treat fighting. 11. Thus during
the whole day they did not advance more than five-and-twenty stadia;
however, they arrived at the villages in the evening.

Here again there was much dejection; and Cheirisophus and the oldest of
the generals blamed Xenophon for pursuing the enemy apart from the main
body, endangering himself, and yet being unable to hurt the assailants.
12. Xenophon, hearing this charge, acknowledged that they blamed him
justly, and that the result bore testimony in their favour. "But," said
he, "I was under the necessity of pursuing, as I saw that we suffered
great damage while remaining at our posts, and were unable to retaliate.
13. But when we began to pursue," continued he, "the truth was as you
say; for we were none the better able to injure the enemy, and we could
not retreat without great difficulty. 14. Thanks are due to the gods,
therefore, that the Barbarians did not come upon us in great force, but
only with a few troops, so that, whilst they did us no great harm, they
showed us of what we stand in need: 15. for at present the enemy shoot
their arrows and sling their stones such a distance, that neither can
the Cretans return their shots, nor can those who throw with the hand
reach them; and when we pursue them, we cannot go after them any great
distance from the main body, and in a short space a foot-soldier, even
if ever so swift, cannot overtake another foot-soldier, starting at
bow-shot distance. 16. If therefore we would keep off the enemy, so that
they may be unable to hurt us on our march, we must at once provide
ourselves with slingers and cavalry. There are, I hear, some Rhodians in
our army, the greater number of whom, they say, understand the use of
the sling, while their weapon carries even double the distance of the
Persian sling, 17. which, as they sling with large stones, reach only a
short distance, while the Rhodians know how to use leaden bullets. 18.
If then, we ascertain which of them have slings, and give money to each
of them[141] for them; and pay money also to any one who is willing to
plait more, and find some other privilege[142] for him who consents to
serve in the troop of slingers,[143] possibly some will offer themselves
who may be able to be of service to us. 19. I see also that there are
horses in the army, some in my possession, and some left by Clearchus,
besides many others taken from the enemy which are employed in carrying
the baggage. If, then, we collect