Cyrus advanced continually by long marches.' What troubled him most on the way was the pass of Cicilia, which was a narrow defile between very high and steep mountains, that would admit no more than one carriage to pass at a time. Syennesis, king of the country, was preparing to dispute this pass with him, and would infallibly have succeeded, but for the diversion made by Tamos with his fleet, in conjunction with that of the Lacedæmonians. To defend the coasts against the insults of the fleet, Syennesis abandoned that important post, which a small body of troops might have made good against the greatest army. When they arrived at Tarsus, the Greeks refused to advance any farther, rightly suspecting that they were marching against the king, and loudly exclaiming that they had not entered into the service upon that condition. Clearchus, who commanded them, had occasion for all his address and ability to stifle this commotion in its birth. At first he made use of authority and force, but with very ill success, and desisted therefore from an open opposition to their sentiments: he even affected to enter into their views, and to support them with his approbation and influence. He declared publicly, that he would not separate himself from them, and advised them to depute persons to the prince, to know from his own mouth against whom they were to be led, that they might follow him voluntarily, if they approved his measures, if not, that they might demand his permission to withdraw. By this artful evasion he appeased the tumult, and made them easy, and they chose him and some other officers for their deputies. Cyrus, whom he had secretly apprised of every thing, made answer, that he was going to attack Abrocomas2 his enemy, who was encamped at twelve days' march from thence upon the Euphrates. When this answer was repeated to them, though they plainly saw against whom they were going, they resolved to proceed, and only demanded an augmentation of the pay. Cyrus, instead of one daricks a month to each soldier, promised to give them one and a half. Some time after, Cyrus was informed that two of the principal officers, upon account of a private quarrel with Clearchus, had deserted with part of their equipage on board a merchant ship. Many were of opinion, that it was proper to send some galleys after them, which might be done with great ease; and that when they were brought back, they should be made an example, by suffering death in the sight of the whole army. Cyrus, convinced that favour was the most certain means to obtain affection, and that punishments, like violent remedies ought never to be used but in extreme necessity, declared publicly that he would not suffer it to be said, that he had detained any one in his service by force, and added, that he would send them their wives and children, whom they had left as hostages in his hands. An answer displaying so much wisdom and generosity had a surprising effect; and made even those his firm adherents, who were before inclined to retire. This is an excellent lesson for all who govern. There is in the mind of man a fund of natural generosity, which it is necessary to know and to put in play. Threats exasperate them, and chastisement makes them revolt, when endeavours are used to force them to do their duty against their will. They desire a certain degree of confidence in their honour, and that the glory of discharging their duty through choice be left in their power: to show that you believe men faithful, is often the best means to make them so. Cyrus soon after declared, that he was marching against Artaxerxes. Upon which some murmuring was heard at first, but it soon gave place to the expressions of joy and satisfaction, occasioned by that prince's magnificent promises to the army. As Cyrus advanced by long marches, he was informed from all parts, that the king did not intend to come directly to a battle, but had resolved to wait in the heart of Persia till all his forces were assembled; and that, to stop his enemies, he had ordered to be dug in the plains of Babylonia, a ditch of five fathoms broad, and three deep, extending the space of twelve parasangas," or leagues, from the Euphrates to the wall of Media. Between the Euphrates and the fosse a way had been left of twenty feet in breadth, by which Cyrus passed with his whole army, which he had reviewed the day before. The king had neglected to dispute this pass with him, and suffered him to continue his march towards Babylon. It was Tiribasus who made him 'resolve not to fly in such a manner before an enemy, over whom he had infinite advantages, as well from the number of his troops as the valour of his generals. He resolved therefore to advance against the enemy. SECTION II. THE BATTLE OF CUNAXA. THE GREEKS ARE VICTORIOUS ON THEIR SIDE, ARTAXERXES ON HIS. CYRUS IS KILLED. THE place where the battle was fought,8 was called Cunaxa, about twenty-five leagues, from Babylon. The army of Cyrus consisted of 13,000 Greeks, 100,000 Barbarians, and twenty chariots armed with scythes. That of the enemy in horse and foot might amount to about 1,200,000, under four generals, Tissaphernes, Gobryas, Arbaces, and Abrocomas, without including 6000 chosen horse, that fought where the king was present, and never quitted his person. But Abrocomas, who had the command of 300,000 men, did not arrive till five days after the battle. In the king's army were only 150 chariots armed with