nians decoying the enemy by feigning flight and drawing them
within our reach."

[9] Thus they marched up with the Armenians in the van: and the
Chaldaeans who had collected waited till they were almost on them,
and then charged with a tremendous shout, as their custom was, and the
Armenians, as was ever theirs, turned and ran. [10] But in the midst
of the pursuit the Chaldaeans met new opponents streaming up the pass,
armed with short swords, and some of them were cut to pieces at once
before they could withdraw, while others were taken prisoners and the
rest fled, and in a few moments the heights were won. From the top
of the pass Cyrus and his staff looked down and saw below them the
Chaldaean villages with fugitives pouring from the nearest houses. [11]
Soon the rest of the army came up, and Cyrus ordered them all to take
the morning meal. When it was over, and he had ascertained that the
look-out was really in a strong position, and well supplied with water,
he set about fortifying a post without more ado, and he bade Tigranes
send to his father and bid him come at once with all the carpenters and
stonemasons he could fetch, and while a messenger went off to the king
Cyrus did all he could with what he had at hand.

[12] Meanwhile they brought up the prisoners, all of them bound in
chains and some wounded. But Cyrus when he saw their plight ordered the
chains to be struck off, and sent for surgeons to dress their wounds,
and then he told them that he came neither to destroy them nor to war
against them, but to make peace between them and the Armenians. "I
know," he said, "before your pass was taken you did not wish for peace.
Your own land was in safety and you could harry the Armenians: but you
can see for yourselves how things stand to-day. [13] Accordingly I will
let you all go back to your homes in freedom, and I will allow you and
your fellows to take counsel together and choose whether you will have
us for your enemies or your friends. If you decide on war, you had
better not come here again without your weapons, but if you choose
peace, come unarmed and welcome: it shall be my care to see that all is
well with you, if you are my friends."

[14] And when the Chaldaeans heard that, they poured out praises and
thanks, and then they turned homewards and departed.

Meanwhile the king, receiving the call of Cyrus, and hearing the
business that was at hand, had gathered his workmen together and took
what he tho