Anabasis

Meanwhile the party with the guide, proceeding by a roundabout route, found the guards[*](i. e., the guards whom they expected to find upon the height mentioned (Xen. Anab. 4.1.25, Xen. Anab. 4.2.l). See below.) sitting around a fire, and after killing some of them and chasing away the others they remained at the post themselves, supposing that they held the height.

In fact, they were not holding it, for it was a round hill above them and past it ran this narrow road upon which the guards had been sitting. Nevertheless, from the place they did hold there was a way of approach to the spot, upon the visible road,[*](i. e., the one mentioned in Xen. Anab. 4.1.20, 23, Xen. Anab. 4.2.1.) where the main body of the enemy were stationed.

At this place, then, they passed the night, and when day was beginning to break, they took up their march silently in battle array against the enemy; for there was a mist, and consequently they got close up to them without being observed. When they did catch sight of one another, the trumpet[*](The signal agreed upon ( 1 above).) sounded and the Greeks raised the battle cry and rushed upon the enemy. And the Carduchians did not meet their attack, but abandoned the road and took to flight; only a few of them, however, were killed, for they were agile fellows.

Meanwhile Cheirisophus and his command, hearing the trumpet, charged immediately up the visible road; and some of the other generals made their way without following any road from the points where they severally chanced to be and, clambering up as best they could, pulled one another up with their spears;

and it was they who were first to join the troops that had already gained possession of the place.But Xenophon with half the rearguard set out by the same route which the party with the guide had followed, because this was the easiest route for the baggage animals; and behind the baggage animals he posted the other half of the rearguard.

As they proceeded they came upon a hill above the road which had been seized by the enemy, and found themselves compelled either to dislodge them or be completely separated from the rest of the Greeks; and while, so far as the troops themselves were concerned, they might have taken the same route that the rest[*](Cheirisophus and his command.) followed, the baggage animals could not get through by any other road than this one[*](Which could be traversed even by baggage animals, Xen. Anab. 4.1.24.) by which Xenophon was proceeding.

Then and there, accordingly, with words of cheer to one another, they charged upon the hill with their companies in column, not surrounding it, but leaving the enemy a way of retreat in case they chose to use it.

For a while, as the Greeks were climbing up by whatever way they severally could, the barbarians discharged arrows and other missiles upon them; they did not let them get near, however, but took to flight and abandoned the place. No sooner had the Greeks passed by this hill, than they saw a second one ahead similarly occupied by the enemy, and decided to proceed against this one in its turn.