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Chapter 34 Volume Five II

The Long March 色诺芬 2235Words 2018-03-21
They were no longer able to obtain provisions and returned to camp that day.Now Xenophon took some Trapezians as guides, and led half of the army to the place of Drilai, leaving the other half to guard the camp—for the Colces were driven out of their houses and now gathered together. A large group occupied a favorable position on the high ground above the camp.The Trapezians did not lead the Greeks where they could easily get supplies, because they were friendly with them.They always led them into the land of the Drilai, for they were continually injured by them, though it was mountainous and impenetrable, and its inhabitants the most warlike of the Eucean seas.

When the Greeks had reached the heights, the Drilais set fire to what they thought were easy fortresses, and withdrew.The Greek army got nothing except occasional pigs, cows and other animals that were not burned to death. There is a castle, which is their capital, and they all enter this castle.There are deep valleys around the castle, and the passage is extremely difficult.Running in front of the heavy infantry, five or six stadia's light soldiers crossed the ravine, saw a large number of sheep and other property, and tried to attack the city.Among them were many gunmen who were out looking for supplies.

There are more than a thousand teams that have crossed the deep valley in this way.But when they found that they couldn't attack (because there was a wide trench surrounded by a wall behind it, there were trees and fences on the wall, and there were many wooden buildings not far away from each other), they tried to retreat.At this time the enemy pressed on.It was impossible to run away, because they had to go alone from the castle down to the ravine.So they sent a message to Xenophon who was leading the heavy armor.The messenger came and reported: "There is a castle full of many good things.

We can't attack because the defense is strong; it's not easy for us to evacuate because the defenders rush out to attack, and it's difficult to return. " Hearing this news, Xenophon led his troops to the deep valley and ordered the heavily armored soldiers to stand by. He himself and the captains went to wait and see, to see if it would be better to withdraw the troops that had passed by, or if he thought the fort could be captured, he would bring the heavy armored soldiers there too.Obviously, many soldiers will be sacrificed to withdraw, but the captains think it is feasible to capture this fort.Xenophon agreed with them, believing in the omens of sacrifice, for the prophet had said that there would be a battle, but that the outcome of the conquest would be fortunate.So he sent his captains to bring the heavy armor, while he himself stayed on the other side, and all the light soldiers were drawn back, and no one was allowed to shoot at long distances.As soon as the armored soldiers arrived, he ordered the captains to arrange their companies into the formation he thought would be the most effective for fighting.The approaching captains, who are always jockeying for each other, went to carry out the order.At the same time, Xenophon sent a message to all the light soldiers to go forward: Take the rope in your hand and be ready to throw your spear;

Everything is ready, the captain, deputy and soldiers who pretend to be as brave as generals gather together Come, line up for battle①.Looking at each other (because the formation is like a crescent moon, to suit the position being attacked), at this time they sounded the hymn of victory, blew the horn, and shouted the battle cry to the god of war at the same time, and the heavy armor ran forward to attack, and the arrows and bullets flew together. — guns, arrows, slingshots, and many hand-throwing stones, and others threw torches too. Due to too many arrows and bombs, the enemy abandoned the barriers and towers.Then Agathia the Stenphalian laid down his weapons, and clad only in his tunic, climbed up, and drew another man along.At the same time, another person has also climbed up, and it seems that the castle is about to be captured.

At this time, light armor and light soldiers rushed in, and began to snatch the loot they could get.But Xenophon stood at the gate of the city, and stopped outside as many heavy armored soldiers as he could, because other enemies were seen on some well-defended heights.After a short time, the city shouted, and people fled out in clusters.Some were carrying loot, and then a group of wounded men were jostling around the gate.Ask those who came out, they said that there is an acropolis inside, and there are many enemies.They have rushed out to strike those who went in.So Xenophon ordered the herald Tolmides to announce that anyone who wanted to plunder could enter.Many people rushed into the city gate.The crowd swarming in overcame the crowd staggering and fleeing outwards, thus blocking the enemy in the acropolis again, and everything outside the acropolis was snatched and taken away by the Greek army.The heavy armored soldiers held their posts, some on the left side of the ramparts, and some along the road leading to the Acropolis.Meanwhile Xenophon and the captains were looking to see if it would be possible to take the fortified city, because then their safety would be assured; otherwise they thought it difficult to carry out the withdrawal.The result of consideration is that the acropolis cannot be captured.

At this point they were preparing to retreat.The sections dismantled the palisades in front of them, and sent away those who were unfit for battle or who carried loads, as well as the bulk of the hoplites.The captains left behind only the lean teams they each depended on.But as soon as they began to retreat, a great crowd rushed out from within, armed with cane shields, spears, muzzles, and Pafragonian helmets, and came upon them.Others climbed onto the roofs along the road leading to the Acropolis.It turned out that even the pursuit to the gates leading to the Acropolis was not safe, for they would throw huge logs from above, thus making it difficult to stay or retreat.The night is approaching, which also causes fear.

In their battle, in their confusion, God only saved these Greeks.Because suddenly a house on the right was set on fire and burned.When the house began to cave in, people in other houses on the right side of the road all fled.Seizing this chance, Xenophon ordered the house on the right to be set on fire as well. Because the house was made of wood, it burned quickly.As a result, the people in these houses also ran away quickly. Now only the enemy directly ahead remained to harass the Greeks, apparently intending to attack them as they descended the hill.At this time Xenophon ordered that all those who were within the reach of arrows and ammunition should bring wood and place it in the open space between their own troops and the enemy.Having gathered enough wood, they set fire to it, and also to the houses near the fence, in order to divert the attention of the enemy.Thus it was with difficulty that they withdrew from the castle by setting fire between them and the enemy.The whole city was burned, houses, towers, palisades and everything except the acropolis.

The next day the Greek army was going back to camp with supplies.As they feared the way to Trapezus (as the road was steep and narrow), they made a false ambush: a Mycian, also named Mycian, led ten Cretans, and stayed He came down in a small jungle, pretending to hide from the enemy, but his copper shield flickered in the bushes from time to time.When the enemy saw it, he was afraid it was an ambush.At this time the Greek army withdrew.When they thought they had gone far enough, they signaled the Mesian to run away at high speed.So he and his companions got up and escaped.Among them were the Cretans (who, it is said, saw that they might be overtaken while running) broke into the woods from the road, and rolled down through ravines to escape, but the Melian kept running along the road, calling for help.They went to rescue him, but were wounded.Then those who come to the rescue will go

Retreat, facing the enemy.The enemy threw bombs, and some Cretans returned arrows.In this way, they all returned safely to the camp.
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