Book 6
3.35
Thus did Cyrus plan his order of battle. But Abradatas, the king of Susa, said: I willAbradatas asks for the post of danger gladly volunteer to hold for you the post immediately in front of the enemy’s phalanx, Cyrus, unless you have some better plan.
3.36
And Cyrus admired his spirit and clasped his hand, and turning to the Persians in command of the other chariots he asked: Do you consent to this? But they answered that it was inconsistent with their idea of honour to yield the place to him; accordingly, he had them cast lots; and Abradatas was assigned by lot to the place for which he had volunteered, and took his place over against the Egyptians.
3.37
This done, they went away, and when they had attended to the details of all that I have mentioned, they went to dinner; and then they stationed their pickets and went to bed.
4.1
Early on the following day Cyrus was sacrificing,They prepare for battle and the rest of the army, after breakfasting and pouring libations, proceeded to array themselves with many fine tunics and corselets and helms. And they armed their horses also with frontlets and breastplates; the saddle-horses also they armed with thigh-pieces and the chariot teams with side-armour. And so the whole army flashed with bronze and was resplendent in purple.
