“At this very moment you would confer a great boon on the army, if you made it your business to appoint generals and officers to fill the places of those that are lost.  For without leaders nothing good or noble, to put it concisely, was ever wrought anywhere; and in military matters this is absolutely true; for if discipline is held to be of saving virtue, the want of it has been the ruin of many ere now.  Well, then! when you have appointed all the commanders necessary, it would only be opportune, I take it, if you were to summon the rest of the soldiers and speak some words of encouragement.  Even now, I daresay you noticed yourselves the crestfallen air with which they came into camp, the despondency with which they fell to picket duty, so that, unless there is a change for the better, I do not know for what service they will be fit; whether by night, if need were, or even by day.  The thing is to get them to turn their thoughts to what they mean to do, instead of to what they are likely to suffer.  Do that, and their spirits will soon revive wonderfully.  You know, I need hardly remind you, it is not numbers or strength that gives victory in war; but, heaven helping them, to one or other of two combatants it is 42 given to dash with stouter hearts to meet the foe, and such onset, in nine cases out of ten, those others refuse to meet.  This observation, also, I have laid to heart, that they, who in matters of war seek in all ways to save their lives, are just they who, as a rule, die dishonourably; whereas they who, recognising that death is the common lot and destiny of all men, strive hard to die nobly:  these more frequently, as I observe, do after all attain to old age, or, at any rate, while life lasts, they spend their days more happily.  This lesson let all lay to heart this day, for we are just at such a crisis of our fate.  Now is the season to be brave ourselves, and to stimulate the rest by our example.”

With these words he ceased; and after him, Cheirisophus said:  “Xenophon, hitherto I knew only so much of you as that you were, I heard, an Athenian, but now I must commend you for your words and for your conduct.  I hope that there may be many more like you, for it would prove a public blessing.”  Then turning to the officers:  “And now,” said he, “let us waste no time; retire at once, I beg you, and choose leaders where you need them.  After you have made your elections, come back to the middle of the camp, and bring the newly appointed officers.  After that, we will there summon a general meeting of the soldiers.  Let Tolmides, the herald,” he added, “be in attendance.”  With these words on his lips he got up, in order that what was needful might be done at once without delay.  After this the generals were chosen.  These were Timasion the Dardanian, in place of Clearchus; Xanthicles, an Achaean, in place of Socrates; Cleanor, an Arcadian, in place of Agias; Philesius, an Achaean, in place of Menon; and in place of Proxenus, Xenophon the Athenian.