Chapter 2

It was already late afternoon, when they ordered the storming party to take a snatch of food and set off; then they bound the guide and handed him over to them. The agreement was, that if they succeeded in taking the summit they were to guard the position that night, and at daybreak to give a signal by bugle. At this signal the party on the summit were to attack the enemy in occupation of the visible pass, while the generals with the main body would bring up their succours; making their way up with what speed they might. With this understanding, off they set, two thousand strong; and there was a heavy downpour of rain, but Xenophon, with his rearguard, began advancing to the visible pass, so that the enemy might fix his attention on this road, and the party creeping round might, as much as possible, elude observation. Now when the rearguard, so advancing, had reached a ravine which they must cross in order to strike up the steep, at that instant the barbarians began rolling down great boulders, each a wagon load¹, some larger, some smaller; against the rocks they crashed and splintered flying like slingstones in every direction—so that it was absolutely out of the question even to approach the entrance of the pass. Some of the officers finding themselves baulked at this point, kept trying other ways, nor did they desist till darkness set in; and then, when they thought they would not be seen retiring, they returned to supper. Some of them who had been on duty in the rearguard had had no breakfast (it so happened). However, the enemy never ceased rolling down their stones all through the night, as was easy to infer from the booming sound.

It was already late afternoon when they ordered the storming party to grab some food and set off. Then they tied up the guide and handed him over to the party. They agreed that, if the party captured the summit, they would hold it overnight. At daybreak, they would sound a bugle. At that signal, the men on the summit would attack the enemy occupying the visible pass. Meanwhile, the generals would bring the main body up as reinforcements, moving as quickly as they could. With this understanding, the party set off, two thousand strong. Rain was pouring down, but Xenophon began advancing with his rearguard toward the visible pass. He wanted the enemy to focus on that route, so the party circling around could avoid notice as much as possible. The rearguard reached a ravine they had to cross before climbing the steep slope. At that moment, the barbarians began rolling down huge boulders, each a wagon load¹, some larger and some smaller. The boulders crashed against the rocks and shattered, sending fragments flying in every direction like stones from a sling. It was impossible even to approach the entrance to the pass. Blocked there, some of the officers kept trying other routes until darkness fell. Then, when they thought they could withdraw without being seen, they returned for supper. As it happened, some of those who had been on duty in the rearguard had eaten no breakfast. The enemy, however, never stopped rolling down stones all night, as the booming sound made clear.

The party with the guide made a circuit and surprised the enemy's guards seated round their fire, and after killing some, and driving out the rest, took their places, thinking that they were in possession of the height. As a matter of fact they were not, for above them lay a breast-like hill² skirted by the narrow road on which they had found the guards seated. Still, from the spot in question there was an approach to the enemy, who were seated on the pass before mentioned.

The party with the guide went around and surprised the enemy guards sitting around their fire. They killed some, drove the rest away, and took their places, thinking they had captured the high ground. But they had not. Above them was a breast-shaped hill², with the narrow road running along its side. The guards had been sitting on that road. Still, from where the party stood, they could approach the enemy, who were sitting on the pass mentioned earlier.

Here then they passed the night, but at the first glimpse of dawn they marched stealthily and in battle order against the enemy. There was a mist, so that they could get quite close without being observed. But as soon as they caught sight of one another, the trumpet sounded, and with a loud cheer they rushed upon the fellows, who did not wait their coming, but left the road and made off; with the loss of only a few lives however, so nimble were they. Cheirisophus and his men, catching the sound of the bugle, charged up by the well-marked road, while others of the generals pushed their way up by pathless routes, where each division chanced to be; the men mounting as they were best able, and hoisting one another up by means of their spears; and these were the first to unite with the party who had already taken the position by storm. Xenophon, with the rearguard, followed the path which the party with the guide had taken, since it was easiest for the beasts of burthen; one half of his men he had posted in rear of the baggage animals; the other half he had with himself. In their course they encountered a crest above the road, occupied by the enemy, whom they must either dislodge or be themselves cut off from the rest of the Hellenes. The men by themselves could have taken the same route as the rest, but the baggage animals could not mount by any other way than this.

