Book 6 · Chapter 2

The next day, they lifted anchor and sailed from Harmene with a good wind, a two-day trip along the coast. As they cruised along, they spotted Jason's beach, where, according to the story, the ship Argo had docked.

Then they passed the mouths of the rivers: first the Thermodon, then the Iris, then the Halys, and next the Parthenius. Coasting past the last one, they reached Heraclea, a Greek city and a colony of the Megarians, located in the territory of the Mariandynians.

They anchored off the Acherusian Peninsula, where Heracles is said to have gone down to bring up the dog Cerberus. You can still see marks of his descent there - a huge crevice that goes down over two-fifths of a mile.

The Heracleots sent the Greeks gifts of hospitality: three thousand measures of barley and two thousand jars of wine, twenty cattle, and one hundred sheep. Through the flatlands here flows the Lycus river, about six hundred feet wide.

"The soldiers gathered for a meeting and talked about the rest of the journey: should they leave Pontus by sea or by land? Then Lycon from Achaea stood up and said, "I’m honestly shocked that the generals aren’t making sure we have enough food.

These gifts won’t last three days for the army, and I don’t see where we’re going to get more as we march. So, I suggest we demand at least three thousand cyzicenes from the Heracleots. Another soldier chimed in, "No less than ten thousand!

Let’s send ambassadors to the city right now and see what they say, then we can decide what to do." They picked Cheirisophus, who’s been chosen as the main general, to be the lead ambassador. They also named Xenophon."

But both Cheirisophus and Xenophon refused, arguing that they couldn’t force a friendly Greek city to give them anything they weren’t willing to give freely. Since those two weren’t on board, the soldiers sent Lycon from Achaea, Callimachus from Parrhasia, and Agasias from Stymphalos.

These three went and announced what the army had decided. They say Lycon even threatened some serious consequences if they didn't comply. The Heracleots said they’d think about it.

Without wasting any time, they gathered their stuff from their farms and fields outside the city, took down the marketplace outside, and moved it inside the walls. Then they closed the gates, and soldiers appeared on the battlements.

Things got tense, and those behind the chaotic decisions started blaming the generals, like they’d messed something up. The Arcadians and Achaeans teamed up, mostly led by two big shots: Callimachus from Parrhasia and Lycon from Achaea.

Their message was clear: It was crazy that just one Athenian and one Spartan - who hadn’t even sent a single soldier to this whole thing - were bossing around the Peloponnesians! It was ridiculous that they were doing all the hard work while others got all the loot.

And it was especially unfair since the army even survived thanks to them! Everyone knew the Arcadians and Achaeans were the ones who really made it happen, and the rest of the army was basically useless (which was pretty much true since they made up the majority of the soldiers).

So, what did common sense say? That they, the Arcadians and Achaeans, should stick together, pick their own generals, keep moving, and try to improve their situation. That idea got a ton of support.

All the Arcadians and Achaeans who were with Cheirisophus left him and Xenophon, started their own thing, and picked ten new generals. These ten guys were supposed to do whatever the majority wanted.

So, Cheirisophus lost all his authority - basically, it was over less than a week after he got the job. Xenophon, though, wanted to keep going with them, figuring it would be safer than everyone splitting up. But Neon was all about going their own way.

"Every person for themselves," he said, because he’d heard from Cheirisophus that Cleander, the Spartan in charge at Byzantium, was planning to send some warships to Calpe Haven.

Neon just wanted to get himself and his soldiers a ride home on those ships, without sharing the good fortune with anyone else. Cheirisophus was so bummed out by how things had turned out that he was sour on the whole army, and just let Neon do whatever he wanted.

Xenophon still wanted to ditch the expedition and head home, but he offered a sacrifice to Heracles, the Leader, and asked for guidance - should he keep going with the soldiers who were still loyal, or should he leave? The gods told him to stick around. Now the army was split into three groups.

First, the Arcadians and Achaeans - over four thousand five hundred heavy infantry. Second, Cheirisophus and his crew - one thousand four hundred heavy infantry and seven hundred peltasts (basically, Thracian light troops led by Clearchus).

Third, Xenophon’s group - one thousand seven hundred heavy infantry and three hundred peltasts. But Xenophon was the only one with cavalry - about forty riders. The Arcadians, who’d made a deal with the Heracleots and got some ships, were the first to set sail.

They hoped to catch the Bithynians by surprise and grab as much loot as possible. With that in mind, they landed at Calpe Haven, pretty much in the middle of Thrace.

Cheirisophus started marching straight from Heraclea, but once he was in Thrace, he stuck close to the coast, because he was getting sick and weak. Xenophon, last but not least, got ships and landed on the border between Thrace and the Heracleotid, pushing deep into the country.