VII

After this they marched into the country of the Taochians five 1
stages--thirty parasangs--and provisions failed; for the Taochians
lived in strong places, into which they had carried up all their
stores. Now when the army arrived before one of these strong places--a
mere fortress, without city or houses, into which a motley crowd of
men and women and numerous flocks and herds were
gathered--Cheirisophus attacked at once. When the first regiment fell
back tired, a second advanced, and again a third, for it was
impossible to surround the place in full force, as it was encircled by
a river. Presently Xenophon came up with the rearguard, consisting of
both light and heavy infantry, whereupon Cheirisophus halted him with
the words: "In the nick of time you have come; we must take this
place, for the troops have no provisions, unless we take it."
Thereupon they consulted together, and to Xenophon's inquiry, "What it
was which hindered their simply walking in?" Cheirisophus replied,
"There is just this one narrow approach which you see, but when we
attempt to pass it by they roll down volleys of stones from yonder
overhanging crag," pointing up, "and this is the state in which you
find yourself, if you chance to be caught;" and he pointed to some
poor fellows with their legs or ribs crushed to bits. "But when they
have expended their ammunition," said Xenophon, "there is nothing
else, is there, to hinder our passing? Certainly, except yonder
handful of fellows, there is no one in front of us that we can see;
and of them, only two or three apparently are armed, and the distance
to be traversed under fire is, as your eyes will tell you, about one
hundred and fifty feet as near as can be, and of this space the first
hundred is thickly covered with great pines at intervals; under cover