note 89: [Greek: Arioston].] Best, apparently, on account of the
loudness or clearness of his voice.]

[Footnote 90: The arms, as Kuehner observes, were piled in front of the
men's quarters. The affair of the ass was an invention of Clearchus to
draw off the thoughts of the soldiers from the subject of their
apprehension. Polyaenus, iii. 9. 4, speaks of a similar stratagem having
been adopted by Iphicrates.]

CHAPTER III.

The king proposes a truce, and supplies the Greeks with provisions
during the negotiation. Three days after he sends Tissaphernes to
them, to ask why they had engaged in hostilities against him; he is
answered by Clearchus. A treaty is then concluded, the king
engaging to send home the Greeks under the conduct of Tissaphernes,
and the Greeks promising to do no injury to the countries through
which they should pass.

1. What I just now stated, that the king was alarmed at the approach of
the Greeks, became evident by what followed; for though, when he sent to
them on the preceding day, he desired them to deliver up their arms, he
now, at sunrise, sent heralds to negotiate a truce. 2. These heralds,
upon arriving at the outposts, requested to speak with the commanders.
Their request being reported by the guards, Clearchus, who happened then
to be inspecting the several divisions, told the guards to desire the
heralds to wait till he should be at leisure. 3. When he had arranged
the army in such a manner as to present on every side the fair
appearance of a compact phalanx, and so that none of the unarmed were to
be seen, he called for the heralds, and came forward himself, having
about him the best-armed and best-looking of his soldiers, and told the
other leaders to do the same. 4. When he drew near the messengers, he
asked them what they wanted. They replied, "that they came to negotiate
a truce, with full powers to communicate with the Greeks on behalf of
the king, and with the king on behalf of the Greeks." 5. Clearchus
answered, "Tell the king, then, that we must come to battle first; for
we have no breakfast;[91] and there is no one who will dare to talk to
the Greeks of a truce, without first supplying them with breakfast."

6. On hearing this answer, the messengers departed, but soon returned;
from whence it was apparent that the king, or some other person to whom
a commission had been given to conduct the negotiation, was somewhere
near. They broug