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＇22＇　Then　one　of　the　officers；　a　captain　of　ten　thousand；　said：

〃Do　you　think；　Cyrus；　that　with　so　shallow　a　depth　we　can　stand
against　their　tremendous　phalanx？〃

〃But　do　you　suppose；〃　rejoined　he；　〃that　any　phalanx　so　deep　that　the
rear…ranks　cannot　close　with　the　enemy　could　do　much　either　for　friend
or　foe？　＇23＇　I　myself；〃　he　added；　〃would　rather　this　heavy　infantry　of
theirs　were　drawn　up；　not　a　hundred；　but　ten　thousand　deep：　we　should
have　all　the　fewer　to　fight。　Whereas　with　the　depth　that　I　propose；　I
believe　we　shall　not　waste　a　man：　every　part　of　our　army　will　work
with　every　other。　＇24＇　I　will　post　the　javelin…men　behind　the
cuirassiers；　and　the　archers　behind　them：　it　would　be　absurd　to　place
in　the　van　troops　who　admit　that　they　are　not　made　for　hand…to…hand
fighting；　but　with　the　cuirassiers　thrown　in　front　of　them　they　will
stand　firm　enough；　and　harass　the　enemy　over　the　heads　of　our　own　men
with　their　arrows　and　their　darts。　And　every　stroke　that　falls　on　the
enemy　means　so　much　relief　to　our　friends。　＇25＇　In　the　very　rear　of
all　I　will　post　our　reserve。　A　house　is　useless　without　a　foundation
as　well　as　a　roof；　and　our　phalanx　will　be　no　use　unless　it　has　a
rear…guard　and　a　van；　and　both　of　them　good。　＇26＇　You；〃　he　added；
〃will　draw　up　the　ranks　to　suit　these　orders；　and　you　who　command　the
targeteers　will　follow　with　your　companies　in　the　same　depth；　and　you
who　command　the　archers　will　follow　the　targeteers。　＇27＇　Gentlemen　of
the　reserve；　you　will　hold　your　men　in　the　rear；　and　pass　the　word
down　to　your　own　subordinates　to　watch　the　men　in　front；　cheer　on
those　who　do　their　duty；　threaten　him　who　plays　the　coward；　and　if　any
man　show　signs　of　treachery；　see　that　he　dies　the　death。　It　is　for
those　in　the　van　to　hearten　those　behind　them　by　word　and　deed；　it　is
for　you；　the　reserve；　to　make　the　cowards　dread　you　more　than　the　foe。
＇28＇　You　know　your　work；　and　you　will　do　it。　Euphratus；〃　he　added；
turning　to　the　officer　in　command　of　the　artillery；　〃see　that　the
waggons　with　the　towers　keep　as　close　to　the　phalanx　as　possible。　＇29＇
And　you；　Daouchus；　bring　up　the　whole　of　your　baggage…train　under
cover　of　the　towers　and　make　your　squires　punish　severely　any　man　who
breaks　the　line。　＇30＇　You；　Carouchas；　keep　the　women's　carriages　close
behind　the　baggage…train。　This　long　line　of　followers　should　give　an
impression　of　vast　numbers；　allow　our　own　men　opportunity　for
ambuscades；　and　force　the　enemy；　if　he　try　to　surround　us；　to　widen
his　circuit；　and　the　wider　he　makes　it　the　weaker　he　will　be。　＇31＇
That；　then；　is　your　business；　and　you；　gentlemen；　Artaozus　and
Artagersas；　each　of　you　take　your　thousand　foot　and　guard　the　baggage。
＇32＇　And　you；　Pharnouchus　and　Asiadatas；　neither　of　you　must　lead　your
thousand　horse　into　the　fighting…line；　you　must　get　them　under　arms　by
themselves　behind　the　carriages：　and　then　come　to　me　with　the　other
officers　as　fully…equipt　as　if　you　were　to　be　the　first　to　fight。　＇53＇
You；　sir；　who　command　the　camel…corps　will　take　up　your　post　behind
the　carriages　and　look　for　further　orders　to　Artagersas。　＇34＇　Officers
of　the　war…chariots；　you　will　draw　lots　among　yourselves；　and　he　on
whom　the　lot　falls　will　bring　his　hundred　chariots　in　front　of　the
fighting…line；　while　the　other　two　centuries　will　support　our　flanks
on　the　right　and　left。〃

