Anabasis by Xenophon - Book 3, Part 3

Book Three, Part Three of Xenophon's Anabasis. That day they remained inactive, but the next they rose earlier than usual, and set out betimes, for they had a ravine to cross, where they feared the enemy might attack them in the act of crossing. When they were across, Mithridates appeared again with one thousand horse, and archers and slingers to the number of four thousand. This whole body he had got by request from Tisophernes, and in return he undertook to deliver up the Hellenes to Tisophernes. He had grown contemptuous since his late attack, when, with so small a detachment, he had done, as he thought, a good deal of mischief, without the slightest loss to himself. When the Hellenes were not only right across, but had got about a mile from the ravine, Mithridates also crossed with his forces. An order had been passed down the lines, what light infantry and what heavy infantry were to take part in the pursuit, and the cavalry were instructed to follow up the pursuit with confidence, as a considerable support was in their rear. So when Mithridates had come up with them, and they were well within arrow and slingshot, the bugle sounded the signal to the Hellenes, and immediately the detachment under orders rushed to close quarters, and the cavalry charged. There the enemy preferred not to wait, but fled towards the ravine. In this pursuit the Asiatics lost several of their infantry killed, and of their cavalry as many as eighteen were taken prisoners in the ravine. As to those who were slain, the Hellenes, acting upon impulse, mutilated their bodies, by way of impressing their enemy with as frightful an image as possible. So fared the foe, and so fell back. But the Hellenes, continuing their march in safety for the rest of that day, reached the river Tigris. Here they came upon a large deserted city, the name of which was Larissa, a place inhabited by the Medes in days of old. The breadth of its walls was twenty-five feet, and the height of them a hundred, and the circuit of the whole two parisanks. It was built of clay bricks, supported on a stone basis twenty feet high. This city the king of the Persians besieged, what time the Persians drove to snatch their empire from the Medes. But he could in no wise take it. Then a cloud hid the face of the sun, and blotted out the light thereof, until the inhabitants were gone out of the city, and so it was taken. By the side of this city there was a stone pyramid in breadth a hundred feet, and in height two hundred feet. In it were many of the barbarians who had fled for refuge from the neighboring villages. From this place they marched one stage of six parisanks to a great deserted fortress, which lay over against the city, and the name of that city was Mezpila. The Medes once dwelt in it. The basement was made of polished stone, full of shelves. Fifty feet was the breadth of it, and fifty feet the height, and on this basement was reared a wall of brick, the breadth whereof was fifty feet, and the height thereof four hundred, and the circuit of the wall was six parisanks. Hither, as the story goes, Medea, the king's wife, betook herself in flight what time the Medes lost their empire at the hands of the Persians. To this city also the king of the Persians laid siege, but could not take it either by length of days or strength of hand, but Zeus sent amazement on the inhabitants thereof, and so it was taken. From this place they marched one stage, four parisanks. But while still on this stage, Tissaphernes made his appearance. He had with him his own cavalry, and a force belonging to Orontas, who had the king's daughter to wife, and there were, moreover, with them the Asiatics whom Saris had taken with him on his march up, together with those whom the king's brother had brought as a reinforcement to the king, besides those whom Tissaphernes himself had received as a gift from the king, so that the armament appeared to be very great. When they were close, he halted some of his regiments at the rear, and wheeled others into position on either flank, but hesitated to attack, having no mind, apparently, to run any risks, and contenting himself with an order to his slingers to sling, and his archers to shoot. But when the Rhodian slingers and the bowmen, posted at intervals, retaliated, and every shot told, for, with the utmost pains to miss, it would have been hard to do so under the circumstances, then Tissaphernes, with all speed, retired out of range, the other regiments following suit, and for the rest of the day the one party advanced, and the other followed. But now the Asiatics had ceased to be dangerous with their sharp shooting, for the Rhodians could reach further than the Persian slingers, or, indeed, than most of the bowmen. The Persian bows are of great size, so that the Cretans found the arrows which were picked up serviceable, and persevered in using their enemies' arrows, and practiced shooting with them, letting them fly upwards to a great height. There were also plenty of bow-strings found in the villages, and lead, which they turned to account for their slings. As a result of this day, then, the Hellenes' chancing upon some villages had no sooner encamped than the barbarians fell back, having had distinctly the worst of it in the skirmishing. The next day was a day of inaction. They halted, and took in supplies, as