anabasis-第35章

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In　this　way　the　army　was　now　split　up　into　three　divisions＇4＇。　First；　the　Arcadians　and　Achaeans；　over　four　thousand　five　hundred　men；　all　heavy　infantry。　Secondly；　Cheirisophus　and　his　men；　viz。　one　thousand　　　16　four　hundred　heavy　infantry　and　the　seven　hundred　peltasts；　or　Clearchus's　Thracians。　Thirdly；　Xenophon's　division　of　one　thousand　seven　hundred　heavy　infantry；　and　three　hundred　peltasts；　but　then　he　alone　had　the　cavalryabout　forty　troopers。

＇4＇　The　total　now　amounted　to　8640　and　over。

The　Arcadians；　who　had　bargained　with　the　Heracleots　and　got　some　vessels　from　them；　were　the　first　to　set　sail；　they　hoped；　by　pouncing　suddenly　on　the　Bithynians；　to　make　as　large　a　haul　as　possible。　With　that　object　they　disembarked　at　Calpe　Haven＇5＇；　pretty　nearly　at　the　middle　point　in　Thrace。　Cheirisophus　setting　off　straight　from　Heraclea；　commenced　a　land　march　through　the　country；　but　having　entered　into　Thrace；　he　preferred　to　cling　to　the　seaboard；　health　and　strength　failing　him。　Xenophon；　lastly；　took　vessels；　and　disembarking　on　the　confines　of　Thrace　and　the　Heracleotid；　pushed　forward　through　the　heart　of　the　country＇6＇。

＇5＇　The　Haven　of　Calpe　=　Kirpe　Liman　or　Karpe　in　the　modern　maps。　The　　　　　name　is　interesting　as　being　also　the　ancient　name　of　the　rock　　　　　fortress　of　Gibraltar。

＇6＇　Some　MSS。　here　read；　〃In　the　prior　chapter　will　be　found　a　　　　　description　of　the　manner　in　which　the　absolute　command　of　　　　　Cheirisophus　was　abruptly　terminated　and　the　army　of　the　Hellenes　　　　　broken　up。　The　sequel　will　show　how　each　of　these　divisions　　　　　fared。〃　The　passage　is　probably　one　of　those　commentators'　notes；　　　　　with　which　we　are　now　familiar。



III

The　Arcadians；　disembarking　under　cover　of　night　at　Calpe　Haven；　　　　　　　　1　marched　against　the　nearest　villages　about　thirty　furlongs　from　the　sea；　and　as　soon　as　it　was　light；　each　of　the　ten　generals　led　his　company　to　attack　one　village；　or　if　the　village　were　large；　a　couple　of　companies　advanced　under　their　combined　generals。　They　further　agreed　upon　a　certain　knoll；　where　they　were　all　eventually　to　assemble。　So　sudden　was　their　attack　that　they　seized　a　number　of　captives　and　enclosed　a　multitude　of　small　cattle。　But　the　Thracians　who　escaped　began　to　collect　again；　for　being　light…armed　troops　they　had　slipped　in　large　numbers　through　the　hands　of　the　heavy　infantry；　and　now　that　they　were　got　together　they　first　attacked　the　company　of　the　Arcadian　general；　Smicres；　who　had　done　his　work　and　was　retiring　to　the　appointed　meeting…place；　driving　along　a　large　train　of　captives　and　cattle。　For　a　good　while　the　Hellenes　maintained　a　running　fight＇1＇；　but　at　the　passage　of　a　gorge　the　enemy　routed　them；　　5　slaying　Smicres　himself　and　those　with　him　to　a　man。　The　fate　of　another　company　under　command　of　Hegesander；　another　of　the　ten；　was　nearly　as　bad；　only　eight　men　escaped；　Hegesander　being　one　of　them。　The　remaining　captains　eventually　met；　some　with　somewhat　to　show　for　their　pains；　others　empty…handed。

＇1＇　Lit。　〃marched　and　fought；〃　as　did　the　forlorn　hope　under　Sir　C。　　　　　Wilson　making　its　way　from　Abu　Klea　to　the　Nile　in　Jan。　1885。

