Chapter 1

(In the preceding portion of the narrative a full account is given of the incidents of the march up to the battle, and of the occurrences after the battle during the truce which was established between the king and the Hellenes, who marched up with Cyrus, and thirdly, of the fighting to which the Hellenes were exposed, after the king and Tissaphernes had broken the treaty, while a Persian army hung on their rear. Having finally reached a point at which the Tigris was absolutely impassable owing to its depth and breadth, while there was no passage along the bank itself, and the Carduchian hills hung sheer over the river, the generals took the resolution above mentioned of forcing a passage through the mountains. The information derived from the prisoners taken along the way led them to believe that once across the Carduchian mountains they would have the choice either of crossing the Tigris—if they liked to do so—at its sources in Armenia, or of going round them, if so they preferred. Report further said that the sources of the Euphrates also were not far from those of the Tigris, and this is actually the case. The advance into the country of the Carduchians was conducted with a view partly to secrecy, and partly to speed, so as to effect their entry before the enemy could occupy the passes.)

(The preceding account describes the march up to the battle in full. It also describes what happened afterward, during the truce between the king and the Hellenes who marched with Cyrus. Finally, it describes the fighting the Hellenes faced after the king and Tissaphernes broke the treaty. During that fighting, a Persian army followed close behind them. Eventually, the Hellenes reached a place where the Tigris was too deep and wide to cross. There was no way forward along its bank, and the Carduchian hills rose steeply above the river. The generals therefore decided, as described above, to force a passage through the mountains. Prisoners taken along the way gave them information about the route ahead. The generals came to believe that, once across the Carduchian mountains, they would have a choice. They could cross the Tigris at its sources in Armenia, or they could go around them. Reports also said that the sources of the Euphrates were not far from those of the Tigris. This is true. The Hellenes advanced into the country of the Carduchians with some secrecy and speed. They hoped to enter before the enemy could occupy the passes.)

It was now about the last watch, and enough of the night remained to allow them to cross the valley under cover of darkness; when, at the word of command, they rose and set off on their march, reaching the mountains at daybreak. At this stage of the march Cheirisophus, at the head of his own division, with the whole of the light troops, led the van, while Xenophon followed behind with the heavy infantry of the rearguard, but without any light troops, since there seemed to be no danger of pursuit or attack from the rear, while they were making their way up hill. Cheirisophus reached the summit without any of the enemy perceiving him. Then he led on slowly, and the rest of the army followed, wave upon wave, cresting the summit and descending into the villages which nestled in the hollows and recesses of the hills.

It was now near the end of the night. Enough time remained for them to cross the valley under cover of darkness. At the command, they rose and set off, reaching the mountains at daybreak. Cheirisophus led the way with his own division and all the light troops. Xenophon followed at the rear with the heavy infantry, but without any light troops. There seemed to be no danger of pursuit or attack from behind as they climbed. Cheirisophus reached the summit without any of the enemy noticing him. He then led on slowly, while the rest of the army followed, wave after wave. They crossed the summit and descended into the villages nestled in the hollows and recesses of the hills.

Thereupon the Carduchians abandoned their dwelling places, and with their wives and children fled to the mountains; so there was plenty of provisions to be got for the mere trouble of taking, and the homesteads too were well supplied with a copious store of bronze vessels and utensils which the Hellenes kept their hands off, abstaining at the same time from all pursuit of the folk themselves, gently handling them, in hopes that the Carduchians might be willing to give them friendly passage through their country, since they too were enemies of the king: only they helped themselves to such provisions as fell in their way, which indeed was a sheer necessity. But the Carduchians neither gave ear, when they called to them, nor showed any other friendly sign; and now, as the last of the Hellenes descended into the villages from the pass, they were already in the dark, since, owing to the narrowness of the road, the whole day had been spent in the ascent and descent. At that instant a party of the Carduchians, who had collected, made an attack on the hindmost men, killing some and wounding others with stones and arrows—though it was quite a small body who attacked. The fact was, the approach of the Hellenic army had taken them by surprise; if, however, they had mustered in larger force at this time, the chances are that a large portion of the army would have been annihilated. As it was, they got into quarters, and bivouacked in the villages that night, while the Carduchians kept many watch-fires blazing in a circle on the mountains, and kept each other in sight all round.