there was much corn in the villages. But on the day following, the march was continued through the plain of the Tigris, and Tissaphernes still hung on their skirts with his skirmishers. And now it was that the Hellenes discovered the defect of marching in a square, with an enemy following. As a matter of necessity, whenever the wings of an army so disposed draw together, either where a road narrows, or hills close in, or a bridge has to be crossed, the heavy infantry cannot help being squeezed out of their ranks, and march with difficulty, partly from actual pressure, and partly from the general confusion that ensues. Or, supposing the wings are again extended, the troops have hardly recovered from their former distress before they are pulled asunder, and there is a wide space between the wings, and the men concerned lose confidence in themselves, especially with an enemy close behind. What happened, when a bridge had to be crossed, or other passage affected, was that each unit of the force pressed on in anxiety to get over first, and at these moments it was easy for the enemy to make an attack. The generals accordingly, having recognized the defect, set about curing it. To do so, they made six loci, or divisions of a hundred men apiece, each of which had its own set of captains and under-officers, in command of half- and quarter-companies. It was the duty of these new companies, during a march, whenever the flanks needed to close in, to fall back to the rear, so as to disencumber the wings. This they did by wheeling clear of them. When the sides of the oblong again extended, they filled up the interstices, if the gap were narrow, by columns of companies, if broader, by columns of half-companies, or, if broader still, by columns of quarter-companies, so that the space between was always filled up. If, again, it were necessary to affect a passage by bridge or otherwise, there was no confusion, the several companies crossing in turns, or, if the occasion arose to form in line a battle, these companies came up to the front and fell in. In this way they advanced four stages. But ere the fifth was completed, they came in sight of a palace of some sort, with villages clustered round it. They could further see that the road leading to this place pursued its course over high undulating hillocks, the spur of the mountain range, under which lay the village. These knolls were welcome sight to the Hellenes, naturally enough, as the enemy were cavalry. However, when they had issued from the plain and ascended the first crest, and were in the act of descending it, so as to mount the next, at this juncture the barbarians came upon them. From the high ground down the sheer steep they poured a volley of darts, sling-stones, and arrows, which they discharged under the flash, wounding many, until they got the better of the Hellenic-like troops, and drove them for shelter behind the heavy infantry, so that this day that arm was altogether useless, huddling in the mob of settlers, both slingers and archers alike. But when the Hellenes, being so pressed, made an attempt to pursue, they could barely scale to the summit, being heavy-armed troops, while the enemy as likely sprung away, and they suffered similarly in retiring to join the rest of the army. And then, on the second hill, the whole had begun through again, so that when it came to the third hillock, they determined not to move the main body of troops from their position, until they had brought up a squadron of light infantry from the right flank of the square, to a point on the mountain range. When this detachment were once posted above their pursuers, the latter desisted from attacking the main body in its descent, for fear of being cut off, and finding themselves between two assailants. Thus the rest of the day they moved on in two divisions, one set keeping to the road by the hillocks, the other marching parallel on the higher level along the mountains, and thus they reached the villages, and appointed eight surgeons to attend to the many wounded. Here they halted three days for the sake of the wounded chiefly, while a further inducement was the plentiful supply of provisions which they found, wheat and wine, and large stores of barley laid up for horses. These supplies had been collected by the ruling satrap of the country. On the fourth day they began their descent into the plain. But when Tissifernes overtook them, necessity taught them to camp in the first village they caught sight of, and give over the attempt of marching and fighting simultaneously, as so many were hors de combat, being either on the list of wounded themselves, or else engaged in carrying the wounded, or laden with the heavy arms of those so occupied. But when they were once encamped, and the barbarians, advancing upon the village, made an attempt to harass them with their sharp shooters, the superiority of the Hellens was pronounced. To sustain a running fight with an enemy constantly attacking was one thing, to keep him at arm's length from a fixed base of action another, and the difference was much in their favour. But when it was late afternoon, the time had come for the enemy to withdraw, since the habit of the barbarian was never to encamp within seven or eight miles of the Hellenic camp. This he did in apprehension of a night attack, for a Persian army is good for nothing at night. Their