Now the Carduchians (Hoi de Kardouchoi), seeing that those who were left were by this time few in number (horóntes oligous édé tous loipous) (for many even of those detailed to stay (polloi gar kai tón menein tetagmenón) had gone off to look after pack animals or baggage or women, as the case might be (óichonto epimelomenoi hoi men hupozugión, hoi de skeuón, hoi d’ hetairón)), at that moment proceeded to press upon them boldly (entautha dé epekeinto thraseós) and began to sling stones and shoot arrows (kai érchonto sphendonan kai toxeuein). Then the Greeks struck up the paean and charged at them on the run (hoi de Hellénes paianisantes hórmésan dromói ep‘ autous), and they did not meet the attack (hoi de ouk edexanto); for while they were equipped well enough for attack and retreat in the mountains (kai gar ésan hóplismenoi hós men en tois oresin hikanós pros to epidramein kai pheugein), their equipment was not adequate for hand-to-hand fighting (pros de to eis cheiras dechesthai ouch hikanós). At that instant the Greek trumpeter sounded his signal (en toutói sémainei ho salpiktés); and while the enemy began to flee much faster than before (kai hoi men polemioi epheugon polu eti thatton), the Greeks turned about (hoi de Hellénes t’anantia strepsantes) and set out on their own flight through the river at top speed (epheugon dia tou potamou hoti tachista). Some few of the enemy (tón de polemión hoi men tines), perceiving this movement (aisthomenoi), ran back to the river (palin edramon epi ton potamon) and wounded a few Greeks with arrows (kai toxeuontes oligous etrósan), but most of them (hoi de polloi), even when the Greeks were on the other side (kai peran ontón tón Hellénón), could still be seen continuing their flight (eti phaneroi ésan pheugontes). But the troops that came to meet Xenophon (hoi de hupantésantes), behaving like men (andrizomenoi) and advancing further than they should have gone (kai prosóteró tou kairou proiontes), crossed back again in the rear of Xenophon’s command (husteron tón meta Xenophóntos diebésan palin); and some of them also were wounded (kai etróthésan tines kai toutón).
When they had accomplished the crossing (Epei de diebésan), they formed in line of
battle about midday (suntaxamenoi amphi meson hémeras) and marched through Armenia (eporeuthésan dia tés Armenias), over
entirely level country and gently sloping hills (pedion hapan kai leious gélophous), not less than five parasangs
(ou meion é pente
parasangas); for there were no villages near the river (ou gar ésan engus tou potamou kómai) because
of the wars between the Armenians and Crduchians (dia tous polemous tous
pros tous Kardouchous). The village which they finally reached (eis de
hén aphikonto kómén) was a large one (megalé te én) and had a palace for the
satrap (kai basileion eiche tói satrapéi), while most of the houses were
surmounted by turrets (kai epi tais pleistais oikiais turseis epésan); and provisions were
plentiful (epitédeia d‘ én
dapsilé). From there they marched two stages (enteuthen d’ eporeuthésan stathmous duo), ten
parasangs (parasangas deka), until they passed the headwaters of the
Tigris river (mechri huperélthon tas pégas tou Tigrétos potamou). From there they marched
three stages (enteuthen d’ eporeuthésan stathmous treis), fifteen parasangs (parasangas
pentekaideka), to the Teleboas river (epi ton Teleboan potamon).
