>ther respects perform what had been previously deermined in council. They were particularly enjoined o allure the enemy to pass the dominions of those naions who had withheld their assistance, in order that their indignation might be provoked; that as they were unwilling to unite in any hostilities before, they should now be compelled to take arms in their own defence. They were finally to retire into their own country, and to attack the enemy, if it could be done with any prospect of success.

CXXI. The Scythians, having determined upon these measures, advanced silently before the forces of Darius, sending forwards as scouts a select detachment of their cavalry: they also despatched before them the carriages in which their wives and children usually live, together with their cattle, reserving only such a number as was necessary to their subsistence, giving directions that their route should be regularly towards the north.

CXXII. These carriages accordingly advanced as they were directed; the Scythian scouts, finding that the Persians had proceeded a three days' journey from the Ister, encamped at the distance of one day's march from their army, and destroyed all the produce of the lands. The Persians, as soon as they came in sight of the Scythian cavalry, commenced the pursuit; whilst the Scythians regularly retired before them. Directing their attention to one part of the enemy in particular, the Persians continued to advance eastward towards the Tanaïs. The Scythians having crossed this river, the Persians did the same, till passing over the country of the Sauromatæ, they came to that of the Budini.

CXXIII. As long as the Persians remained in Scythia and Sarmatia, they had little power of doing injury, the country around them was so vast and extensive; but as soon as they came amongst the Budini, they discovered a town built entirely of wood, which the inhabitants had totally stripped and deserted; to this they set fire. This done, they continued their pursuit through the country of the Budini, till they came to a dreary solitude. This is beyond the Budini,

and of the extent of a seven days' journey, without a single inhabitant. Farther on are the Thyssagete, from whose country four great rivers, after watering the intermediate plains, empty themselves into the Palus Mæotis. The names of these rivers are the Lycus, the Oarus, the Tanaïs, and the Syrgis.

CXXIV. As soon as Darius arrived at the above solitude, he halted, and encamped his army upon the banks of the Oarus: he then constructed eight large forts, at the distance of sixty stadia from each other, the ruins of which have been visible to my time. Whilst he was thus employed, that detachment of the enemy which he had pursued, making a circuit by the higher parts of the country, returned into Scythia. When these had disappeared, and were no more to be discovered, Darius left his forts in an unfinished state, and directed his march westward, thinking that the Scythians whom he had pursued were the whole of the nation, and had fled towards the west: accelerating therefore his march, he arrived in Scythia, and met with two detachments of Scythians; these also he pursued, who took care to keep from him at the distance of one day's march.

CXXV. Darius continued his pursuit, and the Scythians, as had been previously concerted, led him into the country of those who had refused to accede to their alliance, and first of all into that of the Melanchlani. When the lands of this people had been effectually harassed by the Scythians, as well as the Persians, the latter were again led by the former into the district of the Androphagi. Having in like manner distressed these, the Persians were allured on to the Neuri: the Neuri being also alarmed and harassed, the attempt was made to carry the Persians amongst the Agathyrsi. This people however had observed, that before their own country had suffered any injury from the invaders, the Scythians had taken care to distress the lands of their neighbours; they accordingly despatched to them a messenger, forbidding their nearer approach, and threatening that any attempt to advance should meet with their hostile resistance: with this determination, the Agathyrsi

Appeared in arms upon their borders. But the Meanchlani, the Androphagi, and the Neuri, although they had suffered equally from the Persians and the Scythians, neither made any exertions, nor remembered what they had before menaced, but fled in alarm to the deserts of the north. The Scythians, turning aside from the Agathyrsi, who had refused to assist them, retreated from the country of the Neuri, towards Scythia, whither they were pursued by the Persians.

CXXVI. As they continued to persevere in the same conduct, Darius was induced to send a messenger to Indathyrsus, the Scythian prince. "Most wretched man," said the ambassador, "why do you thus continue to fly, having the choice of one of these alternatives?—if you think yourself able to contend with me, stop and let us engage: if you feel a conscious inferiority, bring to me, as to your superior, earth and water. Let us come to a conference."

