Cyropaedia: The Education of Cyrus Part 18

[11] Thereupon her chamberlains and her maidens took her and brought her back to her own carriage, and laid her down and drew the awning. But no man, of all who was there that day, splendid as Abradatas was in his chariot, had eyes to look on him until Pantheia had gone.

[12] Meanwhile Cyrus had found the victims favourable, and his army was already drawn up in the order he had fixed. He had scouts posted ahead, one behind the other, and then he called his officers together for his final words:

[13] "Gentlemen, my friends and allies, the sacred signs from heaven are as they were the day the G.o.ds gave us victory before, and I would call to your minds thoughts to bring you gladness and confidence for the fight. [14] You are far better trained than your enemies, you have lived together and worked together far longer than they, you have won victories together. What they have shared with one another has been defeat, and those who have not fought as yet feel they have traitors to right and left of them, while our recruits know that they enter battle in company with men who help their allies. [15] Those who trust each other will stand firm and fight without flinching, but when confidence has gone no man thinks of anything but flight. [16] Forward then, gentlemen, against the foe; drive our scythed chariots against their defenceless cars, let our armed cavalry charge their unprotected horse, and charge them home. [17] The ma.s.s of their infantry you have met before; and as for the Egyptians, they are armed in much the same way as they are marshalled; they carry shields too big to let them stir or see, they are drawn up a hundred deep, which will prevent all but the merest handful fighting. [18] If they count on forcing us back by their weigh, they must first withstand our steel and the charge of our cavalry. And if any of them do hold firm, how can they fight at once against cavalry, infantry, and turrets of artillery? For our men on the towers will be there to help us, they will smite the enemy until he flies instead of fighting. [19] If you think there is anything wanting, tell me now; G.o.d helping us, we will lack nothing. And if any man wishes to say anything, let him speak now; if not, go to the altar and there pray to the G.o.ds to whom we have sacrificed, and then fall in. [20] Let each man say to his own men what I have said to him, let him show the men he rules that he is fit to rule, let them see the fearlessness in his face, his bearing, and his words."

NOTES

C1.9. Artabazus "the kinsman" named now for the first time, why?

C1.11. Cf. Anglice "his word": a delicate appeal to a man of honour. It suits G.'s character.

C1.14-15. Speech full of metaphor: winter stalking on, with hunter and frost attendant on either side; a stealthy, but august advance.

C1.16. A happy simile: _vide_ Book of Wisdom [c. 5, 10, "And as a ship that pa.s.seth over the waves of the water," etc.].

C1.38. How a fault may be turned to account: h.e.l.lenic stool of repentance.

C1.41. Theory of two souls, to account for the yielding to base desires.

It works, but is it not the theory of a man whose will is weak, as we say, or whose sympathetic nature has been developed at the expense of his self-regulative? There is another way of putting it in _Memorabilia_, Bk. I. c. ii., ---- 19-28. Xenophon is not more a philosopher than a "philanthropist." He is full of compa.s.sion for human weaknesses.

C1.44. Exit Araspas, to be baptised under this cloud of ignominy into the sunshine of recognised joyous serviceableness.

C1.45. We grow fonder than ever of Pantheia.

C1.50. Irony: the chariots that are to cost Abradatas his life hereafter. Is this tale "historic" at all? I mean, did Xenophon find or hear any such story current? What is the relation, if any, to it of Xenophon Ephesius, Antheia, and Abrocomas? [_Xenophon Ephesius_, a late writer of romances.] Had that writer any echo of the names in his head?

What language are "Pantheia" and "Abradatas"?

C1.52. All very well, but the author hasn't told us anything about the construction of these {mekhanai}, these battering engines, before, to prepare us for this. Is that a slip, or how explainable? I think he is betrayed into the description by reason of his interest in such strategic matters. The expression is intelligible enough to any one who knows about engines, just as we might speak of the b.u.t.t or the stanchion, or whatever it be.

C2.1-3. The Medians bring back the bread that was cast upon the waters.

Cyrus turns this gain to new account. He sacrifices the present natural gain, i.e. the wealth, to the harder spiritual gain, viz., their positive as opposed to their merely negative alliance. Cyrus _is_ the archic man.

C2.4. I have a sort of idea, or feeling that here the writer takes up his pen afresh after a certain interval. C4-6 are a reduplication, not unnatural indeed, but _pro tanto_ tautological.

