From　this　place　Cyrus　advanced　one　stagethree　parasangswith　the　whole　body　of　his　troops；　Hellenic　and　barbarian　alike　in　order　of　battle。　He　expected　the　king　to　give　battle　the　same　day；　for　in　the　middle　of　this　day's　march　a　deep　sunk　trench　was　reached；　thirty　feet　broad；　and　eighteen　feet　deep。　The　trench　was　carried　inland　through　the　plain；　twelve　parasang's　distance；　to　the　wall　of　Media＇1＇。　＇Here　are　canals；　flowing　from　the　river　Tigris；　they　are　four　in　number；　each　a　hundred　feet　broad；　and　very　deep；　with　corn　ships　plying　upon　　　15　them；　they　empty　themselves　into　the　Euphrates；　and　are　at　intervals　of　one　parasang　apart；　and　are　spanned　by　bridges。＇
  ＇1＇　For　〃the　wall　of　Media〃　see　Grote；　〃Hist。　of　Greece；〃　vol。　ix。　p。　　　　　87　and　foll。　note　1　（1st　ed。）；　and　various　authorities　there　　　　　quoted　or　referred　to。　The　next　passage　enclosed　in　＇＇　may　　　　　possibly　be　a　commentator's　or　editor's　note；　but；　on　the　whole；　I　　　　　have　thought　it　best　to　keep　the　words　in　the　text　instead　of　　　　　relegating　them；　as　heretofore；　to　a　note。　Perhaps　some　future　　　　　traveller　may　clear　up　all　difficulties。
  Between　the　Euphrates　and　the　trench　was　a　narrow　passage；　twenty　feet　only　in　breadth。　The　trench　itself　had　been　constructed　by　the　great　king　upon　hearing　of　Cyrus's　approach；　to　serve　as　a　line　of　defence。　Through　this　narrow　passage　then　Cyrus　and　his　army　passed；　and　found　themselves　safe　inside　the　trench。　So　there　was　no　battle　to　be　fought　with　the　king　that　day；　only　there　were　numerous　unmistakable　traces　of　horse　and　infantry　in　retreat。　Here　Cyrus　summoned　Silanus；　his　Ambraciot　soothsayer；　and　presented　him　with　three　thousand　darics；　because　eleven　days　back；　when　sacrificing；　he　had　told　him　that　the　king　would　not　fight　within　ten　days；　and　Cyrus　had　answered：　〃Well；　then；　if　he　does　not　fight　within　that　time；　he　will　not　fight　at　all；　and　if　your　prophecy　comes　true；　I　promise　you　ten　talents。〃　So　now；　that　the　ten　days　were　passed；　he　presented　him　with　the　above　sum。
  But　as　the　king　had　failed　to　hinder　the　passage　of　Cyrus's　army　at　the　trench；　Cyrus　himself　and　the　rest　concluded　that　he　must　have　abandoned　the　idea　of　offering　battle；　so　that　next　day　Cyrus　advanced　with　less　than　his　former　caution。　On　the　third　day　he　was　conducting　the　march；　seated　in　his　carriage；　with　only　a　small　body　of　troops　drawn　up　in　front　of　him。　The　mass　of　the　army　was　moving　on　in　no　kind　of　order：　the　soldiers　having　consigned　their　heavy　arms　to　be　carried　in　the　wagons　or　on　the　backs　of　beasts。
  VIII
  It　was　already　about　full　market　time＇1＇　and　the　halting…place　at　　　　　　　1　which　the　army　was　to　take　up　quarters　was　nearly　reached；　when　Pategyas；　a　Persian；　a　trusty　member　of　Cyrus's　personal　staff；　came　galloping　up　at　full　speed　on　his　horse；　which　was　bathed　in　sweat；　and　to　every　one　he　met　he　shouted　in　Greek　and　Persian；　as　fast　as　he　could　ejaculate　the　words：　〃The　king　is　advancing　with　a　large　army　ready　for　battle。〃　Then　ensued　a　scene　of　wild　confusion。　The　Hellenes　and　all　alike　were　expecting　to　be　attacked　on　the　instant；　and　before　they　could　form　their　lines。　Cyrus　sprang　from　his　carriage　and　donned　his　corselet；　then　leaping　on　to　his　charger's　back；　with　the　javelins　firmly　clutched；　he　passed　the　order　to　the　rest；　to　arm　themselves　and　fall　into　their　several　ranks。
