The army reaches Issi, the last city in Cilicia, at which the fleet
then arrives. Cyrus proceeds into Syria, where two of the Greek
captains, Xenias and Pasion, desert the expedition; the good
feeling of Cyrus, in forbearing to pursue them, renders the other
Greeks more willing to accompany him. He arrives at Thapsacus on
the Euphrates, where he discloses the real object of his expedition
to the Greek troops, who express discontent, but are induced by
fresh promises, and the example of Menon, to cross the river.
1. Hence he proceeded, two days' march, a distance of ten parasangs, to
the river Psarus, the breadth of which was three plethra. He then went
forward, one day's march, five parasangs, to the river Pyramus, the
breadth of which is a stadium. Hence he advanced in two days' march, a
distance of fifteen parasangs, to Issi, the last city in Cilicia,
situate upon the sea-coast, a populous, large, and rich place.
2. Here Cyrus remained three days, in which time the ships from
Peloponnesus, thirty-five in number, arrived, Pythagoras the
Lacedæmonian being their commander. But Tamos, an Egyptian, had
conducted the fleet from Ephesus, who had also with him five-and-twenty
other ships, belonging to Cyrus, with which he had blockaded Miletus
when it was in the interest of Tissaphernes, and had fought against him
on behalf of Cyrus. 3. In these vessels came also Cheirisophus the
Lacedæmonian, who had been sent for by Cyrus, and who had with him seven
hundred heavy-armed troops, which he commanded as part of the army of
Cyrus. The ships were moored opposite Cyrus's tent. Here, too, the Greek
mercenaries, who were in the pay of Abrocomas, four hundred heavy-armed
men, deserted him and came over to Cyrus, and joined in the expedition
against the king.
4. Hence he proceeded, one day's march, five parasangs, to the Gates of
Cilicia and Syria. These were two fortresses;[40] of the part within
them, towards Cilicia, Syennesis and a guard of Cilicians had the
charge; the part without, towards Syria, a garrison of the king's
soldiers was reported to occupy. Between the two runs a river, called
Carsus, a plethrum in breadth. The whole space between the fortresses
was three stadia; and it was impossible to pass it by force; for the
passage was very narrow, the walls reached down to the sea, and above
were inaccessible rocks. At each of the fortresses were gates. 5. It was
on account of this passage that Cyrus had sent for the fleet, that he
might disembark heavy-armed troops within and without the Gates,[41] who
might force a passage through the enemy, if they still kept guard at the
Syrian gates; a post which he expected Abrocomas would hold, as he had
under his command a numerous army. Abrocomas however did not attempt
this; but, when he heard that Cyrus was in Cilicia, retreated out of
Phœnicia, and proceeded to join the king, having with him, as was
said, three hundred thousand men.
6. Hence he proceeded through Syria, one day's march, five parasangs, to
Myriandrus, a city near the sea, inhabited by Phœnicians; this place
was a public mart, and many merchant-vessels lay at anchor there. 7.
Here they remained seven days; and here Xenias the Arcadian captain, and
Pasion the Megarean, embarking in a vessel, and putting on board their
most valuable effects, sailed away; being actuated, as most thought, by
motives of jealousy, because Cyrus had allowed Clearchus to retain under
his command their soldiers, who had seceded to Clearchus in the
expectation of returning to Greece, and not of marching against the
king. Upon their disappearance, a rumour pervaded the army that Cyrus
would pursue them with ships of war; and some wished that they might be
taken, as having acted perfidiously; while others pitied their fate, if
they should be caught.
8. But Cyrus, calling together the captains, said to them, "Xenias and
Pasion have left us: but let them be well assured, that they have not
fled clandestinely; for I know which way they are gone; nor have they
escaped beyond my reach; for I have triremes that would overtake their
vessel. But, by the gods, I shall certainly not pursue them; nor shall
any one say, that as long as a man remains with me, I make use of his
services, but that, when he desires to leave me, I seize and ill-treat
his person, and despoil him of his property. But let them go, with the
consciousness that they have acted a worse part towards us than we
towards them. I have, indeed, their children and wives under guard at
Tralles; but not even of them shall they be deprived, but shall receive
them back in consideration of their former service to me." 9. Thus Cyrus
spoke; and the Greeks, even such as had been previously disinclined to
the expedition, when they heard of the noble conduct of Cyrus,
accompanied him with greater pleasure and alacrity.
After these occurrences, Cyrus proceeded four days' march, a distance of
twenty parasangs, to the river Chalus, which is a plethrum in breadth,
and full of large tame fish, which the Syrians looked upon as gods, and
allowed no one to hurt either them or the pigeons. The villages, in
which they fixed their quarters, belonged to Parysatis, having been
given her for her girdle.[42]
10. Thence he advanced, five days' march, a distance of thirty
parasangs, to the source of the river Dardes, which is a plethrum in
breadth. Here was the palace of Belesys, the governor of Syria, and a
very large and beautiful garden, containing all that the seasons
produce. But Cyrus laid it waste, and burned the palace.