C2.7. Semi-historical basis. Prototype, when Agesilaus meditated the advance on Persia, just before his recall. [See _h.e.l.lenica_, III. iv., Works II. p. 29.]

C2.13 foll. The archic man can by a word of his mouth still the flutter and incipient heave of terror-stricken hearts.

C2.15-18. A review of the improvements amounting to a complete revolution in arms and attack effected by Cyrus. This is imagined as an ideal accompaniment to the archic man and conqueror. Xenophon nowadays on the relative advantages of the bayonet and the sword, cavalry and infantry, etc., would have been very interesting. Cf. a writer like Forbes.

[C2.19. "Syrians." The word is used loosely, including the a.s.syrians and their kindred. See below C.22. "Syria" = a.s.syria and the adjacent country.]

C2.21, fin. Xenophon has more than once witnessed this clouding of the brow, the scowl or sulk of the less stalwart moral-fibred men (notably in _h.e.l.lenica_).

C2.26 ff. How to give up wine: the art in it. Now listen, all you blue-ribbonists! Xenophon, Hygienist.

C2.37. One would like to know how the price was regulated. Does any learned German know? Note the orderliness and economy of it all. Is it, as far as the army goes, novel in any respect, do you suppose, or only idealised h.e.l.lenic? Spartan?

C3.14. A slight (intentional?) aposiopesis. Did H. have to drive back the great cavalry division of the enemy?

C3.17. How quickly the archic man pa.s.ses on! Cf. J. P.

C3.19. Notice the part given to the Egyptians to play. Why? (Agesilaus died on his last campaign in Egypt.)

C3.25. Is it dramatic to make Cyrus speak in this way as if he were lecturing a cla.s.s on strategics?

C3.30. The advantage even of sutlers and women. This several-times-repeated remark surprises me. But no doubt the arrangement would give the enemy pause, and waste his time in out-flanking movements: viola tout, hgd. At Cunaxa, however, the Persian did get behind the Greek camp. No prototype there, then. [Xenophon, _Anabasis_, Bk. I. c. 10.]

C4.2. We are more and more enamoured of Pantheia.

C4.7. As delicate as any modern in the respect for wedded womanhood.

C4.13 ff. Notice how in this stirring and inspiriting speech Cyrus by dealing with the Egyptians (the only unknown quant.i.ty) strikes a new note and sets up a new motive, as it were, preparing us for the tragic struggle which is to come, which will cost Abradatas and other good men dear, not to speak of the brave Egyptians themselves (cf. Sudanese Arabs). Also note Xenophon's enthusiasm in reference to the new arming and the odds of encounter between cavalry and infantry (cf. Napier, Forbes, etc.).

BOOK VII

[C.1] So they prayed to the G.o.ds and went to their place, and the squires brought food and drink to Cyrus and his staff as they stood round the sacrifice. And he took his breakfast where he stood, after making the due offering, sharing what he had with all who needed it, and he poured out the libation and prayed, and then drank, and his men with him.

Then he supplicated Zeus, the G.o.d of his fathers, to be his leader and helper in the fight, and so he mounted his horse and bade those about him follow. [2] All his squires were equipped as he was, with scarlet tunics, breastplates of bronze, and brazen helmets plumed with white, short swords, and a lance of cornel-wood apiece. Their horses had frontlets, chest-plates, and armour for their shoulders, all of bronze, and the shoulder-pieces served as leg-guards for the riders. In one thing only the arms of Cyrus differed from the rest: theirs was covered with a golden varnish and his flashed like a mirror. [3] As he sat on his steed, gazing into the distance, where he meant to go, a peal of thunder rang out on the right, and he cried, "We will follow thee, O Zeus most high!"

So he set forth with Chrysantas on his right at the head of cavalry and Arsamas on his left with infantry. [4] And the word went down the lines, "Eyes on the standard and steady marching."

The standard was a golden eagle, with outspread wings, borne aloft on a long spear-shaft, and to this day such is the standard of the Persian king.

Before they came in full sight of the a.s.syrians Cyrus halted the army thrice. [5] And when they had gone about two miles or more, they began to see the enemy advancing. As soon as both armies were in full view of each other, and the a.s.syrians could see how much they outflanked the Persians on either side, Croesus halted, in order to prepare an encircling movement, and pushed out a column on the right wing and the left, so that the Persian forces might be attacked on every side at once.

