[Footnote 127: [Greek: Tôn kallistôn heauton axiôsanta].] "Thinking himself worthy of the most beautiful (equipments)."]
[Footnote 128: [Greek: Ton theon].] Jupiter the Preserver. Kühner.]
[Footnote 129: [Greek: Authis aphaniountôn].] Weiske, Schneider, and others omit the [Greek: authis]. Bornemann, Dindorf, and Kühner preserve it, as it is found in six manuscripts, giving it, with Spohn, Lect. Theocr. i. p. 33, the sense of back again, as if the Persians had intended to make Athens disappear again as if it had never been. I think the word better left out. An American editor has conjectured [Greek: autas].]
[Footnote 130: [Greek: Goun].] Some copies have [Greek: oun]. "The sense of [Greek: goun] is this; ceteris rebus prætermissis, hoc quidem certissimum est, eos fugisse." Kühner.]
[Footnote 131: [Greek: Ei ara, k. t. l.]] Krüger admonishes the reader that these words must be taken negatively: whether-not.]
[Footnote 132: [Greek: Diêsousin].] Eight manuscripts have [Greek: dioisousin], which Bornemann has preferred. Dindorf also gave the preference to it in his first edition, but has subsequently adopted the other reading. [Greek: Mête dioisousin] is interpreted by Bornemann, "if the rivers shall present no difference in any part of their course; if they be as broad at their sources as at their mouths."]
[Footnote 133: [Greek: Autoi eidomen].] The Greeks had passed through a part of Lycaonia in their march up the country, i. 2. 19; when, however, it is not indicated that they saw much.]
[Footnote 134: The allusion is to Odyss. ix. 83, where the lotus-eaters are mentioned:
The trees around them all their food produce,
Lotus the name, divine nectareous juice,
(Thence called Lotophagi,) which whoso tastes,
Insatiate riots in the sweet repasts,
Nor other home, nor other care intends,
But quits his house, his country, and his friends. Pope. ]
[Footnote 135: [Greek: Perainein].] Sc. [Greek: ton logon]. This is the sense in which this word has been taken, I believe, by most readers; as in Æsch. Pers. 699, and elsewhere. Sturz, in his Lexicon, seems to take it in the sense of to execute, to proceed to action.]
[Footnote 136: [Greek: Ei de ti allo beltion ê tautê].] Understand [Greek: dokei echein]. Kühner. "But if anything else (seems) better (to any one) than in this way."]
[Footnote 137: [Greek: Epeidê kai Lakedaimonios esti].] The [Greek: kai], also, refers to something understood: "since he is not only a brave man, but also a Lacedæmonian." Kühner. The Lacedæmonians were then at the head of Greece: comp. v. 9. 26; vi. 6. 12. Zeune.]
CHAPTER III.
The Greeks are visited by Mithridates as a friend, but he soon
shows that he is an enemy, and they resolve to enter into no
further negotiations with the Persian king. They pass the Zabatus,
are harassed by Mithridates, and suffer from the want of slingers
and cavalry. Volunteers are enrolled for these services.
1. When this speech was concluded, they rose up, and went off to burn their carriages and tents; of their superfluous baggage they divided among themselves such portions as any needed, and threw the rest into the fire. Having done this, they went to breakfast. While they were at their meal, Mithridates rode up to them with about thirty horsemen and requesting the generals to come within hearing, spoke as follows: 2. "I was faithful to Cyrus, O men of Greece, as you yourselves know; I am now well disposed towards you; and I am living here under great apprehensions; if therefore I should find that you are concerting any safe scheme for your deliverance, I would come and join you, bringing with me all my followers. Let me know, therefore, what you have in contemplation, as one who is your friend and well-wisher, and who is willing to march along with you." 3. The generals, after consulting together, resolved on returning the following answer; and Cheirisophus delivered it: "It is our determination, if no one hinders us from returning home, to proceed through the country with as little injury to it as possible; but if any one opposes us on our march, to fight our way against him as vigorously as we can." 4. Mithridates then endeavoured to convince them how impracticable it was to escape without the king's consent. But it was now concluded that he was insidiously sent; for one of the followers of Tissaphernes was in attendance on him to insure his fidelity.[138] 5. In consequence, it was thought right by the generals to pass a resolution that the war should be such as to admit of no intercourse by heralds;[139] for those that came tried to corrupt the soldiers, and succeeded in seducing one of the captains, Nicarchus an Arcadian, and he deserted in the night with about twenty men.
6. Having then dined, and crossed the river Zabatus, they marched on in regular order, keeping the baggage-cattle and camp-followers in the centre. But before they had gone far, Mithridates made his appearance again with about two hundred cavalry and about four hundred archers and slingers, very light and active troops. 7. He advanced towards the Greeks as a friend, but, when he came near, some of his men, both horse and foot, suddenly discharged their arrows, and others used their slings, and wounded some of our men. The rear of the Greeks indeed was much harassed, and could do nothing in return; for the Cretan bowmen shot to a less distance than the Persians, and had also, as being lightly armed, sheltered themselves within the heavy troops; and the javelin-men did not hurl far enough to reach the slingers. 8. Upon this it seemed to Xenophon that it would be well to pursue them; and such of the heavy-armed and peltasts as happened to be with him in the rear, began to pursue, but could overtake in the pursuit not a single man of the enemy; 9. for the Greeks had no cavalry,[140] nor could their infantry, in a short distance, overtake the infantry of the enemy, who took to flight when they were a long way off, since it was impossible for the Greeks to follow them to a great distance from the rest of the army. 10. The Barbarian cavalry, too, inflicted wounds in their retreat, shooting backwards as they rode, and however far the Greeks advanced in pursuit, so far were they obliged to retreat fighting. 11. Thus during the whole day they did not advance more than five-and-twenty stadia; however, they arrived at the villages in the evening.