him；　and　the　end　of　it　was　that　the　headman　ran　away　in　the　night　and　was　gone；　leaving　his　son　behind　him。　This　was　the　sole　ground　of　difference　between　Cheirisophus　and　Xenophon　during　the　march；　this　combination　of　ill…treatment　and　neglect　in　the　case　of　the　guide。　As　to　the　boy；　Episthenes　conceived　a　passion　for　him；　and　took　him　home　with　him；　and　found　in　him　the　most　faithful　of　friends。
  After　this　they　marched　seven　stages　at　the　rate　of　five　parasangs　a　day；　to　the　banks　of　the　river　Phasis＇1＇；　which　is　a　hundred　feet　broad：　and　thence　they　marched　another　couple　of　stages；　ten　parasangs；　but　at　the　pass　leading　down　into　the　plain　there　appeared　in　front　of　them　a　mixed　body　of　Chalybes　and　Taochians　and　Phasianians。　When　Cheirisophus　caught　sight　of　the　enemy　on　the　pass　at　a　distance　of　about　three　or　four　miles；　he　ceased　marching；　not　caring　to　approach　the　enemy　with　his　troops　in　column；　and　he　passed　down　the　order　to　the　others：　to　deploy　their　companies　to　the　front；　that　the　troops　might　form　into　line。　As　soon　as　the　rearguard　had　come　up；　he　assembled　the　generals　and　officers；　and　addressed　them：　〃The　enemy；　as　you　see；　are　in　occupation　of　the　mountain　pass；　it　is　time　we　should　consider　how　we　are　to　make　the　best　fight　to　win　it。　My　opinion　is；　that　we　should　give　orders　to　the　troops　to　take　their　morning　meal；　whilst　we　deliberate　whether　we　should　cross　the　mountains　to…day　or　to…morrow。〃　〃My　opinion；〃　said　Cleanor；　〃is；　that　as　soon　as　we　have　breakfasted；　we　should　arm　for　the　fight　and　attack　the　enemy；　without　loss　of　time；　for　if　we　fritter　away　to…day；　the　enemy　who　are　now　content　to　look　at　us；　will　grow　bolder；　and　with　their　growing　courage；　depend　upon　it；　others　more　numerous　will　join　them。〃
  ＇1＇　Probably　a　tributary　of　the　Araxes　=　modern　Pasin…Su。
  After　him　Xenophon　spoke：　〃This；〃　he　said；　〃is　how　I　see　the　matter；　if　fight　we　must；　let　us　make　preparation　to　sell　our　lives　dearly；　but　if　we　desire　to　cross　with　the　greatest　ease；　the　point　to　consider　is；　how　we　may　get　the　fewest　wounds　and　throw　away　the　smallest　number　of　good　men。　Well　then；　that　part　of　the　mountain　　　　　　　11　which　is　visible　stretches　nearly　seven　miles。　Where　are　the　men　posted　to　intercept　us？　except　at　the　road　itself；　they　are　nowhere　to　be　seen。　It　is　much　better　to　try　if　possible　to　steal　a　point　of　this　desert　mountain　unobserved；　and　before　they　know　where　we　are；　secure　the　prize；　than　to　fly　at　a　strong　position　and　an　enemy　thoroughly　prepared。　Since　it　is　much　easier　to　march　up　a　mountain　without　fighting　than　to　tramp　along　a　level　when　assailants　are　at　either　hand；　and　provided　he　has　not　to　fight；　a　man　will　see　what　lies　at　his　feet　much　more　plainly　even　at　night　than　in　broad　daylight　in　the　midst　of　battle；　and　a　rough　road　to　feet　that　roam　in　peace　may　be　pleasanter　than　a　smooth　surface　with　the　bullets　whistling　about　your　ears＇2＇。　Nor　is　it　so　impossible；　I　take　it；　to　steal　a　march；　since　it　is　open　to　us　to　go　by　night；　when　we　cannot　be　seen；　and　to　fall　back　so　far　that　they　will　never　notice　us。　In　my　opinion；　however；　if　we　make　a　feint　of　attacking　here；　we　shall　find　the　mountain　chain　all　the　more　deserted　elsewhere；　since　the　enemy　will　be　waiting　for　us　here　in　thicker　swarm。
