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e　other。　From　this　it　is　certain；　beyond　all　possible　doubt；　that　he　is　engaged　in　some　plot　against　me。　Return　thou　then　at　once　to　Persia；　and　be　sure；　when　I　come　back　from　conquering　the　Massagetae；　to　have　thy　son　ready　to　produce　before　me；　that　I　may　examine　him。〃　　　　　Thus　Cyrus　spoke；　in　the　belief　that　he　was　plotted　against　by　Darius；　but　he　missed　the　true　meaning　of　the　dream；　which　was　sent　by　God　to　forewarn　him；　that　he　was　to　die　then　and　there；　and　that　his　kingdom　was　to　fall　at　last　to　Darius。　　　　　Hystaspes　made　answer　to　Cyrus　in　these　words：…　〃Heaven　forbid；　sire；　that　there　should　be　a　Persian　living　who　would　plot　against　thee！　If　such　an　one　there　be；　may　a　speedy　death　overtake　him！　Thou　foundest　the　Persians　a　race　of　slaves；　thou　hast　made　them　free　men：　thou　foundest　them　subject　to　others；　thou　hast　made　them　lords　of　all。　If　a　vision　has　announced　that　my　son　is　practising　against　thee；　lo；　I　resign　him　into　thy　hands　to　deal　with　as　thou　wilt。〃　Hystaspes；　when　he　had　thus　answered；　recrossed　the　Araxes　and　hastened　back　to　Persia；　to　keep　a　watch　on　his　son　Darius。　　　　　Meanwhile　Cyrus；　having　advanced　a　day's　march　from　the　river；　did　as　Croesus　had　advised　him；　and；　leaving　the　worthless　portion　of　his　army　in　the　camp；　drew　off　with　his　good　troops　towards　the　river。　Soon　afterwards；　a　detachment　of　the　Massagetae；　one…third　of　their　entire　army；　led　by　Spargapises；　son　of　the　queen　Tomyris；　coming　up；　fell　upon　the　body　which　had　been　left　behind　by　Cyrus；　and　on　their　resistance　put　them　to　the　sword。　Then；　seeing　the　banquet　prepared；　they　sat　down　and　began　to　feast。　When　they　had　eaten　and　drunk　their　fill；　and　were　now　sunk　in　sleep；　the　Persians　under　Cyrus　arrived；　slaughtered　a　great　multitude；　and　made　even　a　larger　number　prisoners。　Among　these　last　was　Spargapises　himself。　　　　　When　Tomyris　heard　what　had　befallen　her　son　and　her　army；　she　sent　a　herald　to　Cyrus；　who　thus　addressed　the　conqueror：…　〃Thou　bloodthirsty　Cyrus；　pride　not　thyself　on　this　poor　success：　it　was　the　grape…juice…　which；　when　ye　drink　it；　makes　you　so　mad；　and　as　ye　swallow　it　down　brings　up　to　your　lips　such　bold　and　wicked　words…　it　was　this　poison　wherewith　thou　didst　ensnare　my　child；　and　so　overcamest　him；　not　in　fair　open　fight。　Now　hearken　what　I　advise；　and　be　sure　I　advise　thee　for　thy　good。　Restore　my　son　to　me　and　get　thee　from　the　land　unharmed；　triumphant　over　a　third　part　of　the　host　of　the　Massagetae。　Refuse；　and　I　swear　by　the　sun；　the　sovereign　lord　of　the　Massagetae；　bloodthirsty　as　thou　art；　I　will　give　thee　thy　fill　of　blood。〃　　　　　To　the　words　of　this　message　Cyrus　paid　no　manner　of　regard。　As　for　Spargapises；　the　son　of　the　queen；　when　the　wine　went　off；　'and　he　saw　the　extent　of　his　calamity；　he　made　request　to　Cyrus　to　release　him　from　his　bonds；　then；　when　his　prayer　was　granted；　and　the　fetters　were　taken　from　his　limbs；　as　soon　as　his　hands　were　free；　he　destroyed　himself。　　　　　Tomyris；　when　she　found　that　Cyrus　paid　no　heed　to　her　advice；　collected　all　the　forces　of　her　kingdom；　and　gave　him　battle。　Of　all　the　combats　in　which　the　barbarians　have　engaged　among　themselves；　I　reckon　this　to　have　been　the　fiercest。　The　following；　as　I　understand；　was　the　manner　of　it：…　First；　the　two　armies　stood　apart　and　shot　their　arrows　at　each　other；　then；　when　their　quivers　were　empty；　they　closed　and　fought　hand…to…hand　with　lances　and　daggers；　and　thus　they　continued　fighting　for　a　length　of　time；　neither　choosing　to　give　ground。　