horses are halted, and, as a rule, hobbled as well, to prevent their escaping, as they might if loose, so that, if any alarm occurs, the trooper has to saddle and bridle his horse, and then he must put on his own cuirass, and then mount, or which performances are difficult at night, and in the midst of confusion. For this reason they always encamped at a distance from the Hellens. When the Hellens perceived that they were preparing to retire, and that the order was being given, the heralds' cry, "'Pack up for starting!" might be heard before the enemy was fairly out of earshot. For a while the Asiatics paused, as if unwilling to be gone, but as night closed in, off they went, for it did not suit their notions of expediency to set off on a march and arrive by night. And now, when the Hellens saw that they were really and clearly gone, they too broke up their camp, and pursued their march till they had traversed seven and a half miles. Thus the distance between the two armies grew to be so great that the next day the enemy did not appear at all, nor yet on the third day. But on the fourth the barbarians had pushed on by a forced night-march, and occupied a commanding position on the right, where the Hellens had to pass. It was a narrow mountain spur overhanging the descent into the plain. But when Charisophus saw that this ridge was occupied, he summoned Xenophon from the rear, bidding him at the same time to bring up Peltasts to the front. That Xenophon hesitated to do, for Thyssenfernes and his whole army were coming up and were well within sight. Galloping up to the front himself, he asked, Why do you summon me? The other answered him, The reason is plain. Look yonder. This crest which overhangs our descent has been occupied. There is no passing until we have dislodged these fellows. Why have you not brought up the light infantry? Xenophon explained he had not thought it desirable to leave the rear unprotected with an enemy appearing in the field of view. However, it is time, he added, to decide how we are to dislodge these fellows from the crest. At this moment his eye fell on the peak of the mountain, rising immediately above their army, and he could see an approach leading from it to the crest in question where the enemy lay. He exclaimed, The best thing we can do, Charisophus, is to make a dash at the height itself and with what speed we may. If we take it, the party in command of the road will never be able to stop. If you like, stay in command of the army and I will go, or if you prefer, you go to the mountain and I will stay here. I leave it to you, Charisophus answered, to choose which you like best. Xenophon remarking, I am the younger, elected to go. But he stipulated for a detachment from the front to accompany him, since it was a long way to fetch up troops from the rear. Accordingly, Charisophus furnished him with the light infantry from the front, reoccupying their place by those from the center. He also gave him to form part of the detachment, the three hundred of the picked corps under his own command at the head of the square. They set out from the low ground with all the haste imaginable. But the enemy in position on the crest no sooner perceived their advance upon the summit of the pass than they themselves set off full tilt in a rival race for the summit, too. Horse were the shouts of the Hellenic troops as the men cheered their companions forwards, and horse the answering shouts from the troops of Tissaphernes urging on theirs. Xenophon, mounted on his charger, rode beside his men and roused their ardour the while. "'Now for it, brave sirs! Bethink you that this race is for hellas! Now or never! To find your boys, your wives, one small effort, and the rest of the march we shall pursue in peace, without ever a blow to strike. Now for it!' But Soteridas, the Sicyonian, said, "'We are not on equal terms, Xenophon. You are mounted on a horse. I can hardly get along with my shield to carry.' And he, on hearing the reproach, leapt from his horse. In another instant he had pushed Soteridas from the ranks, snatched from him his shield, and begun marching as quickly as he might under the circumstances, having his horsemen's cuirass to carry as well, so that he was sore-pressed. But he continued to cheer on the troops, exalting those in front, to lead on, and the men toiling behind to follow up. Soteridas was not spared by the rest of the men. They gave him blows, they pelted him, they showered him with abuse, till they compelled him to take back his shield and march on, and the other, remounting, led them on horseback as long as the footing held. But when the ground became too steep, he left his horse and pressed forward on foot. And so they found themselves on the summit before the enemy." Number 5. There and then the barbarians turned and fled as best they might, and the Hellenes held the summit, while the troops with Tissaphernes and Ariaius turned aside and disappeared by another road. The main body with Charysippus made its way down into the plain, and encamped in a village filled with good things of diverse sorts. Nor did this village stand alone. There were others, not a few, in this plain of the Tigris, equally overflowing with plenty. It was now afternoon, and all of a sudden the enemy came in sight on the plain, and succeeded in cutting down some of the Hellenes, belonging to parties who