the history-第75章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


auri　themselves　declare　to　be　Iphigenia　the　daughter　of　Agamemnon。　When　they　take　prisoners　in　war　they　treat　them　in　the　following　way。　The　man　who　has　taken　a　captive　cuts　off　his　head；　and　carrying　it　to　his　home；　fixes　it　upon　a　tall　pole；　which　he　elevates　above　his　house；　most　commonly　over　the　chimney。　The　reason　that　the　heads　are　set　up　so　high；　is　（it　is　said）　in　order　that　the　whole　house　may　be　under　their　protection。　These　people　live　entirely　by　war　and　plundering。　　　　　The　Agathyrsi　are　a　race　of　men　very　luxurious；　and　very　fond　of　wearing　gold　on　their　persons。　They　have　wives　in　common；　that　so　they　may　be　all　brothers；　and；　as　members　of　one　family；　may　neither　envy　nor　hate　one　another。　In　other　respects　their　customs　approach　nearly　to　those　of　the　Thracians。　　　　　The　Neurian　customs　are　like　the　Scythian。　One　generation　before　the　attack　of　Darius　they　were　driven　from　their　land　by　a　huge　multitude　of　serpents　which　invaded　them。　Of　these　some　were　produced　in　their　own　country；　while　others；　and　those　by　far　the　greater　number；　came　in　from　the　deserts　on　the　north。　Suffering　grievously　beneath　this　scourge；　they　quitted　their　homes；　and　took　refuge　with　the　Budini。　It　seems　that　these　people　are　conjurers：　for　both　the　Scythians　and　the　Greeks　who　dwell　in　Scythia　say　that　every　Neurian　once　a　year　becomes　a　wolf　for　a　few　days；　at　the　end　of　which　time　he　is　restored　to　his　proper　shape。　Not　that　I　believe　this；　but　they　constantly　affirm　it　to　be　true；　and　are　even　ready　to　back　their　assertion　with　an　oath。　　　　　The　manners　of　the　Androphagi　are　more　savage　than　those　of　any　other　race。　They　neither　observe　justice；　nor　are　governed；　by　any　laws。　They　are　nomads；　and　their　dress　is　Scythian；　but　the　language　which　they　speak　is　peculiar　to　themselves。　Unlike　any　other　nation　in　these　parts；　they　are　cannibals。　　　　　The　Melanchaeni　wear；　all　of　them；　black　cloaks；　and　from　this　derive　the　name　which　they　bear。　Their　customs　are　Scythic。　　　　　The　Budini　are　a　large　and　powerful　nation：　they　have　all　deep　blue　eyes；　and　bright　red　hair。　There　is　a　city　in　their　territory；　called　Gelonus；　which　is　surrounded　with　a　lofty　wall；　thirty　furlongs　each　way；　built　entirely　of　wood。　All　the　houses　in　the　place　and　all　the　temples　are　of　the　same　material。　Here　are　temples　built　in　honour　of　the　Grecian　gods；　and　adorned　after　the　Greek　fashion　with　images；　altars；　and　shrines；　all　in　wood。　There　is　even　a　festival；　held　every　third　year　in　honour　of　Bacchus；　at　which　the　natives　fall　into　the　Bacchic　fury。　For　the　fact　is　that　the　Geloni　were　anciently　Greeks；　who；　being　driven　out　of　the　factories　along　the　coast；　fled　to　the　Budini　and　took　up　their　abode　with　them。　They　still　speak　a　language　half　Greek；　half　Scythian。　　　　　The　Budini；　however；　do　not　speak　the　same　language　as　the　Geloni；　nor　is　their　mode　of　life　the　same。　They　are　the　aboriginal　people　of　the　country；　and　are　nomads；　unlike　any　of　the　neighbouring　races；　they　eat　lice。　The　Geloni　on　the　contrary；　are　tillers　of　the　soil；　eat　bread；　have　gardens；　and　both　in　shape　and　complexion　are　quite　different　from　the　Budini。　The　Greeks　notwithstanding　call　these　latter　Geloni；　but　it　is　a　mistake　to　give　them　the　name。　Their　country　is　thickly　planted　with　trees　of　all　manner　of　kinds。　In　the　very　woodiest　part　is　a　broad　deep　lake；　surrounded　by　marshy　ground　with　reeds　growing　on　it。　Here　otters　are　caught；　and　beavers；　with　another　sort　of　animal　which　has　a　square　face。　With　the　skins　of　this　last　the　natives　border　their　capotes：　and　they　also　get　from　them　a　remedy；　which　is　of　virtue　in　diseases　of　the　womb。　　　　　It　is　reported　of　the　Sauromatae；　that　when　the　Greeks　fought　with　the　Amazons；　whom　the　Scythians　call　Oior…pata　or　〃man…slayers；〃　as　it　may　be　rendered；　Oior　being　Scythic　for　〃man；〃　and　pata　for　〃to　slay〃…　It　is　reported；　I　say；　that　the　Greeks　after　gaining　the　battle　of　the　Thermodon；　put　to　sea；　taking　with　them　on　board　three　of　their　vessels　all　the　Amazons　whom　they　had　made　prisoners；　and　that　these　women　upon　the　voyage　rose　up　against　the　crews；　and　massacred　them　to　a　man。　As　however　they　were　quite　strange　to　ships；　and　did　not　know　how　to　use　either　rudder；　sails；　or　oars；　they　were　carried；　after　the　death　of　the　men；　where　the　winds　and　the　waves　listed。　At　last　they　reached　the　shores　of　the　Palus　Maeotis　and　came　to　a　place　called　Cremni　or　〃the　Cliffs；〃　which　is　in　the　country　of　the　free　Scythians。　Here　they　went　ashore；　and　proceeded　by　land　towards　the　inhabited　regions；　the　first　herd　of　horses　which　they　fell　in　with　they　seized；　and　mounting　upon　their　backs；　fell　to　plundering　the　Scythian　territory。　　　　　