The　Thracians；　having　achieved　this　success；　kept　up　a　continual　shouting　and　clatter　of　conversation　to　one　another　during　the　night；　but　with　day…dawn　they　marshalled　themselves　right　round　the　knoll　on　which　the　Hellenes　were　encampedboth　cavalry　in　large　numbers　and　light…armed　troopswhile　every　minute　the　stream　of　new…comers　grew　greater。　Then　they　commenced　an　attack　on　the　heavy　infantry　in　all　security；　for　the　Hellenes　had　not　a　single　bowman；　javelin…man；　or　mounted　trooper　amongst　them；　while　the　enemy　rushed　forward　on　foot　or　galloped　up　on　horseback　and　let　fly　their　javelins。　It　was　vain　to　attempt　to　retaliate；　so　lightly　did　they　spring　back　and　escape；　and　ever　the　attack　renewed　itself　from　every　point；　so　that　on　one　side　man　after　man　was　wounded；　on　the　other　not　a　soul　was　touched；　the　result　being　that　they　could　not　stir　from　their　position；　and　the　Thracians　ended　by　cutting　them　off　even　from　their　water。　In　their　despair　they　began　to　parley　about　a　truce；　and　finally　various　concessions　were　made　and　terms　agreed　to　between　them；　but　the　Thracians　would　not　hear　of　giving　hostages　in　answer　to　the　demand　of　the　Hellenes；　at　that　point　the　matter　rested。　So　fared　it　with　the　Arcadians。

As　to　Cheirisophus；　that　general　prosecuted　his　march　along　the　　　　　　　　　10　seaboard；　and　without　check　reached　Calpe　Haven。　Xenophon　advanced　through　the　heart　of　the　country；　and　his　cavalry　pushing　on　in　front；　came　upon　some　old　men　pursuing　their　road　somewither；　who　were　brought　to　him；　and　in　answer　to　his　question；　whether　they　had　caught　sight　of　another　Hellenic　army　anywhere；　told　him　all　that　had　already　taken　place；　adding　that　at　present　they　were　being　besieged　upon　a　knoll　with　all　the　Thracians　in　close　circle　round　them。　Thereupon　he　kept　the　old　men　under　strict　guard　to　serve　as　guides　in　case　of　need；　next；　having　appointed　outposts；　he　called　a　meeting　of　the　soldiers；　and　addressed　them：　〃Soldiers；　some　of　the　Arcadians　are　dead　and　the　rest　are　being　besieged　upon　a　certain　knoll。　Now　my　own　belief　is；　that　if　they　are　to　perish；　with　their　deaths　the　seal　is　set　to　our　own　fate：　since　we　must　reckon　with　an　enemy　at　once　numerous　and　emboldened。　Clearly　our　best　course　is　to　hasten　to　their　rescue；　if　haply　we　may　find　them　still　alive；　and　do　battle　by　their　side　rather　than　suffer　isolation；　confronting　danger　single…handed。

〃Let　us　then　at　once　push　forward　as　far　as　may　seem　opportune　till　supper…time；　and　then　encamp。　As　long　as　we　are　marching；　let　Timasion；　with　the　cavalry；　gallop　on　in　front；　but　without　losing　sight　of　us；　and　let　him　examine　all　closely　in　front；　so　that　nothing　may　escape　our　observation。〃　（At　the　same　time　too；　he　sent　out　some　nimble　fellows　of　the　light…armed　troops　to　the　flanks　and　to　the　high　tops；　who　were　to　give　a　signal　if　they　espied　anything　anywhere；　ordering　them　to　burn　everything　inflammable　which　lay　in　their　path。）　〃As　for　ourselves；〃　he　continued；　〃we　need　not　look　to　find　cover　in　any　direction；　for　it　is　a　long　step　back　to　Heraclea　and　a　long　leap　across　to　Chrysopolis；　and　the　enemy　is　at　the　door。　The　shortest　road　is　to　Calpe　Haven；　where　we　suppose　Cheirisophus；　if　safe；　to　be；　but　then；　when　we　get　there；　at　Calpe　Haven　there　are　no　vessels　for　us　to　sail　away　in；　and　if　we　stop　here；　we　have　not　provisions　for　a　single　day。　Suppose　the　beleaguered　Arcadians　left　to　their　fate；　we　shall　find　it　but　a　sorry　alternative　to　run　the　gauntlet　with　Cheirisophus's　detachment　alone；　better　to　save　them　if　we　can；　and　　　　　17　with　united　forces　work　out　our　deliverance　in　common。　But　if　so；　we　must　set　out　with　minds　prepared；　since　to…day　either　a　glorious　death　awaits　us　or　the　achievement　of　a　deed　of　noblest　emprise　in　the　rescue　of　so　many　Hellene　lives。　Maybe　it　is　God　who　leads　us　thus；　God　who　chooses　to　humble　the　proud　boaster；　boasting　as　though　he　were　exceedingly　wise；　but　for　us；　the　beginning　of　whose　every　act　is　by　heaven's　grace；　that　same　God　reserves　a　higher　grade　of　honour。　One　duty　I　would　recall　to　you；　to　apply　your　minds　to　the　execution　of　the　orders　with　promptitude。〃

