17 Xenophon’s Anabasis

Book |V (D)

When it was about the last watch (Hénika d’ én amphi tén teleutaian phulakén), and enough of the night remained to allow them to cross the plain in the dark (kai eleipeto tés nuktos hoson skotaious dielthein to pedion), at that time they arose upon the word of command (ténikauta anastantes apo parangelseós) and set out on their march (poreuomenoi); and hey reached the mountain at daybreak (aphiknountai hama téi hémerai pros to oros). Here Cheirisophus with his own division and all the light-armed troops, led the van (entha dé Cheirisophos men hégeito tou strateumatos labón to amph’ auton kai tous gumnétas pantas), while Xenophon followed behind with the hoplites of the rearguard (Xenophón de sun tois opistophulaxi hoplitais heipeto), but without any light troops at all (oudena echón gumnéta); for there seemed to be no danger (oudeis gar kindunos edokei einai) of any pursuit from behind while they were proceeding uphill (mé tis anó poreuomenón ek tou opisthen epispoito). And Cheirisophus reached the summit of the pass before any of the enemy perceived him (kai epi men to akron anabainei Cheirisophos prin tinas aisthesthai tón polemión); then he led on slowly (epeita d‘ huphégeito), and each division of the army as it passed over the summit followed along to the villages (epheipeto de aei to huperballon tou strateumatos eis tas kómas) which lay in the hollows and nooks of the mountains (tas en tois ankesi te kai muchois tón oreón). Then it was (entha dé) that the Carduchians abandoned their houses (hoi men Kardouchoi eklipontes tas oikias) and fled to the mountains with their wives and children (echontes tas gunaikas kai paidas epheugon epi ta oré). As for provisions (ta de epitédeia), there was abundance for the Greeks to take (polla én lambanein), and the houses were also supplied with bronze vessels in great numbers (ésan de kai chalkómasi pampollois kataskeuasmenai hai oikiai); the Greeks, however, did not carry any of these (hón ouden epheron hoi Hellénes), and did not pursue the people themselves (oude tous anthrópous ediókon), refraining from harshness (hupopheidomenoi) on the chance that the Carduchians might perhaps be willing to let them pass through their country in friendship (ei pós etheléseian hoi Kardouchoi diienai autous hós dia philias tés chóras), seeing that thy also were enemies of the King (epeiper basilei polemioi ésan); but they did take whatever they chanced upon in the way of provisions (ta mentoi epitédeia hotói tis epitunchanoi elambanen), for that was necessary (ananké gar én). The Carduchians, however (hoi de Kardouchoi), would neither listen when they called to them (oute kalountón hupékouon) nor give any other sign of friendliness (oute allo philikon ouden epoioun). And when the rearguard of the Greeks was descending from the summit of the pass to the villages (epei de hoi teleutaioi tón Hellénón katebaion eis tas kómas apo tou akrou) – and by this time it was dark (édé skotaioi),  for on account of the road being narrow their assent and descent lasted through the entire day (dia gar to stenén einai tén hodon holén tén hémeran hé anabasis autois egeneto kai katabasis) – at this moment (tote dé) some of the Carduchians gathered together (sullegentes tines tón Kardouchón) and attacked the hindmost Greeks (tois teleutaiois epetithento); and they killed some (kai apekteinan tinas) and wounded others severely with stones and arrows  (kai lithois kai toxeumasi katetrósan), though they were themselves but a few in number (oligoi ontes); for the Greek army had come upon them unexpectedly (ex aprosdokétou gar autois epepese to Hellénikon). If, however, a large number of them had gathered together at that time (ei mentoi tote pleious sunelegésan), a great part of the army would have been in danger of being destroyed (ekinduneusen an diaphtharénai polu tou strateumatos). Thus the Greeks bivouacked for he night in the villages (kai tautén men tén nukta houtós en tais kómais éulisthésan), while the Carduchians (hoi de Kardouchoi) kindled many fires round about on the mountains (pura polla ekaion kuklói epi tón oreón) and kept shouting to one another (kai suneboón allélous).

At daybreak (Hama de téi hémerai) the generals and captains of the Greeks came together (sunelthousi tois stratégois kai lochagois tón Hellénón) and resolved (edoxe) to keep with them on the march only the indispensable and most powerful baggage animals (tón te hupozygión ta anankaia kai dunatótata echontas poreuesthai) and to leave the rest behind (katalipontas t’alla); likewise (kai), to let go all the newly taken captives that were in the army, to the last man (hosa én neósti aichmalóta andrapoda en téi stratiai panta apheinai). For the baggage animals and the captives, numerous as they were, made the march slow (scholaian gar epoioun tén poreian polla onta ta hupozygia kai ta aichmalóta), and the large number of men who had charge of them were thus taken out of the fighting line (polloi de hoi epi toutón ontes apomachoi ésan); besides, with so many people to feed it was necessary to procure and to carry twice the amount of provisions (diplasia te epitédeia edei porizesthai kai pheresthai pollón tón anthrópón ontón). This decision once reached (doxan de tauta), they published the order to carry it into effect (ekéruxan houtó poiein).