ANCIENT AGRICULTURAL LITERATURE. 177 



beery men dance, and sing, as merrily as those who are 

 overtaken in more generous liquor. Aristotle states, with 

 more discrimination, that the former, when helplessly 

 overcome, lie on their backs, and the latter on their faces. 

 ^Eschylus, Sophocles, Herodotus, Archilochus, Hecatseus, 

 and Aretaeus, all mention beer. Xenophon, during the 

 retreat of the Ten Thousand, passed a convivial night with 

 an Armenian sheik near to the sources of the river Phasis. 

 The sheik's daughter, who had been married nine days, 

 graced the feast with her presence. Her husband was not 

 of the party, being off in the mountains coursing. On 

 the floor of the subterranean dwelling stood a vessel filled 

 with barley-bree, and furnished with hollow reeds of va- 

 rious sizes. Want of a common language did not prevent 

 the observance of customary convivial compliments. The 

 host, as his benevolence prompted, led some favoured 

 guest to the beer-barrel, where the politer sort sucked the 

 liquor through the reeds ; but others, who had not learned 

 manners, thrust in their noses like oxen. Xenophon says 

 it was strong drink, but very pleasant when you were used 

 to it. When the sun had risen on their revels, Xenophon, 

 who commanded the rear-guard, took the sheik with him to 

 the van of the army. There they found that General 

 Cheirisophus, and his officers, had also met with good 

 quarters, and were still protracting their festivities. They 

 were crowned with rushes, and Armenian boys were minis- 

 tering to them. To these boys they indicated by signs 

 the form in which their services were required. Seven 

 days were spent in these pastimes. On the eighth they 

 took the sheik for their guide, and his son as hostage for 

 his fidelity. The sheik led the army three days' march 

 into the snow. Cheirisophus suspected treachery and 

 struck the sheik, but neglected to fetter him. The sheik, 

 resenting the indignity, levanted in the course of the night, 

 leaving his son behind him. Then arose the only serious 

 difference of the whole retreat between Xenophon and 

 Cheirisophus, probably as to the fate of the boy. That 



i 3 



