leader of their own
choosing, could beat a safe retreat toward the sea.

LXXII. THE RETREAT OF THE TEN THOUSAND.

Xenophon's advice pleased the Greeks. It was far better, they thought,
to make the glorious attempt to return home, than basely to surrender
their arms, and become the subjects of a foreign king.

They therefore said they would elect a leader, and all chose Xenophon to
fill this difficult office. He, however, consented to accept it only
upon condition that each soldier would pledge his word of honor to obey
him; for he knew that the least disobedience would hinder success, and
that in union alone lay strength. The soldiers understood this too, and
not only swore to obey him, but even promised not to quarrel among
themselves.

So the little army began its homeward march, tramping bravely over sandy
wastes and along rocky pathways. When they came to a river too deep to
be crossed by fording, they followed it up toward its source until they
could find a suitable place to get over it; and, as they had neither
money nor provisions, they were obliged to seize all their food on the
way.

The Greeks not only had to overcome countless natural obstacles, but
were also compelled to keep up a continual warfare with the Persians who
pursued them. Every morning Xenophon had to draw up his little army in
the form of a square, to keep the enemy at bay.

They would fight thus until nearly nightfall, when the Persians always
retreated, to camp at a distance from the men they feared. Instead of
allowing his weary soldiers to sit down and rest, Xenophon would then
give orders to march onward. So they tramped in the twilight until it
was too dark or they were too tired to proceed any farther.

After a hasty supper, the Greeks flung themselves down to rest on the
hard ground, under the light of the stars; but even these slumbers were
cut short by Xenophon's call at early dawn. Long before the lazy
Persians were awake, these men were again marching onward; and when the
mounted enemy overtook them once more, and compelled them to halt and
fight, they were several miles nearer home.

As the Greeks passed through the wild mountain gorges, they were further
hindered by the neighboring people, who tried to stop them by rolling
trunks of trees and rocks down upon them. Although some were wounded and
others killed, the little army pressed forward, and, after a march of
about a thousand miles, they came at last within sig