April 13, 2005

You hear it, but what does it say?

David Kolodney

I don't know if it comes through, with so little context, but this passage from Xenophon's history is such a sweet example of the imperturbably impenetrable logic of Greek diplomatic style. A Greek army of 10,000 has become trapped, isolated thousands of miles within Persian territory. The Persian king delivers an ultimatum...

"...the king desired us...to inform you that while you remain in this place a truce is to be considered as exist­ing between him and you; but, if you advance or retreat, there is to be war. Give us, therefore, your answer on this point ...."

Clearchus replied, "Report, therefore, on this point..., that our resolution is the same as that of the king."

"And what is that?" said Phalinus.

Clearchus replied, "If we stay here, a truce; but if we retreat or advance, war."

Phalinus again asked him, "Is it a truce or war that I shall report?"

Clearchus again made the same answer: "A truce, if we stay; and if we retreat or advance, war."

Posted by david at April 13, 2005 12:24 PM | TrackBack
Comments

Wonderful, but what is the moral?

Posted by: Ralph at April 13, 2005 3:47 PM

Well, mostly an "amoral," I guess. They did not regard themselves as defeated, or desperate, or subject to ultimatums. They had won in the fighting, but the comepititor to the throne they were there supporting had been killed.

More of a moral came later. Their generals went to meet for negotiations, and were killed by the Persians. The Greeks had an assembly with the celebrated conclusion: "They think we are helpless, because they have killed our generals, but they will find they are facing 10,000 generals."

Then they fought their way out through more than a thousand miles off Persian territory.

Still, it's just a war story--with high diplomatic style.

Posted by: David Kolodney at April 13, 2005 11:50 PM
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