were scattered over the flat land in quest of spoil. Indeed, many herds of cattle had been caught, whilst being conveyed across to the other side of the river. And now Tissaphernes and his troops made an attempt to burn the villages, and some of the Hellenes were disposed to take the matter deeply to heart, being apprehensive that they might not know where to get provisions if the enemy burnt the villages. Charysippus and his men were returning from their sally of defence, when Xenophon and his party descended, and the latter rode along the ranks, as the rescuing party came up, and greeted them thus. Do you not see, men of Hellas, they admit that the country is now ours? What they stipulated against our doing when they made the treaty, is that we were not to fire the king's country. They are now themselves doing, setting fire to it as if it were not their own. But we will be even with them. If they leave provisions for themselves anywhere, there also shall they see us marching. And turning to Charysippus, he added, But it strikes me. We should sally forth against these incendiaries, and protect our country. Charysippus retorted, That is not quite my view. I say let us do a little burning ourselves, and they will cease all the quicker. When they had got back to the villages, while the rest were busy about provisions, the generals and officers met, and here there was deep despondency, for on the one side were exceedingly high mountains, on the other a river of such depth that they failed to reach the bottom with their spears. In the midst of their perplexities, Herodian came up with a proposal as follows. I am ready, sirs, to carry you across four thousand heavy infantry at a time, if you will furnish me with what I need, and give me a talent into the bargain for my paints. When asked, What shall you need? He replied, Two thousand wineskins. I see there are plenty of sheep and goats and asses. They have only to be flayed and their skins inflated, and they will readily give us a passage. I shall want also the straps which you use for the baggage animals. With these I shall couple the skins to one another. Then I shall moor each skin by attaching stones and letting them down like anchors into the water. Then I shall carry them across, and when I have fastened the links at both ends, I shall place layers of wood on them, and a coating of earth on the top of that. You will see in a minute that there is no danger of your drowning, for every skin will be able to support a couple of men without sinking, and the wood and earth will prevent your slipping off. The generals thought it a pretty invention enough, but its realization impracticable, for on the other side were masses of cavalry posted and ready to bar the passage, who, to begin with, would not suffer the first detachment of crossers to carry out any item of the program. Under these circumstances, the next day they turned right about face and began retracing their steps in the direction of Babylon, to the unburnt villages, having previously set fire to those they left, so that the enemy did not ride up to them, but stood and stared, all agape to see in what direction the Hellenes would partake themselves, and what they were minded to do. Here again, while the rest of the soldiers were busy about provisions, the generals and officers met in council, and after collecting the prisoners together, submitted them to a cross-examination, touching the whole country round, the names and so forth, of each district. The prisoners informed them that the region south to which they had come belonged to the district towards Babylon and Media. The road east led to Susa and Ecbatana, where the king is said to spend summer and spring. Crossing the river, the road west led to Lydia and Ionia, and the part through the mountains facing towards the Great Bear led, they said, to the Carduchians. They were a people, so said the prisoners, dwelling up on the hills, addicted to war and not subject to the king, so much so that once, when a royal army one hundred and twenty thousand strong had invaded them, not a man came back, owing to the intricacies of the country. Occasionally, however, they made truce or treaty with the satrap in the plain, and for the nonce there would be intercourse. They will come in and out amongst us, and we will go in and out amongst them, said the captives. After hearing these statements, the generals seated apart those who claimed to have any special knowledge of the country in any direction. They put them to sit apart without making it clear which particular route they intended to take. Finally, the resolution to which they came was that they must force a passage through the hills into the territory of the Kurds, since, according to what their informants told them, when they had once passed these, they would find themselves in Armenia, the rich and large territory governed by Orontas, and from Armenia it would be easy to proceed in any direction whatever. Thereupon they offered sacrifice, so as to be ready to start on the march as soon as the right moment appeared to have arrived. Their chief fear was that the high pass over the mountains must be occupied in advance, and a general order was issued that, after supper, every one should get his kit together for starting, and repose in readiness to follow as soon as the word of command was given. End of book three