Chapter 4

But the next day Seuthes burnt the villages to the ground; he left not a single house, being minded to inspire terror in the rest of his enemies, and to show them what they also were to expect, if they refused obedience; and so he went back again. As to the booty, he sent off Heracliedes to Perinthus to dispose of it, with a view to future pay for the soldiers. But for himself he encamped with the Hellenes in the lowland country of the Thynians, the natives leaving the flats and betaking themselves in flight to the uplands.

But the next day Seuthes burned the villages to the ground. He left not a single house standing. He wanted to terrify the rest of his enemies and show them what to expect if they refused to obey. Then he went back. He sent Heracliedes to Perinthus to sell the booty, so that he could pay the soldiers later. Seuthes himself camped with the Hellenes in the lowlands of the Thynians. The natives left the lowlands and fled to the uplands.

There was deep snow, and cold so intense that the water brought in for dinner and the wine within the jars froze; and many of the Hellenes had their noses and ears frost-bitten. Now they came to understand why the Thracians wear fox-skin caps on their heads and about their ears; and why, on the same principle, they are frocked not only about the chest and bust but so as to cover the loins and thighs as well; and why on horseback they envelop themselves in long shawls which reach down to the feet, instead of the ordinary short rider's cloak. Seuthes sent off some of the prisoners to the hills with a message to say that if they did not come down to their homes, and live quietly and obey him, he would burn down their villages and their corn, and leave them to perish with hunger. Thereupon down they came, women and children and the older men; the younger men preferred to quarter themselves in the villages on the skirts of the hills. On discovering this, Seuthes bade Xenophon take the youngest of the heavy infantry and join him on an expedition. They rose in the night, and by daybreak had reached the villages; but the majority of the inhabitants made good their escape, for the hills were close at hand. Those whom he did catch, Seuthes unsparingly shot down.

The snow was deep, and the cold was so intense that the water brought in for dinner froze. The wine in the jars froze too, and many of the Hellenes suffered frostbite on their noses and ears. Now they understood why the Thracians wear fox-skin caps over their heads and ears. They also understood why the Thracians wear coats that cover not only their chests but also their loins and thighs. For the same reason, the Thracians wrap themselves in long shawls that reach their feet when riding, instead of wearing ordinary short riding cloaks. Seuthes sent some of the prisoners into the hills with a message. If the people there did not return to their homes, live quietly, and obey him, he would burn their villages and their grain. He would leave them to starve. The women, children, and older men then came down. But the younger men preferred to stay in the villages at the foot of the hills. When Seuthes learned this, he told Xenophon to take the youngest heavy infantrymen and join him on an expedition. They set out during the night and reached the villages by daybreak. But most of the inhabitants escaped because the hills were close by. Seuthes shot down everyone he caught, without mercy.

Now there was a certain Olynthian, named Episthenes; he was a great lover of boys, and seeing a handsome lad, just in the bloom of youth, and carrying a light shield, about to be slain, he ran up to Xenophon and supplicated him to rescue the fair youth. Xenophon went to Seuthes and begged him not to put the boy to death. He explained to him the disposition of Episthenes; how he had once enrolled a company, the only qualification required being that of personal beauty; and with these handsome young men at his side there were none so brave as he. Seuthes put the question, "Would you like to die on his behalf, Episthenes?" whereat the other stretched out his neck, and said, "Strike, if the boy bids you, and will thank his preserver." Seuthes, turning to the boy, asked, "Shall I smite him instead of you?" The boy shook his head, imploring him to slay neither the one nor the other, whereupon Episthenes caught the lad in his arms, exclaiming, "It is time you did battle with me, Seuthes, for my boy; never will I yield him up," and Seuthes laughed: "what must be must," and so consented.

