Anabasis, Book 2, Ch. 5 - first part
V. μετὰ ταῦτα ἀφικνοῦνται ἐπὶ τὸν Ζαπάταν ποταμόν, τὸ εὖρος τεττάρων πλέθρων. καὶ ἐνταῦθα ἔμειναν ἡμέρας τρεῖς: ἐν δὲ ταύταις ὑποψίαι μὲν ἦσαν, φανερὰ δὲ οὐδεμία ἐφαίνετο ἐπιβουλή. [2] ἔδοξεν οὖν τῷ Κλεάρχῳ ξυγγενέσθαι τῷ Τισσαφέρνει καὶ εἴ πως δύναιτο παῦσαι τὰς ὑποψίας πρὶν ἐξ αὐτῶν πόλεμον γενέσθαι. καὶ ἔπεμψέν τινα ἐροῦντα ὅτι συγγενέσθαι αὐτῷ χρῄζει.
After this, they came to the Zapatas River1, four plethra in breadth. And they stayed there three days. During this time there were suspicions (of the Persians) even though there was no evidence of skullduggery. So it seemed like a good idea to Clearchus to confer with Tissaphernes, and if they could, put a stop to the suspicions before they turned into open hostilities. And he sent a man to say that he wanted to confer with him.
[3] ὁ δὲ ἑτοίμως ἐκέλευεν ἥκειν. ἐπειδὴ δὲ συνῆλθον, λέγει ὁ Κλέαρχος τάδε. ἐγώ, ὦ Τισσαφέρνη, οἶδα μὲν ἡμῖν ὅρκους γεγενημένους καὶ δεξιὰς δεδομένας μὴ ἀδικήσειν ἀλλήλους: φυλαττόμενον δὲ σέ τε ὁρῶ ὡς πολεμίους ἡμᾶς καὶ ἡμεῖς ὁρῶντες ταῦτα ἀντιφυλαττόμεθα. [4] ἐπεὶ δὲ σκοπῶν οὐ δύναμαι οὔτε σὲ αἰσθέσθαι πειρώμενον ἡμᾶς κακῶς ποιεῖν ἐγώ τε σαφῶς οἶδα ὅτι ἡμεῖς γε οὐδὲ ἐπινοοῦμεν τοιοῦτον οὐδέν, ἔδοξέ μοι εἰς λόγους σοι ἐλθεῖν, ὅπως εἰ δυναίμεθα ἐξέλοιμεν ἀλλήλων τὴν ἀπιστίαν.
He (Tissaphernes) readily told him to come. When they conferred, Clearchus said:2
“Tissaphernes, I know that we swore oaths and shook hands3 not to harm each other. But I see you keeping an eye on us as if we were hostile and we, seeing this, have in turn, been suspicious of you. Even with careful observation, I have not discovered any attempts on your part to do us harm, and I know for a fact that neither do we have any such intentions. So I decided to have this conference with you, to see if somehow we could get rid of this distrust between us.
[5] καὶ γὰρ οἶδα ἀνθρώπους ἤδη τοὺς μὲν ἐκ διαβολῆς τοὺς δὲ καὶ ἐξ ὑποψίας οἳ φοβηθέντες ἀλλήλους φθάσαι βουλόμενοι πρὶν παθεῖν ἐποίησαν ἀνήκεστα κακὰ τοὺς οὔτε μέλλοντας οὔτ’ αὖ βουλομένους τοιοῦτον οὐδέν. [6] τὰς οὖν τοιαύτας ἀγνωμοσύνας νομίζων συνουσίαις μάλιστα παύεσθαι ἥκω καὶ διδάσκειν σε βούλομαι ὡς σὺ ἡμῖν οὐκ ὀρθῶς ἀπιστεῖς.
“For I know that even now, some men — some motivated by slander, others by suspicion — fearing each other, want to strike the first blow, to do irreparable harm to those neither planning nor even desiring to do any such thing. Believing that together we can quickly stop such misunderstandings, I have come and want to show you that your suspicions are unfounded4.
[7] πρῶτον μὲν γὰρ καὶ μέγιστον οἱ θεῶν ἡμᾶς ὅρκοι κωλύουσι πολεμίους εἶναι ἀλλήλοις: ὅστις δὲ τούτων σύνοιδεν αὑτῷ παρημεληκώς, τοῦτον ἐγὼ οὔποτ’ ἂν εὐδαιμονίσαιμι. τὸν γὰρ θεῶν πόλεμον οὐκ οἶδα
οὔτ’ ἀπὸ ποίου ἂν τάχους
οὔτε ὅποι ἄν τις φεύγων ἀποφύγοι
οὔτ’ εἰς ποῖον ἂν σκότος ἀποδραίη
οὔθ’ ὅπως ἂν εἰς ἐχυρὸν χωρίον ἀποσταίη.
