ently；　he　sent　a　messenger　to　the　Persian　to　say　that　he　desired　an　interview　with　him；　to　which　the　other　readily　consented。　As　soon　as　they　were　met；　Clearchus　spoke　as　follows：　〃Tissaphernes；〃　he　said；　〃I　do　not　forget　that　oaths　have　been　exchanged　between　us；　and　right　hands　shaken；　in　token　that　we　will　abstain　from　mutual　injury；　but　I　can　see　that　you　watch　us　narrowly；　as　if　we　were　foes；　and　we；　seeing　this；　watch　you　narrowly　in　return。　But　as　I　fail　to　discover；　after　investigation；　that　you　are　endeavouring　to　do　us　a　mischiefand　I　am　quite　sure　that　nothing　of　the　sort　has　ever　entered　our　heads　with　regard　to　youthe　best　plan　seemed　to　me　to　come　and　talk　the　matter　over　with　you；　so　that；　if　possible；　we　might　dispel　the　mutual　distrust　on　either　side。　For　I　have　known　people　ere　now；　the　victims　in　some　cases　of　calumny；　or　possibly　of　mere　suspicion；　who　in　apprehension　of　one　another　and　eager　to　deal　the　first　blow；　have　committed　irreparable　wrong　against　those　who　neither　intended　nor　so　much　as　harboured　a　thought　of　mischief　against　them。　I　have　come　to　you　under　a　conviction　that　such　　6　misunderstandings　may　best　be　put　a　stop　to　by　personal　intercourse；　and　I　wish　to　instruct　you　plainly　that　you　are　wrong　in　mistrusting　us。　The　first　and　weightiest　reason　is　that　the　oaths；　which　we　took　in　the　sight　of　heaven；　are　a　barrier　to　mutual　hostility。　I　envy　not　the　man　whose　conscience　tells　him　that　he　has　disregarded　these！　For　in　a　war　with　heaven；　by　what　swiftness　of　foot　can　a　man　escape？in　what　quarter　find　refuge？in　what　darkness　slink　away　and　be　hid？to　what　strong　fortress　scale　and　be　out　of　reach？　Are　not　all　things　in　all　ways　subject　to　the　gods？　is　not　their　lordship　over　all　alike　outspread？　As　touching　the　gods；　therefore；　and　our　oaths；　that　is　how　I　view　this　matter。　To　their　safe　keeping　we　consigned　the　friendship　which　we　solemnly　contracted。　But　turning　to　matters　human；　you　I　look　upon　as　our　greatest　blessing　in　this　present　time。　With　you　every　path　is　plain　to　us；　every　river　passable；　and　of　provisions　we　shall　know　no　stint。　But　without　you；　all　our　way　is　through　darkness；　for　we　known　nothing　concerning　it；　every　river　will　be　an　obstacle；　each　multitude　a　terror；　but；　worst　terror　of　all；　the　vast　wilderness；　so　full　of　endless　perplexity。　Nay；　if　in　a　fit　of　madness　we　murdered　you；　what　then？　in　slaying　our　benefactor　should　we　not　have　challenged　to　enter　the　lists　against　us　a　more　formidable　antagonist　in　the　king　himself？　Let　me　tell　you；　how　many　high　hopes　I　should　rob　myself　of；　were　I　to　take　in　hand　to　do　you　mischief。
  ＇1＇　The　Greater　Zab；　which　flows　into　the　Tigris　near　a　town　now　　　　　called　Senn；　with　which　most　travellers　identify　Caenae。
