p the men where
they were.

"But when," he added, "you see me close with the enemy on our right,
then set upon those in front of you: take them in flank, where they are
weakest, while you advance in line, at your full strength. Their lines,
as you see, are closed by cavalry; hurl your camels at these, and you
may be sure, even before the fighting begins, they will cut a comic
figure."

[23] Thus, with all his dispositions made, Cyrus rode round the head
of his right. By this time Croesus, believing that the centre, where he
himself was marching, must be nearer the enemy than the distant wings,
had the signal raised for them to stop their advance, halt, and wheel
round where they were. When they were in position opposite the Persian
force, he signalled for them to charge, and thus three columns came at
once against Cyrus, one facing his front and one on either flank. [24]
A tremor ran through the whole army; it was completely enclosed, like a
little brick laid within a large, with the forces of the enemy all
round it, on every side except the rear, cavalry and heavy infantry,
targeteers, archers, and chariots. [25] None the less, the instant
Cyrus gave the word they swung round to confront the foe. There was deep
silence through the ranks as they realised what they had to face, and
then Cyrus, when the moment came, began the battle-hymn and it thundered
through the host. [26] And as it died away the war-cry rang out unto the
God of Battles, and Cyrus swooped forward at the head of his cavalry,
straight for the enemy's flank, and closed with them then and there,
while the infantry behind him followed, swift and steady, wave on wave,
sweeping out on either side, far out-flanking their opponents, for they
attacked in line and the foe were in column, to the great gain of Cyrus.
A short struggle, and the ranks broke and fled before him headlong. [27]
Artagersas, seeing that Cyrus had got to work, made his own charge on
the left, hurling his camels forward as Cyrus had advised. Even at a
distance the horses could not face the camels: they seemed to go mad
with fear, and galloped off in terror, rearing and falling foul of one
another: such is the strange effect of camels upon horses. [28] So that
Artagersas, his own troops well in hand, had easy work with the enemy's
bewildered masses. At the same moment the war-chariots dashed in, right
and left, so that many, flying from the chariots, were cut down by the
troopers, and many