ADIMANTUS

I say you infantry must be off on the road to Ctesiphon while we cavalry stay here to guard Babylon.

SAMIPPUS

Are you playing the coward too, Adimantus, now you’re close to danger? What do you think, Timolaus?

TIMOLAUS

March against the enemy with your entire army and don’t wait until the arrival of allies from all around makes them better prepared. No, let us attack the enemy while they are still on the march.

SAMIPPUS

Good! What’s your opinion, Lycinus?

LYCINUS

I will tell you. We are tired with our hard travelling to Piraeus this morning, and now we have already done thirty stades I suppose, and the sun is hot—it’s about midday. Let’s go over to the olives and sit on that overturned stone there and have a breather. Then when we’re recovered we complete the rest of the way to the city.

SAMIPPUS

Bless you! Do you think you are still at Athens? You’re stationed on the plain near Babylon outside the walls, one of a mighty army, in a council of war.

LYCINUS

Thanks for the reminder. I thought I was sober and that the idea I was expressing was wideawake.

SAMIPPUS

We’ll go on then, if you don’t mind. Be good soldiers in danger and don’t betray our native spirit! The enemy are coming on now, I fancy. So let Enyalius The God of War. be our watchword! When the trumpeter gives the signal, raise the battle-cry, crash your spears against your shields, charge and get to grips with ’em! Get under their arrows! Don’t let them shoot us down at long range! Now we’re at close quarters and Timolaus and the left have routed those against them—Medes they are. There’s no decision yet in my sector—they’re Persians here and the king’s with them. All the barbarian horse are charging our right. So show your quality, Lycinus, and encourage your men to receive the charge!