Monday, December 2, 2024

30 Xenophon’s Anabasis

After they had had dinner and night had come on (Epeidé de edeipnésan kai nux egeneto), the men appointed to the task set forward and gained possession of the mountain (hoi men tachthentes apérchonto, kai katalambanousi to oros), while the remainder of the troops rested where they were (hoi de alloi autou anepauonto). And when the enemy perceived that the mountain was occupied (hoi de polemioi epei éisthonto to oros echomenon), they stayed awake and kept many fires burning through the night (egrégoresan kai ekaion pura polla dia nuktos). As soon as day came Cheirisophus offered sacrifice and led the army forward along the road (epeidé de hémera egeneto Cheirisophos men thusamenos ége kata tén hodon), while the party that had seized the mountain advanced along the heights (hoi de to oros katalabontes kata ta akra epéisan). As for the enemy, the majority remained at the pass over the mountain (tón de polemión to men polu emenen epi téi huperboléi tou orous), but a part of them went to meet the detachment on the heights (meros d’ autón apénta tois kata ta akra). Now before the two main bodies got near one another (prin de homou einai tous pollous allélón), those upon the heights came to close combat (summeignuasin hoi kata ta akra), and the Greeks were victorious and began their pursuit (kai nikósin hoi Hellénes kai diókousin). Meanwhile the main body of the Greeks was moving upward from the plain), the peltasts charging at a run upon the enemy’s battleline (en toutói de kai hoi ek tou pediou hoi men peltastai tón Hellénón dromói etheon pros tous paratetagmenous) and Cheirisophus following at a quick-step with the hoplites (Cheirisophos de badén tachu epheipeto sun tois hoplitais). But the enemy on the road no sooner saw their detachment on the hights being defeated than they took to flight (hoi de polemioi hoi epi téi hodói epeidé to anó heórón héttómenon, pheugousi); and while not many of them were killed (kai apethanon men ou polloi autón), a great number of wicker shields were captured (gerra de pampolla eléphthé), which the Greeks rendered useless by slashing them with their sabres (ha hoi Hellénes machairais koptontes achreia epoioun). When they had climbed to the top of the pass (hós d’ anebésan), after offering sacrifice and setting up a trophy they descended into the plain on the farther side (thusantes kai tropaion stésamenoi katebésan eis to pedion), and reached villages full of many good things (kai eis kómas pollón kai agathón gemousas élthon).

After this (Ek de toutón) they marched into the country of the Taochians five stages, thirty parasangs (eporeuthésan eis Taochous stathmous pente parasangas triakonta); and their provisions were running low (kai ta epitédeia epeleipe), for the Taochians lived in strongholds (chória gar óikoun ischura hoi Taochoi), and in these strongholds they kept all their provisions stored away (en hois kai ta epitédeia hapanta eichon anakekomismenoi). Now when the Greeks  arrived at one of them which contained no town nor houses (epei d’ aphikonto pros chórion ho polin men ouk eiche oud’ oikias), but was only a place where men and women and a great number of cattle were gathered (suneléluthotes ésan autose kai andres kai gunaikes kai kténé polla), Cheirisophus proceeded to attack this stronghold as soon as he reached it (Cherisophos men oun pros touto proseballen euthus hékón); and when his first battalion grew weary (epeidé de hé próté taxis ekamnen), another advanced to the attack, and yet another (allé proséiei kai authis allé); for it was not possible for them to surround the place in a continuous line (ou gar én hathroois peristénai), because its sides were precipitous (all’ apotomon én kuklói).

The moment Xenophon came up with the rearguard (Epeidé de Xenophón élthe sun tois opisthophulaxi), consisting of both peltasts and hoplites (kai peltastais kai hoplitais) Cheirisophus said to him (entautha dé legei Cheirisophos):” You have come in the nick of time (Eis kalon hékete); for the place must be captured (to gar chórion haireteon); for the army has no provisions unless we capture this place (téi gar stratiai ouk esti ta epitédeia, ei mé lépsometha to chórion).” Then they took council together (entautha dé koinéi ebouleuonto), and when Xenophon asked what it was that prevented effecting an entrance (kai tou Xenophóntos erótóntos ti to kóluon eié eiselthein), Cheirisophus replied (eipen ho Cheirisophos): “There is this one way of approach which you see (Mia hauté parodos estin hén horais), but when one tries to go along by this way (hotan de tis tauté peiratai parienai), they roll down stones from this overhanging rock (kulindousi lithous huper tautés tés uperechousés petras); and whoever gets caught (hos d’ an kataleiphthé), is served in this fashion (houtó diatithetai)” – and with the words he pointed out men with their legs and ribs crushed (hama d’edeixe suntetrimmenous anthrópous kai skelé kai pleuras). “But suppose they use up their stones (én de tous lithous analósosi),” said Xenophon (ephé ho Xenophón), “there is nothing then, is there, to hinder one’s passing (allo ti é ouden kóluei parienai;)? For surely there is nothing we can see on the other side except a few men yonder (ou gar dé ek tou enantiou horómen ei mé oligous tous anthrópous), and only two or three of them are armed (kai toutón duo é treis hóplismenous). Furthermore, as you can see for yourself (to de chórion, hós kai su horais), the distance we must traverse under attack is about a plethrum and a half (schedon tria hémiplethra estin ho dei ballomenous dielthein). Now as much as a plethrum of that distance is covered with tall, scattered pine trees (toutou de hoson plethron dasu pitusi dialeipousais megalais), and if men should stand behind them (anth’ hón hestékotes andres), what harm could they suffer either from flying stones or the rolling ones (ti an paschoien é hupo tón pheromenón lithón é hupo tón kulindoumenón;)? The remaining space, then, amounts to about half a plethrum (to loipon oun gignetai hós hémiplethron), and that we must cross on the run at a moment when the stones stop coming (ho dei hotan lófésósi hoi lithoi  paradramein).”  “But,” said Cheirisophus, “the very moment we begin to push out toward the trees (Alla euthus, ephé ho Cheirisophos, epeidan arxómetha eis to dasu proienai), the stones fly in quantities (pherontai hoi lithoi polloi).” “Precisely the thing we want,” said Xenophon (Auto an, ephé, to deon eié), “for they will use up their stones the sooner (thatton an analósousi tous lithous). But let us make our way to a spot from which we shall have only a short distance to run across (alla poreuómetha enthen hemin mikron ti paradramein estai), in case we can do that (én dunómetha), and an easy retreat, in case we choose to come back (kai apelthein raidion, én boulómetha).”

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