: I now proceed to describe by measurement the part of the Scythian country that is on the sea coast. Now, from the Ister, that is ancient Scythia that lies towards the meridian and the south wind, as far as the city called Carcinitis; next to that, the Tauric nation inhabits the land extending along the same sea, which is a mountainous country, and projects into the Pontus as far as the Chersonesus called Trachea; and it reaches to the sea towards the east. For the two parts of the boundaries of Scythia extend to the sea, one towards the south, and the other towards the east, as is the case with the region of Attica and the Tauri inhabit parts of Scythia similar to this, just as if any other people instead of the Athenians possessed the promontory of Sunium, which extends more into a point into the sea from the borough of Thoricus to that of Anaphlystus. I mention this, if I may compare small things with great. Such, then, is Taurica. But for any one who has never sailed by that part of Attica, I will explain the matter in another way: it is as if a nation distinct from Japygia, and not the Japygians, beginning from the port of Brundusium, should cut off the country as far as Tarentum, and occupy the promontory. Mentioning these two, I might mention many others, to which Taurica is like. 100. From Taurica, Scythians inhabit the country above the Tauri, and the parts along the eastern sea, and the parts westward of the Cimmerian Bosphorus and the lake Mæotis, as far as the river Tanais, which flows into the farthest recess of that lake. Now, from the Ister at the parts above, stretching to the interior, Scythia is shut off first by the Agathyrsi, next by the Neuri, then by the Androphagi, and last by the Melanchlani. 101. Of Scythia, therefore, which is quadrangular, with two parts reaching to the sea, that which stretches to the interior and that along the coast is in every way equal. For from the Ister to the Borysthenes is a journey of ten days; and from the Borysthenes to the lake Mæotis ten more; from the sea to the interior, as far as the Melanchlæni, who inhabit above the Scythians, is a journey of twenty days. The day's journey has been computed by me at two hundred stades. Thus the extent of Scythia crossways would be four thousand stades; and the direct route leading to the interior would be the same number of stades. Such is the extent of this country. 102. The Scythians, considering with themselves that they were not able alone to repel the army of Darius in a pitched battle, sent messengers to the adjoining nations; and the kings of those nations, having met together, consulted, since so great an army was advancing against them. The kings who met together were those of the Tauri, the Agathyrsi, the Neuri, the Androphagi, the Melanchlani, the Geloni, the Budini, and the Sauromatæ. 103. Of these, the Tauri observe the following customs: they sacrifice to the virgin all who suffer shipwreck, and any Greeks they meet with driven on their coasts, in the following manner: having performed the preparatory ceremonies, they strike the head with a club; some say they throw the body down from a precipice, (for their temple is built on a precipice,) and impale the head; but others agree with respect to the head, but say that the body is not thrown from the precipice, but buried in the earth. The Tauri themselves say, that this deity to whom they sacrifice is Iphigenia, daughter of Agamemnon. Enemies whom they subdue they treat as follows: each having cut off a head, carries it home with him, then having fixed it on a long pole, he raises it far above the roof of his house, at all events above the chimney; they say that these are suspended as. guards over the whole household. This people live by rapine and war. 104. The Agathyrsi are a most luxurious people, and wear a profusion of gold. They have promiscuous intercourse with women, to the end that they may be brethren one of another, and being all of one family, may not entertain hatred towards each other. In other respects they approach the usages of the Thracians. 105. The Neuri observe Scythian customs. One generation before the expedition of Darius, it happened to them to be driven out of their whole country by serpents; for their country produced many serpents, and a much greater number came down upon them from the deserts above; until, being hard pressed, they abandoned their territory, and settled among the Budini. These men seem to be magicians, for it is said of them by the Scythians and the Greeks settled in Scythia, that once every year each Neurian becomes a wolf for a few days, and then is restored again to the same state. Though they affirm this, however, they do not persuade me; they affirm it nevertheless, and support their assertion with an oath. 106. The Androphagi have the most savage cus toms of all men ; they pay no regard to justice, nor make use of any established law. They are nomades, and wear a dress like the Scythian; they speak a peculiar language; and of these nations, are the only people that eat human flesh. 107. The Melanchlani all wear black garments, from which circumstance they take their name. These follow Scythian usages. 108. The Budini, who are a great and populous nation, paint their whole bodies with a deep blue and red. There is in their country a city built of wood, its name is Gelonus ; each side of the wall is thirty stades in length, it is lofty, and made entirely of wood. Their houses also and their temples are of wood: for there are there temples of the Grecian gods, adorned after the Grecian manner with images, altars, and shrines of wood. They celebrate the triennial festivals of Bacchus, and perform the bacchanalian ceremonies for the Geloni were originally Grecians, but being expelled from the trading ports, settled among the Budini; and they use a language partly Scythian and partly Grecian. 