anabasis-第21章

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Next　day　they　set　off　without　a　guide；　and　the　enemy；　by　keeping　up　a　continuous　battle　and　occupying　in　advance　every　narrow　place；　obstructed　passage　after　passage。　Accordingly；　whenever　the　van　was　obstructed；　Xenophon；　from　behind；　made　a　dash　up　the　hills　and　broke　the　barricade；　and　freed　the　vanguard　by　endeavouring　to　get　above　the　obstructing　enemy。　Whenever　the　rear　was　the　point　attacked；　Cheirisophus；　in　the　same　way；　made　a　detour；　and　by　endeavouring　to　mount　higher　than　the　barricaders；　freed　the　passage　for　the　rear　rank；　and　in　this　way；　turn　and　turn　about；　they　rescued　each　other；　and　paid　unflinching　attention　to　their　mutual　needs。　At　times　it　happened　that；　the　relief　party　having　mounted；　encountered　considerable　annoyance　in　their　descent　from　the　barbarians；　who　were　so　agile　that　they　allowed　them　to　come　up　quite　close；　before　they　turned　back；　and　still　escaped；　partly　no　doubt　because　the　only　weapons　they　had　to　carry　were　bows　and　slings。

They　were；　moreover；　excellent　archers；　using　bows　nearly　three　cubits　long　and　arrows　more　than　two　cubits。　When　discharging　the　arrow；　they　draw　the　string　by　getting　a　purchase　with　the　left　foot　planted　　　　　　　　28　forward　on　the　lower　end　of　the　bow。　The　arrows　pierced　through　shield　and　cuirass；　and　the　Hellenes；　when　they　got　hold　of　them；　used　them　as　javelins；　fitting　them　to　their　thongs。　In　these　districts　the　Cretans　were　highly　serviceable。　They　were　under　the　command　of　Stratocles；　a　Cretan。



III

During　this　day　they　bivouacked　in　the　villages　which　lie　above　the　　　　　1　plain　of　the　river　Centrites＇1＇；　which　is　about　two　hundred　feet　broad。　It　is　the　frontier　river　between　Armenia　and　the　country　of　the　Carduchians。　Here　the　Hellenes　recruited　themselves；　and　the　sight　of　the　plain　filled　them　with　joy；　for　the　river　was　but　six　or　seven　furlongs　distant　from　the　mountains　of　the　Carduchians。　For　the　moment　then　they　bivouacked　right　happily；　they　had　their　provisions；　they　had　also　many　memories　of　the　labours　that　were　now　passed；　seeing　that　the　last　seven　days　spent　in　traversing　the　country　of　the　Carduchians　had　been　one　long　continuous　battle；　which　had　cost　them　more　suffering　than　the　whole　of　their　troubles　at　the　hands　of　the　king　and　Tissaphernes　put　together。　As　though　they　were　truly　quit　of　them　for　ever；　they　laid　their　heads　to　rest　in　sweet　content。

＇1＇　I。e。　the　Eastern　Tigris。

But　with　the　morrow's　dawn　they　espied　horsemen　at　a　certain　point　across　the　river；　armed　cap…a…pie；　as　if　they　meant　to　dispute　the　passage。　Infantry；　too；　drawn　up　in　line　upon　the　banks　above　the　cavalry；　threatened　to　prevent　them　debouchng　into　Armenia。　These　troops　were　Armenian　and　Mardian　and　Chaldaean　mercenaries　belonging　to　Orontas　and　Artuchas。　The　last　of　the　three；　the　Chaldaeans；　were　said　to　be　a　free　and　brave　set　of　people。　They　were　armed　with　long　wicker　shields　and　lances。　The　banks　before　named　on　which　they　were　drawn　up　were　a　hundred　yards　or　more　distant　from　the　river；　and　the　single　road　which　was　visible　was　one　leading　upwards　and　looking　like　a　regular　artificially　constructed　highway。　At　this　point　the　Hellenes　endeavoured　to　cross；　but　on　their　making　the　attempt　the　water　proved　　6　to　be　more　than　breast…deep；　and　the　river　bed　was　rough　with　great　slippery　stones；　and　as　to　holding　their　arms　in　the　water；　it　was　out　of　the　questionthe　stream　swept　them　awayor　if　they　tried　to　carry　them　over　the　head；　the　body　was　left　exposed　to　the　arrows　and　other　missiles；　accordingly　they　turned　back　and　encamped　there　by　the　bank　of　the　river。

