Chapter 5

Thence he marched on through Arabia, keeping the Euphrates on the right, five desert stages—thirty-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 kinds—wild 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 still—their 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 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.

From there he marched through Arabia for five stages across the desert, a distance of thirty-five parasangs. He kept the Euphrates on his right. The land was one flat plain, stretching far and wide like the sea, and covered with wormwood. All the other plants, whether woody plants or reeds, smelled sweet, like spices or herbs. There were no trees, but there was wild game of all kinds. Wild asses were the most abundant, and there were plenty of ostriches, as well as bustards and antelopes. The cavalry sometimes chased these animals. When pursued, the asses would run ahead for a while and then stop. They were much faster than horses, and as soon as the horses came close, they would run ahead again. The riders could catch them only by taking positions at intervals and hunting them in relays. The meat of the asses they caught was much like venison, but more tender. No one managed to catch an ostrich. Some of the cavalrymen tried, but they soon had to give up the chase. The ostrich quickly left its pursuers far behind, running at full speed and using its wings like a sail. Bustards were easier to catch when startled. They flew only short distances, like partridges, and soon tired. Their meat 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 stages—ninety parasangs—with 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 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 trousers—some with the circlets round their necks, and bracelets on their arms—in 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.

As the army made its way through this region, it reached the river Mascas, which is one hundred feet wide. A large deserted city called Corsote stood there, almost completely surrounded by the river. The army stopped there for three days and stocked up on supplies. From there they marched through the desert for thirteen stages, covering ninety parasangs. With the Euphrates still on their right, they reached the Gates. During these marches, several baggage animals died of hunger. There was no grass, green plant, or tree of any kind. The whole country was barren. The inhabitants make their living by quarrying millstones on the riverbanks. They work the stones, take them to Babylon, and sell them, buying grain with the proceeds. The army ran out of grain. It could not be bought except at the Lydian market serving Cyrus's Asiatic army. There a kapithe of wheat or barley cost four shekels. A shekel was equal to seven and a half Attic obols. A kapithe was equal to two Attic choeneces ¹ of dry measure. So the soldiers lived on meat alone for the whole period. Some stages were very long because the army had to push on to find water or fodder. Once they came to a narrow passage where deep clay blocked the wagons. Cyrus stopped with the nobles around him to oversee the work. He ordered Glus and Pigres to take a group of barbarians and help get the wagons out. When they seemed slow, he turned angrily to the Persian nobles and ordered them to help force the wagons out. Then, if ever, one part of good discipline was on display. Each man he addressed threw off his purple cloak where he stood. They threw themselves into the work as eagerly as if they were charging for victory. They raced down a steep hillside in their costly tunics and embroidered trousers. Some still wore circlets around their necks and bracelets on their arms. In an instant they jumped into the muddy clay. In less time than anyone could have imagined, they had brought the wagons safely onto firm ground.

Altogether it was plain that Cyrus was bent on pressing on the march, and averse to stoppages, except where he halted for the sake of provisioning or some other necessary object; being convinced that the more rapidly he advanced, the less prepared for battle would he find the king; while the slower his own progress, the larger would be the hostile army which he would find collected. Indeed, the attentive observer could see, at a glance, that if the king's empire was strong in its extent of territory and the number of inhabitants, that strength is compensated by an inherent weakness, dependent upon the length of roads and the inevitable dispersion of defensive forces, where an invader insists upon pressing home the war by forced marches.

Overall, it was clear that Cyrus was determined to keep marching. He wanted to stop only for supplies or some other necessity. He was convinced that the faster he advanced, the less prepared the king would be for battle. The slower he advanced, the larger the enemy army he would find gathered against him. Indeed, an attentive observer could see the empire’s strength and weakness at a glance. The king’s empire was strong because of its vast territory and large population. But this strength was offset by a weakness inherent in the empire. Its roads were long, and its defensive forces were inevitably scattered. This was a weakness when an invader pressed the attack with forced marches.

