Page:Xenophon by Alexander Grant.djvu/83

Rh collect ships for their conveyance. But Aristarchus, the new governor of Byzantium, acting, as Anaxibius had before done, in the interest of Pharnabazus, now interposed, and threatened "to drown any man who should be found on the sea." And while the harassed Greeks were thus again arrested in their movements, there came to them fresh overtures from Seuthes, a neighbouring chief of Thrace, who had before made several attempts to get the Cyreian contingent into his pay.

The omens of sacrifice appeared to Xenophon to favour the entertaining of these overtures. He therefore went to Seuthes, whom he found living in a guarded castle, and who told him that he required the troops for the recovery of his hereditary rights as prince of the Odrysians, of which rights he had been forcibly deprived, and driven to lead the life of a marauding chief. He offered pay of one stater (about £1, 2s. 6d.) per month for each soldier, with double for the captains, and four times as much for each general. He promised, in addition, lands, yokes of oxen, and a walled town to reside in. To Xenophon he offered his daughter and a town to himself. He further undertook never to lead the Greeks more than seven days' march from the sea.

Upon the faith of these promises the Greeks entered the service of Seuthes, and were entertained by him with a barbaric feast, at which some ludicrous incidents occurred; and after which a Thracian entered bringing a white horse, and, taking a horn full of wine, said, "I drink to you, O Seuthes! and present you