  〃I　coveted　the　friendship　of　Cyrus；　I　believed　him　to　be　abler　than　any　man　of　his　day　to　benefit　those　whom　he　chose；　but　to…day　I　look　and；　behold；　it　is　you　who　are　in　his　place；　the　power　which　belonged　　　11　to　Cyrus　and　his　territory　are　yours　now。　You　have　them；　and　your　own　satrapy　besides；　safe　and　sound；　while　the　king's　power；　which　was　a　thorn　in　the　side　of　Cyrus；　is　your　support。　This　being　so；　it　would　be　madness　not　to　wish　to　be　your　friend。　But　I　will　go　further　and　state　to　you　the　reasons　of　my　confidence；　that　you　on　your　side　will　desire　our　friendship。　I　know　that　the　Mysians　are　a　cause　of　trouble　to　you；　and　I　flatter　myself　that　with　my　present　force　I　could　render　them　humbly　obedient　to　you。　This　applies　to　the　Pisidians　also；　and　I　am　told　there　are　many　other　such　tribes　besides。　I　think　I　can　deal　with　them　all；　they　shall　cease　from　being　a　constant　distubance　to　your　peace　and　prosperity。　Then　there　are　the　Egyptians＇2＇。　I　know　your　anger　against　them　to…day　is　very　great。　Nor　can　I　see　what　better　force　you　will　find　to　help　you　in　chastising　them　than　this　which　marches　at　my　back　to…day。　Again；　if　you　seek　the　friendship　of　any　of　your　neighbours　round；　there　shall　be　no　friend　so　great　as　you；　if　any　one　annoys　you；　with　us　as　your　faithful　servitors　you　shall　belord　it　over　him；　and　such　service　we　will　render　you；　not　as　hirelings　merely　for　pay's　sake；　but　for　the　gratitude　which　we　shall　rightly　feel　to　you；　to　whom　we　owe　our　lives。　As　I　dwell　on　these　matters；　I　confess；　the　idea　of　your　feeling　mistrust　of　us　is　so　astonishing；　that　I　would　give　much　to　discover　the　name　of　the　man；　who　is　so　clever　of　speech　that　he　can　persuade　you　that　we　harbour　designs　against　you。〃　Clearchus　ended；　and　Tissaphernes　responded　thus
  ＇2＇　We　learn　from　Diodorus　Siculus；　xiv。　35；　that　the　Egyptians　had　　　　　revolted　from　the　Persians　towards　the　end　of　the　reign　of　Darius。
  〃I　am　glad；　Clearchus；　to　listen　to　your　sensible　remarks；　for　with　the　sentiments　you　hold；　if　you　were　to　devise　any　mischief　against　me；　it　could　only　be　out　of　malevolence　to　yourself。　But　if　you　imagine　that　you；　on　your　side；　have　any　better　reason　to　mistrust　the　king　and　me；　than　we　you；　listen　to　me　in　turn；　and　I　will　undeceive　you。　I　ask　you；　does　it　seem　to　you　that　we　lack　the　means；　if　we　had　the　will；　to　destroy　you？　have　we　not　horsemen　enough；　or　infantry；　or　whatever　other　arm　you　like；　whereby　we　may　be　able　to　injure　you；　without　risk　of　suffering　in　return？　or；　possibly；　do　we　seem　to　you　　　　17　to　lack　the　physical　surroundings　suitable　for　attacking　you？　Do　you　not　see　all　these　great　plains；　which　you　find　it　hard　enough　to　traverse　even　when　they　are　friendly？　and　all　yonder　great　mountain　chains　left　for　you　to　cross；　which　we　can　at　any　time　occupy　in　advance　and　render　impassable？　and　all　those　rivers；　on　whose　banks　we　can　deal　craftily　by　you；　checking　and　controlling　and　choosing　the　right　number　of　you　whom　we　care　to　fight！　Nay；　there　are　some　which　you　will　not　be　able　to　cross　at　all；　unless　we　transport　you　to　the　other　side。
