Chapter 2

Phalinus and those that were with him turned and went. But the messengers from Ariaeus, Procles and Cheirisophus came back. As to Menon, he stayed behind with Ariaeus, They brought back this answer from Ariaeus: "'There are many Persians,' he says, 'better than himself who will not suffer him to sit upon the king's throne; but if you are minded to go back with him, you must join him this very night, otherwise he will set off himself to-morrow on the homeward route.'" And Clearchus said: "It had best stand thus between us then. If we come, well and good, be it as you propose; but if we do not come, do whatsoever you think most conducive to your interests." And so he kept these also in the dark as to his real intention.

Phalinus and his companions turned and left. But Ariaeus’s messengers, Procles and Cheirisophus, returned. Menon stayed behind with Ariaeus. They brought back this answer from Ariaeus: "'There are many Persians,' he says, 'who are better than he is. They will not allow him to sit on the king’s throne. But if you intend to return with him, you must join him tonight. Otherwise, he will set out for home tomorrow.'" Clearchus said: "Let us leave it at that, then. If we come, well and good, we will do as you propose. But if we do not come, do whatever you think best for yourselves." In this way, he kept them too in the dark about his real intention.

After this, when the sun was already sinking, he summoned the generals and officers, and made the following statement: "Sirs, I sacrificed and found the victims unfavourable to an advance against the king. After all, it is not so surprising perhaps, for, as I now learn, between us and the king flows the river Tigris, navigable for big vessels, and we could not possibly cross it without boats, and boats we have none. On the other hand, to stop here is out of the question, for there is no possibility of getting provisions. However, the victims were quite agreeable to us joining the friends of Cyrus. This is what we must do then. Let each go away and sup on whatever he has. At the first sound of the bugle to turn in, get kit and baggage together; at the second signal, place them on the baggage animals; and at the third, fall in and follow the lead, with the baggage animals on the inside protected by the river, and the troops outside." After hearing the orders, the generals and officers retired, and did as they were bid; and for the future Clearchus led, and the rest followed in obedience to his orders, not that they had expressly chosen him, but they saw that he alone had the sense and wisdom requisite in a general, while the rest were inexperienced¹.

After this, as the sun was setting, he summoned the generals and officers and said: "Sirs, I sacrificed animals, and the omens were unfavorable to advancing against the king. Perhaps that is not so surprising. I have now learned that the Tigris River flows between us and the king. It is deep enough for large ships, and we could not possibly cross it without boats. And we have no boats. On the other hand, we cannot stay here, because there is no way to get provisions. But the omens were quite favorable to our joining Cyrus's friends. So that is what we must do. Each of you should go and eat whatever you have. At the first bugle call to turn in, gather your gear and baggage. At the second signal, load them onto the baggage animals. At the third, fall into formation and follow the lead. Keep the baggage animals on the inside, protected by the river, and the troops on the outside." After hearing the orders, the generals and officers left and did as they were told. From then on, Clearchus led, and the rest followed his orders. They had not formally chosen him. But they saw that he alone had the sense and wisdom a general needed, while the rest were inexperienced¹.

Here, under cover of the darkness which descended, the Thracian Miltocythes, with forty horsemen and three hundred Thracian infantry, deserted to the king; but the rest of the troops—Clearchus leading and the rest following in accordance with the orders promulgated—took their departure, and about midnight reached their first stage, having come up with Ariaeus and his army. They grounded arms just as they stood in rank, and the generals and officers of the Hellenes met in the tent of Ariaeus. There they exchanged oaths—the Hellenes on the one side and Ariaeus with his principal officers on the other—not to betray one another, but to be true to each other as allies. The Asiatics further solemnly pledged themselves by oath to lead the way without treachery. The oaths were ratified by the sacrifice of a bull, a wolf², a boar, and a ram over a shield. The Hellenes dipped a sword, the barbarians a lance, into the blood of the victims.

Here, as darkness fell, the Thracian Miltocythes deserted to the king with forty horsemen and three hundred Thracian infantry. But the rest of the troops set out, with Clearchus leading and the others following as ordered. Around midnight, they reached their first stopping place, where they met Ariaeus and his army. They laid down their weapons while still standing in formation, and the Hellenes’ generals and officers met in Ariaeus’s tent. There the Hellenes swore an oath with Ariaeus and his chief officers. Both sides promised not to betray one another and to remain faithful allies. The Asiatics also swore to lead the way without treachery. To seal the oaths, they sacrificed a bull, a wolf², a boar, and a ram over a shield. The Hellenes dipped a sword into the blood of the victims, and the barbarians dipped a lance.

As soon as the pledge was taken, Clearchus spoke: "And now, Ariaeus," he said, "since you and we have one expedition in prospect, will you tell us what you think about the route; shall we return the way we came, or have you devised a better?" He answered: "To return the same way is to perish to a man by hunger; for at this moment we have no provisions whatsoever. During the seventeen last stages, even on our way hither, we could extract nothing from the country; or, if there was now and again anything, we passed over and utterly consumed it. At this time our project is to take another and a longer journey certainly, but we shall not be in straits for provisions. The earliest stages must be very long, as long as we can make them; the object is to put as large a space as possible between us and the royal army; once we are two or three days' journey off, the danger is over. The king will never overtake us. With a small army he will not dare to dog our heels, and with a vast equipment he will lack the power to march quickly. Perhaps he, too, may even find a scarcity of provisions. There," said he, "you asked for my opinion, see, I have given it."

