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The Persian Expedition

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Xenophon's Anabasis (or "The Persian Expedition", as it is called here) is a classic tale of adventure, and a model of precise style on par with the more familiar works of Roman authors like Julius Caesar (De bello gallico) and Tacitus (Germania). Like Caesar, he uses simple, straightforward language, and the language reflects the character of the man who helped lead 10,000 Greek mercenaries through hostile territory: a man of clear values, determination, ambition, and a strong sense of honor. With Tacitus he shares an interest in odd details and in strange customs of foreign people: "a four days' march of sixty miles took him to the river Chalus, which was a hundred feet in breadth and full of large tame fish which the Syrians regarded as gods and would not allow anyone to harm them. (They think the same way about pigeons.)".

Xenophon's story has an immediacy and clarity that is truly amazing given the fact that he wrote it down 30 years after the events took place, and that we read it today, almost 2,400 years later. The Italian writer Italo Calvino captured the vivid yet factual tone of the Persian Expedition very nicely when he remarked that reading the book today "is the nearest thing to watching an old war documentary which is repeated every so often on television or on video." (Calvino's essay can be found in his collection of essays "Why Read the Classics?") Although the story is a never-ending succession of visual details and action, it is never boring. Xenophon writes succinctly, sprinkles small anecdotes, portraits of soldiers, speeches, and interesting details over the text, and peppers the story with exotic details.

Certain passages of the Persian Expedition reminded me of Hemingway's "A Moveable Feast". Especially in the way both authors employ visual images and celebrate the qualities of food. Hemingway enjoys "the oysters with their strong taste of the sea and their faint metallic taste that the cold white wine washed away, leaving only the sea taste and the succulent texture"; Xenophon reminisces that "going forward, then, they arrived at the villages where the guides told them they could get supplies. There was plenty of corn there and date wine, and a sour drink made form boiled dates. As for the dates themselves, the sort which one sees in Greece were set aside for the servants, while the ones reserved for the masters were choice fruit, wonderfully big and good looking. Their colour was just like amber, and they used to dry some of them and keep them as sweets." The big difference, however, is that the aging Hemingway recreated the joy of his best years in Paris whereas the old Xenophon wrote an account of the most challenging weeks of his life.

Xenophon is not only a very fine writer, he is also a man whose writing reveals his ethics. As it befits the writer who does not want to hit his readers on the head with a sermon, his morality is implicit in the style in which he writes, and in the tone of his story. Xenophon is not a sufferer, nor is he a stoic. He is an officer, a professional soldier. Xenophon's morality is that of a man of action who decides on right and wrong by looking at what he needs to do in order to master a given situation: "what we have to do is to surmount our difficulties like brave men, not to give in, but to try, if we can, to win honour and safety by victory." Italo Calvino sensed in this attitude a precursor to the modern ethic of perfect technical efficiency, but in my opinion, Xenophon's ethics are more informed by a sense of commitment to the men he commands and the gods he respects. Xenophon strives to do his job well in order to generate discipline, solidarity and trust among his men, which is necessary not only for surviving the hardships of the journey but also for keeping one's dignity. He knows the psyche of his soldiers ("when people are not trusted, their words, I notice, merely drift about without force in themselves and without inspiring confidence in others") and he knows how to motivate them ("there will be a great rise in their spirits if one can change the way they think, so that instead of having in their heads the one idea of 'what is going to happen to me?' they may think 'what action am I going to take?'").

Even if one can not enjoy Xenophon's qualities as a storyteller, or if one does not agree with his ethics, the Persian Expedition is still a fine example of how literature can give style and sense to a military debacle and a desperate adventure which, being a retreat after a defeat, is not honorable or heroic in itself.

Rex Warner's is a pretty sleepy translation, albeit an important, early effort (from 1950). Compare the following passage (on the first page) from Warner...

"But, after the death of Darius, when Artaxerxes was established on the throne, Tissaphernes maligned Cyrus to his brother and accused him of plotting against him. Artaxerxes believed the story and arrested Cyrus with the intention of putting him to death: but his mother by her entreaties secured his life and his recall to his province. Still, after the danger and disgrace from which he had escaped, Cyrus took measures to ensure that he should never again be in his brother's power; instead, if he could manage it, he would become king in his brother's place."

... with WHD Rouse's translation (1959). Rouse drives home the point much faster:

"But when Dareios died and Artaxerxes succeeded, Tissaphernes slandered Cyros to his brother and said he was plotting against him. The king believed him, and siezed Cyros to put him to death, but his mother begged him off and sent him back to his province. When Cyros got clear of this danger and disgrace, he determined never again to be in his brother's power, but to make himself king instead, if he could."

Now if only Stanley Lombardo would put the Anabasis on his to-do list. He had an incredible touch with the Iliad.

