his　〃sacred　advice。〃　Others　again　suspected　that　his　object　was　to　prevent　their　going　by　foot　and　doing　some　mischief　to　the　country　of　the　Sinopeans。　However　that　might　be；　the　Hellenes　voted　in　favour　of　continuing　the　journey　by　sea。　After　this　Xenophon　said：　〃Sinopeans；　the　army　has　chosen　that　method　of　procedure　which　you　advise；　and　thus　the　matter　stands。　If　there　are　sure　to　be　vessels　enough　to　make　it　impossible　for　a　single　man　to　be　left　behind；　go　by　sea　we　will；　but　if　part　of　us　are　to　be　left　while　part　go　by　sea；　we　will　not　set　foot　on　board　the　vessels。　One　fact　we　plainly　recognise；　strength　is　everything　to　us。　So　long　as　we　have　the　mastery；　we　shall　be　able　to　protect　ourselves　and　get　provisions；　but　if　we　are　once　caught　at　the　mercy　of　our　foes；　it　is　plain；　we　shall　be　reduced　to　slavery。〃　On　hearing　this　the　ambassadors　bade　them　send　an　embassy；　which　they　did；　to　wit；　Callimachus　the　Arcadian；　and　Ariston　the　Athenian；　and　Samolas　the　Achaean。
  So　these　set　off；　but　meanwhile　a　thought　shaped　itself　in　the　mind　of　Xenophon；　as　there　before　his　eyes　lay　that　vast　army　of　Hellene　hoplites；　and　that　other　array　of　peltasts；　archers；　and　slingers；　with　cavalry　to　boot；　and　all　in　a　state　of　thorough　efficiency　from　long　practice；　hardened　veterans；　and　all　collected　in　Pontus；　where　to　raise　so　large　a　force　would　cost　a　mint　of　money。　Then　the　idea　dawned　upon　him：　how　noble　an　opportunity　to　acquire　new　territory　and　　15　power　for　Hellas；　by　the　founding　of　a　colonya　city　of　no　mean　size；　moreover；　said　he　to　himself；　as　he　reckoned　up　their　own　numbersand　besides　themselves　a　population　planted　on　the　shores　of　Pontus。　Threupon　he　summoned　Silanus　the　Ambraciot；　the　soothsayer　of　Cyrus　above　mentioned；　and　before　breathing　a　syllable　to　any　of　the　soldiers；　he　consulted　the　victims　by　sacrifice。
  But　Silanus；　in　apprehension　lest　these　ideas　might　embody　themselves；　and　the　army　be　permanently　halted　at　some　point　or　other；　set　a　tale　going　among　the　men；　to　the　effect　that　Xenophon　was　minded　to　detain　the　army　and　found　a　city　in　order　to　win　himself　a　name　and　acquire　power；　Silanus　himself　being　minded　to　reach　Hellas　with　all　possible　speed；　for　the　simple　reason　that　he　had　still　got　the　three　thousand　darics　presented　to　him　by　Cyrus　on　the　occasion　of　the　sacrifice　when　he　hit　the　truth　so　happily　about　the　ten　days。　Silanus's　story　was　variously　received；　some　few　of　the　soldiers　thinking　it　would　be　an　excellent　thing　to　stay　in　that　country；　but　the　majority　were　strongly　averse。　The　next　incident　was　that　Timasion　the　Dardanian；　with　Thorax　the　Boeotian；　addressed　themselves　to　some　Heracleot　and　Sinopean　traders　who　had　come　to　Cotyora；　and　told　them　that　if　they　did　not　find　means　to　furnish　the　army　with　pay　sufficient　to　keep　them　in　provisions　on　the　homeward　voyage；　all　that　great　force　would　most　likely　settle　down　permanently　in　Pontus。　〃Xenophon　has　a　pet　idea；〃　they　continued；　〃which　he　urges　upon　us。　