Anabasis

When Xenophon heard their words, he replied that they were right in finding fault with him, and that the outcome bore witness of itself for their view. But, he continued, I was compelled to pursue when I saw that by keeping our places we were suffering severely and were still unable to strike a blow ourselves.

As to what happened, however, when we did pursue, you are quite right: we were no better able to inflict harm upon the enemy, and it was only with the utmost difficulty that we effected our own withdrawal.

Let us thank the gods, therefore, that they came, not with a large force, but with a handful, so that without doing us any great damage they have revealed our needs.

For at present the enemy can shoot arrows and sling stones so far that neither our Cretan bowmen nor our javelin-men can reach them in reply; and when we pursue them, a long chase, away from our main body, is out of the question, and in a short chase no foot-soldier, even if he is swift, can overtake another foot-soldier who has a bow-shot the start of him.

Hence, if we should propose to put an end to the possibility of their harming us on our march, we need slingers ourselves at once, and horsemen also. Now I am told that there are Rhodians[*](Rhodian slingers were hardly less famous than Cretan bowmen.) in our army, that most of them understand the use of the sling, and that their missile carries no less than twice as far as those from the Persian slings.

For the latter have only a short range because the stones that are used in them are as large as the hand can hold; the Rhodians, however, are versed also in the art of slinging leaden bullets.

If, therefore, we should ascertain who among them possess slings, and should not only pay these people for their slings, but likewise pay anyone who is willing to plait new ones, and if, furthermore, we should devise some sort of exemption for the man who will volunteer to serve as a slinger at his appointed post, it may be that men will come forward who will be capable of helping us.

Again, I observe that there are horses in the army—a few at my own quarters, others that made part of Clearchus’ troop and were left behind,[*](i.e. when Clearchus’ troopers deserted to the King (Xen. Anab. 2.2.7).) and many others that have been taken from the enemy and are used as pack-animals. If, then, we should pick out all these horses, replacing them with mules, and should equip them for cavalry, it may be that this cavalry also will cause some annoyance to the enemy when they are in flight.