anabasis-第4部分

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alted　seven　days；　and　here　Xenias　the　Arcadian　general；　and　Pasion　the　Megarian　got　on　board　a　trader；　and　having　stowed　away　their　most　valuable　effects；　set　sail　for　home；　most　people　explained　the　act　as　the　outcome　of　a　fit　of　jealousy；　because　Cyrus　had　allowed　Clearchus　to　retain　their　men；　who　had　deserted　to　him；　in　hopes　of　returning　to　Hellas　instead　of　marching　against　the　king；　when　the　two　had　so　vanished；　a　rumour　spread　that　Cyrus　was　after　them　with　some　ships　of　war；　and　some　hoped　the　cowards　might　be　caught；　others　pitied　them；　if　that　should　be　their　fate。

But　Cyrus　summoned　the　generals　and　addressed　them：　〃Xenias　and　　　　　　　　　8　Pasion；〃　he　said；　〃have　taken　leave　of　us；　but　they　need　not　flatter　themselves　that　in　so　doing　they　have　stolen　into　hiding。　I　know　where　they　are　gone；　nor　will　they　owe　their　escape　to　speed；　I　have　men…of…war　to　capture　their　craft；　if　I　like。　But　heaven　help　me！　if　I　mean　to　pursue　them：　never　shall　it　be　said　of　me；　that　I　turn　people　to　account　as　long　as　they　stay　with　me；　but　as　soon　as　they　are　minded　to　be　off；　I　seize　and　maltreat　them；　and　strip　them　of　their　wealth。　Not　so！　let　them　go　with　the　consciousness　that　our　behaviour　to　them　is　better　than　theirs　to　us。　And　yet　I　have　their　children　and　wives　safe　under　lock　and　key　in　Tralles；　but　they　shall　not　be　deprived　even　of　these。　They　shall　receive　them　back　in　return　for　their　former　goodness　to　me。〃　So　he　spoke；　and　the　Hellenes；　even　those　who　had　been　out　of　heart　at　the　thought　of　marching　up　the　country；　when　they　heard　of　the　nobleness　of　Cyrus；　were　happier　and　more　eager　to　follow　him　on　his　path。

After　this　Cyrus　marched　onwards　four　stagestwenty　parasangsto　the　river　Chalus。　That　river　is　a　hundred　feet　broad；　and　is　stocked　with　tame　fish　which　the　Syrians　regard　as　gods；　and　will　not　suffer　to　be　injuredand　so　too　the　pigeons　of　the　place。　The　villages　in　which　they　encamped　belonged　to　Parysatis；　as　part　of　her　girdle　money＇1＇。　From　this　point　he　marched　on　five　stagesthirty　parasangsto　the　sources　of　the　river　Dardas；　which　is　a　hundred　feet　broad。　Here　stood　the　palace　of　Belesys；　the　ruler　of　Syria；　with　its　parkwhich　was　a　very　large　and　beautiful　one；　and　full　of　the　products　of　all　the　seasons　in　their　course。　But　Cyrus　cut　down　the　park　and　burnt　the　palace。　Thence　he　marched　on　three　stagesfifteen　parasangsto　the　river　Euphrates；　which　is　nearly　half　a　mile　broad。　A　large　and　　　　　　　　　11　flourishing　city；　named　Thapsacus；　stands　on　its　banks。　Here　they　halted　five　days；　and　here　Cyrus　sent　for　the　generals　of　the　Hellenes；　and　told　them　that　the　advance　was　now　to　be　upon　Babylon；　against　the　great　king；　he　bade　them　communicate　this　information　to　the　soldiers　and　persuade　them　to　follow。　The　generals　called　an　assembly；　and　announced　the　news　to　the　soldiers。　The　latter　were　indignant　and　angry　with　the　generals；　accusing　them　of　having　kept　secret　what　they　had　long　known；　and　refused　to　go；　unless　such　a　bribe　of　money　were　given　them　as　had　been　given　to　their　predecessors；　when　they　went　up　with　Cyrus　to　the　court　of　his　father；　not　as　now　to　fight　a　battle；　but　on　a　peaceful　errandthe　visit　of　a　son　to　his　father　by　invitation。　The　demand　was　reported　to　Cyrus　by　the　generals；　and　he　undertook　to　give　each　man　five　silver　minae　as　soon　as　Babylon　was　reached；　and　their　pay　in　full；　until　he　had　safely　conveyed　them　back　to　Ionia　again。　In　this　manner　the　Hellenic　force　were　persuadedthat　is　to　say；　the　majority　of　them。　Menon；　indeed；　before　it　was　clear　what　the　rest　of　the　soldiers　would　dowhether；　in　fact　they　would　follow　Cyrus　or　notcollected　his　own　troops　apart　and　made　them　the　following　speech；　〃Men；〃　he　said；　〃if　you　will　listen　to　me；　there　is　a　method　by　which；　without　risk　or　toil；　you　may　win　the　special　favour　of　Cyrus　beyond　the　rest　of　the　soldiers。　You　ask　what　it　is　I　would　have　you　to　do？　I　will　tell　you。　Cyrus　at　this　instant　is　begging　the　Hellenes　to　follow　him　to　attack　the　king。　I　say　then：　Cross　the　Euphrates　at　once；　before　it　is　clear　what　answer　the　rest　will　make；　if　they　vote　in　favour　of　following；　you　will　get　the　credit　of　having　set　the　example；　and　Cyrus　will　be　grateful　to　you。　He　will　look　upon　you　as　being　the　heartiest　in　his　cause；　he　will　repay；　as　of　all　others　he　best　knows　how；　while；　if　the　rest　vote　against　crossing；　we　shall　go　back　again；　but　as　the　sole　adherents；　whose　fidelity　he　can　altogether　trust；　it　is　you　whom　Cyrus　will　turn　to　account；　as　commandants　of　garrisons　or　captains　of　companies。　You　need　only　ask　him　for　whatever　you　want；　and　you　will　get　it　from　him；　as　being　the　friends　of　Cyrus。

