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Consequently　there　was　another　meeting；　and　Xenophon　spoke　again：　〃Men；〃　said　he；　〃the　victims　are；　as　you　may　see　for　yourselves；　not　yet　favourable　to　the　march；　but　meanwhile；　I　can　see　for　myself　that　you　are　in　need　of　provisions；　accordingly　we　must　narrow　the　sacrifice　to　the　particular　point。〃　Some　one　got　up　and　said：　〃Naturally　enough　the　victims　are　unfavourable；　for；　as　I　learnt　from　some　one　on　a　vessel　which　arrived　here　yesterday　by　accident；　Cleander；　the　governor　at　Byzantium；　intends　coming　here　with　ships　and　men…of…war。〃　Thereat　they　were　all　in　favour　of　stopping；　but　they　must　needs　go　out　for　provisions；　and　with　this　object　he　again　sacrificed　three　times；　and　the　victims　remained　adverse。　Things　had　now　reached　such　a　pass　that　the　men　actually　came　to　Xenophon's　tent　to　proclaim　that　they　had　no　provisions。　His　sole　answer　was　that　he　would　not　lead　them　out　till　the　victims　were　favourable。

So　again　the　next　day　he　sacrificed；　and　nearly　the　whole　army；　so　strong　was　the　general　anxiety；　flocked　round　the　victims；　and　now　the　very　victims　themselves　failed。　So　the　generals；　instead　of　leading　out　the　army；　called　the　men　together。　Xenophon；　as　was　incumbent　on　him；　spoke：　〃It　is　quite　possible　that　the　enemy　are　collected　in　a　body；　and　we　shall　have　to　fight。　If　we　were　to　leave　our　baggage　in　the　strong　place〃　（pointing　overhead）　〃and　sally　forth　prepared　for　battle；　the　victims　might　favour　us。〃　But　the　soldiers；　on　hearing　　　　　　22　this　proposal；　cried　out；　〃No　need　to　take　us　inside　that　place；　better　sacrifice　with　all　speed。〃　Now　sheep　there　were　none　any　longer。　So　they　purchased　oxen　from　under　a　wagon　and　sacrificed；　and　Xenophon　begged　Cleanor　the　Arcadian　to　superintend　the　sacrifice　on　his　behalf；　in　case　there　might　be　some　change　now。　But　even　so　there　was　no　improvement。

Now　Neon　was　general　in　place　of　Cheirisophus；　and　seeing　the　men　suffering　so　cruelly　from　want；　he　was　willing　to　do　them　a　good　turn。　So　he　got　hold　of　some　Heracleot　or　other　who　said　he　knew　of　villages　close　by　from　which　they　could　get　provisions；　and　proclaimed　by　herald：　〃If　any　one　liked　to　come　out　and　get　provisions；　be　it　known　that　he；　Neon；　would　be　their　leader。〃　So　out　came　the　men　with　spears；　and　wine　skins　and　sacks　and　other　vesselstwo　thousand　strong　in　all。　But　when　they　had　reached　the　villages　and　began　to　scatter　for　the　purpose　of　foraging；　Pharnabazus's　cavalry　were　the　first　to　fall　upon　them。　They　had　come　to　the　aid　of　the　Bithynians；　wishing；　if　possible；　in　conjunction　with　the　latter；　to　hinder　the　Hellenes　from　entering　Phrygia。　These　troopers　killed　no　less　than　five　hundred　of　the　men；　the　rest　fled　for　the　lives　up　into　the　hill　country。

News　of　the　catastrophe　was　presently　brought　into　camp　by　one　of　those　who　had　escaped；　and　Xenophon；　seeing　that　the　victims　had　not　been　favourable　on　that　day；　took　a　wagon　bullock；　in　the　absence　of　other　sacrificial　beasts；　offered　it　up；　and　started　for　the　rescue；　he　and　the　rest　under　thirty　years　of　age　to　the　last　man。　Thus　they　picked　up　the　remnant　of　Neon's　party　and　returned　to　camp。　It　was　now　about　sunset；　and　the　Hellenes　in　deep　despondency　were　making　their　evening　meal；　when　all　of　a　sudden；　through　bush　and　brake；　a　party　of　Bithynians　fell　upon　the　pickets；　cutting　down　some　and　chasing　the　rest　into　camp。　In　the　midst　of　screams　and　shouts　the　Hellenes　ran　to　their　arms；　one　and　all；　yet　to　pursue　or　move　the　camp　in　the　night　seemed　hardly　safe；　for　the　ground　was　thickly　grown　with　bush；　all　they　could　do　was　to　strengthen　the　outposts　and　keep　watch　under　arms　the　livelong　night。



