Chapter 3

The speaking was ended; they got up and retired; then they burnt the wagons and the tents, and after sharing with one another what each needed out of their various superfluities, they threw the remnant into the fire. Having done that, they proceeded to make their breakfasts. While they were breakfasting, Mithridates came with about thirty horsemen, and summoning the generals within earshot, he thus addressed them: "Men of Hellas, I have been faithful to Cyrus, as you know well, and to-day I am your well-wisher; indeed, I am here spending my days in great fear: if then I could see any salutory course in prospect, I should be disposed to join you with all my retainers. Please inform me, then, as to what you propose, regarding me as your friend and well-wisher, anxious only to pursue his march in your company." The generals held council, and resolved to give the following answer, Cheirisophus acting as spokesman: "We have resolved to make our way through the country, inflicting the least possible damage, provided we are allowed a free passage homewards; but if any one tries to hinder us, he will have to fight it out with us, and we shall bring all the force in our power to bear." Thereat Mithridates set himself to prove to them that their deliverance, except with the king's good pleasure, was hopeless. Then the meaning of his mission was plain. He was an agent in disguise; in fact, a relation of Tissaphernes was in attendance to keep a check on his loyalty. After that, the generals resolved that it would be better to proclaim open war, without truce or herald, as long as they were in the enemy's country; for they used to come and corrupt the soldiers, and they were even successful with one officer—Nicarchus¹, an Arcadian, who went off in the night with about twenty men.

When the speeches ended, they got up and left. Then they burned the wagons and tents. They shared what they needed from their surplus supplies and threw the rest into the fire. After that, they prepared breakfast. While they were eating, Mithridates arrived with about thirty horsemen. He called the generals close enough to hear him and addressed them: "Men of Hellas, as you know well, I have been faithful to Cyrus, and today I wish you well. In fact, I live here in great fear. If I could see any safe course ahead, I would be willing to join you with all my followers. So please tell me what you plan to do. Regard me as your friend and well-wisher, anxious only to march with you." The generals held a council and agreed on an answer. Cheirisophus spoke for them: "We have decided to make our way through the country, doing as little damage as possible, provided we are allowed free passage home. But if anyone tries to stop us, he will have to fight us. We will use all the force we can against him." Mithridates then tried to convince them that they had no hope of escape without the king's consent. His mission was now clear. He was an agent in disguise. In fact, a relative of Tissaphernes had come with him to make sure he remained loyal. After that, the generals decided it would be better to declare open war, without truces or heralds, as long as they remained in enemy country. For the enemy used to come and corrupt the soldiers. They had even succeeded with one officer, Nicarchus¹, an Arcadian, who slipped away at night with about twenty men.

After this, they breakfasted and crossed the river Zapatas, marching in regular order, with the beasts and mob of the army in the middle. They had not advanced far on their route when Mithridates made his appearance again, with about a couple of hundred horsemen at his back, and bowmen and slingers twice as many, as nimble fellows as a man might hope to see. He approached the Hellenes as if he were friendly; but when they had got fairly to close quarters, all of a sudden some of them, whether mounted or on foot, began shooting with their bows and arrows, and another set with slings, wounding the men. The rearguard of the Hellenes suffered for a while severely without being able to retaliate, for the Cretans had a shorter range than the Persians, and at the same time, being light-armed troops, they lay cooped up within the ranks of the heavy infantry, while the javelin men again did not shoot far enough to reach the enemy's slingers. This being so, Xenophon thought there was nothing for it but to charge, and charge they did; some of the heavy and light infantry, who were guarding the rear, with him; but for all their charging they did not catch a single man.

After this, they ate breakfast and crossed the river Zapatas. They marched in regular order, with the pack animals and the army’s camp followers in the middle. They had not gone far when Mithridates appeared again. He had about two hundred horsemen with him, and twice as many bowmen and slingers. They were as nimble a group as anyone could hope to see. He approached the Hellenes as if he were friendly. But when they came close, some of his men suddenly began shooting arrows, both from horseback and on foot. Others attacked with slings, wounding the Hellenes. The Hellenes at the rear suffered badly for a while and could not strike back. The Cretans’ bows had a shorter range than the Persians’ bows. And though the Cretans were light-armed troops, they were confined within the ranks of the heavy infantry. The javelin men, for their part, could not throw far enough to reach the enemy’s slingers. So Xenophon thought they had no choice but to charge. He charged with some of the heavy and light infantry guarding the rear, but they did not catch a single man.

The dearth of cavalry told against the Hellenes; nor were their infantry able to overhaul the enemy's infantry, with the long start they had, and considering the shortness of the race, for it was out of the question to pursue them far from the main body of the army. On the other hand, the Asiatic cavalry, even while fleeing, poured volleys of arrows behind their backs, and wounded the pursuers; while the Hellenes must fall back fighting every step of the way they had measured in the pursuit; so that by the end of that day they had not gone much more than three miles; but in the late afternoon they reached the villages.