There was an Olynthian named Episthenes who was very fond of boys. He saw a handsome boy in the first bloom of youth, carrying a light shield, who was about to be killed. Episthenes ran to Xenophon and begged him to save the boy. Xenophon went to Seuthes and asked him not to put the boy to death. He explained Episthenes’ nature to Seuthes. Once, Episthenes had formed a company whose only requirement for joining was personal beauty. With these handsome young men beside him, no one was braver than he. Seuthes asked, "Would you like to die in his place, Episthenes?" Episthenes stretched out his neck and said, "Strike, if the boy tells you to and will thank the man who saves him." Seuthes turned to the boy and asked, "Shall I strike him instead of you?" The boy shook his head and begged Seuthes to kill neither of them. Episthenes then caught the boy in his arms and cried, "You’ll have to fight me for my boy, Seuthes. I’ll never give him up." Seuthes laughed and said, "What must be must." And so he agreed.

In these villages he decided that they must bivouac, so that the men on the mountains might be still further deprived of subsistence. Stealthily descending he himself found quarters in the plain; while Xenophon with his picked troops encamped in the highest village on the skirts of the hills,; and the rest of the Hellenes hard by, among the highland Thracians¹, as they are called.

He decided they should camp in these villages, so the men on the mountains would have even less food. He himself descended stealthily and found a place to stay on the plain. Xenophon and his picked troops camped in the highest village on the edge of the hills. The rest of the Hellenes camped nearby, among the highland Thracians¹, as they are called.

After this, not many days had idly slipt away before the Thracians from the mountains came down and wished to arrange with Seuthes for terms of truce and hostages. Simultaneously came Xenophon and informed Seuthes that they were camped in bad quarters, with the enemy next door; "it would be pleasanter too," he added, "to bivouac in a strong position in the open, than under cover on the edge of destruction." The other bade him take heart and pointed to some of their hostages, as much as to say "Look there!" Parties also from the mountaineers came down and pleaded with Xenophon himself, to help arrange a truce for them. This he agreed to do, bidding them to pluck up heart, and assuring them that they would meet with no mischief, if they yielded obedience to Seuthes. All their parleying, however, was, as it turned out, merely to get a closer inspection of things. This happened in the day, and in the following night the Thynians descended from the hill country and made an attack. In each case, the guide was the master of the house attacked; otherwise it would have taxed their powers to discover the houses in the dark, which, for the sake of their flocks and herds, were palisaded all round with great stockades. As soon as they had reached the doors of any particular house, the attack began, some hurling in their spears, others belabouring with their clubs, which they carried, it was said, for the purpose of knocking off the lance points from the shaft. Others were busy setting the place on fire; and they kept calling Xenophon by name: "Come out, Xenophon, and die like a man, or we will roast you alive inside."

A few days later, the Thracians came down from the mountains. They wanted to arrange a truce and exchange hostages with Seuthes. At the same time, Xenophon came and told Seuthes that they were camped in a bad place, with the enemy close by. "It would be more pleasant," he added, "to camp in a strong position in the open than under cover on the edge of destruction." Seuthes told him not to worry and pointed to some of their hostages, as if to say, "Look there!" Groups of mountaineers also came down and asked Xenophon himself to help arrange a truce for them. He agreed and told them not to worry. He assured them that no harm would come to them if they obeyed Seuthes. But, as it turned out, all their talks were merely a way to get a closer look at the situation. This happened during the day. The following night, the Thynians came down from the hills and attacked. In each case, the master of the house under attack served as their guide. Otherwise, they would have had great difficulty finding the houses in the dark. To protect their flocks and herds, the houses were surrounded by great stockades. As soon as they reached a house, the attack began. Some hurled their spears inside, while others struck with their clubs. They carried the clubs, it was said, to knock spearheads off their shafts. Others set the house on fire. They kept calling Xenophon by name: "Come out, Xenophon, and die like a man, or we will roast you alive inside."

By this time too the flames were making their appearance through the roof, and Xenophon and his followers were within, with their coats of mail on, and big shields, swords, and helmets. Then Silanus, a Macistian², a youth of some eighteen years, signalled on the trumpet; and in an instant, out they all leapt with their drawn swords, and the inmates of other quarters as well. The Thracians took to their heels, according to their custom, swinging their light shields round their backs. As they leapt over the stockade some were captured, hanging on the top with their shields caught in the palings; others missed the way out, and so were slain; and the Hellenes chased them hotly, till they were outside the village.

