cyropaedia-第51节

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make　for　their　angle　myself；　where　I　propose　to　join　battle；　first
riding　round　the　army　to　see　how　things　are　with　all　our　men。　＇9＇　When
I　reach　the　point；　and　we　are　on　the　verge　of　action；　I　will　raise　the
paean　and　then　you　must　quicken　your　pace。　You　will　know　when　we　have
closed　with　the　enemy；　the　din　will　be　loud　enough。　At　the　same　moment
Abradatas　will　dash　out　upon　them：　such　will　be　his　orders；　your　duty
is　to　follow；　keeping　as　close　to　the　chariots　as　possible。　Thus　we
shall　fall　on　the　enemy　at　the　height　of　his　confusion。　And；　God
helping　me；　I　shall　be　with　you　also；　cutting　my　way　through　the　rout
by　the　quickest　road　I　can。

＇10＇　So　he　spoke；　and　sent　the　watchword　down　the　lines；　〃Zeus　our
saviour；　and　Zeus　our　leader；〃　and　went　forward。　As　he　passed　between
the　chariots　and　the　cuirassiers；　he　would　say　to　some；　〃My　men；　the
look　on　your　faces　rejoices　my　heart；〃　and　to　others；　〃You　understand；
gentlemen；　that　this　battle　is　not　for　the　victory　of　a　day；　but　for
all　that　we　have　won　ere　now；　and　for　all　our　happiness　to　come。〃　＇11＇
And　to　others；　〃My　friends；　we　can　never　reproach　the　gods　again：
to…day　they　have　put　all　blessings　in　our　hands。　＇12＇　Let　us　show
ourselves　good　men　and　true。〃　Or　else；　〃Gentlemen；　can　we　invite　each
other　to　a　more　glorious　feast　than　this？　This　day　all　gallant　hearts
are　bidden；　this　day　they　may　feast　their　friends。〃　＇13＇　Or　again；
〃You　know；　I　think；　the　prizes　in　this　game：　the　victors　pursue　and
smite　and　slay；　and　win　wealth　and　fame　and　freedom　and　empire：　the
cowards　lose　them　all。　He　who　loves　his　own　soul　let　him　fight　beside
me：　for　I　will　have　no　disgrace。〃　＇14＇　But　if　he　met　soldiers　who　had
fought　for　him　before；　he　only　said；　〃To　you；　gentlemen；　what　need　I
say？　You　know　the　brave　man's　part　in　battle；　and　the　craven's。〃　＇15＇
And　when　he　came　to　Abradatas；　he　halted；　and　Abradatas　gave　the　reins
to　his　charioteer　and　came　up　to　him；　and　others　gathered　round　from
the　infantry　and　the　chariots；　and　Cyrus　said：

〃God　has　rewarded　you；　Abradatas；　according　to　your　prayer；　you　and
yours。　You　hold　the　first　rank　among　our　friends。　And　you　will　not
forget；　when　the　moment　for　action　comes；　that　those　who　watch　you
will　be　Persians；　and　those　who　follow　you；　and　they　will　not　let　you
bear　the　brunt　alone。〃

＇16＇　And　Abradatas　answered：

〃Even　so；　Cyrus；　and　with　us　here；　methinks；　all　looks　well　enough：
but　the　state　of　our　flanks　troubles　me：　the　enemy's　wings　are　strong
and　stretch　far：　he　has　chariots　there；　and　every　kind　of　arm　as　well；
while　we　have　nothing　else　with　which　to　oppose　him。　So　that　for
myself；〃　said　he；　〃if　I　had　not　won　by　lot　the　post　I　hold；　I　should
feel　ashamed　to　be　here　in　the　safest　place　of　all。〃

＇17＇　〃Nay；〃　answered　Cyrus；　〃if　it　is　well　with　you；　have　no　concern
for　the　rest。　God　willing；　I　mean　to　relieve　our　flanks。　But　you
yourself；　I　conjure　you；　do　not　attack　until　you　see　the　rout　of　those
detachments　that　you　fear。〃

