IN the end it was no longer possible to get provisions from close at hand so as to return to camp on the same day. Xeno-phon therefore took some of the people of Trapezus as guides, and led half the army against the Drilae, leaving the other half behind to guard the camp – a necessary measure, since the Colchians, driven out as they had been from their own homes, had collected in large numbers and were occupying dominating positions on the heights. The people of Trapezus failed to lead the Greeks to places where it was easy to get provisions, since they were on friendly terms with the inhabitants of such places. However, they were willing enough to show them the way to the country of the Drilae, from whom they had suffered harm. It was difficult and mountainous ground, and the people were the most warlike of all the inhabitants of the Black Sea coast-line.
As the Greeks advanced into the interior, the Drilae fell back, first setting fire to all their settlements which seemed to them indefensible. Thus there was nothing for the Greeks to take except for an odd pig or ox or other animal that had escaped the fire. They had one position which was their capital, and there they all gathered together. There was a tremendously deep ravine all round the place, and the roads into the fortification were difficult to get at.
The peltasts had got about a half a mile ahead of the hoplites, and, crossing over the ravine and seeing a lot of cattle and other booty, they attacked the fortifications. À number of spearmen, who had come out for plunder, followed after them, so that there were more than two thousand who crossed over the ravine. However, they were not able to take the place by assault, which was not surprising, as there was a broad ditch round it with the earth thrown up to form a rampart, and with a palisade on top of the rampart and wooden towers erected at frequent intervals. They therefore tried to retreat, but the enemy pressed hard upon them. Being unable, then, to get back, as the way down from the fortifications to the ravine was only broad enough for people to go down it in a single file, they sent a messenger to Xenophon, who was at the head of the hoplites. The messenger said that the place was full of all kinds of supplies. ‘But,’ he said, ‘we cannot take it, because the enemy come out and attack us, and our return route is a difficult one.’
On receiving this information Xenophon advanced to the ravine and ordered the hoplites to halt there. He himself with the captains crossed over and examined the position to see whether it would be better to withdraw the troops who had crossed already, or, on the assumption that the place could be taken, to bring the hoplites across too. It seemed that it would be impossible to withdraw without considerable loss of life: the captains were of opinion that they could take the place; and Xenophon agreed with them, relying also on the results of the sacrifices, for the soothsayers had indicated that there would be a battle, but the final result of the expedition would be successful. He therefore sent the captains back to bring the hoplites across, and stayed where he was himself. He brought all the peltasts back from the ditch and forbade any of them to engage in long-range fighting. When the hoplites arrived, he ordered each captain to form up his company in the way in which he thought his men would fight best; for the captains who were continually competing with each other in doing brave deeds, were now next to each other. They did as they were told, and Xenophon then Ordered all the peltasts to advance with their javelins at the ready, and the archers to have their arrows fitted to the string, as they would both have to discharge their weapons as soon as he gave the signal. He told the light troops to have their wallets full of stones, and sent reliable people to see that these orders were obeyed.
When everything was ready, and the captains and lieutenants and other officers who considered themselves just as good men as their immediate superiors, had all taken up their positions, they were all actually in sight of each other, since, because of the nature of the ground, they were in a crescent-shaped formation. Then, after they had sung the paean and the trumpet had sounded, the hoplites raised the war-cry and charged, with the missiles all being hurled together – spears, arrows, stones from slings, and a lot also thrown by hand, together with fire-brands, which some people used in the attack. Under this weight of weapons the enemy were forced to abandon the palisade and the towers. This gave Agasias the Stymphalian an opportunity. He stripped off his armour and climbed up, only wearing his tunic. Others then helped each other up or climbed up by themselves and, to all appearance, the position was won. The peltasts and light infantry rushed inside, each man making off with what booty he could. Xenophon, however, stood by the gates and kept back as many of the hoplites as he could outside, since there were fresh enemy troops coming into sight in strong positions on the high ground. Before much time had gone by, there was a shout from inside, and people came running out, some carrying booty, with here and there a wounded man among them. There was a crush around the gates and, in reply to questions, the men who were being driven out said that there was a citadel inside and a large enemy force which kept charging down from it and falling on the Greeks who were inside.
Xenophon then ordered Tolmides the herald to proclaim that those who wanted plunder had permission to go in. A lot of men surged forward and, as the ones who were pushing their way in forced back those who were being driven out, they shut the enemy up again inside the citadel. Everything outside the citadel was plundered and the Greeks brought the booty out of the gates. The hoplites took up position, some at the palisade, and some on the path that led up to the citadel. Xenophon and the captains then considered whether it was possible to capture the citadel. If they could, it would mean that they could get away safely; otherwise it appeared that it would be a very difficult business to retire. After considering the matter, they came to the conclusion that the position was absolutely impregnable, and therefore made their dispositions for the retreat.
Each man pulled up the stakes in the palisade opposite him. They sent back those who were unfit for action or carrying booty, together with most of the hoplites; and the captains kept with them the men in whom each had special confidence. “When they began their retreat, large numbers of the enemy, armed with shields, spears, greaves and Paphlagonian helmets, charged out at them from inside, and others climbed on to the roofs of the houses on each side of the way leading up to the citadel. Thus it was not safe even to drive them back by the gates leading there, since they threw down great pieces of timber and so made it awkward for them either to stay where they were or to retreat. The approach of darkness increased their alarm.
However, while they were still fighting and still doubtful what to do next, some god showed them a way of saving themselves. One of the houses on the right, through someone or other’s action, suddenly caught fire. When this house collapsed, the enemy fled from the row of houses on the right. Xenophon, by a stroke of luck, saw what had happened, and gave the order to set fire to the houses on the left as well. These, being of wood, were soon blazing, and so the enemy ‘ fled from these houses too. Now the only enemy force which still caused trouble was the one in front, and it was obvious that these intended to fall upon them on their way out of the town and down into the ravine. Xenophon then ordered all those who were out of range of the missiles to carry wood into the space between them and the enemy. When enough wood had been brought, they set fire to it and also set fire to the houses next to the rampart, so that the enemy might have their attention attracted there. In this way they managed with difficulty to retreat from the place under the protection of a fire between them and the enemy. The whole city was burned to the ground – houses, towers, palisade and everything else except the citadel.
Next day the Greeks marched back, taking their supplies with them. They were apprehensive about the return journey to Trapezus, as the road was steep and narrow; and so they pretended to set an ambush. A Mysian in the army, who was called Mysus too, took ten Cretans with him and stayed behind in some wooded country, pretending that he was trying to keep out of enemy observation. The shields of the party, which were of brass, kept on flashing into sight. The enemy observed all this and were alarmed just as if it was a real ambush, and meanwhile the army carried out the descent. When Xenophon considered that they had got far enough away, he signalled to the Mysian to run back at full speed. So he and his men started up and ran for it. The Cretans (who saw that they were being overtaken in the race) jumped down from the road into a wood and, rolling over and over among the undergrowth, got away safe. The Mysian ran down the road and shouted for help. Soldiers came to his aid and picked him up wounded. Then the rescue party retreated step by step and being shot at by the enemy, with some of the Cretan archers shooting back at the enemy. So they all got back safely to the camp.