And when their meal was over he told them to send their officers to him, and after supper he called his own brigadiers together and addressed them thus: [22] "My friends, in old days the Armenian was a faithful ally and subject of Cyaxares, but now when he sees an enemy against us, he assumes contempt: he neither sends the troops nor pays the tribute.

He is the game we have come to catch, if catch we can.

And this, I think, is the way.

You, Chrysantas," said he, "will sleep for a few hours, and then take half the Persians with you, make for the hill country, and seize the heights which we hear are his places of refuge when alarmed.
I will give you guides.

[23] The hills, they tell us, are covered with trees and scrub, so that we may hope you will escape unseen: still you might send a handful of scouts ahead of you, disguised as a band of robbers.