cyropaedia-第13节

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time　to　escape。〃

＇10＇　That　was　the　counsel　of　Cyrus；　and　Cyaxares　approved　it。　He
thought　no　more　of　sending　for　a　larger　force；　but　set　about　preparing
the　equipment　he　had　been　asked　for；　and　all　was　in　readiness　just
about　the　time　when　the　Peers　arrived　from　Persia　at　the　head　of　their
own　troops。　＇11＇　Then；　so　says　the　story；　Cyrus　called　the　Peers
together　and　spoke　to　them　as　follows：　〃Men　of　Persia；　my　friends　and
comrades；　when　I　looked　at　you　first　and　saw　the　arms　you　bore　and　how
you　were　all　on　fire　to　meet　the　enemy；　hand　to　hand；　and　when　I
remembered　that　your　squires　are　only　equipped　for　fighting　on　the
outskirts　of　the　field；　I　confess　my　mind　misgave　me。　Few　and　forlorn
they　will　be；　I　said　to　myself；　swallowed　up　in　a　host　of　enemies；　no
good　can　come　of　it。　But　to…day　you　are　here；　and　your　men　behind　you；
stalwart　and　stout　of　limb；　and　to…morrow　they　shall　have　armour　like
our　own。　None　could　find　fault　with　their　thews　and　sinews；　and　as　for
their　spirit；　it　is　for　us　to　see　it　does　not　fail。　A　leader　must　not
only　have　a　stout　heart　himself；　he　must　see　to　it　that　his　followers
are　as　valiant　as　he。〃

＇12＇　Thus　Cyrus　spoke；　and　the　Peers　were　well　satisfied　at　his　words；
feeling　that　on　the　day　of　battle　they　would　have　more　to　help　them　in
the　struggle。　＇13＇　And　one　of　them　said；　〃Perhaps　it　will　seem　strange
if　I　ask　Cyrus　to　speak　in　our　stead　to　our　fellow…combatants　when
they　receive　their　arms；　and　yet　I　know　well　that　the　words　of　him　who
has　the　greatest　power　for　weal　or　woe　sink　deepest　into　the
listener's　heart。　His　very　gifts；　though　they　should　be　less　than　the
gifts　of　equals；　are　valued　more。　These　new　comrades　of　ours；〃　he　went
on；　〃would　rather　be　addressed　by　Cyrus　himself　than　by　us；　and　now
that　they　are　to　take　their　place　among　the　Peers　their　title　will
seem　to　them　far　more　secure　if　it　is　given　them　by　the　king's　own　son
and　our　general…in…chief。　Not　that　we　have　not　still　our　own　duties
left。　We　are　bound　to　do　our　best　in　every　way　to　rouse　the　spirit　of
our　men。　Shall　we　not　gain　ourselves　by　all　they　gain　in　valour？〃

＇14＇　So　it　came　about　that　Cyrus　had　the　new　armour　placed　before　him
and　summoned　a　general　meeting　of　the　Persian　soldiery；　and　spoke　to
them　as　follows：

＇15＇　〃Men　of　Persia；　born　and　bred　in　the　same　land　as　ourselves；
whose　limbs　are　as　stout　and　as　strong　as　our　own；　your　hearts　should
be　as　brave。　I　know　they　are；　and　yet　at　home　in　the　land　of　our
fathers　you　did　not　share　our　rights；　not　that　we　drove　you　out
ourselves；　but　you　were　banished　by　the　compulsion　that　lay　upon　you
to　find　your　livelihood　for　yourselves。　Now　from　this　day　forward；
with　heaven's　help；　it　shall　be　my　care　to　provide　it　for　you；　and
now；　if　so　you　will；　you　have　it　in　your　power　to　take　the　armour　that
we　wear　ourselves；　face　the　same　perils　and　win　the　same　honours；　if
so　be　you　make　any　glorious　deed　your　own。　＇16＇　In　former　days　you
were　trained；　like　ourselves；　in　the　use　of　bow　and　javelin；　and　if
you　were　at　all　inferior　to　us　in　skill；　that　was　not　to　be　wondered
at；　you　had　not　the　same　leisure　for　practice　as　we；　but　now　in　this
new　accoutrement　we　shall　have　no　pre…eminence　at　all。　Each　of　us　will
wear　a　corslet　fitted　to　his　breast　and　carry　a　shield　on　his　left　arm
of　the　type　to　which　we　are　all　accustomed；　and　in　his　right　hand　a
sabre　or　a　battle…axe。　With　these　we　shall　smite　the　enemy　before　us；
and　need　have　no　fear　that　we　shall　miss　the　mark。　＇17＇　How　can　we
differ　from　one　another　with　these　arms？　There　can　be　no　difference
except　in　daring。　And　daring　you　may　foster　in　your　hearts　as　much　as
we　in　ours。　What　greater　right　have　we　than　you　to　love　victory　and
follow　after　her；　victory　who　wins　for　us　and　preserves　to　us　all
things　that　are　beautiful　and　good？　Why　should　you；　any　more　than　we；
be　found　lacking　in　that　power　which　takes　the　goods　of　weaklings　and
bestows　them　on　the　strong？〃

＇18＇　He　ended：　〃Now　you　have　heard　all。　There　lie　your　weapons；　let
him　who　chooses　take　them　up　and　write　his　name　with　the　brigadier　in
the　same　roll　as　ours。　And　if　a　man　prefers　to　remain　a　mercenary；　let
him　do　so；　he　carries　the　arms　of　a　servant。〃

＇19＇　Thus　spoke　Cyrus；　and　the　Persians；　every　man　of　them；　felt　they
would　be　ashamed　for　the　rest　of　their　days；　and　deservedly；　if　they
drew　back　now；　when　they　were　offered　equal　honour　in　return　for　equal
toil。　One　and　all　they　inscribed　their　names　and　took　up　the　new　arms。

