Page:Xenophon by Alexander Grant.djvu/38

28 general of Cyrus, who had fled back with the native army to the camp from which they had come two days before, saying that Cyrus was dead, and that if the Greeks would join him he would take them back to the coast of Asia Minor, but that he would not wait for them more than twelve hours. To this Clearchus replied, "Would that Cyrus were alive! but since he is no more, tell Ariæus that we have beaten the King's army, and that if he comes to us we will set him on the throne of Persia." While awaiting an answer to this proposal, the Greeks slaughtered the bullocks and asses which had drawn their waggons, and with them made a breakfast.

Ariæus had not heart enough to avail himself of the chance which was offered him. He told the Greeks that the other Persians of higher rank than himself would never let him be king. But he swore solemnly to guide the Greeks in safety back. He said that it would be impossible to return by the route on which they had come, for they would not be able to get provisions for the desert, but that they must go by the northern route, which lay through fertile countries. To begin with, he led them eastwards into the Babylonian territory. This was an alluvial plain, full of villages, and which, under certain circumstances, might have been a trap for an army, for it lay between the Euphrates and the Tigris, and was divided into parallelograms by the wall of Media and four successive ship-canals running across from the one river to the other. No doubt Ariæus was right in saying that escape would be impossible by way of the deserts of