nes, so that the passage
through their land cost the Greeks more men than all their march through
Persia. On they went, through Armenia and over the mountains, generally
having to fight their way, and, when they came very high up, suffering
very much from the cold, and having to make their way through snow and
ice, until at last, when they were climbing up Mount Theche, those behind
heard a shout of joy, and the cry, "The sea, the sea!" rang from rank to
rank. To every Greek the sea was like home, and it seemed to them as if
their troubles were over. They wept and embraced one another, and built
up a pile of stones with a trophy of arms on the top, offering sacrifice
to the gods for having so far brought them safely.

It was, however, only the Black Sea, the Pontus Euxinus, and far to the
eastward; and, though the worst was over, they had still much to undergo
while they were skirting the coast of Asia Minor. When they came to the
first Greek colony--namely, Trapezus, or Trebizond--they had been a full
year marching through an enemy's country; and yet out of the 11,000 who
had fought at Cunaxa there were still 10,000 men safe and well, and they
had saved all the women, slaves, and baggage they had taken with them.
Moreover, though they came from many cities, and both Spartans and
Athenians were among them, there never had been any quarrelling; and the
only time when there had been the least dispute had been when Xenophon
thought Cheirisophus a little too hasty in suspecting a native guide.

Tired out as the soldiers were, they wanted, as soon as they reached the
AEgean Sea, to take ship and sail home; but they had no money, and the
merchant ships would not give them a free passage, even if there had been
ships enough, and Cheirisophus went to Byzantium to try to obtain some,
while the others marched to wait for him at Cerasus, the place whence
were brought the first cherries, which take their name from it. He
failed, however, in getting any, and the Greeks had to make their way on;
but they had much fallen away from the noble spirit they had shown at
first. Any country that did not belong to Greeks they plundered, and
they were growing careless as to whether the places in their way were
Greek or not. Cheirisophus died of a fever, and Xenophon, though grieved
at the change in the spirit of the army, continued for very pity in
command. They hired themselves out to fight the battles of a Thracian
prince, but, when