Chapter 52 Volume VII

Nearly two months have passed.At this moment Carminus and Polynicus, the Laconians, came on a mission from Tiburon: they said that the Lasidemonians had decided to slay Tisafnes.Tiburon has set sail for battle, and he needs this army.He said that the salary is one Dalik per person per month, twice that of the captain, and four times that of the general. When these Lasidemonians arrived, Heraclides immediately knew that they were coming for this army, and he said to Satus that he had had a great fortune: "The Lacidemonians need this army. Army and you no longer need it. You will be doing them a favor by giving them this army; and on your part, the troops will not continue to ask you for their pay and will be leaving this place soon." Hearing this So, Satus asked him to attract messengers.When the messenger informed them that they had come to claim this army, he replied that he would give it up and would be their friend and ally.He also invited them to dinner and gave them a grand hospitality.However, he did not invite Xenophon, nor did he invite any other generals.When these Rasidemonians asked what kind of man Xenophon was, he replied that in general he was a good man, but that he was close and beloved to the soldiers, so things were not very good for him .They asked: "Do you mean that he was charming about the army?" "Exactly," said Heraclides. "Then," said they, "will he go so far as to object to us taking the army?" said Heraclides, "well, if you gather soldiers together and promise to pay them, they will be eager follow you, and ignore him." "How, then, can we gather them?" "Tomorrow morning," replied Heraclides, "we will take you to them." He went on, "I will Know that they will eagerly gather when they see you."

And so the day passed. The next day, Setus and Heraclides led the two Laconians to the army.The army mustered.The two Laconians said: "The Laconians have decided to go to war against Tissaphonia, who has wronged you. If you come with us, you will be able to punish your enemies, and each of you You can get one Dalic's salary, double for each captain, and four times for each general." The soldiers were very happy when they heard this, and immediately an Arcadian rose up to accuse Xenophon.Satus was present at this time, for he wanted to know how things were going.He stood within earshot of the scene and accompanied an interpreter, although he could actually understand most of what was said in Greek.Then the Arcadian said: "Gentlemen of Rasidemonium, as for us, we would have followed you long ago, had it not been for the interference of Xenophon.

He always persuaded us with sweet words, and led us into this country, marching and fighting, day and night, all winter, without rest, while he himself enjoyed the fruits of our labor.For Seutus made him rich personally, and cheated us out of payment.Personally, I'd like to see this guy stoned as punishment for driving us home.Only in that way can I relieve my heart of toiling and gaining nothing. After this man had finished speaking, another rose up and said the same, and then another. Then Xenophon spoke as follows: "Well, when it comes down to it, it's true that anything can happen to a man: in a matter where I consciously—at least I think so—did as much as I could for you, I'm now my own competitor. Blame. I have been on my way home and come back, not--God knows not--because I have heard that your situation is successful, but because I have heard that you are in trouble; and I have come back to help you as much as I can. When After my arrival, although Setus sent many messengers to me and made many promises to persuade you to belong to him, I did not intend to do so, as you all know.

I lead you to a place from which I think you can cross as quickly as Asia Minor.Because I think that's what's best for you, and I know it's what you want.But Aristarchus came with his ships and prevented us from crossing.At this moment--certainly this is the proper step to take--I have brought you together so that we may consider what we should do.You have all heard with your own ears that Aristarchus bid you march to Kersonis, and that Setus urged you to serve with him.Then each of you spoke in favor of following Satus, and all voted to do so.So what is my fault for leading you where you all decide to go?Now I find that Satus is beginning to play tricks on you about the pay: if I support him in this, you should blame me and hate me; but the truth is that I was most friendly to him before, and now with him The biggest argument.In this dispute with him, I am with you, not with him.Are you blaming me fair?

"But you may say that I have actually received money from you from Seutus, and that I am only defrauding you. Well, at least this is clear: if Seutus had really given me money, he would not have Wanting to throw away whatever amount was given to me and at the same time have to send you additional money. I think it's more likely that if some money is given to me it's to give me a smaller amount to avoid giving you the larger amount. If you think so, you can now immediately blow up this deal between the two of us and demand money from him directly. For it is clear that if I received anything from Satus he would demand it from me, and he would be perfectly justified in demanding it, if I did not do what he put me to do when it was collected.But that's not the case at all in my opinion, I never received your pay.By the gods, I swear to you, I have not received even what Seutus promised me for my personal service.Satus himself was present at the moment.As he listened, he knew as well as I did whether I was swearing or not.What makes you even more puzzled is that I can still swear that I didn't even get what the other generals—not just this, even some captains got.

"Then why did I do this? Brothers, I thought at first that the more I helped him when he was in trouble, the more friendly I would be to him, and the more I would be friends with him when he was in power. But in fact, as soon as he got in It shows your true colors. You might say, 'Aren't you ashamed to be so stupid?' Gosh, of course I would be ashamed if I were duped by an enemy.But I think it is more shameful for a friend to deceive than a deceived person.For if we are to be wary of a friend, we are most wary of giving him a reasonable excuse for not paying what has been promised.For with him we neither offended nor spoiled his affairs, nor did we cower cowardly at any task he set us.

