《cyropaedia》

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cyropaedia- 第45部分


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victories together。 What they have shared with one another has been
defeat; and those who have not fought as yet feel they have traitors
to right and left of them; while our recruits know that they enter
battle in company with men who help their allies。 '15' Those who trust
each other will stand firm and fight without flinching; but when
confidence has gone no man thinks of anything but flight。 '16' Forward
then; gentlemen; against the foe; drive our scythed chariots against
their defenceless cars; let our armed cavalry charge their unprotected
horse; and charge them home。 '17' The mass of their infantry you have
met before; and as for the Egyptians; they are armed in much the same
way as they are marshalled; they carry shields too big to let them
stir or see; they are drawn up a hundred deep; which will prevent all
but the merest handful fighting。 '18' If they count on forcing us back
by their weigh; they must first withstand our steel and the charge of
our cavalry。 And if any of them do hold firm; how can they fight at
once against cavalry; infantry; and turrets of artillery? For our men
on the towers will be there to help us; they will smite the enemy
until he flies instead of fighting。 '19' If you think there is
anything wanting; tell me now; God helping us; we will lack nothing。
And if any man wishes to say anything; let him speak now; if not; go
to the altar and there pray to the gods to whom we have sacrificed;
and then fall in。 '20' Let each man say to his own men what I have
said to him; let him show the men he rules that he is fit to rule; let
them see the fearlessness in his face; his bearing; and his words。〃


                                NOTES

C1。9。 Artabazus 〃the kinsman〃 named now for the first time; why?

C1。11。 Cf。 Anglicè 〃his word〃: a delicate appeal to a man of honour。
It suits G。's character。

C1。14…15。 Speech full of metaphor: winter stalking on; with hunter and
frost attendant on either side; a stealthy; but august advance。

C1。16。 A happy simile: /vide/ Book of Wisdom 'c。 5; 10; 〃And as a ship
that passeth over the waves of the water;〃 etc。'。

C1。38。 How a fault may be turned to account: Hellenic stool of
repentance。

C1。41。 Theory of two souls; to account for the yielding to base
desires。 It works; but is it not the theory of a man whose will is
weak; as we say; or whose sympathetic nature has been developed at the
expense of his self…regulative? There is another way of putting it in
/Memorabilia/; Bk。 I。 c。 ii。; §§ 19…28。 Xenophon is not more a
philosopher than a 〃philanthropist。〃 He is full of compassion for
human weaknesses。

C1。44。 Exit Araspas; to be baptised under this cloud of ignominy into
the sunshine of recognised joyous serviceableness。

C1。45。 We grow fonder than ever of Pantheia。

C1。50。 Irony: the chariots that are to cost Abradatas his life
hereafter。 Is this tale 〃historic〃 at all? I mean; did Xenophon find
or hear any such story current? What is the relation; if any; to it of
Xenophon Ephesius; Antheia; and Abrocomas? '/Xenophon Ephesius/; a
late writer of romances。' Had that writer any echo of the names in his
head? What language are 〃Pantheia〃 and 〃Abradatas〃?

C1。52。 All very well; but the author hasn't told us anything about the
construction of these {mekhanai}; these battering engines; before; to
prepare us for this。 Is that a slip; or how explainable? I think he is
betrayed into the description by reason of his interest in such
strategic matters。 The expression is intelligible enough to any one
who knows about engines; just as we might speak of the butt or the
stanchion; or whatever it be。

C2。1…3。 The Medians bring back the bread that was cast upon the
waters。 Cyrus turns this gain to new account。 He sacrifices the
present natural gain; i。e。 the wealth; to the harder spiritual gain;
viz。; their positive as opposed to their merely negative alliance。
Cyrus /is/ the archic man。

C2。4。 I have a sort of idea; or feeling that here the writer takes up
his pen afresh after a certain interval。 C4…6 are a reduplication; not
unnatural indeed; but /pro tanto/ tautological。

C2。7。 Semi…historical basis。 Prototype; when Agesilaus meditated the
advance on Persia; just before his recall。 'See /Hellenica/; III。 iv。;
Works II。 p。 29。'

C2。13 foll。 The archic man can by a word of his mouth still the
flutter and incipient heave of terror…stricken hearts。

C2。15…18。 A review of the improvements amounting to a complete
revolution in arms and attack effected by Cyrus。 This is imagined as
an ideal accompaniment to the archic man and conqueror。 Xenophon
nowadays on the relative advantages of the bayonet and the sword;
cavalry and infantry; etc。; would have been very interesting。 Cf。 a
writer like Forbes。

'C2。19。 〃Syrians。〃 The word is used loosely; including the Assyrians
and their kindred。 See below C。22。 〃Syria〃 = Assyria and the adjacent
country。'

C2。21; fin。 Xenophon has more than once witnessed this clouding of the
brow; the scowl or sulk of the less stalwart moral…fibred men (notably
in /Hellenica/)。

C2。26 ff。 How to give up wine: the art in it。 Now listen; all you
blue…ribbonists! Xenophon; Hygienist。

C2。37。 One would like to know how the price was regulated。 Does any
learned German know? Note the orderliness and economy of it all。 Is
it; as far as the army goes; novel in any respect; do you suppose; or
only idealised Hellenic? Spartan?

