the history-第31章

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ctions　the　women；　and　the　strangers　pass　along　them　to　make　their　choice。　A　woman　who　has　once　taken　her　seat　is　not　allowed　to　return　home　till　one　of　the　strangers　throws　a　silver　coin　into　her　lap；　and　takes　her　with　him　beyond　the　holy　ground。　When　he　throws　the　coin　he　says　these　words…　〃The　goddess　Mylitta　prosper　thee。〃　（Venus　is　called　Mylitta　by　the　Assyrians。）　The　silver　coin　may　be　of　any　size；　it　cannot　be　refused；　for　that　is　forbidden　by　the　law；　since　once　thrown　it　is　sacred。　The　woman　goes　with　the　first　man　who　throws　her　money；　and　rejects　no　one。　When　she　has　gone　with　him；　and　so　satisfied　the　goddess；　she　returns　home；　and　from　that　time　forth　no　gift　however　great　will　prevail　with　her。　Such　of　the　women　as　are　tall　and　beautiful　are　soon　released；　but　others　who　are　ugly　have　to　stay　a　long　time　before　they　can　fulfil　the　law。　Some　have　waited　three　or　four　years　in　the　precinct。　A　custom　very　much　like　this　is　found　also　in　certain　parts　of　the　island　of　Cyprus。　　　　　Such　are　the　customs　of　the　Babylonians　generally。　There　are　likewise　three　tribes　among　them　who　eat　nothing　but　fish。　These　are　caught　and　dried　in　the　sun；　after　which　they　are　brayed　in　a　mortar；　and　strained　through　a　linen　sieve。　Some　prefer　to　make　cakes　of　this　material；　while　others　bake　it　into　a　kind　of　bread。　　　　　When　Cyrus　had　achieved　the　conquest　of　the　Babylonians；　he　conceived　the　desire　of　bringing　the　Massagetae　under　his　dominion。　Now　the　Massagetae　are　said　to　be　a　great　and　warlike　nation；　dwelling　eastward；　toward　the　rising　of　the　sun；　beyond　the　river　Araxes；　and　opposite　the　Issedonians。　By　many　they　are　regarded　as　a　Scythian　race。　　　　　As　for　the　Araxes；　it　is；　according　to　some　accounts；　larger；　according　to　others　smaller　than　the　Ister　（Danube）。　It　has　islands　in　it；　many　of　which　are　said　to　be　equal　in　size　to　Lesbos。　The　men　who　inhabit　them　feed　during　the　summer　on　roots　of　all　kinds；　which　they　dig　out　of　the　ground；　while　they　store　up　the　fruits；　which　they　gather　from　the　trees　at　the　fitting　season；　to　serve　them　as　food　in　the　winter…time。　Besides　the　trees　whose　fruit　they　gather　for　this　purpose；　they　have　also　a　tree　which　bears　the　strangest　produce。　When　they　are　met　together　in　companies　they　throw　some　of　it　upon　the　fire　round　which　they　are　sitting；　and　presently；　by　the　mere　smell　of　the　fumes　which　it　gives　out　in　burning；　they　grow　drunk；　as　the　Greeks　do　with　wine。　More　of　the　fruit　is　then　thrown　on　the　fire；　and；　their　drunkenness　increasing；　they　often　jump　up　and　begin　to　dance　and　sing。　Such　is　the　account　which　I　have　heard　of　this　people。　　　　　The　river　Araxes；　like　the　Gyndes；　which　Cyrus　dispersed　into　three　hundred　and　sixty　channels；　has　its　source　in　the　country　of　the　Matienians。　It　has　forty　mouths；　whereof　all；　except　one；　end　in　bogs　and　swamps。　These　bogs　and　swamps　are　said　to　be　inhabited　by　a　race　of　men　who　feed　on　raw　fish；　and　clothe　themselves　with　the　skins　of　seals。　The　other　mouth　of　the　river　flows　with　a　clear　course　into　the　Caspian　Sea。　　　　　The　Caspian　is　a　sea　by　itself；　having　no　connection　with　any　other。　The　sea　frequented　by　the　Greeks；　that　beyond　the　Pillars　of　Hercules；　which　is　called　the　Atlantic；　and　also　the　Erythraean；　are　all　one　and　the　same　sea。　But　the　Caspian　is　a　distinct　sea；　lying　by　itself；　in　length　fifteen　days'　voyage　with　a　row…boat；　in　breadth；　at　the　broadest　part；　eight　days'　voyage。　Along　its　western　shore　runs　the　chain　of　the　Caucasus；　the　most　extensive　and　loftiest　of　all　mountain…ranges。　