rst riding round the
army to see how things are with all our men. [9] When I reach the point,
and we are on the verge of action, I will raise the paean and then
you must quicken your pace. You will know when we have closed with the
enemy, the din will be loud enough. At the same moment Abradatas will
dash out upon them: such will be his orders; your duty is to follow,
keeping as close to the chariots as possible. Thus we shall fall on the
enemy at the height of his confusion. And, God helping me, I shall be
with you also, cutting my way through the rout by the quickest road I
can.

[10] So he spoke, and sent the watchword down the lines, "Zeus our
saviour, and Zeus our leader," and went forward. As he passed between
the chariots and the cuirassiers, he would say to some, "My men, the
look on your faces rejoices my heart," and to others, "You understand,
gentlemen, that this battle is not for the victory of a day, but for all
that we have won ere now, and for all our happiness to come." [11] And
to others, "My friends, we can never reproach the gods again: to-day
they have put all blessings in our hands. [12] Let us show ourselves
good men and true." Or else, "Gentlemen, can we invite each other to a
more glorious feast than this? This day all gallant hearts are bidden;
this day they may feast their friends." [13] Or again, "You know, I
think, the prizes in this game: the victors pursue and smite and slay,
and win wealth and fame and freedom and empire: the cowards lose them
all. He who loves his own soul let him fight beside me: for I will have
no disgrace." [14] But if he met soldiers who had fought for him before,
he only said, "To you, gentlemen, what need I say? You know the brave
man's part in battle, and the craven's." [15] And when he came to
Abradatas, he halted, and Abradatas gave the reins to his charioteer
and came up to him, and others gathered round from the infantry and the
chariots, and Cyrus said:

"God has rewarded you, Abradatas, according to your prayer, you and
yours. You hold the first rank among our friends. And you will not
forget, when the moment for action comes, that those who watch you will
be Persians, and those who follow you, and they will not let you bear
the brunt alone."

[16] And Abradatas answered:

"Even so, Cyrus; and with us here, methinks, all looks well enough: but
the state of our flanks troubles me: the enemy's wings are strong and
stretch far: he has chariots there, and ev