cyropaedia-第23部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


hardened　by　toil；　trained　by　their　long　discipline；　every　man　in　the
front　a　leader；　and　all　of　them　alert。　They　had　laid　to　heart　the
lesson　of　many　a　day　that　it　was　always　safest　and　easiest　to　meet
enemies　at　close　quarters；　especially　archers；　javelin…men；　and
cavalry。　＇58＇　While　they　were　still　out　of　range；　Cyrus　sent　the
watchword　along　the　lines；　〃Zeus　our　help　and　Zeus　our　leader。〃　And　as
soon　as　it　was　returned　to　him；　he　sounded　the　first　notes　of　the
battle…paean；　and　the　men　took　up　the　hymn　devoutly；　in　one　mighty
chorus。　For　at　such　times　those　who　fear　the　gods　have　less　fear　of
their　fellow…men。　＇59＇　And　when　the　chant　was　over；　the　Peers　of
Persia　went　forward　side　by　side；　radiant；　high…bred；　disciplined；　a
band　of　gallant　comrades；　they　looked　into　each　other's　eyes；　they
called　each　other　by　name；　with　many　a　cheery　cry；　〃Forward；　friends；
forward；　gallant　gentlemen！〃　And　the　rear…ranks　heard　the　call；　and
sent　back　a　ringing　cheer；　bidding　the　van　lead　on。　The　whole　army　of
Cyrus　was　brimming　with　courage　and　zeal　and　strength　and　hardihood
and　comradeship　and　self…control；　more　terrible；　I　imagine；　to　an
opponent　than　aught　else　could　be。　＇60＇　On　the　Assyrian　side；　those　in
the　van　who　fought　from　the　chariots；　as　soon　as　the　mass　of　the
Persian　force　drew　near；　leapt　back　and　drove　to　their　own　main　body；
but　the　archers；　javelin…men；　and　slingers；　let　fly　long　before　they
were　in　range。　＇61＇　And　as　the　Persians　steadily　advanced；　stepping
over　the　spent　missiles；　Cyrus　called　to　his　men：

〃Forward　now；　bravest　of　the　brave！　Show　us　what　your　pace　can　be！〃

They　caught　the　word　and　passed　it　on；　and　in　their　eagerness　and
passion　for　the　fray　some　of　the　leaders　broke　into　a　run；　and　the
whole　phalanx　followed　at　their　heels。　＇62＇　Cyrus　himself　gave　up　the
regular　march　and　dashed　forward　at　their　head；　shouting：

〃Brave　men　to　the　front！　Who　follows　me？　Who　will　lay　the　first
Assyrian　low？〃

At　this　the　men　behind　took　up　the　shout　till　it　rang　through　the
field　like　a　battle…cry：　〃Who　follows？　Brave　men　to　the　front！〃　＇63＇
Thus　the　Persians　closed。　But　the　enemy　could　not　hold　their　ground；
they　turned　and　fled　to　their　entrenchments。　＇64＇　The　Persians　swept
after　them；　many　a　warrior　falling　as　they　crowded　in　at　the　gates　or
tumbled　into　the　trenches。　For　in　the　rout　some　of　the　chariots　were
carried　into　the　fosse；　and　the　Persians　sprang　down　after　them　and
slew　man　and　horse　where　they　fell。　＇65＇　Then　the　Median　troopers；
seeing　how　matters　stood；　charged　the　Assyrian　cavalry；　who　swerved
and　broke　before　them；　chased　and　slaughtered；　horse　and　rider；　by
their　conquerors。　＇66＇　Meanwhile　the　Assyrians　within　the　camp；　though
they　stood　upon　the　breastworks；　had　neither　wit　nor　power　to　draw　bow
or　fling　spear　against　the　destroyers；　dazed　as　they　were　by　their
panic　and　the　horror　of　the　sight。　Then　came　the　tidings　that　the
Persians　had　cut　their　way　through　to　the　gates；　and　at　that　they　fled
from　the　breastworks。　＇67＇　The　women；　seeing　the　rout　in　the　camp；
fell　to　wailing　and　lamentations；　running　hither　and　thither　in　utter
dismay；　young　maidens；　and　mothers　with　children　in　their　arms；
rending　their　garments　and　tearing　their　cheeks　and　crying　on　all　they
met；　〃Leave　us　not；　save　us；　save　your　children　and　yourselves！〃　＇68＇
Then　the　princes　gathered　the　trustiest　men　and　stood　at　the　gates；
fighting　on　the　breastworks　themselves；　and　urging　their　troops　to
make　a　stand。　＇69＇　Cyrus；　seeing　this；　and　fearing　that　if　his　handful
of　Persians　forced　their　way　into　the　camp　they　would　be　overborne　by
numbers；　gave　the　order　to　fall　back　out　of　range。　＇70＇　Then　was　shown
the　perfect　discipline　of　the　Peers；　at　once　they　obeyed　the　order　and
passed　it　on　at　once。　And　when　they　were　all　out　of　range　they　halted
and　reformed　their　ranks；　better　than　any　chorus　could　have　done；
every　man　of　them　knowing　exactly　where　he　ought　to　be。