This is an excellent translation of Xenophon's classic report, also known as "Anabasis." Xenophon (c. 430 B. C. to c. 355 B. C.) was a Greek soldier and historian who was born in Athens and was a student of Socrates. In 401 B. C., Xenophon joined an army of Greek mercenaries who were aiding Cyrus the Younger in his military campaign against his brother, King Artaxerxes II. Unfortunately, Cyrus was killed in the Battle of Cunaxa in 401 B. C. and the 10000 Greeks find themselves alone in enemy territory, more than 1000 miles from the nearest Greek colony. In addition, the leaders of the force were treacherously murdered by the Persian satrap Tissaphernes. Xenophon is one of the Greek leaders chosen to lead the army in retreat out of Persia. In a march that lasted five months, traveled over 1500 miles, and overcoming many obstacles (both external and internal), they finally reach the colony of Trapezus (now Trabzon, Turkey) on the Black Sea. This book, which (in the original Greek) is usually the first book read by modern students of the ancient Greek language, is Xenophon's eyewitness account of that retreat and is one of the most famous books in military history. It should be required reading for everyone.

I became aware of this story when reading Will Durants History of Ancient Greece. Durant described it as one of the greatest military accomplishments in history. I knew right then, I had to read it.

This is the account of an army of 10,000 Greek mercenaries who were hired by Cyrus the Persian to help him overthrow his brother, the King. Cyrus, however, was defeated and killed in battle stranding the Greeks in Persia. To make matters worse, the Greek officers were slain by Persians under a false flag of truce, leaving the army leaderless, surrounded by overwhelming hostile forces and without provision 1500 miles from home. Leaderless, broke and despondent, the army, encouraged by Xenophon (354 B.C.) who was a solider on the expedition, elected new offices and began to fight its way home.

This is a story of leadership, faith and courage. What is particularly interesting is the dialogues recorded (or recreated) by Xenophon. Especially telling was the debate among the officers as they were negotiating with the Persians before they were slaughtered. They were caught between the proverbial rock and hard place. Could they trust the Persian truce? Were they capable of defeating such a large army so far from home? If they choose to retreat, just how could they get this army of 10,000 home? They choose to negotiate and were betrayed and killed.

No group of people remains leaderless for long. Leaders will arise, for the good or the worst. Fortunately for the Greeks, good men began to lead, and the long retreat up through Armenia, Kurdistan and to the Black Sea began. Throughout the march they faced one crisis after another- attacked by hostiles, struggling through the snowy mountains, depraved of food, water and provision.

What is particularly sad, was the growing anarchy in the army as it came nearer to Greek civilization. Party factions arose, men began identify with their particular city-state rather than the army, resulting in discouragement and loss of life.

This has to rank with one of the greatest military marches in history, perhaps only matched my Mao's long march during the Communist revolution in China. It is worth the read.

Between the fall of the Athenian Empire and the rise of Alexander, many Greeks sought adventure and fortune as mercenaries. Cyrus of Persia attempted to usurp the throne with an army stiffened by 10,000 Greek mercenaries. The author found himself among that number. Cyrus went down to defeat and death at the Battle of Cunaxa, but one contingent of his army emerged victorious--The Ten Thousand. Alone and unsponsored, surrounded by enemies, and deep in the heart of Persia, The Ten Thousand began their fighting retreat to the sea and freedom. Along the way they met with battle, treachery, hardship, and death. Xenophon became one of their leaders, and eventually lived to write this stirring account of their exploits. The successful retreat of the Ten Thousand served as proof to Phillip of Macedon that a Greek army could conquer Persia, and he made his preparations for the invasion. Phillip's death forestalled his plans, but Alexander took up his father's project and the rest, as they say, is history. If there had been no Westward march by the Ten Thousand, there may have been no Eastward march by Alexander.

This is one of my favorite Classical texts--a thrilling "true" story of Xenophon and the 10,000's roundabout retreat out of what is now Iraq and Turkey from an angry Persian army. However, kudos to Rex Warner's translation which makes it a thrilling narrative that will hold a Grecophile on the edge of their seat better than, say, a lot of other academic translations of Classical authors. The hardest thing to get used to at first is Xenophon referring to himself in the 3rd person. This passes; however, I wonder why some bold translator has never just gone ahead and translated Xenophon in the 1st person. What difference could it possibly make?

Xenophon's compelling narrative should be required reading for history buffs, and this (Rex Warner) translation of that story is good, but, for the general reader, I don't think it's the best. The dearth of explanatory footnotes is a real shortcoming for the non-expert.
I think that the 2005 Robin Waterfield translation (titled "The Expedition of Cyrus") in the Oxford World's Classics paperback series, with a helpful chronology and large set of explanatory endnotes, is a better choice for most people. I also believe that Waterfield's literary style is more engaging than Warner's, but -- probably -- not everyone will agree.

