anabasis-第36章

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n；　there　is　plenty　of　wood　of　various　sorts；　but　most　plentiful　of　all；　fine　shipbuilding　timber　down　to　the　very　edge　of　the　sea。　The　upland　stretches　into　the　heart　of　the　country　for　twenty　furlongs　at　least。　It　is　good　loamy　soil；　free　from　stones。　For　a　still　greater　distance　the　seaboard　is　thickly　grown　with　large　timber　trees　of　every　description。　The　surrounding　country　is　beautiful　and　spacious；　containing　numerous　well　populated　villages。　The　soil　produces　barley　and　wheat；　and　pulse　of　all　sorts；　millet　and　sesame；　figs　in　ample　supply；　with　numerous　vines　producing　sweet　wines；　and　indeed　everything　else　except　olives。　Such　is　the　character　of　the　country。

The　tents　were　pitched　on　the　seaward…facing　beach；　the　soldiers　being　altogether　averse　to　camping　on　ground　which　might　so　easily　be　converted　into　a　city。　Indeed；　their　arrival　at　the　place　at　all　seemed　very　like　the　crafty　design　of　some　persons　who　were　minded　to　form　a　city。　The　aversion　was　not　unnatural；　since　the　majority　of　the　soldiers　had　not　left　their　homes　on　so　long　a　voyage　from　scantiness　or　subsistence；　but　attracted　by　the　fame　of　Cyrus's　virtues；　some　of　them　bringing　followers；　while　others　had　expended　money　on　the　expedition。　And　amongst　them　was　a　third　set　who　had　run　away　from　fathers　and　mothers；　while　a　different　class　had　left　children　behind；　hoping　to　return　to　them　with　money　or　other　gains。　Other　people　with　Cyrus　won　great　success；　they　were　told＇1＇；　why　should　it　not　be　so　with　them？　Being　persons　then　of　this　description；　the　one　longing　of　their　hearts　was　to　reach　Hellas　safely。

＇1＇　I。e。　〃his　society　was　itself　a　passport　to　good　fortune。〃

It　was　on　the　day　after　their　meeting　that　Xenophon　sacrificed　as　a　preliminary　to　a　military　expedition；　for　it　was　needful　to　march　out　in　search　of　provisions；　besides　which　he　designed　burying　the　dead。　　　　9　As　soon　as　the　victims　proved　favourable　they　all　setout；　the　Arcadians　following　with　the　rest。　The　majority　of　the　dead；　who　had　lain　already　five　days；　they　buried　just　where　they　had　fallen；　in　groups；　to　remove　their　bodies　now　would　have　been　impossible。　Some　few；　who　lay　off　the　roads；　they　got　together　and　buried　with　what　splendour　they　could；　considering　the　means　in　their　power。　Others　they　could　not　find；　and　for　these　they　erected　a　great　cenotaph＇2＇；　and　covered　it　with　wreaths。　When　it　was　all　done；　they　returned　home　to　camp。　At　that　time　they　supped；　and　went　to　rest。

＇2＇　〃Cenotaph〃；　i。e。　〃an　empty　tomb。〃　The　word　is　interesting　as　　　　　occuring　only　in　Xenophon；　until　we　come　to　the　writers　of　the　　　　　common　dialect。　Compare　〃hyuscyamus；〃　hogbean；　our　henbane；　which　　　　　we　also　owe　to　Xenophon。　〃Oecon。〃　i。　13；　see　Sauppe；　〃Lexil。　Xen。〃　　　　　s。vv。

Next　day　there　was　a　general　meeting　of　the　soldiers；　collected　chiefly　by　Agasias　the　Stymphalian；　a　captain；　and　Hieronymus；　an　Eleian；　also　a　captain；　and　other　seniors　of　the　Arcadians；　and　they　passed　a　resolution　that；　for　the　future；　whoever　revived　the　idea　of　breaking　up　the　army　should　be　punished　by　death。　And　the　army；　it　was　decided；　would　now　resume　its　old　position　under　the　command　of　its　former　generals。　Though　Cheirisophus；　indeed；　had　already　died　under　medical　treatment　for　fever＇3＇；　and　Neon　the　Asinaean　had　taken　his　place。

＇3＇　This　I　take　to　be　the　meaning　of　the　words；　which　are　necessarily　　　　　ambiguous；　since　｛pharmakon｝；　〃a　drug；〃　also　means　〃poison。〃　Did　　　　　Cheirisophus　conceivably　die　of　fever　brought　on　by　some　poisonous　　　　　draught？　or　did　he　take　poison　whilst　suffering　from　fever？　or　did　　　　　he　die　under　treatment？

