Meanwhile Xenophon held his peace.  Then up got Philesius and Lycon, two Achaeans:  “It was monstrous,” they said, “that Xenophon should be privately persuading people to stop there, and consulting the victims for that end, without letting the army into the secret, or breathing a syllable in public about the matter.”  When it came to this, Xenophon was forced to get up, and speak as follows:  “Sirs, you are well aware that my habit is to sacrifice at all times; whether in your own behalf or my own, I strive in every thought, word, and deed to be directed as is best for yourselves and for me.  And in the present instance my sole object was to learn whether it were better even so much as to broach the subject, and so take action, or to have absolutely nothing to do with the project.  Now Silanus the soothsayer assured me by his answer of what was the main point:  ‘the victims were favourable.’  No doubt Silanus knew that I was not unversed myself in his lore, as I have so often assisted at the sacrifice; but he added that there were symptoms in the victims of some guile or conspiracy against me.  That was a happy discovery on his part, seeing that he was himself conspiring at the moment to traduce me before you; since it was he who set the tale going that I had actually made up my mind to carry out these projects without procuring your consent.  Now, for my part, if I saw that you 30 were in any difficulties, I should set myself to discover how you might capture a city, on the understanding of course that all who wished might sail away at once, leaving those who did not wish, to follow at a later date, with something perhaps in their pockets to benefit their friends at home.  Now, however, as I see that the men of Heraclea and Sinope are to send you ships to assist you to sail away, and more than one person guarantees to give you regular monthly pay, it is, I admit, a rare chance to be safely piloted to the haven of our hopes, and at the same time to receive pay for our preservation.  For myself I have done with that dream, and to those, who came to me to urge these projects, my advice is to have done with them.  In fact, this is my view.  As long as you stay together united as to-day, you will command respect and procure provisions; for might certainly exercises a right over what belongs to the weaker.  But once broken up, with your force split into bits, you will neither be able to get subsistence, nor indeed will you get off without paying dearly for it.  In fact, my resolution coincides precisely with yours.  It is that we should set off for Hellas, and if any one stops behind, or is caught deserting before the whole army is in safety, let him be judged as an evil-doer.  Pray let all who are in favour of this proposition hold up their hands.”