This was a beautiful river, though not a large one (houtos d’ én kalos men, megas d‘ ou), and
there were many villages about it (kómai de pollai peri ton potamon ésan). This region was called
Western Armenia (ho de topos houtos Armenia ekaleito hé pros hesperan). Its lieutenant-governor
was Tiribazus (huparchos d’ én autés Tiribazos) who proved himself a friend of the King and
(ho kai basilei philos genomenos), so often as he was present (kai
hopote pareié),
was the only man permitted to help the King mount his horse (oudeis allos basilea
epi ton hippon aneballen). He rode up to the Greeks with a body of horsemen
(houtos parélasen hippeas echón), and sending forward an interpreter (kai
propempsas herménea),
said that he wished to confer with their commanders (eipen hoti bouloito dialechthénai tois archousi). The
generals decided to hear what he had to say (tois de stratégois edoxen akousai), and,
after approaching within hearing distance (kai proselthontes eis epékoon), they asked him what he
wanted (érótón ti thelei). He replied that he wished to
conclude a treaty (ho de eipen hoti speisasthai bouloito) with these
conditions (eph’ hói),
that he on his side would not harm the Greeks (méte autos tous Hellénas adikein), and that they should not
burn the houses (méte ekeinous
kaiein tas oikias), but might take all the provisions they needed (lambanein
te t’apitédeia hosón deointo). This proposition was accepted by the
generals (edoxe tauta tois stratégois), and they concluded a treaty on
these terms (kai espeisanto epi toutois).
From there they marched three stages (Enteuthen d’ eporeuthésan stathmous treis), fifteen
parasangs, through level country (dia pediou parasangas pentekaideka),
Tiribazus and his command following along at a distance of about ten stadia
from them (kai Tiribazos parékolouthei echón tén heautou dunamin apechón hós deka stadious);
and they reached a palace (kai aphikonto eis basileia) with many
villages round about it (kai kómas perix pollas) full of provisions in abundance (pollón tón epitédeión mestas).
While they were in camp there (stratopedeuomenón autón), there was a heavy fall of
snow during the night (gignetai tés nuktos xión pollé), and in the
morning they decided to quarter the several divisions of the army, with their
commanders, in the different villages (kai heóthen edoxe diaskénésai tas
taxeis kai tous stratégous kata tas kómas); for there was no enemy within
sight (ou gar heórón polemion oudena), and the plan seemed to be safe
one by reason of the great quantity of snow (kai asphales edokei einai dia
to pléthos tés chionos).
There they had all possible good things in the way of supplies (entautha
eichon ta epitédeia hosa estin agatha) – animals to sacrifice (hiereia),
grain (siton), old wines with a fine bouquet (oinous palaious euódeis), dried grapes (astaphidas),
and beans of all sorts (ospria pantodapa). But some men who straggled
away from their quarters reported (tón de aposkedannumenón tines apo tou stratopedou elegon) that
they saw in the night the gleam of a great many fires (hoti katidoien nuktór
polla pura phainonta). The generals accordingly decided (edokei dé tois stratégois) that it was
unsafe to have their divisions in separate quarters (ouk asphales einai
diaskénoun), and that they must bring all the troops together again (alla
sunagagein to strateuma palin); so they came together (enteuthen sunélthon),
especially as the storm seemed to be clearing up (kai gar edokei diaithriazein).
But there came such a tremendous fall of snow while hey were bivouacked there (nuktereuontón d‘ autón entautha epipiptei chión
apletos) that it completely covered both the arms and the men as they slept
(hóste apekrupse kai ta
hopla kai tous anthrópous katakeimenous), besides hampering the
baggage animals (kai ta hupozugia sunepodisen hé chión); and everybody was very
reluctant to get up (kai polus oknos én anistasthai), for as the men lay there the snow that had
fallen upon them – in case it did not slip off – was a source of warmth (katakeimenón gar aleeinon én hé chión epipeptókuia hotói mé pararrueiéi). But
once Xenophon had mustered the courage to get up without his cloak and set
about splitting wood (epei de Xenophón etolmése gumnos anastas schizein xula), another man also
speedily got up, took the axe away from him, and went on with the splitting (tach’
anastas tis kai allos ekeinou aphelomenos eschizen). Thereupon still others
got up (ek de toutou kai alloi anastantes) and proceeded to build fires (pur
ekaion) and anoint themselves (kai echrionto); for they found
ointment there in abundance (polu gar entautha héurisketo chrima) which they used in
place of olive oil (hói echrónto ant’ elaiou) – made of pork fat (sueion),
sesame (kai sésaminon), bitter almonds (amugdalinon ek tón pikrón),
or turpentine (kai terminthinon). They found also a fragrant oil made
out of the same ingredients (ek de tón autón toutón kai muron héurisketo).
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