Anabasis by Xenophon - Book 1, Part 1

Book I. Part I of Xenophon's Anabasis. Anabasis by Xenophon. Translated by H. G. Dakins. Book I. Part I. Darius and Parasattis had two sons. The elder was named Artaxerxes, and the younger Cyrus. Now as Darius lay sick and felt that the end of life drew near, he wished both his sons to be with him. The elder, as it chanced, was already there. But Cyrus he must need send for from the province over which he had made him satrap, having appointed him general, moreover, of all the forces that muster in the plain of the Castolus. Thus Cyrus went up, taking with him to Cephernes as his friend, and accompanied also by a body of Helenes, three hundred heavy armed men, under the command of Xenias the Parhasian. Now when Darius was dead and Artaxerxes was established in the kingdom, Cephernes brought slanderous accusations against Cyrus before his brother the king, of harbouring designs against him. And Artaxerxes listening to the words of Cephernes, laid hands upon Cyrus, desiring to put him to death. But his mother made intercession for him, and sent him back again in safety to his province. He then, having so escaped through peril and dishonour, fell to considering not only how he might avoid ever again being in his brother's power, but how, if possible, he might become king in his stead. Perissatis his mother was his first resource, for she had more love for Cyrus than for Artaxerxes upon his throne. Moreover Cyrus's behaviour towards all who came to him from the king's court, was such that, when he sent them away again, they were better friends to himself than to the king his brother. Nor did he neglect the barbarians in his own service, but trained them at once to be capable as warriors, and devoted adherents of himself. Lastly he began collecting his Hellenic armament, but with the utmost secrecy, so that he might take the king as far as might be at unawares. The manner in which he contrived the levying of the troops was as follows. First he sent orders to the commandants of garrisons in the cities so held by him, bidding them to get together as large a body of picked Peloponnesian troops, as they severally were able, on the plea that Ctesiphones was plotting against their cities. And truly these cities of Ionia had originally belonged to Ctesiphones, being given to him by the king. But at this time, with the exception of Miletus, they had all revolted to Cyrus. In Miletus Ctesiphones having become aware of similar designs, had forestalled the conspirators by putting some to death and banishing the remainder. Cyrus on his side welcomed these fugitives, and having collected an army laid siege to Miletus by sea and land, endeavouring to reinstate the exiles. And this gave him another pretext for collecting an armament. At the same time he sent to the king, and claimed, as being the king's brother, that these cities should be given to himself, rather than that Ctesiphones should continue to govern them. And in furtherance of this end, the queen his mother cooperated with him. So that the king not only failed to see the design against himself, but concluded that Cyrus was spending his money on armaments, in order to make war on Ctesiphones. Nor did it pain him greatly to see the two at war together. And the less so because Cyrus was careful to remit the tribute due to the king from the cities which belonged to Ctesiphones. A third army was being collected for him in the Chersonese, over against Abydos, the origin of which was as follows. There was a Lacedaemonian exile named Clearchus, with whom Cyrus had become associated. Cyrus admired the man, and made him a present of ten thousand derricks. Clearchus took the gold, and with the money raised an army, and using the Chersonese as his base of operations, set to work to fight the Thracians north of the Hellespont, in the interests of the Hellenes. And with such happy result that the Hellespontine cities of their own accord, were eager to contribute funds for the support of his troops. In this way again, an armament was being secretly maintained for Cyrus. Then there was the Thessalian Aristippus, Cyrus's friend, who under pressure of the rival political party at home, had come to Cyrus, and asked him for pay for two thousand mercenaries, to be continued for three months, which would enable him, he said, to gain the upper hand of his antagonists. Cyrus replied by presenting him with six months' pay for four thousand mercenaries, only stipulating that Aristippus should not come to terms with his antagonists, without final consultation with himself. In this way he secured to himself the secret maintenance of a fourth armament. Further he bade Proxinus of the Ocean who was another friend, get together as many men as possible, and join him in an expedition which he meditated against the Pisidians, who were causing annoyance to his territory. Similarly two other friends, Sophinetus the Stymphalian, and Socrates the Achaean, had orders to get together as many men as possible, and come to him, since he was on the point of opening a campaign along with Milesian exiles against Ctesiphones. These orders were duly carried out by the officers in question. But when the right moment seemed to him to have come, at which he should begin his march into the interior, the pretext which he put forward, was his desire to expel the Pisidians utterly out of the country. And he began collecting both his Asiatic and his Hellenic armaments, avowedly against that people. From