πάντῃ γὰρ πάντα τοῖς θεοῖς ὕποχα καὶ πάντων ἴσον οἱ θεοὶ κρατοῦσι. [8] περὶ μὲν δὴ τῶν θεῶν τε καὶ τῶν ὅρκων οὕτω γιγνώσκω, παρ’ οὓς ἡμεῖς τὴν φιλίαν συνθέμενοι κατεθέμεθα: τῶν δ’ ἀνθρωπίνων σὲ ἐγὼ ἐν τῷ παρόντι νομίζω μέγιστον εἶναι ἡμῖν ἀγαθόν.
“Because, first and foremost, the oaths we swore before the gods forbid us from attacking each other. And whoever knows to himself that he has neglected these (oaths), I would never consider him to be happy. For, as far as the gods’ wrath, I know that
one can’t get away, not matter how fast (one might run),
one can’t flee away, no matter where/how far,
nor can one hide away in the dark,
nor retreat into a strong fortress.
For everything everywhere is subject to the gods and equally, they rule everything.
“So, as far as the gods and our oaths, that’s what I think, into whose keeping we gave our pledges of friendship. But, as far as men go, I myself believe that among those present, you have done us the greatest good.
[9] σὺν μὲν γὰρ σοὶ πᾶσα μὲν ὁδὸς εὔπορος, πᾶς δὲ ποταμὸς διαβατός, τῶν τε ἐπιτηδείων οὐκ ἀπορία: ἄνευ δὲ σοῦ πᾶσα μὲν διὰ σκότους ἡ ὁδός: οὐδὲν γὰρ αὐτῆς ἐπιστάμεθα: πᾶς δὲ ποταμὸς δύσπορος, πᾶς δὲ ὄχλος φοβερός, φοβερώτατον δ’ ἐρημία: μεστὴ γὰρ πολλῆς ἀπορίας ἐστίν. [10] εἰ δὲ δὴ καὶ μανέντες σε κατακτείναιμεν, ἄλλο τι ἂν ἢ τὸν εὐεργέτην κατακτείναντες πρὸς βασιλέα τὸν μέγιστον ἔφεδρον ἀγωνιζοίμεθα; ὅσων δὲ δὴ καὶ οἵων ἂν ἐλπίδων ἐμαυτὸν στερήσαιμι, εἰ σέ τι κακὸν ἐπιχειρήσαιμι ποιεῖν, ταῦτα λέξω.
“For with you, the entire road has been easy to travel, the rivers crossable, and with no lack of provisions: But without you, the road would have been through the dark, for we know nothing of it; all the rivers hard to cross,5 all the camp-followers more frightened, and most frightening of all the solitude, full of many shortages.6 And if we, in a manic rage killed you, who would we compete against, other than the King, a great ephedros?7 Again, how great and bright are the hopes of which I should rob myself if I attempted to do you any harm, I will relate to you.
[11] ἐγὼ γὰρ Κῦρον ἐπεθύμησά μοι φίλον γενέσθαι, νομίζων τῶν τότε ἱκανώτατον εἶναι εὖ ποιεῖν ὃν βούλοιτο: σὲ δὲ νῦν ὁρῶ τήν τε Κύρου δύναμιν καὶ χώραν ἔχοντα καὶ τὴν σαυτοῦ [χώραν] σῴζοντα, τὴν δὲ βασιλέως δύναμιν, ᾗ Κῦρος πολεμίᾳ ἐχρῆτο, σοὶ ταύτην ξύμμαχον οὖσαν. [12] τούτων δὲ τοιούτων ὄντων τίς οὕτω μαίνεται ὅστις οὐ βούλεται σοὶ φίλος εἶναι; ἀλλὰ μὴν ἐρῶ γὰρ καὶ ταῦτα ἐξ ὧν ἔχω ἐλπίδας καὶ σὲ βουλήσεσθαι φίλον ἡμῖν εἶναι.
“For I desired Cyrus to become my friend, believing him to be the most capable of the men at that time to be my benefactor if he wished. But I now see you, having both Cyrus’ power and his country, as well as preserving your own. The King’s authority, which Cyrus saw as an enemy, you have this as an ally. These things being so, who would be so crazy as to not want you to be a friend? What’s more, I will also mention reasons from which I have hopes that you will want to be a friend of ours.