scythes. Cyrus believed, from the enemy's not having defended the pass at the fosse, that there would be no battle; so that the next day the army marched with great negligence. But on the third, Cyrus being in his chariot, with few soldiers in their ranks before him, and the rest marching without any order, or having their arms carried for them, a horseman came in full speed, crying out as he passed, that the enemy were approaching in order of battle. Upon this, great confusion ensued, from the apprehension that they should not have time to draw up the army. Cyrus, leaping from his chariot, put on his arms immediately, and getting on horseback with his javelin in his hand, he gave orders universally to the troops to stand to their arms, and fall into their ranks; which was executed with so much expedition, that the troops had not time to refresh themselves. Cyrus posted upon his right 1000 Paphlagonian horse, supported by the Euphrates, and the light-armed infantry of the Greeks; and next them, Clearchus, Proxenus, and the rest of the general officers to Menon, at the head of their several corps. The left wing, composed of Lydians, Phrygians, and other Asiatic nations, was commanded by Ariaus, who had 1000 horse. Cyrus placed himself in the centre, where the chosen troops of the Persians and other Barbarians Plut. in Artax. p. 1014. Xenop. 1. i. p. 261–266. The parasanga is a road measure peculiar to the Persians. It was commonly thirty stadia, which make about a league and a half French. Some were from twenty to sixty stadia. In the march of Cyrus's army, I suppose the parasanga only twenty stadia, or one league, for reasons I shall give hereafter. Xenoph. in Exped. Cyr. 1 i. p. 263-266. Diod. L xiv p. 253, 254. Plut. p. 1014-1017. • Five hundred stadia. were posted. He had around him 600 horsemen, armed at all points, as were their horses, with frontlets and breast-plates. The prince's head was uncovered, as were those of all the Persians, whose custom it was to give battle in that manner; the arms of all his people were red, and those of Artaxerxes were white. A little before the onset, Clearchus advised Cyrus not to charge in person, but to cover himself in the rear of the Grecian battalions. "What is it you say?" replied Cyrus; "at the time I am endeavouring to make myself king, would you have me show myself unworthy of being so?" That wise and generous answer proves, that he knew the duty of a general, especially on a day of battle. Had he withdrawn when his presence was most necessary, it would have argued his want of courage, and intimidated others. It is necessary always, however, preserving the due distinction between the leader and the troops, that their danger should be common, and no one exempt from it; lest the latter should be alarmed by a different conduct. Courage in an army depends upon example, upon the desire of being distinguished, the fear of dishonour, the incapacity of doing otherwise than the rest, and the equality of danger. If Cyrus had retired, it would have either ruined, or greatly weakened, all these potent motives, by discouraging the officers as well as soldiers of his army. He thought, that being their general, it was incumbent upon him to discharge all the functions of that office, and to show himself worthy to be the leader and soul of such a number of valiant men, ready to shed their blood for his service. It was now noon, and the enemy did not yet appear. But about three of the clock a great dust like a white clould arose, followed soon after with a blackness that overspread the whole plain; after which was seen the glittering of armour, lances, and standards. Tissaphernes commanded the left, which consisted of cavalry armed with white cuirasses, and of light-armed infantry; in the centre was the heavy-armed foot, a great part of which had bucklers made of wood which covered the soldier entirely (these were Egyptians.) The rest of the light-armed infantry and of the horse formed the right wing. The foot were drawn up by nations, with as much depth as front, and in that order composed square battalions. The king had posted himself in the main body with the flower of the whole army, and had 6000 horse for his guard, commanded by Artagerses. Though he was in the centre, he was beyond the left wing of Cyrus's army, so much did the front of his own exceed that of the enemy in extent. A hundred and fifty chariots armed with scythes were placed in the front of the army at some distance from one another. The scythes were fixed to the axle downwards and aslant, so as to cut down, and overthrow all before them. As Cyrus relied very much upon the valour and experience of the Greeks, he bade Clearchus, as soon as he had beaten the enemies in his front, to take care to incline to his left, and fall upon the centre, where the king was posted-the success of the battle depending upon that attack. But Clearchus, finding it very difficult to make his way through so great a body of troops, replied, that he need be in no pain, and that he would take care to do what was necessary. The enemy in the mean time advanced slowly and in good order. Cyrus marched in the space between the two armies, though nearest to his own, and considered both of them with great attention. Xenophon, perceiving him, spurred directly up to him, to know whether he had any farther orders to give. He called out to him, that the sacrifices were favourable, and that he should tell the