Page:History of Greece Vol IX.djvu/119

ARRAY OF THE TWO ARMIES. 97 he had hastened forward in hopes of being able to reach this pass before the enemy, in which attempt however he had not succeeded. 1 To advance farther on this road appeared hopeless ; yet the guides declared that no other could be taken. Xenophon then bethought him of the two prisoners whom he had just captured, and proposed that these two should be questioned also. They were accordingly interrogated apart ; and the first of them, having persisted hi denying, notwithstanding all menaces, that there was any road except that before them, was put to death under the eyes of the second prisoner. This latter, on being then ques- tioned, gave more comfortable intelligence ; saying that he knew of a diiferent road, more circuitous, but easier and practicable even for beasts of burden, whereby the pass before them and the occupying enemy might be turned ; but that there was one parti- cular high position commanding the road, which it was necessary to master beforehand by surprise, as the Karduchians were al- ready on guard there. Two thousand Greeks, having the guide bound along with them, were accordingly despatched late hi the afternoon, to surprise this post by a night-march ; while Xenophon, in order to distract the attention of the Karduchians in front, made a feint of advancing as if about to force the direct pass. As soon as he was seen crossing the ravine which led to this moun- tain, the Karduchians on the top immediately began to roll down vast masses of rock, which bounded and dashed down the road- way, hi such manner as to render it unapproachable. They con- tinued to do this all night, and the Greeks heard the noise of the descending masses long after they had returned to their camp for supper and rest. 2 Meanwhile the detachment of two thousand, marching by the circuitous road, and reaching hi the night the elevated position, (though there was another above yet more commanding), held by the Karduchians, surprised and dispersed them, passing the night by their fires. At daybreak, and under favor of a mist, they stole silently towards the position occupied by the other Karduchians hi front of the main Grecian army. On coming near they suddenly sounded their trumpets, shouted aloud, and commenced the attack, which proved completely successful. The defenders, taken un- 1 Xen. Anab. v, 1, 21. ! Xca Arab, iv, 2, 4. VOL, ix. 5 7oc.