Chapter 10

Then the head of Cyrus and his right hand were severed from the body. But the king and those about him pursued and fell upon the Cyreian camp, and the troops of Ariaeus no longer stood their ground, but fled through their own camp back to the halting-place of the night before—a distance of four parasangs, it was said. So the king and those with him fell to ravaging right and left, and amongst other spoil he captured the Phocaean woman, who was a concubine of Cyrus, witty and beautiful, if fame speaks correctly. The Milesian, who was the younger, was also seized by some of the king's men; but, letting go her outer garment, she made good her escape to the Hellenes, who had been left among the camp followers on guard. These fell at once into line and put to the sword many of the pillagers, though they lost some men themselves; they stuck to the place and succeeded in saving not only that lady, but all else, whether chattels or human beings, which lay within their reach.

Then Cyrus’s head and right hand were cut off. But the king and his followers pursued the enemy and attacked the Cyreian camp. Ariaeus’s troops could no longer hold their ground. They fled through their own camp to where they had stopped the night before. The distance was said to be four parasangs. The king and his followers plundered everything around them. Among their spoils was the Phocaean woman, a concubine of Cyrus. If reports are true, she was witty and beautiful. Some of the king’s men also seized the younger Milesian woman. But she slipped out of her outer garment and escaped to the Hellenes, who had been left to guard the camp followers. The Hellenes immediately formed ranks and killed many of the plunderers, though they lost some men themselves. They held their position and saved not only the woman but all the people and property within their reach.

At this point the king and the Hellenes were something like three miles apart; the one set were pursuing their opponents just as if their conquest had been general; the others were pillaging as merrily as if their victory were already universal. But when the Hellenes learnt that the king and his troops were in the baggage camp; and the king, on his side, was informed by Tissaphernes that the Hellenes were victorious in their quarter of the field, and had gone forward in pursuit, the effect was instantaneous. The king massed his troops and formed into line. Clearchus summoned Proxenus, who was next him, and debated whether to send a detachment or to go in a body to the camp to save it.

At this point, the king and the Hellenes were about three miles apart. The Hellenes were pursuing their opponents as if they had won the whole battle. The king’s troops were happily plundering as if their victory were complete. But then the Hellenes learned that the king and his troops were in the baggage camp. The king, meanwhile, learned from Tissaphernes that the Hellenes had won in their part of the field and gone on in pursuit. Both sides reacted at once. The king gathered his troops and formed them into a line. Clearchus summoned Proxenus, who was next to him. They discussed whether to send a detachment or go with all their forces to save the camp.

Meanwhile the king was seen again advancing, as it seemed, from the rear; and the Hellenes, turning right about, prepared to receive his attack then and there. But instead of advancing upon them at that point, he drew off, following the line by which he had passed earlier in the day, outside the left wing of his opponent, and so picked up in his passage those who had deserted to the Hellenes during the battle, as also Tissaphernes and his division. The latter had not fled in the first shock of the encounter; he had charged parallel to the line of the Euphrates into the Greek peltasts, and through them. But charge as he might, he did not lay low a single man. On the contrary, the Hellenes made a gap to let them through, hacking them with their swords and hurling their javelins as they passed. Episthenes of Amphipolis was in command of the peltasts, and he showed himself a sensible man, it was said. Thus it was that Tissaphernes, having got through haphazard, with rather the worst of it, failed to wheel round and return the way he came, but reaching the camp of the Hellenes, there fell in with the king; and falling into order again, the two divisions advanced side by side.

Meanwhile, the king was seen advancing again, apparently from the rear. The Hellenes turned around and prepared to meet his attack there. But instead of attacking them at that point, he moved away. He followed the route he had taken earlier that day, outside his opponent’s left wing. Along the way, he gathered those who had deserted to the Hellenes during the battle, as well as Tissaphernes and his division. Tissaphernes had not fled at the first clash. He had charged along the Euphrates and through the Greek peltasts. But despite his charge, he did not kill a single man. Instead, the Hellenes opened a gap to let his men through. As they passed, the Hellenes struck them with swords and threw javelins at them. Episthenes of Amphipolis commanded the peltasts, and he was said to have shown good judgment. Tissaphernes had thus made it through in disorder, having come off rather worse. He did not turn around and go back the way he had come. Instead, he reached the Hellenes’ camp, where he met the king. The two divisions formed up again and advanced side by side.

