judicial
trial. Assuredly such was not the conception of Cheirisophus; nor shall
we find it borne out by any fair appreciation of the general evidence.
When the peculation of official persons was thus notorious in spite of
serious risks, what would it have become if the door had been barred to
accusing demagogues, and if the numerous popular judges[68] had been
exchanged for a select few judges of the same stamp and class as the
official men themselves?

Enforcing his proposition, Xenophon now informed his colleagues that he
had just captured a few guides, by laying an ambush for certain native
plunderers who beset the rear; and that these guides acquainted him that
the mountain was not inaccessible, but pastured by goats and oxen. He
farther offered himself to take command of the marching detachment. But
this being overruled by Cheirisophus, some of the best among the
captains, Aristonymus, Aristeas, and Nikomachus, volunteered their
services and were accepted. After refreshing the soldiers, the generals
marched with the main army near to the foot of the pass, and there took
up their night-station, making demonstrations of a purpose to storm it
the next morning. But as soon as it was dark, Aristonymus and his
detachment started, and ascending the mountain at another point,
obtained without resistance a high position on the flank of the enemy,
who soon however saw them and despatched a force to keep guard on that
side. At daybreak those two detachments came to conflict on the heights,
in which the Greeks were completely victorious; while Cheirisophus was
marching up the pass to attack the main body. His light troops,
encouraged by seeing this victory of their comrades, hastened on to the
charge faster than their heavy-armed foot-soldiers could follow. But the
enemy were so dispirited by seeing themselves turned, that they fled
with little or no resistance. Though only a few were slain, many threw
away their light shields of wicker or woodwork, which became the prey of
the conquerors.

Thus masters of the pass, the Greeks descended to the level ground on
the other side, where they found themselves in some villages
well-stocked with provisions and comforts; the first in the country of
the Taochi. Probably they halted here some days; for they had seen no
villages, either for rest or for refreshment, during the last nine days'
march, since leaving those Armenian villages in which they had passed a
week so eminently restor