rmy to the European side of the Bosphorus. It accordingly
crossed to Byzantium, but was not allowed to halt in the city, or even to
enter the gates.

(M595) The wrath of the soldiers was boundless when they were thus
excluded from Byzantium. They rushed into the town and took possession,
which conduct gave grave apprehension to Xenophon, who mustered and
harangued the army, and thus prevented anticipated violence. They at
length consented to leave the city, and accepted the services of the
Theban Coeratidas, who promised to conduct them to the Delta of Thrace,
for purposes of plunder, but he was soon dismissed. After various
misfortunes the soldiers at length were taken under the pay of Seuthes, a
Thracian prince, who sought the recovery of his principality, but who
cheated them out of their pay. A change of policy among the Lacedaemonians
led to the conveyance of the Cyrenian army into Asia in order to make war
on the satraps. Xenophon accordingly conducted his troops, now reduced to
six thousand men, over Mount Ida to Pergamus. He succeeded in capturing
the Persian general Asidates, and securing a valuable booty, B.C. 399. The
soldiers whom he had led were now incorporated with the Lacedaemonian army
in Asia, and Xenophon himself enlisted in the Spartan service. His
subsequent fortunes we have not room to present. An exile from Athens, he
settled in Scillus, near Olympia, with abundant wealth, but ultimately
returned to his native city after the battle of Leuctra.

(M596) The impression produced on the Grecian mind by the successful
retreat of the Ten Thousand was profound and lasting. Its most obvious
effect was to produce contempt for Persian armies and Persian generals,
and to show that Persia was only strong by employing Hellenic strength
against the Hellenic cause. The real weakness of Persia was thus revealed
to the Greeks, and sentiments were fostered which two generations
afterward led to the expeditions of Alexander and the subjection of Asia
to Grecian rule.

CHAPTER XXI.

THE LACEDAEMONIAN EMPIRE.

(M597) I have already shown that Sparta, after a battle with the Argives,
B.C. 547, obtained the ascendency in the southern part of the
Peloponnesus, and became the leading military State of Greece. This
prestige and power were not lost. The severe simplicity of Spartan life,
the rigor of political and social institutions, the aristocratic form of
government, and abov