THE RETREAT OF THE TEN THOUSAND. 239

lest they might be surprised when their horses were
shackled and they unarmed. This custom the Greeks
now took advantage of. As soon as the enemy had
withdrawn to their nightly camp the march was re-
sumed and continued for some ten miles. The dis-
tance gained gave the Greeks two days of peaceful
progress before their foes came up again.

On the fourth day the Greeks saw before them a
lofty hill, which must be passed, and which their
enemies occupied, having got past them in the night.
Their march seemed at an end, for the path that
must be taken was completely commanded by the
weapons of the foe. What was to be done? <A con- |
ference took place between Xenophon and the Spar-
tan Cheirisophus, his principal colleague. Xenophon
perceived that from the top of a mountain near the
army the hill held by the enemy might be reached.

“The best thing we can do is to gain the top of
this mountain with all haste,” he said; “if we are
once masters of that the enemy cannot maintain
themselves on the hill. You stay with the army, if
you think fit, and I will go up the hill. Or you go,
if you desire, and I will stay here.”

“I give you your choice,” answered Cheirisophus.

“Then I will go, as I am the younger man,” said
Xenophon.

Taking a strong force from the van of the army,
Xenophon at once began to climb the hill. The
enemy, seeing this movement, hastily detached a
force for the same purpose. Both sides shouted en-
couragement to their men, and Xenophon, riding be-
side his troop, spurred them to exertion by reminding