Mutual respect

An interesting thing that shows up in Xenophon's Anabasis is the mutual respect of warriors for one another. Consider the following passages.

Cyrus (The Persian Prince) addressing his Greek soldiers:

O Greek men, not because I lack barbarian soldiers have I made you my allies, but because I consider you better and stronger than many barbarians; for this reason I added you to my force. Be sure then to be men worthy of the freedom that you possess and because of which I consider you blessed. For know well that I would prefer to have freedom than all I now own and much more than that. I who know will explain to you so that you know into what sort of contest you are going. The mass [of the enemy] is vast, and they advance with great shouting; should you withstand these things, regarding the rest, even I feel ashamed at what sort of men you will find the inhabitants of this country to be. (Dillery, John. Xenophon and the History of His Times. London, UK: Routledge, 1995. p 60.)

Xenophon (a Greek soldier) upon the death of Cyrus:

So died Cyrus; a man the kingliest and most worthy to rule of all the Persians who have lived since the elder Cyrus: according to the concurrent testimony of all who are reputed to have known him intimately...In this courtly training Cyrus earned a double reputation; first he was held to be a paragon of modesty among his fellows, rendering an obedience to his elders which exceeded that of many of his own inferiors; and next he bore away the palm for skill in horsemanship and for love of the animal itself. Nor less in matters of war, in the use of the bow and the javelin, was he held by men in general to be at once the aptest of learners and the most eager practiser...He would tell no lies to anyone. Thus doubtless it was that he won the confidence alike of individuals and of the communities entrusted to his care; or in case of hostility, a treaty made with Cyrus was a guarantee sufficient tothe combatant that he would suffer nothing contrary to its terms...So that, for myself, and from all that I can hear, I should bedisposed to say that no one, Greek or barbarian, was ever so beloved. In proof of this, I may cite the fact that, though Cyrus was the king's vassal and slave, no one ever forsook him to join his master... (Dakyns Translation)

So, is this just an instance of a Men's Club in which the players inflate their own egos by inflating the other man? As in, "I'm really cool because that super-cool guy over there says I'm really cool." I don't think so because Xenophon is not hesitant to write about the negative personality traits of other soldiers - even his allies - even his leaders. Xenophon was not blowing smoke about Cyrus. He was writing about his feelings and his perceptions of the man. And if Cyrus was as truthful as Xenophon says in the above passage then this lends credence to Cyrus' esteem of the barbarian Greeks as better than his own countrymen.

In our modern era of backstabbing spin doctors, political smear campaigns, and dog-eat-dog business practices, this sort of outspoken mutual esteem is refreshing and, honestly, somewhat alien.