anabasis-第24节

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hole　day　had　been　spent　in　the　ascent　and　descent。　At　that　instant　a　party　of　the　Carduchians；　who　had　collected；　made　an　attack　on　the　hindmost　men；　killing　some　and　wounding　others　with　stones　and　arrowsthough　it　was　quite　a　small　body　who　attacked。　The　fact　was；　the　approach　of　the　Hellenic　army　had　taken　them　by　surprise；　if；　however；　they　had　mustered　in　larger　force　at　this　time；　the　chances　are　that　a　large　portion　of　the　army　would　have　been　annihilated。　As　it　was；　they　got　into　quarters；　and　bivouacked　in　the　villages　that　night；　while　the　Carduchians　kept　many　watch…fires　blazing　in　a　circle　on　the　mountains；　and　kept　each　other　in　sight　all　round。

But　with　the　dawn　the　generals　and　officers　of　the　Hellenes　met　and　resolved　to　proceed；　taking　only　the　necessary　number　of　stout　baggage　animals；　and　leaving　the　weaklings　behind。　They　resolved　further　to　let　go　free　all　the　lately…captured　slaves　in　the　host；　for　the　pace　of　the　march　was　necessarily　rendered　slow　by　the　quantity　of　animals　and　prisoners；　and　the　number　of　non…combatants　in　attendance　on　these　　13　was　excessive；　while；　with　such　a　crowd　of　human　beings　to　satisfy；　twice　the　amount　of　provisions　had　to　be　procured　and　carried。　These　resolutions　passed；　they　caused　a　proclamation　by　herald　to　be　made　for　their　enforcement。

When　they　had　breakfasted　and　the　march　recommenced；　the　generals　planted　themselves　a　little　to　one　side　in　a　narrow　place；　and　when　they　found　any　of　the　aforesaid　slaves　or　other　property　still　retained；　they　confiscated　them。　The　soldiers　yielded　obedience；　except　where　some　smuggler；　prompted　by　desire　of　a　good…looking　boy　or　woman；　managed　to　make　off　with　his　prize。　During　this　day　they　contrived　to　get　along　after　a　fashion；　now　fighting　and　now　resting。　But　on　the　next　day　they　were　visited　by　a　great　storm；　in　spite　of　which　they　were　obliged　to　continue　the　march；　owing　to　insufficiency　of　provisions。　Cheirisophus　was　as　usual　leading　in　front；　while　Xenophon　headed　the　rearguard；　when　the　enemy　began　a　violent　and　sustained　attack。　At　one　narrow　place　after　another　they　came　up　quite　close；　pouring　in　volleys　of　arrows　and　slingstones；　so　that　the　Hellenes　had　no　choice　but　to　make　sallies　in　pursuit　and　then　again　recoil；　making　but　very　little　progress。　Over　and　over　again　Xenophon　would　send　an　order　to　the　front　to　slacken　pace；　when　the　enemy　were　pressing　their　attack　severely。　As　a　rule；　when　the　word　was　so　passed　up；　Cheirisophus　slackened；　but　sometimes　instead　of　slackening；　Cheirisophus　quickened；　sending　down　a　counter…order　to　the　rear　to　follow　on　quickly。　It　was　clear　that　there　was　something　or　other　happening；　but　there　was　no　time　to　go　to　the　front　and　discover　the　cause　of　the　hurry。　Under　the　circumstances　the　march；　at　any　rate　in　the　rear；　became　very　like　a　rout；　and　here　a　brave　man　lost　his　life；　Cleonymus　the　Laconian；　shot　with　an　arrow　in　the　ribs　right　through　shield　and　corselet；　as　also　Basias；　an　Arcadian；　shot　clean　through　the　head。

As　soon　as　they　reached　a　halting…place；　Xenophon；　without　more　ado；　came　up　to　Cheirisophus；　and　took　him　to　task　for　not　having　waited；　〃whereby；〃　he　said；　〃we　were　forced　to　fight　and　flee　at　the　same　　　　　　　19　moment；　and　now　it　has　cost　us　the　lives　of　two　fine　fellows；　they　are　dead；　and　we　were　not　able　to　pick　up　their　bodies　or　bury　them。〃　Cheirisophus　answered：　〃Look　up　there；〃　pointing　as　he　spoke　to　the　mountain；　〃do　you　see　how　inaccessible　it　all　is？　only　this　one　road；　which　you　see；　going　straight　up；　and　on　it　all　that　crowd　of　men　who　have　seized　and　are　guarding　the　single　exit。　That　is　why　I　hastened　on；　and　why　I　could　not　wait　for　you；　hoping　to　be　beforehand　with　them　yonder　in　seizing　the　pass：　the　guides　we　have　got　say　there　is　no　other　way。〃　And　Xenophon　replied：　〃But　I　have　got　two　prisoners　also；　the　enemy　annoyed　us　so　much　that　we　laid　an　ambuscade　for　them；　which　also　gave　us　time　to　recover　our　breaths；　we　killed　some　of　them；　and　did　our　best　to　catch　one　or　two　alivefor　this　very　reasonthat　we　might　have　guides　who　knew　the　country；　to　depend　upon。〃

The　two　were　brought　up　at　once　and　questioned　separately：　〃Did　they　know　of　any　other　road　than　the　one　visible？〃　The　first　said　no；　and　in　spite　of　all　sorts　of　terrors　applied　to　extract　a　better　answer〃no；〃　he　persisted。　When　nothing　could　be　got　out　of　him；　he　was　killed　before　the　eyes　of　his　fellow。　This　latter　then　explained：　〃Yonder　man　said；　he　did　not　know；　because　he　has　got　a　daughter　married　to　a　husband　in　those　parts。　I　can　take　you；〃　he　added；　〃by　a　good　road；　practicable　even　for　beasts。〃　And　when　asked　whether　there　was　any　point　on　it　difficult　to　pass；　he　replied　that　there　was　a　col　which　it　would　be　impossible　to　pass　unless　it　were　occupied　in　advance。

