Page:Xenophon by Alexander Grant.djvu/48

38 Greeks. There was thus a perfect race between the two detachments, each struggling to get up the hill before the other, and each cheered on by the shouts of its own army. The Greeks, by great exertions, won the race and occupied the summit, and the natives at once dispersed from their position on the line of march, leaving the passage clear. A little incident which occurred during this operation shows the democratic spirit of the Greek army. While Xenophon was riding up the ascent and encouraging the infantry, one of the soldiers cried out, "It's not fair, Xenophon, for you to be riding, while I have to go on foot and carry my shield." In an instant Xenophon jumped from his horse, seized the man's shield, and took his place in the rank, struggling on with the rest. But his heavy horseman's corselet distressed him; and the other soldiers abused the discontented one, and threw stones at him, till he was glad to resume his shield, and Xenophon remounted. Cheirisophus and the army marched onward to some villages on the Tigris, where Xenophon with his detachment rejoined them. The Greeks were now in perplexity, for before them lay high mountains, and on their left the Tigris was very deep, and they could see cavalry on the other side. The generals held a council of war, and carefully questioned their prisoners as to the different routes. They learned that to go eastwards would lead them to Susa and Ecbatana, the summer residence of Artaxerxes; over the Tigris to the left lay the direct path to Lydia and Ionia; the mountains in front were in the country of the Carduchi (Kurds), a warlike tribe, not subject to the Great