After　these　resolutions　Xenophon　got　up　and　said：　〃Soldiers；　the　journey　must　now；　I　presume；　be　conducted　on　foot；　indeed；　this　is　clear；　since　we　have　no　vessels；　and　we　are　driven　to　commence　it　at　once；　for　we　have　no　provisions　if　we　stop。　We　then；〃　he　continued；　〃will　sacrifice；　and　you　must　prepare　yourselves　to　fight　now；　if　ever；　for　the　spirit　of　the　enemy　has　revived。〃

Thereupon　the　generals　sacrificed；　in　the　presence　of　the　Arcadian　seer；　Arexion；　for　Silanus　the　Ambraciot　had　chartered　a　vessel　at　Heraclea　and　made　his　escape　ere　this。　Sacrificing　with　a　view　to　　　　　　　13　departure；　the　victims　proved　unfavourable　to　them。　Accordingly　they　waited　that　day。　Certain　people　were　bold　enough　to　say　that　Xenophon；　out　of　his　desire　to　colonise　the　place；　had　persuaded　the　seer　to　say　that　the　victims　were　unfavourable　to　departure。　Consequently　he　proclaimed　by　herald　next　morning　that　any　one　who　liked　should　be　present　at　the　sacrifice；　or　if　he　were　a　seer　he　was　bidden　to　be　present　and　help　to　inspect　the　victims。　Then　he　sacrificed；　and　there　were　numbers　present；　but　though　the　sacrifice　on　the　question　of　departure　was　repeated　as　many　as　three　times；　the　victims　were　persistently　unfavourable。　Thereat　the　soldiers　were　in　high　dudgeon；　for　the　provisions　they　had　brought　with　them　had　reached　the　lowest　ebb；　and　there　was　no　market　to　be　had。

Consequently　there　was　another　meeting；　and　Xenophon　spoke　again：　〃Men；〃　said　he；　〃the　victims　are；　as　you　may　see　for　yourselves；　not　yet　favourable　to　the　march；　but　meanwhile；　I　can　see　for　myself　that　you　are　in　need　of　provisions；　accordingly　we　must　narrow　the　sacrifice　to　the　particular　point。〃　Some　one　got　up　and　said：　〃Naturally　enough　the　victims　are　unfavourable；　for；　as　I　learnt　from　some　one　on　a　vessel　which　arrived　here　yesterday　by　accident；　Cleander；　the　governor　at　Byzantium；　intends　coming　here　with　ships　and　men…of…war。〃　Thereat　they　were　all　in　favour　of　stopping；　but　they　must　needs　go　out　for　provisions；　and　with　this　object　he　again　sacrificed　three　times；　and　the　victims　remained　adverse。　Things　had　now　reached　such　a　pass　that　the　men　actually　came　to　Xenophon's　tent　to　proclaim　that　they　had　no　provisions。　His　sole　answer　was　that　he　would　not　lead　them　out　till　the　victims　were　favourable。

So　again　the　next　day　he　sacrificed；　and　nearly　the　whole　army；　so　strong　was　the　general　anxiety；　flocked　round　the　victims；　and　now　the　very　victims　themselves　failed。　So　the　generals；　instead　of　leading　out　the　army；　called　the　men　together。　Xenophon；　as　was　incumbent　on　him；　spoke：　〃It　is　quite　possible　that　the　enemy　are　collected　in　a　body；　and　we　shall　have　to　fight。　If　we　were　to　leave　our　baggage　in　the　strong　place〃　（pointing　overhead）　〃and　sally　forth　prepared　for　battle；　the　victims　might　favour　us。〃　But　the　soldiers；　on　hearing　　　　　　22　this　proposal；　cried　out；　〃No　need　to　take　us　inside　that　place；　better　sacrifice　with　all　speed。〃　Now　sheep　there　were　none　any　longer。　So　they　purchased　oxen　from　under　a　wagon　and　sacrificed；　and　Xenophon　begged　Cleanor　the　Arcadian　to　superintend　the　sacrifice　on　his　behalf；　in　case　there　might　be　some　change　now。　But　even　so　there　was　no　improvement。

Now　Neon　was　general　in　place　of　Cheirisophus；　and　seeing　the　men　suffering　so　cruelly　from　want；　he　was　willing　to　do　them　a　good　turn。　So　he　got　hold　of　some　Heracleot　or　other　who　said　he　knew　of　villages　close　by　from　which　they　could　get　provisions；　and　proclaimed　by　herald：　〃If　any　one　liked　to　come　out　and　get　provisions；　be　it　known　that　he；　Neon；　would　be　their　leader。〃　So　out　came　the　men　with　spears；　and　wine　skins　and　sacks　and　other　vesselstwo　thousand　strong　in　all。　But　when　they　had　reached　the　villages　and　began　to　scatter　for　the　purpose　of　foraging；　Pharnabazus's　cavalry　were　the　first　to　fall　upon　them。　They　had　come　to　the　aid　of　the　Bithynians；　wishing；　if　possible；　in　conjunction　with　the　latter；　to　hinder　the　Hellenes　from　entering　Phrygia。　These　troopers　killed　no　less　than　five　hundred　of　the　men；　the　rest　fled　for　the　lives　up　into　the　hill　country。