V

And　so　they　spent　the　night；　but　with　day…dawn　the　generals　led　the　　　　　1　way　into　the　natural　fastness；　and　the　others　picked　up　their　arms　and　baggage　and　followed　the　lead。　Before　the　breakfast…hour　arrived；　they　had　fenced　off　with　a　ditch　the　only　side　on　which　lay　ingress　into　the　place；　and　had　palisaded　off　the　whole；　leaving　only　three　gates。　Anon　a　ship　from　Heraclea　arrived　bringing　barleymeal；　victim　animals；　and　wine。

Xenophon　was　up　betimes；　and　made　the　usual　offering　before　starting　on　an　expedition；　and　at　the　first　victim　the　sacrifice　was　favourable。　Just　as　the　sacrifice　ended；　the　seer；　Arexion　the　Parrhasian；　caught　sight　of　an　eagle；　which　boded　well；　and　bade　Xenophon　lead　on。　So　they　crossed　the　trench　and　grounded　arms。　Then　proclamation　was　made　by　herald　for　the　soldiers　to　breakfast　and　start　on　an　expedition　under　arms；　the　mob　of　sutlers　and　the　captured　slaves　would　be　left　in　camp。　Accordingly　the　mass　of　the　troops　set　out。　Neon　alone　remained；　for　it　seemed　best　to　leave　that　general　and　his　men　to　guard　the　contents　of　the　camp。　But　when　the　officers　and　soldiers　had　left　them　in　the　lurch；　they　were　so　ashamed　to　stop　in　camp　while　the　rest　marched　out；　that　they　too　set　out；　leaving　only　those　above　five…and…forty　years　of　age。

These　then　stayed；　while　the　rest　set　out　on　the　march。　Before　they　had　gone　two　miles；　they　stumbled　upon　dead　bodies；　and　when　they　had　brought　up　the　rear　of　the　column　in　a　line　with　the　first　bodies　to　be　seen；　they　began　digging　graves　and　burying　all　included　in　the　column　from　end　to　end。　After　burying　the　first　batch；　they　advanced；　and　again　bringing　the　rear　even　with　the　first　unburied　bodies　which　appeared；　they　buried　in　the　same　way　all　which　the　line　of　troops　included。　Finally；　reaching　the　road　that　led　out　of　the　villages　where　the　bodies　lay　thick　together；　they　collected　them　and　laid　them　in　a　common　grave。

