Page:History of Greece Vol IX.djvu/80

 58 HISTORY OF GREECE. chus ordered them under arms ; and desiring to expose the ground- less nature of the alarm, caused the herald to proclaim, that who ever would denounce the person who had let the ass into the camp on the preceding night, should be rewarded with a talent of silver. 1 What was the project of route entertained by Ariaeus, we cannot ascertain ; 2 since it was not farther pursued. For the effect of the unexpected arrival of the Greeks as if to attack the enemy, and even the clamor and shouting of the camp during the night so intimidated the Persian commanders, that they sent heralds the next morning to treat about a truce. The contrast between this message, and the haughty summons of the preceding day to lay down their arms, was sensibly felt by the Grecian officers, and taught them that the proper way of dealing with the Persians was by a bold and aggressive demeanor. When Klearchus was ap- prised of the arrival of the heralds, he desired them at first to wait at the outposts until he was at leisure ; then, having put his troops into the best possible order, with a phalanx compact on every side to the eye, and the unarmed persons out of sight, he desired the heralds to be admitted. He marched out to meet them with the most showy and best-armed soldiers immediately around him, and when they informed him that they had come from the king with instructions to propose a truce, and to report on what conditions the Greeks would agree to it, Klearchus replied abruptly, " Well then, go and tell the king, that our first business must be to fight ; for we have nothing to eat, nor will any man presume to talk to Greeks about a truce, without first providing dinner for them." With this reply the heralds rode off, but returned very speedily ; thus making it plain that the king, or the commanding officer, was near at hand. They brought word that the king thought their answer reasonable, and had sent guides to conduct them to a place where they would obtain provisions, if the truce should be concluded. After an affected delay and hesitation, in order to impose upon the Persians, Klearchus concluded the truce, and desired that the 1 Xen. Anab. ii, 2, 20. This seems to have been a standing military jest. to make the soldiers laugh at their past panic. Sec the references in Krii- ger and Schneider's notes. 2 Diodorus (xvi, 24) tells us that Ariasus intended to guide them t >ward Paphlagonia ; a very loose indication.