' Men the enemy troops you can see are all that stands between us & the place we have for so long been determined to reach We must find a way to eat them alive!' The Expedition of Cyrus tells the story of the march of the Ten Thousand The exploits of this famous army of Greek mercenaries in modern-day Turkey Syria & Iraq were described by one of their leaders the Athenian historian & philosopher Xenophon They were recruited at the end of the fifth century BC by a young Persian prince Cyrus who rose in revolt against his brother the king of Persia After Cyrus' death the army was left stranded in the desert of Mesopotamia a thousand miles from home Their long march across mountains & plateaux to the sight of ' The sea! The sea!' & back to the fringes of the Greek world is the most exciting adventure story to survive from the ancient world Xenophon's gripping narrative offers a unique insight into the character of a Greek army struggling to survive in an alien world It is also the most sustained eyewitness account of the landscape of the vast & wealthy Persian empire ABOUT THE SERIES For over 100 years Oxford World's Classics has made available the widest range of literature from around the globe Each affordable volume reflects Oxford's commitment to scholarship providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features including expert introductions by leading authorities helpful notes to clarify the text up-to-date bibliographies for further study & much more