of　Harmene；　near　Sinope＇5＇。　The　Sinopeans；　though　inhabitants　of　Paphlagonia；　are　really　colonists　of　the　Milesians。　They　sent　gifts　of　hospitality　to　the　Hellenes；　three　thousand　measures　of　barley　with　fifteen　hundred　jars　of　wine。　At　this　place　Cheirisophus　rejoined　them　with　a　man…of…war。　The　soldiers　certainly　expected　that；　having　come；　he　would　have　brought　them　something；　but　he　brought　them　nothing；　except　complimentary　phrases；　on　the　part　of　Anaxibius；　the　high　admiral；　and　the　rest；　who　sent　them　their　congratulations；　coupled　with　a　promise　on　the　part　of　Anaxibius　that；　as　soon　as　they　were　outside　the　Euxine；　pay　would　be　forthcoming。
  ＇5＇　Harmene；　a　port　of　Sinope；　between　four　and　five　miles　（fifty　　　　　stades）　west　of　that　important　city；　itself　a　port　town。　See　　　　　Smith；　〃Dict。　Geog。；〃　〃Sinope〃；　and　Kiepert；　op。　cit。　chap。　iv。　　　　　60。
  At　Harmene　the　army　halted　five　days；　and　now　that　they　seemed　to　be　　　　17　so　close　to　Hellas；　the　question　how　they　were　to　reach　home　not　empty…handed　presented　itself　more　forcibly　to　their　minds　than　heretofore。　The　conclusion　they　came　to　was　to　appoint　a　single　general；　since　one　man　would　be　better　able　to　handle　the　troops；　by　night　or　by　day；　than　was　possible　while　the　generalship　was　divided。　If　secrecy　were　desirable；　it　would　be　easier　to　keep　matters　dark；　or　if　again　expedition　were　an　object；　there　would　be　less　risk　of　arriving　a　day　too　late；　since　mutual　explanations　would　be　avoided；　and　whatever　approved　itself　to　the　single　judgement　would　at　once　be　carried　into　effect；　whereas　previously　the　generals　had　done　everything　in　obedience　to　the　opinion　of　the　majority。
  With　these　ideas　working　in　their　minds；　they　turned　to　Xenophon；　and　the　officers　came　to　him　and　told　him　that　this　was　how　the　soldiers　viewed　matters；　and　each　of　them；　displaying　a　warmth　of　kindly　feeling；　pressed　him　to　accept　the　office。　Xenophon　partly　would　have　liked　to　do　so；　in　the　belief　that　by　so　doing　he　would　win　to　himself　a　higher　repute　in　the　esteem　of　his　friends；　and　that　his　name　would　be　reported　to　the　city　written　large；　and　by　some　stroke　of　fortune　he　might　even　be　the　discoverer　of　some　blessing　to　the　army　collectively。
  These　and　the　like　considerations　elated　him；　he　had　a　strong　desire　to　hold　the　supreme　command。　But　then　again；　as　he　turned　the　matter　over；　the　conviction　deepened　in　his　mind　that　the　issue　of　the　future　is　to　every　man　uncertain；　and　hence　there　was　the　risk　of　perhaps　losing　such　reputation　has　he　had　already　acquired。　He　was　in　sore　straights；　and；　not　knowing　how　to　decide；　it　seemed　best　to　him　to　lay　the　matter　before　heaven。　Accordingly；　he　led　two　victims　to　the　altar　and　made　sacrifice　to　Zeus　the　King；　for　it　was　he　and　no　other　who　had　been　named　by　the　oracle　at　Delphi；　and　his　belief　was　that　the　vision　which　he　had　beheld　when　he　first　essayed　to　undertake　the　joint　administration　of　the　army　was　sent　to　him　by　that　god。　He　also　recalled　to　mind　a　circumstance　which　befell　him　still　earlier；　when　　　　23　setting　out　from　Ephesus　to　associate　himself　with　Cyrus＇6＇；how　an　eagle　screamed　on　his　right　hand　from　the　east；　and　still　remained　perched；　and　the　soothsayer　who　was　escorting　him　said　that　it　was　a　great　and　royal　omen＇7＇；　indicating　glory　and　yet　suffering；　for　the　punier　race　of　birds　only　attack　the　eagle　when　seated。　〃Yet；〃　added　he；　〃it　bodes　not　gain　in　money；　for　the　eagle　seizes　his　food；　not　when　seated；　but　on　the　wing。〃
