anabasis-第5部分

快捷操作: 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! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！

yrus　from　crossing；　had　been　at　pains　to　burn。　Thus　the　passage　was　looked　upon　as　a　thing　miraculous；　the　river　had　manifestly　retired　before　the　face　of　Cyrus；　like　a　courtier　bowing　to　his　future　king。　From　this　place　he　continued　his　march　through　Syria　nine　stagesfifty　parasangsand　they　reached　the　river　Araxes。　Here　were　several　villages　full　of　corn　and　wine；　in　which　they　halted　three　days；　and　provisioned　the　army。



V

Thence　he　marched　on　through　Arabia；　keeping　the　Euphrates　on　the　　　　　　　1　right；　five　desert　stagesthirty…five　parasangs。　In　this　region　the　ground　was　one　long　level　plain；　stretching　far　and　wide　like　the　sea；　full　of　absinth；　whilst　all　the　other　vegetation；　whether　wood　or　reed；　was　sweet　scented　like　spice　or　sweet　herb；　there　were　no　trees；　but　there　was　wild　game　of　all　kindswild　asses　in　greatest　abundance；　with　plenty　of　ostriches；　besides　these；　there　were　bustards　and　antelopes。　These　creatures　were　occasionally　chased　by　the　cavalry。　The　asses；　when　pursued；　would　run　forward　a　space；　and　then　stand　stilltheir　pace　being　much　swifter　than　that　of　horses；　and　as　soon　as　the　horses　came　close；　they　went　through　the　same　performance。　The　only　way　to　catch　them　was　for　the　riders　to　post　themselves　at　intervals；　and　to　hunt　them　in　relays；　as　it　were。　The　flesh　of　those　they　captured　was　not　unlike　venison；　only　more　tender。　No　one　was　lucky　enough　to　capture　an　ostrich。　Some　of　the　troopers　did　give　chase；　but　it　had　soon　to　be　abandoned；　for　the　bird；　in　its　effort　to　escape；　speedily　put　a　long　interval　between　itself　and　its　　　3　pursuers；　plying　its　legs　at　full　speed；　and　using　its　wings　the　while　like　a　sail。　The　bustards　were　not　so　hard　to　catch　when　started　suddenly；　for　they　only　take　short　flights；　like　partridges；　and　are　soon　tired。　Their　flesh　is　delicious。

As　the　army　wended　its　way　through　this　region；　they　reached　the　river　Mascas；　which　is　one　hundred　feet　in　breadth。　Here　stood　a　big　deserted　city　called　Corsote；　almost　literally　environed　by　the　stream；　which　flows　round　it　in　a　circle。　Here　they　halted　three　days　and　provisioned　themselves。　Thence　they　continued　their　march　thirteen　desert　stagesninety　parasangswith　the　Euphrates　still　on　their　right；　until　they　reached　the　Gates。　On　these　marches　several　of　the　baggage　animals　perished　of　hunger；　for　there　was　neither　grass　nor　green　herb；　or　tree　of　any　sort；　but　the　country　throughout　was　barren。　The　inhabitants　make　their　living　by　quarrying　millstones　on　the　river　banks；　which　they　work　up　and　take　to　Babylon　and　sell；　purchasing　corn　in　exchange　for　their　goods。　Corn　failed　the　army；　and　was　not　to　be　got　for　money；　except　in　the　Lydian　market　open　in　Cyrus's　Asiatic　army；　where　a　kapithe　of　wheat　or　barley　cost　four　shekels；　the　shekel　being　equal　to　seven　and　a　half　Attic　obols；　whilst　the　kapithe　is　the　equivalent　of　two　Attic　choeneces＇1＇；　dry　measure；　so　that　the　soldiers　subsisted　on　meat　alone　for　the　whole　period。　Some　of　the　stages　were　very　long；　whenever　they　had　to　push　on　to　find　water　or　fodder；　and　once　they　found　themselves　involved　in　a　narrow　way；　where　the　deep　clay　presented　an　obstacle　to　the　progress　of　the　wagons。　Cyrus；　with　the　nobles　about　him；　halted　to　superintend　the　operation；　and　ordered　Glus　and　Pigres　to　take　a　body　of　barbarians　and　to　help　in　extricating　the　wagons。　As　they　seemed　to　be　slow　about　the　business；　he　turned　round　angrily　to　the　Persian　nobles　and　bade　them　lend　a　hand　to　force　the　wagons　out。　Then；　if　ever；　what　goes　to　constitute　one　branch　of　good　discipline；　was　to　be　witnessed。　Each　of　those　addressed；　just　where　he　chanced　to　be　　　　　　　　　8　standing；　threw　off　his　purple　cloak；　and　flung　himself　into　the　work　with　as　much　eagerness　as　if　it　had　been　a　charge　for　victory。　Down　a　steep　hill　side　they　flew；　with　their　costly　tunics　and　embroidered　trouserssome　with　the　circlets　round　their　necks；　and　bracelets　on　their　armsin　an　instant；　they　had　sprung　into　the　miry　clay；　and　in　less　time　than　one　could　have　conceived；　they　had　landed　the　wagons　safe　on　terra　firma。