  ＇2＇　Or；　more　lit。；　〃with　the　head　a　mark　for　missiles。〃
  〃But　what　right　have　I　to　be　drawing　conclusions　about　stealing　in　your　presence；　Cheirisophus？　for　you　Lacedaemonians；　as　I　have　often　been　told；　you　who　belong　to　the　'peers；'　practise　stealing　from　your　boyhood　up；　and　it　is　no　disgrace　but　honourable　rather　to　steal；　except　such　things　as　the　law　forbids；　and　in　order；　I　presume；　to　stimulate　your　sense　of　secretiveness；　and　to　make　you　master　thieves；　it　is　lawful　for　you　further　to　get　a　whipping　if　you　are　caught。　Now　then　you　have　a　fine　opportunity　of　displaying　your　training。　But　take　care　we　are　not　caught　stealing　over　the　mountain；　or　we　shall　catch　it　ourselves。〃　〃For　all　that；〃　retorted　Cheirisophus；　〃I　have　heard　that　you　Athenians　are　clever　hands　at　stealing　the　public　moneys；　and　that　too　though　there　is　a　fearful　risk　for　the　person　so　employed；　but；　I　am　told；　it　is　your　best　men　who　are　addicted　to　it；　if　it　is　your　best　men　who　are　thought　worthy　to　rule。　So　it　is　a　fine　opportunity　for　yourself　also；　Xenophon；　to　exhibit　your　education。〃　　　　17　〃And　I；〃　replied　Xenophon；　〃am　ready　to　take　the　rear　division；　as　soon　as　we　have　supped；　and　seize　the　mountain　chain。　I　have　already　got　guides；　for　the　light　troops　laid　an　ambuscade；　and　seized　some　of　the　cut…purse　vagabonds　who　hung　on　our　rear。　I　am　further　informed　by　them　that　the　mountain　is　not　inaccessible；　but　is　grazed　by　goats　and　cattle；　so　that　if　we　can　once　get　hold　of　any　portion　of　it；　there　will　be　no　difficulty　as　regards　our　animalsthey　can　cross。　As　to　the　enemy；　I　expect　they　will　not　even　wait　for　us　any　longer；　when　they　once　see　us　on　a　level　with　themselves　on　the　heights；　for　they　do　not　even　at　present　care　to　come　down　and　meet　us　on　fair　ground。〃　Cheirisophus　answered：　〃But　why　should　you　go　and　leave　your　command　in　the　rear？　Send　others　rather；　unless　a　band　of　volunteers　will　present　themselves。〃　Thereupon　Aristonymus　the　Methydrian　came　forward　with　some　heavy　infantry；　and　Nicomachus　the　Oetean　with　another　body　of　light　troops；　and　they　made　an　agreement　to　kindle　several　watch…fires　as　soon　as　they　held　the　heights。　The　arrangements　made；　they　breakfasted；　and　after　breakfast　Cheirisophus　advanced　the　whole　army　ten　furlongs　closer　towards　the　enemy；　so　as　to　strengthen　the　impression　that　he　intended　to　attack　them　at　that　point。
  But　as　soon　as　they　had　supped　and　night　had　fallen；　the　party　under　orders　set　off　and　occupied　the　mountain；　while　the　main　body　rested　where　they　were。　Now　as　soon　as　the　enemy　perceived　that　the　mountain　was　taken；　they　banished　all　thought　of　sleep；　and　kept　many　watch…fires　blazing　throughout　the　night。　But　at　break　of　day　Cheirisophus　offered　sacrifice；　and　began　advancing　along　the　road；　while　the　detachment　which　held　the　mountain　advanced　pari　passu　by　the　high　ground。　