troops so. He then hastened through the ranks to give his orders, and showed himself to the soldiers with such a joy and serenity in his countenance, as inspired them with new courage, and at the same time with an air of kindness and familiarity, that excited their zeal and affection. It is not easy to comprehend what great effects are produced by a word, a kind air, or a look of a general, upon a day of action; and with what ardour a common man will rush into danger, when he believes himself not unknown to his general, and thinks his valour will oblige him. Artaxerxes moved on continually, though with a slow pace, and without noise and confusion. That good order and exact discipline extremely surprised the Greeks, who expected to see much hurry and tu mult in so great a multitude, and to hear confused cries, as Cyrus had foretold them. The armies were not distant above four or five hundred paces, when the Greeks began to sing the hymn of battle, and to march on, slowly at first, and with silence. When they came near the enemy, they set up great cries, striking their darts upon their shields to frighten the horse, and then moving altogether, they sprung forwards upon the Barbarians with all their force, who did not wait their charge, but took to their heels, and fled universally; except Tissaphernes, who stood his ground with a small part of his troops. Cyrus saw with pleasure the enemy routed by the Greeks, and was proclaimed king by those around him. But he did not give himself up to a vain joy, nor as yet reckon himself victor. He perceived, that Artaxerxes was wheeling his right to attack him in flank, and marched directly against him with his 600 horse. He killed Artagerses, who commanded the king's guard of 6000 horse, with his own hand, and put the whole body to flight. Discovering his brother, he cried out, his eyes sparkling with rage, I see him, and spurred against him, followed only by his principal officers; for his troops had quitted their ranks to follow the runaways, which was an essential fault. The battle then became a single combat,' in some measure, between Artaxerxes and Cyrus, and the two brothers were seen transported with rage and fury, endeavouring, like Eteocles and Polynices, to plunge their swords into each other's hearts, and to assure themselve of the throne by the death of their rival. Cyrus having opened his way through those who were drawn up in battle before Artaxerxes, joined him, and killed his horse that fell with him to the ground. He rose, and was remounted upon another, when Cyrus attacked him again, gave him a second wound and was preparing to give him a third, in hopes that it would prove his last. The king, like a lion wounded by the hunters, only the more furious from the smart, sprung forwards, impetuously pushing his horse against Cyrus, who running headlong, and without ragard to his person, threw himself into the midst of a flight of darts aimed at him from all sides, and received a wound from the king's javelin, at the instant all the rest discharged their weapons against him. Cyrus fell dead: some say that it was from the wound given him by the king; others affirm that he was killed by a Carian soldier. Mithridates, a young Persian nobleman, asserted, that he had given him the mortal stroke with a javelin, which entered his temple, and pierced his head quite through. The greatest persons of the court, resolving not to survive so good a master, were all killed around his body;-a certain proof, says Xenophon, that he well knew how to choose his friends, and that he was truly beloved by them. Ariæus, who ought to have been the firmest of all his adherents, fled with the left wing, as soon as he heard of his death. Artaxerxes, after having caused the head and right hand of his brother to be cut off by the eunuch Mesabates, pursued the enemy into their camp. Ariaus had not stopped there, but having passed through it, continued his retreat to the place where the army had encamped the day before, which was about four leagues distant. Thissaphernes, after the defeat of the greatest part 1 Diod. 1. xiv. 7. P. 254. of his left wing by the Greeks, led on the rest against them, and by the side of the river passed through the light-armed infantry of the Greeks, who opened to give him passage, and made their discharge upon him as he passed without losing a man. They were conmanded by Episthenes of Amphipolis, who was esteemed an able captain. Tissaphernes kept on without returning to the charge, because he perceived he was too weak, and went forward to Cyrus's camp, where he found the king, who was plundering it; but had not been able to force the quarter defended by the Greeks left to guard it, who saved their baggage. The Greeks on their side, and Artaxerxes on his, who did not know what was going on elsewhere, believed each of them that they had gained the victory; the first, because they had put the enemy to flight, and pursued them; and the king, because he had killed his brother, beaten the troops who had opposed him, and plundered their camp. The event was soon cleared up on both sides. Tissaphernes, upon his arrival at the camp, informed the king, that the Greeks had defeated his left wing, and pursued it with great vigour; and the Greeks, on their side learned, that the king, in pursuing Cyrus's left, had penetrated into the camp. Upon this advice, the king rallied his troops, and marched in quest of the enemy; and Clearchus, being