Book 4 · Chapter 3

They set up camp in the villages above the Centrites River plain. It was about two hundred feet wide. This river marked the border between Armenia and the Carduchian country. The Hellenes gathered their strength here, and the sight of the plain cheered them up.

The river was only about a mile from the Carduchian mountains. For now, they were happy - they had food and lots of memories of the tough times they’d left behind.

The last seven days spent fighting in Carduchian territory had been brutal, way worse than anything they'd faced with the king and Tissaphernes. It felt like they were finally free, so they rested easily.

But with the sun came a surprise - horsemen appeared across the river, fully armored, ready to fight over the crossing. Infantry lined up on the banks, above the cavalry, threatening to stop them from entering Armenia.

These were Armenian, Mardian, and Chaldaean mercenaries working for Orontas and Artuchas. The Chaldaeans, the last of the three, were known as a brave and independent people. They carried long wicker shields and lances.

The riverbank was a hundred yards or more from the water, and the only road visible looked like a well-built highway leading uphill. The Hellenes tried to cross, but the water was deeper than their chests, and the riverbed was full of huge, slippery rocks.

It was impossible to hold onto their weapons - the current swept them away, and if they tried to carry them over their heads, they were easy targets for arrows and other missiles. So, they turned back and camped by the riverbank.

From their camp on the mountains, they could see the Carduchians gathered in large numbers, armed and ready.

A wave of despair washed over them, no matter where they looked - the river was too hard to cross, a new enemy threatened them on the other side, and the Carduchians were ready to attack from behind if they tried to cross again. So, they stayed put for the day and night, totally confused.

But Xenophon had a dream. He dreamt he was chained up, but the chains fell off by themselves, freeing him to move his legs as he pleased. At the first hint of dawn, he went to Cheirisophus and told him he felt hopeful, sharing his dream with him.

The other guy was totally pleased, and as the first hint of sunlight showed up, all the generals were there and did a sacrifice. The animals were a good sign. After the sacrifice, the generals and officers told the troops to grab some breakfast.

While Xenophon was eating, two young guys ran up to him - everyone knew he was always available, even if he was asleep, anyone could wake him up if it was about the war.

The two young guys told him they’s been gathering firewood, and they saw an old man and some women and little girls on the other side, near some rocks that came down to the river, putting bags of clothes into a big cave. They figured it was safe to cross when they saw them.

Plus, the enemy’s horsemen couldn’t get there. So they took off their clothes, thinking they might have to swim, and started across with their long knives. They crossed without even getting wet! Once across, they grabbed the clothes and headed back.

Xenophon immediately poured out a drink as an offering and told the two young guys to fill the cup and pray to the gods, who showed him a vision and showed them a way across, and to bring them good fortune.

After the offering, he quickly led the two young guys to Cheirisophus, and they told him their story. Cheirisophus also made an offering, and when that was done, they sent a message to the troops to pack up and get ready to move.

They themselves gathered the generals for a meeting and talked about how to cross the river and beat the enemy in front without losing anyone to the people behind them. They decided that Cheirisophus would lead the way with half the army, while Xenophon stayed back with the other half.

The pack animals and the merchants would cross between the two groups. Everything was set, and they started moving, with the young guys leading the way and keeping the river on their left. It was about a half-mile march to the crossing, and

as they walked along the bank, the enemy’s cavalry kept pace with them on the other side. But when they reached a spot in line with the ford and the cliff-like riverbanks, they stopped and put down their weapons.

First, Cheirisophus put a wreath on his head, took off his cloak, and put his armor back on. He told everyone else to do the same and told the captains to form their companies in a loose formation, some to his left and some to his right.

Meanwhile, the fortune-tellers were sacrificing an animal across the river, and the enemy was shooting arrows and slingstones, but they weren’t close enough to hit.

As soon as the sacrifice was good, all the soldiers started singing the battle song, and the shouts of the men mixed with the higher-pitched singing of the women - there were a lot of women in the camp.

So Cheirisophus and his crew stepped in. But Xenophon, grabbing the strongest guys from the back, started sprinting back toward the path leading into the hills of Armenia, pretending to cross there to cut off their cavalry near the river.

The enemy, seeing Cheirisophus’s group easily crossing the stream and Xenophon’s men racing back, got seriously worried about being trapped, and bolted toward the road coming out of the stream. But when they got to it, they scrambled up the hill towards their mountains.

Then Lycius, who led the cavalry, and Aeschines, who was in charge of the light infantry with Cheirisophus, saw them running so fast and took off after them, and the soldiers yelled at each other to keep up and chase them all the way to the mountains.

Once Cheirisophus got across, he didn’t chase the cavalry but headed up the bluffs overlooking the river to attack the enemy from above. And those guys, seeing their own cavalry fleeing and the heavy infantry coming at them, abandoned the high ground near the river.

Xenophon, seeing things were going well on their side, quickly fell back to join the troops still crossing, because the Carduchians were now visible, heading into the plain to attack their rear.

Cheirisophus held the higher ground, and Lycius, with his small group, tried to keep the chase going, capturing a few stragglers from their baggage handlers, along with some nice clothes and fancy cups.

The baggage animals and non-combatants of the Greeks were just about to cross when Xenophon turned his troops around to face the Carduchians. He lined them up opposite, giving the captains the order to organize their companies into squads and spread them out in a line to the left.

The company captains and squad leaders stepped forward to meet the Carduchians, while the rearguard stayed put, facing the river. But when the Carduchians saw the rearguard so thin, looking like just a few guys, they charged even faster, singing as they went.

Then, things being safe with him, Cheirisophus sent back the light infantry, slingers, and archers to join Xenophon, telling them to follow his instructions. They were halfway across when Xenophon, seeing what they were up to, sent a messenger over, telling them to wait by the river.

But as soon as he and his crew started crossing, he told them to step in on either side, forming two flanking divisions, like they were crossing. The javelin throwers with their javelins ready, and the archers with their arrows strung, but not to go too far into the stream.

His order to his own men was: "Wait until you’re close enough to throw, until you hear the shields rattle, then shout and charge!"

"As soon as they turn, and the bugle from the river sounds for ‘attack,’ turn to the right, the back row leading, and everyone cross the river as fast as possible, staying in your original order so you don’t get in each other’s way. The bravest guy is the one who gets to the other side first."

The Carduchians, realizing they were facing just a tiny group (since a lot of even those who should’ve stayed had bolted to protect their animals, their gear, or their girlfriends), charged in, firing slingstones and arrows. But the Greeks, shouting their battle cry, sprinted toward them.

The Carduchians didn’t even try to stand their ground. They were armed for fighting in the mountains - ready for quick attacks and fast escapes - and totally unprepared for a close-quarters brawl. Suddenly, the bugle sounded. The notes sent the barbarians scattering.

But the Greeks spun around and raced toward the river as fast as they could. A few of the enemy, here and there, spotted them and let loose their arrows, wounding a few. But most were still running even when the Greeks were halfway across.

The group that came to meet Xenophon’s men, caught up in the excitement, pushed too far and had to retreat behind Xenophon’s men. A few of them got wounded too.