“And when we find men who are ready to set the example of
flight, it is far better to see them drawn up with the enemy than on our side.
“But if anyone of you is despondent because we are without
horsemen while the enemy have plenty at hand, let him reflect that your ten
thousand horsemen are nothing more than ten thousand men; for nobody ever lost
his life in battle from the bite or a kick of a horse, but it is the men who do
whatever is done in battles. Moreover, we are on a far surer foundation than
your horsemen: they are hanging on their horses’ backs, afraid not only of us,
but also of falling off; while we, standing upon the ground, shall strike with
far greater force if anyone comes upon us and shall be far more likely to hit
whomsoever we aim at. In one point alone your horsemen have the advantage –
flight is safer for them than it is for us. Suppose, however, that you do not
lack confidence about the fighting, but are troubled because you no longer to
have Tissaphernes to guide you or the King to provide a market. If this be the
case, I ask you to consider whether it is better to have Tissaphernes for a
guide, the man who is manifestly plotting against us, or such people as we may
ourselves capture and may order to serve as guides, men who will know that if
they make any mistake in aught that concerns us, they will be making a mistake
in that which concerns their own lives and limbs (peri tas heautón psuchas kai sómata hamartésontai).
And as for provisions, is it the better plan to buy from the market which these
barbarians have provided – small measures for high prices, when we have no
money left, either – or to appropriate for ourselves, in case we are victorious,
and to use as large a measure as each of us pleases?
“But in these points, let us say, you realize that our
present situation is better; you believe, however, that the rivers are a difficulty,
and you think you are immensely deceived when you crossed them; then consider
whether this is not a surpassingly foolish thing that the barbarians have done.
For all rivers, even though they are impassable at a distance from their
sources, become passable, without even wetting your knees, as you approach
toward the sources.
“But assume that the rivers will not afford us a crossing
and that we shall find no one to guide us; even in that case we ought not to be
despondent. For we know that the Mysians [Peoples of Asia Minor who were in
almost constant rebellion against Persian authority, notes Brownson, the
translator], whom we should not admit to be better men than ourselves, inhabit many
large and prosperous cities (poleis) in the King’s territory, we know
that the same is true of the Pisidians, and as for the Lycaonians we even saw
with our own eyes that they have seized the strongholds in the plains and were
keeping for themselves the lands of these Persians; so, in our case, my own
view would be that we ought not yet to be seen that we have set out for home;
we ought, rather, to be making our
arrangements as if we intended to settle here. For I know that to the Mysians
the King would not only give plenty of guides, but plenty of hostages, to guarantee
a safe conduct for them, even if they wanted to take their departure in four-horse
chariots. And I know that he would be thrice glad to do the same for us, if he
saw that we were preparing to stay here. I really fear, however, that if we
once learn to live in idleness and luxury, and to consort with the tall and
beautiful women and maidens of these Medes and Persians, we may, like the
lotus-eaters, forget our homeward way. Therefore, I think it is right and
proper that our first endeavour should be to return to our kindred and friends
in Greece, and to point out to the Greeks that it is by their own choice that
they are poor; for they could bring here the people who are now living a hard
life at home, and could see them in enjoyment of riches.
“It is really a plain fact, gentlemen, that all these good
things belong to those who have the strength to possess them; but I must go on
to another point, how we can march most safely and, if we have to fight, can
fight to the best advantage. In the first place, the,” Xenophon proceeded, “I
think we should burn up the wagons which we have, so that our cattle may not be
our captains, but we can take whatever route may be best for the army.
Secondly, we should burn our tents also; for these, again, are a bother to
carry, and no help at all either for fighting or for obtaining provisions.
Furthermore, let us abandon all our other superfluous baggage, keeping only
such articles as we use for war, or in eating and drinking, in order that we
may have the largest possible number of men under arms and the least number
carrying baggage. For when men are conquered, you are aware that all their possessions
become the property of others; but if we are victorious, we may regard the
enemy as our pack-bearers.
“It remains for me to mention the one matter which I believe
is really of the greatest importance. You observe that our enemies did not
muster up courage to begin hostilities against us until they had seized our
generals; for they believed that so long as we had our commanders and were
obedient to them, we were able to worst them in war, but when they got
possession of our commanders, they believed that the want of leadership and of
discipline would be the ruin of us. Therefore our present commanders must show
themselves far more vigilant than their predecessors, and the men in the ranks
must be far more orderly and more obedient to their commanders now than they
used to be. We must pass a vote that, in case anyone is disobedient, whoever of
you may be at hand at the time shall join with the officer in punishing him; in
this way the enemy will find themselves mightily deceived; for to-day they will
behold, not one Clearchus [‘Clearchus was notoriously a stern disciplinarian,’
noted Brownson, the translator], but ten thousand, who will not suffer anybody
to be a bad soldier. But it is time now to be acting instead of talking; for
perhaps the enemy will soon be at hand. Whoever, then, thinks that these
proposals are good should ratify them with all speed, that they may be carried
out in action. But if any other plan is thought better than mine, let anyone,
even though he be a private soldier, feel free to present it; for the safety of
all is the need of all.”
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