As they went on from there, they kept
 seeing tracks of horses and horses’ dung. To all appearances it was
 the trail of about two thousand horses, and the horsemen as they
 proceeded were burning up fodder and everything else that was of any
 use. At this time Orontas, a Persian, who was related to the King by
 birth and was reckoned among the best of the Persians in matters of
 war, devised a plot against Cyrus —in fact, he
 had made war upon him before this, but had become his friend
 again. He now said to Cyrus that if he would give him a
 thousand horsemen, he would either ambush and kill these horsemen
 who were burning ahead of him, or he would capture many of them
 alive and put a stop to their burning as they advanced; and he would
 see to it that they should never be able to behold
 Cyru s’ army and get to the King with their
 report. When Cyrus heard this plan, it seemed
 to him to be an expedient one, and he directed Orontas to get a
 detachment from each one of the cavalry commanders. Then Orontas, thinking that his horsemen were assured him, wrote a
 letter to the King saying that he would come to him with as many
 horsemen as he could get; and he urged the King to direct his own
 cavalry to receive him as a friend. The letter also contained
 reminders of his former friendship and fidelity. This letter he gave
 to a man whom he supposed to be faithful to him; but this man took
 it and gave it to Cyrus . When Cyrus had read it, he had Orontas arrested,
 and summoned to his tent seven of the noblest Persians among his
 attendants, while he ordered the Greek generals to bring up hoplites
 and bid them station themselves under arms around his tent. And the
 generals obeyed the order, bringing with them about three thousand
 hoplites. Clearchus was also invited into the
 tent as a counsellor, for both Cyrus and the
 other Persians regarded him as the man who was honoured above the
 rest of the Greeks. And when he came out, he reported to his friends
 how Orontas’ trial was conducted—for it was no secret.