  ＇1＇　I。e。　between　9　and　10　A。M。
  The　orders　were　carried　out　with　alacrity；　the　ranks　shaped　themselves。　Clearchus　held　the　right　wing　resting　on　the　Euphrates；　Proxenus　was　next；　and　after　him　the　rest；　while　Menon　with　his　troops　held　the　Hellenic　left。　Of　the　Asiatics；　a　body　of　Paphlagonian　cavalry；　one　thousand　strong；　were　posted　beside　Clearchus　on　the　right；　and　with　them　stood　the　Hellenic　peltasts。　On　the　left　was　Ariaeus；　Cyrus's　second　in　command；　and　the　rest　of　the　barbarian　host。　Cyrus　was　with　his　bodyguard　of　cavalry　about　six　hundred　strong；　all　armed　with　corselets　like　Cyrus；　and　cuirasses　and　helmets；　but　not　so　Cyrus：　he　went　into　battle　with　head　unhelmeted＇2＇。　So　too　all　the　horses　with　Cyrus　wore　forehead…pieces　and　breast…pieces；　and　the　troopers　carried　short　Hellenic　swords。
  ＇2＇　The　MSS。　add；　〃to　expose　oneself　to　the　risks　of　war　bareheaded　　　　　is；　it　is　said；　a　practice　common　to　the　Persians；〃　which　I　regard　　　　　as　a　commentator's　note；　if　not　an　original　marginal　note　of　some　　　　　early　editor；　possibly　of　the　author　himself。　The　〃Cyropaedeia〃　is　　　　　full　of　such　comments；　〃pieces　justificatives〃　inserted　into　the　　　　　text。
  It　was　now　mid…day；　and　the　enemy　was　not　yet　in　sight；　but　with　the　approach　of　afternoon　was　seen　dust　like　a　white　cloud；　and　after　a　considerable　interval　a　black　pall　as　it　were　spread　far　and　high　above　the　plain。　As　they　came　nearer；　very　soon　was　seen　here　and　there　a　glint　of　bronze　and　spear…points；　and　the　ranks　could　plainly　be　distinguished。　On　the　left　were　troopers　wearing　white　cuirasses。　That　is　Tissaphernes　in　command；　they　said；　and　next　to　these　a　body　of　men　bearing　wicker…shields；　and　next　again　heavy…armed　infantry；　with　long　wooden　shields　reaching　to　the　feet。　These　were　the　Egyptians；　they　said；　and　then　other　cavalry；　other　bowmen；　all　were　in　national　divisions；　each　nation　marching　in　densely…crowded　　　　　　　　　　10　squares。　And　all　along　their　front　was　a　line　of　chariots　at　considerable　intervals　from　one　anotherthe　famous　scythe…chariots；　as　they　were　namedhaving　their　scythes　fitted　to　the　axle…trees　and　stretching　out　slantwise；　while　others　protruded　under　the　chariot…seats；　facing　the　ground；　so　as　to　cut　through　all　they　encountered。　The　design　was　to　let　them　dash　full　speed　into　the　ranks　of　the　Hellenes　and　cut　them　through。
  Curiously　enough　the　anticipation　of　Cyrus；　when　at　the　council　of　war　he　admonished　the　Hellenes　not　to　mind　the　shouting　of　the　Asiatics；　was　not　justified。　Instead　of　shouting；　they　came　on　in　deep　silence；　softly　and　slowly；　with　even　tread。　At　this　instant；　Cyrus；　riding　past　in　person；　accompanied　by　Pigres；　his　interpreter；　and　three　or　four　others；　called　aloud　to　Clearchus　to　advance　against　the　enemy's　centre；　for　there　the　king　was　to　be　found：　〃And　if　we　strike　home　at　this　point；〃　he　added；　〃our　work　is　finished。