When they were parallel with the (original) left wing of the Hellenes, fear seized the latter lest they might take them in flank and enfold them on both sides and cut them down. In this apprehension they determined to extend their line and place the river on their rear. But while they deliberated, the king passed by and ranged his troops in line to meet them, in exactly the same position in which he had advanced to offer battle at the commencement of the engagement. The Hellenes, now seeing them in close proximity and in battle order, once again raised the paean and began the attack with still greater enthusiasm than before: and once again the barbarians did not wait to receive them, but took to flight, even at a greater distance than before. The Hellenes pressed the pursuit until they reached a certain village, where they halted, for above the village rose a mound, on which the king and his party rallied and reformed; they had no infantry any longer, but the crest was crowded with cavalry, so that it was impossible to discover what was happening. They did see, they said, the royal standard, a kind of golden eagle, with wings extended, perched on a bar of wood and raised upon a lance.

When they came level with the (original) left wing of the Hellenes, the Hellenes grew afraid. They feared the enemy would attack their flank, surround them on both sides, and cut them down. So they decided to extend their line and put the river behind them. But while they considered this, the king passed by and drew up his troops to face them. He took the same position from which he had advanced to offer battle at the start of the engagement. The Hellenes now saw the troops close by and drawn up for battle. Once again, they raised the paean and attacked with even greater enthusiasm than before. And once again, the barbarians fled rather than face them, this time from an even greater distance. The Hellenes pursued them as far as a village, where they halted. Above the village was a mound, where the king and his party rallied and formed their ranks again. They no longer had any infantry, but the crest was crowded with cavalry, making it impossible to see what was happening. The Hellenes said they did see the royal standard. It was a kind of golden eagle with outspread wings, perched on a wooden bar and raised on a lance.

But as soon as the Hellenes again moved onwards, the hostile cavalry at once left the hillock—not in a body any longer, but in fragments—some streaming from one side, some from another; and the crest was gradually stripped of its occupants, till at last the company was gone. Accordingly, Clearchus did not ascend the crest, but posting his army at its base, he sent Lycius of Syracuse and another to the summit, with orders to inspect the condition of things on the other side, and to report results. Lycius galloped up and investigated, bringing back news that they were fleeing might and main. Almost at that instant the sun sank beneath the horizon. There the Hellenes halted; they grounded arms and rested, marvelling the while that Cyrus was not anywhere to be seen, and that no messenger had come from him. For they were in complete ignorance of his death, and conjectured that either he had gone off in pursuit, or had pushed forward to occupy some point. Left to themselves, they now deliberated, whether they should stay where they were and have the baggage train brought up, or should return to camp. They resolved to return, and about supper time reached the tents. Such was the conclusion of this day.

But as soon as the Hellenes moved on again, the enemy cavalry left the hill at once. They no longer left as a single group, but scattered in different directions. The hilltop gradually emptied until none remained. So Clearchus did not climb to the top. He stationed his army at the foot of the hill and sent Lycius of Syracuse and another man to the summit. He ordered them to see what was happening on the other side and report back. Lycius galloped up and investigated. He returned with news that the enemy were fleeing as fast as they could. Almost at that moment, the sun sank below the horizon. The Hellenes halted there, set down their weapons, and rested. They wondered why Cyrus was nowhere to be seen and why no messenger had come from him. They knew nothing of his death and thought he had either gone in pursuit or pushed ahead to occupy some position. Left on their own, they debated whether to stay where they were and have the baggage train brought up or return to camp. They decided to return and reached the tents around supper time. That was how the day ended.

They found the larger portion of their property pillaged, eatables and drinkables alike, not excepting the wagons laden with corn and wine, which Cyrus had prepared in case of some extreme need overtaking the expedition, to divide among the Hellenes. There were four hundred of these wagons, it was said, and these had now been ransacked by the king and his men; so that the greater number of the Hellenes went supperless, having already gone without their breakfasts, since the king had appeared before the usual halt for breakfast. Accordingly, in no better plight than this they passed the night.

They found that most of their belongings, including food and drink, had been looted. Even the wagons loaded with grain and wine had been ransacked. Cyrus had prepared these supplies to distribute among the Hellenes if the expedition faced some desperate need. There were said to be four hundred wagons, and the king and his men had now ransacked them. As a result, most of the Hellenes went without supper. They had already missed breakfast because the king had appeared before their usual breakfast halt. In this miserable state, they spent the night.