Page:History of Greece Vol IX.djvu/46

 24 HISTORY OF GREECE. thousand of them left their commanders, coming over forthwith, with arms and baggage, to the encampment of Klearchus. Meanwhile Cyrus himself, dismayed at the resistance encoun- tered, sent to desire an interview with Klearchus. But the latter, knowing well the game that he was playing, refused to obey the summons. He, however, at the same time despatched a secret message to encourage Cyrus with the assurance that everything would come right at last, and to desire farther that fresh invi- tations might be sent, in order that he (Klearchus) might answer by fresh refusals. He then again convened in assembly both his own soldiers and those who had recently deserted Xenias to join him. " Soldiers," (said he), we must recollect that we have now broken with Cyrus. We are no longer his soldiers, nor he our paymaster; moreover, I know that he thinks we have wronged him, so that I am both afraid and ashamed to go near him. He is a good friend, but a formidable enemy ; and has a power- ful force of his own, which all of you see near at hand. This is no time for us to slumber. "We must take careful counsel whether to stay or go ; and if we go, how to get away in safety, as well as to obtain provisions. I shall be glad to hear what any man has to suggest." Instead of the peremptory tone habitual with Klearchus, the troops found themselves now, for the first time, not merely released from his command, but deprived of his advice. Some soldiers addressed the assembly, proposing various measures suitable to the emergency ; but their propositions were opposed by other speakers, who, privately instigated by Klearchus himself, set forth the difficulties either of staying or departing. One among these secret partisans of the commander even affected to take the op- posite side, and to be impatient for immediate departure. " If Klearchus does not choose to conduct us back (said this speaker) let us immediately elect other generals, buy provisions, get ready to depart, and then send to ask Cyrus for merchant- vessels, or at any rate for guides in our return march by land. If he re- fuses both these requests, we must put ourselves in marching order, to fight our way back ; sending forward a detachment with- out delay to occupy the passes." Klearchus here interposed to say, that as for himself, it was impossible for him to continue in command; but he would faithfully obey any other commander