(1) When they heard this, they began their preparations, and Cyrus sacrificed. When the sacred victims brought noble results, he departed with the army. On the first day he camped as nearby as possible so that if someone forgot something, he might go after it, and if someone should realize that he needed something, he could provide himself with it. (2) Now Cyaxares stayed back with one-third of the Medes so that matters at home not be left abandoned. Cyrus marched as quickly as he was able. He kept the cavalry first, but he continually sent scouts and lookouts in front of them up onto the best points for forward observation. He led the baggage train behind the cavalry. Where it was flat, he formed many chains of wagons and pack animals. Since the phalanx followed in the rear, if any of the baggage train lagged behind, the rulers who chanced to come by would take care that nothing hinder them from marching forward. (3) Where the road was narrower, those bearing arms put the baggage train in the middle and marched on both sides. If anything impeded their march, those of the soldiers who were nearby took care of it. The companies usually used to march keeping their baggage beside themselves, for all baggage carriers had been ordered to proceed beside their own respective companies unless some necessity should prevent it. (4) The captain’s baggage carrier led holding an insignia recognized by those in his own company. They consequently marched close together, and they each took great care that their own things not be left behind. Since they formed up like this, it was not necessary to go searching for each other, all things were at the same time both ready at hand and more safe, and the soldiers quickly got what they needed.
(5) When the scouts who went forward thought they saw human beings on the plain getting both fodder and wood, and when they saw pack animals carrying other such things away, and other pack animals grazing, and moreover when looking off in a forward direction they thought they detected either smoke or dust up in midair, from all this they pretty nearly knew that the army of their enemies was nearby. (6) So the commander of the scouts directly sent someone to report this to Cyrus. When he heard this, he ordered them to stay at their lookout posts and to keep reporting whatever new things they saw. He sent a cavalry company forward and ordered them to try to capture some of the people on the plain, in order that they might learn more clearly how things were.18 (7) They who were so ordered did so. He himself brought the rest of the army to a halt right there, in order that they might prepare what he thought useful before they got too close. He passed the word for them to eat lunch first and then to stay in their companies and be attentive to announcements. (8) After they had lunch, he summoned leaders of the cavalry, infantry, and chariots, and also the rulers of the divisions of the siege engines, baggage train, and wagons, and these assembled. (9) But those who had raced down onto the plain captured people and brought them back. Upon being questioned by Cyrus, those who were captured said that they had gone forward from the army camp for fodder (and others for wood) and that they had gone past their advance guard posts, for everything was scarce because of the size of the army.
(10) On hearing this Cyrus asked, “How far distant is the army from here?”
They said, “About two parasangs.”19
At this Cyrus asked, “Was there any talk of us among them?”
“Yes, by Zeus,” they said, “a great deal, to the effect that you were approaching and were already nearby.”
“Well, then,” said Cyrus, “and were they delighted on hearing that we were coming?” This he asked for the sake of those present.
“No, by Zeus,” they said, “they were not delighted but were even greatly distressed.”
(11) “What are they doing now?” said Cyrus.
“Getting in order,” they said. “And yesterday and the day before they were doing this same thing.”
“Who is doing the ordering?” said Cyrus. They said, “Croesus himself and, with him, both some Greek man and someone else, a Mede. It is said, in fact, that he is a fugitive from you.”
And Cyrus said, “But O greatest Zeus, would that it should come to pass for me to seize him as I wish!”
(12) Next he ordered them to lead the captives away, and turned as if to say something to those who were present. At this moment someone else reported from the commander of the scouts and said that a large order of cavalry was visible on the plain. “And we expect,” he said, “that they are riding forward because they wish to see our army, for about thirty other cavalry troops are riding a considerable distance in front of this larger order and, in fact, are coming against us, perhaps because they wish to take our lookout post if they are able. We at this post are one squad of ten.”
(13) Cyrus ordered some of the knights who were always with him to ride up beneath the post and keep still, out of the enemy’s sight. “When our squad of ten leaves the post, get up out of your cover and attack those who are going up against the post. In order that those from the large order do not cause you problems, Hystaspas, advance with your thousand knights and show yourself in opposition to the enemy’s formation. Do not pursue anywhere into the unseen, but advance only after having taken care that the lookout posts remain yours. If any men ride toward you raising their right hands, receive them in a friendly way.”
(14) So Hystaspas went away and put on his armor, but the aides rode off directly, as [Cyrus] had ordered.20 Just within the line of lookout posts the one who had been sent long ago as a spy, the guard of the Susan woman, met them. (15) Now Cyrus, when he heard, leaped from his seat, went to meet him, and shook his right hand, but the others, as was to be expected since they knew nothing, were stunned by his action. Then Cyrus said, “Men, friends, an excellent man has returned to us, and now all human beings must know his deeds right away. He did not go away because he was overcome by shame or because he was afraid of me. Rather, he went because I sent him in order to learn clearly how things were for the enemy and to report back to us.21 (16) Now I remember what I promised to you, Araspas, and I will fulfill it in conjunction with all who are here.22 Men, it is just that you all honor him as a good man, for it was for our good that he both ran risks and endured such oppressive blame.”
(17) After this they all embraced Araspas and shook his right hand. Cyrus then said that there had been enough of that and said, “Tell us, Araspas, what it is opportune for us to know. Neither lessen nor reduce the enemy’s size from the truth, for it is superior to see them fewer after having thought them greater than to discover them stronger after having heard them fewer.”