On the opposite side of the Euphrates to the point reached on one of these desert stages, was a large and flourishing city named Charmande. From this town the soldiers made purchases of provisions, crossing the river on rafts, in the following fashion: They took the skins which they used as tent coverings, and filled them with light grass; they then compressed and stitched them tightly together by the ends, so that the water might not touch the hay. On these they crossed and got provisions: wine made from the date-nut, and millet or panic-corn, the common staple of the country. Some dispute or other here occurred between the soldiers of Menon and Clearchus, in which Clearchus sentenced one of Menon's men, as the delinquent, and had him flogged. The man went back to his own division and told them. Hearing what had been done to their comrade, his fellows fretted and fumed, and were highly incensed against Clearchus. The same day Clearchus visited the passage of the river, and after inspecting the market there, was returning with a few followers, on horseback, to his tent, and had to pass through Menon's quarters. Cyrus had not yet come up, but was riding up in the same direction. One of Menon's men, who was splitting wood, caught sight of Clearchus as he rode past, and aimed a blow at him with his axe. The aim took no effect; when another hurled a stone at him, and a third, and then several, with shouts and hisses. Clearchus made a rapid retreat to his own troops, and at once ordered them to get under arms. He bade his hoplites remain in position with their shields resting against their knees, while he, at the head of his Thracians and horsemen, of which he had more than forty in his army—Thracians for the most part—advanced against Menon's soldiers, so that the latter, with Menon himself, were panic-stricken, and ran to seize their arms; some even stood riveted to the spot, in perplexity at the occurrence. Just then Proxenus came up from behind, as chance would have it, with his division of hoplites, and without a moment's hesitation marched into the open space between the rival parties, and grounded arms; then he fell to begging Clearchus to desist. The latter was not too well pleased to hear his trouble mildly spoken of, when he had barely escaped being stoned to death; and he bade Proxenus retire and leave the intervening space open. At this juncture Cyrus arrived and inquired what was happening. There was no time for hesitation. With his javelins firmly grasped in his hands he galloped up—escorted by some of his faithful bodyguard, who were present—and was soon in the midst, exclaiming: "Clearchus, Proxenus, and you other Hellenes yonder, you know not what you do. As surely as you come to blows with one another, our fate is sealed—this very day I shall be cut to pieces, and so will you: your turn will follow close on mine. Let our fortunes once take an evil turn, and these barbarians whom you see around will be worse foes to us than those who are at present serving the king." At these words Clearchus came to his senses. Both parties paused from battle, and retired to their quarters: order reigned.

Across the Euphrates from a point they reached during one of these desert stages stood a large, flourishing city called Charmande. The soldiers crossed the river on rafts to buy provisions there. They made the rafts by filling their tent coverings, which were made of skins, with light grass. They then pressed the skins together and stitched their ends tightly shut, so that the water could not reach the hay. They crossed on these rafts and bought provisions: wine made from the date-nut, and millet or panic-corn, the country’s common staple. Some dispute arose here between the soldiers of Menon and Clearchus. Clearchus judged one of Menon’s men to be at fault and had him flogged. The man returned to his division and told the others. When they heard what had been done to their comrade, they grew angry and bitterly resented Clearchus. That same day, Clearchus visited the river crossing and inspected the market there. He was returning on horseback to his tent with a few followers and had to pass through Menon’s quarters. Cyrus had not yet caught up, but was riding in the same direction. One of Menon’s men was splitting wood when he saw Clearchus ride past. He struck at him with his axe but missed. Then another man threw a stone at Clearchus, followed by a third and then several others, who shouted and hissed. Clearchus quickly retreated to his own troops and at once ordered them to take up arms. He told his hoplites to stay where they were, with their shields resting against their knees. He then advanced against Menon’s soldiers at the head of his Thracians and horsemen. He had more than forty of them in his army, most of them Thracians. Menon’s soldiers and Menon himself panicked and ran to seize their arms. Some even stood rooted to the spot, bewildered by what was happening. Just then Proxenus happened to arrive from behind with his division of hoplites. Without hesitating, he marched into the open space between the rival parties and had his men lay down their arms. He then begged Clearchus to stop. But Clearchus was displeased to hear him speak so mildly of the attack, since he had barely escaped being stoned to death. He told Proxenus to withdraw and leave the space between the parties open. At this point Cyrus arrived and asked what was happening. There was no time to hesitate. Gripping his javelins firmly, he galloped forward, escorted by some of his faithful bodyguard who were there. He was soon among them, shouting: "Clearchus, Proxenus, and you other Hellenes over there, you do not know what you are doing. If you come to blows with one another, our fate is surely sealed. I will be cut to pieces this very day, and you will follow close behind. If our fortunes take a bad turn, these barbarians you see around us will be worse enemies than those now serving the king." At these words Clearchus came to his senses. Both sides stopped short of battle and returned to their quarters. Order was restored.