Sardis in each direction his orders sped. To Clearchus to join him there with the whole of his army. To Aristippus to come to terms with those at home, and to dispatch to him the troops in his employ. To Xenias the Arcadian, who was acting as general-in-chief of the foreign troops in the cities, to present himself with all the men available, excepting only those who were actually needed to garrison the citadels. He next summoned the troops at present engaged in the siege of Miletus, and called upon the exiles to follow him on his intended expedition, promising them that if he were successful in his object, he would not pause until he had reinstated them in their native city. To this invitation they hearkened gladly. They believed in him, and with their arms they presented themselves at Sardis. So too Xenias arrived at Sardis with the contingent from the cities, four thousand hoplites. Proximus also with fifteen hundred hoplites and five hundred light-armed troops. Sophonetus the Stymphalian with one thousand hoplites. Socrates the Achaean with five hundred hoplites. While the Megarian Perseon came with three hundred hoplites and three hundred peltasts. This latter officer, as well as Socrates, belonged to the force engaged against Miletus. These all joined him at Sardis. But Ctesiphones did not fail to note these proceedings. An equipment so large pointed to something more than an invasion of Pisidia. So he argued, and with what speed he might he set off to the king attended by about five hundred horse. The king on his side, had no sooner heard from Ctesiphones of Cyrus's great armament, than he began to make counter-preparations. Thus Cyrus with the troops which I have named, set out from Sardis, and marched on and on through Lydia three stages, making two and twenty parasangs, to the river Meander. That river is two hundred feet broad, and was spanned by a bridge consisting of seven boats. Crossing it he marched through Phrygia a single stage of eight parasangs, to Colossae, an inhabited city prosperous and large. Here he remained seven days, and was joined by Menon the Thessalian, who arrived with one thousand hoplites and five hundred peltasts, Dolopes, Aeneanes, and Olympians. From this place he marched three stages, twenty parasangs in all, to Selene, a populous city of Phrygia, large and prosperous. Here Cyrus owned a palace, and a large park full of wild beasts, which he used to hunt on horseback, whenever he wished to give himself, or his horses exercise. Through the midst of the park flows the river Meander, the sources of which are within the palace buildings, and it flows through the city of Selene. The great king also has a palace in Selene, a strong place on the sources of another river, the Marcias, at the foot of the Acropolis. This river also flows through the city, discharging itself into the Meander, and is five and twenty feet broad. Here is the place where Apollo is said to have flayed Marcias, when he had conquered him in the contest of skill. He hung up the skin of the conquered man, in the cavern where the spring wells forth, and hence the name of the river Marcias. It was on this site that Xerxes, as tradition tells, built this very palace, as well as the citadel of Selene itself, on his retreat from Hellas, after he had lost the famous battle. Here Cyrus remained for thirty days, during which Clearchus the Lacedaemonian arrived with one thousand hoplites, and eight hundred Thracian peltasts, and two hundred Cretan archers. At the same time also came Sosus the Syracusan, with three thousand hoplites, and Sophinetus the Arcadian, with one thousand hoplites. And here Cyrus held a review, and numbered his Hellenes in the park, and found that they amounted in all to eleven thousand hoplites, and about two thousand peltasts. From this place he continued his march two stages, ten parasangs, to the populous city of Pelti, where he remained three days, while Xenias the Arcadian celebrated the Lycia with sacrifice, and instituted games. The prizes were headbands of gold, and Cyrus himself was a spectator of the contest. From this place the march was continued two stages, twelve parasangs, to Ceramone Agora, a populous city, the last on the confines of Nysia. Thence a march of three stages, thirty parasangs, brought him to Caistrupedion, a populous city. Here Cyrus halted five days, and the soldiers whose pay was now more than three months in arrear, came several times to the palace gates demanding their dues. While Cyrus put them off with fine words and expectations, but could not conceal his vexation, for it was not his fashion to stint payment when he had the means. At this point Epiaxa the wife of Sienesis the king of the Cilicians, arrived on a visit to Cyrus. And it was said that Cyrus received a large gift of money from the queen. At this date at any rate, Cyrus gave the army four months' pay. The queen was accompanied by a bodyguard of Cilicians and Aspendians, and if report speaks truly, Cyrus had intimate relations with the queen. From this place he marched two stages, ten parasangs, to Thimbrium, a populous city. Here by the side of the road is the spring of Midas the king of Phrygia, as it is called, where Midas as the story goes, caught the satyr by drugging the spring with wine. From this place he marched two stages, ten parasangs, to Tyriaeum, a populous city. Here he halted three days, and the Cilician queen, according to the popular account, begged Cyrus to exhibit his armament for her