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Part 1: The prelude
It is the year 401 bc and ten thousand greek mercenaries under the leadership of clearchus find themselves isolated in the middle of the achamenid empire after cyrus the younger dies in battle while trying to overthrow his brother and become king.
Now, with no way out, they have to negotiate with artaxerxes the 2nd, the same man they tried to help overthrow. The satrap tissapharnes offers to guide them back to grecce with the approval of artaxerxes.
Ariaeus, a former official of cyrus, is also present. Tissapharnes and the greeks make sacrifices to the gods and swear an oath not to betray each other.
But on the course of the march, the two sides begin to distrust each other, and the greeks even get reports that the persians plan to attack them during the night.
With this in mind, clearchus decides to meet with tissapharnes to clear up the confusion between the two forces. Shortly after, tissapharnes invites clearchus and the other greek generals and officers to a meeting. However, it is a trap, and the persians kill them, thus breaking the oaths they swore to the gods. Now, the greeks are left leaderless.
Part 2: Xenophon the Athenian
In the army was an athenian man named xenophon, but he was neither a general nor an officer. His friend proxenus had invited him to join and promised to make him a friend of cyrus the younger.
Before departing, he consulted socrates, who told him to go to delphi and consult the god. He asked the god what he should do so that he could return safely from the journey (note that he did not ask if he should go, but rather how he should go).
After the death of their generals, xenophon, like the rest of the men, was anxious and could barely sleep. However, he did get some sleep and had a dream that there was a thunderstorm and that a thunderbolt fell on his father’s house.
He woke up immediately and thought the dream was a good sign in some ways, because in the middle of their difficulties he had seen a great light from Zeus.
Immediately after, xenophon got to work. He summoned the remaining captains and ordered them to appoint replacements for the generals and officers who had been lost. He also reminded them that if they wished to survive, they must act quickly and not stand around idly.
Part 3: The Speeches
First spoke chirisophus, who urged the men not to give in and to be brave, winning honor and safety through victory.
Next spoke cleanor, who spoke about how perjured and godless the persians were, since they had broken the oaths they swore to the gods.
Up next was xenophon’s speech. He started by saying:
“cleanor has spoken of the perjury and treachery of the persians, and I am sure most of you agree. Our generals trusted them and were killed.
If we let despair take over, we are lost. But if we take our swords in hand and act, with the help of the gods, we still have hope of safety.
The gods are on our side. They help the brave, as they helped our fathers against the persians.
Remember your ancestry you are the sons of men who faced overwhelming odds and survived.
Today, we face the enemy with experience and courage, not fear.
Do not worry that cyrus’s troops have left us. They are cowards and would only slow us down. Our strength comes from ourselves, not cavalry or guides.
We can march, fight, and survive if we stay disciplined and united.
Let us burn our wagons and tents, keeping only what is needed for the march, so we can move freely and be ready for action.
Officers must be alert and soldiers obedient, so the persians will see ten thousand clearchuses instead of one.
Let us appoint leaders for the vanguard, flanks, and rear so that when the enemy attacks, we are ready. Remember, courage, not just staying alive, will carry us home. Victory will bring safety and reward, while failure brings death and loss.”
Part 4: Conclusion:
Xenophon’s speech shows how a good general and orator can rally troops and boost their morale.
Firstly, he takes a religious route and talks about how the persians broke their oaths to the gods, and thus the gods are on their side since they stayed true to their oath and did not break it.
He also takes a tactical approach, saying the men should get rid of everything that could weigh them down and slow their march.
He also says the greeks should march in a square formation, and that since cheirisophus is a spartan, he should lead the square. The two oldest generals should command the flanks, and the youngest among them, which were him and timasion, should guard the rear.
It is the year 401 bc and ten thousand greek mercenaries under the leadership of clearchus find themselves isolated in the middle of the achamenid empire after cyrus the younger dies in battle while trying to overthrow his brother and become king.
Now, with no way out, they have to negotiate with artaxerxes the 2nd, the same man they tried to help overthrow. The satrap tissapharnes offers to guide them back to grecce with the approval of artaxerxes.
Ariaeus, a former official of cyrus, is also present. Tissapharnes and the greeks make sacrifices to the gods and swear an oath not to betray each other.
But on the course of the march, the two sides begin to distrust each other, and the greeks even get reports that the persians plan to attack them during the night.
With this in mind, clearchus decides to meet with tissapharnes to clear up the confusion between the two forces. Shortly after, tissapharnes invites clearchus and the other greek generals and officers to a meeting. However, it is a trap, and the persians kill them, thus breaking the oaths they swore to the gods. Now, the greeks are left leaderless.
Part 2: Xenophon the Athenian
In the army was an athenian man named xenophon, but he was neither a general nor an officer. His friend proxenus had invited him to join and promised to make him a friend of cyrus the younger.
Before departing, he consulted socrates, who told him to go to delphi and consult the god. He asked the god what he should do so that he could return safely from the journey (note that he did not ask if he should go, but rather how he should go).
After the death of their generals, xenophon, like the rest of the men, was anxious and could barely sleep. However, he did get some sleep and had a dream that there was a thunderstorm and that a thunderbolt fell on his father’s house.
He woke up immediately and thought the dream was a good sign in some ways, because in the middle of their difficulties he had seen a great light from Zeus.
Immediately after, xenophon got to work. He summoned the remaining captains and ordered them to appoint replacements for the generals and officers who had been lost. He also reminded them that if they wished to survive, they must act quickly and not stand around idly.
Part 3: The Speeches
First spoke chirisophus, who urged the men not to give in and to be brave, winning honor and safety through victory.
Next spoke cleanor, who spoke about how perjured and godless the persians were, since they had broken the oaths they swore to the gods.
Up next was xenophon’s speech. He started by saying:
“cleanor has spoken of the perjury and treachery of the persians, and I am sure most of you agree. Our generals trusted them and were killed.
If we let despair take over, we are lost. But if we take our swords in hand and act, with the help of the gods, we still have hope of safety.
The gods are on our side. They help the brave, as they helped our fathers against the persians.
Remember your ancestry you are the sons of men who faced overwhelming odds and survived.
Today, we face the enemy with experience and courage, not fear.
Do not worry that cyrus’s troops have left us. They are cowards and would only slow us down. Our strength comes from ourselves, not cavalry or guides.
We can march, fight, and survive if we stay disciplined and united.
Let us burn our wagons and tents, keeping only what is needed for the march, so we can move freely and be ready for action.
Officers must be alert and soldiers obedient, so the persians will see ten thousand clearchuses instead of one.
Let us appoint leaders for the vanguard, flanks, and rear so that when the enemy attacks, we are ready. Remember, courage, not just staying alive, will carry us home. Victory will bring safety and reward, while failure brings death and loss.”
Part 4: Conclusion:
Xenophon’s speech shows how a good general and orator can rally troops and boost their morale.
Firstly, he takes a religious route and talks about how the persians broke their oaths to the gods, and thus the gods are on their side since they stayed true to their oath and did not break it.
He also takes a tactical approach, saying the men should get rid of everything that could weigh them down and slow their march.
He also says the greeks should march in a square formation, and that since cheirisophus is a spartan, he should lead the square. The two oldest generals should command the flanks, and the youngest among them, which were him and timasion, should guard the rear.
com girls broke my heart let me be a bit performative