  ＇6＇　Cf。　〃Cyrop。〃　II。　i。　1；　an　eagle　appears　to　Cyrus　on　the　frontiers　　　　　of　Persia；　when　about　to　join　his　uncle　Cyaxares；　king　of　Media；　　　　　on　his　expedition　against　the　Assyrian。
  ＇7＇　It　is　important　to　note　that　the　Greek　word　｛oionos｝；　a　solitary　　　　　or　lone…flying　bird；　also　means　an　omen。　〃It　was　a　mighty　bird　and　　　　　a　mighty　omen。〃
  Thus　Xenophon　sacrificed；　and　the　god　as　plainly　as　might　be　gave　him　a　sign；　neither　to　demand　the　generalship；　nor；　if　chosen；　to　accept　the　office。　And　that　was　how　the　matter　stood　when　the　army　met；　and　the　proposal　to　elect　a　single　leader　was　unanimous。　After　this　resolution　was　passed；　they　proposed　Xenophon　for　election；　and　when　it　seemed　quite　evident　that　they　would　elect　him；　if　he　put　the　question　to　the　vote；　he　got　up　and　spoke　as　follows：
  〃Sirs；　I　am　but　mortal；　and　must　needs　be　happy　to　be　honoured　by　you。　I　thank　you；　and　am　grateful；　and　my　prayer　is　that　the　gods　may　grant　me　to　be　an　instrument　of　blessing　to　you。　Still；　when　I　consider　it　closer；　thus；　in　the　presence　of　a　Lacedaemonian；　to　be　preferred　by　you　as　general；　seems　to　me　but　ill　conducive　either　to　your　interests　or　to　mine；　since　you　will　the　less　readily　obtain　from　them　hereafter　anything　you　may　need；　while　for　myself　I　look　upon　acceptance　as　even　somewhat　dangerous。　Do　I　not　see　and　know　with　what　persistence　these　Lacedaemonians　prosecuted　the　war　till　finally　they　forced　our　State　to　acknowledge　the　leadership　of　Lacedaemon？　This　confession　once　extorted　from　their　antagonists；　they　ceased　warring　at　once；　and　the　seige　of　the　city　was　at　an　end。　If；　with　these　facts　before　my　eyes；　I　seem　to　be　doing　all　I　can　to　neutralise　their　high　self…esteem；　I　cannot　escape　the　reflection　that　personally　I　may　be　taught　wisdom　by　a　painful　process。　But　with　your　own　idea　that　under　a　single　general　there　will　be　less　factiousness　than　when　there　were　many；　be　assured　　　29　that　in　choosing　some　other　than　me　you　will　not　find　me　factious。　I　hold　that　whosoever　sets　up　factious　opposition　to　his　leader　factiously　opposes　his　own　safety。　While　if　you　determine　to　choose　me；　I　should　not　be　surprised　were　that　choice　to　entail　upon　you　and　me　the　resentment　of　other　people。〃