The Carduchians then left their homes and fled to the mountains with their wives and children. So provisions were plentiful and free for the taking. The homes also contained a large supply of bronze vessels and utensils, but the Hellenes left them untouched. They did not pursue the Carduchians and treated them gently. They hoped the Carduchians, who were also enemies of the king, would let them pass peacefully through their country. They took only the provisions they found along the way, which they had to do. But the Carduchians did not listen when the Hellenes called to them, or show any other sign of friendliness. By the time the last Hellenes came down from the pass into the villages, darkness had fallen. The road was so narrow that the climb and descent had taken the whole day. Just then, a group of Carduchians gathered and attacked the men at the rear. Though the group was quite small, they killed some men and wounded others with stones and arrows. The Hellenic army’s arrival had caught them by surprise. If they had gathered in greater numbers at that moment, they would probably have destroyed a large part of the army. As it was, the Hellenes settled in and camped in the villages that night. The Carduchians kept many watchfires burning in a circle on the mountains, so that they could see one another all around.

But with the dawn the generals and officers of the Hellenes met and resolved to proceed, taking only the necessary number of stout baggage animals, and leaving the weaklings behind. They resolved further to let go free all the lately-captured slaves in the host; for the pace of the march was necessarily rendered slow by the quantity of animals and prisoners, and the number of non-combatants in attendance on these was excessive, while, with such a crowd of human beings to satisfy, twice the amount of provisions had to be procured and carried. These resolutions passed, they caused a proclamation by herald to be made for their enforcement.

At dawn, the generals and officers of the Hellenes met and decided to move on. They would take only the necessary number of strong baggage animals and leave the weak ones behind. They also decided to free all the slaves recently captured by the army. The large number of animals and prisoners was slowing the march, and too many non-combatants were needed to attend them. With so many people to feed, twice as many provisions had to be obtained and carried. After making these decisions, the officers had a herald announce that they must be carried out.

When they had breakfasted and the march recommenced, the generals planted themselves a little to one side in a narrow place, and when they found any of the aforesaid slaves or other property still retained, they confiscated them. The soldiers yielded obedience, except where some smuggler, prompted by desire of a good-looking boy or woman, managed to make off with his prize. During this day they contrived to get along after a fashion, now fighting and now resting. But on the next day they were visited by a great storm, in spite of which they were obliged to continue the march, owing to insufficiency of provisions. Cheirisophus was as usual leading in front, while Xenophon headed the rearguard, when the enemy began a violent and sustained attack. At one narrow place after another they came up quite close, pouring in volleys of arrows and slingstones, so that the Hellenes had no choice but to make sallies in pursuit and then again recoil, making but very little progress. Over and over again Xenophon would send an order to the front to slacken pace, when the enemy were pressing their attack severely. As a rule, when the word was so passed up, Cheirisophus slackened; but sometimes instead of slackening, Cheirisophus quickened, sending down a counter-order to the rear to follow on quickly. It was clear that there was something or other happening, but there was no time to go to the front and discover the cause of the hurry. Under the circumstances the march, at any rate in the rear, became very like a rout, and here a brave man lost his life, Cleonymus the Laconian, shot with an arrow in the ribs right through shield and corselet, as also Basias, an Arcadian, shot clean through the head.

After breakfast, they resumed the march. The generals took their places just off the road at a narrow passage. If they found anyone still holding the slaves or other property mentioned earlier, they confiscated them. The soldiers obeyed, except when someone managed to smuggle away a good-looking boy or woman. That day they managed to make some progress, fighting and resting in turn. The next day a great storm struck them. Even so, they had to keep marching because they were short of provisions. Cheirisophus led the front as usual, while Xenophon commanded the rearguard. Then the enemy launched a fierce, sustained attack. At one narrow passage after another, they came very close, firing volleys of arrows and slingstones. The Hellenes had no choice but to charge after them and then fall back again. As a result, they made very little progress. Whenever the enemy pressed the attack hard, Xenophon repeatedly sent orders to the front to slow down. Cheirisophus usually slowed down when the message reached him. But sometimes he sped up instead and sent an order back to the rear to follow quickly. Clearly something was happening, but there was no time to go forward and discover the reason for the hurry. Under these conditions, the march at the rear became much like a rout. A brave man, Cleonymus the Laconian, lost his life there. An arrow passed through his shield and corselet and struck him in the ribs. Basias, an Arcadian, was also killed, shot clean through the head.

