Page:History of Greece Vol IX.djvu/180

158 HISTORY OF GREECE. To the deception and harshness of the Spartan admiral, there was thus added a want of precaution in the manner of execution, which threatened to prove the utter ruin of Byzantium. For it was but too probable that the Cyreian soldiers, under the keen sense of recent injury, would satiate their revenge, and reimburse themselves for the want of hospitality towards them, without dis- tinguishing the Lacedaemonian garrison from the Byzantine citi- zens ; and that too from mere impulse, not merely without orders, but in spite of prohibitions, from their generals. Such was the aspect of the case, when they became again assembled hi a mass within the gates ; and such would probably have been the reality, had Xenophon executed his design of retiring earlier, so as to leave the other generals acting without him. Being on the outside along with the soldiers, Xenophon felt at once, as soon as he saw the gates forced open and the army again within the town, the terrific emergency which was impending ; first, the sack of Byzantium, next, horror and antipathy, throughout all Greece, towards the Cyreian officers and soldiers indiscriminately, lastly, unsparing retribution inflicted upon all by the power of Sparta. Overwhelmed with these anxieties, he rushed into the town along with the mul- titude, using every effort to pacify them and bring them into order. They on their parts, delighted to see him along with them, and conscious of their own force, were eager to excite him to the same pitch as themselves, and to prevail on him to second and methodize their present triumph. " Now is your time, Xenophon, (they ex- claimed), to make yourself a man. You have here a city, you have triremes, you have money, you have plenty of soldiers. Now then, if you choose, you can enrich us ; and we in return can make you powerful." " You speak well (replied he) ; I shall do as you propose ; but if you want to accomplish anything, you must fall into military array forthwith." He knew that this was the first condition of returning to anything like tranquillity ; and by great good fortune, the space called the Thrakion, immediately adjoining ths gate inside, was level, open, and clear of houses ; presenting wx excellent place of arms or locality for a review. The whole army, partly from their long military practice, partly under the impression that Xenophon was really about to second their wishes and direct some aggressive operation, threw themselves almost of their own accord into regular array on the Thrakior ,