109. The Budini, however, do not use the same language as the Geloni, nor the same mode of living; for the Budini, being indigenous, are nomades, and are the only people of these parts who eat vermin; whereas the Geloni are tillers of the soil, feed upon corn, cultivate gardens, and are not at all like the Budini in form or complexion. By the Greeks, however, the Budini are called Geloni, though erroneously so called. Their country is thickly covered with trees of all kinds; and in the thickest wood is a spacious and large lake, and a morass and reeds around it: in this otters are taken, and beavers, and other square-faced animals; their skins are sewn as borders to cloaks, and their testicles are useful for the cure of disdiseases of the womb. 110. Concerning the Sauromate the following account is given. When the Grecians had fought with the Amazons, (the Scythians call the Amazons Aiorpata, and this name in the Grecian language means manslayers, for they call Aior a man, and Pata to kill,) the story goes, that the Greeks, having been victorious in the battle at the Thermodon, sailed away, taking with them in three ships as many Amazons as they had been able to take alive; but the Amazons attacking them out at sea, cut the men to pieces. However, as they had no knowledge of navigation, nor any skill in the use of the rud T der, sails, or oars, when they had cut the men to pieces, they were carried by the waves and wind, and arrived at Cremni on the lake Mæotis, but Cremni belongs to the territory of the free Scythians. Here the Amazons, landing from the vessels, marched to the inhabited parts and seized the first herd of horses they happened to fall in with, and mounting on them, plundered the lands of the Scythians. 111. The Scythians knew not what to make of the matter; for they were not acquainted either with their language, dress, or nation, but wondered from whence they came. They conjectured that they were men of the same stature, they therefore gave them battle; but after the battle the Scythians got possession of the dead, and so discovered that they were women. On deliberation, therefore, they resolved on no account to kill them any more, but to send out to them the youngest of their own party, guessing a number equal to theirs; these were to encamp near them, and do the same as they did; should the Amazons pursue them, they were not to fight, but fly; and when they halted were to come and encamp near them. The Scythians resolved on this, out of a desire to have children by these women. 112. The young men, being despatched, did as they were ordered: when the Amazons found that they had not come to hurt them, they let them alone; and they drew one camp nearer to the other every day. The youths, as well as the Amazons, had nothing except their arms and horses, but obtained their subsistence in the same way that the Amazons did, by hunting and pillage. 113. The Amazons about midday were wont to do as follows: they separated themselves into parties of one and two, at a distance from each other, being dispersed for the purpose of easing themselves. The Scythians observing this, did the same; and one of them drew near one of the Amazons who was alone; and she did not repel him, but suffered him to enjoy her person. She could not speak to him, because they did not understand each other, but she made signs to him by her hand to come the next day to the same place, and to bring another with him ; signifying that they should be two, and she would bring another with her. When the youth departed, he related this to the rest, and on the next day he himself went to the place, and took another with him, and found the Amazon with a companion waiting for him. The rest of the youths, when 114. they heard this, conciliated the rest of the Amazons. Afterwards, having joined their camps, they lived together, each having for his wife the person he first attached himself to. The men were not able to learn the language of the women, but the women soon attained that of the men. When, therefore, they understood one another, the men spoke to the Amazons as follows: "We have parents and possessions, let us then no longer lead this kind of life, but let us return to the bulk of our people and live with them; we will have you as our wives, and no others." To this they answered: "We never could live with the women of your country, because we have not the same customs with them. We shoot with the bow, throw the javelin, and ride on horseback, and have never learnt the employments of women. But your women do none of the things we have mentioned, but are engaged in women's employments, remaining in their waggons, and do not go out to hunt, or any where else; we could not therefore consort with them. If, then, you desire to have us for your wives, and to prove yourselves honest men, go to your parents, claim your share of their property, then return, and let us live by ourselves." 115. The youths yielded, and acted accordingly, but when they came back to the Amazons, having received what fell to their share of the possessions, the women spoke to them as follows: "Alarm and fear come upon us, when we consider that we must live in this country; in the first place, because we have deprived you of your parents; and in the next, have committed great depredations in your territory. Since, therefore, you think us worthy to be your wives, do thus with us; come, let us leave this country, and having crossed the river Tanais, let us settle there." 116. The youths consented to this also; accordingly, having crossed the Tanais, they advanced a journey of three days eastward from the Tanais, and three from the lake Mæotis northward, and having reached the country in which they are now settled, they took up their abode there. From that time the wives of the Sauromatæ retain their ancient mode of living, both going out on horseback to hunt with their husbands, and without their husbands, and joining in war, and wearing the same dress as the men. 117. The Sauromatæ use the Scythian language, speaking it corruptly from the first, since the Amazons never learnt it correctly. Their rules respecting marriage are thus |