cyropaedia-第39节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


wood。〃　＇50＇　After　a　command　of　that　kind；　every　one　looks　at　every　one
else；　and　no　one　carries　it　out；　every　one　is　to　blame；　and　no　one　is
ashamed　or　afraid；　because　there　are　so　many　beside　himself。　Therefore
Cyrus　always　named　the　officers　whenever　he　gave　an　order。

＇51＇　That；　then；　was　his　view　of　the　matter。　The　army　now　took　supper
and　posted　their　guards　and　got　their　necessaries　together　and　went　to
rest。　＇52＇　And　at　midnight　the　horn　was　blown。　Cyrus　had　told
Chrysantas　he　would　wait　for　him　at　a　point　on　the　road　in　advance　of
the　troops；　and　therefore　he　went　on　in　front　himself　with　his　own
staff；　and　waited　till　Chrysantas　appeared　shortly　afterwards　at　the
head　of　his　cuirassiers。　＇53＇　Then　Cyrus　put　the　guides　under　his
command；　and　told　him　to　march　on；　but　to　go　slowly　until　he　received
a　message；　for　all　the　troops　were　not　yet　on　the　road。　This　done；
Cyrus　took　his　stand　on　the　line　of　march；　and　as　each　division　came
up；　hurried　it　forward　to　its　place；　sending　messengers　meanwhile　to
summon　those　who　were　still　behind。　＇54＇　When　all　had　started；　he
despatched　gallopers　to　Chrysantas　to　tell　him　that　the　whole　army　was
now　under　way；　and　that　he　might　lead　on　as　quick　as　he　could。　＇55＇
Then　he　galloped　to　the　front　himself；　reined　up；　and　quietly　watched
the　ranks　defile　before　him。　Whenever　a　division　advanced　silently　and
in　good　order；　he　would　ride　up　and　ask　their　names　and　pay　them
compliments；　and　if　he　saw　any　sign　of　confusion　he　would　inquire　the
reason　and　restore　tranquillity。　＇56＇　One　point　remains　to　add　in
describing　his　care　that　night；　he　sent　forward　a　small　but　picked
body　of　infantry；　active　fellows　all　of　them；　in　advance　of　the　whole
army。　They　were　to　keep　Chrysantas　in　sight；　and　he　was　not　to　lose
sight　of　them；　they　were　to　use　their　ears　and　all　their　wits；　and
report　at　once　to　Chrysantas　if　they　thought　there　was　any　need。　They
had　an　officer　to　direct　their　movements；　announce　anything　of
importance；　and　not　trouble　about　trifles。

＇57＇　Thus　they　pressed　forward　through　the　night；　and　when　day　broke
Cyrus　ordered　the　mass　of　the　cavalry　to　the　front；　the　Cadousians
alone　remaining　with　their　own　infantry；　who　brought　up　the　rear；　and
who　were　as　much　in　need　as　others　of　cavalry　support。　But　the　rest　of
the　horsemen　he　sent　ahead　because　it　was　ahead　that　the　enemy　lay；
and　in　case　of　resistance　he　was　anxious　to　oppose　them　in　battle…
order；　while　if　they　fled　he　wished　no　time　to　be　lost　in　following　up
the　pursuit。　＇58＇　It　was　always　arranged　who　were　to　give　chase　and
who　were　to　stay　with　himself：　he　never　allowed　the　whole　army　to　be
broken　up。　＇59＇　Thus　Cyrus　conducted　the　advance；　but　it　is　not　to　be
thought　that　he　kept　to　one　particular　spot；　he　was　always　galloping
backwards　and　forwards；　first　at　one　point　and　then　at　another；
supervising　everything　and　supplying　any　defect　as　it　arose。　Thus
Cyrus　and　his　men　marched　forward。

＇C。4＇　Now　there　was　a　certain　officer　in　the　cavalry　with　Gadatas；　a
man　of　power　and　influence；　who；　when　he　saw　that　his　master　had
revolted　from　Assyria；　thought　to　himself；　〃If　anything　should　happen
to　him；　I　myself　could　get　from　the　king　all　that　he　possessed。〃

