herodotus

well furnished[192] from home with provisions for his table and withcattle, but also taking with him water from the river Choaspes, whichflows by Susa, of which alone and of no other river the king drinks:and of this water of the Choaspes boiled, a very great number ofwaggons, four-wheeled and drawn by mules, carry a supply in silvervessels, and go with him wherever he may march at any time. 189. Nowwhen Cyrus on his way towards Babylon arrived at the river Gyndes,--ofwhich river the springs are in the mountains of the Matienians, and itflows through the Dardanians and runs into another river, the Tigris,which flowing by the city of Opis runs out into the Erythraian Sea,--when Cyrus, I say, was endeavouring to cross this river Gyndes, whichis a navigable stream, then one of his sacred white horses in highspirit and wantonness went into the river and endeavoured to cross,but the stream swept it under water and carried it off forthwith. AndCyrus was greatly moved with anger against the river for having donethus insolently, and he threatened to make it so feeble that for thefuture even women could cross it easily without wetting the knee. Soafter this threat he ceased from his march against Babylon and dividedhis army into two parts; and having divided it he stretched lines andmarked out straight channels,[193] one hundred and eighty on each bankof the Gyndes, directed every way, and having disposed his army alongthem he commanded them to dig: so, as a great multitude was working,the work was completed indeed, but they spent the whole summer seasonat this spot working.190. When Cyrus had taken vengeance on the river Gyndes by dividing itinto three hundred and sixty channels, and when the next spring wasjust beginning, then at length he continued his advance upon Babylon:and the men of Babylon had marched forth out of their city and wereawaiting him. So when in his advance he came near to the city, theBabylonians joined battle with him, and having been worsted in thefight they were shut up close within their city. But knowing well evenbefore this that Cyrus was not apt to remain still, and seeing him layhands on every nation equally, they had brought in provisionsbeforehand[194] for very many years. So while these made no account ofthe siege, Cyrus was in straits what to do, for much time went by andhis affairs made no progress onwards. 191. Therefore, whether it wassome other man who suggested it to him when he was in a strait what todo, or whether he of himself perceived what he ought to do, he did asfollows:--The main body of his army[195] he posted at the place wherethe river runs into the city, and then again behind the city he setothers, where the river issues forth from the city; and he proclaimedto his army that so soon as they should see that the stream had becomepassable, they should enter by this way into the city. Having thus setthem in their places and in this manner exhorted them he marched awayhimself with that part of his army which was not fit for fighting: and