ive better hopes. But Phalinus, adroitly evading the appeal, spoke,
contrary to his expectation, as follows: 19. "If, out of ten thousand
hopeful chances, you have any single one, of saving yourselves by
continuing in arms against the king, I advise you not to deliver up
your arms; but if you have not a single hope of safety in opposing the
king's pleasure, I advise you to save yourselves in the only way in
which it is possible." 20. Clearchus rejoined, "Such, then, is your
advice; but on our part return this answer, that we are of opinion,
that, if we are to be friends with the king, we shall be more valuable
friends if we retain our arms, than if we surrender them to another; but
that if we must make war against him, we should make war better if we
retain our arms, than if we give them up to another." 21. Phalinus said,
"This answer, then, we will report: but the king desired us also to
inform you, that while you remain in this place, a truce is to be
considered as existing between him and you; but, if you advance or
retreat, there is to be war. Give us, therefore, your answer on this
point also; whether you will remain here, and a truce is to exist, or
whether I shall announce from you, that there is war." 22. Clearchus
replied, "Report, therefore, on this point also, that our resolution is
the same as that of the king." "And what is that?" said Phalinus.
Clearchus replied, "If we stay here, a truce; but if we retreat or
advance, war." 23. Phalinus again asked him, "Is it a truce or war that
I shall report?" Clearchus again made the same answer: "A truce, if we
stay; and if we retreat or advance, war." But of what he intended to do,
he gave no intimation.
[Footnote 80: [Greek: Pynthanomenoi].] Schneider and others would omit
this word, as an apparent interpolation. I have followed Kuehner's
interpretation.]
[Footnote 81: [Greek: Pheresthai eremoi].] Before [Greek: Pheresthai] is
to be understood [Greek: hoste], as Zeune and Weiske observe. Kuehner
remarks that [Greek: eremoi] should properly be referred to both [Greek:
peltai] and [Greek: hamaxai]: the shields were without owners, and the
waggons without their contents, as having been plundered by the enemy.]
[Footnote 82: [Greek: Peri plethousan agoran].] See i. 8. 1.]
[Footnote 83: See i. 9. 3.]
[Footnote 84: [Greek: Theopompos].] This is the reading of six
manuscripts; others have [Greek: Xenophon]. The passage has greatly
exercised the ingenuity of the
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