h
Cyrus had persuaded Cyaxares to remodel on his own type, giving up
the Trojan and Lydian style. The camels were ready also, each animal
carrying a couple of mounted archers.

The bulk of the great army felt almost as though they had already
conquered, and the enemy's power was held of no account.

[9] While matters were thus, the Indians whom Cyrus had sent out
returned with their report. Croesus had been chosen leader and
general-in-chief; a resolution had been passed, calling on all the
allied kings to bring up their entire forces, raise enormous sums for
the war, and spend them in hiring mercenaries where they could and
making presents where they must. [10] Large numbers of Thracians, armed
with the short sword, had already been enrolled, and a body of Egyptians
were coming by sea, amounting--so said the Indians--to 120,000 men,
armed with long shields reaching to their feet, huge spears (such as
they carry to this day), and sabres. Beside these, an army was expected
from Cyprus, and there were already on the spot all the Cilicians, the
men of both the Phrygias, of Lycaonia, Paphlagonia, and Cappadocia,
the Arabians, the Phoenicians, and all the Assyrians under the king of
Babylon. Moreover, the Ionians, and Aeolians, and indeed nearly all the
Hellenic colonists on the coast were compelled to follow in the train of
Croesus. [11] Croesus himself had already sent to Lacedaemon to propose
an alliance with the Spartans. The armament was mustering on the banks
of the Pactolus, and they were to push forward presently to Thymbrara
(the place which is still the mustering-ground for all the Asiatic
subjects of the Great King west of Syria), and orders had been issued to
open a market there. This report agreed with the accounts given by the
prisoners, for Cyrus was always at pains to gave men captured from
whom he could get some information, and he would also send out spies
disguised as runaway slaves.

[12] Such were the tidings, and when the army heard the news there was
much anxiety and concern, as one may well suppose. The men went about
their work with an unusual quietness, their faces clouded over, or
gathered in knots and clusters everywhere, anxiously asking each other
the news and discussing the report. [13] When Cyrus saw that fear was in
the camp, he called a meeting of his generals, and indeed of all
whose dejection might injure the cause and whose confidence assist it.
Moreover, he sent word that any of the a