returned from pursuing the Persians, advanced to support the camp. The two armies were soon very near each other, when, by a movement made by the king, he seemed to intend to charge the Greeks by their left, who, fearing to be surrounded on all sides, wheeled about, and halted with the river on their backs, to prevent their being taken in the rear. Upon seeing that, the king changed his form of battle also, drew up his army in front of them, and marched on to the attack. As soon as the Greeks saw him approach, they began to sing the hymn of battle, and advanced against the enemy even with more ardour than in the first action. The Barbarians again took to their heels, as at first, ran farther than before, and were pursued to a village at the foot of a hill, upon which their horse halted. The king's standard was observed to be there, which was a golden eagle upon the top of a pike, having its wings displayed. The Greeks preparing to pursue them, they abandoned also the hill, fled precipitately, and all their troops broke, and were in the utmost disorder and confusion. Clearchus, having drawn up the Greeks at the bottom of the hill, ordered Lycias the Syracusan and another to go up it, and observe what passed in the plain. They returned with an account that the enemy fled on all sides, and that their whole army was routed. As it was almost night, the Greeks laid down their arms to rest themselves, much surprised, that neither Cyrus, nor any one from him, appeared; and imagining that he was either engaged in the pursuit of the enemy, or was making haste to possess himself of some important place; for they were still ignorant of his death, and the defeat of the rest of his army. They determined therefore to return to their camp, where they arrived about night-fall, and found the greatest part of the baggage taken, with all the provisions and 400 waggons laden with corn and wine, which Cyrus had expressly caused to be carried along with the army for the Greeks, in case of any pressing necessity. They passed the night in the camp, the greatest part of them without any refreshment, concluded that Cyrus was alive and victorious. The success of this battle shows the superiority of valour and military knowledge over the greatest numbers without them. The small army of the Greeks did not amount to more than twelve or 13,000 men; but they were seasoned and disciplined troops, inured to fatigues, accustomed to confront dangers, sensible to glory, and who, during the long Peloponnesian war, had not wanted either time or means to acquire, and perfect themselves in the art of war. On Artaxerxes' side were reckoned nearly 1,000,000 of men; but they were soldiers only in name, without force, courage, discipline, experience, or any sentiment of honour. Hence it was, that as soon as the Greeks appeared, terror and disorder ensued amongst the enemy; and in the second action, Artaxerxes himself did not dare to wait their attack, but shamefully betook himself to flight. Plutarch here blames Clearchus the general of the Greeks very much, and imputes to him as an unpardonable neglect, his not having followed Cyrus's order, who recommended to him above all things to fall upon that body where Artaxerxes commanded in person. This reproach seems groundless. It is not easy to conceive, how it was possible for that captain, who was posted on the right wing, to attack Artaxerxes immediately, who, in the centre of his own army, lay beyond the utmost extent of the enemy's left, as has been said before. It seems that Cyrus, depending as he did with great reason upon the valour of the Greeks, and desiring they should charge Artaxerxes in his post, ought to have placed them in the left wing which answered directly to the part where the king was; that is, to the main body, and not in the right, which was very remote from it. Clearchus may indeed be reproached with having followed the pursuit too warmly and too long. If, after having put the left wing which opposed him into disorder, he had charged the rest of the enemy in flank, and had opened his way to the centre, where Artaxerxes was, it is highly probable, that he would have gained a complete victory, and placed Cyrus upon the throne. The 600 horse of that prince's guard committed the same fault, and by pursuing the body of troops they had put to flight too eagerly, left their master almost alone, and abandoned to the mercy of the enemy without considering that they were chosen from the whole army for the immediate guard of his person, and for no other purpose whatsoever. Too much ardour is often prejudicial in a battle, and it is the duty of an able general to know how to restrain and direct it. : Cyrus himself erred highly in this respect, and abandoned himself too much to his blind passion for glory and revenge. In running headlong to attack his brother, he forgot that there is a wide difference between a general and a private soldier. He ought not to have exposed himself, but as became a prince: as the head, not as the hand-as the person who was to give orders, and not as those who were to execute them. In these remarks I only adopt those which have been made by able judges in the art of war, and would not choose to advance my own opinion upon points which I am not competent to decide. SECTION III.