友情提示:如果本网页打开太慢或显示不完整,请尝试鼠标右键“刷新”本网页!阅读过程发现任何错误请告诉我们,谢谢!! 报告错误
热门书库 返回本书目录 我的书架 我的书签 TXT全本下载 进入书吧 加入书签

anabasis-第66章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页,按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页,按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部!
————未阅读完?加入书签已便下次继续阅读!



g; you will gain vast territory; you will recover what was once your forefathers'; you will win for yourself new lands; and not lands only; but horses many; and of men a multitude; and many a fair dame besides。 You will not need to seize upon them in robber fashion; it is your friends here who; of their own accord; shall take and bring them to you; they shall lay them at your feet as gifts。〃 Up got Seuthes and drained with him the cup; and with him sprinkled the last drops fraternally'4'。

'3' Or rather 〃saucer〃 ({phiale})。

'4' For the Thracian custom; vide Suidas; s。v。 {kataskedazein}。

At this stage entered musicians blowing upon horns such as they use for signal calls; and trumpeting on trumpets; made of raw oxhide; tunes and airs; like the music of the double…octave harp'5'。 Seuthes himself got up and shouted; trolling forth a war song; then he sprang from his place and leapt about as though he would guard himself against a missile; in right nimble style。 Then came in a set of clowns and jesters。

'5' Or; 〃magadis。〃 This is said to have been one of the most perfect     instruments。 It comprised two full octaves; the left hand playing     the same notes as the right an octave lower。 Guhl and Koner; p。     203; Engl。 transl。 See also 〃Dict。 Antiq。〃 〃Musica〃; and Arist。     〃Polit。〃 xix。 18; {Dia ti e dia pason sumphonia adetai mone;     magasizousi gar tauten; allen de oudemian}; i。e。 〃since no     interval except the octave ({dia pason}) could be 'magidised' (the     effect of any other is well known to be intolerable); therefore no     other interval was employed at all。〃

But when the sun began to set; the Hellenes rose from their seats。 It   33 was time; they said; to place the night sentinels and to pass the watchword; further; they begged of Seuthes to issue an order that none of the Thracians were to enter the Hellenic camp at night; 〃since between your Thracian foes and our Thracian friends there might be some confusion。〃 As they sallied forth; Seuthes rose to accompany them; like the soberest of men。 When they were outside; he summoned the generals apart and said: 〃Sirs; our enemies are not aware as yet of our alliance。 If; therefore; we attack them before they take precautions not to be caught; or are prepared to repel assault; we shall make a fine haul of captives and other stock。〃 The generals fully approved of these views; and bade him lead on。 He answered: 〃Prepare and wait; as soon as the right time comes I will be with you。 I shall pick up the peltasts and yourselves; and with the help of the gods; I will lead on。〃 〃But consider one point;〃 urged Xenophon; 〃if we are to march by night; is not the Hellenic fashion best? When marching in the daytime that part of the army leads the van which seems best suited to the nature of the country to be traversedheavy or light infantry; or cavalry; but by night our rule is that the slowest arm should take the lead。 Thus we avoid the risk of being pulled to pieces: and it is not so easy for a man to give his neighbour the slip without intending; whereas the scattered fragments of an army are apt to fall foul of one another; and to cause damage or incur it in sheer ignorance。〃 To this Seuthes replied: 〃You reason well; and I will adopt your custom。 I will furnish you with guides chosen from the oldest experts of the country; and I will myself follow with the cavalry in the rear; it will not take me long; if need be; to present myself at the front。〃 Then; for kinship's sake; they chose 〃Athenaia'6'〃 as their watchword。 With this; they turned and sought repose。

'6' 〃Our Lady of Athens。〃

It was about midnight when Seuthes presented himself with his cavalry troopers armed with corselets; and his light infantry under arms。 As    40 soon as he had handed over to them the promised guides; the heavy infantry took the van; followed by the light troops in the centre; while the cavalry brought up the rear。 At daybreak Seuthes rode up to the front。 He complimented them on their method: so often had he himself; while marching by night with a mere handful of men; been separated with his cavalry from his infantry。 〃But now;〃 said he; 〃we find ourselves at dawn of day all happily together; just as we ought to be。 Do you wait for me here;〃 he proceeded; 〃and recruit yourselves。 I will take a look round and rejoin you。〃 So saying he took a certain path over hill and rode off。 As soon as he had reached deep snow; he looked to see whether there were footprints of human beings leading forward or in the opposite direction; and having satisfied himself that the road was untrodden; back he came; exclaiming: 〃God willing; sirs; it will be all right; we shall fall on the fellows; before they know where they are。 I will lead on with the cavalry; so that if we catch sight of any one; he shall not escape and give warning to the enemy。 Do you follow; and if you are left behind; keep to the trail of the horses。 Once on the other side of the mountains; we shall find ourselves in numerous thriving villages。〃

By the middle of the day he had already gained the top of the pass and looked down upon the villages below。 Back he came riding to the heavy infantry and said: 〃I will at once send off the cavalry into the plain below; and the peltasts too; to attack the villages。 Do you follow with what speed you may; so that in case of resistance you may lend us your aid。〃 Hearing this; Xenophon dismounted; and the other asked: 〃Why do you dismount just when speed is the thing we want?〃 The other answered: 〃But you do not want me alone; I am sure。 The hoplites will run all the quicker and more cheerily if I lead them on foot。〃

Thereupon Seuthes went off; and Timasion with him; taking the Hellene squadron of something like forty troopers。 Then Xenophon passed the order: the active young fellows up to thirty years of age from the different companies to the front; and off with these he went himself; bowling along'7'; while Cleanor led the other Hellenes。 When they had   46 reached the villages; Seuthes; with about thirty troopers; rode up; exclaiming: 〃Well; Xenophon; this is just what you said! the fellows are caught; but now look here。 My cavalry have gone off unsupported; they are scattered in pursuit; one here; one there; and upon my word; I am more than half afraid the enemy will collect somewhere and do them a mischief。 Some of us must remain in the villages; for they are swarming with human beings。〃 〃Well then;〃 said Xenophon; 〃I will seize the heights with the men I have with me; and do you bid Cleanor extend his line along the level beside the villages。〃 When they had done so; there were enclosedof captives for the slave market; one thousand; of cattle; two thousand; and of other small cattle; ten thousand。 For the time being they took up quarters there。

'7' {etropkhaze}; a favourite word with our author。 Herodotus uses it;     so does Aristot。; so also Polybius; but the Atticists condemn it;     except of course in poetry。



IV

But the next day Seuthes burnt the villages to the ground; he left not  1 a single house; being minded to inspire terror in the rest of his enemies; and to show them what they also were to expect; if they refused obedience; and so he went back again。 As to 
返回目录 上一页 下一页 回到顶部 0 0
未阅读完?加入书签已便下次继续阅读!
温馨提示: 温看小说的同时发表评论,说出自己的看法和其它小伙伴们分享也不错哦!发表书评还可以获得积分和经验奖励,认真写原创书评 被采纳为精评可以获得大量金币、积分和经验奖励哦!