George L. Bennett

“ Now this is what they say of the soul: When the body is dying it enters into another animal. Having finished a circuit through all land and sea and winged creatures, it again returns into the body of a human being. ”

“ On arriving thither, he spoke as follows before the leaders of the barbarians: ‘The Athenian admiral has sent me, without the knowledge of the rest of the Greeks: for he favours the party of the Great King: moreover, he sent me to announce that the terrified Greeks are meditating flight. They are neither agreed among themselves, nor will they resist you any longer. Wherefore attack them, and do not allow them to take to flight.’ Having said these things, he at once retired, but Xerxes gave his signal for battle. ”

“ XI.—THE ADVANTAGES OF A REPUBLIC.
169.—Athens had long been oppressed by tyrants. When these were at last compelled to go into exile, the wealth of Athens was increased, and the state became most flourishing. Now it appears, not only from this example, but everywhere, how glorious a thing is equality (in the sight) of law. For the Athenians also, as long as they were under tyrants, were superior to none of the neighbouring nations in war ”

“ The first of the enemy a man has slain, he drinks his blood. He brings to the king the heads of as many men as he has slain in battle: for on bringing a head, he becomes a sharer in the booty: but if a head is not brought, he gets no share. Moreover, they say that the head is stripped of its skin in this way: they are wont to cat the skin in a circle round the ears, and then to pull it off the head: then, after scraping off the flesh, to work the skin with their hands; and to use it when thus softened as a napkin, and to hang it from the bridle of the horse, when they hunt. ”

“ Scythian ambassadors.
272.—Alexander, king of the Macedonians, made an expedition against the Scythians. The ambassadors of the Scythians, when they had come before the king, are said to have addressed him thus: ‘If the gods had given you greatness of body equal to (that of) your mind, the whole world would not contain you; for with one hand you would grasp at the rising sun, with the other (the same) when setting; and, not content with this, you would desire to know where the sun hid its light. From Europe you make for Asia, from Asia you hasten to Europe. ”

“ But since it is impossible to satisfy the wishes of all while deliberating about one girl, to those of your number to whom a wife is not given, I give to each one a talent of silver, because you deigned to seek my daughter in marriage, and have been abroad away from your homes; but to Megacles, son of Alcmaeon, I betroth my daughter Agariste, according to the laws of the Athenians.’ And when Megacles had said, ‘I accept the conditions,’ Clisthenes had the marriage confirmed. ”

“ When a man of any house dies, all the women of that house smear their head, or even their very faces, with mud, and then, having left the corpse at home, they run themselves through the city groaning, and with them all their relations. ”

“ But do thou, on the tenth day from that date, from that part of thy army the loss of which thou wilt bear the least ill, set one thousand men against the gate which is called that of Semiramis. Then again, after a few days, set another two thousand against the gate of Ninus, as it is called. But let neither the former nor the latter have anything but their swords; let them be armed with this one weapon. For, as I for my part imagine, when I shall have done glorious deeds, the Babylonians will both entrust all other things to my honour and also the bolts of the gates. ”

“ And when they had assembled by the appointed day, Clisthenes first inquired their countries, and each man’s descent, and then, detaining them for the space of a year, made a thorough trial of their endurance and courage of mind, and cultivation of intellect, and character; at one time associating with them one by one, at another with all together. ”

“ Do thou therefore take counsel quickly with thyself, and tell me whether thou desirest me to watch and strike the horse or Artybius himself.’ To this the servant replied: ‘I for my part am ready, king, to do either thing or both, and whatever thou biddest me at all; yet I shall say what seems most advantageous for your success. I affirm that a king and leader should fight with a king and leader; for if thou slayest a man (who is) a general that will be a great thing for thee ”

“ Avast multitude of serpents appeared near the city. The horses, leaving their usual food, devoured a great quantity of these. That seemed to Croesus to be a portent, therefore, he at once sent men, ordered to consult the soothsayers. To these, the soothsayers said, ‘A foreign army will invade the territory of Croesus, and overwhelm the inhabitants; for the serpents are the sons of the land, but the horses are enemies and foreigners.’ And these things, indeed, the soothsayers answered, after Croesus had been already captured, but (being) themselves ignorant of (that) event. ”

“ So forces were at once sent as an assistance to them. But among the men of Eretria there was no sound counsel Those who had summoned the Athenians were themselves divided between two opinions: for some intended to abandon the city and betake themselves to the higher ground of Euboea: but others, hoping for private gain from the Persians, were preparing to betray the city. On ascertaining this, one of their chiefs begged the Athenians to return home, lest they should perish together with the men of Eretria. So all returned at once to Athens, and escaped the danger. ”

“ Do not endure so ugly a face.’ Now, one day when the nurse was leaving the temple, a woman is said to have appeared to her, asking of her, ‘What art thou carrying on your arm?’ And when she had answered her, ‘I am carrying a girl,’ the woman said, ‘Show me the girl.’ On the nurse refusing, and saying, ‘She is so ugly, that I do not choose to show her to any one,’ the woman insisted, repeating, ‘Show me the girl.’ At last the nurse showed her. ”