  〃And　if　at　all　these　points　we　were　worsted；　yet　'fire；'　as　they　say；　'is　stronger　than　the　fruit　of　the　field'：　we　can　burn　it　down　and　call　up　famine　in　arms　against　you；　against　which　you；　for　all　your　bravery；　will　never　be　able　to　contend。　Why　then；　with　all　these　avenues　of　attack；　this　machinery　of　war；　open　to　us；　not　one　of　which　can　be　turned　against　ourselves；　why　should　we　select　from　among　them　all　that　method；　which　alone　in　the　sight　of　God　is　impious　and　of　man　abominable？　Surely　it　belongs　to　people　altogether　without　resources；　who　are　helplessly　struggling　in　the　toils　of　fate；　and　are　villains　to　boot；　to　seek　accomplishment　of　their　desires　by　perjury　to　heaven　and　faithlessness　to　their　fellows。　We　are　not　so　unreasoning；　Clearchus；　nor　so　foolish。
  〃Why；　when　we　had　it　in　our　power　to　destroy　you；　did　we　not　proceed　to　do　it？　Know　well　that　the　cause　of　this　was　nothing　less　than　my　passion　to　prove　myself　faithful　to　the　Hellenes；　and　that；　as　Cyrus　went　up；　relying　on　a　foreign　force　attracted　by　payment；　I　in　turn　might　go　down　strong　in　the　same　through　service　rendered。　Various　ways　in　which　you　Hellenes　may　be　useful　to　me　you　yourself　have　mentioned；　but　there　is　one　still　greater。　It　is　the　great　king's　privilege　alone　to　wear　the　tiara　upright　upon　his　head；　yet　in　your　presence　it　may　be　given　to　another　mortal　to　wear　it　upright；　here；　upon　his　heart。〃
  Throughout　this　speech　he　seemed　to　Clearchus　to　be　speaking　the　truth；　and　he　rejoined：　〃Then　are　not　those　worthy　of　the　worst　　　　　　　　　24　penalties　who；　in　spite　of　all　that　exists　to　cement　our　friendship；　endeavour　by　slander　to　make　us　enemies？〃　〃Even　so；〃　replied　Tissaphernes；　〃and　if　your　generals　and　captains　care　to　come　in　some　open　and　public　way；　I　will　name　to　you　those　who　tell　me　that　you　are　plotting　against　me　and　the　army　under　me。〃　〃Good；〃　replied　Clearchus。　〃I　will　bring　all；　and　I　will　show　you；　on　my　side；　the　source　from　which　I　derive　my　information　concerning　you。〃
  After　this　conversation　Tissaphernes；　with　kindliest　expression；　invited　Clearchus　to　remain　with　him　at　the　time；　and　entertained　him　at　dinner。　Next　day　Clearchus　returned　to　the　camp；　and　made　no　secret　of　his　persuasion　that　he　at　any　rate　stood　high　in　the　affections　of　Tissaphernes；　and　he　reported　what　he　had　said；　insisting　that　those　invited　ought　to　go　to　Tissaphernes；　and　that　any　Hellene　convicted　of　calumnious　language　ought　to　be　punished；　not　only　as　traitors　themselves；　but　as　disaffected　to　their　fellow…countrymen。　The　slanderer　and　traducer　was　Menon；　so；　at　any　rate；　he　suspected；　because　he　knew　that　he　had　had　meetings　with　Tissaphernes　whilst　he　was　with　Ariaeus；　and　was　factiously　opposed　to　himself；　plotting　how　to　win　over　the　whole　army　to　him；　as　a　means　of　winning　the　good　graces　of　Tissaphernes。　But　Clearchus　wanted　the　entire　army　to　give　its　mind　to　no　one　else；　and　that　refractory　people　should　be　put　out　of　the　way。　Some　of　the　soldiers　protested：　the　captains　and　generals　had　better　not　all　go；　it　was　better　not　to　put　too　much　confidence　in　Tissaphernes。　But　Clearchus　insisted　so　strongly　that　finally　it　was　arranged　for　five　generals　to　go　and　twenty　captains。　These　were　accompanied　by　about　two　hundred　of　the　other　soldiers；　who　took　the　opportunity　of　marketing。
  On　arrival　at　the　doors　of　Tissaphernes's　quarters　the　generals　were　summoned　inside。　They　were