Chapter 27 Volume Four III

They found lodging again that day in a village on the plain by the Kentlet River.The river is about two pletrons wide, and runs between Armenia and the country of the Kadukians.Here the Greeks get a respite and are glad to see the plains.The river is six or seven stadia away from the mountains of the Kadukyas.At this moment, they went into the house, happy because they had provisions and memories of the sufferings that had just passed.During the seven days that they marched through the land of the Kadukians, they fought constantly, and suffered more crimes than the King of Persia and Tissaphernes put together.So, feeling relieved of all these troubles, they gladly lay down and rested.

However, at dawn, they found a heavily armed cavalry on the other side of the river, ready to block their way.There are cliffs above the cavalry, and there are also infantry in battle formations to prevent them from advancing into Armenia.All these were the ranks of Orontas and Atucas, among whom were Armenians, Mardians, and Cardan mercenaries.The Cardanians are said to be an independent, valiant people.They used ivy shields and spears as weapons.The cliff where the procession was set up was three or four platters away from the river, and as far as I could see, there was a road leading to it, obviously an artificial road.So in this place ④ Greek military quasi

Prepare to cross the river.But when they tried it, they found that the water was chest deep, and there were large, slippery stones on the bottom of the river, which was very uneven.Also, they can't carry shields in water, because the currents would wash them away.If it is on the head, the body cannot avoid the attacks of bows and arrows and other projectiles.So they turned back and pitched camp by the river.At the same time, on the side of the mountain where they stayed the night before, they could see a large number of Kadukyas armed and gathered together.At this time, the Greek army was extremely discouraged, because the river was difficult, and there was a team on the other side of the river trying to block the crossing, and there were Kadukyas behind who were going to attack the rear team when they forced the crossing.

Therefore, they stopped here for a day and a night, quite anxious.But Xenophon had a dream: He was put in shackles, but the shackles fell off automatically, so he was free and could walk as far as he wanted.Before dawn he went to Chrysophus, told him that there was hope that all would be well, and told him of his dream.Cherisophus was delighted.As soon as the sky began to light, all the generals came to the front and began to sacrifice to the gods.The first omen of sacrifice is very auspicious.So the generals and captains withdrew and ordered the team to have breakfast. While Xenophon was eating, two young men ran to meet him.For it was known that he could come to him, whether he was having breakfast or supper, and that if he was sleeping, he could be woken and reported to him about anything concerning the battle.Now these two young men have come to report what they saw across the river by chance while they were gathering dry wood for a fire: an old man, a woman, and some little girls hid what looked like parcels of clothes in a It stretches into a cave among the rocks next to the river.Seeing this, they concluded that it was safe to cross the river, for it was a place out of the reach of enemy cavalry.So they took off their clothes and took only their daggers, and went across the river naked, thinking they would have to swim.But when he walked forward to the opposite bank, he didn't even get half of his waist wet.After crossing the river, they took their clothes and parcels and returned.

After hearing this report, Xenophon immediately offered wine to the god himself, ordered his attendants to pour a cup for the young man, prayed to the god who showed the dream and the ferry, and asked the god to help realize other good deeds①.Immediately after the sprinkling of wine, he took the two young men to Chrysophus, and repeated the matter to him.After hearing this, Cherisophus also offered wine as a ceremony.Afterwards they ordered the troops to pack, and they themselves called the generals to discuss how best to accomplish the task of crossing the river and defeat the enemy in front without being hurt by the enemy behind.

