a seaport of Phoenicia. From this place Cyrus struck off
into the interior, over Mount Amanus. Twelve days' march brought him
to Thapsacus on the Euphrates, where for the first time he formally
notified to the army that he was marching to Babylon against his
brother Artaxerxes, The water happened to be very low, scarcely
reaching to the breast; and Abrocomas made no attempt to dispute the
passage. The army now entered upon the desert, where the Greeks were
struck with the novel sights which met their view, and at once amused
and exhausted themselves in the chase of the wild ass and the antelope,
or in the vain pursuit of the scudding ostrich. After several days of
toilsome march the army at length reached Pylae, the entrance into the
cultivated plains of Babylonia, where they halted a few days to refresh
themselves.

Soon after leaving that place symptoms became perceptible of a vast
hostile force moving in their front. The exaggerated reports of
deserters stated it at 1,200,000 men; its real strength was about
900,000. In a characteristic address Cyrus exhorted the Greeks to take
no heed of the multitude of their enemies; they would find in them, he
affirmed nothing but numbers and noise, and, if they could bring
themselves to despise these, they would soon find of what worthless
stuff the natives were composed. The army then marched cautiously
forwards, in order of battle, along the left bank of the Euphrates.
They soon came upon a huge trench, 30 feet broad and 18 deep, which
Artaxerxes had caused to be dug across the plain for a length of about
42 English miles, reaching from the Euphrates to the wall of Media.
Between it and the river was left only a narrow passage about 20 feet
broad; yet Cyrus and his army found with surprise that this pass was
left entirely undefended. This circumstance inspired them with a
contempt of the enemy, and induced them to proceed in careless array;
but on the next day but one after passing the trench, on arriving at a
place called Cunaxa, they were surprised with the intelligence that
Artaxerxes was approaching with all his forces. Cyrus immediately drew
up his army in order of battle. The Greeks were posted on the right,
whilst Cyrus himself, surrounded by a picked body-guard of 600 Persian
cuirassiers, took up his station in the centre. When the enemy were
about half a mile distant, the Greeks engaged them with the usual
war-shout. The Persians did not await their onset,