Many　and　various　are　the　tribes　by　which　it　is　inhabited；　most　of　whom　live　entirely　on　the　wild　fruits　of　the　forest。　In　these　forests　certain　trees　are　said　to　grow；　from　the　leaves　of　which；　pounded　and　mixed　with　water；　the　inhabitants　make　a　dye；　wherewith　they　paint　upon　their　clothes　the　figures　of　animals；　and　the　figures　so　impressed　never　wash　out；　but　last　as　though　they　had　been　inwoven　in　the　cloth　from　the　first；　and　wear　as　long　as　the　garment。　　　　　On　the　west　then；　as　I　have　said；　the　Caspian　Sea　is　bounded　by　the　range　of　Caucasus。　On　the　cast　it　is　followed　by　a　vast　plain；　stretching　out　interminably　before　the　eye；　the　greater　portion　of　which　is　possessed　by　those　Massagetae；　against　whom　Cyrus　was　now　so　anxious　to　make　an　expedition。　Many　strong　motives　weighed　with　him　and　urged　him　on…　his　birth　especially；　which　seemed　something　more　than　human；　and　his　good　fortune　in　all　his　former　wars；　wherein　he　had　always　found　that　against　what　country　soever　he　turned　his　arms；　it　was　impossible　for　that　people　to　escape。　　　　　At　this　time　the　Massagetae　were　ruled　by　a　queen；　named　Tomyris；　who　at　the　death　of　her　husband；　the　late　king；　had　mounted　the　throne。　To　her　Cyrus　sent　ambassadors；　with　instructions　to　court　her　on　his　part；　pretending　that　he　wished　to　take　her　to　wife。　Tomyris；　however；　aware　that　it　was　her　kingdom；　and　not　herself；　that　he　courted；　forbade　the　men　to　approach。　Cyrus；　therefore；　finding　that　he　did　not　advance　his　designs　by　this　deceit；　marched　towards　the　Araxes；　and　openly　displaying　his　hostile　intentions；　set　to　work　to　construct　a　bridge　on　which　his　army　might　cross　the　river；　and　began　building　towers　upon　the　boats　which　were　to　be　used　in　the　passage。　　　　　While　the　Persian　leader　was　occupied　in　these　labours；　Tomyris　sent　a　herald　to　him；　who　said；　〃King　of　the　Medes；　cease　to　press　this　enterprise；　for　thou　canst　not　know　if　what　thou　art　doing　will　be　of　real　advantage　to　thee。　Be　content　to　rule　in　peace　thy　own　kingdom；　and　bear　to　see　us　reign　over　the　countries　that　are　ours　to　govern。　As；　however；　I　know　thou　wilt　not　choose　to　hearken　to　this　counsel；　since　there　is　nothing　thou　less　desirest　than　peace　and　quietness；　come　now；　if　thou　art　so　mightily　desirous　of　meeting　the　Massagetae　in　arms；　leave　thy　useless　toil　of　bridge…making；　let　us　retire　three　days'　march　from　the　river　bank；　and　do　thou　come　across　with　thy　soldiers；　or；　if　thou　likest　better　to　give　us　battle　on　thy　side　the　stream；　retire　thyself　an　equal　distance。〃　Cyrus；　on　this　offer；　called　together　the　chiefs　of　the　Persians；　and　laid　the　matter　before　them；　requesting　them　to　advise　him　what　he　should　do。　All　the　votes　were　in　favour　of　his　letting　Tomyris　cross　the　stream；　and　giving　battle　on　Persian　ground。　　　　　But　Croesus　the　Lydian；　who　was　present　at　the　meeting　of　the　chiefs；　disapproved　of　this　advice；　he　therefore　rose；　and　thus　delivered　his　sentiments　in　opposition　to　it：　〃Oh！　my　king！　I　promised　thee　long　since；　that；　as　Jove　had　given　me　into　thy　hands；　I　would；　to　the　best　of　my　power；　avert　impending　danger　from　thy　house。　Alas！　my　own　sufferings；　by　their　very　bitterness；　have　taught　me　to　be　keen…sighted　of　dangers。　If　thou　deemest　thyself　an　immortal；　and　thine　army　an　army　of　immortals；　my　counsel　will　doubtless　be　thrown　away　upon　thee。　But　if　thou　feelest　thyself　to　be　a　man；　and　a　ruler　of　men；　lay　this　first　to　heart；　that　there　is　a　wheel　on　which　the　affairs　of　men　revolve；　and　that　its　movement　forbids　the　same　man　to　be　always　fortunate。　Now　concerning　the　matter　in　hand；　my　judgment　runs　counter　to　the　judgment　of　thy　other　counsellors。　For　if　thou　agreest　to　give　the　enemy　entrance