Page:History of Greece Vol IX.djvu/167

 CHEIMSOPHUS CHOSEN GENERAL. 145 eence had been so unexpectedly prolonged. But he came with only a single trireme, bringing nothing except a message from Anaxibiii^, the Lacedaemonian admiral in the Bosphorus; who complimented the army, and promised that they should be taken into pay as soon as they were out of the Euxine. The soldiers, severely disappointed on seeing him arrive thus empty-handed, be- came the more strongly bent on striking some blow to fill their own purses before they reached Greece. Feeling that it was necessary to the success of any such project that it should be prepared not only skilfully, but secretly, they resolved to elect a single general in place of that board of six (or perhaps more) who were still in function. Such was now the ascendency of Xenophon, that the general sentiment of the army at once turned towards him ; and the lochages or captains, communicating to him what was in con- templation, intimated to him their own anxious hopes that he would not decline the offer. Tempted by so flattering a proposition, he hesitated at first what answer he should give. But at length the uncertainty of being able to satisfy the exigencies of the army, and the fear of thus compromising the reputation which he had already reah'zed, outweighed the opposite inducements. As in other cases of doubt, so in this, he offered sacrifice to Zeus Ba- sileus ; and the answer returned by the victims was such as to de- termine him to refusal. Accordingly, when the army assembled, with predetermination to choose a single chief, and proceeded to nominate him, he respectfully and thankfully declined, on the ground that Cheirisophus was a Lacedaemonian, and that he him- self was not ; adding that he should cheerfully serve under any one whom they might name. His excuse, however, was repudiated by the army ; and especially by the lochages. Several of these latter were Arcadians ; and one of them, Agasias, cried out, witfc full sympathy of the soldiers, that if that principle were admitted, he, as an Arcadian, ought to resign his command. Finding that his former reason was not approved, Xenophon acquainted the army that he had sacrificed to know whether he ought to accept the command, and that the gods had peremptorily forbidden him to do so. 1 Cheirisophus was then elected sole commander, ami undertook 1 Xen. Anah. vi, 1, 22-31 VOL. IX. 7