Accordingly　he　sent　forward　a　man　he　could　trust；　with　instructions
that；　if　he　found　the　Assyrian　army　already　in　the　territory　of
Gadatas；　he　was　to　tell　the　king　that　he　could　capture　Gadatas　and　all
who　were　with　him；　if　he　thought　fit　to　make　an　ambuscade。　＇2＇　And　the
messenger　was　also　to　say　what　force　Gadatas　had　at　his　command　and　to
announce　that　Cyrus　was　not　with　him。　Moreover；　the　officer　stated　the
road　by　which　Gadatas　was　coming。　Finally；　to　win　the　greater
confidence；　he　sent　word　to　his　own　dependents　and　bade　them　deliver
up　to　the　king　of　Assyria　the　castle　which　he　himself　commanded　in　the
province；　with　all　that　it　contained：　he　would　come　himself；　he　added；
if　possible；　after　he　had　slain　Gadatas；　and；　even　if　he　failed　in
that；　he　would　always　stand　by　the　king。

＇3＇　Now　the　emissary　rode　as　hard　as　he　could　and　came　before　the　king
and　told　his　errand；　and；　hearing　it；　the　king　at　once　took　over　the
castle　and　formed　an　ambuscade；　with　a　large　body　of　horse　and　many
chariots；　in　a　dense　group　of　villages　that　lay　upon　the　road。　＇4＇
Gadatas；　when　he　came　near　the　spot；　sent　scouts　ahead　to　explore；　and
the　king；　as　soon　as　he　sighted　them；　ordered　two　or　three　of　his
chariots　and　a　handful　of　horsemen　to　dash　away　as　though　in　flight；
giving　the　impression　that　they　were　few　in　number　and　panic…stricken。
At　this　the　scouting　party　swept　after　them；　signalling　to　Gadatas；
who　also　fell　into　the　trap　and　gave　himself　up　to　the　chase。

The　Assyrians　waited　till　the　quarry　was　within　their　grasp　and　then
sprang　out　from　their　ambuscade。　＇5＇　The　men；　with　Gadatas；　seeing
what　had　happened；　turned　back　and　fled；　as　one　might　expect；　with　the
Assyrians　at　their　heels；　while　the　officer　who　had　planned　it　all
stabbed　Gadatas　himself。　He　struck　him　in　the　shoulder；　but　the　blow
was　not　mortal。　Thereupon　the　traitor　fled　to　the　pursuers；　and　when
they　found　out　who　he　was　he　galloped　on　with　them；　his　horse　at　full
stretch；　side　by　side　with　the　king。　＇6＇　Naturally　the　men　with　the
slower　horses　were　overtaken　by　the　better　mounted；　and　the　fugitives；
already　wearied　by　their　long　journey；　were　at　the　last　extremity　when
suddenly　they　caught　sight　of　Cyrus　advancing　at　the　head　of　his　army；
and　were　swept　into　safety；　as　glad　and　thankful；　we　may　well　believe；
as　shipwrecked　mariners　into　port。

＇7＇　The　first　feeling　of　Cyrus　was　sheer　astonishment；　but　he　soon　saw
how　matters　stood。　The　whole　force　of　the　Assyrian　cavalry　was　rolling
on　him；　and　he　met　it　with　his　own　army　in　perfect　order；　till　the
enemy；　realising　what　had　happened；　turned　and　fled。　Then　Cyrus
ordered　his　pursuing　party　to　charge；　while　he　followed　more　slowly　at
the　pace　he　thought　the　safest。　＇8＇　The　enemy　were　utterly　routed：
many　of　the　chariots　were　taken；　some　had　lost　their　charioteers；
others　were　seized　in　the　sudden　change　of　front；　others　surrounded　by
the　Persian　cavalry。　Right　and　left　the　conquerors　cut　down　their
foes；　and　among　them　fell　the　officer　who　had　dealt　the　blow　at
Gadatas。　＇9＇　But　of　the　Assyrian　infantry；　those　who　were　besieging
the　fortress　of　Gadatas　escaped　to　the　stronghold　that　had　revolted
from　him；　or　managed　to　reach　an　important　city　belonging　to　the　king；
where　he　himself；　his　horsemen；　and　his　chariots　had　taken　refuge。

