Monday, November 18, 2024

24 Xenophon’s Anabasis

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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