(18) “Indeed,” said Araspas, “I acted so that I might know most certainly the size of their army, for I myself was present and helped to put it in order.”
“Then you know,” said Cyrus, “not only their number but also their order.”
“I do indeed, by Zeus,” said Araspas, “and how they intend to conduct the battle.”
“But tell us first,” said Cyrus, “their general number.”
(19) “They are all ordered, then,” he said, “to a depth of thirty, both infantry and cavalry (except for the Egyptians), and they extend about forty stadia, for I took great care to know how much land they occupied.”23
(20) “And how,” asked Cyrus, “are the Egyptians ordered? You said, ‘except for the Egyptians.’”
“The brigadier generals were ordering each brigade of ten thousand into a square of one hundred on every side, for they said that this was their customary formation also at home. It was only most unwillingly that Croesus gave his consent to them to be so ordered, for he wished to outflank your army by as much as possible.”
“And why,” said Cyrus, “did he desire this?”
“So that, by Zeus,” he said, “he would encircle you with his longer line.”
And Cyrus said, “But they would not know whether the encirclers might themselves be encircled. (21) What it was opportune for us to learn from you we have heard. Men, you must act like this: As soon as you leave here, examine the armor of both your horses and yourselves, for often a man, a horse, and a chariot become useless because of some little deficiency. Early tomorrow morning, while I am sacrificing, it is necessary first that both men and horses have their morning meal in order that we not need it whenever it may be opportune to act. Then you, [Arsamas, the left, and you, Chrysantas] take the right wing, since you have it [now],24 and you other brigadier generals the ones that you have now, for when the contest is close at hand, it is not opportune for any chariot to change horses. Give orders to the captains and lieutenants to form up with each platoon in a phalanx two deep.” Each platoon was twenty-four troops.
(22) And one of the brigadier generals said, “And if we are in an order so shallow, Cyrus, does it seem to you that we will be sufficient against so deep a phalanx?”
And Cyrus said, “Does it seem to you that phalanxes too deep to reach the enemy with their weapons either harm their enemies or help their allies at all? (23) I would wish that these hoplites who are one hundred deep be ordered instead to a depth of ten thousand, for in this way we would fight against very few [at any one time]. 25 From the depth at which I will set our phalanx, however, I think I will make the whole of it active and itself everywhere an ally to itself. (24) Behind those with breastplates I will order spearmen, and bowmen behind the spearmen, for why would anyone put first in order those who even agree themselves that they would not persevere in a hand-to-hand battle? When they are covered by troops with breastplates, both the spearmen and the bowmen will stand their ground and will cause the enemy pain over the heads of all those in front. In whatever one harms one’s opponents, in all this one clearly lightens the load for his allies. (25) However, behind all I will station those who are called ‘ultimates.’26 Just as there is no benefit from a house without either a firm foundation or those things that make a roof, so not even from a phalanx is there any benefit if the first and the last will not be good.
(26) “Put yourselves in order as I direct. You who rule over the targeteers, position your platoons in a similar fashion behind these, and you who rule over the bowmen position them in a similar fashion behind the targeteers. (27) You who rule over those who are behind all the others, keep your men last and direct each to oversee those in front of them.27 Direct them to encourage further those who are doing what is needful and to threaten severely those who are soft, and if anyone turns around, willing to desert, to punish them with death. It is the work of those who are first to encourage by both word and deed those who follow. But you who are put in order behind all others need to provide more fear to the bad than does the enemy. So carry out these orders.
(28) “You, Euphratas, who rule over those who are on the siege engines, act in such a way that the yoked teams that pull the towers will follow the phalanx as closely as possible. (29) You, Dauchas, who rule over the baggage train, lead the entire army of this sort behind the towers. Have your aides punish severely those who advance ahead of time or lag behind. (30) You, Carduchas, who rule over the carriages that carry the women, place them last, behind the baggage train, for having all these things follow will both provide the appearance of numbers and be an opportunity for us to set an ambush, and if the enemy tries to encircle us, it will compel him to make his circumference greater. Insofar as they need to surround a greater area, they must of necessity become weaker to this same extent. (31) So carry out these orders.
“You, Artaozus and Artagerses, each keep a regiment of one thousand of your infantry behind these. (32) And, Pharnuchus and Asiadatas, you each rule a regiment of one thousand cavalry. Do not put them in order in the phalanx, rather put them in arms behind the wagons, off by yourselves. Then come to me with the other leaders. You need to prepare yourselves in the expectation that you will have to be the first to enter the contest. (33) And you, ruler of the men on the camels, put them in order behind the carriages, and do what Artagerses directs. (34) You leaders of the chariots cast lots, and let the one of you whose lot it is take his one hundred chariots and put them in position in front of the phalanx. Of the other groups of one hundred chariots, let one follow in a column along with the phalanx on the right side of the army, and let the other do so on the left.” So Cyrus was putting them in order like this.
(35) Abradatas the king of Susa said, “For you, Cyrus, I am a willing volunteer for the position immediately in front of the rival phalanx, unless something else seems better to you.”
(36) Both admiring him and taking his right hand, Cyrus asked the Persians on the other chariots, “Do you consent to this?” When they answered that it was not noble to yield in this, he had them cast lots. Abradatas received by lot the position for which he had volunteered, and he was opposite the Egyptians.
(37) Then, after going away and taking care of the things I mentioned above, they had their dinner, and after stationing guards, they went to rest.