bows
and other weapons. The line stretched away to the east further than the
Greeks, who were stationed on the right, could see, extending (as it
would seem) more than twice the distance which was covered by the
army of Cyrus. Artaxerxes was in the centre of his line, on horseback,
surrounded by a mounted guard of 6000 Persians. In front of the line,
towards the river, were drawn up at wide intervals a hundred and fifty
scythed chariots, which were designed to carry terror and confusion into
the ranks of the Greeks.

On the other side, Cyrus had upon the extreme right a thousand
Paphlagonian cavalry with the more lightly armed of the Greeks;
next, the Greek heavy-armed, under Clearchus; and then his Asiatics,
stretching in a line to about the middle of his adversary's army, his
own special command being in the centre; and his left wing being led
by the satrap, Ariaeus. With Ariseus was posted the great mass of the
cavalry; but a band of six hundred, clad in complete armor, with their
horses also partially armed, waited on Cyrus himself, and accompanied
him wherever he went. As the enemy drew near, and Cyrus saw how much he
was outflanked upon the left, he made an attempt to remedy the evil by
ordering Clearchus to move with his troops from the extreme right to
the extreme left of the line, where he would be opposite to Artaxerxes
himself. This, no doubt, would have been a hazardous movement to make in
the face of a superior enemy; and Clearchus, feeling this, and regarding
the execution of the order as left to his discretion, declined to move
away from the river. Cyrus, who trusted much to the Greek general's
judgment, did not any further press the change, but prepared to fight
the battle as he stood.

The combat began upon the right. When the enemy had approached within
six or seven hundred yards, the impatience of the Greeks to engage could
not be restrained. They sang the paean and started forwards at a pace
which in a short time became a run. The Persians did not await their
charge. The drivers leaped from their chariots, the line of battle
behind them wavered, and then turned and fled without striking a blow.
One Greek only was wounded by an arrow. As for the scythed chariots,
they damaged their own side more than the Greeks; for the frightened
horses in many cases, carried the vehicles into the thick of the
fugitives, while the Greeks opened their ranks and gave passage to such
as charged in an opposite directi