THE RETREAT OF THE TEN
THOUSAND.

We have now to tell of one of the most remark-
able events in Grecian history, to describe how ten
thousand Greeks, who found themselves in the heart
of the great Persian empire, without a leader and
almost without food, marched through the land of
their foes, over rugged mountains swarming with
enemies, and across lofty plains covered deep with
snow, until finally they reached once more their
native land. Xenophon, their chosen leader, has
told the story of this wonderful march in a book
called the “ Anabasis,” and from. this book we take
what we have here to say.

First, how came these Greeks so far away from
their home and friends? We have told elsewhere
how the Persians several times invaded Greece, We
have now to tell how the Greeks first invaded Persia.
It happened many years afterwards. The Persian
king Xerxes had long since been dead, and succeeded
by his son Artaxerxes, who reigned over Persia for
nearly forty years. Then came Darius Nothus,
whose reign lasted nineteen years, This king had
two sons, Artaxerxes and Cyrus. On his death he
bequeathed the throne to Artaxerxes, while Cyrus

was left satrap of a large province in Asia Minor.
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