The Rise Of An Empire In Ancient Europe-Chapter 22 - Preventing the Disaster

The guards at the camp gate, recognizing Juleios and Antonios, let them pass without hesitation but stopped Xilos and the others who were following behind. Ignoring their shouts, Juleios hurried north with Antonios, running as fast as their legs could carry them. After a while, they spotted a group ahead.

Clearchus was walking alongside Asistes, the brother of the Persian queen, deep in conversation. Suddenly, shouts rang out from behind:

"Stop! Stop! This is a trap! It's a Persian plot!"

The five Greek commanders, several dozen centurions, and about 200 soldiers who were both escorting them and heading to the market froze in alarm. Everyone turned back to see what was going on.

Juleios reached the group, breathless but determined. Under the puzzled and suspicious stares of the crowd, he shouted, "This is a trap! Tissaphernes is planning to capture all of you in one fell swoop! Without its leaders, our army will descend into chaos, and we'll be utterly destroyed!"

The commanders instinctively looked at the Persian envoy, Asistes.

Asistes, enraged, pointed at Juleios and yelled, "Who is this man? How dare he spout such slander! It was you who requested this meeting! Tissaphernes graciously agreed to Clearchus's request and has hosted him with generosity. And this is how you repay Persia's leader? I will report this to His Majesty and suggest canceling any agreements with you Greeks!"

The commanders hurried to block his horse and offered apologies repeatedly.

Juleios, surprised to learn that the meeting had been initiated by Clearchus, didn't dwell on it. He urgently said, "Even if a meeting is necessary, it's foolish for all the commanders and centurions to go into the Persian camp! Haven't we always maintained vigilance against the Persians? How do we know that Tissaphernes's friendliness these past ten days isn't just a ploy to lower our guard?"

Before Juleios could finish, Menon stepped forward, using the opportunity to vent his frustrations from the past ten days. He shouted, "You insolent fraud! You liar! Not only have you deceived soldiers in the camp, stirring them against me, but now you want to sabotage our peace with the Persians! Do you want everyone to die here, far from home?"

Despite his shouting, none of the soldiers obeyed Menon. For one, he only had two centurions with him and no other followers. Second, some soldiers recognized Juleios as the so-called "favored of the gods" from Menon's camp and began whispering among themselves.

Initially, the commanders were hesitant after hearing Juleios's warnings, but Menon's furious accusations turned their opinion against him. Although Menon was disliked, the commanders knew he was competent after long acquaintance. The idea of an ordinary soldier openly defying his superiors went against every commander's instinct.

Clearchus, however, had a different perspective. He believed this was a deliberate act orchestrated by Menon, a stunt to ruin the meeting. Clearchus had his reasons for suspicion: Tissaphernes had promised to reveal the traitor who had been spreading rumors and colluding with the Persians. Clearchus suspected Menon, who had vied for control of the Greek mercenaries since the start of the campaign. Menon's close relationship with Ariæus, who had allied with Tissaphernes, and his secret meetings with others only deepened Clearchus's doubts.

Clearchus was determined to expose Menon and solidify his own authority, believing himself the only one capable of leading the army back to Greece. Though he despised the Persians, he was willing to endure their treachery to secure the army's unity. In his mind, any disruptions to this effort were acts of betrayal.

Clearchus took the opportunity to assert control. "Since Menon has spoken so strongly, arrest this clownish troublemaker and send him back to the camp! We'll interrogate him when we return."

With a commanding glare at the crowd, he added firmly, "I am going to negotiate with Tissaphernes. Those who trust me, follow. If not, return to camp!"

A group of soldiers pinned Juleios to the ground, and when Antonios tried to intervene, he too was detained. Clearchus resumed marching north with large strides. After a brief hesitation, Proxenus and the others followed him.

Menon, spitting disdainfully on Juleios's face, sneered, "When I get back, you're dead!" He then marched off, laughing triumphantly. Most of the soldiers trailed after their leaders, though a handful, who had heard of Juleios's "divine favor," lingered behind.

Juleios ignored Menon's insult, tasting dirt as he was pressed into the ground. Struggling, he shouted after the commanders, his voice hoarse with desperation:

"Clearchus, you fool! Your stubbornness will doom not only yourself but the entire army! You'll regret it—no, you won't even have time to regret it!"

But his cries didn't stop Clearchus. The figures of the leaders grew smaller and smaller, disappearing into the distance. Defeated, Juleios slumped to the ground. He had assumed Clearchus, as a renowned Spartan general, would be more rational, but his obstinacy was staggering.

What Juleios didn't understand was that Spartan men were notoriously stubborn and conservative. Once their minds were set, they rarely turned back. The most famous example was the Battle of Plataea during the Greco-Persian Wars, where a Spartan commander refused to retreat despite orders, nearly causing a disastrous defeat.

The soldiers escorting Juleios began dragging him back to camp. Meanwhile, the men who had stayed behind gathered around, introducing themselves and trying to comfort him.

Antonius, now freed from the chaos, asked hesitantly, "Juleios, do you really think the leaders are in danger?"

"What happens when sheep negotiate with wolves?" Juleios sighed. Such traps were countless in the annals of history. Tissaphernes's plot worked because Clearchus and the others clung to the illusion of diplomacy, and their followers trusted their judgment more than their own instincts for self-preservation. Ultimately, it was a failure of influence—his own.

"What do we do now?" Antonios asked, panic creeping into his voice.

"What do we do?" Juleios's mind raced. We save ourselves.

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Suddenly, he thought of Xenophon. In Xenophon's writings, he had credited himself with leading the mercenaries' retreat. Now Juleios understood why: with the execution of over twenty Greek leaders and centurions, the entire leadership structure was about to be reshuffled.

Renewed determination sparked in Juleios's eyes. "Quick! We need to get back to camp!"

Meanwhile, Menon, sensing an opportunity, fanned the flames of hatred among Proxenus and the others by recounting exaggerated tales of Juleios's "crimes." His manipulations succeeded in stoking their anger, and Menon felt a sense of triumph. "This time," he thought, "I'll finally be rid of that nuisance!"

As the group approached the Persian camp, most of the soldiers tasked with going to the market parted ways with the leaders, bidding them farewell.

Inside the camp, Clearchus noticed that everything looked exactly as it had the previous day. Some Persian soldiers, seemingly at leisure, stared curiously at the Greeks, whispering among themselves about "so many Greek barbarians entering their camp." This relaxed scene reassured Clearchus and his companions.

When they reached Tissaphernes's grand tent, Asistes went inside to report. He returned shortly, announcing, "The five commanders may enter. The rest must wait outside."

Clearchus stepped in first. The dimly lit tent made him squint. He noticed that the tent was filled with people—far more than he had expected. Alarmed, he began to react, but before he could do anything, a loud shout rang out:

"Seize them!"