＇10＇　After　this　exploit　Cyrus　went　on　to　the　territory　of　Gadatas；　and
as　soon　as　he　had　given　orders　to　those　who　guarded　the　prisoners；　he
went　himself　to　visit　the　eunuch　and　see　how　it　was　with　him　after　his
wound。　Gadatas　came　out　to　meet　him；　his　wound　already　bandaged。　And
Cyrus　was　gladdened　and　said；　〃I　came　myself　to　see　how　it　was　with
you。〃　＇11＇　〃And　I；〃　said　Gadatas；　〃heaven　be　my　witness；　I　came　out　to
see　how　a　man　would　look　who　had　a　soul　like　yours。　I　cannot　tell　what
need　you　had　of　me；　or　what　promise　you　ever　gave　me；　to　make　you　do
as　you　have　done。　I　had　shown　you　no　kindness　for　your　private　self：
it　was　because　you　thought　I　had　been　of　some　little　service　to　your
friends；　that　you　came　to　help　me　thus；　and　help　me　you　did；　from
death　to　life。　Left　to　myself　I　was　lost。　＇12＇　By　heaven　above；　I
swear　it；　Cyrus；　if　I　had　been　a　father　as　I　was　born　to　be；　God　knows
whether　I　could　have　found　in　the　son　of　my　loins　so　true　a　friend　as
you。　I　know　of　sonsthis　king　of　ours　is　such　an　one；　who　has　caused
his　own　father　ten　thousand　times　more　trouble　than　ever　he　causes
you。〃

＇13＇　And　Cyrus　made　answer：

〃You　have　overlooked　a　much　more　wonderful　thing；　Gadatas；　to　turn　and
wonder　at　me。〃

〃Nay；〃　said　Gadatas；　〃what　could　that　be？〃

〃That　all　these　Persians；〃　he　answered；　〃are　so　zealous　in　your
behalf；　and　all　these　Medes　and　Hyrcanians；　and　every　one　of　our
allies；　Armenians；　Sakians；　Cadousians。〃

＇14＇　Then　Gadatas　prayed　aloud：

〃O　Father　Zeus；　may　the　gods　heap　blessings　on　them　also；　but　above
all　on　him　who　has　made　them　what　they　are！　And　now；　Cyrus；　that　I　may
entertain　as　they　deserve　these　men　you　praise；　take　the　gifts　I　bring
you　as　their　host；　the　best　I　have　it　in　my　power　to　bring。〃

And　with　the　word　he　brought　out　stores　of　every　kind；　enough　for　all
to　over　sacrifice　who　listed；　and　the　whole　army　was　entertained　in　a
manner　worthy　of　their　feat　and　their　success。

＇15＇　Meanwhile　the　Cadousians　had　been　always　in　the　rear；　unable　to
share　in　the　pursuit；　and　they　longed　to　achieve　some　exploit　of　their
own。　So　their　chieftain；　with　never　a　word　to　Cyrus；　led　them　forth
alone；　and　raided　the　country　towards　Babylon。　But；　as　soon　as　they
were　scattered　the　Assyrians　came　out　from　their　city　of　refuge　in
good　battle…order。　＇16＇　When　they　saw　that　the　Cadousians　were
unsupported　they　attacked　them；　killing　the　leader　himself　and　numbers
of　his　men；　capturing　many　of　their　horses　and　retaking　the　spoil　they
were　in　the　act　of　driving　away。　The　king　pursued　as　far　as　he　thought
safe；　and　then　turned　back；　and　the　Cadousians　at　last　found　safety　in
their　own　camp；　t