CXXVII. The Scythian monarch made this reply: "It is not my disposition, O Persian, to fly from any man through fear; neither do I now fly from you. My present conduct differs not at all from that which I pursue in a state of peace. Why I do not contend with you in the open field, I will explain: we have no inhabited towns nor cultivated lands of which we can fear your invasion or your plunder, and have therefore no occasion to engage with you precipitately : but we have the sepulchres of our fathers, these you may discover; and if you endeavour to injure them, you shall soon know how far we are able or willing to resist you; till then we will not meet you in battle. Remember farther, that I acknowledge no master or superior, but Jupiter, who was my ancestor, and Histia, the Scythian queen. Instead of the presents which you require, of earth and water, I will send you such as you better deserve: and in return for your calling yourself my master, I only bid you weep.' Such was the answer of the Scythian, which the ambassador related to Darius.

CXXVIII. The very idea of servitude exasperated the Scythian princes; they accordingly despatched

that part of their army which was under Scopasis, together with the Sauromatæ, to solicit a conference with the Ionians who guarded the bridge over the Ister; those who remained did not think it necessary any more to lead the Persians about, but regularly endeavoured to surprise them when at their meals; they watched, therefore, their proper opportunities, and executed their purpose. The Scythian horse never failed of driving back the cavalry of the Persians, but these last, in falling back upon their infantry, were always secured and supported. The Scythians, notwithstanding their advantage over the Persian horse, always retreated from the foot; they frequently, however, attacked them under cover of the night. CXXIX. In these attacks of the Scythians upon the camp of Darius, the Persians had one advantage, which I shall explain-it arose from the braying of the asses, and appearance of the mules: I have before observed, that neither of these animals are produced in Scythia, on account of the extreme cold. The braying, therefore, of the asses greatly distressed the Scythian horses, which, as often as they attacked the Persians, pricked up their ears and ran back, equally disturbed by a noise which they had never heard, and figures they had never seen: this was of some importance in the progress of hostilities.

CXXX. The Scythians, discovering that the Persians were in extreme perplexity, hoped that by detaining them longer in their country, they should finally reduce them to the utmost distress: with this view, they occasionally left exposed some of their cattle with their shepherds, and artfully retired; of these, with much exultation, the Persians took possession.

CXXXI. This was again and again repeated; Darius nevertheless became gradually in want of almost every necessary: the Scythian princes, knowing this, sent to him a messenger, with a bird, a mouse, a frog, and five arrows, as a present. The Persians inquired of the bearer, what these might mean; but the man declared, that his orders were only to deliver them

and return: he advised them, however, to exert their sagacity, and interpret the mystery.

CXXXII. The Persians accordingly held a consultation on the subject. Darius was of opinion, that the Scythians intended by this to express submission to him, and give him the earth and the water which he required. The mouse, as he explained it, was produced in the earth, and lived on the same food as man; the frog was a native of the water; the bird bore a great resemblance to a horse; and in giving the arrows, they intimated the surrender of their power: this was the interpretation of Darius. Gobryas, however, one of the seven who had dethroned the Magus, thus interpreted the presents: "Men of Persia, unless like birds ye shall mount into the air, like mice take refuge in the earth, or like frogs leap into the marshes, these arrows shall prevent the possibility of your return to the place from whence you came. explanation was generally accepted.

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CXXXIII. That detachment of the Scythians who had before been intrusted with the defence of the Palus Mæotis, but who were afterwards sent to the Ionians at the Ister, no sooner arrived at the bridge, than they thus spake: "Men of Ionia, if you will but hearken to our words, we come to bring you liberty: we have been told, that Darius commanded you to guard this bridge for sixty days only; if in that time he should not appear, you were permitted to return home. Do this, and you will neither disobey him, nor offend us: stay, therefore, till the time which he has appointed, and then depart." With this injunc tion the Ionians promising to comply, the Scythians instantly retired.

CXXXIII. The rest of the Scythians, having sent the present to Darius which we have described, opposed themselves to him, both horse and foot, in order of battle. Whilst they were in this situation, a hare was seen in the space betwixt the two armies; the Scythians immediately pursued it with loud cries. Darius, inquiring the cause of the tumult which he heard, was informed that the enemy were pursuing a hare; upon this, turning to some of his confidential VOL. II.

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