Mnemon. SECT. VII. The expedition of Artaxerxes against the a Artax. WHEN Artaxerxes had terminated the Cyprian war, he entered upon another against the Cadusians, who it is probable had revolted, and refused to pay the customary tribute; for authors say nothing as to the occasion of this war. Those people inhabited part of the mountains, situate between the Euxine and Caspian seas in the north of Media. The soil is there so ungrateful, and so little proper for cultiva tion, that no corn is sowed upon it. The people subsist almost entirely upon apples, pears, and other fruits of that kind. Inured from their infancy to a hard and laborious life, they looked upon dangers and fatigues as nothing; and for that reason made excellent soldiers. The king marched against them in person at the head of an army of three hundred thousand foot, and ten thousand horse. Tiribasus was with him in this expedition. Artaxerxes had not advanced far into the country, when his army suffered extremely by famine. The troops could find nothing to subsist upon, and it was impossible to bring provisions from other places, the ways being difficult and impracticable. The whole camp were reduced to eat their carriage beasts; which soon became so scarce, that an ass's head was valued at sixty drachmas *, and was very hard to be got at that price. The king's table itself began to fall short, and only a few horses remained, the rest having been entirely consumed. In this melancholy conjuncture, Tiribasus contrived a stratagem, which saved the king and army. The Cadusians had two kings, who were encamped separately with their troops. Tiribasus, who took care to be informed of all that passed, had been ap prized, that there was some misunderstanding be a Plut. in Artax. p. 1023, 1024. tween them, and that their jealousy of each other Artax. ́. prevented their acting in concert, as they ought to Mnemon. have done. After having communicated his design to Artaxerxes, he went himself to one of the kings, and dispatched his son to the other. They cach of them informed the king to whom they applied, that the other had sent ambassadors to treat with Artaxerxes privately, and advised him to lose no time, but to make his peace directly, in order that the conditions of it might be the more advantageous; promising to assist them with their whole credit. The fraud succeeded. The pagans thought it no crime to use it with enemies. Ambassadors set out from both princes with Tiribasus and his son in their company. * pre As this double negotiation lasted some time, Artaxerxes began to suspect Tiribasus; and his enemies taking that opportunity, forgot nothing to his judice, that might ruin him in the king's opinion. That prince already repented the confidence he had reposed in him, and thereby gave room for those who envied him, to vent their calumnies and invectives. Upon what does the fortune of the most faithful subjects depend with a credulous and suspicious prince! Whilst this passed, arrived Tiribasus on his side, and his son on the other, each with ambassadors from the Cadusians. The treaty being concluded with both parties, and the peace made, Tiribasus became more powerful than ever in his master's favour, and returned with him, The king's behaviour in this march was much admired. Neither the gold with which he was covered, his purple robes, nor the jewels that glittered all over him, and were worth six-and-thirty millions of livres †, prevented his having an equal share in the whole fatigue with the meanest soldier. He was seen with his quiver at his back, and his shield on his arm, to dismount from his horse, and march * Dolus, an cirtus, quis in hoste requirat? Virgil. Twelve thousand talents. Artax. foremost in those rugged and difficult countries. Mnemon. The soldiers observing his patience and fortitude, and animated by his example, became so light, that they seemed rather to fly than walk. At length he arrived at one of his palaces, where the gardens were in admirable order, and there was a park of great extent and well planted, which was the more surprizing, as the whole country about it was entirely naked, and bore no kind of trees. As it was the depth of winter, and excessive cold, he gave the soldiers permission to cut down the wood in this park, without excepting the finest trees, either pines or cypresses. But the soldiers not being able to resolve to fell timber of such exceeding beauty and stateliness, the king took an ax, and began by cutting the finest and largest tree himself; after which the troops spared none, cut down all the wood they wanted, and kindled as many fires as were necessary to their passing the night without any inconvenience. When we reflect how much value great persons generally set upon their gardens and houses of pleasure, we must confess Artaxerxes's generosity in making this sacrifice, which argued a very laud-able goodness of heart, and a sensibility for the distresses and sufferings of his soldiers. But he did not always support that character. The king had lost in this enterprize a great number of his best troops, and almost all his horses: And as he imagined that he was despised upon that account and the ill success of his expedition, he became very much out of humour with the grandces of his court, and put to death a great number of them in the emotions of his wrath, and more out of distrust, and the fear of their attempting something against him. For fear in a suspicious prince is a very destructive and bloody passion; whereas true courage is gentle, humane, and averse to all jealousy and suspicion. One of the principal officers that perished in this expedition against the Cadusians, was Camisares, by Artax. nation a Carian, and governor of Leuco-Syria, a Mnemon. province inclosed between Cilicia and Cappadocia, His son Datames succeeded him in that government, which was given him in consideration of the good services he had also rendered the king in the same expedition. He was the greatest captain of his time; and Cornelius Nepos, who has given us his life, does not prefer Amilcar and Hannibal to him amongst the Barbarians. It appears from his history of it, that no one ever excelled him in boldness, valour, and ability in inventing schemes and stratagems, in activity in the execution of his designs, in presence of mind to resolve in the heat of action, and to find resources upon the most desperate occasions; in a word, in every thing that regards military know. ledge. It seems that nothing was wanting to his having acquired a more illustrious name, than a noble theatre, and more exalted occasions; and per haps an historian to have given a more extensive narration of his exploits. For Cornelius Nepos, ac cording to his general plan, could not relate them but in a very succinct manner. He began to distinguish himself particularly by the execution of a commission, that was given him to reduce Thyus, a very powerful prince, and governor of Paphlagonia, who had revolted against the king. As he was his near relation, he thought it incumbent upon him at first to try the methods of lenity and reconciliation, which almost cost him his life, through the treachery of Thyus, by the ambuscades he laid for him. Having escaped so great a danger, he attacked him with open force; though he saw himself abandoned by Ariobarzanes, satrap of Lydia, Ionia, and all Phrygia, whom jealousy prevented from giving him aid. He took his enemy prisoner, with his wife and children; and knowing with what joy the king would receive the news, he endeavoured to make it the more sensible by the Artax. pleasure of a surprize. He set out with his illusMnemon. trious prisoner, without giving the court any advice, and made great marches, to prevent its being known from rumour before his arrival. When he came to Susa, he equipped Thyus in a very singular manner. He was a man of a very tall stature, of an haggard and terrible aspect, a black complexion, with the hair of his head and beard very long. He drest him in a magnificent habit, put a collar and bracelets of gold about his neck and arms, and added to this equipage all the ornaments of a king, as he was in effect. For himself, in the gross habit of a peasant, and clad like a hunter, he led Thyus upon the left in a leash, like a wild beast that had been taken in the toils. The novelty of the sight drew the whole city after it: But nobody was so much surprized and pleased as the king, when he saw them approach in that pleasant masquerade. The rebellion of a prince, very powerful in his country, had given Artaxerxes great and just alarm, and he did not expect to have seen him so soon in his hands. So sudden and successful an execution gave him an higher opinion than ever of the merit of Datames. To express his sense of it, he gave him an equal share in the command of the army, designed against Egypt, with Pharnabasus and Tithraustes, the two principal persons in the state, and even appointed him general in chief, when he recalled Pharnabasus, When he was upon the point of setting out for that expedition, Artaxerxes ordered him to march directly against Aspis, who had made the country revolt, which he commanded in the neighbourhood of Cappadocia. The commission was little important for an officer, who had been appointed general, and besides very dangerous, because it was necessary to go in quest of the enemy into a very remote country. The king soon perceived his error, and countermanded him: But Datames had set out directly with an handful of men, and marched night |