Xenophon (Part Two)

The men couldn't help but shout out: "This is truly astonishing! Xenophon came to Persia under Hades's guidance! And you, Davos, never having met Xenophon, knew about him through an oracle! This is Hades protecting us!!" They began devoutly reciting hymns to the Lord of the Underworld.

Though surprised, Davos thought it was merely a coincidence. He went along with the group, pretending to recite the hymn, then said: "Even if we have the protection of the Lord of the Underworld, we still need our own efforts to pass the trials and return safely to Greece."

"Davos, are you not very confident about getting home safely?" Xenophon stared at Davos. Xenophon believed in omens, dreams, and prophecies. It was precisely because he heard Davos was the God-Touched One of Hades that he came to investigate. Because of Hades, he believed there must be some mysterious connection between him and Davos.

"I'm just an ordinary infantryman, like a frog at the bottom of a well, unaware of what's happening on the surface. So it's hard not to feel confused." Davos spoke calmly. "You are a close friend of Proxenus and the most outstanding student of Socrates. I hope you can tell us exactly what situation we're facing now, so we can resolve our confusion."

Olivus wanted to say something, but Davos stopped him with a look.

Xenophon spoke without hesitation: "I believe our return to Greece should go relatively smoothly. Why?" Xenophon felt a sense of responsibility, because it was under the guidance of the 'gods' that he had come to Persia. Facing this potential disaster, while everyone was panicking, he believed this was exactly why the gods had sent him. So in the past few days, he had been moving back and forth in the camp, helping Proxenus stabilize morale.

Now, looking at the men, he said patiently: "First, our Greek heavy infantry are strong, while the Persian army is weak. From the time of the Battle of Thermopylae onward, for decades, we Greeks have consistently held the upper hand in battles against Persians. The recent battle against the Persian King proves it even more—our fierce charge directly caused their collapse. It's clear that fear of Greek heavy infantry is ingrained in Persian blood. Though their cavalry is stronger than ours, what use is that? Cavalry can only scout and harass, but they dare not face us in direct combat, and that doesn't help improve their fighting capability."

"That's right, cavalry are all cowards!" Matonis shouted loudly in approval, and a look of embarrassment flickered across Xenophon's face.

"But the Persian cavalry's javelins and arrows have caused us a lot of trouble," Heilos reminded him.

"But like their infantry, cavalry lack the skill and courage to fight us head-on. Relying solely on arrows cannot shake our resolve. If we decide to retreat, they cannot possibly stop us from leaving." Based on his understanding of cavalry, Xenophon spoke with confidence.

"Second, I've heard from Persians that their new king, Artaxerxes, was a gentle and timid man from childhood. That's precisely why Cyrus the Younger dared to rebel. I've heard that in the regions of Susa and Persepolis, friends of Cyrus the Younger have risen in support. Although Artaxerxes was fortunate enough to kill Cyrus, he absolutely would not dare to risk fighting a decisive battle against a powerful force like us while his rear is still unsettled.

"Third, our commander Clearchus is a very capable man. Though I am an Athenian and he is a Spartan, I must admit that during the war between Athens and Sparta, he caused Athens many troubles, and later he repeatedly defeated the Thracians in the Chersonese. Proxenus, Menon, and the other leaders are also experienced commanders who have dealt with Persians for years and know them well. The Persian commander, however, is the newly crowned King Artaxerxes, who has never commanded an army. His trusted general Tissaphernes was easily defeated by us—they are no match for our leaders! ..."

Davos listened intently to Xenophon's account. Through Xenophon, he learned many things he hadn't known before. This time, he clapped sincerely: "An excellent speech! Truly worthy of Socrates's outstanding disciple!"

"Yes! Truly worthy of the one guided by Hades! Your words have given us confidence!" Heilos said earnestly.

In the face of praise from the others, Xenophon remained calm. Persuading ordinary soldiers was a routine matter for him. His gaze fell on Davos, as if trying to see what made the rumored 'God-Touched One' of Hades different.

