The end of Meno

Xenophon says in Anabasis II.vi.28-29: ‘To be sure, in matters that are doubtful (Kai\ ta\ me\n dh\ a0fanh=) one may be mistaken about him (e1cesti peri\ au0tou= yeu/desqai), but the facts which everybody knows are the following (a4 de\ pa/ntej i1sasi ta/d’ e0sti/). From Aristippus he secured, while still in the bloom of youth, an appointment as general of his mercenaries (para\ Aristi/ppou me\n e1ti w(rai=oj w@n strathgei=n diepra/cato tw~n ce/nwn); with Ariaeus, who was a barbarian (A0riai/w| de\ barba/rw| o1nti), he became extremely intimate for the reason that Ariaeus [general under Cyrus] was fond of beautiful youths (o3ti meiraki/oij a0gaqoi=j h3deto, oi0keio/tatoj e0ge/neto); and, lastly, he himself while still beardless, had a bearded favourite named Tharypas (au0to\j de\ paidika\ ei]xe Qaru/pan a0ge/nioj w@n geneiw~nta). Now when his fellow-generals were put to death for joining Cyrus in his expedition against the King (a0poqnh|sko/ntwn de\ tw~n sustrath/gwn o3ti e0stra/teusan e0pi\ basile/a cu\n Ku/rw|),), he, who had done the same thing, was not so treated (tau0ta\ pepoihkw_j ou0k a0pe/qane), but it was after the execution of the other generals that the King visited the punishment of death upon him; and he was not, like Clearchus and the rest of the generals, beheaded (meta\ de\ tw~n a1lllwn strathgw~n timwrhqei\j u9po\ basile/wj a0pe/qanen, ou0x w#sper Kle/arxoj kai\ oi9 a1lloi strathgoi\ a0poqmhqe/ntej ta\j kefala/j) – a manner of death which is counted speediest (o3sper ta/xistoj qa/natoj dokei= ei]nai) – but, report says, was tortured alive for a year and so met the death of a scoundrel (a0lla\ zw~n ai0kisqei\j e0niauto\n w(j ponhro\j le/getai th=j teleuth=j tuxei=n).’

Why was this terrible death imposed on Meno?

Xenophon narrates that when Cyrus’ army reached the river Euphrates, the mercenaries were refusing to cross the river; they were hired to march against rebellious tribes, not against the King. The men decided to have an assembly in which to decide what to do. ‘But as for Menon (Me/nwn de/), before it was clear (pri\n dh=lon ei]nai) what the rest of the soldiers would do (ti/ poih/swsi oi9 a1lloi stratiw~tai), that is, whether they would follow Cyrus or not (po/teron e3yontai Ku/rw| h2 ou1), he gathered together his own troops (sune/lece to\ au9tou= stra/teuma) apart from the others (xwri\j tw~n a1llwn) and spoke as follows (kai\ e1lece ta/de): “Soldiers (A1ndrej), if you will obey me (e0a/n moi peisqh=te), without either danger or toil (ou1te kinduneu/santej ou1te ponh/santej), you will be honoured by Cyrus above and beyond the rest of the troops (tw~n a1llwn ple/on protimh/sesqe stratiwtw~n u9po\ Ku/rou). What, then, do I direct to do (ti/ ou]n keleu/w poih=sai;)? At this moment Cyrus is begging the Greeks to follow him against the King (nu=n dei=tai Ku=roj e3pesqai tou\j E#llhnaj e0pi\ basile/a); my own plan, then (e0gw_ ou]n fhmi), is that you should cross the Euphrates river (u9ma=j xrh=nai diabh=nai to\n Eu0fra/thn potamo/n) before it is clear (pri\n dh=lon ei]nai) what answer the rest of the Greeks will make to Cyrus (o3 ti oi9 a1lloi E#llhnej a0pokrinou=ntai Ku/rw|). For if they vote to follow him (h]n me\n ga\r yhfi/swntai e3pesqai), it is you who will get the credit for that decision (u9mei=j do/cete ai1tioi ei]nai) because you began the crossing (a1rcantej tou= diabai=nein), and Cyrus will not only feel grateful to you, regarding you as the most zealous in his cause, but he will return the favour (kai\ w(j proqumota/toij ou]sin u9mi=n xa/rin ei1setai Ku=roj kai\ a0podw&sei) – and he knows how to do that if any man does (e0pi/statai d’ ei1 tij kai\ a1lloj); on the other hand, if the rest vote not to follow him (h2n de\ a0poyhfi/swntai oi9 a1lloi), we shall all go back together (a1pimen me\n a3pantej tou1mpalin), but you, as the only ones who were obedient (u9mi=n de\ w(j mo/noij peiqome/noij), are the men he will employ, not only for garrison duty, but for captaincies (xrh/setai kai\ ei0j frou/ria kai\ ei0j loxagi/aj); and whatever else you may desire (kai\ a1llou ou[tinoj a2n de/hsqe), I know that you, as friends of Cyrus, will secure from him (oi]da o3ti w(j fi/loi teu/cesqe Ku/rou).” Upon hearing these words (a0kou/santej tau=ta) the soldiers were persuaded (e0pei/qonto), and made the crossing (kai\ die/bhsan) before the rest gave their answer (pri\n tou\j a1llouj a0pokri/nasqai). When Cyrus learned that they had crossed (Ku=roj d’ e0pei\ h1|sqeto diabebhko/taj), he was delighted (h3sqh te) and sent Glus to the troops with this message (kai\ tw|~ strateu/mati pe/myaj Glou=n ei]pen): “Soldiers, today I commend you (E)gw_ me/n, w} a1ndrej, h1dh u9ma=j e0painw~); but I shall see to it that you also shall have cause to commend me (o3pwj de\ kai\ u9mei=j e0me\ e0paine/sete e0moi\ melh/sei), else count me no longer Cyrus (h1 mhke/ti me Ku=ron nomi/zete).” So Menon’s troops cherished high hopes (oi9 me\n dh\ stratiw~tai e0n e0lpi/si mega/laij o1ntej) and prayed that he might be successful (hu1xonto au0to\n eu0tuxh=sai), while to Menon himself Cyrus was said to have sent magnificent gifts besides (Me/nwni de\ kai\ dw~ra e0le/geto pe/myai megaloprepw~j). (Anabasis I.iv.13-17, tr. Carleton L. Brownson)