-EULOGY OF CYRUS. XENOPHON gives us a magnificent character of Cyrus, and that not merely from the report of others, but from what he saw and knew of him in his own person. He was, says he, in the opinion of all that was acquainted with him, next to Cyrus the Great, a prince the most worthy of the supreme authority, and one who had the most noble, and most truly royal soul. From his infancy he surpassed all of his own age in every exercise, whether it were in managing the horse, drawing the bow, throwing the dart, or in the chase, in which he distinguished himself once by fighting and killing a bear that attacked him. Those advantages were enhanced in him by the nobleness of his air, an engaging aspect, and by all the graces of nature, that conduce to recommend merit. When his father had made him satrap of Lydia, and the neighbouring provinces, his chief care was to make the people sensible that he had nothing so much at heart as to keep his word inviolably, not only with regard to public treaties, but the most minute of 1 De Exped. Cyr. l. i. p. 266, 267. 2 Great Phrygia and Cappadocia. his promises;-a quality very rare amongst princes, which however is the basis of all good government, and the source of their own, as well as their people's happiness. Not only the places under his authority, but the enemy themselves, reposed an entire confidence in him. Whether good or ill were done him, he always desired to return it twofold, and wished that he might five no longer (as he said himself,) than whilst he surpassed his friends in benefits, and his enemies in vengeance. (It would have been more glorious for him to have overcome the latter by the force of favour and benevolence.) Nor was there ever a prince whom people were more afraid to offend, nor for whose sake they were more ready to hazard their possessions, lives, and fortunes. It is most certain that young Cyrus was endowed with great virtues, and a superior merit; but I am surprised, that Xenophon, in drawing his character, has described only the most beautiful features, and such as are calculated to excite our admiration of him, without saying the least word of his defects, and especially of that immoderate ambition, which was the soul of all his actions, and which at length put arms into his hands, against his elder brother and king. Is it allowable in an historian, whose chief duty is to paint virtue and vice in their proper colours, to relate at large an enterprise of such a nature, without intimating the least dislike or reprobation of it? But with the pagans, ambition was so far from being considered as a vice, that it often passed for a virtue. SECTION IV.—THE KING WISHES TO COMPEL THE GREEKS TO DELIVER UP THEIR ARMS. THEY RE- them; but that they would die before they would part with them; that if he would receive them into the number of his allies, they would serve him with fidelity and valour ;3 but if he imagined to reduce them to slavery as conquered, he might know, they had wherewithal to defend themselves, and were deter Less intent upon being feared than beloved, his study was to make his greatness appear only where it was useful and beneficial, and to extinguish all other sentiments, but those which flow from gratitude and affection. He was careful to seize every occasion of doing good, to confer his favours with judgment and in season, and to show, that he thought himself rich, powerful, and happy, only as he made others sensible of his being so by his benevolence and THE Greeks, having learned, the day after the liberality. But he took care not to exhaust the means battle, that Cyrus was dead, sent deputies to Ariæus, by an imprudent profusion. He did not lavish but the general of the barbarians, who had retired with distribute his favours. He chose rather to make his his troops to the place from whence they had marched liberalities the rewards of merit, than mere donations, the day before the action, to offer him, as victors, the and that they should be subservient in promoting virtue, crown of Persia in the room of Cyrus. At the same and not in supporting the soft and abject sloth of vicc. time arrived Persian heralds at arms from the king, He was particularly pleased with conferring his to summon them to deliver up their arms; to whom favours upon valiant men, and governments and re- they answered with a haughty air, that such meswards were bestowed only on those who had distin-sages were not to be sent to conquerors; that if the guished themselves by their actions. He never grant-king would have their arms, he might come and take ed any honour or dignity to favour, intrigue, or faction, but to merit alone; upon which depends not only the glory but the prosperity of governments. By that means he soon made virtue estimable, and rendered vice contemptible. The provinces, animated with a noble emulation, furnished him in a very short time with a considerable number of excellent sub-mined to lose their lives and liberty together. The hejects of every kind; who under a different government would have remained unknown, obscure, and useless. Never did any one know how to confer an obligation with a better grace, or to win the hearts of those who could serve him with a more engaging behaviour. As he was fully sensible that he stood in need of the assistance of others for the execution of his designs, he thought justice and gratitude required that he should render his adherents all the services in his power. All the presents made him, whether of splendid arms or rich apparel, he distributed among his friends, according to their several tastes or