"But you forgot to mention one thing," Davos said, not wanting to let the other think less of him, especially in front of his comrades. "Though Persia's territory is vast and its population numerous, it cannot govern effectively. Most regions are autonomous, with their own cultures and religions. Submitting to Persian rule requires only two things: paying taxes and serving in the military. Persians trust only themselves, so there are few foreign officials in their army and court. Foreigners cannot integrate into Persia, and naturally, they won't fight for it. I think that's also one of the reasons the Persian army crumbles as soon as it faces us."

Xenophon savored Davos's words, recalling what he had seen along the way, and found them remarkably fitting. He was stunned: How could he, with his strict education, have a less profound understanding of Persia than a nineteen-year-old illiterate youth? What else could this be but a 'God-Touched One'? Xenophon could only console himself this way: "You are absolutely right! This is the flaw of a king's autocracy. In contrast, it is the advantage of the Greek democratic system—we fight for ourselves!"

The advantage of the democratic system? Davos seemed to see the face of that country that called itself the 'world police' in his past life. He curled his lips in disdain, but the observant Xenophon noticed: "Davos, do you think what I said is wrong?"

"Xenophon, what do you think was the most stable and prosperous period for Athens over the past century?" Davos decided to use knowledge from his past life to awe this historical figure, leaving a deep impression, so that through him, his name might reach the high command of the mercenaries.

"The period when Pericles was in power," Xenophon answered without hesitation.

"You forgot to mention the rule of Peisistratus," Davos reminded him. "It was under his rule that Athens fully controlled the region of Attica, developed the port of Piraeus, and made Athens another powerful city-state in mainland Greece besides Sparta!"

"But..." Xenophon didn't expect Davos to bring up Peisistratus. Athenians prided themselves on living in the most democratic Greek city-state, and almost no one wanted to talk about that tyrant. He wanted to argue but couldn't find the words. After all, as a highly educated and learned man, Xenophon knew Davos was telling the truth.

Davos seized the opportunity and continued: "You want to say, 'But during Pericles's rule, Athens was stronger,' right? But the very phrase 'Pericles's rule' is problematic. How many years was Pericles a general? Thirty years! In thirty years, he was never voted out and was even elected chief general multiple times! All the important laws and decisions—domestic and foreign—were proposed and enacted by him, creating Athens's golden age! Isn't that ironic for Athenian democracy, which had annual elections, invented ostracism to prevent tyranny? Was Peisistratus a tyrant? Was Pericles a democrat?! Pericles was merely more subtle and gentler in his political methods than Peisistratus.

"And what about the so-called superior democratic system after Pericles was gone? Athens, with greater wealth than Sparta, a stronger navy, and more allies, was consumed by internal strife. The Athenian public often couldn't distinguish truth from falsehood and were easily swayed by politicians. That's why, at the most critical moment of the Sicilian Expedition, they drove away your most talented general, Alcibiades. After winning a crucial naval battle at Arginusae, the generals who failed to rescue drowning soldiers due to bad weather were tried and even executed by the people... Such foolish actions by Athens were not uncommon during this long war against Sparta! Is this the perfect democratic system Athenians believe in?! It squandered the strength accumulated over a century in constant internal attrition!"

The democratic system of ancient Athens was a key topic Davos had studied in party school in his past life, as it was the origin of modern Western political systems. He still remembered it vividly.

Note 1: Western historians do not have a high opinion of Xenophon, considering him superficial in both history and philosophy, lacking the depth of Thucydides and Herodotus in historical understanding, and far inferior to his classmate Plato in philosophical attainment. Moreover, in his works, he believes in omens, dreams, and prophecies, often selecting historical materials and judging facts based on personal political biases, with a tendency toward exaggeration. I've felt this when reading his works. Nevertheless, he left behind many precious firsthand materials that allow us moderns to understand that era clearly—otherwise, I wouldn't have written this novel today.

Note 2: Interesting: Among the generals tried by the Athenian public after the Battle of Arginusae was a character I wrote about in my previous novel—Little Pericles, Pericles's remaining son—who was also executed.