Page:Xenophon by Alexander Grant.djvu/37



Greeks having pursued for about three miles their unprofitable victory over the left wing of the King's army, halted; when they perceived the enemy advancing towards them from the direction of their own lines. They immediately formed, with the Euphrates in their rear, and having sung the pæan, charged. The Persians fled with even greater precipitancy than before. The Greeks followed, without overtaking them, till the sun set, when they stopped and resolved to march back to their tents. On arriving there, they found that the camp had been plundered by the King's troops, and that all their provisions were gone. They lay down fasting, having had neither dinner nor supper during the day. But as yet they had not heard a word of the death of Cyrus. They believed him to be victorious, as they had been, and they looked forward to the morrow to bring them the reward of all their labours.

At sunrise a message came from Ariæus, the Persian