On the next day (Téi d’ epiouséi hémerai) Xenophon took the village chief and set out to visit Cheirisophus (Xenophón labón ton kómarchon pros Cheirisophon eporeueto); whenever he passed a village (hopou de parioi kómén), he would turn aside to visit the troops quartered there (etrepeto pros tous en tais kómais), and everywhere he found them faring sumptuously and in fine spirits (kai katelambane pantachou euóchoumenous kai euthumoumenous); there was no place from which the men would let them go until they had served them a luncheon (kai oudamothen aphiesan prin paratheinai autois ariston), and no place where they did not serve on the same table lamb, kid, pork, veal, and poultry (ouk én d’ hopou ou paretithesan epi tén autén trapezan krea arneia, eripheia, choireia, moscheia, ornitheia), together with many loaves of bread (sun pollois artois), some of wheat and some of barley (tois men purinois tois de krithinois). And whenever a man wanted out of good fellowship to drink another’s health (hopote de tis philophronoumenos tói bouloito propiein), he would draw him to the bowl (heilken epi ton kratéra), and then one had to stoop over and drink from it (enthen epikupsanta edei rophounta), sucking like an ox (pinein hósper boun). To the village chief they offered the privilege of taking whatever he wanted (kai tói kómarchói edidosan lambanein ho ti bouloito). He declined for the most part to accept anything (ho de allo men ouden edecheto), but whenever he caught sight of one of his kinsmen (hopou de tina tón sungenón idoi), he would always take the man to his side (pros heauton hekastote lambanein). Again, when they reached Cheirisophus (epei d’ élthon pros Cheirisophon), they found his troops also feasting in their quarters (katelambanon k’akeinous skénountas), crowned with wreaths of hay (estephanómenous tou xérou chilou stephanois) and served by Armenian boys in their strange, foreign dress (kai diakonountas Armenious paidas sun tais barbarikais stolais); and they were showing the boys what to do by signs, as if they were deaf and dumb (tois de paisin edeiknusan hósper eneois ho ti deoi poiein).
As soon as Cheirisophus and Xenophon had exchanged warm
greetings (Epei d’ allélous
ephilophronésanto Cheirisophos kai Xenophón), they together asked the village
chief (koiné dé anerótón ton kómarchon), through their Persian-speaking interpreter
(dia tou persizontos herméneós), what this land was (tis eié hé chóra).
He replied that it was Armenia (ho d’ elegen hoti Armenia). They asked him again for whom the horses were
being reared (kai palin érótón tini hoi hippoi trephontai). He answered,
as tribute to the King (ho d’ elegen hoti basilei dasmos); and he said that the neighbouring
country was that of Chalybians (tén de plésion chóran ephé einai Chalybas),
and told them where the road was (kai tén hodon ephrazen héi eié). Then
Xenophon took the village chief back for the time to his own household (kai
auton tote men óicheto agón ho Xenophón pros tous heautou oiketas), and
gave him a horse that he has got when it was rather old (kai hippon hon
eiléphei palaiteron didósi tói kómarchói), to fatten up and sacrifice (anathrepsanti
katathusai), for he understood that it was sacred to the Sun-god (hoti
ékouen auton hieron einai tou Héliou). He did this out of fear that the
horse might die (dediós mé apothanéi), for it had been injured by the
journey (ekekakóto gar hupo tés poreias); and he took for himself one of
the colts (autos de tón pólón lambanei) and gave his captains also a colt apiece (kai tón allón lochagón
edóken hekastói pólon). The horses of this region were smaller than the
Persian horses (ésan de hoi tautéi hippoi meiones men tón persikón), but
very much more spirited (thumoeidesteroi de polu). It was here also that
the village chief instructed them about wrapping small bags round the feet of
their horses and beasts of burden when they were going through snow (entautha
dé kai didaskei ho kómarchés peri tous podas tón hippón kai tón hupozugión sakia
perieilein hotan dia chionos agósin); for without these bags the animals
would sink up to their bellies (aneu gar tón sakión kateduonto mechri tés
gastros).
When seven days had passed (Epei d’ hémera én ogdoé), Xenophon gave
over the village chief to Cheirisophus to act as guide (ton men hégemona
paradidósi Cheirisophói), leaving his family behind with the exception of
his son (tous de oiketas kataleipei plén tou huiou), who was just coming
into the prime of his youth (tou arti hébaskontos); this son he gave into
the keeping of Pleisthenes of Amphipolis (touton de Pleisthenei Amphipolitéi
didósi phulattein), in order that the father, if he should serve them well
as guide (hopós ei kalós hégésoito), might take him also back with him (echón
kai touton apioi). Then, after putting into his house as large a quantity
of supplies as they could (kai eis tén oikian autou eisephorésan hós edunanto
pleista), they broke camp and set out upon the march (kai anazeuxantes
eporeuonto). The village chief, who was not bound, guided their way through
the snow (hégeito d’
autois ho kómarchos lelumenos dia chionos); but by the time they
were on the third stage Cheirisophus got angry with him for not leading them
into villages (kai édé te én en tói tritói stathmói, kai Cheirisophos autói
echalepanthé hoti ouk eis kómas égagen). He replied that there were none in
this region (ho d’ elegen
hoti ouk eien en tói topói toutói). Then Cheirisophus struck him, but
neglected to bind him (ho de Cheirisophos auton epaisen, edése d’ou). The result was that he
stole away during the night (ek de toutou ekeinos tés nuktos apodras óicheto),
leaving his son behind (katalipón ton huion). And this was the only
cause of difference between Cheirisophus and Xenophon during the course of the
march (touto ge dé Cheirisophói kai Xenophónti monon diaphoron en téi
poreiai egeneto), this ill-treatment of the guide and carelessness in not
guarding him (hé tou hégemonos kakósis kai ameleia). Pleisthenes,
however, fell in love with the boy (Pleisthenés de érasthé tou paidos),
took him home with him (kai oikade komisthas), and found him absolutely
faithful (pistotatói echréto).
No comments:
Post a Comment