We　are　to　wait　until　the　ships　come；　and　then　we　are　suddenly　to　turn　round　to　the　army　and　say：　'Soldiers；　we　now　see　the　straits　we　are　in；　unable　to　keep　ourselves　in　provisions　on　the　return　voyage；　or　to　make　our　friends　at　home　a　little　present　at　the　end　of　our　journey。　But　if　you　like　to　select　some　place　on　the　inhabited　seaboard　of　the　Black　Sea　which　may　take　your　fancy　and　there　put　in；　this　is　open　to　you　to　do。　Those　who　like　to　go　home；　go；　those　who　care　to　stay　here；　stay。　You　have　got　　　　20　vessels　now；　so　that　you　can　make　a　sudden　pounce　upon　any　point　you　choose。'〃
  The　merchants　went　off　with　this　tale　and　reported　it　to　every　city　they　came　to　in　turn；　nor　did　they　go　alone；　but　Timasion　the　Dardanian　sent　a　fellow…citizen　of　his　own；　Eurymachus；　with　the　Boeotian　Thorax；　to　repeat　the　same　story。　So　when　it　reached　the　ears　of　the　men　of　Sinope　and　the　Heracleots；　they　sent　to　Timasion　and　pressed　him　to　accept　of　a　gratuity；　in　return　for　which　he　was　to　arrange　for　the　departure　of　the　troops。　Timasion　was　only　too　glad　to　hear　this；　and　he　took　the　opportunity　when　the　soldiers　were　convened　in　meeting　to　make　the　following　remarks：　〃Soldiers；〃　he　said；　〃do　not　set　your　thoughts　on　staying　here；　let　Hellas；　and　Hellas　only；　be　the　object　of　your　affection；　for　I　am　told　that　certain　persons　have　been　sacrificing　on　this　very　question；　without　saying　a　word　to　you。　Now　I　can　promise　you；　if　you　once　leave　these　waters；　to　furnish　you　with　regular　monthly　pay；　dating　from　the　first　of　the　month；　at　the　rate　of　one　cyzicene＇2＇　a　head　per　month。　I　will　bring　you　to　the　Troad；　from　which　part　I　am　an　exile；　and　my　own　state　is　at　your　service。　They　will　receive　me　with　open　arms。　I　will　be　your　guide　personally；　and　I　will　take　you　to　plces　where　you　will　get　plenty　of　money。　I　know　every　corner　of　the　Aeolid；　and　Phrygia；　and　the　Troad；　and　indeed　the　whole　satrapy　of　Pharnabazus；　partly　because　it　is　my　birthplace；　partly　from　campaigns　in　that　region　with　Clearchus　and　Dercylidas＇3＇。〃
  ＇2＇　A　cyzicene　stater　=　twenty…eight　silver　drachmae　of　Attic　money　　　　　B。C。　335；　in　the　time　of　Demosthenes；　but；　like　the　daric；　this　　　　　gold　coin　would　fluctuate　in　value　relatively　to　silver。　It　　　　　contained　more　grains　of　gold　than　the　daric。
  ＇3＇　Of　Dercylidas　we　hear　more　in　the　〃Hellenica。〃　In　B。C。　411　he　was　　　　　harmost　at　Abydos；　in　B。C。　399　he　superseded　Thimbron　in　Asia　　　　　Minor；　and　was　himself　superseded　by　Agesilaus　in　B。C。　396。
  No　sooner　had　he　ceased　than　up　got　Thorax　the　Boeotian。　This　was　a　man　who　had　a　standing　battle　with　Xenophon　about　the　generalship　of　the　army。　What　he　said　was　that；　if　they　once　got　fairly　out　of　the　Euxine；　there　was　the　Chersonese；　a　beautiful　and　prosperous　country；　where　they　could　settle　or　not；　as　they　chose。　Those　who　liked　could　stay；　and　those　who　liked　could　return　to　their　homes；　how　ridiculous　　　25　then；　when　there　was　so　much　territory　in　Hellas　and　to　spare；　to　be　poking　about＇4＇　in　the　land　of　the　barbarian。　〃But　until　you　find　yourselves　there；〃　he　added；　〃I；　no　less　than　Timasion；　can　guarantee　you　regular　pay。〃　This　he　said；　knowing　what　promises　had　been　made　Timasion　by　the　men　of　Heraclea　and　Sinope　to　induce　them　to　set　sail。