C3。14。 A slight (intentional?) aposiopesis。 Did H。 have to drive back
the great cavalry division of the enemy?

C3。17。 How quickly the archic man passes on! Cf。 J。 P。

C3。19。 Notice the part given to the Egyptians to play。 Why? (Agesilaus
died on his last campaign in Egypt。)

C3。25。 Is it dramatic to make Cyrus speak in this way as if he were
lecturing a class on strategics?

C3。30。 The advantage even of sutlers and women。 This several…times…
repeated remark surprises me。 But no doubt the arrangement would give
the enemy pause; and waste his time in out…flanking movements: violà

tout; hgd。 At Cunaxa; however; the Persian did get behind the Greek
camp。 No prototype there; then。 'Xenophon; /Anabasis/; Bk。 I。 c。 10。'

C4。2。 We are more and more enamoured of Pantheia。

C4。7。 As delicate as any modern in the respect for wedded womanhood。

C4。13 ff。 Notice how in this stirring and inspiriting speech Cyrus by
dealing with the Egyptians (the only unknown quantity) strikes a new
note and sets up a new motive; as it were; preparing us for the tragic
struggle which is to come; which will cost Abradatas and other good
men dear; not to speak of the brave Egyptians themselves (cf。 Sudanese
Arabs)。 Also note Xenophon's enthusiasm in reference to the new arming
and the odds of encounter between cavalry and infantry (cf。 Napier;
Forbes; etc。)。



                               BOOK VII

'C。1' So they prayed to the gods and went to their place; and the
squires brought food and drink to Cyrus and his staff as they stood
round the sacrifice。 And he took his breakfast where he stood; after
making the due offering; sharing what he had with all who needed it;
and he poured out the libation and prayed; and then drank; and his men
with him。

Then he supplicated Zeus; the god of his fathers; to be his leader and
helper in the fight; and so he mounted his horse and bade those about
him follow。 '2' All his squires were equipped as he was; with scarlet
tunics; breastplates of bronze; and brazen helmets plumed with white;
short swords; and a lance of cornel…wood apiece。 Their horses had
frontlets; chest…plates; and armour for their shoulders; all of
bronze; and the shoulder…pieces served as leg…guards for the riders。
In one thing only the arms of Cyrus differed from the rest: theirs was
covered with a golden varnish and his flashed like a mirror。 '3' As he
sat on his steed; gazing into the distance; where he meant to go; a
peal of thunder rang out on the right; and he cried; 〃We will follow
thee; O Zeus most high!〃

So he set forth with Chrysantas on his right at the head of cavalry
and Arsamas on his left with infantry。 '4' And the word went down the
lines; 〃Eyes on the standard and steady marching。〃

The standard was a golden eagle; with outspread wings; borne aloft on
a long spear…shaft; and to this day such is the standard of the
Persian king。

Before they came in full sight of the Assyrians Cyrus halted the army
thrice。 '5' And when they had gone about two miles or more; they began
to see the enemy advancing。 As soon as both armies were in full view
of each other; and the Assyrians could see how much they outflanked
the Persians on either side; Croesus halted; in order to prepare an
encircling movement; and pushed out a column on the right wing and the
left; so that the Persian forces might be attacked on every side at
once。

'6' Cyrus saw it; but gave no sign of stopping; he led straight on as
before。 Meanwhile he noticed that the turning…point where the
Assyrians had pushed out on either flank was an immense distance from
their centre; and he said to Chrysantas:

〃Do you see where they have fixed their angle?〃 〃Yes; I do;〃 answered
Chrysantas; 〃and I am surprised at it: it seems to me they are drawing
their wings too far away from their centre。〃 〃Just so;〃 said Cyrus;
〃and from ours too。〃 '7' 〃Why are they doing that?〃 asked the other。
〃Clearly;〃 said Cyrus; 〃they are afraid we shall attack; if their
wings are in touch with us while their centre is still some way off。〃
〃But;〃 went on Chrysantas; 〃how can they support each other at such a
distance?〃 〃Doubtless;〃 said Cyrus; 〃as soon as their wings are
opposite our flanks; they will wheel round; and then advance at once
on every side and so set us fighting everywhere at once。〃 '8' 〃Well;〃
said Chrysantas; 〃do you think the movement wise?〃 〃Yes;〃 said Cyrus;
〃it is good enough in view of what they can see; but; in view of what
they cannot; it is worse for them than if they had advanced in a
single column。 Do you;〃 he said; turning to Arsamas; 〃advance with
your infantry; slowly; taking your pace from me; and do you;
Chrysantas; march beside him with your cavalry; step for step。 I will
make for their angle myself; where I propose to join battl
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