CH. 6:] CYRUS'S DISCOURSE WITH CAMBYSES.

43

treat from them; how you should march past a city belonging to the enemy; how you should advance up to a rampart, or retreat from it; how you should pass through woods or rivers; how you should guard against cavalry, or javelin-men, or archers; how, if, when you are marching in columns, the enemy should appear, you should form a front against them; how, if, when you are marching in phalanx, the enemy appear in some other part than in front, you should advance upon them; how you may get the best intelligence of the enemy's affairs, and how the enemy may be best kept in ignorance of yours; what, on all these subjects, can I say to you? What I know of them, you have often heard from me; and whoever else appeared knowing in any such matters, you have not neglected to get information from them; nor are you ignorant of them; according to circumstances, therefore, you must turn these acquirements to advantage, as it may seem fit.

44. "Take my instruction, my son," said he, "likewise, on the following points, which are of the greatest importance: Never run into danger, either in your own person, or with your army, contrary to the sacrifices and auguries; reflecting how men engage in undertakings on conjecture, and without knowing in the least from what course of conduct benefits will result to them. 45. This you may see from the things themselves that happen; for many men, and such, too, as were thought to be very wise, have persuaded people to undertake war against those by whom those that were persuaded to be the aggressors have been destroyed. Many, also, have exalted both private men and cities, from whom, when exalted, they have suffered the greatest misfortunes. Many, too, having chosen rather to treat those as slaves than as friends, whom they might have treated as friends, giving and receiving reciprocal benefits, have met with retaliation at their hands. To many, likewise, it has not been sufficient to live in pleasure, possessing their own proper share of things; but, desiring to be lords of all, they have by this means lost what they had; and many, who have acquired the much wished for metal, gold, have perished by means of it. 46. Thus human wisdom knows no more how to choose what is best, than a man who, casting lots, should do whatever might chance to fall to him. But the ever-living gods, my son, know all things that have been, all things that are, and everything.

that shall happen from every other thing; and of such as consult them, they foreshow to those to whom they are propitious, what they ought and what they ought not to do. If they will not give advice to all, it is by no means wonderful; for no necessity obliges them to take care of those of whom they are unwilling to take care."

BOOK II.

CHAPTER I.

Cyrus arrives with the army in Media. His conversations with Cyaxares. He prevails with Cyaxares to allow new arms to be given to the Persians, who all receive the same equipments as the Equals-in-honour.

1. DISCOURSING on such subjects, they arrived at the borders of Persia; and as an eagle, appearing to the right, led the way before them, they made their supplications to the gods and heroes who presided over the land of Persia, to send them away favourably and propitiously, and crossed the borders. When they had crossed them, they again made supplication to the gods who preside over the land of Media, to receive them propitiously and favourably; and, having done so, and embraced each other, according to custom, the father returned into Persia,2 and Cyrus marched on into Media to join Cyaxares.

2. When Cyrus came to Cyaxares in Media, they first embraced each other, according to custom, and Cyaxares then asked Cyrus, "How large a force he was bringing him." He replied, "Thirty thousand of such as used to come to you before as mercenary troops, but there are others coming who have never served out of their own country, of the order of the Equals-in-honour." "How many?" said Cyaxares. 3.

1 'E ¿KáσTOV αrwv.] From everything, both of things past and of things present.

2 Eis Hépoas.] Dindorf reads siç móλe, but I have thought it better to desert him on this occasion, and read eis IIépoas with Schneider, Bornemann, and most other editors.

CH. 1.]

66

FORCES OF CYAXARES.

45

some one way and some an"We must then," said Cy"We must of necessity," re

"The number of them," replied Cyrus, "will scarcely please you, when you hear it; but consider," said he, "that those who are called the Equals-in-honour, though but few, rule with ease the rest of the Persians, who are very numerous. But," added he, are you in any real want of these men, or are you under a vain alarm, and the enemy not coming?" Assuredly they are," said he, "and in great numbers." 4. "How does this appear?" "Because a great many people, who come from that quarter, other, all tell the same tale." rus, engage with these men." plied Cyaxares. "Why do you not tell me then," said Cyrus, "if you know, what the number of these forces is, that are coming upon us, and what is the number of our own, that, knowing the strength of both, we may consult how to carry on the war in the best manner?" 5. "Hear, then," said Cyaxares: "Croesus, the Lydian, is said to be bringing with him ten thousand horse, and upwards of forty thousand peltasts and archers; they say, too, that Arsamas, governor of Greater Phrygia, is bringing horse to the number of eight thousand, and lancers and peltasts not less than forty thousand; that Aribæus, king of the Cappadocians, brings horse to the number of six thousand, and archers and peltasts not less than thirty thousand; and that Aragdus, the Arabian, is bringing cavalry as many as ten thousand, a hundred chariots, and a very large body of slingers. As to the Greeks that are settled in Asia, there is no certain intelligence as yet whether they have joined the expedition or not. But they say that Gabæus has assembled in the Caystrian plain,1 from Phrygia on the Hellespont, six thousand horse, and peltasts to the number of ten thousand. The Carians, Cilicians, and Paphlagonians, though summoned, they say, do not join the expedition. The Assyrian king, who possesses Babylon and the rest of Assyria, will, as I conjecture, bring not less than twenty thousand horse; chariots, I am well aware, not fewer than two hundred; and, I believe, a vast body of foot; at least he was accustomed to do so when he invaded this country." "The enemy then," said Cyrus, "you say, amount to sixty

6.