＇35＇　Such　were　the　dispositions　made　by　Cyrus；　but　Abradatas；　the　lord
of　Susa；　cried：

〃Cyrus；　let　me；　I　pray　you；　volunteer　for　the　post　in　front。〃

＇36＇　And　Cyrus；　struck　with　admiration　for　the　man；　took　him　by　the
hand；　and　turning　to　the　Persians　in　command　of　the　other　centuries
said：

〃Perhaps；　gentlemen；　you　will　allow　this？〃

But　they　answered　that　it　was　hard　to　resign　the　post　of　honour；　and
so　they　all　drew　lots；　and　the　lot　fell　on　Abradatas；　and　his　post　was
face　to　face　with　the　Egyptians。　Then　the　officers　left　the　council
and　carried　out　the　orders　given；　and　took　their　evening　meal　and
posted　the　pickets　and　went　to　rest。

＇C。4＇　But　early　on　the　morrow　Cyrus　offered　sacrifice；　and　meanwhile
the　rest　of　the　army　took　their　breakfast；　and　after　the　libation　they
armed　themselves；　a　great　and　goodly　company　in　bright　tunics　and
splendid　breastplates　and　shining　helmets。　All　the　horses　had
frontlets　and　chest…plates；　the　chargers　had　armour　on　their
shoulders；　and　the　chariot…horses　on　their　flanks；　so　that　the　whole
army　flashed　with　bronze；　and　shone　like　a　flower　with　scarlet。　＇2＇
The　eight…horse　chariot　of　Abradatas　was　a　marvel　of　beauty　and
richness；　and　just　as　he　was　about　to　put　on　the　linen　corslet　of　his
native　land；　Pantheia　came；　bringing　him　a　golden　breastplate　and　a
helmet　of　gold；　and　armlets　and　broad　bracelets　for　his　wrists；　and　a
full　flowing　purple　tunic；　and　a　hyacinth…coloured　helmet…plume。　All
these　she　had　made　for　him　in　secret；　taking　the　measure　of　his　armour
without　his　knowledge。　＇3＇　And　when　he　saw　them；　he　gazed　in　wonder
and　said：

〃Dear　wife；　and　did　you　destroy　your　own　jewels　to　make　this　armour
for　me？〃

But　she　said；　〃No；　my　lord；　at　least　not　the　richest　of　them　all；　for
you　shall　be　my　loveliest　jewel；　when　others　see　you　as　I　see　you
now。〃

As　she　spoke；　she　put　the　armour　on　him；　but　then；　though　she　tried　to
hide　it；　the　tears　rolled　down　her　cheeks。

＇4＇　And　truly；　when　Abradatas　was　arrayed　in　the　new　panoply；　he；　who
had　been　fair　enough　to　look　upon　before；　was　now　a　sight　of
splendour；　noble　and　beautiful　and　free；　as　indeed　his　nature　was。　＇5＇
He　took　the　reins　from　the　charioteer；　and　was　about　to　set　foot　on
the　car；　when　Pantheia　bade　the　bystanders　withdraw；　and　said　to　him；
〃My　own　lord；　little　need　to　tell　you　what　you　know　already；　yet　this
I　say；　if　any　woman　loved　her　husband　more　than　her　own　soul；　I　am　of
her　company。　Why　should　I　try　to　speak？　Our　lives　say　more　than　any
words　of　mine。　＇6＇　And　yet；　feeling　for　you　what　you　know；　I　swear　to
you　by　the　love　between　us　that　I　would　rather　go　down　to　the　grave
beside　you　after　a　hero's　death　than　live　on　with　you　in　shame。　I　have
thought　you　worthy　of　the　highest；　and　believed　myself　worthy　to
follow　you。　＇7＇　And　I　bear　in　mind　the　great　gratitude　we　owe　to
Cyrus；　who；　when　I　was　his　captive；　chosen　for　his　spoil；　was　too
high…minded　to　treat　me　as　a　slave；　or　dishonour　me　as　a　free　woman；
he　took　me　and　saved　me　for　you；　as　though　I　had　been　his　brother's
wife。　＇8＇　And　when　Araspas；　my　warder；　turned　from　him；　I　promised；　if
he　would　let　me　send　for　you；　I　would　bring　him　a　friend　in　the
other's　place；　far　nobler　and　more　faithful。〃