At　length　the　Massagetae　prevailed。　The　greater　part　of　the　army　of　the　Persians　was　destroyed　and　Cyrus　himself　fell；　after　reigning　nine　and　twenty　years。　Search　was　made　among　the　slain　by　order　of　the　queen　for　the　body　of　Cyrus；　and　when　it　was　found　she　took　a　skin；　and；　filling　it　full　of　human　blood；　she　dipped　the　head　of　Cyrus　in　the　gore；　saying；　as　she　thus　insulted　the　corse；　〃I　live　and　have　conquered　thee　in　fight；　and　yet　by　thee　am　I　ruined；　for　thou　tookest　my　son　with　guile；　but　thus　I　make　good　my　threat；　and　give　thee　thy　fill　of　blood。〃　Of　the　many　different　accounts　which　are　given　of　the　death　of　Cyrus；　this　which　I　have　followed　appears　to　me　most　worthy　of　credit。　　　　　In　their　dress　and　mode　of　living　the　Massagetae　resemble　the　Scythians。　They　fight　both　on　horseback　and　on　foot；　neither　method　is　strange　to　them：　they　use　bows　and　lances；　but　their　favourite　weapon　is　the　battle…axe。　Their　arms　are　all　either　of　gold　or　brass。　For　their　spear…points；　and　arrow…heads；　and　for　their　battle…axes；　they　make　use　of　brass；　for　head…gear；　belts；　and　girdles；　of　gold。　So　too　with　the　caparison　of　their　horses；　they　give　them　breastplates　of　brass；　but　employ　gold　about　the　reins；　the　bit；　and　the　cheek…plates。　They　use　neither　iron　nor　silver；　having　none　in　their　country；　but　they　have　brass　and　gold　in　abundance。　　　　　The　following　are　some　of　their　customs；…　Each　man　has　but　one　wife；　yet　all　the　wives　are　held　in　common；　for　this　is　a　custom　of　the　Massagetae　and　not　of　the　Scythians；　as　the　Greeks　wrongly　say。　Human　life　does　not　come　to　its　natural　close　with　this　people；　but　when　a　man　grows　very　old；　all　his　kinsfolk　collect　together　and　offer　him　up　in　sacrifice；　offering　at　the　same　time　some　cattle　also。　After　the　sacrifice　they　boil　the　flesh　and　feast　on　it；　and　those　who　thus　end　their　days　are　reckoned　the　happiest。　If　a　man　dies　of　disease　they　do　not　eat　him；　but　bury　him　in　the　ground；　bewailing　his　ill…fortune　that　he　did　not　come　to　be　sacrificed。　They　sow　no　grain；　but　live　on　their　herds；　and　on　fish；　of　which　there　is　great　plenty　in　the　Araxes。　Milk　is　what　they　chiefly　drink。　The　only　god　they　worship　is　the　sun；　and　to　him　they　offer　the　horse　in　sacrifice；　under　the　notion　of　giving　to　the　swiftest　of　the　gods　the　swiftest　of　all　mortal　creatures。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　The　Second　Book；　Entitled　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　EUTERPE

　　　　On　the　death　of　Cyrus；　Cambyses　his　son　by　Cassandane　daughter　of　Pharnaspes　took　the　kingdom。　Cassandane　had　died　in　the　lifetime　of　Cyrus；　who　had　made　a　great　mourning　for　her　at　her　death；　and　had　commanded　all　the　subjects　of　his　empire　to　observe　the　like。　Cambyses；　the　son　of　this　lady　and　of　Cyrus；　regarding　the　Ionian　and　Aeolian　Greeks　as　vassals　of　his　father；　took　them　with　him　in　his　expedition　against　Egypt　among　the　other　nations　which　owned　his　sway。　　　　　Now　the　Egyptians；　before　the　reign　of　their　king　Psammetichus；　believed　themselves　to　be　the　most　ancient　of　mankind。　Since　Psammetichus；　however；　made　an　attempt　to　discover　who　were　actually　the　primitive　race；　they　have　been　of　opinion　that　while　they　surpass　all　other　nations；　the　Phrygians　surpass　them　in　antiquity。　