“For my part, all the while the truce lasted, I never ceased pitying ourselves and congratulating the king and those with him, as, like a helpless spectator, I surveyed the extent and quality of their territory, the plenteousness of their provisions, the multitude of their dependants, their cattle, their gold, and their apparel.  And then to turn and ponder the condition of our soldiers, without part or lot in these good things, except we bought it; few, I knew, had any longer the wherewithal to buy, and yet our oath held us down, so that we could not provide ourselves otherwise than by purchase.  I say, as I 21 reasoned thus, there were times when I dreaded the truce more than I now dread war.

“Now, however, that they have abruptly ended the truce, there is an end also to their own insolence and to our suspicion.  All these good things of theirs are now set as prizes for the combatants.  To whichsoever of us shall prove the better men, will they fall as guerdons; and the gods themselves are the judges of the strife.  The gods, who full surely will be on our side, seeing it is our enemies who have taken their names falsely; whilst we, with much to lure us, yet for our oath’s sake, and the gods who were our witnesses, sternly held aloof.  So that, it seems to me, we have a right to enter upon this contest with much more heart than our foes; and further, we are possessed of bodies more capable than theirs of bearing cold and heat and labour; souls too we have, by the help of heaven, better and braver; nay, the men themselves are more vulnerable, more mortal, than ourselves, if so be the gods vouchsafe to give us victory once again.

“Howbeit, for I doubt not elsewhere similar reflections are being made, whatsoever betide, let us not, in heaven’s name, wait for others to come and challenge us to noble deeds; let us rather take the lead in stimulating the rest to valour.  Show yourselves to be the bravest of officers, and among generals, the worthiest to command.  For myself, if you choose to start forwards on this quest, I will follow; or, if you bid me lead you, my age shall be no excuse to stand between me and your orders.  At least I am of full age, I take it, to avert misfortune from my own head.”

Such were the speaker’s words; and the officers, when they heard, all, with one exception, called upon him to put himself at their head.  This was a certain Apollonides there present, who spoke in the Boeotian dialect.  This man’s opinion was that it was mere nonsense for any one to pretend they could obtain safety otherwise than by an appeal to the king, if he had skill to enforce it; and at the same time he began to dilate on the difficulties.  But Xenophon cut him short.  “O most marvellous of men! though you have eyes to see, you do not perceive; though you have ears to hear, you do not recollect.  You were present 27 with the rest of us now here when, after the death of Cyrus, the king, vaunting himself on that occurrence, sent dictatorially to bid