“ After the Indians have reached the place, having filled the sacks which they have brought with them with sand, and having placed them on the male camels, they take themselves off as quickly as they can; for at once the ants pursue them, perceiving them by smell, as the Persians say. Moreover, this creature so excels all others in swiftness that unless, while the ants are collecting together, the Indians meanwhile took to flight, not one of them would be likely to escape unhurt. So the Indians get the greater part of the gold in this way, as the Persians indeed relate ”

“ Then, indeed, Rhaeoees, being placed before the king, made the same request. And the king (said) to him: ‘Will you be able to see your son die?’ Rhacoces in reply (said) : ‘When I cut off the bitter shoots of my trees, the trees suffer nothing; so, being freed of my son, I shall enjoy rest myself.’ And Artaxerxes, greatly wondering at this reply, ordered Rhacoces to be one of his judges, and said that one who was willing to punish his own son would be a good judge concerning other thing. ”

“ Understanding that Barca could not be taken by force, he set about doing this. He dug by night a wide ditch, on which he laid planks of little strength, and above the planks he heaped on earth in such a way that the surface was level with the rest of the soiL At daybreak he invited the men of Barca to a conference. At last, sacrificing over the hidden ditch, the leaders on both sides said that the oath should remain while that earth remained firm; that the men of Barca promised to pay money to the Great King: the Persians, that they would do nothing fresh against the men of Barca. ”

“ If any one offers a puhlic sacrifice the kings have the first seats at the hanquet, and the commencement of distributing the food is made by them, yet in such way that a douhle portion is assigned to each king. At all the public games they have the best seats. Each king nominates two Pythii; now the Pythii are citizens who are sent to Delphi to consult the oracles. Whenever the kings do not come to the supper, food and wine are sent home for each of them; but to them, when present, a double portion is assigned. The kings alone pronounce judgment on all matters. ”

“ VI.—A BALD PEOPLE.
105.—A race of men who are all bald, males and females alike, and snub-nosed, inhabits the spurs of the high mountains. They wear the Scythian dress, notwithstanding they support life on the fruit of trees. The name of the tree by which they are fed is Ponticum; it much resembles a fig tree. Now, it bears a fruit like a bean, having a kernel within. They keep the ripe fruit in cloths, and both lick up the thick black liquor which exudes from it, and drink it mixed with milk. Of the dregs they make cakes, on which they feed. They have not a great quantity of cattle. ”

“ Now these Persians used to be called Immortals, from this reason: when one of their number failed, constrained either by death or disease, another man used to be chosen to fill his place, that they might always be 10,000—neither more nor less. ”

“ Then Miltiades, having received the army, sailed to Faros; for he was hostile to the Parians on account of one Lysagoras, who had formerly made an accusation against him. When he had arrived at the island, he drove back the Parians within their walls, and blockaded them: and having sent a herald to the city demanded a hundred talents, saying, that unless they gave them to him he would not withdraw his army till he had taken the city by storm. But the Parians paid attention in every way to the defence of (lit. that they might defend) the city. ”

“ For they said, ‘that the Athenians were mad, and were rushing to destruction, since they (lit. who) were so few, and had neither cavalry nor archers.’ But the Athenians having joined battle (lit. hands) fought a fight worthy of being recorded. For they were the first of all the Greeks who dared to make an attack on the Persians, and were the first to endure the sight of (lit. to see) the uniform of the Medes; since before that day even the name of the Medes had inspired the Greeks with panic. In the centre of the line the barbarians prevailed ”

“ When he had ascertained from certain deserters which of the Argives they were who were shut up in the sacred grove, he sent a herald and called them one by one by name, asserting that he would receive a price for their ransom. Now among the Peloponnesians there is a fixed price for ransom, (namely) two minae to be paid for each captive. So Cleomenes called out about fifty of the Argives and put them to death; (a thing) which was unknown to the rest who were in the grove; for since the grove was a large one, those who were inside could not see what he was doing. ”

“ Do not allow the most ancient state among the Greeks to be reduced to slavery by the barbarians. For Eretria also has already been sent under the yoke, and a distinguished state has perished.’ When this was said the Spartans resolved indeed to send auxiliary troops for the Athenians, but they were unable to do this at once, since they were unwilling to act against the law. ”

“ An idea strikes Syloson.
108.—But after some time had elapsed, after that, on the death of Cambyses, the seven men had plotted against the Magus, and of the seven, Darius had got possession of the kingdom, Syloson remembered the gift So he went to Susa, and sitting in the vestibule of the royal palace, said, ‘I have deserved well of Darius.’ When the guardian of the gate heard this, he brought word to the King. Darius in surprise said, ‘What Greek, pray, has deserved well of me? Scarcely a single one of that people has come up (country) to me. ”

“ For the priestess of Apollo had answered the Spartans, when consulting the oracle dunng the commencement of this war, ‘that Sparta would either be overthrown by the barbarians, or their own king would perish.’
The end of Leonidas.
244.—Then Xerxes attacked the Spartans surrounded from every side. The leaders of the companies, assailing them with whips from behind, and striking every one, stimulated their men. So many slipped into the sea and perished, many were trampled on alive by each other ”