Anabasis, Book 3, Ch. 3 - first part

The next morning, they got up and burned their wagons, tents, and excess baggage. After breakfast, 1 Mithradates2 arrived with about thirty cavalrymen. Claiming to be a friend of the Greeks, and having come at great risk, he asked to know their plans, indicating that he would join them, along with all of his retainers.

After consultation of the generals, Cheirisophos responded vaguely that if anyone stood in their way, they would fight, and if anyone let them pass, then would pass through peacefully. Whereupon Mithradates started in again on the difficulties of going against the King. Then someone spotted one of Tissaphernes’ relatives keeping an eye on Mithradates. So they determined to receive no more Persian emissaries, as they kept trying to subvert the Greeks.

καὶ ἐνθάδε δ’ εἰμὶ σὺν πολλῷ φόβῳ διάγων - literally “and here I am living in great fear.” The interesting word here is “διάγων,” which I just translated as “living.” This was what Mithradates told the Greeks, i.e. he allegedly feared for his life if the Persians should find out he was parleying with them. But the idea of διάγων here is “spending my time, existing, etc.” It doesn’t translate precisely, but the meaning is clear enough.

  1. ”ariston” - a late morning meal [↩]
  2. formerly one of Cyrus’ men [↩]

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