Anabasis, Book 3, Ch. 1 - second part at politburo diktat 2.0

Anabasis, Book 3, Ch. 1 - second part

The Greeks being stranded in Mesopotamia and their generals treacherously killed by the Persians, Xenophon, who so far has had no official role in the army, is inspired to rouse the Greeks to action and he volunteers to lead them.

After telling them that they must rouse themselves and fight the Persians, “a certain Apollonides, who spoke in the Boeotian dialect,” objected and raised the familiar objections about how difficult it would be to fight against the King. Xenophon interrupted and dressed him down, pointing out that when the Greeks had been hard-nosed, the Persians came around, but on the occasion when the Greeks trusted the Persians, they betrayed that trust and killed or captured many Greek officers. Further, Apollonides, to speak such cowardly rubbish, is a disgrace to all Greeks.

Another Greek speaks up, claiming that Apollonides is not a Greek at all, “because I see he has both ears pierced, like a Lydian.” The incident concludes bluntly, “And it was so. Therefore they threw him out.”

The rest of the Greek officers assembled, about 100 of them, for this midnight conference. Xenophon repeats to this larger group the deadly intentions of Tissaphernes and the King. He tells the officers that the soldiers will follow their example and look to them for leadership, and that they can do the army a great service if they rapidly appoint new generals and encourage the troops, because their state of mind is all-important.

“For you know that neither numbers nor strength give victory in war, but whoever is more resolute, with the gods’ help, in their attack cannot be resisted. For my own part, I have noticed that whoever wants to save his own life by any means when in combat typically die a cowardly and shameful death, while those who recognize that death is common to all men and inevitable, and who strive to die honorably, these are likelyto reach an old age and enjoy a prosperous life.”

After a little more discussion, they selected new generals:

“Thereupon the commanders were chosen, Timasion the Dardanian in place of Clearchus, Xanthicles the Achaean in place of Socrates, Cleanor the Arcadian in place of Agias, Philesius the Achaean in place of Menon, and Xenophon the Athenian in place of Proxenus.

Notes on the Greek:

ὑπολαβὼν (upolabawn) - literally “taking up,” but here meaning “interrupting.”

τῶν στρατηγῶν ἀξιοστρατηγότεροι - literally “more general-worthy than the generals themselves” the word ἀξιοστρατηγότεροι (axiostrategoteroi) “more general-worthy,” is first found here in the Anabasis. Perhaps Xenophon coined the word himself.