19 Xenophon’s Anabasis

Thereupon it was decided (Entautha d’ edokei) to call together the captains (sunkalesantas lochagous), both of peltasts and hoplites (kai peltastas kai tón hoplitón), to set forth to them the existing situation (legein te ta paronta), and to ask (kai erótan) if there was any one among them (ei tis autón estin) who would like to prove himself a brave man (hostis anér agathos etheloi an genesthai) and to undertake this expedition as a volunteer (kai hupostas ethelontés poreuesthai). Volunteers came forward, from the hoplites Aristonymus of Methydriun and Agasias of Stymphalus (huphistatai tón men hoplitón Aristónumos Methudrieus kai Agasias Stumphalios), while in rivalry to them (antistasiazón autois) Callimachus of Parrhasia said (Kallimachos Parrasios ephé) he was ready to make the expedition (ethelein poreuesthai) and take with him volunteers from the entire army (proslabón ethelontas ek pantos tou strateumatos); “for I know,” he continued (egó gar, ephé, oida), “that many of the young men will follow if I am in the lead (hoti hepsotai polloi tón neón emou hégoumenou).” Then they asked (ek toutón erótósin) whether any one among the captains of light troops (ei tis kai tón gumnétón taxiarchón) wanted to join in the march (etheloi sumporeuesthai). The volunteer was Aristeas of Chios (huphistatai Aristeas Chios), who on many occasions proved himself valuable to the army for such services (hos pollachou pollou axios téi stratiai eis ta toiauta egeneto).

It was now late afternoon (Kai én men deilé), and they ordered the volunteers (hoi d’ ekeleuon autous) to take a snatch of food (emphagontas) and set out (poreuesthai). They also bound the guide (kai ton hégemona désantes) and turned him to the volunteers (paradidoasin autois), and made an agreement with them that in case they should capture the height, they were to guard it through the night and give a signal at daybreak with a trumpet (kai suntithentai tén men nukta, én labósin to akron, to chórion phulattein, hama de téi hémerai téi salpingi sémainein); then those on the height (kai tous men anó ontas) were to proceed against the Carduchians who were holding the visible way out (ienai epi tous katechontas tén phaneran ekbasin), while the main army was to come to their support (autoi de sumboéthésein), pushing forward as fast as they could (ekbainontes hós an dunóntai tachista). This agreement concluded (tauta sunthemenoi), the volunteers, about two thousand in number, set out on their march (hoi men eporeuonto pléthos hós dischilioi); and there was a heavy downpour of rain (kai hudór polu én ex ouranou); at the same time Xenophon with the rearguard began advancing toward the visible way out (Xenophón de echón tous opisthophulakas hégeito pros tén phaneran ekbasin), in order that the enemy might be giving their attention to that road (hopós tautéi téi hodói hoi polemioi prosechoien ton noun) and that the party taking the roundabout route might, so far as possible, escape observation (kai hós malista lathoien hoi pperiiontes). But as soon as the troops of the rearguard were at a gorge which they had to cross before marching up the steep hill (epei de ésan epi charadrai hoi opisthophulakes hén edei diabantas pros to orthion ekbainein), at that moment the barbarians began to roll down round stones large enough for a wagon-load (ténikauta ekilindoun hoi barbaroi holoitrochous hamaxiaious), with larger and smaller ones also (kai meizous kai elattous); they came down with a crash upon the rocks below and the fragments of them flew in all directions, so that it was quite impossible even to approach the ascending road (hoi pheromenoi pros tas petras paiontes diesphendonónto, kai pantapasin oude pelasai hoion t’ én téi eisodói). Then some of the captains (enioi de tón lochagón), unable to proceed by this route (ei mé tautéi dunainto), would try another (alléi epeirónto), and they kept this up (kai tauta epoioun) until darkness came on (mechri skotos egeneto). It was not until they imagined that their withdrawal would be unobserved (epei de óionto aphaneis einai apiontes) that they went back to dinner (tote apélthon epi to deipnon) – and it chanced that they had no breakfast either (etunchanon de kai anaristoi ontes). The enemy, however (hoi mentoi polemioi), never stopped rolling down their stones all through the night (ouden epausanto di’ holés tés nuktos kulindountes tous lithous), as one could judge from the noise (tekmairesthai d’ én tói psophói).

Meanwhile the party with the guide (hoi d’ echontes ton hégemona), proceeding by a roundabout route (kuklói periiontes), found the guards sitting by the fire (katalambanousi tous phulakas amphi pur kathémenous), and after killing some of them (kai tous men katakainontes) and chasing away the others (tous de katadióxantes) they remained at the post themselves (autoi entauth’ emenon), supposing that they held the hight (hós to akron katechontes). In fact, they were not holding it (hoi d’ ou kateichon), for it was a round hill around them and past it ran this narrow road upon which the guards had been sitting (alla mastos én huper autón par’ hon én stené hauté hodos eph’ héi ekathénto hoi phulakes). Nevertheless, from the place they did hold there was a way of approach to the road, upon the visible road, where the main body of the enemy were stationed (ephodos mentoi autothen epi tous polemious én hoi epi téi phanerai hodói ekathénto). At this place, then, they passed the night (kai tén men nukta entautha diégagon), and when the day was beginning to break (epei d’ hémera hupephainen), they took up their march silently (eporeuonto sigéi) in battle array against the enemy (suntetagmenoi epi tous polemious); for there was a mist (kai gar homichlé egeneto), and consequently they got close up to them without being observed (hóst’ elathon engus proselthontes). When they did catch sight of one another (epei de eidon allélous), the trumpet sounded (hé te salpinx ephthenxato) and the Greeks raised the battle cry and rushed upon the enemy (kai alalaxantes hiento epi tous anthrópous). And the Carduchians did not meet their attack (hoi de ouk edexanto), but abandoned the road (alla lipontes tén hodon) and took to flight (pheugontes); only a few of them, however, were killed (oligoi apethnéiskon), for they were agile fellows (euzónoi gar ésan). Meanwhile Cheirisophus and his command (hoi de amphi Cheirisophon), hearing the trumpet (akousantes tés salpingos), charged immediately up the visible road (euthus hiento anó kata tén phaneran hodon); and some of the other generals (alloi de tón stratégón) made their way without following any road from the points where they severally chanced to be (kata atribeis hodous eporeuonto héi etuchon hekastoi ontes), clambering up as best they could (kai anabantes hós edunanto), pulled one another with their spears (animón allélous tois dorasi); and it was they who were first to join the troops that had already gained possession of the place (kai houtoi prótoi sunemeixan tois prokatalabousi to chórion).