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The whole army, partly from their long military practice, partly under the impression that Xenophon was really about to second their wishes and direct some aggressive operation threw themselves almost of their own accord into regular array on the Thrakion; the heavy-armed foot-soldiers eight deep, the light-armed foot-soldiers on each flank.
The memorable discourse on the Thrakion at Byzantium illustrates the working of that persuasive agency which formed one of the permanent forces and conspicuous charms of Hellenism.
He knew that this was the first condition of returning to anything like tranquillity; and by great good fortune, the space called the Thrakion, immediately adjoining the gate inside, was level, open, and clear of houses; presenting an excellent place of arms or locality for a review.
=Cities=: cities then were generally built with walls and gates, so that it was easy to exclude any whom they did not wish should enter. Compare what is said of Xenophon on p. 41. It had a mixed population, and was at this time under the rule of a Lacedæmonian or Spartan governor. =Thrakion=: probably an open space or square near the Thracian Gate of the city.
This speech completely arrested the impetuous impulse of the army, brought them to a true sense of their situation, and induced them to adopt the proposition of Xenophon. They remained unmoved in their position on the Thrakion, while three of the captains were sent to communicate with Anaxibius.
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