Chapter 8

From this place they sailed across to Lampsacus, and here Xenophon was met by Eucleides the soothsayer, a Phliasian, the son of Cleagoras, who painted "the dreams¹" in the Lycium. Eucleides congratulated Xenophon upon his safe return, and asked him how much gold he had got? and Xenophon had to confess: "Upon my word, I shall have barely enough to get home, unless I sell my horse, and what I have about my person." The other could not credit the statement. Now when the Lampsacenes sent gifts of hospitality to Xenophon, and he was sacrificing to Apollo, he requested the presence of Eucleides; and the latter, seeing the victims, said: "Now I believe what you said about having no money. But I am certain," he continued, "if it were ever to come, there is an obstacle in the way. If nothing else, you are that obstacle yourself." Xenophon admitted the force of that remark. Then the other: "Zeus Meilichios² is an obstacle to you, I am sure," adding in another tone of voice, "have you tried sacrificing to that god, as I was wont to sacrifice and offer whole burnt offerings for you at home?" Xenophon replied that since he had been abroad, he had not sacrificed to that god. Accordingly Eucleides counselled him to sacrifice in the old customary way: he was sure that his fortune would improve. The next day Xenophon went on to Ophrynium and sacrificed, offering a holocaust of swine, after the custom of his family, and the signs which he obtained were favourable. That very day Bion and Nausicleides arrived laden with gifts for the army. These two were hospitably entertained by Xenophon, and were kind enough to repurchase the horse he had sold in Lampsacus for fifty darics; suspecting that he had parted with it out of need, and hearing that he was fond of the beast they restored it to him, refusing to be remunerated.

From there they sailed across to Lampsacus. There Xenophon met Eucleides the soothsayer, a Phliasian and the son of Cleagoras, who painted "the dreams¹" in the Lycium. Eucleides congratulated Xenophon on his safe return and asked how much gold he had acquired. Xenophon had to confess: "I swear, I'll barely have enough to get home unless I sell my horse and what I have with me." Eucleides could not believe him. Later, the Lampsacenes sent Xenophon gifts of hospitality. When Xenophon was sacrificing to Apollo, he asked Eucleides to join him. Seeing the sacrificial animals, Eucleides said: "Now I believe what you said about having no money. But I'm sure that if money were ever to come your way, something would stand in its way. If nothing else, you yourself are that obstacle." Xenophon admitted that Eucleides had a point. Then Eucleides said: "I'm sure Zeus Meilichios² is standing in your way." In a different tone, he added: "Have you tried sacrificing to that god, as I used to sacrifice and offer whole burnt offerings for you at home?" Xenophon replied that he had not sacrificed to that god since leaving home. So Eucleides advised him to sacrifice in the old customary way. He was sure Xenophon's fortunes would improve. The next day Xenophon went on to Ophrynium and sacrificed swine as a whole burnt offering, according to his family's custom. The signs he received were favorable. That same day Bion and Nausicleides arrived with many gifts for the army. Xenophon welcomed the two as his guests. They were kind enough to buy back the horse he had sold in Lampsacus for fifty darics. They suspected that he had sold it because he needed money, and they heard that he was fond of the animal. So they gave it back to him and refused to accept payment.

From that place they marched through the Troad, and, crossing Mount Ida, arrived at Antandrus, and then pushed along the seaboard of Mysia to the plain of Thebe³. Thence they made their way through Adramytium and Certonus⁴ by Atarneus, coming into the plain of the Caicus, and so reached Pergamus in Mysia.

From there, they marched through the Troad, crossed Mount Ida, and reached Antandrus. They then continued along the coast of Mysia to the plain of Thebe³. From there, they traveled through Adramytium and Certonus⁴, past Atarneus, and into the plain of the Caicus. They then reached Pergamus in Mysia.

Here Xenophon was hospitably entertained at the house of Hellas, the wife of Gongylus the Eretrian⁵, the mother of Gorgion and Gongylus. From her he learnt that Asidates, a Persian notable, was in the plain. "If you take thirty men and go by night, you will take him prisoner," she said, "wife, children, money, and all; of money he has a store;" and to show them the way to these treasures, she sent her own cousin and Daphnagoras, whom she set great store by. So then Xenophon, with these two to assist, did sacrifice; and Basias, an Eleian, the soothsayer in attendance, said that the victims were as promising as could be, and the great man would be an easy prey. Accordingly, after dinner he set off, taking with him the officers who had been his staunchest friends and confidants throughout; as he wished to do them a good turn. A number of others came thrusting themselves on their company, to the number of six hundred, but the officers repelled them: "They had no notion of sharing their portion of the spoil," they said, "just as though the property lay already at their feet."

Here Xenophon was warmly welcomed at the home of Hellas, the wife of Gongylus the Eretrian⁵. She was the mother of Gorgion and Gongylus. From her he learned that Asidates, a prominent Persian, was in the plain. "If you take thirty men and go by night, you will capture him, his wife, children, money, and all," she said. "He has plenty of money." To guide them to these treasures, she sent her own cousin and Daphnagoras, whom she valued highly. With these two to help him, Xenophon offered a sacrifice. Basias, an Eleian and the soothsayer accompanying him, said the victims were as promising as could be. The great man would be easy to capture. So, after dinner, Xenophon set out with the officers who had been his closest friends and confidants throughout. He wanted to do them a favor. About six hundred others tried to join them, but the officers turned them away. "They had no intention of sharing their portion of the loot," they said, "just as though the property already lay at their feet."

