Anabasis | Page 6

Lupercalia, which was originally a shepherd festival, the
introduction of which the Romans ascribe to the Arcadian Evander.
[8] Lit. "plain of the Cayster," like Ceramon-agora, "the market of the
Ceramians" above, the name of a town.
From this place he marched two stages--ten parasangs--to Thymbrium,
a populous city. Here, by the side of the road, is the spring of Midas,
the king of Phrygia, as it is called, where Midas, as the story goes,
caught the satyr by drugging the spring with wine. From this place he
marched two stages--ten parasangs--to Tyriaeum, a populous city. Here
he halted three days; and the Cilician queen, according to the popular
account, begged Cyrus to exhibit his armament for her amusement. The
latter being only too glad to make such an exhibition, held a review of
the Hellenes and barbarians in the plain. He ordered the Hellenes to

draw up their lines and post themselves in their customary battle order,
each general marshalling his own battalion. Accordingly they drew up
four-deep. The right was held by Menon and those with him; the 15 left
by Clearchus and his men; the centre by the remaining generals with
theirs. Cyrus first inspected the barbarians, who marched past in troops
of horses and companies of infantry. He then inspected the Hellenes;
driving past them in his chariot, with the queen in her carriage. And
they all had brass helmets and purple tunics, and greaves, and their
shields uncovered[9].
[9] I.e. ready for action, c.f. "bayonets fixed".
After he had driven past the whole body, he drew up his chariot in front
of the centre of the battle-line, and sent his interpreter Pigres to the
generals of the Hellenes, with orders to present arms and to advance
along the whole line. This order was repeated by the generals to their
men; and at the sound of the bugle, with shields forward and spears in
rest, they advanced to meet the enemy. The pace quickened, and with a
shout the soldiers spontaneously fell into a run, making in the direction
of the camp. Great was the panic of the barbarians. The Cilician queen
in her carriage turned and fled; the sutlers in the marketing place left
their wares and took to their heels; and the Hellenes meanwhile came
into camp with a roar of laughter. What astounded the queen was the
brilliancy and order of the armament; but Cyrus was pleased to see the
terror inspired by the Hellenes in the hearts of the Asiatics.
From this place he marched on three stages--twenty parasangs--to
Iconium, the last city of Phrygia, where he remained three days. Thence
he marched through Lycaonia five stages--thirty parasangs. This was
hostile country, and he gave it over to the Hellenes to pillage. At this
point Cyrus sent back the Cilician queen to her own country by the
quickest route; and to escort her he sent the soldiers of Menon, and
Menon himself. With the rest of the troops he continued his march
through Cappadocia four stages--twenty-five parasangs--to Dana, a
populous city, large and flourishing. Here they halted three days, within
which interval Cyrus put to death, on a charge of conspiracy, a Persian
nobleman named Megaphernes, a wearer of the royal purple; and along

with him another high dignitary among his subordinate commanders.
From this place they endeavoured to force a passage into Cilicia. Now
21 the entrance was by an exceedingly steep cart-road, impracticable
for an army in face of a resisting force; and report said that Syennesis
was on the summit of the pass guarding the approach. Accordingly they
halted a day in the plain; but next day came a messenger informing
them that Syenesis had left the pass; doubtless, after perceiving that
Menon's army was already in Cilicia on his own side of the mountains;
and he had further been informed that ships of war, belonging to the
Lacedaemonians and to Cyrus himself, with Tamos on board as admiral,
were sailing round from Ionia to Cilicia. Whatever the reason might be,
Cyrus made his way up into the hills without let or hindrance, and came
in sight of the tents where the Cilicians were on guard. From that point
he descended gradually into a large and beautiful plain country, well
watered, and thickly covered with trees of all sorts and vines. This plain
produces sesame plentifully, as also panic and millet and barley and
wheat; and it is shut in on all sides by a steep and lofty wall of
mountains from sea to sea. Descending through this plain country, he
advanced four stages--twenty-five parasangs--to Tarsus, a large and
prosperous city of Cilicia. Here stood the palace of Syennesis, the king
of the country; and through the middle of the city flows a river called
the Cydnus, two hundred feet broad.