34 Xenophon’s Anabasis

When the officers had got to their several positions (Epei d’ en tais chórais hekastoi egenonto) and had formed their companies in column, (kai tous lochous orthious epoiésanto) the result was about eighty companies of hoplites (egenonto men lochoi tón hoplitón amphi tous ogdoékonta) with each company numbering close upon one hundred (ho de lochos hekastos schedon eis tous hekaton) [A total of 8000 as compared with the original strength of 11,700] the peltasts and the bowmen, on the other hand, they formed in three divisions (tous de peltastas kai tous toxotas trichéi epoiésanto), one beyond the left wing of the hoplites (tous men tou euónumou exó), the second beyond the right (tous de tou dexiou), and the third in the centre (tous de kata meson), each division numbering about six hundred men (schedon hexakosious hekastous) [One thousand eight hundred as compared with an original 2300] After this the generals passed along the order to offer prayer (ek toutou parénguésan hoi stratégoi euchesthai), and when they had prayed and sang the paean  they set forth (euxamenoi  de kai paianisantes eporeuonto). Now Cheirisophus and Xenophon and the peltasts with them got beyond the wings of the enemy’s line in their advance (kai Cheirisophos men kai Xenophón kai hoi met’ autois peltastai tés tón polemión phalangos exó genomenoi eporeuonto); and when the enemy saw this (hoi de polemioi hós eidon autous), they ran out, some to the right and others to the left, to confront them, with the result that their line was pulled apart (antiparatheontes hoi men epi to dexion hoi de peri to euónumon diespasthésan) and a large portion of it in the centre was left deserted (kai polu tés hautón phalangos en tói mesói kenon epoiésan). Then the peltasts of the Arcadian division (hoi de kata to Arkadikon peltastai), who were commanded by Aeschines the Acarnanian (hón érchen Aischinés ho Akarnan), getting the idea that the enemy were in flight (nomisantes pheugein), set up a shout and began to run (anakragontes etheon); and they were the first to reach the summit of the mountain (kai houtoi prótoi epi to oros anabainousi), while following close after them came the Arcadian division of hoplites (sunepheipeto de autois kai to Arkadikon hoplitikon), under the command of Cleanor of Orchomenus (hón érche Kleanór ho Orchomenios). As for the enemy (hoi de polemioi), once the peltasts began to run (hós érxanto thein) they no longer stood their ground (ouketi hestésan), but betook themselves hither and thither in flight (alla phugéi allos alléi etrapeto).

After accomplishing the ascent (Hoi de Hellénes anabantes) the Greeks took up quarters in numerous villages (estratepeudonto en pollais kómais), which contained provisions in abundance (kai t’apitédeia polla echousais). Now for the most part there was nothing here which they really found strange (kai ta men alla ouden ho ti kai ethaumasan); but the swarms of bees in the neighbourhood were numerous (ta de sméné polla én autothi), and the soldiers who ate of the honey all went off their heads (kai tón kérión hosoi ephagon tón stratiótón pantes aphrones te egignonto), and suffered from vomiting and diarrhoea (kai émoun kai kató diechórei autois), and not one of them could stand up (kai orthos oudeis edunato histasthai), but those who had eaten a little were like people exceedingly drunk (all’ hoi men oligon edédokotes sphodra methuousin eóikesan), while those who had eaten a great deal seemed like crazy (hoi de polu mainomenois), or even, in some cases, dying men (hoi de kai apothnéiskousin). So they lay there in great numbers as though the army had suffered a defeat (ekeinto de houtó polloi hósper tropés gegenémenés), and great despondency prevailed (kai pollé én athumia). On the next day, however, no one had died (téi d’ husteraiai apethane men oudeis), and at approximately the same hour as they had eaten the honey they began to come to their senses (amphi de tén autén pós hóran anephronoun); and on the third or fourth day they got up (tritéi de kai tetartéi anistanto), as if from a drugging (hósper ek pharmakoposias).

