Page:History of Greece Vol IX.djvu/45

 THE SOLDIERS REFUSE TO GO FARTHER. 23 but preferred service under other commanders, when they could obtain it. 1 Finding his orders to march forward disobeyed, Kle- archus proceeded at once in his usual manner to enforce and punish. But he found resistance universal ; he himself with the cattle who carried his baggage, was pelted when he began tc move forward, and narrowly escaped with his life. Thus disap- pointed in his attempt at coercion, he was compelled to convene the soldiers in a regular assembly, and to essay persuasion. On first appearing before the assembled soldiers, this harsh and imperious officer stood for a long time silent, and even weep- ing ; a remarkable point in Grecian manners, and exceedingly impressive to the soldiers, who looked on him with surprise and in silence. At length he addressed them : " Be not astonished, soldiers, to see me deeply mortified. Cyrus has been my friend and benefactor. It was he who sheltered me as an exile, and gave me ten thousand Darics, which I expended not on my own profit or pleasure, but upon you, and in defence of Grecian inter- ests in the Chersonese against Thracian depredators. When Cy- rus invited me, I came to him along with you, in order to make him the best return in my power for his past kindness. But now, since you will no longer march along with me, I am under the necessity either of renouncing you or of breaking faith with him. Whether I am doing right or not, I cannot say ; but I shall stand by you, and share your fate. JNb one shall say of me that, having conducted Greek troops into a foreign land, I be- trayed the Greeks and chose the foreigner. You are to ms country, friends, allies ; while you are with me, I can help a friend, and repel an enemy. Understand me well ; I shall go wherever you go, and partake your fortune." 2 This speech, and the distinct declaration of Klearchus that h* would not march forward against the King, was heard by th* soldiers with much delight; in which those of the other Greet- divisions sympathized, especially as none of the other Greek com- manders had yet announced a similar resolution. So strong wa* this feeling among the soldiers of Xenias and Pasion, that twc 1 Xen. Anab. ii, 6, 5-15. sense rather than the words.
 * Xen. Anab. i, 3, 2-7. Here, as on other occasions, I translate tlw