Ancient Greeks represented the number 10,000 with M for the word múrioi
A number bearing significance, the number of Greek mercenaries surviving
An epic written about a Greek survival, within a civil war between Persians
Greeks sold their swords in units hired by the loser challenger to the throne
Yes they'd fought well, indeed, killing thousands of Persians; their side lost
The winning Persian invited the generals of the Greeks to treaty and a feast
All of those Greek generals were taken in, and rather than feast slaughtered
But the resultant peril that Persians expected to have caused did not happen
For no longer leaderless, the equals in combat Greeks elected new generals
And fought their way across Persia's empire, with no area within ever safe
More the 20,000 men had signed up, only 10,000 were left, after the journey
Led by the equals Greeks elected to lead, a democratic example amidst battle
Leader Xenophon rightfully had called it an Anabasis, the journey of legend
From Babylonia to the Black Sea, Greeks had marched, fought and returned
Shouting the Sea, the Sea, knowing this, they had come home, surviving
In war as in civilian life, the Greeks lived by their democratic ways
And by so doing won praise, and adoration far into the future
