a smaller history of greece-第36节

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hemselves　in　the　chase　of　the　wild　ass　and　the　antelope；　or　in　the　vain　pursuit　of　the　scudding　ostrich。　After　several　days　of　toilsome　march　the　army　at　length　reached　Pylae；　the　entrance　into　the　cultivated　plains　of　Babylonia；　where　they　halted　a　few　days　to　refresh　themselves。

Soon　after　leaving　that　place　symptoms　became　perceptible　of　a　vast　hostile　force　moving　in　their　front。　　The　exaggerated　reports　of　deserters　stated　it　at　1；200；000　men；　its　real　strength　was　about　900；000。　　In　a　characteristic　address　Cyrus　exhorted　the　Greeks　to　take　no　heed　of　the　multitude　of　their　enemies；　they　would　find　in　them；　he　affirmed　nothing　but　numbers　and　noise；　and；　if　they　could　bring　themselves　to　despise　these；　they　would　soon　find　of　what　worthless　stuff　the　natives　were　composed。　　The　army　then　marched　cautiously　forwards；　in　order　of　battle；　along　the　left　bank　of　the　Euphrates。　　They　soon　came　upon　a　huge　trench；　30　feet　broad　and　18　deep；　which　Artaxerxes　had　caused　to　be　dug　across　the　plain　for　a　length　of　about　42　English　miles；　reaching　from　the　Euphrates　to　the　wall　of　Media。　Between　it　and　the　river　was　left　only　a　narrow　passage　about　20　feet　broad；　yet　Cyrus　and　his　army　found　with　surprise　that　this　pass　was　left　entirely　undefended。　　This　circumstance　inspired　them　with　a　contempt　of　the　enemy；　and　induced　them　to　proceed　in　careless　array；　but　on　the　next　day　but　one　after　passing　the　trench；　on　arriving　at　a　place　called　Cunaxa；　they　were　surprised　with　the　intelligence　that　Artaxerxes　was　approaching　with　all　his　forces。　　Cyrus　immediately　drew　up　his　army　in　order　of　battle。　　The　Greeks　were　posted　on　the　right；　whilst　Cyrus　himself；　surrounded　by　a　picked　body…guard　of　600　Persian　cuirassiers；　took　up　his　station　in　the　centre。　　When　the　enemy　were　about　half　a　mile　distant；　the　Greeks　engaged　them　with　the　usual　war…shout。　　The　Persians　did　not　await　their　onset；　but　turned　and　fled。　　Tissaphernes　and　his　cavalry　alone　offered　any　resistance；　the　remainder　of　the　Persian　left　was　routed　without　a　blow。　　As　Cyrus　was　contemplating　the　easy　victory　of　the　Greeks；　his　followers　surrounded　him；　and　already　saluted　him　with　the　title　of　king。　　But　the　centre　and　right　of　Artaxerxes　still　remained　unbroken；　and　that　monarch；　unaware　of　the　defeat　of　his　left　wing；　ordered　the　right　to　wheel　and　encompass　the　army　of　Cyrus。　　No　sooner　did　Cyrus　perceive　this　movement　than　with　his　body…guard　he　impetuously　charged　the　enemy's　centre；　where　Artaxerxes　himself　stood；　surrounded　with　6000　horse。　　The　latter　were　routed　and　dispersed；　and　were　followed　so　eagerly　by　the　guards　of　Cyrus；　that　he　was　left　almost　alone　with　the　select　few　called　his　〃Table　Companions。〃　　In　this　situation　he　caught　sight　of　his　brother　Artaxerxes；　whose　person　was　revealed　by　the　flight　of　his　troops；　when；　maddened　at　once　by　rage　and　ambition；　he　shouted　out；　〃I　see　the　man！〃　　and　rushed　at　him　with　his　handful　of　companions。　　Hurling　his　javelin　at　his　brother；　he　wounded　him　in　the　breast；　but　was　himself　speedily　overborne　by　superior　numbers　and　slain　on　the　spot。

Meanwhile　Clearchus　had　pursued　the　flying　enemy　upwards　of　three　miles；　but　hearing　that　the　king's　troops　were　victorious　on　the　left　and　centre；　he　retraced　his　steps；　again　routing　the　Persians　who　endeavoured　to　intercept　him。　　When　the　Greeks　regained　their　camp　they　found　that　it　had　been　completely　plundered；　and　were　consequently　obliged　to　go　supperless　to　rest。　　It　was　not　till　the　following　day　that　they　learned　the　death　of　Cyrus；　tidings　which　converted　their　triumph　into　sorrow　and　dismay。　　They　were　desirous　that　Ariaeus　who　now　commanded　the　army　of　Cyrus；　should　lay　claim　to　the　Persian　crown；　and　offered　to　support　his　pretensions；　but　Ariaeus　answered　that　the　Persian　grandees　would　not　tolerate　such　a　claim；　that　he　intended　immediately　to　retreat；　and　that；　if　the　Greeks　wished　to　accompany　him；　they　must　join　him　during　the　following　night。　This　was　accordingly　done；　when　oaths　of　reciprocal　fidelity　were　interchanged　between　the　Grecian　generals　and　Ariaeus；　and　sanctified　by　a　solemn　sacrifice。