occasions, and used to say, that the brightest ornament, and most exalted riches of a prince, consisted in adorning and enriching those who served him well. In fact, says Xenophon, to do good to one's friends, and to excel them in liberality, does not seem so worthy of admiration in so high a fortune; but to transcend them in goodness of heart and sentiments of friendship and affection, and to take more pleasure in conferring, than receiving obligations; this is what I find in Cyrus truly worthy of esteem and admiration. The first of these advantages he derives from his rank; the other from himself and his intrinsic merit. By these extraordinary qualities, he acquired the universal esteem and affection as well of the Greeks as barbarians. A great proof of what Xenophon here says, is, that none ever quitted the service of Cyrus, for the king's; whereas great numbers went over every day to him from the king's party after the war was declared, and even of such as had most credit at the court; because they were all convinced, that Cyrus knew best how to distinguish and reward their services. ralds added, that they had orders to tell them, that if they continued in the place where they were, they would be allowed a suspension of arms, but if they advanced or retired, that they would be treated as enemies. The Greeks agreed, but were asked by the heralds what answer they should take back. Peace in continuing here, or war in marching, replied Clearchus, without explaining himself farther; in order to keep the king always in suspense and uncertainty. The answer of Arius to the Grecian deputies was that there were many Persians more considerable than himself, who would not suffer him upon the throne, and that he should set out early the next day to return into lonia; that, if they would march thither with him, they might join him in the night. Clearchus, with the advice of the officers, prepared to depart. He commanded from thenceforth, as being the sole person of sufficient capacity; for he had not been actually elected general-in-chief. When the night came, Miltocythes the Thracian, who commanded forty horse, and about three hundred foot of his own country, went and surrendered himself to the king; and the rest of the Greeks began their march under the conduct of Clearchus, and arrived about midnight at the camp of Ariaus. After they had drawn up in battle, the principal officers went to wait on him in his tent, where they swore alliance with him; and the barbarian engaged to conduct the army without fraud. In confirmation of the treaty, they sacrificed a wolf, a ram, a boar, and a bull; the Greeks dipped their swords, and the bar Xenop, in Exped. Cyr. l. ii. p. 272-292. Diod. 1 xiv. p. 255-257. Sin ut victis servitum indiceretur, esse sibi ferrum et 1 Habebat sinum facilem, non perforatum: ex quo multa juventutem, et promptum libertati aut ad mortem animum. exeant, nihil excidat. Senec, de vit. beat, cxxiii. Tacit. Annal. 1. iv. c. 46. sented to the king, that he ought not to suffer people to return with impunity into their country, who had been so insolent as to come thither to make war upon him. "In fine," said he, "you may now assure yourselves of not finding any obstacle to your return, and of being supplied with provisions, or suffered to buy them; and you shall swear on your part, that you will pass without committing any disorders in your march, and that you will take only what is necessary; provided you are not furnished with it." These conditions were sworn to on both sides. Tissaphernes and the queen's brother gave their hands to the colonels and captains in token of amity. After which Tissaphernes withdrew to arrange his affairs, promising to return shortly in order to go back with them into his government. barians the points of their javelins, in the blood of the victims. Ariaus did not think proper to return by the same route they had come, because, as they had found nothing for their subsistence during the last seventeen days of their march, they must have suffered much more, had they taken the same way back again. He therefore took another; exhorting them only to make long marches at first, in order to evade the king's pursuit; but this, however, they could not effect. Towards the evening, when they were not far from some villages where they proposed to halt, the scouts came in with advice, that they had seen several equipages and convoys, which made it reasonable to judge, that the enemy were not far off. Upon which they stood their ground, and waited their coming up; and the next day, before sun-rising, drew up in the same order as in the preceding battle. So bold an appearance terrified the king, who sent heralds, not to demand, as before, the surrender of their arms, but to propose peace and a treaty. Clearchus, who was informed of their arrival, whilst he was busy in drawing up his troops, gave orders to bid them wait, and to tell them, that he was not yet at leisure to hear them. He assumed purposely an air of haughtiness and grandeur, to denote his intrepidity, and at the same to show the fine appearance and good condition of his phalanx. When he advanced with the most gallant of his of ficers, expressly chosen for the occasion, and had heard what the heralds had to propose; he made answer, that they must begin with giving battle, because the army, being in want of provisions, had no time to lose. The herald having carried back this answer to their