By this time, flames were also breaking through the roof. Inside, Xenophon and his followers wore coats of mail and carried large shields, swords, and helmets. Then Silanus, a Macistian² youth of about eighteen, sounded the trumpet. At once, they all leapt out with drawn swords, as did those in the other quarters. The Thracians fled, as was their custom, swinging their light shields onto their backs. As they leapt over the stockade, some were captured when their shields caught on the stakes, leaving them hanging at the top. Others could not find the way out and were killed. The Hellenes pursued them fiercely until they were outside the village.

A party of Thynians turned back, and as the men ran past in bold relief against a blazing house, they let fly a volley of javelins, out of the darkness into the glare, and wounded two captains, Hieronymus, an Euodean ³, and Theogenes, a Locrian. No one was killed, only the clothes and baggage of some of the men were consumed in the flames. Presently up came Seuthes to the rescue with seven troopers, the first to hand, and his Thracian trumpeteer by his side. Seeing that something had happened, he hastened to the rescue, and ever the while his bugler wound his horn, which music added terror to the foe. Arrived at length, he greeted them with outstretched hand, exclaiming, "I thought to find you all dead men."

A group of Thynians turned back as the men ran past, clearly visible against a burning house. From the darkness, the Thynians threw a volley of javelins into the light. They wounded two captains, Hieronymus, an Euodean ³, and Theogenes, a Locrian. No one was killed, but some of the men’s clothes and baggage were burned. Soon Seuthes came to the rescue with the first seven troopers available and his Thracian trumpeter beside him. Seeing that something had happened, he hurried to help. His trumpeter sounded his horn all the way, adding to the enemy’s terror. When Seuthes arrived, he held out his hand to greet them and exclaimed, "I thought I would find you all dead."

After that, Xenophon begged him to hand over the hostages to himself, and if so disposed, to join him on an expedition to the hills, or if not, to let him go alone. Accordingly the next day Seuthes delivered up the hostages. They were men already advanced in years, but the pick of the mountaineers, as they themselves gave out. Not merely did Seuthes do this, but he came himself, with his force at his back (and by this time he had treble his former force, for many of the Odrysians, hearing of his proceedings, came down to join in the campaign); and the Thynians, espying from the mountains the vast array of heavy infantry and light infantry and cavalry, rank upon rank, came down and supplicated him to make terms. "They were ready," they professed, "to do all that he demanded; let him take pledges of their good faith." So Seuthes summoned Xenophon and explained their proposals, adding that he should make no terms with them, if Xenophon wished to punish them for their night attack. The latter replied: "For my part, I should think their punishment is great enough already, if they are to be slaves instead of free men; still," he added, "I advise you for the future to take as hostages those who are most capable of doing mischief, and to let the old men abide in peace at home." So to a man they gave in their adhesion in that quarter of the country.

After that, Xenophon asked Seuthes to hand the hostages over to him. He also asked Seuthes to join him on an expedition to the hills, if he wished, or let him go alone. So the next day, Seuthes handed over the hostages. They were elderly men, but they claimed to be the finest of the mountaineers. Seuthes also came himself, with his force behind him. By then his force was three times its former size. Many Odrysians had heard what he was doing and had come down to join the campaign. From the mountains, the Thynians saw the vast ranks of heavy infantry, light infantry, and cavalry. They came down and begged Seuthes to make terms. "They were ready," they said, "to do everything he demanded. Let him take hostages as proof of their good faith." So Seuthes summoned Xenophon and explained their proposal. He added that he would make no terms if Xenophon wished to punish them for their night attack. Xenophon replied: "For my part, I think their punishment is already great enough, if they are to be slaves instead of free men. Still, I advise you to take those most capable of causing harm as hostages in the future. Let the old men live peacefully at home." So every man in that part of the country submitted.