Chapter 45 Volume 6 Ⅴ

So they passed the night.At dawn, the generals led the soldiers to the solid high ground with their weapons and luggage.Before breakfast time they dug a trench on the road leading to it, fenced it up the whole length, and left three gates.At this time a ship came from Heraclea, bringing barley flour, sacrifices, and wine. Xenophon got up early to sacrifice the journey of seeking advice.The first offering of omens was auspicious, and just as the offering was drawing to a close, Arikhon of Palasia, the palace of divination, saw an auspicious eagle and urged Xenophon to lead it.They crossed the ditch, dropped their weapons and paused.At this time, they announced that after breakfast, the team would go out armed, and the accompanying personnel and prisoners would stay on the spot.So the rest of the men set off, except Neon, because it seemed most appropriate to keep him in charge of the camp.But when his captains and men began to desert him when they saw others setting off and were too ashamed not to go with them, the generals left everyone over forty-five years old in the camp.So these stayed, while the rest set off.They had not gone fifteen stadi before they began to encounter corpses.The column advances until the rear has also reached the point opposite to where the body was first found, and they bury the bodies in the section of the column.Having buried this first batch, they moved on again.When the rear team caught up with another batch of corpses in the second section, they buried the corpses in this section in the same way.But when they came to the main road leading from the village, they found the bodies piled up too much, and they gathered them all together and buried them.

It was after noon, and they were still leading the procession, gathering supplies outside the village—everything they could see anywhere in the procession.Suddenly they saw the enemy walking across some hills on the opposite side.Among them were large groups of cavalry and infantry, all in formation.It turned out that it was Spytridates and Citines who were led by Farnabazus.On seeing the Greeks, the enemy stopped at a distance of about fifteen stadia.At this time, Arikhon, the soothsayer of the Greek army, sacrificed immediately; the first omen of sacrifice was auspicious.Then Xenophon said: "Commanders, I think we should post a reserve company behind the battle line, so that if there is a need for assistance, there will be reinforcements in the battle line, and the enemy can meet the orderly new army after their confusion." Everyone agrees.Xenophon said, "Well then, please

① The original plan was to leave Neang and his troops to guard the camp.But Inyon's men insisted on going with the rest of the army, and the generals decided not to leave a regular army, but the older members of the whole army. ——The English translator's note leads the team to the enemy; since the enemy has seen us and we have seen the enemy, don't stand still.I have arranged the rear company according to your decision and will follow. ’ Thus, while the others advanced silently, he divided the last three battalions, counting two hundred men each, and ordered the first to turn to the right and follow behind the phalanx at a distance of about a platter. This battalion was commanded by Samoras the Achaean. The second battalion he placed in the center, followed likewise, under the command of Pythias the Arcadian. The last battalion he placed on the left, led by Athens Fracias directs.

As they advanced, those in front came to a large valley, which was difficult to pass through.They stopped, not knowing whether they should cross the valley, so they sent a message to the generals and captains to come and see.At this time, Xenophon did not know what was blocking his progress, and he hurriedly rode to the front when he heard the call.As soon as the officers came together, Sophinetus, the oldest general, said that crossing such a valley was not a question worth considering. Xenophon answered eagerly: "You know, gentlemen, that I have never put you in any danger of needing to choose. For what you need, according to the circumstances, is not a reputation for valor, but a safe return. But at this moment, We cannot get out of this without a fight. For if we do not attack the enemy, the enemy will follow and attack us while we are retreating. Consider, then, whether it is better to raise the gun and attack these enemies forward, or reverse Gun head, watch the enemy attack us from behind, okay?

You know, however, that it is dishonorable to retreat from the enemy, and that advancing in the pursuit can embolden even a coward.In my opinion, I always think that it is better to lead half as many people forward to attack than to lead twice as many people back.As for those troops over there, I know that if we attack them, they may not dare to fight; but if we retreat, we can be sure that they will have the courage to pursue us. Besides, when you are about to fight a war and leave it behind by crossing a difficult chasm, is it not an opportunity well worth taking?I myself would like the enemy's paths to appear easy for his retreat, while we ourselves should see from the situation here that we are safe only in victory.

I really don't understand how anyone would think this current canyon is more terrifying than the terrain we've traveled.If we hadn't defeated the enemy cavalry, how could we have crossed that plain?If the large group of light soldiers followed closely behind us, how could we have crossed those mountains?Besides, if we really reach the ocean safely, how big a canyon can we say that the Eok Star Sea is?There we had no boats to carry us away, no food to sustain us when we stopped, and once we got there we had to hurry off again to find supplies.Well, then we've had breakfast, and it's better to play today than tomorrow without breakfast.Gentlemen, the omen of the sacrifice we offer is auspicious.The omen of the bird is auspicious, and the omen of sacrifice is very auspicious.Let's attack the enemy.Now that these guys have seen us, they must not be allowed to eat safe food or camp wherever they choose. "

After this, the captains urged him to lead the way, and no one objected.He then led the way and gave the order that each one should cross where he himself met along the canyon, for the army would then be quicker to assemble than to be assembled in single file on the other side by the bridge across the canyon.When they had passed the gorge, he went along in line, and said: "Brethren, do not forget, Gods be blessed, how many battles you have won in hand-to-hand combat; and do remember that we are now at the gates of Greece. Follow the leader Heracles, encourage each other to go forward, calling everyone's name. By some brave, noble deeds that can be said or done today It must be a great happiness to be remembered by those who wish to honor his memory."

As he rode forward, speaking thus, he began to slowly lead the troops into battle formation.Having positioned the light soldiers on the wings, they marched to charge the enemy.The order is that they carry guns on their right shoulders and wait for the order.Then lay down the gun and prepare to attack, keep up steadily, and no one is allowed to run.At this time, the password came out, "Zeus the savior, Heracles the leader".The enemy is waiting in line, thinking they have an advantage.When the Greek army approached, the light soldiers shouted loudly, and rushed to the enemy without waiting for an order.The enemy's cavalry and Bithenian troops came together to fight and defeated the light soldiers.But when the heavy phalanx stepped forward steadily and quickly, blowing the horn, sounding the victory hymn and shouting loudly, and at the same time laying down their guns for attack, the enemy stopped fighting and fled.

Timasong and the cavalry pursued them. Although they were few in number, they killed many.The left flank of the enemy facing the Greek cavalry position was scattered at once; but the right flank, because it was not pursued vigorously, gathered on a hill.The Greeks, seeing that they had established themselves there, thought it easiest and safest to attack them.So the Greek army sang praises and rushed towards them immediately.The enemy immediately collapsed.The light soldiers pursued until the right wing was defeated.But not many of the enemies were killed, for their cavalry were so numerous that they were formidable.

But when the Greek army saw that the Farnabazus cavalry had not dispersed, and the Bithenian cavalry gathered to meet up and looked down from the mountain, they ignored their fatigue and only wanted to attack these troops as hard as possible. so that they may not recover their courage and find rest.So they set off in a row.At this time the enemy cavalry fled down the hillside, as if being pursued by cavalry, because there was a canyon in front of them.But the Greek army didn't notice this, and turned away when they reached the canyon, because it was getting late at this time.Then they returned to the place where they had first met, and erected a monument of victory; and about evening they embarked on their journey back to the sea.It was about sixty stadia from the campsite.