with an even smaller fraction than the Cadousians had; but,
before doing so you must communicate with some one able to bring up
reinforcements, and then, though you may be trapped yourself, it is at
least probable that your friends behind you may foil the foilers, and
divert them from your own party: there are fifty ways in which one can
embarrass the enemy and save one's friends. Thus separation need not
mean isolation, and union with the main force may still be kept, whereas
if you sally forth without telling your plan, you are no better off than
if you were alone in the field. [21] However, God willing, we shall take
our revenge for this ere long; indeed, as soon as you have breakfasted,
I will lead you out to the scene of yesterday's skirmish, and there we
will bury those who fell, and show our enemies that the very field where
they thought themselves victorious is held by those who are stronger
than they: they shall never look again with joy upon the spot where they
slew our comrades. Or else, if they refuse to come out and meet us, we
will burn their villages and harry all their land, so that in lieu of
rejoicing at the sight of what they did to us, they shall gnash their
teeth at the spectacle of their own disasters. [22] Go now," said
he, "the rest of you, and take your breakfast forthwith, but let the
Cadousians first elect a leader in accordance with their own laws, and
one who will guide them well and wisely, by the grace of God, and with
our human help, if they should need it. And when you have chosen your
leader, and had your breakfast, send him hither to me."

[23] So they did as Cyrus bade them, and when he led the army out, he
stationed their new general close to his own person, and told him to
keep his detachment there, "So that you and I," said he, "may rekindle
the courage in their souls."

In this order they marched out, and thus they buried the Cadousian dead
and ravaged the country. Which done, they went back to the province of
Gadatas, laden with supplies taken from the foe.

[24] Now Cyrus felt that those who had come over to his side and who
dwelt in the neighbourhood of Babylon would be sure to suffer unless he
were constantly there himself, and so he bade all the prisoners he set
free take a message to the king, and he himself despatched a herald
to say that he would leave all the tillers of the soil unmolested and
unhurt if the Assyrian would let those who had come over to him continue
the