e　very　thing　we　want；〃　said　the　other；　〃for　they　will　use　up　their　ammunition　all　the　quicker；　but　let　us　select　a　point　from　which　we　shall　have　only　a　brief　space　to　run　across；　if　we　can；　and　from　which　it　will　be　easier　to　get　back；　if　we　wish。〃
  Thereupon　Cheirisophus　and　Xenophon　set　out　with　Callimachus　the　Parrhasian；　the　captain　in　command　of　the　officers　of　the　rearguard　that　day；　the　rest　of　the　captains　remained　out　of　danger。　That　done；　the　next　step　was　for　a　party　of　about　seventy　men　to　get　away　under　the　trees；　not　in　a　body；　but　one　by　one；　every　one　using　his　best　precaution；　and　Agasis　the　Stymphalian；　and　Aristonymous　the　Methydrian；　who　were　also　officers　of　the　rearguard；　were　posted　as　supports　outside　the　trees；　for　it　was　not　possible　for　more　than　a　single　company　to　stand　safely　within　the　trees。　Here　Callimachus　hit　upon　a　pretty　contrivancehe　ran　forward　from　the　tree　under　which　he　was　posted　two　or　three　paces；　and　as　soon　as　the　stones　came　whizzing；　he　retired　easily；　but　at　each　excursion　more　than　ten　wagon…loads　of　rocks　were　expended。　Agasias；　seeing　how　Callimachus　was　amusing　himself；　and　the　whole　army　looking　on　as　spectators；　was　seized　with　the　fear　that　he　might　miss　his　chance　of　being　first　to　run　the　gauntlet　of　the　enemy's　fire　and　get　into　the　place。　So；　without　a　word　of　summons　to　his　neighbour；　Aristonymous；　or　to　Eurylochus　of　Lusia；　both　comrades　of　his；　or　to　any　one　else；　off　he　set　on　his　own　account；　and　passed　the　whole　detachment。　But　Callimachus；　seeing　him　tearing　past；　caught　hold　of　his　shield　by　the　rim；　and　in　the　meantime　Aristonymous　the　Methydrian　ran　past　both；　and　after　him　Eurylochus　of　Lusia；　for　they　were　one　and　all　aspirants　to　valour；　and　in　that　high　pursuit；　each　was　the　eager　rival　of　the　rest。　So　in　this　strife　of　honour；　the　three　of　them　took　the　fortress；　and　when　they　had　once　rushed　in；　not　a　stone　more　was　hurled　from　overhead。
  And　here　a　terrible　spectacle　displayed　itself：　the　women　first　cast　their　infants　down　the　cliff；　and　then　they　cast　themselves　after　　　　　　　13　their　fallen　little　ones；　and　the　men　likewise。　In　such　a　scene；　Aeneas　the　Stymphalian；　an　officer；　caught　sight　of　a　man　with　a　fine　dress　about　to　throw　himself　over；　and　seized　hold　of　him　to　stop　him；　but　the　other　caught　him　to　his　arms；　and　both　were　gone　in　an　instant　headlong　down　the　crags；　and　were　killed。　Out　of　this　place　the　merest　handful　of　human　beings　were　taken　prisoners；　but　cattle　and　asses　in　abundance　and　flocks　of　sheep。
  From　this　place　they　marched　through　the　Chalybes＇1＇　seven　stages；　fifty　parasangs。　These　were　the　bravest　men　whom　they　encountered　on　the　whole　march；　coming　cheerily　to　close　quarters　with　them。　They　wore　linen　cuirasses　reaching　to　the　groin；　and　instead　of　the　ordinary　〃wings〃　or　basques；　a　thickly…plaited　fringe　of　cords。　They　were　also　provided　with　greaves　and　helmets；　and　at　the　girdle　a　short　sabre；　about　as　long　as　the　Laconian　dagger；　with　which　they　cut　the　throats　of　those　they　mastered；　and　after　severing　the　head　from　the　trunk　they　would　march　along　carrying　it；　singing　and　dancing；　when　they　drew　within　their　enemy's　field　of　view。　