It　was　now　about　midday；　when　pushing　forward　the　troops　up　to　the　villages　without　entering　them；　they　proceeded　to　seize　prvoisions；　laying　hands　on　everything　they　could　set　eyes　on　under　cover　of　their　　7　lines；　when　suddenly　they　caught　sight　of　the　enemy　cresting　certain　hillocks　in　front　of　them；　duly　marshalled　in　linea　large　body　of　cavalry　and　infantry。　It　was　Spithridates　and　Rhathines；　sent　by　Pharnabazus　with　their　forec　at　their　backs。　As　soon　as　the　enemy　caught　sight　of　the　Hellenes；　they　stood　still；　about　two　miles　distant。　Then　Arexion　the　seer　sacrificed；　and　at　the　first　essay　the　victims　were　favourable。　Whereupon　Xenophon　addressed　the　other　generals：　〃I　would　advise；　sirs；　that　we　should　detach　one　or　more　flying　columns　to　support　our　main　attack；　so　that　in　case　of　need　at　any　point　we　may　have　reserves　in　readiness　to　assist　our　main　body；　and　the　enemy；　in　the　confusion　of　battle；　may　find　himself　attacking　the　unbroken　lines　of　troops　not　hitherto　engaged。〃　These　views　approved　themselves　to　all。　〃Do　you　then；〃　said　he；　〃lead　on　the　vanguard　straight　at　the　enemy。　Do　not　let　us　stand　parleying　here；　now　that　we　have　caught　sight　of　him　and　he　of　us。　I　will　detach　the　hindmost　companies　in　the　way　we　have　decided　upon　and　follow　you。〃　After　that　they　quietly　advanced；　and　he；　withdrawing　the　rear…rank　companies　in　three　brigades　consisting　of　a　couple　of　hundred　men　apiece；　commissioned　the　first　on　the　right　to　follow　the　main　body　at　the　distance　of　a　hundred　feet。　Samolas　the　Achaean　was　in　command　of　this　brigade。　The　duty　of　the　second；　under　the　command　of　Pyrrhias　the　Arcadian；　was　to　follow　in　the　centre。　The　last　was　posted　on　the　left；　with　Phrasias；　an　Athenian；　in　command。　As　they　advanced；　the　vanguard　reached　a　large　and　difficult　woody　glen；　and　halted；　not　knowing　whether　the　obstacle　needed　to　be　crossed　or　not。　They　passed　down　the　word　for　the　generals　and　officers　to　come　forward　to　the　front。　Xenophon；　wondering　what　it　was　that　stopped　the　march；　and　presently　hearing　the　above　order　passed　along　the　ranks；　rode　up　with　all　speed。　As　soon　as　they　were　met；　Sophaenetus；　as　the　eldest　general；　stated　his　opinion　that　the　question；　whether　a　gully　of　that　kind　ought　to　be　crossed　or　not；　was　not　worth　discussing。　Xenophon；　with　some　ardour；　retorted：　〃You　know；　sirs；　I　have　not　been　in　the　habit　hitherto　of　introducing　you　to　danger　which　you　might　avoid。　It　is　not　your　reputation　for　courage　surely　that　is　at　stake；　but　your　　　　14　safe　return　home。　But　now　the　matter　stands　thus：　It　is　impossible　to　retire　from　this　point　without　a　battle；　if　we　do　not　advance　against　the　enemy　ourselves；　he　will　follow　us　as　soon　as　we　have　turned　our　backs　and　attack　us。　Consider；　then；　is　it　better　to　go　and　meet　the　foe　with　arms　advanced；　or　with　arms　reversed　to　watch　him　as　he　assails　us　on　our　rear？　You　know　this　at　any　rate；　that　to　retire　before　an　enemy　has　nothing　glorious　about　it；　whereas　attack　engenders　courage　even　in　a　coward。　For　my　part；　I　would　rather　at　any　time　attack　with　half　my　men　than　retreat　with　twice　the　number。　As　to　these　fellows；　if　we　attack　them；　I　am　sure　you　do　not　really　expect　them　to　await　us；　though；　if　we　retreat；　we　know　for　certain　they　will　be　emboldened　to　pursue　us。　Nay；　if　the　result　of　crossing　is　to　place　a　difficult　gully　behind　us　when　we　are　on　the　point　of　engaging；　surely　that　is　an　advantage　worth　seizing。　At　least；　if　it　were　left　to　me；　I　would　choose　that　everything　should　appear　smooth　and　passable　to　the　enemy；　which　may　invite　retreat；　but　for　ourselves　we　may　bless　the　ground　which　teaches　us　that　except　in　victory　we　have　no　deliverance。　It　astonishes　me　that　any　one　should　deem　this　particular　gully　a　whit　more　terrible　than　any　of　the　other　barriers　which　we　have　successfully　passed。　How　impassable　was　the　plain；　had　we　failed　to　conquer　their　cavalry！　how　insurmountable　the　mountains　already　traversed　by　us；　with　all　their　peltasts　in　hot　pursuit　at　our　heels！　Nay；　when　we　have　safely　reached　the　sea；　the　Pontus　will　present　a　somewhat　formidable　gully；　when　we　have　neither　vessels　to　convey　us　away　nor　corn　to　keep　us　alive　whilst　we　stop。　But　we　shall　no　sooner　be　there　than　we　must　be　off　again　to　get　provisions。　Surely　it　is　better　to　fight　to…day　after　a　good　breakfast　than　to…morrow　on　an　empty　stomach。　Sirs；　the　offerings　are　favourable　to　us；　the　omens　are　propitious；　the　victims　more　than　promising；　let　us　attack　the　enemy！　Now　that　they　have　had　a　good　look　at　us；　these　fellows　must　not　be　allowed　to　enjoy　their　dinners　or　choose　a　camp　at　their　own　sweet　will。〃

After　that　the　officers　bade　him　lead　on。　None　gainsaid；　and　he　led　the　wa