Page:History of Greece Vol IX.djvu/47

 DFCEIT EMPLOYED BY KIEARCHUS. 25 who might be elected. He was followed by another speaker, who demonstrated the absurdity of going and asking Cyrus, either for a guide, or for ships, at the very moment when they were frus- trating his projects. How could he be expected to assist them in getting away ? Who could trust either his ships or his guides ? On the other hand, to depart without his knowledge or concur- rence was impossible. The proper course would be to send a deputation to him, consisting of others along with Klearchus, to ask what it was that he really wanted ; which no one yet knew. His answer to the question should be reported to the meeting, in order that they might take their resolution accordingly. To this proposition the soldiers acceded; for it was but too plain that retreat was no easy matter. The deputation went to put the question to Cyrus ; who replied that his real purpose was to attack his enemy Abrokomas, who was on the river Euphrates, twelve days' march onward. If he found Abrokomas there, he would punish him as he deserved. If, on the other hand, Abro- komas had fled, they might again consult what step was fit to be taken. The soldiers, on hearing this, suspected it to be a deception, but nevertheless acquiesced, not knowing what else to do. They required only an increase of pay. Not a word was said about the Great King, or the expedition against him. Cyrus granted increased pay of fifty per cent, upon the previous rate. Instead of one daric per month to each soldier, he agreed to give a daric and a hah ." 1 This remarkable scene at Tarsus illustrates the character of the Greek citizen-soldier. "What is chiefly to be noted, is, the appeal made to their reason and judgment, the habit, estab- lished more or less throughout so large a portion of the Grecian world, and attaining its maximum at Athens, of hearing both sides and deciding afterwards. The soldiers are indignant, just- ly and naturally, at the fraud practised upon them. But instead of surrendering themselves to this impulse arising out of the past, they are brought to look at the actualities of the present, and take measure of what is best to be done for the future. To return back from the place where they stood, against tho wish of 1 Xen. Anab. i, 3, 16-21. VOL. IX. 2