242 HISTORICAL TALES.

tives next reached, the people carried off all their
food into mountain strongholds, and starvation
threatened the Greeks. One of these strongholds
was reached, a lofty place surrounded by precipices,
where great numbers of men and women, with their
cattle, had assembled. Yet, strong as it was, it must
be taken, or the army would be starved.

As they sought to ascend, stones came down in
showers, breaking the legs and ribs of the unlucky
climbers. By stratagem, however, the Greeks in-
duced the defenders to exhaust their ammunition of
stones, the soldiers pretending to advance, and then
running back behind trees as the stones came crash-
ing down. Finally several bold men made a dash
for the top, others followed, and the place was won.
Then came a dreadful scene. The women threw
their children down the precipice, and then leaped
after them. The men did the same. Mneas, a cap-
tain, seeing a richly-dressed barbarian about to throw
himself down -the height, caught hold of him. It
was a fatal impulse of cupidity. The Taochian
seized him in a fierce grasp and sprang with him
over the brink, both being dashed to pieces below.
Very few prisoners were made, but, what was more
to the purpose of the Greeks, a large number of
oxen, asses, and sheep were obtained.

At another point, where a mountain-pass had to
be crossed, which could only be done by ascending
the mountain by stealth at night, and so turning the
position of the enemy, an amusing piece of badinage
took place between Xenophon, the Athenian, and
Cheirisophus, the Spartan. ;