d use to
chastise them better than that which I now have with me. 14. If, again,
among the states that lie around you, you were desirous to become a
friend to any one, you might prove the most powerful of friends; and if
any of them gave you any annoyance, you might, by our instrumentality,
deal with them[108] as a master, as we should serve you not for the
sake of pay merely, but from gratitude, which we should justly feel
towards you if we are saved by your means. 15. When I consider all these
things, it appears to me so surprising that you should distrust us, that
I would most gladly hear the name[109] of him who is so persuasive a
speaker as to make you believe that we are forming designs against you."

Thus spoke Clearchus. Tissaphernes replied as follows: 16. "I am
delighted, O Clearchus, to hear your judicious observations; for, with
these sentiments, if you were to meditate anything to my injury, you
would appear to be at the same time your own enemy. But that you may be
convinced that you have no just cause for distrusting either the king or
me, listen to me in your turn. 17. If we wished to destroy you, do we
appear to you to be deficient in numbers either of cavalry or infantry,
or in warlike equipments, with the aid of which we might be able to do
you injury, without danger of suffering any in return? 18. Or do we seem
to you likely to be in want of suitable places to make an attack upon
you? Are there not so many plains, which, as the inhabitants of them are
friendly to us,[110] you traverse with exceeding toil? See you not so
many mountains before you to be crossed, which we might, by
pre-occupying them, render impassable to you? Or are there not so many
rivers, at which we might parcel you out[111] as many at a time as we
might be willing to engage? Some of these rivers, indeed, you could not
cross at all, unless we secured you a passage. 19. But even supposing
that we were baffled in all these points, yet fire at least would prove
its power over the produce of the soil; by burning which, we could set
famine in array against you, which, though you were the bravest of the
brave, you would find it difficult to withstand. 20. How then, having so
many means of waging war with you, and none of them attended with
danger to ourselves, should we select from amongst them all this mode,
the only one that is impious in the sight of the gods, the only one that
is disgraceful in the sight of men? 21. It belongs, altoge