＇1＇　The　choenix　=　about　1　quart　（or；　according　to　others；　1　1/2　pint）。　　　　　It　was　the　minimum　allowance　of　corn　for　a　man；　say　a　slave；　per　　　　　diem。　The　Spartan　was　allowed　at　the　public　table　2　choenices　a　　　　　day。

Altogether　it　was　plain　that　Cyrus　was　bent　on　pressing　on　the　march；　and　averse　to　stoppages；　except　where　he　halted　for　the　sake　of　provisioning　or　some　other　necessary　object；　being　convinced　that　the　more　rapidly　he　advanced；　the　less　prepared　for　battle　would　he　find　the　king；　while　the　slower　his　own　progress；　the　larger　would　be　the　hostile　army　which　he　would　find　collected。　Indeed；　the　attentive　observer　could　see；　at　a　glance；　that　if　the　king's　empire　was　strong　in　its　extent　of　territory　and　the　number　of　inhabitants；　that　strength　is　compensated　by　an　inherent　weakness；　dependent　upon　the　length　of　roads　and　the　inevitable　dispersion　of　defensive　forces；　where　an　invader　insists　upon　pressing　home　the　war　by　forced　marches。

On　the　opposite　side　of　the　Euphrates　to　the　point　reached　on　one　of　these　desert　stages；　was　a　large　and　flourishing　city　named　Charmande。　From　this　town　the　soldiers　made　purchases　of　provisions；　crossing　the　river　on　rafts；　in　the　following　fashion：　They　took　the　skins　which　they　used　as　tent　coverings；　and　filled　them　with　light　grass；　they　then　compressed　and　stitched　them　tightly　together　by　the　ends；　so　that　the　water　might　not　touch　the　hay。　On　these　they　crossed　and　got　provisions：　wine　made　from　the　date…nut；　and　millet　or　panic…corn；　the　common　staple　of　the　country。　Some　dispute　or　other　here　occurred　between　the　soldiers　of　Menon　and　Clearchus；　in　which　Clearchus　sentenced　one　of　Menon's　men；　as　the　delinquent；　and　had　him　flogged。　The　man　went　back　to　his　own　division　and　told　them。　Hearing　what　had　been　done　to　their　comrade；　his　fellows　fretted　and　fumed；　and　were　highly　incensed　against　Clearchus。　The　same　day　Clearchus　visited　the　passage　of　the　river；　and　after　inspecting　the　market　there；　was　returning　with　a　few　followers；　on　horseback；　to　his　tent；　and　had　to　　　12　pass　through　Menon's　quarters。　Cyrus　had　not　yet　come　up；　but　was　riding　up　in　the　same　direction。　One　of　Menon's　men；　who　was　splitting　wood；　caught　sight　of　Clearchus　as　he　rode　past；　and　aimed　a　blow　at　him　with　his　axe。　The　aim　took　no　effect；　when　another　hurled　a　stone　at　him；　and　a　third；　and　then　several；　with　shouts　and　hisses。　Clearchus　made　a　rapid　retreat　to　his　own　troops；　and　at　once　ordered　them　to　get　under　arms。　