Then　it　was　resolved　to　summon　the　officers　of　the　light　infantry　and　some　of　those　of　the　heavy　infantry；　and　to　acquaint　them　with　the　state　of　affairs；　and　ask　them　whether　any　of　them　were　minded　to　distinguish　themselves；　and　would　step　forward　as　volunteers　on　an　expedition。　Two　or　three　heavy　infantry　soldiers　stepped　forward　at　oncetwo　Arcadians；　Aristonymus　of　Methydrium；　and　Agasias　of　Stymphalusand　in　emulation　of　these；　a　third；　also　an　Arcadian；　Callimachus　from　Parrhasia；　who　said　he　was　ready　to　go；　and　would　get　volunteers　from　the　whole　army　to　join　him。　〃I　know；〃　he　added；　〃there　　27　will　be　no　lack　of　youngsters　to　follow　where　I　lead。〃　After　that　they　asked；　〃Were　there　any　captains　of　light　infantry　willing　to　accompany　the　expedition？〃　Aristeas；　a　Chian；　who　on　several　occasions　proved　his　usefulness　to　the　army　on　such　service；　volunteered。



II

It　was　already　late　afternoon；　when　they　ordered　the　storming　party　to　　1　take　a　snatch　of　food　and　set　off；　then　they　bound　the　guide　and　handed　him　over　to　them。　The　agreement　was；　that　if　they　succeeded　in　taking　the　summit　they　were　to　guard　the　position　that　night；　and　at　daybreak　to　give　a　signal　by　bugle。　At　this　signal　the　party　on　the　summit　were　to　attack　the　enemy　in　occupation　of　the　visible　pass；　while　the　generals　with　the　main　body　would　bring　up　their　succours；　making　their　way　up　with　what　speed　they　might。　With　this　understanding；　off　they　set；　two　thousand　strong；　and　there　was　a　heavy　downpour　of　rain；　but　Xenophon；　with　his　rearguard；　began　advancing　to　the　visible　pass；　so　that　the　enemy　might　fix　his　attention　on　this　road；　and　the　party　creeping　round　might；　as　much　as　possible；　elude　observation。　Now　when　the　rearguard；　so　advancing；　had　reached　a　ravine　which　they　must　cross　in　order　to　strike　up　the　steep；　at　that　instant　the　barbarians　began　rolling　down　great　boulders；　each　a　wagon　load＇1＇；　some　larger；　some　smaller；　against　the　rocks　they　crashed　and　splintered　flying　like　slingstones　in　every　directionso　that　it　was　absolutely　out　of　the　question　even　to　approach　the　entrance　of　the　pass。　Some　of　the　officers　finding　themselves　baulked　at　this　point；　kept　trying　other　ways；　nor　did　they　desist　till　darkness　set　in；　and　then；　when　they　thought　they　would　not　be　seen　retiring；　they　returned　to　supper。　Some　of　them　who　had　been　on　duty　in　the　rearguard　had　had　no　breakfast　（it　so　happened）。　However；　the　enemy　never　ceased　rolling　down　their　stones　all　through　the　night；　as　was　easy　to　infer　from　the　booming　sound。

＇1＇　I。e。　several　ton　weight。

The　party　with　the　guide　made　a　circuit　and　surprised　the　enemy's　guards　seated　round　their　fire；　and　after　killing　some；　and　driving　out　the　rest；　took　their　places；　thinking　that　they　were　in　possession　of　the　height。　As　a　matter　of　fact　they　were　not；　for　above　them　lay　a　　6　breast…like　hill＇2＇　skirted　by　the　narrow　road　on　which　they　had　found　the　guards　seated。　Still；　from　the　spot　in　question　there　was　an　approach　to　the　enemy；　who　were　seated　on　the　pass　before　mentioned。

＇2＇　Or；　〃mamelon。〃

Here　then　they　passed　the　night；　but　at　the　first　glimpse　of　dawn　they　marched　stealthily　and　in　battle　order　against　the　enemy。　There　was　a　mist；　so　that　they　could　get　quite　close　without　being　observed。　But　as　soon　as　they　caught　sight　of　one　another；　the　trumpet　sounded；　and　with　a　loud　cheer　they　rushed　upon　the　fellows；　who　did　not　wait　their　coming；　but　left　the　road　and　made　off；　with　the　loss　of　only　a　few　lives　however；　so　nimble　were　they。　Cheirisophus　and　his　men；　catching　the　sound　of　the　bugle；　charged　up　by　the　well…marked　road；　while　others　of　the　generals　pushed　their　way　up　by　pathless　routes；　where　each　division　chanced　to　be；　the　men　mounting　as　they　were　best　able；　and　hoisting　one　another　up　by　means　of　their　spears；　and　these　were　the　first　to　unite　with　the　party　who　had　already　taken　the　position　by　storm。　Xenophon；　with　the　rearguard；　followed　the　path　which　the　party　with　the　guide　had　taken；　since　it　was　easiest　for　the　beasts　of　burthen；　one　half　of　his　men　he　had　posted　in　rear　of　the　baggage　animals；　the　other　half　he　had　with　himself。　In　their　course　they　encountered　a　crest　above　the　road；　occupied　by　the　enemy；　whom　they　must　either　dislodge　or　be　themselves　cut　off　from　the　rest　of　the　Hellenes。　The　men　by　themselves　could　have　taken　the　same　route　as　the　rest；　but　the　baggage　animals　could　not　mount　by　any　other　way　than　this。