Page:History of Greece Vol IX.djvu/129

 THEY REACH A DIFF1CUL1 PASS. 10? nllages which had proved so cheering and restorative, they pro- ceeded seven days' march all through snow, up the river Phasis ; a river not verifiable, but certainly not the same as is commonly known under that name by Grecian geographers ; it was one hun- dred feet in breadth. 1 Two more days' march brought them from this river to the foot of a range of mountains ; near a pass occu- pied by an armed body of Chalybes, Taochi, and Phasiani. Observing the enemy in possession of this lofty ground, Chei risophus halted until all the army came up ; in order that the gen- erals might take counsel. Here Kleanor began by advising that they should storm the pass with no greater delay than was neces- sary to refresh the soldiers. But Xenophon suggested that it was far better to avoid the loss of life which must thus be incurred, and to amuse the enemy by feigned attack, while a detachment should be sent by stealth, at night, to ascend the mountain at another point and turn the position. " However (continued he, turning to Cheirisophus), stealing a march upon the enemy is more your trade than mine. For I understand that you, the full citizens and peers at Sparta, practise stealing from your boyhood upward ; 2 and that it is held no way base, but even honorable, to steal such things as the law does not distinctly forbid. And to the end that you may steal with the greatest effect, and take pains to do it in secret, the custom is, to flog you if you are found out. Here, then, you have an excellent opportunity for displaying your training. Take good care that we be not found out in stealing an occupation of the mountain now before us ; for if we are found out, we shall be well beaten. " Why, as for that (replied Cheirisophus), you Athenians, also, as I learn, are capital hands at stealing the public money, and that too in spite of prodigious peril to the thief; nay, your most power- ful men steal most of all, at least, if it be the most powerful men among you who are raised to official command. So that thia 1 Xen. Anab. iv, 6, 4. Kal OVK alaxpbv elvat, dAAd K a ? 6 v K^KKTEIV, etc. The reading tc a %bv is preferred by Schneider to ava.yK.alov, which has been the vul- gar reading, and is still retained by Kriiger. Both are sanctioned by authority of MSS., and either would be admissible; on the whole, I inclin to side with Schneider.
 * Xen. Anab. ir, 6, 10-14.