　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　NOTES

C1。6。　Oriental　in　feeling；　situation　well　realised。　Hellenic　=
Oriental；　also　in　part　perhaps。　Also；　we　know　the　Oriental　through　the
medium　of　Greek　to　a　great　extent　（cf。　Greek　Testament；　and　earlier
still　LXX。）。

C1。8；　init。　Cf。　Joseph　and　his　brethren　for　this　hardening　of　his
heart。

C1。11。　Hellenic　political　ethics　=　modern　in　this　matter；　apart　from
modern　theory　of　nationalism；　i。e。　right　of　nations　to　exist　free。

C1。12。　Quite　after　the　manner　of　an　advocate　in　a　Greek　law…court；　but
also　Oriental　（cf。　David　and　Nathan　the　seer）。

C1。24。　Fear　of　exile；　autobiographical　touch？　Is　anything　passing
through　the　mind　of　Xenophon？　I　dare　say　there　is。　＇Xenophon　was
banished　from　his　native　city　of　Athens　because　of　his　friendship　with
Sparta　and　with　Cyrus　the　Younger。　See　Works；　Vol。　I。　p。　xcix。＇

C1。33；　fin。　3000　talents。　Something　under　￡750；000。

C1。35。　Cyrus　drives　home　the　conscience　of　indebtedness　/à　la/　Portia
v。　Shylock。　N。B。Humorous　also　and　an　Oriental　tinge。

C1。38。　One　can't　help　thinking　of　Socrates　and　the　people　of　Athens
here。　If　so；　this　is　a　quasi…apology　for　the　Athenian　/bons　pères　de
famille/　who　condemned　Socrates。　Beautiful　story　of　the　sophist
teacher's　last　injunction　to　Tigranes。

C1。40…41。　What　smiles　after　tears！　Like　a　sunny　day　succeeding　clouds
and　blackness。　A　pretty　story　this；　of　the　wife　of　Tigranes。
/Xenophon's　women：/　this　one；　Pantheia；　Croesus'　wife；　the　wife　of
Ischomachus　（/Economist/）；　the　daughter　of　Gobryas。

C2。12。　Archaeologically　interesting。　N。B。Humanity　towards　wounded；
Hellenic。　Xenophon's　own　strategy　in　the　/Anabasis/　is　probably　the
prototype。

C2。15。　For　Hellenic　and　Xenophontine　religiousness。　The
incalculableness　of　human　life：　God　fulfils　himself　in　many　unforeseen
ways。　N。B。Irony　also　of　the　situation；　since　Cyrus　doesn't　intend
the　Armenian　to　triumph　over　the　Chaldaean　in　the　way　he　anticipates。

C2。20。　Note　how　Socratically　it　is　made　to　work　itself　out。

C3。　Cyrus；　the　Archic　Man；　the　〃born　ruler；〃　is　also　the　diplomatic
man　（cf。；　no　doubt；　Gladstone）；　a　diplomacy　based　on　organic　economic
sense　and　friendly…naturedness。

C3。10。　Xenophon's　theory　of　fraternity　in　action；　all　petty　jealousies
brushed　aside。

＇C3。11。　The　〃captains…of…twelve〃　and　the　〃captains…of…six〃　are　the
same　officers　as　those　called　elsewhere　〃captains…of…ten〃　and
〃captains…of…five〃　（cf。　above　Bk。　II。　C2。21　note）。　The　titles　vary
because　sometimes　the　officers　themselves　are　included　in　the　squads
and　sometimes　not。＇

C3。19。　Nice　touch；　quoting　his　father　as　an　authority。

C3。40。　With　garlands；　like　the　Spartans。　Was　it　conceivably　a　Persian
custom　too？