On　the　following　day　a　message　arrived　from　the　Persian　King；　with　a　proposal　to　treat　for　peace　on　equal　terms。　　Clearchus　affected　to　treat　the　offer　with　great　indifference；　and　made　it　an　opportunity　for　procuring　provisions。　　〃Tell　your　king；〃　said　he　to　the　envoys；　〃that　we　must　first　fight；　for　we　have　had　no　breakfast；　nor　will　any　man　presume　to　talk　to　the　Greeks　about　a　truce　without　first　providing　for　them　a　breakfast。〃　　This　was　agreed　to；　and　guides　were　sent　to　conduct　the　Greeks　to　some　villages　where　they　might　obtain　food。　　Here　they　received　a　visit　from　Tissaphernes；　who　pretended　much　friendship　towards　them；　and　said　that　ha　had　come　from　the　Great　King　to　inquire　the　reason　of　their　expedition。　　Clearchus　repliedwhat　was　indeed　true　of　the　greater　part　of　the　armythat　they　had　not　come　hither　with　any　design　to　attack　the　king；　but　had　been　enticed　forwards　by　Cyrus　under　false　pretences；　that　their　only　desire　at　present　was　to　return　home；　but　that；　if　any　obstacle　was　offered；　they　were　prepared　to　repel　hostilities。　　In　a　day　or　two　Tissaphernes　returned　and　with　some　parade　stated　that　he　had　with　great　difficulty　obtained　permission　to　SAVE　the　Greek　army；　that　he　was　ready　to　conduct　them　in　person　into　Greece；　and　to　supply　them　with　provisions；　for　which；　however；　they　were　to　pay。　　An　agreement　was　accordingly　entered　into　to　this　effect；　and　after　many　days　delay　they　commenced　the　homeward　march。　　After　marching　three　days　they　passed　through　the　wall　of　Media；　which　was　100　feet　high　and　20　feet　broad。　　Two　days　more　brought　them　to　the　Tigris；　which　they　crossed　on　the　following　morning　by　a　bridge　of　boats。　　They　then　marched　northward；　arriving　in　four　days　at　the　river　Physcus　and　a　large　city　called　Opis。　　Six　days'　further　march　through　a　deserted　part　of　Media　brought　them　to　some　villages　belonging　to　queen　Parysatis；　which；　out　of　enmity　to　her　as　the　patron　of　Cyrus；　Tissaphernes　abandoned　to　be　plundered　by　the　Greeks。　　From　thence　they　proceeded　in　five　days　to　the　river　Zabatus；　or　Greater　Zab；　having　previously　crossed　the　Lesser　Zab；　which　Xenophon　neglects　to　mention。　　In　the　first　of　these　five　days　they　saw　on　the　opposite　side　of　the　Tigris　a　large　city　called　Caenae；　the　inhabitants　of　which　brought　over　provisions　to　them。　　At　the　Greater　Zab　they　halted　three　days。　　Mistrust；　and　even　slight　hostilities；　had　been　already　manifested　between　the　Greeks　and　Persians；　but　they　now　became　so　serious　that　Clearchus　demanded　an　interview　with　Tissaphernes。　　The　latter　protested　the　greatest　fidelity　and　friendship　towards　the　Greeks；　and　promised　to　deliver　to　the　Greek　generals；　on　the　following　day；　the　calumniators　who　had　set　the　two　armies　at　variance。　　But　when　Clearchus；　with　four　other　generals；　accompanied　by　some　lochages　or　captains；　and　200　soldiers；　entered　the　Persian　camp；　according　to　appointment；　the　captains　and　soldiers　were　immediately　cut　down；　whilst　the　five　generals　were　seized；　put　into　irons；　and　sent　to　the　Persian　court。　　After　a　short　imprisonment；　four　of　them　were　beheaded；　the　fifth；　Menon；　who　pretended　that　he　had　betrayed　his　colleagues　into　the　hands　of　Tissaphernes；　was　at　first　spared；　but　after　a　year's　detention　was　put　to　death　with　tortures。

Apprehension　and　dismay　reigned　among　the　Greeks。　　Their　situation　was；　indeed；　appalling。　　They　were　considerably　more　than　a　thousand　miles　from　home；　in　a　hostile　and　unknown　country；　hemmed　in　on　all　sides　by　impassable　rivers　and　mountains；　without　generals；　without　guides；　without　provisions。　Xenophon　was　the　first　to　rouse　the　captains　to　the　necessity　for　taking　immediate　precautions。　　Though　young；　he　possessed　as　an　Athenian　citizen　some　claim　to　distinction；　and　his　animated　address　showed　him　fitted　for　command。　　He　was　saluted　general　on　the　spot；　and　in　a　subsequent　assembly　was；　with　four　others；　formally　elected　to　that　office。

The　Greeks；　having　first　destroyed　their　superfluous　baggage；　crossed　the　Greater　Zab；　and　pursued　their　march　on　the　other　bank。　　They　passed　by　the　ruined　cities　of　Larissa　and　Mespila　on　the　Tigris；　in　the　neighbourhood　of　the　ancient　Nineveh。　　The　march　from　Mespila　to　the　mountainous　country　of　the　Carduchi　occupied　several　days　in　which　the　Greeks　suffered　much　from　the　attacks　of　the　enemy。

Their　future　route　was　now　a　matter　of　serious　perplexity。　　On　their　left　lay　the　Tigris；　so　deep　that　they　could　not　fathom　it　with　their　spears；　while　in　their　front　rose　the　steep　and　lofty　mountains　of　the　Carduchi；　which　came　so　near　the　river　as　hardly　to　leave　a　passage　for　its　waters。　　As　all　other　roads　seemed　barred；　they　formed　the　resolution　of　striking　into　these　mountains；　on　the　farther　side　of　which　lay　Armenia；　where　both　the　Tigris　and　the　Euphrates　might　be　forded　near　their　sources。　After　a　difficult　and　dangerous　march　of　seven　days；　during　which　their　sufferings　were　far　greater　than　any　they　had　experienced　from　the　Persians　the　army　at　length　emerged　into　Armenia。　　It　was　now　the　month　of　December；　and　Armenia　was　cold　and　exposed；　being　a　table…land　raised　high　above