At　the　point　where　they　had　themselves　been　last　night；　up　on　the　mountains；　they　could　see　the　Carduchians　collected　in　large　numbers　and　under　arms。　A　shadow　of　deep　despair　again　descended　on　their　souls；　whichever　way　they　turned　their　eyesin　front　lay　the　river　so　difficult　to　ford；　over；　on　the　other　side；　a　new　enemy　threatening　to　bar　the　passage；　on　the　hills　behind；　the　Carduchians　ready　to　fall　upon　their　rear　should　they　once　again　attempt　to　cross。　Thus　for　this　day　and　night　they　halted；　sunk　in　perplexity。　But　Xenophon　had　a　dream。　In　his　sleep　he　thought　that　he　was　bound　in　fetters；　but　these；　of　their　own　accord；　fell　from　off　him；　so　that　he　was　loosed；　and　could　stretch　his　legs　as　freely　as　he　wished＇2＇。　So　at　the　first　glimpse　of　daylight　he　came　to　Cheirisophus　and　told　him　that　he　had　hopes　that　all　things　would　go　well；　and　related　to　him　his　dream。

＇2＇　It　is　impossible　to　give　the　true　sense　and　humour　of　the　passage　　　　　in　English；　depending；　as　it　does；　on　the　double　meaning　of　　　　　｛diabainein｝　（1）　to　cross　（a　river）；　（2）　to　stride　or　straddle　（of　　　　　the　legs）。　The　army　is　unable　to　cross　the　Centrites；　Xenophon　　　　　dreams　that　he　is　fettered；　but　the　chains　drop　off　his　legs　and　　　　　he　is　able　to　stride　as　freely　as　ever；　next　morning　the　two　young　　　　　men　come　to　him　with　the　story　how　they　have　found　themselves　able　　　　　to　walk　cross　the　river　instead　of　having　to　swim　it。　It　is　　　　　obvious　to　Xenophon　that　the　dream　is　sent　from　Heaven。

The　other　was　well　pleased；　and　with　the　first　faint　gleam　of　dawn　the　generals　all　were　present　and　did　sacrifice；　and　the　victims　were　favourable　in　the　first　essay。　Retiring　from　the　sacrifice；　the　generals　and　officers　issued　an　order　to　the　troops　to　take　their　breakfasts；　and　while　Xenophon　was　taking　his；　two　young　men　came　running　up　to　him；　for　every　one　knew　that；　breakfasting　or　supping；　he　was　always　accessible；　or　that　even　if　asleep　any　one　was　welcome　to　awaken　him　who　had　anything　to　say　bearing　on　the　business　of　war。　　　10　What　the　two　young　men　had　at　this　time　to　say　was　that　they　had　been　collecting　brushwood　for　fire；　and　had　presently　espied　on　the　opposite　side；　in　among　some　rocks　which　came　down　to　the　river's　brink；　an　old　man　and　some　women　and　little　girls　depositing；　as　it　would　appear；　bags　of　clothes　in　a　cavernous　rock。　When　they　saw　them；　it　struck　them　that　it　was　safe　to　cross；　in　any　case　the　enemy's　cavalry　could　not　approach　at　this　point。　So　they　stripped　naked；　expecting　to　have　to　swim　for　it；　and　with　their　long　knives　in　their　hands　began　crossing；　but　going　forward　crossed　without　being　wet　up　to　the　fork。　Once　across　they　captured　the　clothes；　and　came　back　again。

Accordingly　Xenophon　at　once　poured　out　a　libation　himself；　and　bade　the　two　young　fellows　fill　the　cup　and　pray　to　the　gods；　who　showed　to　him　this　vision　and　to　them　a　passage；　to　bring　all　other　blessings　for　them　to　accomplishment。　When　he　had　poured　out　the　libation；　he　at　once　led　the　two　young　men　to　Cheirisophus；　and　they　repeated　to　him　their　story。　Cheirisophus；　on　hearing　it；　offered　libations　also；　and　when　they　had　performed　them；　they　sent　a　general　order　to　the　troops　to　pack　up　ready　for　starting；　while　they　themselves　called　a　meeting　of　the　generals　and　took　counsel　how　they　might　best　effect　a　passage；　so　as　to　overpower　the　enemy　in　front　without　suffering　any　loss　from　the　men　behind。　And　they　resolved　that　Cheirisophus　should　lead　the　van　and　cross　with　half　the　army；　the　other　half　still　remaining　behind　under　Xenophon；　while　the　baggage　animals　and　the　mob　of　sutlers　were　to　cross　between　the　two　divisions。

When　all　was　duly　ordered　the　move　began；　the　young　men　pioneering　them；　and　keeping　the　river　on　their　left。　It　was　about　four　furlongs'　march　to　the　crossing；　and　as　they　moved　along　the　bank；　the　squadrons　of　cavalry　kept　pace　with　them　on　the　opposite　side。