With　these　words　he　led　the　way。　The　cavalry；　scattering　as　far　in　advance　as　was　prudent；　wherever　they　set　foot；　set　fire。　The　peltasts　moving　parallel　on　the　high　ground　were　similarly　employed；　burning　everything　combustible　they　could　discover。　While　the　main　army；　wherever　they　came　upon　anything　which　had　accidentally　escaped；　completed　the　work；　so　that　the　whole　country　looked　as　if　it　were　ablaze；　and　the　army　might　easily　pass　for　a　larger　one。　When　the　hour　had　come；　they　turned　aside　to　a　knoll　and　took　up　quarters；　and　there　they　espied　the　enemy's　watch…fires。　He　was　about　forty　furlongs　distant。　On　their　side　also　they　kindled　as　many　watch…fires　as　possible；　but　as　soon　as　they　had　dined　the　order　was　passed　to　quench　all　the　fires。　So　during　the　night　they　posted　guards　and　slept。　But　at　daybreak　they　offered　prayers　to　the　gods；　and　drawing　up　in　order　of　battle；　began　marching　with　what　speed　they　might。　Timasion　and　the　cavalry；　who　had　the　guides　with　them；　and　were　moving　on　briskly　in　front；　found　themselves　without　knowing　it　at　the　very　knoll　upon　which　the　Hellenes　had　been　beleaguered。　But　no　army　could　they　discover；　whether　of　friend　or　foe；　only　some　starveling　old　women　and　men；　with　a　few　sheep　and　oxen　which　had　been　left　behind。　This　news　they　reproted　to　Xenophon　and　the　main　body。　At　first　the　marvel　was　what　had　happened；　but　ere　long　they　found　out　by　inquiries　from　the　folk　who　had　been　left　behind；　that　the　Thracians　had　set　off　immediately　after　sundown；　and　were　gone；　the　Hellenes　had　waited　till　morning　before　they　made　off；　but　in　what　direction；　they　could　not　　　　　23　say。

On　hearing　this；　Xenophon's　troops　first　breakfasted；　and　then　getting　their　kit　together　began　their　march；　desiring　to　unite　with　the　rest　at　Calpe's　Haven　without　loss　of　time。　As　they　continued　their　march；　they　came　across　the　track　of　the　Arcadians　and　Achaeans　along　the　road　to　Calpe；　and　both　divisions　arriving　eventually　at　the　same　place；　were　overjoyed　to　see　one　another　again；　and　they　embraced　each　other　like　brothers。　Then　the　Arcadians　inquired　of　Xenophon's　officerswhy　they　had　quenched　the　watch…fires？　〃At　first；〃　said　they；　〃when　we　lost　sight　of　your　watch…fires；　we　expected　you　to　attack　the　enemy　in　the　night；　and　the　enemy；　so　at　least　we　imagined；　must　have　been　afraid　of　that　and　so　set　off。　The　time　at　any　rate　at　which　they　set　off　would　correspond。　But　when　the　requisite　time　had　elapsed　and　you　did　not　come；　we　concluded　that　you　must　have　learnt　what　was　happening　to　us；　and　in　terror　had　made　a　bolt　for　it　to　the　seaboard。　We　resolved　not　to　be　left　behind　by　you；　and　that　is　how　we　also　came　to　march　hither。〃



IV

During　this　day　they　contented　themselves　with　bivouacking　there　on　　　　　1　the　beach　at　the　harbour。　The　place　which　goes　by　the　name　of　Calpe　Haven　is　in　Asiatic　Thrace；　the　name　given　to　a　region　extending　from　the　mouth　of　the　Euxine　all　the　way　to　Heraclea；　which　lies　on　the　right　hand　as　you　sail　into　the　Euxine。　It　is　a　long　day's　voyage　for　a　war…ship；　using　her　three　banks　of　oars；　from　Byzantium　to　Heraclea；　and　between　these　two　there　is　not　a　single　Hellenic　or　friendly　city；　but　only　these　Bithynian　Thracians；　who　have　a　bad　reputation　for　the　savagery　with　which　they　treat　any　Hellenes　cast　ashore　by　shipwreck　or　otherwise　thrown　into　their　power。

Now　the　haven　of　Calpe　lies　exactly　midway；　halving　the　voyage　between　Byzantium　and　Heraclea。　It　is　a　long　promontory　running　out　into　the　sea；　the　seaward　portion　being　a　rocky　precipice；　at　no　point　less　than　twenty　fathons　high；　but　on　the　landward　side　there　is　a　neck　　　　　　3　about　four　hundred　feet　wide；　and　the　space　inside　the　neck　is　capable　of　accommodating　ten　thousand　inhabitants；　and　there　is　a　haven　immediately　under　the　crag　with　a　beach　facing　the　west。　Then　there　is　a　copious　spring　of　fresh　water　flowing　on　the　very　marge　of　the　sea　commanded　by　the　stronghold。　Again；　there　is　plenty　of　wood　of　various　sorts；　but