So　much　of　boasting　did　Cyrus　allow　himself　on　the　eve　of　action；
though　he　was　the　last　man　to　boast　at　other　times。

〃When　you　see　them　routed；〃　he　said；　〃you　may　take　it　that　I　am　there；
and　then　make　your　rush；　for　that　is　the　moment　when　you　will　find　the
enemy　weakest　and　your　own　men　strongest。　＇18＇　And　while　there　is
time；　Abradatas；　be　sure　to　drive　along　your　front　and　prepare　your
men　for　the　charge；　kindle　their　courage　by　your　looks；　lift　up　their
hearts　by　your　hopes。　Breathe　a　spirit　of　emulation　into　them；　to　make
them　prove　themselves　the　flower　of　the　chariot…force。　Be　assured　if
things　go　well　with　us　all　men　will　say　nothing　is　so　profitable　as
valour。〃

＇19＇　Accordingly　Abradatas　mounted　his　chariot　and　drove　along　the
lines　to　do　as　Cyrus　bade。

Meanwhile　Cyrus　went　on　to　the　left　where　Hystaspas　was　posted　with
half　the　Persian　cavalry；　and　he　called　to　him　and　said：

〃Hystaspas；　here　is　work　to　test　your　pace！　If　we　are　quick　enough　in
cutting　off　their　heads；　none　of　us　will　be　slaughtered　first。〃

＇20＇　And　Hystaspas　answered　with　a　laugh：

〃Leave　it　to　us！　We'll　see　to　the　men　opposite。　But　set　some　one　to
deal　with　the　fellows　on　our　flank：　it　would　be　a　pity　for　them　to　be
idle。〃

And　Cyrus　answered；　〃I　am　going　to　them　myself。　But　remember；
Hystaspas；　to　which　ever　of　us　God　grants　the　victory；　so　long　as　a
single　foeman　is　on　the　field；　attack　we　must；　again　and　again；　until
the　last　has　yielded。〃

＇21＇　With　that　he　passed　on；　and　as　he　came　to　the　flank　he　went　up　to
the　officer　in　command　of　the　chariots　and　said　to　him：

〃Good；　I　intend　to　support　you　myself。　And　when　you　hear　me　fall　on
the　wing；　at　that　instant　do　your　best　to　charge　straight　through　your
opponents；　you　will　be　far　safer　once　outside　their　ranks　than　if　you
are　caught　half…way。〃

＇22＇　Then　he　went　on　to　the　rear　and　the　carriages；　where　the　two
detachments　were　stationed；　a　thousand　horse　and　a　thousand　foot；　and
told　Artagersas　and　Pharnouchus；　their　leaders；　to　keep　the　men　where
they　were。

〃But　when；〃　he　added；　〃you　see　me　close　with　the　enemy　on　our　right；
then　set　upon　those　in　front　of　you：　take　them　in　flank；　where　they
are　weakest；　while　you　advance　in　line；　at　your　full　strength。　Their
lines；　as　you　see；　are　closed　by　cavalry；　hurl　your　camels　at　these；
and　you　may　be　sure；　even　before　the　fighting　begins；　they　will　cut　a
comic　figure。〃