As soon as they had made the pledge, Clearchus spoke. "And now, Ariaeus," he said, "since we are to make this journey together, what do you think about the route? Should we return the way we came, or have you found a better way?" He answered: "If we go back the same way, every one of us will starve. We have no provisions at all right now. Even on our way here, we found nothing to take from the country during the last seventeen stages. If there was anything here and there, we took it and used it all. We now plan to take a different and certainly longer route, but we will not be short of provisions. The first stages must be very long, as long as we can make them. The aim is to put as much distance as possible between us and the royal army. Once we are two or three days' journey away, the danger is over. The king will never catch up with us. With a small army, he will not dare to follow close behind us. With a vast force and all its equipment, he will not be able to march quickly. Perhaps he, too, may even find himself short of provisions. There," he said, "you asked for my opinion, and I have given it."

Here was a plan of the campaign, which was equivalent to a stampede: helter-skelter they were to run away, or get into hiding somehow; but fortune proved a better general. For as soon as it was day they recommenced the journey, keeping the sun on their right, and calculating that with the westering rays they would have reached villages in the territory of Babylonia, and in this hope they were not deceived. While it was yet afternoon, they thought they caught sight of some of the enemy's cavalry; and those of the Hellenes who were not in rank ran to their ranks; and Ariaeus, who was riding in a wagon to nurse a wound, got down and donned his cuirass, the rest of his party following his example. Whilst they were arming themselves, the scouts, who had been sent forward, came back with the information that they were not cavalry but baggage animals grazing. It was at once clear to all that they must be somewhere in the neighbourhood of the king's encampment. Smoke could actually be seen rising, evidently from villages not far ahead. Clearchus hesitated to advance upon the enemy, knowing that the troops were tired and hungry; and indeed it was already late. On the other hand he had no mind either to swerve from his route—guarding against any appearance of flight. Accordingly he marched straight as an arrow, and with sunset entered the nearest villages with his vanguard and took up quarters.

This campaign plan amounted to a stampede. They were to run away in all directions or somehow find a hiding place. But fortune proved a better general. At daybreak they resumed their journey, keeping the sun on their right. They expected to reach villages in Babylonian territory as the sun moved westward, and their hopes proved well founded. That afternoon, they thought they saw some enemy cavalry. Those Hellenes who were out of formation ran back to their ranks. Ariaeus, who was riding in a wagon while recovering from a wound, got down and put on his breastplate. The rest of his party followed his example. While they were arming themselves, the scouts who had been sent ahead returned. They reported that the figures were not cavalry but grazing pack animals. It was immediately clear to all that they must be somewhere near the king's camp. They could even see smoke rising, evidently from villages not far ahead. Clearchus hesitated to advance against the enemy because he knew the troops were tired and hungry. It was also already late. On the other hand, he did not want to turn aside from his route, lest it look like flight. So he marched straight ahead. At sunset, he entered the nearest villages with his advance guard and took up quarters.

These villages had been thoroughly sacked and dismantled by the royal army—down to the very woodwork and furniture of the houses. Still, the vanguard contrived to take up their quarters in some sort of fashion; but the rear division, coming up in the dark, had to bivouac as best they could, one detachment after another; and a great noise they made, with hue and cry to one another, so that the enemy could hear them; and those in their immediate proximity actually took to their heels, left their quarters, and decamped, as was plain enough next morning, when not a beast was to be seen, nor sign of camp or wreath of smoke anywhere in the neighbourhood. The king, as it would appear, was himself quite taken aback by the advent of the army; as he fully showed by his proceedings next day.

The royal army had thoroughly looted and dismantled these villages, stripping even the woodwork and furniture from the houses. Still, the vanguard managed to find some sort of shelter. But the rear division arrived after dark, and each detachment had to camp as best it could. They made a great deal of noise, shouting to one another, so that the enemy could hear them. The enemy troops nearby fled and abandoned their quarters. This was clear the next morning, when no animals, camps, or traces of smoke could be seen anywhere nearby. The king himself seems to have been taken aback by the army’s arrival, as his actions the next day clearly showed.

During the progress of this night the Hellenes had their turn of scare—a panic seized them, and there was a noise and clatter, hardly to be explained except by the visitation of some sudden terror. But Clearchus had with him the Eleian Tolmides, the best herald of his time; him he ordered to proclaim silence, and then to give out this proclamation of the generals: "Whoever will give any information as to who let an ass into the camp shall receive a talent of silver in reward." On hearing this proclamation the soldiers made up their minds that their fear was baseless, and their generals safe and sound. At break of day Clearchus gave the order to the Hellenes to get under arms in line of battle, and take up exactly the same position as they held on the day of the battle.

That night, the Hellenes had their own scare. Panic seized them, and a noise and clatter arose that could hardly be explained except by some sudden terror. But Clearchus had with him Tolmides of Eleia, the best herald of his time. Clearchus ordered him to call for silence and then announce the generals’ proclamation: "Whoever gives information about who let a donkey into the camp will receive a talent of silver as a reward." On hearing this, the soldiers concluded that their fear was baseless and their generals were safe and sound. At daybreak, Clearchus ordered the Hellenes to take up arms and form a battle line. They were to take exactly the same position they had held on the day of the battle.