This　king；　finding　it　impossible　to　make　out　by　dint　of　inquiry　what　men　were　the　most　ancient；　contrived　the　following　method　of　discovery：…　He　took　two　children　of　the　common　sort；　and　gave　them　over　to　a　herdsman　to　bring　up　at　his　folds；　strictly　charging　him　to　let　no　one　utter　a　word　in　their　presence；　but　to　keep　them　in　a　sequestered　cottage；　and　from　time　to　time　introduce　goats　to　their　apartment；　see　that　they　got　their　fill　of　milk；　and　in　all　other　respects　look　after　them。　His　object　herein　was　to　know；　after　the　indistinct　babblings　of　infancy　were　over；　what　word　they　would　first　articulate。　It　happened　as　he　had　anticipated。　The　herdsman　obeyed　his　orders　for　two　years；　and　at　the　end　of　that　time；　on　his　one　day　opening　the　door　of　their　room　and　going　in；　the　children　both　ran　up　to　him　with　outstretched　arms；　and　distinctly　said　〃Becos。〃　When　this　first　happened　the　herdsman　took　no　notice；　but　afterwards　when　he　observed；　on　coming　often　to　see　after　them；　that　the　word　was　constantly　in　their　mouths；　he　informed　his　lord；　and　by　his　command　brought　the　children　into　his　presence。　Psammetichus　then　himself　heard　them　say　the　word；　upon　which　he　proceeded　to　make　inquiry　what　people　there　was　who　called　anything　〃becos；〃　and　hereupon　he　learnt　that　〃becos〃　was　the　Phrygian　name　for　bread。　In　consideration　of　this　circumstance　the　Egyptians　yielded　their　claims；　and　admitted　the　greater　antiquity　of　the　Phrygians。　　　　　That　these　were　the　real　facts　I　learnt　at　Memphis　from　the　priests　of　Vulcan。　The　Greeks；　among　other　foolish　tales；　relate　that　Psammetichus　had　the　children　brought　up　by　women　whose　tongues　he　had　previously　cut　out；　but　the　priests　said　their　bringing　up　was　such　as　I　have　stated　above。　I　got　much　other　information　also　from　conversation　with　these　priests　while　I　was　at　Memphis；　and　I　even　went　to　Heliopolis　and　to　Thebes；　expressly　to　try　whether　the　priests　of　those　places　would　agree　in　their　accounts　with　the　priests　at　Memphis。　The　Heliopolitans　have　the　reputation　of　being　the　best　skilled　in　history　of　all　the　Egyptians。　What　they　told　me　concerning　their　religion　it　is　not　my　intention　to　repeat；　except　the　names　of　their　deities；　which　I　believe　all　men　know　equally。　If　I　relate　anything　else　concerning　these　matters；　it　will　only　be　when　compelled　to　do　so　by　the　course　of　my　narrative。　　　　　Now　with　regard　to　mere　human　matters；　the　accounts　which　they　gave；　and　in　which　all　agreed；　were　the　following。　The　Egyptians；　they　said；　were　the　first　to　discover　the　solar　year；　and　to　portion　out　its　course　into　twelve　parts。　They　obtained　this　knowledge　from　the　stars。　（To　my　mind　they　contrive　their　year　much　more　cleverly　than　the　Greeks；　for　these　last　every　other　year　intercalate　a　whole　month；　but　the　Egyptians；　dividing　the　year　into　twelve　months　of　thirty　days　each；　add　every　year　a　space　of　five　days　besides；　whereby　the　circuit　of　the　seasons　is　made　to　return　with　uniformity。）　The　Egyptians；　they　went　on　to　affirm；　first　brought　into　use　the　names　of　the　twelve　gods；　which　the　Greeks　adopted　from　them；　and　first　erected　altars；　images；　and　temples　to　the　gods；　and　also　first　engraved　upon　stone　the　figures　of　animals。　In　most　of　these　cases　they　proved　to　me　that　what　they　said　was　true。　And　they　told　me　that　the　first　man　who　ruled　over　Egypt　was　Min；　and　that　in　his　time　all　Egypt；　except　the　Thebaic　canton；　was　a　marsh；　none　of　the　land　below　Lake　Moeris　then　showing　itself　above　the　surface　of　the　water。　This　is　a　distance　of　seven　days'　sail　from　the　sea　up　the　river。