Xenophon opens the Anabasis as follows:
‘Darius [the King] and Parysatis had two sons born to them,
of whom the elder was Artaxerxes and the younger Cyrus. Now when Darius lay
sick and suspected that the end of his life was near (kai hupópteue teleutén
tou biou), he wished to have both his sons with him (ebouleto tó paide
amphoteró pareinai) … When Darius had died and Artaxerxes had become
established as king, Tissaphernes falsely accused Cyrus to his brother of
plotting against him. And Artaxerxes, believing the accusation, arrested Cyrus,
with the intention of putting him to death; his mother, however, made
intercession for Cyrus, and sent him back again to his province.’
It is interesting to note that Parysatis, the mother of the
two, wielded a great power. One would expect that Parysatis interceded for
Cyrus with Artaxerxes, his older brother, the King, and that it was Artaxerxes
who then sent Cyrus back to his province. But no, it was Parysatis who sent Cyrus
back to his province (hé de métér exaitésamené auton apopempei palin epi tén
archén).
‘Now when Cyrus had thus returned, after his danger (kinduneusas)
and disgrace (kai atimastheis), he set about planning that he might
never again be in the power of his brother, but, if possible, might be king in
his stead. He had, in the first place, the support of his mother, for she loved
him better than the son who was the king, Artaxerxes. Again, when any of the
King’s court came to visit him, he treated them all in such a way that when he
sent them back they were more devoted to him than to the King. He also took
care that the barbarians of his own province should be capable soldiers and
should feel kindly towards him. Lastly, as regards his Greek force, he
proceeded to collect it with the utmost secrecy, so that he might take the King
as completely unprepared as possible.’
Cyrus directed Proxenus and other commanders of the Greek
mercenaries to come to him with as many men as they could get, saying that he
wished to undertake a campaign against the Pissidians, because, as he said, they
were causing trouble to his province. But when Cyrus and his army reached Tarsus
on the river Euphrates, they remained there for twenty days, ‘for the soldiers
refused to go any further; for they suspected by this time that they were going
against the King, and they said they had not been hired for that. Clearchus
tried to force his men to go on, but they pelted him and his pack animals with
stones, and at that time Clearchus narrowly escaped being stoned to death. When
he realised that he could not accomplish anything by force, he called a
meeting.
But as for Menon, before it was clear what the rest of the soldiers
would do, that is whether they would follow Cyrus or not, he gathered together
his own troops apart from the others and spoke as follows:
“Soldiers, if you will obey me, you will, without either
danger (oute kinduneusantes) or toil (oute ponésantes), be
honoured by Cyrus above and beyond the rest of the troops (tón allón pleon
protimésesthe stratiótón hupo Kurou). What then, do I direct you to do? At
this moment Cyrus is begging the Greeks to follow him against the King; my own
plan, then, is, that you should cross the Euphrates river before it is clear
what answer the rest of the Greeks will make to Cyrus. For if they vote to
follow him, it is you who will get the credit for that decision because you
began the crossing, and Cyrus will not only feel grateful to you, regarding you
as the most zealous in his cause, but he will return the favour – and he knows
how to do that if any man does; on the other hand, if the rest vote not to
follow him, we shall all go back together, but you, as the only ones who were
obedient (hós monois peithomenois), are the men he will employ, not only
for the garrison duty (eis phrouria) but for captaincies (eis lochagias);
and whatever else you may desire, I know that you, as friends of Cyrus, will
secure from him.” Upon hearing these words the soldiers were persuaded, and
made the crossing before the rest gave their answer. When Cyrus learned that
they had crossed, he was delighted … to Menon himself Cyrus was said to have
sent magnificent gifts.’
This passage indicates why the King chose Meno, from among
the imprisoned generals, for special treatment: ‘tortured alive for a year, Meno
met the death of a scoundrel’.
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