Either that plain of Caystrus which is mentioned in the Anabasis, i. 2. 11, or, as is more probable, the plain through which the river Cayster flowed. Bornemann.

thousand horse, and more than two hundred thousand peltasts and archers. But what then do you say is the number of your own forces?" "Of the Medes," said Cyaxares, the cavalry are above ten thousand; the peltasts and archers may be, perhaps, from such a territory as ours,' about sixty thousand; and of the Armenians, our neighbours, there will be with us four thousand horse and twenty thousand foot." "You say then," said Cyrus, "that our cavalry will be less than a third part of the enemy's, and our foot about half the number of theirs." 66 What, then," said Cyaxares, 7. "do you think that those Persians, whom you say you bring, are but an inconsiderable number?" "Whether we want more men," said Cyrus, "or not, we will consider hereafter; at present, pray tell me what is the mode of fighting that is in use with those several people." "It is nearly the same amongst them all," said Cyaxares; "there are archers and lancers among them, just like ours." "Then," said Cyrus, "since such are their arms, they must necessarily skirmish at a distance." Necessarily," said Cyaxares. 8. "In this case, therefore," said Cyrus, "the victory will fall to the greater number; for the few will be much sooner wounded and destroyed by the many, than the many by the few.” "If such be the case, Cyrus," said he, "what better expedient can we find than to send to the Persians, acquaint them that, if the Medes sustain any harm, the danger will extend to themselves, and, at the same time, request of them a greater force?" "Be well assured," said Cyrus, "that even if all the Persians should come, we should not exceed the enemy in numbers." 9. "What plan have you in view, then, that is better than this?" 66 "Why," said Cyrus, "if I had the power, I would immediately make, for all the Persians that are coming, such arms as those with which the Equals-in-honour come provided; and these are, a corslet over the breast, a shield for the left hand, and a bill, or short sword,2 for the right. If you provide these arms, you will make it safest for us to come to close fight with the enemy, and better for the enemy to flee than to stand their ground. Ourselves," said he, "we

66

1's iπì tñs ǹμεrépac.] Ut in nostrâ terrâ, i. e. pro ratione et tenuitate nostræ terræ. Bornemann.

2 Κοπὶς—ἢ σάγαρις.] I have chosen the two English words that appear to correspond most nearly to the Greek.

CH. 1.]

NEW ARMS PROVIDED.

47

range against those that stand; those that flee we leave to you and your horse, that they may have no time either to make their escape or to turn again." 10. Thus Cyrus suggested; and Cyaxares was of opinion that what he said was reasonable, and thought no longer of sending for more men, but proceeded to provide the arms already mentioned; and they were scarcely ready when the Equals-in-honour arrived from Persia, bringing the Persian army with them.

11. Soon after, Cyrus is said to have called them together, and to have addressed them thus: "My friends, I, who saw that you were armed, and prepared in mind for close combat with the enemy, and knew that the Persians who attend you were armed only in such manner as to skirmish from a distance, was afraid that, being but few in number, and destitute of others to support you, you might, when you fell in with the great number of the enemy, incur some misfortune. Now, therefore, you are come," said he, "you bring with you men whose bodies are not to be despised; and they are to be supplied with arms like our own; but to raise their courage will be our part. For it is the duty of an officer not only to be brave himself, but to take such care of those that he commands, that they may be as brave as is possible."

12. Thus spoke Cyrus; and they were all much pleased, seeing they should now engage the enemy with more to support them; and one of them spoke to this effect: 13. "Perhaps," said he, "I may be thought to talk strangely, if I advise Cyrus to say something on our behalf, when these men, who are to be our fellow-combatants, receive their arms; for I know," said he, "that the words of those who have the most power to do service or injury, sink deepest into the minds of the hearers; and if such men make presents, though they may happen to be less than those which men receive from their equals, yet the receivers value them more. Accordingly," said he, "our Persian supporters will be much more pleased on this occasion, if they receive an exhortation from Cyrus, than if they receive one from us. And when they are placed in the degree of the Equals-in-honour, they will think that they occupy it more securely, if the honour is conferred by the son of our king, and our commander-in-chief, than if they receive it from us. Nor ought endeavours to be wanting on our part; but we should, ourselves, by every possible means