＇20＇　And　now　in　the　interval；　before　the　enemy　were　actually　at　hand；
but　while　rumour　said　they　were　advancing；　Cyrus　took　on　himself　a
three…fold　task：　to　bring　the　physical　strength　of　his　men　to　the
highest　pitch；　to　teach　them　tactics；　and　to　rouse　their　spirit　for
martial　deeds。　＇21＇　He　asked　Cyaxares　for　a　body　of　assistants　whose
duty　it　should　be　to　provide　each　of　his　soldiers　with　all　they　could
possibly　need；　thus　leaving　the　men　themselves　free　for　the　art　of
war。　He　had　learnt；　he　thought；　that　success；　in　whatever　sphere；　was
only　to　be　won　by　refusing　to　attempt　a　multitude　of　tasks　and
concentrating　the　mind　on　one。

Thus　in　the　military　training　itself　he　gave　up　the　practice　with　bow
and　javelin；　leaving　his　men　to　perfect　themselves　in　the　use　of
sabre；　shield；　and　corslet；　accustoming　them　from　the　very　first　to
the　thought　that　they　must　close　with　the　enemy；　or　confess　themselves
worthless　as　fellow…combatants；　a　harsh　conclusion　for　those　who　knew
that　they　were　only　protected　in　order　to　fight　on　behalf　of　their
protectors。　＇22＇　And　further；　being　convinced　that　wherever　the
feeling　of　emulation　can　be　roused；　there　the　eagerness　to　excel　is
greatest；　he　instituted　competitions　for　everything　in　which　he
thought　his　soldiers　should　be　trained。　The　private　soldier　was
challenged　to　prove　himself　prompt　to　obey；　anxious　to　work；　eager　for
danger；　and　yet　ever　mindful　of　discipline；　an　expert　in　the　science
of　war；　an　artist　in　the　conduct　of　his　arms；　and　a　lover　of　honour　in
all　things。　The　petty　officer　commanding　a　squad　of　five　was　not　only
to　equal　the　leading　private；　he　must　also　do　what　he　could　to　bring
his　men　to　the　same　perfection；　the　captain　of　ten　must　do　the　same
for　his　ten；　and　the　company's　captain　for　the　company；　while　the
commander　of　the　whole　regiment；　himself　above　reproach；　must　take　the
utmost　care　with　the　officers　under　him　so　that　they　in　their　turn
should　see　that　their　subordinates　were　perfect　in　all　their　duties。
＇23＇　For　prizes；　Cyrus　announced　that　the　brigadier　in　command　of　the
finest　regiment　should　be　raised　to　the　rank　of　general；　the　captain
of　the　finest　company　should　be　made　a　brigadier；　the　captain　of　the
finest　squad　of　ten　captain　of　a　company；　and　the　captain　of　the　best
five　a　captain　of　ten；　while　the　best　soldiers　from　the　ranks　should
become　captains　of　five　themselves。　Every　one　of　these　officers　had
the　privilege　of　being　served　by　those　beneath　him；　and　various　other
honours　also；　suited　to　their　several　grades；　while　ampler　hopes　were
offered　for　any　nobler　exploits。　＇24＇　Finally　prizes　were　announced　to
be　won　by　a　regiment　or　a　company　or　a　squad　taken　as　a　whole；　by
those　who　proved　themselves　most　loyal　to　their　leaders　and　most
zealous　in　the　practice　of　their　duty。　These　prizes；　of　course；　were
such　as　to　be　suitable　for　men　taken　in　the　mass。

Such　were　the　orders　of　the　Persian　leader；　and　such　the　exercises　of
the　Persian　troops。　＇25＇　For　their　quarters；　he　arranged　that　a
separate　shelter　should　be　assigned　to　every　brigadier；　and　that　it
should　be　large　enough　for　the　whole　regiment　he　commanded；　a　regiment
consisting　of　100　men。　Thus　they　were　encamped　by　regiments；　and　in
the　mere　fact　of　common　quarters　there　was　this　advantage；　Cyrus
thought；　for　the　coming　struggle；　that　the　men　saw　they　were　all
treated　alike；　and　therefore　no　one　could　pretend　that　he　was
slighted；　and　no　one　sink　to　the　confession　that　he　was　a　worse　man
than　his　neighbours　when　it　came　to　facing　the　foe。　Moreover　the　life
in　common　would　help　the　men　to　know　each　other；　and　it　is　only　by
such　knowledge；　as　a　rule；　that　a　common　conscience　is　engendered；
those　who　live　apart；　unknowing　and　unknown；　seem　far　more　apt　for
mischief；　like　those　who　skulk　in　the　dark。　＇26＇　Cyrus　thought　the
common　life　would　lead　to　the　happiest　results　in　the　discipline　of
the　regiments。　By　this　system　all　the　officersbrigadiers；　company…
captains；　captains　of　the　squadscould　keep　their　men　in　as　perfect
order　as　if　they　were　marching　before　them　in　single　file。　＇27＇　Such
precision　in　the　ranks　would　do　most　to　guard　against　disorder　and
re…establish　order　if　ever　it　were　broken；　just　as　when　timbers　and
stones　have　to　be　fitted　together　it　is　easy　enough　to　put　them　into
place；　wherever　they　chance　to　lie；　provided　only　that　they　are　marked
so　as　to　leave　no　doubt　where　each　belongs。　＇28＇　And　finally；　he　felt；
there　was　the　fact　that　those　who　live　together　are　the　less　likely　to
desert　one　another；　even　the　wild　animals；　Cyrus　knew；　who　are　reared
together　suffer　terribly　from　loneliness　when　they　are　severed　from
each　other。

＇29＇　There　was　a　further　matter；　t