＇1＇　Cf。　Plat。　〃Alcib。〃　i。　123　B。　〃Why；　I　have　been　informed　by　a　　　　　credible　person；　who　went　up　to　the　king　（at　Susa）；　that　he　passed　　　　　through　a　large　tract　of　excellent　land；　extending　for　nearly　a　　　　　day's　journey；　which　the　people　of　the　country　called　the　queen's　　　　　girdle；　and　another　which　they　called　her　veil；〃　etc。　Olympiodorus　　　　　and　the　Scholiast　both　think　that　Plato　here　refers　to　Xenophon　　　　　and　this　passage　of　the　〃Anabasis。〃　Grote　thinks　it　very　probable　　　　　that　Plato　had　in　his　mind　Xenophon　（either　his　〃Anabasis〃　or　　　　　personal　communications　with　him）。

The　men　heard　and　obeyed；　and　before　the　rest　had　given　their　answer；　they　were　already　across。　But　when　Cyrus　perceived　that　Menon's　troops　　16　had　crossed；　he　was　well　pleased；　and　he　sent　Glus　to　the　division　in　question；　with　this　message：　〃Soldiers；　accept　my　thanks　at　present；　eventually　you　shall　thank　me。　I　will　see　to　that；　or　my　name　is　not　Cyrus。〃　The　soldiers　therefore　could　not　but　pray　heartily　for　his　success；　so　high　their　hopes　ran。　But　to　Menon；　it　was　said；　he　sent　gifts　with　lordly　liberality。　This　done；　Cyrus　proceeded　to　cross；　and　in　his　wake　followed　the　rest　of　the　armament　to　a　man。　As　they　forded；　never　a　man　was　wetted　above　the　chest：　nor　ever　until　this　moment；　said　the　men　of　Thapascus；　had　the　river　been　so　crossed　on　foot；　boats　had　always　been　required；　but　these；　at　the　present　time；　Abrocomas；　in　his　desire　to　hinder　Cyrus　from　crossing；　had　been　at　pains　to　burn。　Thus　the　passage　was　looked　upon　as　a　thing　miraculous；　the　river　had　manifestly　retired　before　the　face　of　Cyrus；　like　a　courtier　bowing　to　his　future　king。　From　this　place　he　continued　his　march　through　Syria　nine　stagesfifty　parasangsand　they　reached　the　river　Araxes。　Here　were　several　villages　full　of　corn　and　wine；　in　which　they　halted　three　days；　and　provisioned　the　army。



