　high。　This　city　the　king　of　the　Persians＇2＇　besieged；　what　time　the　Persians　strove　to　snatch　their　empire　from　the　Medes；　but　he　could　in　no　wise　take　it；　then　a　cloud　hid　the　face　of　the　sun　and　blotted　out　the　light　thereof；　until　the　inhabitants　were　gone　out　of　the　city；　and　so　it　was　taken。　By　the　side　of　this　city　there　was　a　stone　pyramid　in　breadth　a　hundred　feet；　and　in　height　two　hundred　feet；　in　it　were　many　of　the　barbarians　who　had　fled　for　refuge　from　the　neighbouring　villages。

＇1＇　Larissa；　on　the　side　of　the　modern　Nimrud　（the　south…west　corner；　　　　　as　is　commonly　supposed；　of　Nineveh）。　The　name　is　said　to　mean　　　　　〃citadel；〃　and　is　given　to　various　Greek　cities　（of　which　several　　　　　occur　in　Xenophon）。

＇2＇　I。e。　Cyrus　the　Great。

From　this　place　they　marched　one　stage　of　six　parasangs　to　a　great　deserted　fortress　＇which　lay　over　against　the　city＇；　and　the　name　of　that　city　was　Mespila＇3＇。　The　Medes　once　dwelt　in　it。　The　basement　was　　10　made　of　polished　stone　full　of　shells；　fifty　feet　was　the　breadth　of　it；　and　fifty　feet　the　height；　and　on　this　basement　was　reared　a　wall　of　brick；　the　breadth　whereof　was　fifty　feet　and　the　height　thereof　four　hundred；　and　the　circuit　of　the　wall　was　six　parasangs。　Hither；　as　the　story　goes；　Medea＇4＇；　the　king's　wife；　betook　herself　in　flight　what　time　the　Medes　lost　their　empire　at　the　hands　of　the　Persians。　To　this　city　also　the　king　of　the　Pesians　laid　siege；　but　could　not　take　it　either　by　length　of　days　or　strength　of　hand。　But　Zeus　sent　amazement　on　the　inhabitants　thereof；　and　so　it　was　taken。

＇3＇　Opposite　Mosul；　the　north…west　portion　of　the　ancient　Nineveh；　　　　　about　eighteen　miles　above　Larissa。　The　circuit　of　Nineveh　is　said　　　　　to　have　been　about　fifty…six　miles。　It　was　overthrown　by　Cyrus　in　　　　　B。C。　558。

＇4＇　The　wife　of　Astyages；　the　last　king　of　Media。　Some　think　〃the　wall　　　　　of　Media〃　should　be　〃Medea's　wall；〃　constructed　in　the　period　of　　　　　Queen　Nitocris；　B。C。　560。

From　this　place　they　marched　one　stagefour　parasangs。　But；　while　still　on　this　stage；　Tissaphernes　made　his　appearance。　He　had　with　him　his　own　cavalry　and　a　force　belonging　to　Orontas；　who　had　the　king's　daughter　to　wife；　and　there　were；　moreover；　with　them　the　Asiatics　whom　Cyrus　had　taken　with　him　on　his　march　up；　together　with　those　whom　the　king's　brother　had　brought　as　a　reinforcement　to　the　king；　besides　those　whom　Tissaphernes　himself　had　received　as　a　gift　from　the　king；　so　that　the　armament　appeared　to　be　very　great。　When　they　were　close；　he　halted　some　of　his　regiments　at　the　rear　and　wheeled　others　into　position　on　either　flank；　but　hesitated　to　attack；　having　no　mind　apparently　to　run　any　risks；　and　contenting　himself　with　an　order　to　his　slingers　to　sling　and　his　archers　to　shoot。　But　when　the　Rhodian　slingers　and　the　bowmen＇5＇；　posted　at　intervals；　retaliated；　and　every　shot　told　（for　with　the　utmost　pains　to　miss　it　would　have　been　hard　to　do　so　under　the　circumstanecs）；　then　Tissaphernes　with　all　speed　retired　out　of　range；　the　other　regiments　following　suit；　and　for　the　rest　of　the　day　the　one　party　advanced　and　the　other　followed。　But　now　the　Asiatics　had　ceased　to　be　dangerous　with　their　sharpshooting。　For　the　Rhodians　could　reach　further　than　the　Persian　　　　16　slingers；　or；　indeed；　than　most　of　the　bowmen。　The　Persian　bows　are　of　great　size；　so　that　the　Cretans　found　the　arrows　which　were　picked　up　serviceable；　and　persevered　in　using　their　enemies'　arrows；　and　practised　shooting　with　them；　letting　them　fly　upwards　to　a　great　height＇6＇。　There　were　also　plenty　of　bowstrings　found　in　the　villagesand　lead；　which　they　turned　to　account　for　their　slings。　As　a　result　of　this　day；　then；　the　Hellenes　chancing　upon　some　villages　had　no　sooner　encamped　than　the　barbarians　fell　back；　having　had　distinctly　the　worst　of　it　in　the　skirmishing。

＇5＇　The　best　MSS　read　｛Skuthai｝；　Scythians；　if　this　is　correct；　it　is　　　　　only　the　technical　name　for　〃archers。〃　Cf。　Arrian；　〃Tact。〃　ii。　13。　　　　　The　police　at　Athens　were　technically　so　called；　as　being　composed　　　　　of　Scythian　slaves。　Cf。　Aristoph。　〃Thesm。〃　1017。

＇6＇　I。e。；　in　practising；　in　order　to　get　the　maximum　range　they　let　　　　　fly　the　arrows；　not　horizontally；　but　up　into　the　air。　Sir　W。　　　　　Raleigh　（Hist。　of　the　World；　III。　x。　8）　says　that　Xenophon　　　　　〃trained　his　archers　to　short　compass；　who　had　been　accustomed　to　　　　　the　point　blank；〃　but　this　is　surely　not　Xenophon's　meaning。

The　next　day　was　a　day　of　inaction：　they　halted　and　took　in　supplies；　as　there　was　much　corn　in　the　villages；　but　on　the　day　following；　the　march　was　continued　through　the　plain　（of　the　Tigris）；　and　Tissaphernes　still　hung　on　their　skirts　with　his　skirmishers。　And　now　it　was　that　the　Hellenes　discovered　the　defect　of　marching　in　a　square　with　an　enemy　following。　As　a　matter　of　necessity；　whenever　the　wings　of　an　army　so　disposed　draw　together；　either　where　a　road　narrows；　or　hills　close　in；　or　a　bridge　has　to　be　crossed；　the　heavy　infantry　cannot　help　being　squeezed　out　of　their　ranks；　and　march　with　difficulty；　partly　from　actual　pressure；　and　partly　from　the　general　confusion　that　ensues。　Or；　supposing　the　wings　are　again　extended；　the　troops　have　hardly　recovered　from　their　former　distress　before　they　are　pulled　asunder；　and　there　is　a　wide　space　between　the　wings；　and　the　men　concerned　lose　confidence　in　themselves；　especially　with　an　enemy　close　behind。　What　happened；　when　a　bridge　had　to　be　crossed　or　other　passage　effected；　was；　that　each　unit　of　the　force　pressed