They spent the night there. At the first glimpse of dawn, they marched stealthily toward the enemy in battle order. A mist allowed them to get quite close without being seen. But as soon as the two sides saw each other, the trumpet sounded. With a loud cheer, they rushed at the enemy. The enemy did not wait for them, but left the road and fled. They were so nimble that only a few were killed. When Cheirisophus and his men heard the trumpet, they charged up the well-marked road. The other generals pushed uphill wherever their divisions happened to be, even where there were no paths. The men climbed as best they could, helping one another up with their spears. They were the first to join the party that had already taken the position by storm. Xenophon followed with the rearguard along the path taken by the party with the guide. This was the easiest route for the pack animals. He had stationed half his men behind the animals and kept the other half with him. On the way, they came to a ridge above the road that the enemy held. They had to drive the enemy off or be cut off from the rest of the Hellenes. The men alone could have taken the same route as the others, but the pack animals had no other way up.

Here then, with shouts of encouragement to each other, they dashed at the hill with their storming columns, not from all sides, but leaving an avenue of escape for the enemy, if he chose to avail himself of it. For a while, as the men scrambled up where each best could, the natives kept up a fire of arrows and darts, yet did not receive them at close quarters, but presently left the position in flight. No sooner, however, were the Hellenes safely past this crest, than they came in sight of another in front of them, also occupied, and deemed it advisable to storm it also. But now it struck Xenophon that if they left the ridge just taken unprotected in their rear, the enemy might re-occupy it and attack the baggage animals as they filed past, presenting a long extended line owing to the narrowness of the road by which they made their way. To obviate this, he left some officers in charge of the ridge—Cephisodorus, son of Cephisophon, an Athenian; Amphicrates, the son of Amphidemus, an Athenian; and Archagoras, an Argive exile—while he in person with the rest of the men attacked the second ridge; this they took in the same fashion, only to find that they had still a third knoll left, far the steepest of the three. This was none other than the mamelon mentioned as above the outpost, which had been captured over their fire by the volunteer storming party in the night. But when the Hellenes were close, the natives, to the astonishment of all, without a struggle deserted the knoll. It was conjectured that they had left their position from fear of being encircled and besieged, but the fact was that they, from their higher ground, had been able to see what was going on in the rear, and had all made off in this fashion to attack the rearguard.

Shouting encouragement to one another, they charged up the hill in assault columns. They did not attack from all sides, but left the enemy a way to escape if they chose. As the men scrambled up wherever they could, the natives kept shooting arrows and throwing darts. But they did not meet the attackers at close quarters and soon fled the position. As soon as the Hellenes were safely past the crest, they saw another occupied ridge ahead. They decided to storm that one too. But Xenophon realized that the enemy might retake the ridge they had just captured if they left it unguarded behind them. The enemy could then attack the baggage animals as they filed past. The narrow road forced the animals into a long line. To prevent an attack, Xenophon left some officers in charge of the ridge: Cephisodorus, son of Cephisophon, an Athenian; Amphicrates, son of Amphidemus, an Athenian; and Archagoras, an Argive exile. He led the rest of the men against the second ridge. They took it in the same way, only to find a third knoll ahead, much steeper than the other two. This was the mamelon mentioned earlier, above the outpost. The volunteer assault party had captured it during the night, under fire from the outpost. But when the Hellenes came close, the natives abandoned the knoll without a struggle, to everyone's astonishment. The Hellenes guessed that the natives had left because they feared being surrounded and besieged. In fact, the natives had been able to see what was happening in the rear from their higher position. They had all left the knoll to attack the rearguard.

So then Xenophon, with the youngest men, scaled up to the top, leaving orders to the rest to march on slowly, so as to allow the hindmost companies to unite with them; they were to advance by the road, and when they reached the level to ground arms³. Meanwhile the Argive Archagoras arrived, in full flight, with the announcement that they had been dislodged from the first ridge, and that Cephisodorus and Amphicrates were slain, with a number of others besides, all in fact who had not jumped down the crags and so reached the rearguard. After this achievement the barbarians came to a crest facing the mamelon, and Xenophon held a colloquy with them by means of an interpreter, to negotiate a truce, and demanded back the dead bodies. These they agreed to restore if he would not burn their houses, and to these terms Xenophon agreed. Meanwhile, as the rest of the army filed past, and the colloquy was proceeding, all the people of the place had time to gather gradually, and the enemy formed; and as soon as the Hellenes began to descend from the mamelon to join the others where the troops were halted, on rushed the foe, in full force, with hue and cry. They reached the summit of the mamelon from which Xenophon was descending, and began rolling down crags. One man's leg was crushed to pieces. Xenophon was left by his shield-bearer, who carried off his shield, but Eurylochus of Lusia⁴, an Arcadian hoplite, ran up to him, and threw his shield in front to protect both of them; so the two together beat a retreat, and so too the rest, and joined the serried ranks of the main body.

