favourable at the very first. As soon as
they left the place of sacrifice, the generals and captains gave
directions to the troops to take their breakfast.

10. While Xenophon was at breakfast, two young men came running up to
him, for every one knew that it was allowable to approach him whether
breakfasting or supping, and to wake him and speak to him even when
asleep, if they had anything to tell of affairs relating to the war. 11.
The youths informed him that they had been gathering sticks for their
fire, and had chanced to see, on the opposite side of the river, among
the rocks that reached down to the stream itself, an old man, a woman,
and some girls, depositing in a cavernous rock what appeared to be bags
of clothes; 12. that when they saw this, they thought it would be safe
to cross, as the ground at that point was inaccessible to the enemy's
horse; that having taken off their clothes, and taken their daggers in
their hands, they went over undressed, in expectation of having to swim,
but that, as they went on, they reached the other side before they were
wet to the middle, and, having thus forded the stream, and taken the
clothes, they came back again. 13. Xenophon immediately therefore made a
libation, and ordered the young men to join in it,[195] and to pray to
the gods who had sent the dream and pointed out the ford, to complete
what was wanting to their success. After the libation, he at once
conducted the youths to Cheirisophus, and to him they gave the same
account. Cheirisophus, on hearing it, made a libation also.

14. When the libation was over, they gave orders to the soldiers to get
their baggage ready; while they themselves, calling the rest of the
generals together, consulted with them how they might cross the river to
the best advantage, and how they might defeat the enemy in front, and
suffer no damage from those in the rear. 15. It was then resolved that
Cheirisophus should take the lead, and cross over with half of the army,
that the other half should stay behind with Xenophon, and that the
baggage-cattle and camp-followers should go over between the two. 16.
When these matters were fairly arranged, they began to move, the young
men acting as guides, and keeping the river on the left, the distance to
the ford being about four stadia. 17. As they proceeded, the lines of
the enemy's cavalry advanced abreast of them on the opposite bank; and
when they came to the ford, and the margin of the river,