This something childlike--this glory had not as yet in the year 400 B.C. faded into the light of common day. But as M. Taine adds concerning the writing itself, ‘The beauty of style transcends even the interest of the story,’ and we may well imagine that a less capable writer than Xenophon (Sophænetus for instance) would have robbed the narrative and the actors alike of half their splendour. And what of Xenophon himself? There is much to be said on that topic. But it is ‘another story.’ In this he must speak for himself. H. G. DAKYNS. TRANSLATOR’S NOTE In translating Professor Witt’s version of the Retreat of the Ten Thousand, I have ventured to divide the chapters, and also to re-arrange in some cases the grouping of sentences and paragraphs, for the sake of greater clearness. The figures given for numbers, distances and sums of money, are the same as in Mr. Dakyns’ translation of the works of Xenophon. Here and there too I have modified or omitted or added a phrase, as for instance in substituting, on the first page, Alfred the Great for Karl der Grosse, as an example more familiar to English readers; and in adding to the description of Persepolis one or two details to explain the illustrations. But in the main I have endeavoured to reproduce accurately Professor Witt’s text in simple English, without either addition or omission. The illustrations are mostly taken (by permission) from MM. Perrot and Chipiez’s ‘Histoire de l’Art dans l’Antiquité.’ Some few are from Baumeister’s Dictionary. The two views are from photographs kindly lent for the purpose by Mr. Cecil Smith, of the British Museum. I am glad to take the opportunity of expressing my very grateful thanks to Mr. Dakyns for his kindness in forwarding this attempt to interest English children in the writings of an author to whom he has himself given so many hours of sympathetic study. And I hope that many readers of this little book may be stimulated to the effort of studying for themselves the works of the great historian in the original Greek. FRANCES YOUNGHUSBAND. CONTENTS CHAPTER PAGE I. THE GREAT KING 1 II. THE PERSIAN EMPIRE 7 III. HELLAS 13 IV. THE RIVAL BROTHERS 15 V. PREPARATIONS 21 VI. ON THE MARCH 27 VII. THE PRINCESS EPYAXA 32 VIII. CLEARCHUS 38 IX. NEGOTIATIONS AT TARSUS 42