V

Thence　he　marched　on　through　Arabia；　keeping　the　Euphrates　on　the　　　　　　　1　right；　five　desert　stagesthirty…five　parasangs。　In　this　region　the　ground　was　one　long　level　plain；　stretching　far　and　wide　like　the　sea；　full　of　absinth；　whilst　all　the　other　vegetation；　whether　wood　or　reed；　was　sweet　scented　like　spice　or　sweet　herb；　there　were　no　trees；　but　there　was　wild　game　of　all　kindswild　asses　in　greatest　abundance；　with　plenty　of　ostriches；　besides　these；　there　were　bustards　and　antelopes。　These　creatures　were　occasionally　chased　by　the　cavalry。　The　asses；　when　pursued；　would　run　forward　a　space；　and　then　stand　stilltheir　pace　being　much　swifter　than　that　of　horses；　and　as　soon　as　the　horses　came　close；　they　went　through　the　same　performance。　The　only　way　to　catch　them　was　for　the　riders　to　post　themselves　at　intervals；　and　to　hunt　them　in　relays；　as　it　were。　The　flesh　of　those　they　captured　was　not　unlike　venison；　only　more　tender。　No　one　was　lucky　enough　to　capture　an　ostrich。　Some　of　the　troopers　did　give　chase；　but　it　had　soon　to　be　abandoned；　for　the　bird；　in　its　effort　to　escape；　speedily　put　a　long　interval　between　itself　and　its　　　3　pursuers；　plying　its　legs　at　full　speed；　and　using　its　wings　the　while　like　a　sail。　The　bustards　were　not　so　hard　to　catch　when　started　suddenly；　for　they　only　take　short　flights；　like　partridges；　and　are　soon　tired。　Their　flesh　is　delicious。

As　the　army　wended　its　way　through　this　region；　they　reached　the　river　Mascas；　which　is　one　hundred　feet　in　breadth。　Here　stood　a　big　deserted　city　called　Corsote；　almost　literally　environed　by　the　stream；　which　flows　round　it　in　a　circle。　Here　they　halted　three　days　and　provisioned　themselves。　Thence　they　continued　their　march　thirteen　desert　stagesninety　parasangswith　the　Euphrates　still　on　their　right；　until　they　reached　the　Gates。　On　these　marches　several　of　the　baggage　animals　perished　of　hunger；　for　there　was　neither　grass　nor　green　herb；　or　tree　of　any　sort；　but　the　country　throughout　was　barren。　The　inhabitants　make　their　living　by　quarrying　millstones　on　the　river　banks；　which　they　work　up　and　take　to　Babylon　and　sell；　purchasing　corn　in　exchange　for　their　goods。　Corn　failed　the　army；　and　was　not　to　be　got　for　money；　except　in　the　Lydian　market　open　in　Cyrus's　Asiatic　army；　where　a　kapithe　of　wheat　or　barley　cost　four　shekels；　the　shekel　being　equal　to　seven　and　a　half　Attic　obols；　whilst　the　kapithe　is　the　equivalent　of　two　Attic　choeneces＇1＇；　dry　measure；　so　that　the　soldiers　subsisted　on　meat　alone　for　the　whole　period。　Some　of　the　stages　were　very　long；　whenever　they　had　to　push　on　to　find　water　or　fodder；　and　once　they　found　themselves　involved　in　a　narrow　way；　where　the　deep　clay　presented　an　obstacle　to　the　progress　of　the　wagons。　Cyrus；　with　the　nobles　about　him；　halted　to　superintend　the　operation；　and　ordered　Glus　and　Pigres　to　take　a　body　of　barbarians　and　to　help　in　extricating　the　wagons。　As　they　seemed　to　be　slow　about　the　business；　he　turned　round　angrily　to　the　Persian　nobles　and　bade　them　lend　a　hand　to　force　the　wagons　out。　Then；　if　ever；　what　goes　to　constitute　one　branch　of　good　discipline；　was　to　be　witnessed。　Each　of　those　addressed；　just　where　he　chanced　to　be　　　　　　　　　8　standing；　threw　off　his　purple　cloak；　and　flung　himself　into　the　work　with　as　much　eagerness　as　if　it　had　been　a　charge　for　victory。　Down　a　steep　hill　side　they　flew；　with　their　costly　tunics　and　embroidered　trouserssome　with　the　circlets　round　their　necks；　and　bracelets　on　their　armsin　an　instant；　they　had　sprung　into　the　miry　clay；　and　in　less　time　than　one　could　have　conceived；　they　had　landed　the　wagons　safe　on　terra　firma。

＇1＇　The　choenix　=　about　1　quart　（or；　according　to　others；　1　1/2　pint）。　　　　　It　was　t