amusement. The latter being only too glad to make such an exhibition, held a review of the Hellenes and barbarians in the plain. He ordered the Hellenes to draw up their lines and post themselves in their customary battle order, each general marshalling his own battalion. Accordingly they drew up four deep. The right was held by Menon and those with him, the left by Clearchus and his men, the centre by the remaining generals with theirs. Cyrus first inspected the barbarians who marched past in troops of horses and companies of infantry. He then inspected the Hellenes, driving past them in his chariot, with the queen in her carriage. And they all had brass helmets and purple tunics, and greaves, and their shields uncovered. After he had driven past the whole body, he drew up his chariot in front of the centre of the battle line, and sent his interpreter Pegres to the generals of the Hellenes, with orders to present arms and to advance along the whole line. This order was repeated by the generals to their men, and at the sound of the bugle, with shields forward and spears in rest, they advanced to meet the enemy. The pace quickened, and with a shout the soldiers spontaneously fell into a run, making in the direction of the camp. Great was the panic of the barbarians. The Cilician queen in her carriage turned and fled. The settlers in the marketing place left their wares and took to their heels. And the Hellenes meanwhile came into camp with a roar of laughter. What astounded the queen was the brilliancy and order of the armament. But Cyrus was pleased to see the terror inspired by the Hellenes in the hearts of the Asiatics. From this place he marched on three stages, twenty parasangs, to Iconium, the last city of Phrygia, where he remained three days. Thence he marched through Lycaonia five stages, thirty parasangs. This was hostile country, and he gave it over to the Hellenes to pillage. At this point Cyrus sent back the Cilician queen to her own country by the quickest route. And to escort her he sent the soldiers of Mennon, and Mennon himself. With the rest of the troops he continued his march through Cappadocia, four stages, twenty-five parasangs, to Dana, a populous city large and flourishing. Here they halted three days, within which interval Cyrus put to death on a charge of conspiracy, a Persian nobleman named Megaphernes, a wearer of the royal purple, and along with him another high dignitary among his subordinate commanders. From this place they endeavoured to force a passage into Cilicia. Now the entrance was by an exceedingly steep cart road, impracticable for an army in face of a resisting force. And reports said that Sionisus was on the summit of the pass guarding the approach. Accordingly they halted a day in the plain. But next day came a messenger informing them that Sionisus had left the pass, doubtless after perceiving that Mennon's army was already in Cilicia on his own side of the mountains. And he had further been informed that ships of war belonging to the Lacedaemonians and to Cyrus himself, with Tamos on board as admiral, were sailing round from Ionia to Cilicia. Whatever the reason might be, Cyrus made his way up into the hills without let or hindrance, and came in sight of the tents where the Cilicians were on guard. From that point he descended gradually into a large and beautiful plain country, well watered, and thickly covered with trees of all sorts and vines. This plain produces sesame plentifully, as also panic and millet and barley and wheat. And it is shut in on all sides by a steep and lofty wall of mountains, from sea to sea. Descending through this plain country, he advanced four stages, twenty-five parasangs, to Tarsus, a large and prosperous city of Cilicia. Here stood the palace of Sionisus, the king of the country, and through the middle of the city flows a river called the Sidnus, two hundred feet broad. They found that the city had been deserted by its inhabitants, who had betaken themselves with Sionisus to a strong place on the hills. All had gone, except the tavern-keepers. The seaboard inhabitants of Solai and Isai also remained. Now Epiaxa Sionisus's queen had reached Tarsus five days in advance of Cyrus. During their passage over the mountains into the plain, two companies of Menon's army were lost. Some said they had been cut down by the Cilicians while engaged on some pillaging affair. Another account was that they had been left behind, and being unable to overtake the main body or discover the route, had gone astray and perished. However it was they numbered one hundred hoplites, and when the rest arrived being in a fury at the destruction of their fellow soldiers, they vented their spleen by pillaging the city of Tarsus, and the palace to boot. Now when Cyrus had marched into the city, he sent for Sionisus to come to him. But the latter replied that he had never yet put himself into the hands of anyone who was his superior, nor was he willing to accede to the proposal of Cyrus now. Until in the end his wife persuaded him, and he accepted pledges of good faith. After this they met, and Sionisus gave Cyrus large sums in aid of his army, while Cyrus presented him with the customary royal gifts, to wit, a horse with a gold bit, a necklace of gold, a gold bracelet and a gold scimitar, a Persian dress, and lastly the exemption of his territory from further pillage, with the privilege of taking back the slaves that had been seized, wherever they might chance to come upon them.