From here they marched two stages, seven parasangs (Enteuthen d’ eporeuthésan duo stathmous parasangas hepta), and reached the sea at Trapezus (kai élthon epi thalattan eis Trapezounta), an inhabited Greek city on the Euxine Sea (polin Hellénida oikoumenén en tói Euxeinói Pontói), a colony of the Sinopeans in the territory of Colchis (Sinópeón apoikian en téi Kolhón chórai). There they remained about thirty days in the villages of the Colchians (entautha emeinan hémeras amphi tas triakonta en tais tón Kolchón kómais), and from these as a basis plundered Colchis (k’anteuthen hormémenoi eléizonto tén Kolchida). And the Trapezuntians supplied a market for the army (agoran de pareichon tói stratopedói Trapezountioi), received the Greeks kindly (kai edexanto te tous Hellénas), and gave them cattle, barley-meal, and wine as gifts of hospitality (kai xenia edosan bous kai alphita kai oinon). They likewise took part in negotiations with the Greeks (sundieprattonto de kai) in behalf of the near-by Colchians (huper tón plésion Kolchón), who dwelt for the most part on the plain (tón en tói pediói malista oikountón), and from these people the Greeks also received hospitable gifts of cattle (kai xenia kai par ekeinón élthon boes).

After this they made ready the sacrifice which they had vowed (Meta de touto tén thusian hén éuxanto pareskeuazonto); and a sufficient number of cattle had come to them so that they could pay Zeus thanks for their deliverance (élthon d’ autois hikanoi boes apothusai tói Dii sótéria), to Heracles for guidance (kai tói Héraklei hégemosuna), and to the other gods according as they had vowed (kai tois allois theois ha éuxanto). They instituted also athletic games on the mountain side (epoiésan de kai agóna gumnikon en tói orei), just where they were incamped (enthaper eskénoun); and they chose Dracontius, a Spartan (heilonto de Drakontion Spartiatén), who had been exiled from home as a boy (hos ephuge pais ón oikothen) because he had accidentally killed another boy with the stroke of a dagger (paida akón katakanón xuéléi pataxas), to look out for a race-course (dromou t’ epimeléthénai) and to act as manager of the games (kai tou agónos prostatésai). When, accordingly, the sacrifice had been completed (epeidé de hé thusia egeneto), they turned over the hides [Brownson notes: ‘The hides of the sacrificial victims, which were to be offered as prises for the games. Cp. Iliad, X 159.] to Dracontius (ta dermata paredosan tói Drakontiói) and bade him lead the way to the place he had fixed upon for his race-course (kai hégeisthai ekeleuon hopou ton dromon pepoiékós eié). He pointed out the precise spot where they were chanced to be standing, and said (ho de deixas houper hestékotes etunchanon), “This hill is superb for running, wherever you please (Houtos ho lophos, ephé, kallistos trechein hopou an tis boulétai).” “How, then,” they said, “can men wrestle on ground so hard ad overgrown as this? (Pós oun, ephasan, dunésontai palaiein en sklérói kai dasei houtós;)” And he replied, “The one that is thrown will be hurt a bit more (ho d’ eipe, Mallon aniasetai ho katapesón).” The events were (égónizonto de), a stadium race for boys, most of them belonging to the captives (paides men stadion tón aichmalótón hoi pleistoi), a long race, in which more than sixty Cretans took part (dolichon de Krétes pleious é hexékonta), wrestling, boxing, and the pancratium (palén de kai pugmén kai pankration) [‘A combination of boxing and wrestling’, notes Brownson on pankration]; and it made a fine spectacle (kai kalé thea egeneto); for there were a great many entries (polloi gar katebésan) and, inasmuch as the comrades of the contestants were looking on (kai hate theómenón tón hetairón), there was a great deal of rivalry (pollé philonikia egigneto). There were horse-races also (etheon de kai hippoi), and the riders had to drive their horses down a steep slope (kai edei autous kata tou pranous elasantas), turn them around on the shore (en téi thalattéi apostrepsantas), and bring them back to the altar (palin pros ton bómon agein) [The altar (bómos) on which the sacrifices had been offered served as a starting point for the races, notes Brownson]. And on the way down most of the horses rolled over and over (kai kató men hoi polloi ekulindounto), while on the way up (anó de), against the exceedingly steep incline (pros to ischurós orthion), they found it hard to keep on at a walk (mogis badén eporeuonto hoi hippoi); so there was much shouting and laughter and cheering (entha pollé kraugé kai gelós kai parakeleusis egigneto).