But　when　they　had　reached　a　point　in　a　line　with　the　ford；　and　the　cliff…like　banks　of　the　river；　they　grounded　arms；　and　first　Cheirisophus　himself　placed　a　wreath　upon　his　brows；　and　throwing　off　　　17　his　cloak＇3＇；　resumed　his　arms；　passing　the　order　to　all　the　rest　to　do　the　same；　and　bade　the　captains　form　their　companies　in　open　order　in　deep　columns；　some　to　left　and　some　to　right　of　himself。　Meanwhile　the　soothsayers　were　slaying　a　victim　over　the　river；　and　the　enemy　were　letting　fly　their　arrows　and　slingstones；　but　as　yet　they　were　out　of　range。　As　soon　as　the　victims　were　favourable；　all　the　soldiers　began　singing　the　battle　hymn；　and　with　the　notes　of　the　paean　mingled　the　shouting　of　the　men　accompanied　by　the　shriller　chant　of　the　women；　for　there　were　many　women＇4＇　in　the　camp。

＇3＇　Or；　〃having　doffed　it；〃　i。e。　the　wreath；　an　action　which　the　　　　　soldiers　would　perform　symbolically；　if　Grote　is　right　in　his　　　　　interpretation　of　the　passage；　〃Hist。　of　Greece；〃　vol。　ix。　p。　137。

＇4＇　Lit。　〃comrade…women。〃

So　Cheirisophus　with　his　detachment　stepped　in。　But　Xenophon；　taking　the　most　active…bodied　of　the　rearguard；　began　running　back　at　full　speed　to　the　passage　facing　the　egress　into　the　hills　of　Armenia；　making　a　feint　of　crossing　at　that　point　to　intercept　their　cavalry　on　the　river　bank。　The　enemy；　seeing　Cheirisophus's　detachment　easily　crossing　the　stream；　and　Xenophon's　men　racing　back；　were　seized　with　the　fear　of　being　intercepted；　and　fled　at　full　speed　in　the　direction　of　the　road　which　emerges　from　the　stream。　But　when　they　were　come　opposite　to　it　they　raced　up　hill　towards　their　mountains。　Then　Lycius；　who　commanded　the　cavalry；　and　Aeschines；　who　was　in　command　of　the　division　of　light　infantry　attached　to　Cheirisophus；　no　sooner　saw　them　fleeing　so　lustily　than　they　were　after　them；　and　the　soldiers　shouted　not　to　fall　behind＇5＇；　but　to　follow　them　right　up　to　the　mountains。　Cheirisophus；　on　getting　across；　forbore　to　pursue　the　cavalry；　but　advanced　by　the　bluffs　which　reached　to　the　river　to　attack　the　enemy　overhead。　And　these；　seeing　their　own　cavalry　fleeing；　seeing　also　the　heavy　infantry　advancing　upon　them；　abandoned　the　heights　above　the　river。

＇5＇　Or；　〃to　stick　tight　to　them　and　not　to　be　outdone〃；　or；　as　others　　　　　understand；　〃the　（infantry）　soldiers　clamoured　not　to　be　left　　　　　behind；　but　to　follow　them　up　into　the　mountains。〃

Xenophon；　as　soon　as　he　saw　that　things　were　going　well　on　the　other　　　　24　side；　fell　back　with　all　speed　to　join　the　troops　engaged　in　crossing；　for　by　this　time　the　Carduchians　were　well　in　sight；　descending　into　the　plain　to　attack　their　rear。

Cheirisophus　was　in　possession　of　the　higher　ground；　and　Lycius；　with　his　little　squadron；　in　an　attempt　to　follow　up　the　pursuit；　had　captured　some　stragglers　of　their　baggage…bearers；　and　with　them　some　handsome　apparel　and　drinking…cups。　The　baggage　animals　of　the　Hellenes　and　the　mob　of　non…combatants　were　just　about　to　cross；　when　Xenonphon　turned　his　troops　right　about　to　face　the　Carduchians。　Vis…a…vis　he　formed　his　line；　passing　the　order　to　the　captains　each　to　form　his　company　into　sections；　and　to　deploy　them　into　line　by　the　left；　the　captains　of　companies　and　lieutenants　in　command　of　sections　to　advance　to　meet　the　Carduchians；　while　the　rear　leaders　would　keep　their　position　facing　the　river。　But　when　the　Carduchians　saw　the　rearguard　so　stript　of　the　mass；　and　looking　now　like　a　mere　handful　of　men；　they　advanced　all　the　more　quickly；　singing　certain　songs　the　while。　Then；　as　matters　were　safe　with　him；　Cheirisophus　sent　back　the　peltasts　and　slingers　and　archers　to　join　Xenophon；　with　orders　to　carry　out　his　instructions。　They　were　in　the　act　of　recrossing；　when　Xenophon；　who　saw　their　in