＇9＇　And　as　Pantheia　spoke；　Abradatas　listened　with　rapture　to　her
words；　and　when　she　ended；　he　laid　his　hand　upon　her　head；　and　looking
up　to　heaven　he　prayed　aloud：

〃O　most　mighty　Zeus；　make　me　worthy　to　be　Pantheia's　husband；　and　the
friend　of　Cyrus　who　showed　us　honour！〃

＇10＇　Then　he　opened　the　driver's　seat　and　mounted　the　car；　and　the
driver　shut　the　door；　and　Pantheia　could　not　take　him　in　her　arms
again；　so　she　bent　and　kissed　the　chariot…box。　Then　the　car　rolled
forward　and　she　followed　unseen　till　Abradatas　turned　and　saw　her　and
cried；　〃Be　strong；　Pantheia；　be　of　a　good　heart！　Farewell；　and　hie
thee　home！〃

＇11＇　Thereupon　her　chamberlains　and　her　maidens　took　her　and　brought
her　back　to　her　own　carriage；　and　laid　her　down　and　drew　the　awning。
But　no　man；　of　all　who　was　there　that　day；　splendid　as　Abradatas　was
in　his　chariot；　had　eyes　to　look　on　him　until　Pantheia　had　gone。

＇12＇　Meanwhile　Cyrus　had　found　the　victims　favourable；　and　his　army
was　already　drawn　up　in　the　order　he　had　fixed。　He　had　scouts　posted
ahead；　one　behind　the　other；　and　then　he　called　his　officers　together
for　his　final　words：

＇13＇　〃Gentlemen；　my　friends　and　allies；　the　sacred　signs　from　heaven
are　as　they　were　the　day　the　gods　gave　us　victory　before；　and　I　would
call　to　your　minds　thoughts　to　bring　you　gladness　and　confidence　for
the　fight。　＇14＇　You　are　far　better　trained　than　your　enemies；　you　have
lived　together　and　worked　together　far　longer　than　they；　you　have　won
victories　together。　What　they　have　shared　with　one　another　has　been
defeat；　and　those　who　have　not　fought　as　yet　feel　they　have　traitors
to　right　and　left　of　them；　while　our　recruits　know　that　they　enter
battle　in　company　with　men　who　help　their　allies。　＇15＇　Those　who　trust
each　other　will　stand　firm　and　fight　without　flinching；　but　when
confidence　has　gone　no　man　thinks　of　anything　but　flight。　＇16＇　Forward
then；　gentlemen；　against　the　foe；　drive　our　scythed　chariots　against
their　defenceless　cars；　let　our　armed　cavalry　charge　their　unprotected
horse；　and　charge　them　home。　＇17＇　The　mass　of　their　infantry　you　have
met　before；　and　as　for　the　Egyptians；　they　are　armed　in　much　the　same
way　as　they　are　marshalled；　they　carry　shields　too　big　to　let　them
stir　or　see；　they　are　drawn　up　a　hundred　deep；　which　will　prevent　all
but　the　merest　handful　fighting。　＇18＇　If　they　count　on　forcing　us　back
by　their　weigh；　they　must　first　withstand　our　steel　and　the　charge　of
our　cavalry。　And　if　any　of　them　do　hold　firm；　how　can　they　fight　at
once　against　cavalry；　infantry；　and　turrets　of　artillery？　For　our　men
on　the　t