Xenophon climbed to the top with the youngest men. He ordered the rest to march slowly, so the companies at the rear could catch up with them. They were to follow the road and, when they reached level ground, set down their weapons³. Meanwhile, Archagoras of Argos arrived, fleeing at full speed. He reported that they had been driven from the first ridge. Cephisodorus and Amphicrates had been killed, along with a number of others. In fact, all who had not jumped down the cliffs to reach the rearguard had been killed. After this success, the barbarians came to a crest facing the hill. Xenophon spoke with them through an interpreter to negotiate a truce, and demanded the bodies of the dead. They agreed to return the bodies if he would not burn their houses, and Xenophon accepted these terms. Meanwhile, as the rest of the army filed past and the negotiations continued, all the local people had time to gather gradually, and the enemy formed ranks. The Hellenes began to descend the hill to join the others where the troops had halted. As soon as they did, the enemy charged in full force, shouting as they came. They reached the top of the hill Xenophon was descending and began rolling rocks down it. One man's leg was crushed to pieces. Xenophon's shield-bearer abandoned him and took his shield away. But Eurylochus of Lusia⁴, an Arcadian hoplite, ran up and held out his shield to protect them both. The two retreated together, as did the rest, and joined the tightly packed ranks of the main body.

After this the whole Hellenic force united, and took up their quarters there in numerous beautiful dwellings, with an ample store of provisions, for there was wine so plentiful that they had it in cemented cisterns. Xenophon and Cheirisophus arranged to recover the dead, and in return restored the guide; afterwards they did everything for the dead, according to the means at their disposal, with the customary honours paid to good men.

After this, the whole Hellenic force came together and settled there in many beautiful houses, with plenty of provisions. There was so much wine that they stored it in cemented cisterns. Xenophon and Cheirisophus arranged to recover the dead and, in return, gave back the guide. Afterwards, they did everything they could for the dead, giving them the customary honours paid to good men.

Next day they set off without a guide; and the enemy, by keeping up a continuous battle and occupying in advance every narrow place, obstructed passage after passage. Accordingly, whenever the van was obstructed, Xenophon, from behind, made a dash up the hills and broke the barricade, and freed the vanguard by endeavouring to get above the obstructing enemy. Whenever the rear was the point attacked, Cheirisophus, in the same way, made a detour, and by endeavouring to mount higher than the barricaders, freed the passage for the rear rank; and in this way, turn and turn about, they rescued each other, and paid unflinching attention to their mutual needs. At times it happened that, the relief party having mounted, encountered considerable annoyance in their descent from the barbarians, who were so agile that they allowed them to come up quite close, before they turned back, and still escaped, partly no doubt because the only weapons they had to carry were bows and slings.

The next day they set off without a guide. The enemy fought them constantly and occupied every narrow passage ahead of them, blocking their way again and again. Whenever the front ranks were blocked, Xenophon rushed up the hills from the rear and broke through the barricade. He tried to get above the enemy blocking the way, freeing the front ranks. Whenever the rear was attacked, Cheirisophus made a detour and tried to climb above the enemy at the barricade. In this way, he freed the passage for the rear ranks. They took turns rescuing each other and remained constantly attentive to each other’s needs. At times, after the relieving party had climbed the hills, the barbarians gave them considerable trouble on their way down. The barbarians were so agile that they let the soldiers come quite close before turning back, yet still escaped. This was partly, no doubt, because they carried only bows and slings.

They were, moreover, excellent archers, using bows nearly three cubits long and arrows more than two cubits. When discharging the arrow, they draw the string by getting a purchase with the left foot planted forward on the lower end of the bow. The arrows pierced through shield and cuirass, and the Hellenes, when they got hold of them, used them as javelins, fitting them to their thongs. In these districts the Cretans were highly serviceable. They were under the command of Stratocles, a Cretan.

They were also excellent archers. Their bows were nearly three cubits long, and their arrows were more than two cubits long. To shoot, they planted their left foot against the lower end of the bow and drew the string. Their arrows pierced shields and breastplates. When the Hellenes found these arrows, they used them as javelins, attaching them to their throwing thongs. The Cretans were very useful in these districts. They were commanded by Stratocles, a Cretan.