＇23＇　Thus；　with　all　his　dispositions　made；　Cyrus　rode　round　the　head
of　his　right。　By　this　time　Croesus；　believing　that　the　centre；　where
he　himself　was　marching；　must　be　nearer　the　enemy　than　the　distant
wings；　had　the　signal　raised　for　them　to　stop　their　advance；　halt；　and
wheel　round　where　they　were。　When　they　were　in　position　opposite　the
Persian　force；　he　signalled　for　them　to　charge；　and　thus　three　columns
came　at　once　against　Cyrus；　one　facing　his　front　and　one　on　either
flank。　＇24＇　A　tremor　ran　through　the　whole　army；　it　was　completely
enclosed；　like　a　little　brick　laid　within　a　large；　with　the　forces　of
the　enemy　all　round　it；　on　every　side　except　the　rear；　cavalry　and
heavy　infantry；　targeteers；　archers；　and　chariots。　＇25＇　None　the　less；
the　instant　Cyrus　gave　the　word　they　swung　round　to　confront　the　foe。
There　was　deep　silence　through　the　ranks　as　they　realised　what　they
had　to　face；　and　then　Cyrus；　when　the　moment　came；　began　the　battle…
hymn　and　it　thundered　through　the　host。　＇26＇　And　as　it　died　away　the
war…cry　rang　out　unto　the　God　of　Battles；　and　Cyrus　swooped　forward　at
the　head　of　his　cavalry；　straight　for　the　enemy's　flank；　and　closed
with　them　then　and　there；　while　the　infantry　behind　him　followed；
swift　and　steady；　wave　on　wave；　sweeping　out　on　either　side；　far　out…
flanking　their　opponents；　for　they　attacked　in　line　and　the　foe　were
in　column；　to　the　great　gain　of　Cyrus。　A　short　struggle；　and　the　ranks
broke　and　fled　before　him　headlong。　＇27＇　Artagersas；　seeing　that　Cyrus
had　got　to　work；　made　his　own　charge　on　the　left；　hurling　his　camels
forward　as　Cyrus　had　advised。　Even　at　a　distance　the　horses　could　not
face　the　camels：　they　seemed　to　go　mad　with　fear；　and　galloped　off　in
terror；　rearing　and　falling　foul　of　one　another：　such　is　the　strange
effect　of　camels　upon　horses。　＇28＇　So　that　Artagersas；　his　own　troops
well　in　hand；　had　easy　work　with　the　enemy's　bewildered　masses。　At　the
same　moment　the　war…chariots　dashed　in；　right　and　left；　so　that　many；
flying　from　the　chariots；　were　cut　down　by　the　troopers；　and　many；
flying　from　these；　were　caught　by　the　chariots。　＇29＇　And　now　Abradatas
could　wait　no　longer。　〃Follow　me；　my　friends；〃　he　shouted；　and　drove
straight　at　the　enemy；　lashing　his　good　steeds　forward　till　their
flanks　were　bloody　with　the　goad；　the　other　charioteers　racing　hard
behind　him。　The　enemy's　chariots　fled　before　them　instantly；　some　not
even　waiting　to　take　up　their　fighting…men。　＇30＇　But　Abradatas　drove
on　through　them；　straight　into　the　main　body　of　the　Egyptians；　his
rush　shared　by　his　comrades　on　either　hand。　And　then；　what　has　often
been　shown　elsewhere　was　shown　here；　namely；　that　of　all　strong
formations　the　strongest　is　a　band　of　friends。　His　brothers…in…arms
and　his　mess…mates　charged　with　him；　but　the　others；　when　they　saw
that　the　solid　ranks　of　the　Egyptians　stood　firm；　swung　round　and
pursued　the　flying　chariots。　＇31＇　Meanwhile　Abradatas　and　his
companions　could　make　no　further　way：　there　was　not　a　gap　through　the
Egyptian　lines　on　either　hand；　and　they　could　but　charge　the　single
soldiers　where　they　stood；　overthrow　them　by　the　sheer　weight　of　horse
and　car；　and　crush　them　and　their　arms　beneath　the　hoofs　and　wheels。
And　where　the　scythes　caught　them；　men　and　weapons　were　cut　to　shreds。
＇32＇　In　the　midst　of　indescribable　confusion；　the　chariots　rocking
among　the　weltering　mounds；　Abradatas　was　thrown　out　and　some　of　his
comrades　with　him。　There　they　stood；　and　fought　like　men；　and　there
they　were　cut　down　and　died。　The　Persians；　pouring　in　after　them；
dealt　slaughter　and　destruction　where　Abradatas　and　his　men　had
charged　and　shaken　the　ranks；　but　elsewhere　the　Egyptians；　who　were
still　unscathed；　and　they　were　many；　moved　steadily　on　to　meet　them。

＇33＇　There　followed　a　d