〃　Clearchus；　though　he　could　see　the　compact　body　at　the　centre；　and　had　been　told　by　Cyrus　that　the　king　lay　outside　the　Hellenic　left　（for；　owing　to　numerical　superiority；　the　king；　while　holding　his　own　centre；　could　well　overlap　Cyrus's　extreme　left）；　still　hesitated　to　draw　off　his　right　wing　from　the　river；　for　fear　of　being　turned　on　both　flanks；　and　he　simply　replied；　assuring　Cyrus　that　he　would　take　care　all　went　well。
  At　this　time　the　barbarian　army　was　evenly　advancing；　and　the　Hellenic　division　was　still　riveted　to　the　spot；　completing　its　formation　as　the　various　contingents　came　up。　Cyrus；　riding　past　at　some　distance　from　the　lines；　glanced　his　eye　first　in　one　direction　and　then　in　the　other；　so　as　to　take　a　complete　survey　of　friends　and　foes；　when　Xenophon　the　Athenian；　seeing　him；　rode　up　from　the　Hellenic　quarter　to　meet　him；　asking　him　whether　he　had　any　orders　to　give。　Cyrus；　pulling　up　his　horse；　begged　him　to　make　the　announcement　generally　known　that　the　omens　from　the　victims；　internal　and　external　alike；　were　good＇3＇。　While　he　was　still　speaking；　he　heard　a　confused　murmur　　　16　passing　through　the　ranks；　and　asked　what　it　meant。　The　other　replied　that　it　was　the　watchword　being　passed　down　for　the　second　time。　Cyrus　wondered　who　had　given　the　order；　and　asked　what　the　watchword　was。　On　being　told　it　was　〃Zeus　our　Saviour　and　Victory；〃　he　replied；　〃I　accept　it；　so　let　it　be；〃　and　with　that　remark　rode　away　to　his　own　position。　And　now　the　two　battle　lines　were　no　more　than　three　or　four　furlongs　apart；　when　the　Hellenes　began　chanting　the　paean；　and　at　the　same　time　advanced　against　the　enemy。
  ＇3＇　I。e。　the　omens　from　inspecting　the　innards　of　the　victims；　and　the　　　　　omens　from　the　acts　and　movements　of　the　victims。
  But　with　the　forward　movement　a　certain　portion　of　the　line　curved　onwards　in　advance；　with　wave…like　sinuosity；　and　the　portion　left　behind　quickened　to　a　run；　and　simultaneously　a　thrilling　cry　burst　from　all　lips；　like　that　in　honour　of　the　war…godeleleu！　eleleu！　and　the　running　became　general。　Some　say　they　clashed　their　shields　and　spears；　thereby　causing　terror　to　the　horses＇4＇；　and　before　they　had　got　within　arrowshot　the　barbarians　swerved　and　took　to　flight。　And　now　the　Hellenes　gave　chase　with　might　and　main；　checked　only　by　shouts　to　one　another　not　to　race；　but　to　keep　their　ranks。　The　enemy's　chariots；　reft　of　their　charioteers；　swept　onwards；　some　through　the　enemy　themselves；　others　past　the　Hellenes。　They；　as　they　saw　them　coming；　opened　a　gap　and　let　them　pass。　One　fellow；　like　some　dumbfoundered　mortal　on　a　racecourse；　was　caught　by　the　heels；　but　even　he；　they　said；　received　no　hurt；　nor　indeed；　with　the　single　exception　of　some　one　on　the　left　wing　who　was　said　to　have　been　wounded　by　an　arrow；　did　any　Hellene　in　this　battle　suffer　a　single　hurt。
  ＇4＇　Some　critics　regard　this　sentence　as　an　editor's　or　commentator's　　　　　note。
  Cyrus；　seeing　the　Hellene's　conquering；　as　far　as　they　at　any　rate　were　concerned；　and　in　ho