"But you might say that he should have asked for a guarantee so he couldn't have cheated us. In answering this question, please listen to what I should not have said in front of this person, were it not that you seemed terribly confused—or at least terribly ungrateful to me.Recall how difficult your situation was then.I brought you to Certus and rescued you from your troubles.Did you not go to Pelinthus? Didn't Aristarchus the Rasidemonian prohibit people from entering, and shut the door to reject them?So you camped in the open air, though it was the depths of winter.You buy your supplies from a market, though there is not much for sale, and all you have in your hands with which to buy is little.But you were compelled to remain on the coast of Thrace, where the hostile ships prevented you from crossing Asia.Stay there and you can only be in enemy territory, there are many cavalry and many light armored soldiers against you.On our side we do have a heavily armored force, and food may be obtained, though by no means in great quantities, by attacking villages in collective action.But we have no force with which to pursue and capture slaves or cattle, for there are no more cavalry or light troops among you.

"You were in such dire straits that if I had asked for no payment but the confederacy of Certus with cavalry and light soldiers that you lacked, you would have thought I had made a bad idea for you. ?I think you remember that when you unite with these bands, you not only get more food in the villages, because the Thracians are forced to flee more hastily, but you also get a larger share of livestock and captives. .In fact, we never saw the face of the enemy again after we had cavalry, and before that the enemy always followed us arrogantly with cavalry and light soldiers, preventing us from spreading out in small groups to obtain more supplies.Is it a great misfortune, then, if the man who helps you to obtain this security does not pay you well in addition?Do you think it is impossible to let me live because of this?

"What is your situation now that you are leaving here? Don't you have enough supplies to survive the winter? Don't you know what you got from Seuthes? Because what you have used is all that the enemy has, And while enjoying these you need not pay any casualties or lose anything. And the heroic deeds you performed in the previous crusade against the Gentiles in Asia, you did not keep everything and now conquer your rivals in battle, the Europa Thracians , And thus gain some other glory? As I see it, I think you ought to thank the gods with all justice for those things which annoy me, and count them as good fortune.

"That is all about your situation. Now, in the name of the gods, come and consider my own situation. When I first set out to return to my country, I was honored with you when I left, and through you I was I also have a reputation in the hearts of the Greeks. I also have the trust of the Rasidemones, otherwise they would not send me back to you. Now when I go, I will be trusted by you in the presence of the Rasidemonians. A reproach to me, and hated by Seuthes for your sake. I would have used you to serve him well, and he would give me a good sanctuary, for myself and my children, if there were children .For you I am deeply hated, and it is the hatred of people who are much stronger than me. For you I have been working hard until now, and you are treating me like this!

"Now I am in your hands, neither a captured deserter nor a runaway slave. If you do what you have just said, you will undoubtedly kill a man who has spent so many sleepless nights for you , a man who, regardless of his duties, his duties, and all the hardships you have endured, a man who, with God's help, has built with you many monuments of victories against the foreigners, who has done his best to restrain you from making you uneasy. Anyone who makes enemies of Greeks. In fact, you are free and safe to go on the road, wherever you want, by land or sea. When such great freedom is presented to you, when you are about to set sail to the destination you have longed for Where to go, and the time when the most powerful wants your help, when the pay is in sight and the leader who is considered the most powerful has come to lead you, you, hey, you think this is the time to kill me hastily Surely not in our time of trouble; oh, you remember better than anyone else. More than that, when you called me 'Father' and promised never to forget that I was a benefactor! Now come to ask for you It is by no means a person who lacks the ability to discern. If you treat me like this, I don't think they will have a good impression of you." Having said this, Xenophon stopped. At this time, Carminus of Rasidemon stood up and spoke, saying, "Gods, I don't think you have any justice in hating this man. I can testify for him myself. When I and Polynicus When Satus was asked what Xenophon was like, he had nothing to blame for him, but said that he was 'too much loved by soldiers', and therefore not so advantageous, whether in our Lasidemonian opinion, For himself." Then Eurylochus the Lycian stood up and said: "Yes, friends of Rasidemon, I think that you should first lead us in this matter, whether Satus wills or not. Nay, demand our pay from him, and not take us away till we have it." Polycrates the Athenian, encouraged by Xenophon, said: "Behold, brethren, I see that Heraclides was also present. .. He kept what we had so much trouble acquired, and sold them, but neither gave Seuthes nor us the proceeds of the sale, but took the money for himself. Therefore, if we It is wise to arrest him. Because this guy is not a Thracian, but a Greek, but he is violating the Greeks. " Hearing this, Heraclides was particularly frightened.Then he went to Satus, saying, "If we are wise, we should get out of this place, and get rid of the power of these fellows." So they mounted their horses and galloped to their own camp.Afterwards Setus sent his interpreter, Abrozelmus, to Xenophon, and urged him to stay with him with a thousand men of armor, promising to give him not only some of the castles on the coast, but all the castles that had formerly been Give him everything else that was promised.He also said in the utmost secrecy that he had heard from Polynicus that if Xenophon should fall into the hands of the Rasidemonians, he would surely be put to death by Tiburon.There were many others who sent the message that he had been slandered and that he had better be on his guard.After hearing these reports, he took two sacrifices and offered them to King Zeus, asking him what he should do better and what would be more beneficial: To stay with him on the terms set by Satus, or to go away with the army.The oracle told him to go away.