s for it, for it convinced the Greek people that the apparent power
of the Persian empire was utterly unreal. They saw that, as Cyrus had
said, its only strength was in "numbers and noise." This conviction
grew, and two generations after Xenophon's return, it led to that grand
invasion of Persia by Alexander the Great which was to revolutionize the
ancient world.

What, then, had the retreat of the Greeks accomplished? First, it proved
that ten thousand men not afraid to die are worth more than a million
who lack that courage; and next, though it was a retreat, yet it
suggested that advance which eventually spread the Greek language, Greek
culture and Greek civilization in countries where they were before
unknown.

D. H. M.

FOOTNOTES:

[1] Tissaphernes was a satrap of Caria, a province of Asia Minor south
of Lydia.

[Illustration: MARCH OF THE TEN THOUSAND GREEKS. FOR XENOPHON'S
ANABASIS.]

[Illustration: SKETCH MAP OF EUROPE SHOWING PRINCIPAL BATTLES OF
NAPOLEON.]

RETREAT OF THE TEN THOUSAND GREEKS.

Sec. 1. Effect of the death of Cyrus on the Greeks; they resolve to
retreat.

The first triumphant feeling of the Greek troops at Kunaxa[2] was
exchanged, as soon as they learnt the death of Cyrus, for dismay and
sorrow; accompanied by unavailing repentance for the venture into which
he and Klearchus had seduced them. Probably Klearchus himself too
repented, and with good reason, of having displayed, in his manner of
fighting the battle, so little foresight, and so little regard either to
the injunctions or to the safety of Cyrus. Nevertheless he still
maintained the tone of a victor in the field, and after expressions of
grief for the fate of the young prince, desired Prokles and Glus to
return to Ariaeus, with the reply, that the Greeks on their side were
conquerors without any enemy remaining; that they were about to march
onward against Artaxerxes; and that if Ariaeus would join them, they
would place him on the throne which had been intended for Cyrus. While
this reply was conveyed to Ariaeus by his particular friend Menon along
with the messengers, the Greeks procured a meal as well as they could,
having no bread, by killing some of the baggage animals; and by kindling
fire to cook their meat, from the arrows, the wooden Egyptian shields
which had been thrown away on the field, and the baggage carts.

Before any answer could be received from Ariaeus, heralds[3] appeared
coming from Arta