n from the various towns in which they were distributed, and
concentrated in Sardis, to the number of about 8000; and in March or
April of this year Cyrus marched from Sardis with them, and with an
army of 100,000 Asiatics. The object of the expedition was proclaimed
to be an attack upon the mountain-freebooters of Pisidia; its real
destination was a secret to every one except Cyrus himself and
Clearchus. Among the Greek soldiers was Xenophon, an Athenian knight,
to whom we owe a narrative of the expedition. He went as a volunteer,
at the invitation of his friend Proxenus, a Boeotian, and one of the
generals of Cyrus.

The march of Cyrus was directed through Lydia and Phrygia. After
passing Colossae he arrived at Colaenae, where he was joined by more
Greek troops, the number of whom now amounted to 11,000 hoplites and
2000 peltasts. The line of march, which had been hitherto straight
upon Pisidia, was now directed northwards. Cyrus passed in succession
the Phrygian towns of Peltae, Ceramon Agora, the Plain of Cayster,
Thymbrium, Tyriaeum, and Iconium, the last city in Phrygia. Thence he
proceeded through Lycaonia to Dana, and across Mount Taurus into
Cilicia.

On arriving at Tarsus, a city on the coast of Cilicia, the Greeks
plainly saw that they had been deceived, and that the expedition was
designed against the Persian king. Seized with alarm at the prospect
of so long a march, they sent a deputation to Cyrus to ask him what his
real intentions were. Cyrus replied that his design was to march
against his enemy, Abrocomas, satrap of Syria, who was encamped on the
banks of the Euphrates. The Greeks, though they still suspected a
delusion, contented themselves with this answer in the face of their
present difficulties, especially as Cyrus promised to raise their pay
from one Daric to one Daric and a half a month. The whole army then
marched forwards to Issus, the last town in Cilicia, seated on the gulf
of the same name. Here they met the fleet, which brought them a
reinforcement of 1100 Greek soldiers, thus raising the Grecian force to
about 14,000 men.

Abrocomas, who commanded for the Great King in Syria and Phoenicia,
alarmed at the rapid progress of Cyrus, fled before him with all his
army, reported as 300,000 strong; abandoning the impregnable pass
situated one day's march from Issus, and known as the Gates of Cilicia
and Syria. Marching in safety through this pass, the army next reached
Myriandrus,