, if a person started them suddenly; for they fly
but a short distance, like partridges, and soon tire. Their flesh was
very delicious.

4. Marching through this region, they came to the river Mascas, the
breadth of which is a plethrum. Here was a large deserted city, of which
the name was Corsote, and which was entirely surrounded by the Mascas.
Here they stayed three days, and furnished themselves with provisions.

5. Thence he proceeded, thirteen days' march through the desert, a
distance of ninety parasangs, still keeping the Euphrates on the right,
and arrived at a place called the Gates.[46] In this march many of the
beasts of burden perished of hunger; for there was neither grass, nor
any sort of tree, but the whole country was completely bare. The
inhabitants, who quarried and fashioned millstones near the river, took
them to Babylon, and sold them, and lived upon corn which they bought
with the money. 6. Corn, too, failed the army, and it was not possible
to buy any, except in the Lydian market among Cyrus's Barbarian troops,
where they purchased a capithe[47] of wheat-flour or barley-meal for
four sigli. The siglus is equivalent to seven Attic oboli and a
half,[48] and the capithe contains two Attic choenices. The soldiers
therefore lived entirely upon flesh.

7. There were some of these marches which he made extremely long,
whenever he wished to get to water or forage. On one occasion, when a
narrow and muddy road presented itself, almost impassable for the
waggons, Cyras halted on the spot with the most distinguished and
wealthy of his train, and ordered Glus and Pigres, with a detachment of
the Barbarian forces, to assist in extricating the waggons. 8. But as
they appeared to him to do this too tardily, he ordered, as if in anger,
the noblest Persians of his suite to assist in expediting the carriages.
Then might be seen a specimen of their ready obedience; for, throwing
off their purple cloaks, in the place where each happened to be
standing, they rushed forward, as one would run in a race for victory,
down an extremely steep declivity, having on those rich vests which they
wear, and embroidered trowsers, some too with chains about their necks
and bracelets on their wrists, and, leaping with these equipments
straight into the mud, brought the waggons up quicker than any one would
have imagined.

9. On the whole, Cyrus evidently used the greatest speed throughout the
march, and made no delay, except whe