The Hellenes were at a disadvantage because they lacked cavalry. Their infantry could not catch the enemy infantry, who had a long head start. The Hellenes could only pursue them a short distance, since they could not go far from the main army. Meanwhile, the Asiatic cavalry shot arrows back at their pursuers even as they fled, wounding them. The Hellenes then had to fight their way back over every step of the ground they had covered in pursuit. As a result, they had traveled little more than three miles by the end of the day. But they reached the villages in the late afternoon.

Here there was a return of the old despondency. Cheirisophus and the eldest of the generals blamed Xenophon for leaving the main body to give chase and endangering himself thereby, while he could not damage the enemy one whit the more. Xenophon admitted that they were right in blaming him: no better proof of that was wanted than the result. "The fact is," he added, "I was driven to pursue; it was too trying to look on and see our men suffer so badly, and be unable to retaliate. However, when we did charge, there is no denying the truth of what you say; we were not a whit more able to injure the enemy, while we had considerable difficulty in beating a retreat ourselves. Thank heaven they did not come upon us in any great force, but were only a handful of men; so that the injury they did us was not large, as it might have been; and at least it has served to show us what we need. At present the enemy shoot and sling beyond our range, so that our Cretan archers are no match for them; our hand-throwers cannot reach as far; and when we pursue, it is not possible to push the pursuit to any great distance from the main body, and within the short distance no foot-soldier, however fleet of foot, could overtake another foot-soldier who has a bow-shot the start of him. If, then, we are to exclude them from all possibility of injuring us as we march, we must get slingers as soon as possible and cavalry. I am told there are in the army some Rhodians, most of whom, they say, know how to sling, and their missile will reach even twice as far as the Persian slings (which, on account of their being loaded with stones as big as one's fist, have a comparatively short range; but the Rhodians are skilled in the use of leaden bullets²). Suppose, then, we investigate and find out first of all who among them possess slings, and for these slings offer the owner the money value; and to another, who will plait some more, hand over the money price; and for a third, who will volunteer to be enrolled as a slinger, invent some other sort of privilege, I think we shall soon find people to come forward capable of helping us. There are horses in the army I know; some few with myself, others belonging to Clearchus's stud, and a good many others captured from the enemy, used for carrying baggage. Let us take the pick of these, supplying their places by ordinary baggage animals, and equipping the horses for cavalry. I should not wonder if our troopers gave some annoyance to these fugitives."

Here their old despair returned. Cheirisophus and the oldest of the generals blamed Xenophon for leaving the main body to pursue the enemy. He had put himself in danger without being able to do the enemy any more harm. Xenophon admitted they were right to blame him. The result was proof enough. “The fact is,” he added, “I felt driven to pursue them. It was too hard to watch our men suffer so badly and be unable to strike back. But when we did charge, you were certainly right. We were no more able to hurt the enemy, and we had great difficulty retreating ourselves. Thank heaven they attacked us with only a handful of men, not a large force. So the harm they did us was not as great as it might have been. At least the experience showed us what we need. “At present, the enemy’s arrows and slingstones travel farther than ours. So our Cretan archers are no match for them, and our men who throw by hand cannot reach as far. When we pursue them, we cannot go very far from the main body. Over that short distance, no foot soldier, however fast, could catch another who has a bowshot’s head start. If we are to stop them from harming us at all as we march, we must get slingers and cavalry as soon as possible. “I am told there are some Rhodians in the army, and that most of them know how to use a sling. Their missiles can travel twice as far as those of the Persian slings. The Persian slings have a comparatively short range because they are loaded with stones as big as a man’s fist. But the Rhodians are skilled in using lead bullets². Let us first find out who among them has a sling and offer to pay its owner what it is worth. We can also pay anyone who will weave more slings. And we can offer some other privilege to anyone who volunteers to serve as a slinger. Then I think we shall soon find people willing and able to help us. “I know there are horses in the army. I have a few myself, some belong to Clearchus’s stable, and many others captured from the enemy carry baggage. Let us choose the best of them and replace them with ordinary baggage animals. We can then equip the horses for cavalry. I would not be surprised if our cavalrymen caused these fugitives some trouble.”

These proposals were carried, and that night two hundred slingers were enrolled, and next day as many as fifty horse and horsemen passed muster as duly qualified; buff jackets and cuirasses were provided for them, and a commandant of cavalry appointed to command—Lycius, the son of Polystratus, by name, an Athenian.

The proposals were approved, and that night two hundred slingers were recruited. The next day, as many as fifty horses and riders passed inspection as fit for service. They were given leather jackets and breastplates. An Athenian named Lycius, son of Polystratus, was appointed to command the cavalry.