Part 23 (1/2)

[75] The legend was that Poseidon and Athene contended together for the honor of being the patron Deity of Attica. This was to be adjudged to the Power which should present it with the most useful gift. Poseidon struck the ground with his trident, and produced the horse; Athene bade the olive spring forth, and was judged to have surpa.s.sed her rival.

Reference is made to this legend in the most beautiful of the choral odes of Sophocles, the ”Praise of Colonas” in the second of the two plays in the Story of Oedipus.

CHAPTER XXV.

BUSINESS AND PLEASURE.

Its religious obligations discharged, for the games, as has been already said, were regarded as a service of thanksgiving for deliverance, the army turned its attention to secular affairs. One indispensable duty, one curiously characteristic, by the way, of the Greek soldier's temper of mind, was to call the generals to account. For a Greek soldier, even when he was selling his sword to the highest bidder, never forgot that he was a citizen, and that as a citizen he had the right of satisfying himself that his superiors had done their duty with due care and with integrity. The Ten Thousand accordingly put aside for the time their military character, and resolved themselves into a civil a.s.sembly. Their generals were no longer the commanding officers to whom they owed an unhesitating obedience, but the magistrates who had just completed their term of office, and had now to render their accounts[76] to those who had elected them.

The meeting of the army, perhaps I should rather say the a.s.sembly, was held on the same ground which had served for a race course. One by one the officers were called to answer for themselves. With many, indeed, the proceeding was purely formal. The name was called, and the man stepped forward on a platform which had been erected where it could be best seen by the whole meeting. If no one appeared to make a complaint or to ask a question, the soldiers gave him a round of applause, if I may use the word of the noise made by clas.h.i.+ng their spears against their s.h.i.+elds; this was a verdict of acquittal and the officer retired with a bow. And this was what commonly happened. After all, the leaders had, on the whole, done their duty sufficiently well; there was proof of that in the simple fact that such a meeting was being held. But all did not escape so easily. If, indeed, only a few voices of dissatisfaction were heard, the matter was not pushed any further. When the second appeal was made by the malcontents, they, seeing that they were not supported by their comrades, preferred to keep silence. The man would, in all probability, be their officer again and he would not be likely to think pleasantly of any one who had accused him. But where, on the other hand, there was anything like an agreement of dissatisfied voices, the complainants took courage to come forward, and the examination was proceeded with in earnest. One officer had had charge of some of the property of the army; there was a deficiency in his accounts and he was fined twenty himal[77] to make it good. Another was accused of carelessness in his duties as leader, and had to pay half this sum. Then came the _cause celebre_, as it may be called, of the day, the trial of Xenophon himself. Xenophon was generally popular with the army, as, indeed, he could scarcely fail to be, considering all that he had done for it; but he had enemies. The mere fact of his being an Athenian made him an object of dislike to some; others, as will be seen, he had been compelled to offend in the discharge of his duty.

”Xenophon, the son of Gryllus,” shouted the herald at the top of his voice.

The Athenian stepped on to the platform.

An Arcadian soldier, Nicharchus by name, came forward and said, ”I accuse Xenophon the Athenian of violence and outrage.”

A few voices of a.s.sent were heard throughout the meeting; and some half dozen men came forward to support the the prosecutor. Accuser and accused were now confronted.

”Of what do you accuse me?” asked Xenophon.

”Of wantonly striking me,” replied the man.

”When and where did you suffer these blows?”

”After we had crossed the Euphrates, when there was a heavy fall of snow.”

”I remember. You are right. The weather was terrible; our provisions had run out; the wine could not so much as be smelt; many men were dropping down, half dead with fatigue; the enemy were close upon our heels. Were not these things so?”

”It is true. Things were as bad as you say, or even worse.”

”You hear,” said Xenophon, turning to the a.s.sembly, ”how we were situated, and indeed, seeing that you suffered these things yourself, you are not likely to forget them. Verily; if in such a condition of things, I struck this man wantonly and without cause, you might fairly count me more brutal than an a.s.s. But say--” he went on, addressing himself again to his accuser, ”was there not a cause for my beating you?”

”Yes, there was a cause,” the fellow sullenly admitted.

”Did I ask you for something, and strike you because you refused to give it?”

”No.”

”Did I demand payment for a debt, and lose my temper because the money was not forthcoming?”

”No.”

”Was I drunken?”

”No.”

”Tell me now; are you a heavy-armed soldier?”

”No; I am not.”