master, returned shortly after; which showed, that the king, or whoever spoke in his name, was not very distant. They said, they had orders to conduct them to villages, where they would find provisions in abundance, and conducted them thither ac-ply them with provisions; that Ariaus would abancordingly. The army stayed there three days, during which, Tissaphernes arrived from the king, with the queen's brother and three other Persian grandees, attended by a great number of officers and domestics. After having saluted the generals, who advanced to receive him, he told them by his interpreter, that being a neighbour of Greece, and seeing them engaged in dangers, out of which it would be difficult to extricate themselves, he had used his good offices with the king, to obtain permission to reconduct them into their own country; being convinced, that neither themselves, nor their cities, would ever be unmindful of that favour: that the king, without having declared himself positively upon that head, had commanded him to come to them, to know for what cause they had taken arms against him; and he advised them to make the king such an answer, as might not give any offence, and might enable him to do them service. "We call the gods to witness," replied Clearchus, "that we did not enlist ourselves to make war with the king, or to march against him. Cyrus, concealing his true motives under different pretexts, brought us almost hither without explaining himself, the better to surprise you. And when we saw him surrounded with dangers, we thought it infamous to abandon him, after the favours we had received from him. But as he is dead, we are released from our engage ment, and neither desire to contest the crown with Artaxerxes, nor to ravage his country, nor to give him the least disquiet; provided he does not oppose our return. However, if we are attacked, we shall endeavour, with the assistance of the gods, to make a good defence; and shall not be ungrateful towards those who render us any service." Tissaphernes replied, that he would let the king know what they said, and return with his answer. But his not coming the next day gave the Greeks some anxiety: he however arrived on the third, and told them that after much controversy, he had at length obtained the king's pardon for them: for that it had been repre- | The Greeks waited for him above twenty days, continuing encamped near Ariaus, who received frequent visits from his brothers, and other relations, as did the officers of his army from the Persians of the different party; who assured them from the king of an entire oblivion of the past: so that the friendship of Ariæus for the Greeks appeared to cool every day more and more. This change gave them some uneasiness. Several of the officers went to Clearchus and the other generals, and said to them, "What do we here any longer? Are we not sensible, that the king desires to see us all perish, that others may be terrified by our example? Perhaps he keeps us waiting here, till he re-assembles his dispersed troops, or sends to seize the passes in our way; for he will never suffer us to return into Greece to divulge our own glory and his shame." Clearchus made answer to this discourse, that to depart without consulting the king, was to break with him, and to declare war by violating the treaty; that they should remain without a conductor in a strange country, where nobody would sup don them; and that even their friends would become their enemies; that he did not know, but there might be other rivers to pass, but that, were the Euphrates the only one, they could not get over it, were the passage ever so little disputed. That if it were necessary to come to a battle, they should find themselves without cavalry against an enemy that had a very numerous and excellent body of horse; so that if they gained the victory, they could make no great advantage of it, and if they were overcome, they were utterly and irretrievably lost. "Besides, why should the king, who has so many other means to destroy us, engage his word only to violate it, and thereby render himself execrable in the sight of gods and men?" Tissaphernes, however, arrived with his troops, in order to return into his government, and they set forward all together under the conduct of that satrap, who supplied them with provisions. Ariæus with his troops encamped with the Barbarians, and the Greeks separately at some distance, which kept up a continual distrust amongst them. Besides which, there happened frequent quarrels for wood or forage, that augmented their aversion for each other. After three days' march, they arrived at the wall of Media, which is a hundred feet high, twenty broad, and twenty leagues in extent, all built with bricks, cemented with bitumen, like the walls of Babylon, from which it was not very distant at one of its extremities. When they had passed it, they marched eight leagues in two days, and came to the river Tigris, after having crossed two of its canals, cut expressly for watering the country. They then passed the Tigris2 upon 1 Twenty parasangas. from the day after the battle till the passing of the Tigris, The march of the Greeks and the rest of the army, abounds in the text of Xenophon with very great obscurities, to explain which fully, would require a long dissertation, My plan does not admit me to enter into such discussions which I must therefore refer to those who are mare able tan myself. |