The　Scyths　could　not　tell　what　to　make　of　the　attack　upon　them…　the　dress；　the　language；　the　nation　itself；　were　alike　unknown　whence　the　enemy　had　come　even；　was　a　marvel。　Imagining；　however；　that　they　were　all　men　of　about　the　same　age；　they　went　out　against　them；　and　fought　a　battle。　Some　of　the　bodies　of　the　slain　fell　into　their　hands；　whereby　they　discovered　the　truth。　Hereupon　they　deliberated；　and　made　a　resolve　to　kill　no　more　of　them；　but　to　send　against　them　a　detachment　of　their　youngest　men；　as　near　as　they　could　guess　equal　to　the　women　in　number；　with　orders　to　encamp　in　their　neighbourhood；　and　do　as　they　saw　them　do…　when　the　Amazons　advanced　against　them；　they　were　to　retire；　and　avoid　a　fight…　when　they　halted；　the　young　men　were　to　approach　and　pitch　their　camp　near　the　camp　of　the　enemy。　All　this　they　did　on　account　of　their　strong　desire　to　obtain　children　from　so　notable　a　race。　　　　　So　the　youths　departed；　and　obeyed　the　orders　which　had　been　given　them。　The　Amazons　soon　found　out　that　they　had　not　come　to　do　them　any　harm；　and　so　they　on　their　part　ceased　to　offer　the　Scythians　any　molestation。　And　now　day　after　day　the　camps　approached　nearer　to　one　another；　both　parties　led　the　same　life；　neither　having　anything　but　their　arms　and　horses；　so　that　they　were　forced　to　support　themselves　by　hunting　and　pillage。　　　　　At　last　an　incident　brought　two　of　them　together…　the　man　easily　gained　the　good　graces　of　the　woman；　who　bade　him　by　signs　（for　they　did　not　understand　each　other's　language）　to　bring　a　friend　the　next　day　to　the　spot　where　they　had　met…　promising　on　her　part　to　bring　with　her　another　woman。　He　did　so；　and　the　woman　kept　her　word。　When　the　rest　of　the　youths　heard　what　had　taken　place；　they　also　sought　and　gained　the　favour　of　the　other　Amazons。　　　　　The　two　camps　were　then　joined　in　one；　the　Scythians　living　with　the　Amazons　as　their　wives；　and　the　men　were　unable　to　learn　the　tongue　of　the　women；　but　the　women　soon　caught　up　the　tongue　of　the　men。　When　they　could　thus　understand　one　another；　the　Scyths　addressed　the　Amazons　in　these　words…　〃We　have　parents；　and　properties；　let　us　therefore　give　up　this　mode　of　life；　and　return　to　our　nation；　and　live　with　them。　You　shall　be　our　wives　there　no　less　than　here；　and　we　promise　you　to　have　no　others。〃　But　the　Amazons　said…　〃We　could　not　live　with　your　women…　our　customs　are　quite　different　from　theirs。　To　draw　the　bow；　to　hurl　the　javelin；　to　bestride　the　horse；　these　are　our　arts　of　womanly　employments　we　know　nothing。　Your　women；　on　the　contrary；　do　none　of　these　things；　but　stay　at　home　in　their　waggons；　engaged　in　womanish　tasks；　and　never　go　out　to　hunt；　or　to　do　anything。　We　should　never　agree　together。　But　if　you　truly　wish　to　keep　us　as　your　wives；　and　would　conduct　yourselves　with　strict　justice　towards　us；　go　you　home　to　your　parents；　bid　them　give　you　your　inheritance；　and　then　come　back　to　us；　and　let　us　and　you　live　together　by　ourselves。〃　　　　　The　youths　approved　of　the　advice；　and　followed　it。　They　went　and　got　the　portion　of　goods　which　fell　to　them；　returned　with　it；　and　rejoined　their　wives；　who　then　addressed　them　in　these　words　following：…　〃We　are　ashamed；　and　afraid　to　live　in　the　country　where　we　now　are。　Not　only　have　we　stolen　you　from　your　fathers；　but　we　have　done　great　damage　to　Scythia　by　our　ravages。　As　you　like　us　for　wives；　grant　the　request　we　make　of　you。　Let　us　leave　this　country　together；　and　go　and　dwell　beyond　the　Tanais。〃　Again　the　youths　complied。　　　　　Crossing　the　Tanais　they　journeyed　eastward　a　distance　of　three　days'　march　from　that　stream；　and　again　northward　a　distance　of　three　days'　march　from　the　Palus　Maeotis。　Here　they　came　to　the　country　where　they　now　live；　and　took　up　their　abode　in　it。　The　women　of　the　Sauromatae　have　continued　from　that　day　to　the　present　to　observe　their　ancient　customs；　frequently　hunting　on　horseback　with　their　husbands；　sometimes　even　unaccompanied；　in　war　taking　the　field；　and　wearing　the　very　same　dress　as　the　men。　　　　　The　Sauromatae　speak　the　language　of　Scythia；　but　have　never　talked　it　correctly；　because　the　Amazons　learnt　it　imperfectly　at　the　first。　Their　marriage…law　lays　it　down　that　no　girl　shall　wed　till　she　has　killed　a　man　in　battle。　Sometimes　it　happens　that　a　woman　dies　unmarried　at　an　advanced　age；　having　never　been　able　in　her　whole　lifetime　to　fulfil　the　condition。　　　　　The　envoys　of　the　Scythians；　on　being　introduced　into　the　presence　of　the　kings　of　these　nations；　who　were　assembled　to　deliberate；　made　it　known　to　them　that　the　Persian；　after　subduing　th