They　carried　also　a　spear　fifteen　cubits　long；　lanced　at　one　end＇2＇。　This　folk　stayed　in　regular　townships；　and　whenever　the　Hellenes　passed　by　they　invariably　hung　close　on　their　heels　fighting。　They　had　dwelling…places　in　their　fortresses；　and　into　them　they　had　carried　up　their　supplies；　sot　hat　the　Hellenes　could　get　nothing　from　this　district；　but　supported　themselves　on　the　flocks　and　herds　they　had　taken　from　the　Taochians。　After　this　the　Hellenes　reached　the　river　Harpasus；　which　was　four　hundred　feet　broad。　Hence　they　marched　through　the　Scythenians　four　stagestwenty　parasangsthrough　a　long　level　country　to　more　villages；　among　which　they　halted　three　days；　and　got　in　supplies。
  ＇1＇　These　are　the　Armeno…Chalybes；　so　called　by　Pliny　in　　　　　contradistinction　to　another　mountain　tribe　in　Pontus　so　named；　　　　　who　were　famous　for　their　forging；　and　from　whom　steel　received　　　　　its　Greek　name　｛khalups｝。　With　these　latter　we　shall　make　　　　　acquaintance　later　on。
  ＇2＇　I。e。　with　a　single　point　or　spike　only；　the　Hellenic　spear　having　　　　　a　spike　at　the　butt　end　also。
  Passing　on　from　thence　in　four　stages　of　twenty　parasangs；　they　　　　　　　　　19　reached　a　large　and　prosperous　well…populated　city；　which　went　by　the　name　of　Gymnias＇3＇；　from　which　the　governor　of　the　country　sent　them　a　guide　to　lead　them　through　a　district　hostile　to　his　own。　This　guide　told　them　that　within　five　days　he　would　lead　them　to　a　place　from　which　they　would　see　the　sea；　〃and；〃　he　added；　〃if　I　fail　of　my　word；　you　are　free　to　take　my　life。〃　Accordingly　he　put　himself　at　their　head；　but　he　no　sooner　set　foot　in　the　country　hostile　to　himself　than　he　fell　to　encouraging　them　to　burn　and　harry　the　land；　indeed　his　exhortations　were　so　earnest；　it　was　plain　that　it　was　for　this　he　had　come；　and　not　out　of　the　good…will　he　bore　the　Hellenes。
  ＇3＇　Gymnias　is　supposed　（by　Grote；　〃Hist。　of　Greece；〃　vol。　ix。　p。　161）　　　　　to　be　the　same　as　that　which　is　now　called　Gumisch…Kanaperhaps　　　　　〃at　no　great　distance　from　Baibut；〃　Tozer；　〃Turkish　Armenia；〃　p。　　　　　432。　Others　have　identified　it　with　Erzeroum；　others　with　Ispir。
  On　the　fifth　day　they　reached　the　mountain；　the　name　of　which　was　Theches＇4＇。　No　sooner　had　the　men　in　front　ascended　it　and　caught　sight　of　the　sea　than　a　great　cry　arose；　and　Xenophon；　in　the　rearguard；　catching　the　sound　of　it；　conjectured　that　another　set　of　enemies　must　surely　be　attacking　in　front；　for　they　were　followed　by　the　inhabitants　of　the　country；　which　was　all　aflame；　indeed　the　rearguard　had　killed　some　and　captured　others　alive　by　laying　an　ambuscade；　they　had　taken　also　about　twenty　wicker　shields；　covered　with　the　raw　hides　of　shaggy　oxen。
  ＇4＇　Some　MSS。　give　〃the　sacred　mountain。〃　The　height　in　question　has　　　　　been　identified　with　〃the　ridge　called　Tekieh…Dagh　to　the　east　of　　　　　Gumisch…Kana；　nearer　to　the　sea　than　that　place〃　（Grote；　ib。　p。　　　　　162）；　but　the　exact　place　from　which　they　caught　sight　of　the　sea　　　　　has　not　been　identified　as　yet；　and　other　mountain　ranges　have　　　　　been　suggested。