The　larger　mass　of　the　enemy；　on　his　side；　remained　still　on　the　mountain…pass；　but　a　section　of　them　turned　to　confront　the　detachment　on　the　heights。　Before　the　main　bodies　had　time　to　draw　together；　the　detachment　on　the　height　came　to　close　quarters；　and　the　Hellenes　were　victorious　and　gave　chase。　Meanwhile　the　light　division　of　the　Hellenes；　issuing　from　the　plain；　were　rapidly　advancing　against　the　serried　lines　of　the　enemy；　whilst　Cheirisophus　followed　up　with　his　heavy　infantry　at　quick　march。　But　the　enemy　on　the　road　　　　25　no　sooner　saw　their　higher　division　being　worsted　than　they　fled；　and　some　few　of　them　were　slain；　and　a　vast　number　of　wicker　shields　were　taken；　which　the　Hellenes　hacked　to　pieces　with　their　short　swords　and　rendered　useless。　So　when　they　had　reached　the　summit　of　the　pass；　they　sacrificed　and　set　up　a　trophy；　and　descending　into　the　plain；　reached　villages　abounding　in　good　things　of　every　kind。
  VII
  After　this　they　marched　into　the　country　of　the　Taochians　five　　　　　　　　　　1　stagesthirty　parasangsand　provisions　failed；　for　the　Taochians　lived　in　strong　places；　into　which　they　had　carried　up　all　their　stores。　Now　when　the　army　arrived　before　one　of　these　strong　placesa　mere　fortress；　without　city　or　houses；　into　which　a　motley　crowd　of　men　and　women　and　numerous　flocks　and　herds　were　gatheredCheirisophus　attacked　at　once。　When　the　first　regiment　fell　back　tired；　a　second　advanced；　and　again　a　third；　for　it　was　impossible　to　surround　the　place　in　full　force；　as　it　was　encircled　by　a　river。　Presently　Xenophon　came　up　with　the　rearguard；　consisting　of　both　light　and　heavy　infantry；　whereupon　Cheirisophus　halted　him　with　the　words：　〃In　the　nick　of　time　you　have　come；　we　must　take　this　place；　for　the　troops　have　no　provisions；　unless　we　take　it。〃　Thereupon　they　consulted　together；　and　to　Xenophon's　inquiry；　〃What　it　was　which　hindered　their　simply　walking　in？〃　Cheirisophus　replied；　〃There　is　just　this　one　narrow　approach　which　you　see；　but　when　we　attempt　to　pass　it　by　they　roll　down　volleys　of　stones　from　yonder　overhanging　crag；〃　pointing　up；　〃and　this　is　the　state　in　which　you　find　yourself；　if　you　chance　to　be　caught；〃　and　he　pointed　to　some　poor　fellows　with　their　legs　or　ribs　crushed　to　bits。　〃But　when　they　have　expended　their　ammunition；〃　said　Xenophon；　〃there　is　nothing　else；　is　there；　to　hinder　our　passing？　Certainly；　except　yonder　handful　of　fellows；　there　is　no　one　in　front　of　us　that　we　can　see；　and　of　them；　only　two　or　three　apparently　are　armed；　and　the　distance　to　be　traversed　under　fire　is；　as　your　eyes　will　tell　you；　about　one　hundred　and　fifty　feet　as　near　as　can　be；　and　of　this　space　the　first　hundred　is　thickly　covered　with　great　pines　at　intervals；　under　cover　of　these；　what　harm　can　come　to　our　men　from　a　pelt　of　stones；　flying　　　6　or　rolling？　So　then；　there　is　only　fifty　feet　left　to　cross；　during　a　lull　of　stones。〃　〃Ay；〃　said　Cheirisophus；　〃but　with　our　first　attempt　to　approach　the　bush　a　galling　fire　of　stones　commences。〃　〃The　very　thing　we　want；〃　said　the　other；　〃for　they　will　use　up　their　ammunition　all　the　quicker；　but　l