He　bade　his　hoplites　remain　in　position　with　their　shields　resting　against　their　knees；　while　he；　at　the　head　of　his　Thracians　and　horsemen；　of　which　he　had　more　than　forty　in　his　armyThracians　for　the　most　partadvanced　against　Menon's　soldiers；　so　that　the　latter；　with　Menon　himself；　were　panic…stricken；　and　ran　to　seize　their　arms；　some　even　stood　riveted　to　the　spot；　in　perplexity　at　the　occurrence。　Just　then　Proxenus　came　up　from　behind；　as　chance　would　have　it；　with　his　division　of　hoplites；　and　without　a　moment's　hesitation　marched　into　the　open　space　between　the　rival　parties；　and　grounded　arms；　then　he　fell　to　begging　Clearchus　to　desist。　The　latter　was　not　too　well　pleased　to　hear　his　trouble　mildly　spoken　of；　when　he　had　barely　escaped　being　stoned　to　death；　and　he　bade　Proxenus　retire　and　leave　the　intervening　space　open。　At　this　juncture　Cyrus　arrived　and　inquired　what　was　happening。　There　was　no　time　for　hesitation。　With　his　javelins　firmly　grasped　in　his　hands　he　galloped　upescorted　by　some　of　his　faithful　bodyguard；　who　were　presentand　was　soon　in　the　midst；　exclaiming：　〃Clearchus；　Proxenus；　and　you　other　Hellenes　yonder；　you　know　not　what　you　do。　As　surely　as　you　come　to　blows　with　one　another；　our　fate　is　sealedthis　very　day　I　shall　be　cut　to　pieces；　and　so　will　you：　your　turn　will　follow　close　on　mine。　Let　our　fortunes　once　take　an　evil　turn；　and　these　barbarians　whom　you　see　around　will　be　worse　foes　to　us　than　those　who　are　at　present　serving　the　king。〃　At　these　words　Clearchus　came　to　his　senses。　Both　parties　paused　from　battle；　and　retired　to　their　quarters：　order　reigned。



VI

As　they　advanced　from　this　point　（opposite　Charmande）；　they　came　upon　　　1　the　hoof…prints　and　dung　of　horses　at　frequent　intervals。　It　looked　like　the　trail　of　some　two　thousand　horses。　Keeping　ahead　of　the　army；　these　fellows　burnt　up　the　grass　and　everything　else　that　was　good　for　use。　Now　there　was　a　Persian；　named　Orontas；　he　was　closely　related　to　the　king　by　birth：　and　in　matters　pertaining　to　war　reckoned　among　the　best　of　Persian　warriors。　Having　formerly　been　at　war　with　Cyrus；　and　afterwards　reconciled　to　him；　he　now　made　a　conspiracy　to　destroy　him。　he　made　a　proposal　to　Cyrus：　if　Cyrus　would　furnish　him　with　a　thousand　horsemen；　he　would　deal　with　these　troopers；　who　were　burning　down　everything　in　front　of　them；　he　would　lay　an　ambuscade　and　cut　them　down；　or　he　would　capture　a　host　of　them　alive；　in　any　case；　he　would　put　a　stop　to　their　agressiveness　and　burnings；　he　would　see　to　it　that　they　did　not　ever　get　a　chance　of　setting　eyes　on　Cyrus's　army　and　reporting　its　advent　to　the　king。　The　proposal　seemed　plausible　to　Cyrus；　who　a