News　of　the　catastrophe　was　presently　brought　into　camp　by　one　of　those　who　had　escaped；　and　Xenophon；　seeing　that　the　victims　had　not　been　favourable　on　that　day；　took　a　wagon　bullock；　in　the　absence　of　other　sacrificial　beasts；　offered　it　up；　and　started　for　the　rescue；　he　and　the　rest　under　thirty　years　of　age　to　the　last　man。　Thus　they　picked　up　the　remnant　of　Neon's　party　and　returned　to　camp。　It　was　now　about　sunset；　and　the　Hellenes　in　deep　despondency　were　making　their　evening　meal；　when　all　of　a　sudden；　through　bush　and　brake；　a　party　of　Bithynians　fell　upon　the　pickets；　cutting　down　some　and　chasing　the　rest　into　camp。　In　the　midst　of　screams　and　shouts　the　Hellenes　ran　to　their　arms；　one　and　all；　yet　to　pursue　or　move　the　camp　in　the　night　seemed　hardly　safe；　for　the　ground　was　thickly　grown　with　bush；　all　they　could　do　was　to　strengthen　the　outposts　and　keep　watch　under　arms　the　livelong　night。



V

And　so　they　spent　the　night；　but　with　day…dawn　the　generals　led　the　　　　　1　way　into　the　natural　fastness；　and　the　others　picked　up　their　arms　and　baggage　and　followed　the　lead。　Before　the　breakfast…hour　arrived；　they　had　fenced　off　with　a　ditch　the　only　side　on　which　lay　ingress　into　the　place；　and　had　palisaded　off　the　whole；　leaving　only　three　gates。　Anon　a　ship　from　Heraclea　arrived　bringing　barleymeal；　victim　animals；　and　wine。

Xenophon　was　up　betimes；　and　made　the　usual　offering　before　starting　on　an　expedition；　and　at　the　first　victim　the　sacrifice　was　favourable。　Just　as　the　sacrifice　ended；　the　seer；　Arexion　the　Parrhasian；　caught　sight　of　an　eagle；　which　boded　well；　and　bade　Xenophon　lead　on。　So　they　crossed　the　trench　and　grounded　arms。　Then　proclamation　was　made　by　herald　for　the　soldiers　to　breakfast　and　start　on　an　expedition　under　arms；　the　mob　of　sutlers　and　the　captured　slaves　would　be　left　in　camp。　Accordingly　the　mass　of　the　troops　set　out。　Neon　alone　remained；　for　it　seemed　best　to　leave　that　general　and　his　men　to　guard　the　contents　of　the　camp。　But　when　the　officers　and　soldiers　had　left　them　in　the　lurch；　they　were　so　ashamed　to　stop　in　camp　while　the　rest　marched　out；　that　they　too　set　out；　leaving　only　those　above　five…and…forty　years　of　age。

These　then　stayed；　while　the　rest　set　out　on　the　march。　Before　they　had　gone　two　miles；　they　stumbled　upon　dead　bodies；　and　when　they　had　brought　up　the　rear　of　the　column　in　a　line　with　the　first　bodies　to　be　seen；　they　began　digging　graves　and　burying　all　included　in　the　column　from　end　to　end。　After　burying　the　first　batch；　they　advanced；　and　again　bringing　the　rear　even　with　the　first　unburied　bodies　which　appeared；　they　buried　in　the　same　way　all　which　the　line　of　troops　included。　Finally；　reaching　the　road　that　led　out　of　the　villages　where　the　bodies　lay　thick　together；　they　collected　them　and　laid　them　in　a　common　grave。

It　was　now　about　midday；　when　pushing　forward　the　troops　up　to　the　villages　without　entering　them；　they　proceeded　to　seize　prvoisions；　laying　hands　on　everything　they　could　set　eyes　on　under　cover　of　their　　7　lines；　when　suddenly　they　caught　sight　of　the　enemy　cresting　certain　hillocks　in　front　of　them；　duly　marshalled　in　linea　large　body　of　cavalry　and　infantry。　It　was　Spithridates　and　Rhathines；　sent　by　Pharnabazus　with　their　forec　at　their　backs。　As　soon　as　the　enemy　caught　sight　of　the　Hellenes；　they　stood　still；　about　two　miles　distant。　Then　Arexion　the　seer　sacrificed；　and　at　the　first　essay　the　victims　were　favourable。　Whereupon　Xenophon　addressed　the　other　generals：　〃I　would　advise；　sirs；　that　we　should　detach　on