As soon as they reached a halting-place, Xenophon, without more ado, came up to Cheirisophus, and took him to task for not having waited, "whereby," he said, "we were forced to fight and flee at the same moment; and now it has cost us the lives of two fine fellows; they are dead, and we were not able to pick up their bodies or bury them." Cheirisophus answered: "Look up there," pointing as he spoke to the mountain, "do you see how inaccessible it all is? only this one road, which you see, going straight up, and on it all that crowd of men who have seized and are guarding the single exit. That is why I hastened on, and why I could not wait for you, hoping to be beforehand with them yonder in seizing the pass: the guides we have got say there is no other way." And Xenophon replied: "But I have got two prisoners also; the enemy annoyed us so much that we laid an ambuscade for them, which also gave us time to recover our breaths; we killed some of them, and did our best to catch one or two alive—for this very reason—that we might have guides who knew the country, to depend upon."

As soon as they reached a stopping place, Xenophon went straight to Cheirisophus and scolded him for not waiting. "Because you did not wait," he said, "we had to fight and flee at the same time. It cost us the lives of two fine men. They are dead, and we could not recover their bodies or bury them." Cheirisophus pointed to the mountain and answered: "Look up there. Do you see how impossible it is to reach? There is only one road, and you can see it going straight up. That crowd of men has seized the only way out and is guarding it. That is why I hurried on and could not wait for you. I hoped to seize the pass before they did. Our guides say there is no other way." Xenophon replied: "But I have also captured two prisoners. The enemy troubled us so much that we set an ambush for them. That also gave us time to catch our breath. We killed some of them and did our best to capture one or two alive. We wanted guides who knew the country and whom we could depend on."

The two were brought up at once and questioned separately: "Did they know of any other road than the one visible?" The first said no; and in spite of all sorts of terrors applied to extract a better answer—"no," he persisted. When nothing could be got out of him, he was killed before the eyes of his fellow. This latter then explained: "Yonder man said, he did not know, because he has got a daughter married to a husband in those parts. I can take you," he added, "by a good road, practicable even for beasts." And when asked whether there was any point on it difficult to pass, he replied that there was a col which it would be impossible to pass unless it were occupied in advance.

The two men were brought in at once and questioned separately: "Did they know of any road besides the one visible?" The first said no. Though they used all sorts of threats to get a different answer, he kept saying "no." When they could get nothing more out of him, they killed him in front of the other man. The other man then explained: "That man said he did not know because his daughter is married to a man in that area. I can take you by a good road, even one that animals can travel on." He was asked whether any part of the road was difficult to pass. He replied that there was a mountain pass that would be impossible to cross unless it was occupied in advance.

Then it was resolved to summon the officers of the light infantry and some of those of the heavy infantry, and to acquaint them with the state of affairs, and ask them whether any of them were minded to distinguish themselves, and would step forward as volunteers on an expedition. Two or three heavy infantry soldiers stepped forward at once—two Arcadians, Aristonymus of Methydrium, and Agasias of Stymphalus—and in emulation of these, a third, also an Arcadian, Callimachus from Parrhasia, who said he was ready to go, and would get volunteers from the whole army to join him. "I know," he added, "there will be no lack of youngsters to follow where I lead." After that they asked, "Were there any captains of light infantry willing to accompany the expedition?" Aristeas, a Chian, who on several occasions proved his usefulness to the army on such service, volunteered.

They decided to summon the officers of the light infantry and some of the heavy infantry officers. They would explain the situation and ask if any wanted to distinguish themselves by volunteering for an expedition. Two or three heavy infantry soldiers stepped forward at once. Two were Arcadians, Aristonymus of Methydrium and Agasias of Stymphalus. Inspired by their example, a third stepped forward, Callimachus from Parrhasia, also an Arcadian. He said he was ready to go and would find volunteers from the whole army to join him. "I know," he added, "there will be no shortage of young men to follow my lead." They then asked, "Are any light infantry captains willing to join the expedition?" Aristeas, a Chian, volunteered. He had proved useful to the army on several such missions.