About midnight they arrived. The slaves occupying the precincts of the tower, with the mass of goods and chattles, slipped through their fingers, their sole anxiety being to capture Asidates and his belongings. So they brought their batteries to bear, but failing to take the tower by assault (since it was high and solid, and well supplied with ramparts, besides having a large body of warlike defenders), they endeavoured to undermine it. The wall was eight clay bricks thick, but by daybreak the passage was effected and the wall undermined. At the first gleam of light through the aperture, one of the defendants inside, with a large ox-spit, smote right through the thigh of the man nearest the hole, and the rest discharged their arrows so hotly that it was dangerous to come anywhere near the passage; and what with their shouting and kindling of beacon fires, a relief party at length arrived, consisting of Itabelius at the head of his force, and a body of Assyrian heavy infantry from Comania, and some Hyrcanian cavalry⁶, the latter also being mercenaries of the king. There were eighty of them, and another detachment of light troops, about eight hundred, and more from Parthenium, and more again from Apollonia and the neighbouring places, also cavalry.

They arrived about midnight. The slaves in the tower grounds escaped with most of the goods and possessions. The attackers were concerned only with capturing Asidates and his belongings. So they brought their siege equipment against the tower, but failed to take it by assault. It was tall and strong, well protected by ramparts, and defended by a large force of fighting men. They then tried to dig through the wall. It was eight clay bricks thick, but by daybreak they had made a passage through it. At the first gleam of light through the opening, one of the defenders struck with a large ox-spit. He drove it through the thigh of the man nearest the hole. The other defenders shot arrows so fiercely that it was dangerous to go anywhere near the passage. They also shouted and lit beacon fires, and a relief force finally arrived. Itabelius came at the head of his troops, along with Assyrian heavy infantry from Comania and some Hyrcanian cavalry⁶. The cavalry were also mercenaries of the king. There were eighty of them, along with another detachment of about eight hundred light troops. More troops came from Parthenium, and more cavalry came from Apollonia and the neighboring places.

It was now high time to consider how they were to beat a retreat. So seizing all the cattle and sheep to be had, with the slaves, they put them within a hollow square and proceed to drive them off. Not that they had a thought to give to the spoils now, but for precaution's sake and for fear lest if they left the goods and chattels behind and made off, the retreat would rapidly degenerate into a stampede, the enemy growing bolder as the troops lost heart. For the present then they retired as if they meant to do battle for the spoils. As soon as Gongylus espied how few the Hellenes were and how large the attacking party, out he came himself, in spite of his mother, with his private force, wishing to share in the action. Another too joined in the rescue—Procles, from Halisarna and Teuthrania, a descendant of Damaratus. By this time Xenophon and his men were being sore pressed by the arrows and slingstones, though they marched in a curve so as to keep their shields facing the missiles, and even so, barely crossed the river Carcasus, nearly half of them wounded. Here it was that Agasias the Stymphalian, the captain, received his wound, while keeping up a steady unflagging fight against the enemy from beginning to end. And so they reached home in safety with about two hundred captives, and sheep enough for sacrifices.

It was now high time to consider how to retreat. So they seized all the cattle, sheep, and slaves they could find, placed them inside a hollow square, and began driving them away. They were no longer concerned with the spoils themselves. They took them as a precaution, fearing that if they left the goods and property behind, the retreat would quickly turn into a stampede. The troops would lose heart, and the enemy would grow bolder. So for the moment, they retreated as if they intended to fight for the spoils. As soon as Gongylus saw how few the Hellenes were and how large the attacking force was, he came out with his own troops. Despite his mother's wishes, he wanted to join the fight. Procles also came to their rescue. He was a descendant of Damaratus and came from Halisarna and Teuthrania. By this time, Xenophon and his men were under heavy attack from arrows and slingstones. They marched in a curve to keep their shields facing the missiles. Even so, they barely managed to cross the river Carcasus, and nearly half of them were wounded. There the captain Agasias the Stymphalian was wounded. He had fought steadily and tirelessly against the enemy from beginning to end. They reached home safely with about two hundred captives and enough sheep for sacrifices.

The next day Xenophon sacrificed and led out the whole army under the cover of night, intending to pierce far into the heart of Lydia with a view to lulling to sleep the enemy's alarm at his proxmity, and so in fact to put him off his guard. But Asidates, hearing that Xenophon had again sacrificed with the intention of another attack, and was approaching with his whole army, left his tower and took up quarters in some villages lying under the town of Parthenium. Here Xenophon's party fell in with him, and took him prisoner, with his wife, his children, his horses, and all that he had; and so the promise of the earlier victims was literally fulfilled. After that they returned again to Pergamus, and here Xenophon might well thank God with a warm heart, for the Laconians, the officers, the other generals, and the soldiers as a body united to give him the pick of horses and cattle teams, and the rest; so that he was now in a position himself to do another a good turn.

The next day Xenophon offered a sacrifice and led the whole army out under cover of night. He planned to push deep into Lydia, hoping to ease the enemy’s alarm at his nearness and catch him off guard. But Asidates heard that Xenophon had sacrificed again, intending another attack, and was approaching with his whole army. So he left his tower and took shelter in some villages below the town of Parthenium. There Xenophon’s party came upon him. They captured him, along with his wife, his children, his horses, and everything he owned. So the promise of the earlier sacrifices was literally fulfilled. After that, they returned to Pergamus. There Xenophon had good reason to thank God from the bottom of his heart. The Laconians, the officers, the other generals, and the soldiers as a body joined in giving him the pick of the horses, teams of cattle, and other goods. He was now able to do someone else a good turn himself.

Meanwhile Thibron arrived and received the troops which he incorporated with the rest of his Hellenic forces, and so proceeded to prosecute a war against Tissaphernes and Pharnabazus⁷.

Meanwhile, Thibron arrived and took command of the troops, adding them to the rest of his Hellenic forces. He then went to war against Tissaphernes and Pharnabazus⁷.