C3。44。　Assyrian's　speech；　not　a　bad　one；　though　platitudinous。
Xenophon's　dramatic　form　is　shown　in　the　intellectual　and　emotional
side　of　his　characters；　rather　than　by　the　diction　in　their　mouths；　is
it　not？

C3。51…52。　Most　important　for　Xenophon；　Educationalist。　Cyrus　on　the
powerlessness　of　a　speech　to　create　valour　in　the　soul　of　the
untrained：　there　must　be　a　physical；　moral；　and　spiritual　training
there　beforehand。　The　speech　is　in　Xenophon's　best　earnest　rhetorical
style。

C3。57。　The　march　into　battle；　/vide/　Milton。　A　beautiful　bit　of　word…
painting。

C3。58。　Cf。　the　Prussian　army　singing　a　hymn　＇in　1870＇。



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　BOOK　IV

＇C。1＇　Cyrus　waited；　with　his　troops　as　they　were；　long　enough　to　show
that　he　was　ready　to　do　battle　again　if　the　enemy　would　come　out；　but
as　they　did　not　stir　he　drew　the　soldiers　off　as　far　as　he　thought
well；　and　there　encamped。　He　had　guards　posted　and　scouts　sent
forward；　and　then　he　gathered　his　warriors　round　him　and　spoke　to　them
as　follows：

＇2＇　〃Men　of　Persia；　first　and　foremost　I　thank　the　gods　of　heaven　with
all　my　soul　and　strength；　and　I　know　you　render　thanks　with　me；　for　we
have　won　salvation　and　victory；　and　it　is　meet　and　right　to　thank　the
gods　for　all　that　comes　to　us。　But　in　the　next　place　I　must　praise
you；　one　and　all；　it　is　through　you　all　that　this　glorious　work　has
been　accomplished；　and　when　I　have　learnt　what　each　man's　part　has
been　from　those　whose　place　it　is　to　tell　me；　I　will　do　my　best　to
give　each　man　his　due；　in　word　and　deed。　＇3＇　But　I　need　none　to　tell
me　the　exploits　of　your　brigadier　Chrysantas；　he　was　next　to　me　in　the
battle　and　I　could　see　that　he　bore　himself　as　I　believe　you　all　have
done。　Moreover；　at　the　very　moment　when　I　called　on　him　to　retire；　he
had　just　raised　his　sword　to　strike　an　Assyrian　down；　but　he　heard　my
voice；　and　at　once　he　dropped　his　hand　and　did　my　bidding。　He　sent　the
word　along　the　lines　and　led　his　division　out　of　range　before　the
enemy　could　lay　one　arrow　to　the　string　or　let　one　javelin　fly。　Thus
he　brought　himself　and　his　men　safely　out　of　action；　because　he　had
learnt　to　obey。　＇4＇　But　some　of　you；　I　see；　are　wounded；　and　when　I
hear　at　what　moment　they　received　their　wounds　I　will　pronounce　my
opinion　on　their　deserts。　Chrysantas　I　know　already　to　be　a　true
soldier　and　a　man　of　sense；　able　to　command　because　he　is　able　to
obey；　and　here　and　now　I　put　him　at　the　head　of　a　thousand　troops；　nor
shall　I　forget　him　on　the　day　when　God　may　please　to　give　me　other
blessings。　＇5＇　There　is　one　reminder　I　would　make　to　all。　Never　let
slip　the　lesson　of　this　day's　encounter；　and　judge　for　yourselves
whether　it　is　cowardice　or　courage　that　saves　a　man　in　war；　whether
the　fighters　or　the　shirkers　have　the　better　chance；　and　what　the　joy
is　that　victory　can　yield。　To…day　of　all　days　you　can　decide；　for　you
have　made　the　trial　and　the　result　is　fresh。　＇6＇　With　such　thoughts　as
these　in　your　hearts　you　will　grow　braver　and　better　still。　And　now
you　may　rest　in　the　consciousness　that　you　are　dear　to　God　and　have
done　your　duty　bravely　and　steadily；　and　so　take　your　meal　and　make
your　libations　and　sing　the　paean　and　be　ready　for　the　watchword。〃

So　saying；　Cyrus　mounted　his　horse　and　galloped　on　to　Cyaxares；　and
the　two　rejoiced　together　as　victors　will。　And　then；　after　a　glance　at
matters　there　and　an　inquiry　if　aught　were　needed；　he　rode　back　to　his
own　detachment。　Then　the　evening　meal　was　taken　and　the　watches　were
posted　and　Cyrus　slept　with　his　men。

＇8