11. Hence he proceeded, three days' march, a distance of fifteen
parasangs, to the river Euphrates, which is there four stadia in
breadth, and on which is situated a large and rich city, named
Thapsacus. The army remained there five days; and Cyrus sent for the
Greek captains, and told them, that his march was directed to Babylon,
against the Great King; and he desired them to make this announcement to
the soldiers, and to persuade them to accompany him.
12. The leaders, assembling their troops, communicated this information
to them; and the soldiers expressed themselves much displeased with
their officers, and said that they had long known this, but concealed
it; and they refused to go, unless such a donative was granted them, as
had been given to those who had before gone up with Cyrus to his father,
and that, too, when they did not go to fight, but merely attended Cyrus
when his father summoned him. 13. This state of things the generals
reported to Cyrus; who in consequence promised to give every man five
minæ of silver,[43] when they should arrive at Babylon, and their full
pay besides, until he should bring back the Greeks to Ionia again. The
greatest part of the Grecian force was thus prevailed upon to accompany
him. But before it was certain what the other soldiers would do, whether
they would accompany Cyrus or not, Menon assembled his own troops apart
from the rest, and spoke as follows:
14. "If you will follow my advice, soldiers, you will, without incurring
either danger or toil, make yourselves honoured by Cyrus beyond the rest
of the army. What, then, would I have you do? Cyrus is at this moment
urgent with the Greeks to accompany him against the king; I therefore
suggest that, before it is known how the other Greeks will answer Cyrus,
you should cross over the river Euphrates. 15. For if they should
determine upon accompanying him, you will appear to have been the cause
of it, by being the first to pass the river; and to you, as being most
forward with your services, Cyrus will feel and repay the obligation, as
no one knows how to do better than himself. But if the others should
determine not to go with him, we shall all of us return back again; but
you, as having alone complied with his wishes, and as being most worthy
of his confidence, he will employ in garrison duty and posts of
authority; and whatever else you may ask of him, I feel assured that, as
the friends of Cyrus, you will obtain it."
16. On hearing these proposals, they at once complied with them, and
crossed the river before the others had given their answer. And when
Cyrus perceived that they had crossed, he was much pleased, and
despatched Glus to Menon's troops with this message: "I applaud your
conduct, my friends; and it shall be my care that you may applaud me; or
think me no longer Cyrus." 17. The soldiers, in consequence, being
filled with great expectations, prayed that he might succeed; and to
Menon Cyrus was said to have sent most magnificent presents. After these
transactions, he passed the river, and all the rest of the army followed
him; and, in crossing the stream, no one was wetted by its waters above
the breast. 18. The people of Thapsacus said, that this river had never,
except on that occasion, been passable on foot, but only by means of
boats; which Abrocomas, going before, had burnt, that Cyrus might not be
able to cross. It seemed, therefore, that this had happened by divine
interposition, and that the river had plainly made way for Cyrus as the
future king.
19. Hence he advanced through Syria, nine days' march, a distance of
fifty parasangs, and arrived at the river Araxes, where were a number of
villages, stored with corn and wine. Here the army remained three days,
and collected provisions.
[Footnote 40: Ἦσαν δὲ ταῦτα δύο τείχη.] As the fem. πύλαι precedes, and
as the gates were not properly the τείχη, but the space between them,
Weiske conjectures ἦσαν δὲ ἐνταῦθα, κ. τ. λ., which Kühner and others
approve, but have not admitted into the text. Kühner interprets τείχη
"castella," and I have followed him. When Xenophon speaks, a little
below, of τείχη εἰς τὴν θάλατταν καθήκοντα, he seems to mean _walls_
attached to the fortress nearest to the sea. So when he says that _at
each of the fortresses_, ἐπὶ τοῖς τείχεσιν ἀμφοτέροις, were gates, he
appears to signify that there were gates in the walls attached to each
of the fortresses. "At a distance of about six hundred yards,
corresponding with the three stadia of Xenophon, are the ruins of a
wall, which can be traced amid a dense shrubbery, from the mountains
down to the sea-shore, where it terminates in a round tower."
_Ainsworth_, p. 59.]
[Footnote 41: "That is, within the two fortresses and beyond them, viz.
in Syria." _Kühner_.]
[Footnote 42: Εἰς ζώνην.] Nominally to furnish her with girdles, or to
supply ornaments for her girdle, it being the custom with the Persian
kings to bestow places on their queens and other favourites ostensibly
for the purpose of furnishing them with articles of dress, food, or
other conveniences. See Herod, ii. 98; Plato, Alcib. I. c. 40; Cic. in
Verr. iii. 23; Corn. Nepos, Life of Themistocles, c. 10.]
[Footnote 43: Reckoning the talent at £243 15_s._, the mina (60 = a
talent) will be £4 1_s._ 3_d._, and five minæ £20 6_s._ 3_d._]