[13] οἶδα μὲν γὰρ ὑμῖν Μυσοὺς λυπηροὺς ὄντας, οὓς νομίζω ἂν σὺν τῇ παρούσῃ δυνάμει ταπεινοὺς ὑμῖν παρασχεῖν: οἶδα δὲ καὶ Πισίδας: ἀκούω δὲ καὶ ἄλλα ἔθνη πολλὰ τοιαῦτα εἶναι, ἃ οἶμαι ἂν παῦσαι ἐνοχλοῦντα ἀεὶ τῇ ὑμετέρᾳ εὐδαιμονίᾳ. Αἰγυπτίους δέ, οἷς μάλιστα ὑμᾶς γιγνώσκω τεθυμωμένους, οὐχ ὁρῶ ποίᾳ δυνάμει συμμάχῳ χρησάμενοι μᾶλλον ἂν κολάσαισθε τῆς νῦν σὺν ἐμοὶ οὔσης. [14] ἀλλὰ μὴν ἔν γε τοῖς πέριξ οἰκοῦσι σὺ εἰ μὲν βούλοιο φίλος ὡς μέγιστος ἂν εἴης, εἰ δέ τίς σε λυποίη, ὡς δεσπότης ἀναστρέφοιο ἔχων ἡμᾶς ὑπηρέτας, οἵ σοι οὐκ ἂν μισθοῦ ἕνεκα ὑπηρετοῖμεν ἀλλὰ καὶ τῆς χάριτος ἣν σωθέντες ὑπὸ σοῦ σοὶ ἂν ἔχοιμεν δικαίως. [15] ἐμοὶ μὲν ταῦτα πάντα ἐνθυμουμένῳ οὕτω δοκεῖ θαυμαστὸν εἶναι τὸ σὲ ἡμῖν ἀπιστεῖν ὥστε καὶ ἥδιστ’ ἂν ἀκούσαιμι τὸ ὄνομα τίς οὕτως ἐστὶ δεινὸς λέγειν ὥστε σε πεῖσαι λέγων ὡς ἡμεῖς σοι ἐπιβουλεύομεν. Κλέαρχος μὲν οὖν τοσαῦτα εἶπε: Τισσαφέρνης δὲ ὧδε ἀπημείφθη.
“Because I know the Mysians are troublesome to you; I believe that with the present force I could make them submit to you. And I know the Pisidians are too. And I hear that even besides this nation, there are many such troublemakers, who I believe I could cause to stop from incessantly encroaching on your prosperity. I also know that you have been very angry at the Egyptians. I do not know what better allies you could employ to punish them, than those here with me now. In fact, among those living round about you — if you want to be a friend, then you could be the greatest; — if someone troubles you, then you could lord it over them, — having us as your servants.8 You would not have to pay for our service, but we would serve you from wholly-deserved gratitude for saving us.
“Reflecting on all this, it is amazing to me that you mistrust us, so that very gladly indeed would I hear by name whoever is the clever speaker who eggs you on, saying that we are plotting against you.”
Thus said Clearchus. Tissaphernes responded thus …
(see next post)
- now called the ‘Great Zab’ [↩]
- This is very elaborate and formal speech, filled with rhetorical devices, some that even I can recognize. And don’t forget, this is Clearchus speaking, a man who on previous occasions has been as plainly-spoken, as ambiguous, and as demanding as possible. [↩]
- literally ‘gave right hands,’ in pledging, a stronger commitment than a modern handshake [↩]
- literally, “that you distrust us not correctly” [↩]
- a rhetorical device called a chiasmus, where:
A = the road was easy, ‘euporos,’
B = the rivers crossable, ‘diabatos;’ and no lack of provisions,
B1 = the road thru the dark ‘dia skotous;’ and lack of knowledge,
A1 = the rivers hard ‘dysporos‘.
Both ‘A’ elements are short, and in Greek they even rhyme. Both ‘B’ elements are longer, with two clauses; also both first clauses use ‘dia,’ and both second clauses use ‘epi.’ And both of the B element second clauses mention a lack of something. [↩] - an oxymoron, “full of shortages” [↩]
- When an athlete remained without an opponent he became a reserve (ephedros), and he contested at the end with the victor. The reserve was considered lucky, for he would contest for the final victory with an opponent who would be dead tired through his previous contests. [↩]
- I can’t find any good way to translate this sentence. [↩]
Anabasis - On the character of Clearchus
Anabasis, Book 1 - Review
Anabasis, Book 1, Ch. 6 - The End of Orontas
Anabasis, Book 2, Ch. 1 - Ariaeus demurs
Anabasis - More on Clearchus