  But　as　the　shout　became　louder　and　nearer；　and　those　who　from　time　to　time　came　up；　began　racing　at　the　top　of　their　speed　towards　the　shouters；　and　the　shouting　continually　recommenced　with　yet　greater　volume　as　the　numbers　increased；　Xenophon　settled　in　his　mind　that　something　extraordinary　must　have　happened；　so　he　mounted　his　horse；　and　taking　with　him　Lycius　and　the　cavalry；　he　galloped　to　the　rescue。　Presently　they　could　hear　the　soldiers　shouting　and　passing　on　the　joyful　word；　〃The　sea！　the　sea！〃
  Thereupon　they　began　running；　rearguard　and　all；　and　the　baggage　　　　　　　　24　animals　and　horses　came　galloping　up。　But　when　they　had　reached　the　summit；　then　indeed　they　fell　to　embracing　one　anothergenerals　and　officers　and　alland　the　tears　trickled　down　their　cheeks。　And　on　a　sudden；　some　one；　whoever　it　was；　having　passed　down　the　order；　the　soldiers　began　bringing　stones　and　erecting　a　great　cairn；　whereon　they　dedicated　a　host　of　untanned　skins；　and　staves；　and　captured　wicker　shields；　and　with　his　own　hand　the　guide　hacked　the　shields　to　pieces；　inviting　the　rest　to　follow　his　example。　After　this　the　Hellenes　dismissed　the　guide　with　a　present　raised　from　the　common　store；　to　wit；　a　horse；　a　silver　bowl；　a　Persian　dress；　and　ten　darics；　but　what　he　most　begged　to　have　were　their　rings；　and　of　these　he　got　several　from　the　soldiers。　So；　after　pointing　out　to　them　a　village　where　they　would　find　quarters；　and　the　road　by　which　they　would　proceed　towards　the　land　of　the　Macrones；　as　evening　fell；　he　turned　his　back　upon　them　in　the　night　and　was　gone。
  VIII
  From　this　point　the　Hellenes　marched　through　the　country　of　the　　　　　　　　　1　Macrones　three　stagesten　parasangs；　and　on　the　first　day　they　reached　the　river；　which　formed　the　boundary　between　the　land　of　the　Macrones　and　the　land　of　the　Scythenians。　Above　them；　on　their　right；　they　had　a　country　of　the　sternest　and　ruggedest　character；　and　on　their　left　another　river；　into　which　the　frontier　river　discharges　itself；　and　which　they　must　cross。　This　was　thickly　fringed　with　trees　which；　though　not　of　any　great　bulk；　were　closely　packed。　As　soon　as　they　came　up　to　them；　the　Hellenes　proceeded　to　cut　them　down　in　their　haste　to　get　out　of　the　place　as　soon　as　possible。　But　the　Macrones；　armed　with　wicker　shields　and　lances　and　hair　tunics；　were　already　drawn　up　to　receive　them　opposite　the　crossing。　They　were　cheering　one　another　on；　and　kept　up　a　steady　pelt　of　stones　into　the　river；　though　they　failed　to　reach　the　other　side　or　do　any　harm。
  At　this　juncture　one　of　the　light　infantry　came　up　to　Xenophon；　he　had　been；　he　said；　a　slave　at　Athens；　and　he　wished　to　tell　him　that　he　recognised　the　speech　of　these　people。　〃I　think；〃　said　he；　〃that　this　must　be　my　native　country；　and　if　there　is　no　objection　I　will　have　a　talk　with　them。〃　〃No　objection　at　all；〃　replied　Xenophon；　〃pray　talk　　　　5　to　them；　and　ask　them　first；　who　they　are。〃　In　answer　to　this　question　they　said；　〃they　were　Macrones。〃　〃Well；　then；〃　said　he；　〃ask　them　why　th