  After　those　remarks　on　Xenophon's　part；　many　more　got　up；　one　after　another；　insisting　on　the　propriety　of　his　undertaking　the　command。　One　of　them；　Agasias　the　Stymphalian；　said：　It　was　really　ridiculous；　if　things　had　come　to　this　pass　that　the　Lacedeamonians　are　to　fly　into　a　rage　because　a　number　of　friends　have　met　together　to　dinner；　and　omitted　to　choose　a　Lacedaemonian　to　sit　at　the　head　of　the　table。　〃Really；　if　that　is　how　matters　stand；〃　said　he；　〃I　do　not　see　what　right　we　have　to　be　officers　even；　we　who　are　only　Arcadians。〃　That　sally　brought　down　the　plaudits　of　the　assembly；　and　Xenophon；　seeing　that　something　more　was　needed；　stepped　forward　again　and　spoke；　〃Pardon；　sirs；〃　he　said；　〃let　me　make　a　clean　breast　of　it。　I　swear　to　you　by　all　the　gods　and　goddesses；　verily　and　indeed；　I　no　sooner　perceived　your　purpose；　than　I　consulted　the　victims；　whether　it　was　better　for　you　to　entrust　this　leadership　to　me；　and　for　me　to　undertake　it；　or　the　reverse。　And　the　gods　vouchsafed　a　sign　to　me　so　plain　that　even　a　common　man　might　understand　it；　and　perceive　that　from　such　sovereignty　I　must　needs　hold　myself　aloof。〃
  Under　these　circumstances　they　chose　Cheirisophus；　who；　after　his　election；　stepped　forward　and　said：　〃Nay；　sirs；　be　well　assured　of　this；　that　had　you　chosen　some　one　else；　I　for　my　part　should　not　have　set　up　factious　opposition。　As　to　Xenophon；　I　believe　you　have　done　him　a　good　turn　by　not　appointing　him；　for　even　now　Dexippus　has　gone　some　way　in　traducing　him　to　Anaxibius；　as　far　as　it　lay　in　his　power　to　do　so；　and　that；　in　spite　of　my　attempts　to　silence　him。　What　he　said　was　that　he　believed　Xenophon　would　rather　share　the　command　of　Clearchus's　army　with　Timasion；　a　Dardanian；　than　with　himself；　a　Laconian。　But；〃　continued　Cheirisophus；　〃since　your　choice　has　fallen　　　33　upon　me；　I　will　make　it　my　endeavour　to　do　you　all　the　good　in　my　power；　so　make　your　preparations　to　weigh　anchor　to…morrow；　wind　and　weather　permitting；　we　will　voyage　to　Heraclea；　every　one　must　endeavour；　therefore；　to　put　in　at　that　port；　and　for　the　rest　we　will　consult；　when　we　are　come　thither。〃
  II
  The　next　day　they　weighed　anchor　and　set　sail　from　Harmene　with　a　fair　　1　breeze；　two　days'　voyage　along　the　coast。　＇As　they　coasted　along　they　came　in　sight　of　Jason's　beach＇1＇；　where；　as　the　story　says；　the　ship　Argo　came　to　moorings；　and　then　the　mouths　of　the　rivers；　first　the　Thermodon；　then　the　Iris；　then　the　Halys；　and　next　to　it　the　Parthenius。＇　Coasting　past　＇the　latter＇；　they　reached　Heraclea＇2＇；　a　Hellenic　city　and　a　colony　of　the　Megarians；　situated　in　the　territory　of　the　Mariandynians。　So　they　came　to　achorage　off　the　Acherusian　Chersonese；　where　Heracles＇3＇　is　said　to　have　descended　to　bring　up　the　dog　Cerberus；　at　a　point　where　they　still　show　the　marks　of　his　descent；　a　deep　cleft　more　than　two　furlongs　down。　Here　the　Heracleots　sent　the　Hellenes；　as　gifts　of　hospitality；　three　thousand　measures　of　barley　and　two　thousand　jars　of　wine；　twenty　beeves　and　one　hundred　sheep。　Through　the　flat　country　here　flows　the　Lycus　river；　as　it　is　called；　about　two　hundred　feet　in　breadth。
  ＇1＇　I　have　left　this　passage　in　the　text；　although　it　involves；　at　　　　　first　sight；　a　topographical　error　on　the　part　of　whoever　wrote　　　　　it；　and　Hug　and　other　commentators　regard　it　as　spurious。　Jason's　　　　　beach　（the　modern　Yasoun　Bouroun）　and　the　three　first…named　rivers　　　　　lie　between　Cotyora　and　Sinope。　Possibly　the　author；　or　one　of　his　　　　　editors；　somewhat　loosely　inserted　a　recapit