[6] Cyrus saw it, but gave no sign of stopping; he led straight on as before. Meanwhile he noticed that the turning-point where the a.s.syrians had pushed out on either flank was an immense distance from their centre, and he said to Chrysantas:

"Do you see where they have fixed their angle?" "Yes, I do," answered Chrysantas, "and I am surprised at it: it seems to me they are drawing their wings too far away from their centre." "Just so," said Cyrus, "and from ours too." [7] "Why are they doing that?" asked the other.

"Clearly," said Cyrus, "they are afraid we shall attack, if their wings are in touch with us while their centre is still some way off."

"But," went on Chrysantas, "how can they support each other at such a distance?" "Doubtless," said Cyrus, "as soon as their wings are opposite our flanks, they will wheel round, and then advance at once on every side and so set us fighting everywhere at once." [8] "Well," said Chrysantas, "do you think the movement wise?" "Yes," said Cyrus, "it is good enough in view of what they can see, but, in view of what they cannot, it is worse for them than if they had advanced in a single column. Do you," he said, turning to Arsamas, "advance with your infantry, slowly, taking your pace from me, and do you, Chrysantas, march beside him with your cavalry, step for step. I will make for their angle myself, where I propose to join battle, first riding round the army to see how things are with all our men. [9] When I reach the point, and we are on the verge of action, I will raise the paean and then you must quicken your pace. You will know when we have closed with the enemy, the din will be loud enough. At the same moment Abradatas will dash out upon them: such will be his orders; your duty is to follow, keeping as close to the chariots as possible. Thus we shall fall on the enemy at the height of his confusion. And, G.o.d helping me, I shall be with you also, cutting my way through the rout by the quickest road I can.

[10] So he spoke, and sent the watchword down the lines, "Zeus our saviour, and Zeus our leader," and went forward. As he pa.s.sed between the chariots and the cuira.s.siers, he would say to some, "My men, the look on your faces rejoices my heart," and to others, "You understand, gentlemen, that this battle is not for the victory of a day, but for all that we have won ere now, and for all our happiness to come." [11] And to others, "My friends, we can never reproach the G.o.ds again: to-day they have put all blessings in our hands. [12] Let us show ourselves good men and true." Or else, "Gentlemen, can we invite each other to a more glorious feast than this? This day all gallant hearts are bidden; this day they may feast their friends." [13] Or again, "You know, I think, the prizes in this game: the victors pursue and smite and slay, and win wealth and fame and freedom and empire: the cowards lose them all. He who loves his own soul let him fight beside me: for I will have no disgrace." [14] But if he met soldiers who had fought for him before, he only said, "To you, gentlemen, what need I say? You know the brave man's part in battle, and the craven's." [15] And when he came to Abradatas, he halted, and Abradatas gave the reins to his charioteer and came up to him, and others gathered round from the infantry and the chariots, and Cyrus said:

"G.o.d has rewarded you, Abradatas, according to your prayer, you and yours. You hold the first rank among our friends. And you will not forget, when the moment for action comes, that those who watch you will be Persians, and those who follow you, and they will not let you bear the brunt alone."

[16] And Abradatas answered:

"Even so, Cyrus; and with us here, methinks, all looks well enough: but the state of our flanks troubles me: the enemy's wings are strong and stretch far: he has chariots there, and every kind of arm as well, while we have nothing else with which to oppose him. So that for myself," said he, "if I had not won by lot the post I hold, I should feel ashamed to be here in the safest place of all."

[17] "Nay," answered Cyrus, "if it is well with you, have no concern for the rest. G.o.d willing, I mean to relieve our flanks. But you yourself, I conjure you, do not attack until you see the rout of those detachments that you fear."

So much of boasting did Cyrus allow himself on the eve of action, though he was the last man to boast at other times.

"When you see them routed," he said, "you may take it that I am there, and then make your rush, for that is the moment when you will find the enemy weakest and your own men strongest. [18] And while there is time, Abradatas, be sure to drive along your front and prepare your men for the charge, kindle their courage by your looks, lift up their hearts by your hopes. Breathe a spirit of emulation into them, to make them prove themselves the flower of the chariot-force. Be a.s.sured if things go well with us all men will say nothing is so profitable as valour."