  ＇4＇　The　word　｛masteuein｝　occurs　above；　and　again　below；　and　in　other　　　　　writings　of　our　author。　It　is　probably　Ionic　or　old　Attic；　and　　　　　occurs　in　poetry。
  Meanwhile　Xenophon　held　his　peace。　Then　up　got　Philesius　and　Lycon；　two　Achaeans：　〃It　was　monstrous；〃　they　said；　〃that　Xenophon　should　be　privately　persuading　people　to　stop　there；　and　consulting　the　victims　for　that　end；　without　letting　the　army　into　the　secret；　or　breathing　a　syllable　in　public　about　the　matter。〃　When　it　came　to　this；　Xenophon　was　forced　to　get　up；　and　speak　as　follows：　〃Sirs；　you　are　well　aware　that　my　habit　is　to　sacrifice　at　all　times；　whether　in　your　own　behalf　or　my　own；　I　strive　in　every　thought；　word；　and　deed　to　be　directed　as　is　best　for　yourselves　and　for　me。　And　in　the　present　instance　my　sole　object　was　to　learn　whether　it　were　better　even　so　much　as　to　broach　the　subject；　and　so　take　action；　or　to　have　absolutely　nothing　to　do　with　the　project。　Now　Silanus　the　soothsayer　assured　me　by　his　answer　of　what　was　the　main　point：　'the　victims　were　favourable。'　No　doubt　Silanus　knew　that　I　was　not　unversed　myself　in　his　lore；　as　I　have　so　often　assisted　at　the　sacrifice；　but　he　added　that　there　were　symptoms　in　the　victims　of　some　guile　or　conspiracy　against　me。　That　was　a　happy　discovery　on　his　part；　seeing　that　he　was　himself　conspiring　at　the　moment　to　traduce　me　before　you；　since　it　was　he　who　set　the　tale　going　that　I　had　actually　made　up　my　mind　to　carry　out　these　projects　without　procuring　your　consent。　Now；　for　my　part；　if　I　saw　that　you　　　　　30　were　in　any　difficulties；　I　should　set　myself　to　discover　how　you　might　capture　a　city；　on　the　understanding　of　course　that　all　who　wished　might　sail　away　at　once；　leaving　those　who　did　not　wish；　to　follow　at　a　later　date；　with　something　perhaps　in　their　pockets　to　benefit　their　friends　at　home。　Now；　however；　as　I　see　that　the　men　of　Heraclea　and　Sinope　are　to　send　you　ships　to　assist　you　to　sail　away；　and　more　than　one　person　guarantees　to　give　you　regular　monthly　pay；　it　is；　I　admit；　a　rare　chance　to　be　safely　piloted　to　the　haven　of　our　hopes；　and　at　the　same　time　to　receive　pay　for　our　preservation。　For　myself　I　have　done　with　that　dream；　and　to　those；　who　came　to　me　to　urge　these　projects；　my　advice　is　to　have　done　with　them。　In　fact；　this　is　my　view。　As　long　as　you　stay　together　united　as　to…day；　you　will　command　respect　and　procure　provisions；　for　might　certainly　exercises　a　right　over　what　belongs　to　the　weaker。　But　once　broken　up；　with　your　force　split　into　bits；　you　will　neither　be　able　to　get　subsistence；　nor　indeed　will　you　get　off　without　paying　dearly　for　it。　In　fact；　my　resolution　coincides　precisely　with　yours。　It　is　that　we　should　set　off　for　Hellas；　and　if　any　one　stops　behind；　or　is　caught　deserting　before　the　whole　army　is　in　safety；　let　him　be　judged　as　an　evil…doer。　Pray　let　all　who　are　in　favour　of　this　proposition　hold　up　their　hands。〃
  They　all　held　them　up；　only　Silanus　began　shouting　and　vainly　striving　to　maintain　the