It was decided to let Cherisophus lead half of the team to try to cross the river; the other half of the team and Xenophon temporarily stopped behind for a while, and the baggage beasts and camp personnel crossed between the front and rear. Having made these arrangements to their satisfaction, they set out.The young man led the way by the right bank of the river, and from here it was about four stadia to the opposite bank.As they advanced, the enemy cavalry marched against them. When the Greek army reached the ferry, they stopped and prepared for orders.Chrysophus put a wreath on his head, cast aside his burqa, took up arms, and ordered all his companions to do the same, and ordered the captains to lead their companies in columns, some to his left and others to the left. on the right.At the same time, the divination palaces were offering sacrifices to the gods, while the enemy was shooting arrows and throwing stones, but they had not yet hit.The sacrifice was an auspicious sign, and all the soldiers sang hymns and shouted for help, and the women all shouted at the same time as the men—for there were many women in the camp.

At this moment Chrysophus and his troops entered the river, while Xenophon, leading the most agile and agile of the rearguard, began to run backward at full speed to the ford on the opposite side of the road to the Armenian mountains, pretending to be there. The location crossed, thus cutting off the posture of cavalry along the river.As soon as the enemy saw Cherisophus' troops, it was easy crossed the river unhindered, while Xenophon and his soldiers ran back, terrified, fearing to be cut off, and fled at full speed to the road leading to the river.Once they were on the road, they hurried up the hill.At this time, Lycius, who commanded the Greek cavalry, and Aeschines, the commander of the light battalion who followed Chrysophus, saw the enemy fleeing, and they chased after them; If you are behind, you must chase these deserters all the way to the mountains.At this moment, after crossing the river, Chrisophus did not want to attack the enemy cavalry, but immediately rushed across the cliff leading to the river to attack the infantry above.These soldiers, seeing their own cavalry fleeing and the heavy armor approaching, abandoned the heights on the river.

Seeing that everything was going well on the other side, Xenophon turned around and ran back as quickly as possible to join the procession crossing the river.Because at this time, the Kadukya people were seen walking down into the plain, obviously wanting to attack the rearmost troops.Cherisophus now occupied these crags, and Lycius, with his little party, ventured on in pursuit, and had already captured what was left of the enemy's baggage train, including finer garments and drinking cups.At this time, when the Greek army's train and accompanying personnel were crossing, Xenophon turned his troops to face the Kadukes and ordered the captains to organize their companies into squads, so that each squad formed a belligerent formation to the left. .So the captain and squad leaders turned their faces towards the Kadukyas, keeping the tail of the team on the side facing the river.When the Kadukyas saw that the rearguard had lost the camp entourage and seemed to be small in number, they rushed forward even more swiftly, singing a kind of song in their mouths.As all was safe on the part of Chrysonans, he sent back to Xenophon the light infantry, slingers and archers, to carry out whatever order Xenophon gave him.But when he saw them starting to cross, Xenophon sent a messenger to tell them to stay on the river bank and not to cross.But when it's time for his own company to start crossing the river, they're going down to the river on the other side, here and there, as if to cross the river, with the spearmen holding their hoops and the archers on their arrows, but not far into the river .Xenophon ordered his soldiers to play the hymn of victory and attack the enemy when the stones hit the shield.When the enemy turns around and runs away, and the trumpeter on the river bank blows the charge horn, they must turn to the right, the tail of the team takes the lead, and all the soldiers must run to cross the river as quickly as possible, keeping their positions so as not to affect each other.The first to reach the shore is the hero.

Seeing that there were not many remaining in the Greek army (for even those assigned to stay had gone away to tend pack animals, packs, or women), the Kadukians pressed forward bravely, and began Throwing stones, archery. So the Greek army sounded the victory hymn and ran towards them.They did not meet, for, though they were well equipped for attack and retreat in the hills, they were not adequate for hand-to-hand combat.At this moment the Greek trumpeter sounded the signal, and while the enemy began to flee faster than before, the Greeks turned around and fled across the river very quickly.A few of the enemy, aware of this movement, ran back to the river, and wounded a few of the Greeks with their arrows, but the majority of them, even when the Greeks had reached the other side of the river, were still visible continuing to flee.Meanwhile, the procession that came to meet Xenophon went too far with valor.They crossed back behind Xenophon's troops, also somewhat wounded.