district, they turned round and went back again.  By this time the army of Seuthes had grown to be considerably larger than the Hellenic army; for on the one hand, the Odrysians flocked down in still larger numbers, and on the other, the tribes which gave in their adhesion from time to time were amalgamated with his armament.  They got into quarters on the flat country above Selybria at about three miles[5] distance from the sea.  As to pay, not a penny was as yet forthcoming, and the soldiers were cruelly disaffected to Xenophon, whilst Seuthes, on his side, was no longer so friendlily disposed.  If Xenophon ever wished to come face to face with him, want of leisure or some other difficulty always seemed to present itself.

[3] Or, “the Melinophagi.”

[4] See, for a description of this savage coast, Aesch.  “Prom.” vinc.
    726, etc.—­

“{trakheia pontou Salmudesia gnathos ekhthroxenos nautaisi, metruia neon.}”

“The rugged Salmudesian jaw of the Black Sea,
Inhospitable to sailors, stepmother of ships.”

But the poet is at fault in his geography, since he connects “the
Salmydesian jaw” with the Thermodon.

[5] Lit. “thirty stades.”  Selybria is about fourty-four miles from
    Byzantium, two-thirds of the way to Perinthus.

VI

At this date, when nearly two months had already passed, an embassy 1 arrived.  These were two agents from Thibron—­Charminus, a Lacedaemonian, and Polynicus.  They were sent to say that the Lacedaemonians had resolved to open a campaign against Tissaphernes, and that Thibron, who had set sail to conduct the war, was anxious to avail himself of the troops.  He could guarantee that each soldier should receive a daric a month as pay, the officers double pay, and the generals quadruple.  The Lacedaemonian emissaries had no sooner arrived than Heracleides, having learnt that they had come in search of the Hellenic troops, goes off himself to Seuthes and says:  “The best thing that could have happened; the Lacedaemonians want these troops and you have done with them, so that if you hand over the troops to them, you will do the Lacedaemonians a good turn and will cease to be bothered for pay any more.  The country will be quit of them once and for ever.”

On hearing this Seuthes bade him introduce the emissaries.  As soon as they had stated that the object of their coming was to treat for the Hellenic troops, he replied that he would willingly give them up, that his one desire was to be the friend and ally of Lacedaemon.  So he invited them to partake of hospitality, and entertained them 3 magnificently; but he did not invite Xenophon, nor indeed any of the other generals.  Presently the Lacedaemonians asked:  “What sort of man is Xenophon?” and Seuthes answered:  “Not a bad fellow in most respects; but he is too much the soldiers’ friend; and that is why it goes ill with him.”  They