The First Four Books of Xenophon's AnabasisXenophon
History
The First Four Books of Xenophon's Anabasis
Xenophon
Cyrus, the Younger, approximately 423 B.C.-401 B.C.; Iran -- History -- To 640
as they were quite unable to go forward. 17. He then thought it the best
course to strike a terror, if possible, into the enemy that were behind,
lest they should fall upon the exhausted soldiers. It was now dark, and
the enemy were advancing with a great noise, quarrelling about the booty
that they had taken; 18. when such of the rear-guard as were not
disabled, started up, and rushed towards them, while the tired men,
shouting as loud as they could, clashed their spears against their
shields. The enemy, struck with alarm, threw themselves among the snow
into the hollow, and no one of them afterwards made themselves heard
from any quarter.
19. Xenophon, and those with him, telling the sick men that a party
should come to their relief next day, proceeded on their march, but
before they had gone four stadia, they found other soldiers resting by
the way in the snow, and covered up with it, no guard being stationed
over them. They roused them up, but they said that the head of the army
was not moving forward. 20. Xenophon, going past them, and sending on
some of the ablest of the peltasts, ordered them to ascertain what it
was that hindered their progress. They brought word that the whole army
was in that manner taking rest. 21. Xenophon and his men, therefore,
stationing such a guard as they could, took up their quarters there
without fire or supper. When it was near day, he sent the youngest of
his men to the sick, telling them to rouse them and oblige them to
proceed. 22. At this juncture Cheirisophus sent some of his people from
the villages to see how the rear were faring. The young men were
rejoiced to see them, and gave them the sick to conduct to the camp,
while they themselves went forward, and, before they had gone twenty
stadia, found themselves at the village in which Cheirisophus was
quartered. 23. When they came together, it was thought safe enough to
lodge the troops up and down in the villages. Cheirisophus accordingly
remained where he was, and the other officers, appropriating by lot the
several villages that they had in sight, went to their respective
quarters with their men.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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