Page:History of Greece Vol IX.djvu/65

THE KING'S ARMY. 43 limation that the king's army was approaching in order of battle on the open plain. Instantly Cyrus hastened to mount on horse- back, to arm himself, and to put his forces in order, while the Greeks on their side halted and formed their line with all possible speed. 1 They were on the right wing of the army, adjoining the river Euphrates ; Ariaeus with the Asiatic forces being on the left, and Cyrus himself, surrounded by a body-guard of six hun^ dred well-armed Persian horsemen, in the centre. Among the Greeks, Klearchus commanded the right division of hoplites, with Paphlagonian horsemen and the Grecian peltasts on the extreme right, close to the river ; Proxenus with his division stood next ; Menon commanded on the left. All the Persian horsemen around Cyrus had breastplates, helmets, short Grecian swords, and two javelins in their right hands ; the horses also were defended by facings both over the breast and head. Cyrus himself, armed gen- erally like the rest, stood distinguished by having an upright tiara instead of the helmet. Though the first news had come upon them by surprise, the Cyreians had ample time to put themselves hi complete order ; for the enemy did not appear until the after- noon was advanced. First, was seen dust, like a white cloud, next, an undefined dark spot, gradually nearing, until the armor began to shine, and the component divisions of troops, arranged in dense masses, became discernible. Tissaphernes was on the left, opposite to the Greeks, at the head of the Persian horsemen, with white cuirasses ; on his right, stood the Persian bowmen, with their 1 The distance of the undefended trench from the battle-field of Kunaxa Would be about twenty-two miles. First, three miles beyond the trench, to the first night-station ; next, a full day's march, say twelve miles ; thirdly, a half day's march, to the time of the mid-day halt, say seven miles. The distance from Pylae to the trench having before been stated at thirty- two miles, the whole distance from Pylae to Kunaxa will be about fifty-four miles. Now Colonel Chesney has stated the distance from Hit to Felujah Castle (two known points) at forty-eight miles of straight line, and seventy-seven miles, if following the line of the river. Deduct four miles for the dis- tance from Hit to Pylas, and we shall then have between Pylae and Felu- jah, a rectilinear distance of forty-four miles. The marching route of the Greeks (as explained in the previous note, the Greeks following generally, but not exactly, the windings of the river) will give fifty miles from Pyla to Felujah, ani fifty-three or fifty-four from Pylae to Kunaxa.