Now there was in that host a certain man, an Athenian[1], Xenophon, who had accompanied Cyrus, neither as a general, nor as an officer, nor yet as a private soldier, but simply on the invitation of an old friend, Proxenus.  This old friend had sent to fetch him from home, promising, if he would come, to introduce him to Cyrus, “whom,” said Proxenus, “I consider to be worth my fatherland and more to me.”

[1] The reader should turn to Grote’s comments on the first appearance
    of Xenophon.  He has been mentioned before, of course, more than
    once before; but he now steps, as the protagonist, upon the scene,
    and as Grote says:  “It is in true Homeric vein, and in something
    like Homeric language, that Xenophon (to whom we owe the whole
    narrative of the expedition) describes his dream, or the
    intervention of Oneiros, sent by Zeus, from which this renovating
    impulse took its rise.”

Xenophon having read the letter, consulted Socrates the Athenian, whether he should accept or refuse the invitation.  Socrates, who had a suspicion that the State of Athens might in some way look askance at my friendship with Cyrus, whose zealous co-operation with the Lacedaemonians against Athens in the war was not forgotten, advised Xenophon to go to Delphi and there to consult the god as to the desirability of such a journey.  Xenophon went and put the question to Apollo, to which of the gods he must pray and do sacrifice, so that he might best accomplish his intended journey and return in safety, with good fortune.  Then Apollo answered him:  “To such and such gods must thou do sacrifice,” and when he had returned home he reported to Socrates the oracle.  But he, when he heard, blamed Xenophon that he had not, in the first instance, inquired of the god, whether it were better for him to go or to stay, but had taken on himself to settle that point affirmatively, by inquiring straightway, how he might best 7 perform the journey.  “Since, however,” continued Socrates, “you did so put the question, you should do what the god enjoined.”  Thus, and without further ado, Xenophon offered sacrifice to those whom the god had named, and set sail on his voyage.  He overtook Proxenus and Cyrus at Sardis, when they were just ready to start on the march up country, and was at once introduced to Cyrus.  Proxenus eagerly pressed him to stop—­a request which Cyrus with like ardour supported, adding that as soon as the campaign was over he would send him home.  The campaign referred to was understood to be against the Pisidians.  That is how Xenophon came to join the expedition, deceived indeed, though not by Proxenus, who was equally in the dark with the rest of the Hellenes, not counting Clearchus, as to the intended attack upon the king.  Then, though the majority were in apprehension of the journey, which was not at all to their minds, yet, for very shame of one another and Cyrus, they continued to follow him, and with the rest went Xenophon.