While The Persian Expedition is not Xenophon's original title, it perfectly captures the balance of military grit and exotic adventure that flavor the story. Xenophon's work is unusual in ancient history in that it covers a relatively small event in great detail over a short time, rather than the sweeping narratives of Herodotus, Thucydides, or Livy. Both styles have their merits--an exciting story is the greatest merit of The Persian Expedition.

Beginning only a few years after the end of the cataclysmic Peloponnesian War, Xenophon tells the story of how he joined a Greek mercenary army of 10,000 men in a bid to help Cyrus, younger brother of the King of Persia, overthrow his brother Artaxerxes. Setting the reader up for an epic struggle between the King and his upstart brother, the story dramatically shifts direction when Cyrus is killed in battle and the Greeks find themselves stranded leaderless hundreds of miles deep in hostile territory, trapped between a river and the entire Persian army.

It's at this point that young Xenophon--narrating in third-person, like Caesar--comes to the fore. After an inspiring prophetic dream, he rallies the despondent soldiers and, with a cadre of newly-elected generals to replace those kidnapped and executed by the Persians, leads the army northward. Over the new months they pass through high mountain passes guarded by hostile barbarians, barter for supplies when their food runs out, trek through six-foot drifts of snow, and generally hack and stab their way to saftey by the Black Sea.

That's the substance of the story. After reaching the sea, the Greeks turn on each other, split the army, regroup after losing hundreds of men in an ambush, and make their way slowly home along the shores of Paphlagonia (in modern Turkey) and Thrace (modern Greece and Romania). After trying to leave the bickering army several times, Xenophon returns home and the story ends.

The Persian Expedition offers not only action but unusually well-drawn characters. Xenophon takes time, sometimes postmortem, to describe the looks and characters of the main figures in his story, from the ill-fated mercenary generals to duplicitous priests and Cyrus himself. Socrates even makes a brief but memorable appearance, reminding the reader of Xenophon's place as a pupil of the philosopher.

This translation by Rex Warner is fast-paced and readable. He simplifies the measures of distance used in the original Greek from parasangs--a Persian measure of time traveled rather than distance--to miles, which is very helpful. George Cawkwell's introduction is informative and his notes are mercifully less intrusive than those in Xenophon's A History of My Times, which he also edited.

Overall, The Persian Expedition is not only an historically significant work, it's an exciting literary masterpiece better than many modern novels. If you're interested in Greek or military history or simply need a diverting read, check this book out.

Highly recommended.

The Persian Expedition or the "Anabasis" is a history of the expedition of a Greek Mercenary Army into the heart of the Persian empire to install Prince Cyrus upon the Persian throne. After success in battle against the Persian Emperor Artaxerxes, Cyrus is killed in battle and subsequently the Greek commanders are treacherously killed during truce negotiations. Despite being trapped in enemy territory, a thousand miles from assistance, the Greeks rally and retreat through Turkey to Byzantium via Armenia and the Black sea's coast despite determined opposition from Persian forces and tribal groups and natural dangers such as the mountains and rivers which threatened to halt the Greek retreat.

Xenophon was an Athenian who joined the expedition without rank, but following the Persian execution of the officers, was elected to the rank of General based upon his arguments that the Persian could no longer be trusted and that the Greeks only hope for survival and freedom was extricate themselves from there predicament. By the end of the march Xenophon has become one of the most respected of the Greek leaders and after successfully returning to Europe, he leads the survivors in the service of Seuthes II to secure the Thracian throne.

The Persian Expedition at its most simple a rip roaring tale of survival in the face of seemingly overwhelming odds. But it also provides a is a fascinating picture of the Greek city state culture and religion and how both of these factors impacted on the Greek military forces and endeavours constantly creating frictions within the various factions which made up the Greek force. Also the Persian Expedition provides an interesting analysis of the Persian empires strengths and weakness, an analysis which would later form the basis of the Alexander's campaigns "Indeed an intelligent observer of the Kings empire would form the following estimate "It is strong in respect to the extent of its territory and number of inhabitants ; but it is weak in respect of its lengthened communications and the dispersal of its forces"

However on a more universal basis the Persian Expedition is worth reading for Xenophon's insights on leadership, with much detailed analysis of the personality and styles of the various leaders of the expeditions and how the soldiers reacted to these personalities.

This historical book deals with a group of Greek mercenaries who are hired to fight a war in Persia as one brother, Cyrus, builds an army to take the kingdom from his brother, Artaxerxes, around 400 BC. Although Xenophon's histories are really memoirs from his own experience, there are probably many errors in proportion but no errors in flavor. And this is a good account of how battles were fought and how armies worked at this time. Provides a good fill between the end of the Peloponesian War and Alexander the Great. Typically straight-forward reading, although it is sometimes difficult to keep track of the men, especially if you put the book down for a few days. But a Glossary is provided for just this problem as is a map so you can follow their movements. Overall good if you are interested in the history of war or Ancient Greece and Persia. It's only real fault is that it starts to drag towards the end. Deserves three and a half stars for how it reads. Historically it's a gem.