Page:History of Greece Vol IX.djvu/115

 XENOPHON AND SOTERDIAS. 93 then, (said Xenophon), I will go; since I am the younger of the two." Accordingly, at the head of a select detachment from the van and centre of the army, he immediately commenced his flank march up the steep ascent to this highest summit. So soon as the enemy saw their purpose, they also detached troops on their side, hoping to get to the summit first ; and the two detachments were seen mounting at the same time, each struggling with the utmost efforts to get before the other, each being encouraged by shouts and clamor from the two armies respectively. As Xenophon was riding by the side of his soldiers, cheering them on and reminding them that their chance of seeing their country and their families all depended upon success in the effort before them, a Sikyonian hoplite in the ranks, named Soteridas, said to him, " You and I are not on an equal footing, Xenophon. You are on horseback ; I am painfully struggling up on foot, with my shield to carry." Stung with this taunt, Xenophon sprang from his horse, pushed Soteridas out of his place in the ranks, took his shield as well as his place, and began to march forward afoot along with the rest. Though thus weighed down at once by the shield belonging to an hoplite, and by the heavy cuirass of a horseman (who carried no shield), he nevertheless put forth all his strength to advance, under such double incumbrance, and to continue his incitement to the rest. But the soldiers around him were so indignant at the proceeding of Soteridas, that they reproached and even struck him, until they compelled him to resume his shield as well as his place in the ranks. Xenophon then remounted and ascended the hill on horseback as far as the ground permitted ; but was obliged again to dismount presently, in consequence of the steepness of the uppermost portion. Such energetic efforts enabled him and his detachment to reach the summit first. As soon as the enemy saw this, they desisted from their ascent, and dispersed in all directions ; leaving the forward march open to the main Grecian army, which Cheirisophus accord- ingly conducted safely down into the plain. Here he was rejoined by Xenophon on descending from the summit. All found them- selves in comfortable quarters, amidst several well-stocked villages on the banks of the Tigris. They acquired moreover an addition- al booty of large droves of cattle, intercepted when on the point