t the generals at first declined the presents,
preferring to treat them as enemies and plunder them; which in fact they
would have done, had they not been deterred by unfavorable sacrifices.

Near Kotyora, which was situated on the coast of the Tibareni, yet on
the borders of Paphlagonia, they remained forty-five days, still
awaiting the appearance of Cheirisophus with the transports to carry
them away by sea. The Sinopian governor did not permit them to be
welcomed in so friendly a manner as at Trapezus. No market was provided
for them, nor were their sick admitted within the walls. But the
fortifications of the town were not so constructed as to resist a Greek
force, the like of which had never before been seen in those regions.
The Greek generals found a weak point, made their way in, and took
possession of a few houses for the accommodation of their sick; keeping
a guard at the gate to secure free egress, but doing no farther violence
to the citizens. They obtained their victuals partly from the Kotyorite
villages, partly from the neighboring territory of Paphlagonia, until at
length envoys arrived from Sinope to remonstrate against their
proceedings.

These envoys presented themselves before the assembled soldiers in the
camp, when Hekatonymus, the chief and most eloquent among them, began by
complimenting the army upon their gallant exploits and retreat. He then
complained of the injury which Kotyora, and Sinope as the mother-city of
Kotyora, had suffered at their hands, in violation of common Hellenic
kinship. If such proceedings were continued, he intimated that Sinope
would be compelled in her own defence to seek alliance with the
Paphlagonian prince Korylas, or any other barbaric auxiliary who would
lend them aid against the Greeks. Xenophon replied that if the
Kotyorites had sustained any damage, it was owing to their own ill-will
and to the Sinopian governor in the place; that the generals were under
the necessity of procuring subsistence for the soldiers, with house-room
for the sick, and that they had taken nothing more; that the sick men
were lying within the town, but at their own cost, while the other
soldiers were all encamped without; that they had maintained cordial
friendship with the Trapezuntines, and requited all their good offices;
that they sought no enemies except through necessity, being anxious only
again to reach Greece; and that as for the threat respecting Korylas,
they knew well enough