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　country　beyond　the　Ister　is　possessed　by　bees；　on　account　of　which　it　is　impossible　to　penetrate　farther。　But　in　this　they　seem　to　me　to　say　what　has　no　likelihood；　for　it　is　certain　that　those　creatures　are　very　impatient　of　cold。　I　rather　believe　that　it　is　on　account　of　the　cold　that　the　regions　which　lie　under　the　Bear　are　without　inhabitants。　Such　then　are　the　accounts　given　of　this　country；　the　sea…coast　whereof　Megabazus　was　now　employed　in　subjecting　to　the　Persians。　　　　　King　Darius　had　no　sooner　crossed　the　Hellespont　and　reached　Sardis；　than　he　bethought　himself　of　the　good　deed　of　Histiaeus　the　Milesian；　and　the　good　counsel　of　the　Mytilenean　Coes。　He　therefore　sent　for　both　of　them　to　Sardis；　and　bade　them　each　crave　a　boon　at　his　hands。　Now　Histiaeus；　as　he　was　already　king　of　Miletus；　did　not　make　request　for　any　government　besides；　but　asked　Darius　to　give　him　Myrcinus　of　the　Edonians；　where　he　wished　to　build　him　a　city。　Such　was　the　choice　that　Histiaeus　made。　Coes；　on　the　other　hand；　as　he　was　a　mere　burgher；　and　not　a　king；　requested　the　sovereignty　of　Mytilene。　Both　alike　obtained　their　requests；　and　straight…way　betook　themselves　to　the　places　which　they　had　chosen。　　　　　It　chanced　in　the　meantime　that　King　Darius　saw　a　sight　which　determined　him　to　bid　Megabazus　remove　the　Paeonians　from　their　seats　in　Europe　and　transport　them　to　Asia。　There　were　two　Paeonians；　Pigres　and　Mantyes；　whose　ambition　it　was　to　obtain　the　sovereignty　over　their　countrymen。　As　soon　therefore　as　ever　Darius　crossed　into　Asia；　these　men　came　to　Sardis；　and　brought　with　them　their　sister；　who　was　a　tall　and　beautiful　woman。　Having　so　done；　they　waited　till　a　day　came　when　the　king　sat　in　state　in　the　suburb　of　the　Lydians；　and　then　dressing　their　sister　in　the　richest　gear　they　could；　sent　her　to　draw　water　for　them。　She　bore　a　pitcher　upon　her　head；　and　with　one　arm　led　a　horse；　while　all　the　way　as　she　went　she　span　flax。　Now　as　she　passed　by　where　the　king　was；　Darius　took　notice　of　her；　for　it　was　neither　like　the　Persians　nor　the　Lydians；　nor　any　of　the　dwellers　in　Asia；　to　do　as　she　did。　Darius　accordingly　noted　her；　and　ordered　some　of　his　guard　to　follow　her　steps；　and　watch　to　see　what　she　would　do　with　the　horse。　So　the　spearmen　went；　and　the　woman；　when　she　came　to　the　river；　first　watered　the　horse；　and　then　filling　the　pitcher；　came　back　the　same　way　she　had　gone；　with　the　pitcher　of　water　upon　her　head；　and　the　horse　dragging　upon　her　arm；　while　she　still　kept　twirling　the　spindle。　　　　　King　Darius　was　full　of　wonder　both　at　what　they　who　had　watched　the　woman　told　him；　and　at　what　he　had　himself　seen。　So　he　commanded　that　she　should　be　brought　before　him。　And　the　woman　came；　and　with　her　appeared　her　brothers；　who　had　been　watching　everything　a　little　way　off。　Then　Darius　asked　them　of　what　nation　the　woman　was；　and　the　young　men　replied　that　they　were　Paeonians；　and　she　was　their　sister。　Darius　rejoined　by　asking；　〃Who　the　Paeonians　were；　and　in　what　part　of　the　world　they　lived？　and；　further；　what　business　had　brought　the　young　men　to　Sardis？〃　Then　the　brothers　told　him　they　had　come　to　put　themselves　under　his　power；　and　Paeonia　was　a　country　upon　the　river　Strymon；　and　the　Strymon　was　at　no　great　distance　from　the　Hellespont。　The　Paeonians；　they　said；　were　colonists　of　the　Teucrians　from　Troy。　When　they　had　thus　answered　his　questions；　Darius　asked　if　all　the　women　of　their　country　worked　so　hard？　Then　the　brothers　eagerly　answered；　Yes；　for　this　was　the　very　object　with　which　the　whole　thing　had　been　done。　　　　　So　Darius　wrote　letters　to　Megabazus；　the　commander　whom　he　had　left　behind　in　Thrace；　and　ordered　him　to　remove　the　Paeonians　from　their　own　land；　and　bring　them　into　his　presence；　men；　women；　and　children。　And　straightway　a　horseman　took　the　message；　and　rode　at　speed　to　the　Hellespont；　and；　crossing　it；　gave　the　paper　to　Megabazus。　Then　Megabazus；　as　soon　as　he　had　read　it；　and　procured　guides　from　Thrace；　made　war　upon　Paeonia。　　　　　Now　when　the　Paeonians　heard　that　the　Persians　were　marching　against　them；　they　gathered　themselves　together；　and　marched　down　to　the　sea…coast；　since　they　thought　the　Persians　would　endeavour　to　enter　their　country　on　that　side。　Here　then　they　stood　in　readiness　to　oppose　the　army　of　Megabazus。　But　the　Persians；　who　knew　that　they　had　collected；　and　were　gone　to　keep　guard　at　the　pass　near　the　sea；　got　guides；　and　taking　the　inland　route　before　the　Paeonians　were　aware；　poured　down　upon　their　cities；　from　which　the　men　had　all　marched　out；　and　finding　them　empty；　easily　got　possession　of　them。　Then　the　men；　when　they　heard　that　all　their　towns　were　taken；　scattered　this　way　and　that　to　their　homes；　and　gave　themselves　up　to　the　Persians。　And　so　these　tribes　of　the　Paeonians；　to　wit；　the　Siropaeonians；　the　Paeoplians　and　all　the　others　as　far　as　Lake　Prasias；　were　torn　from　their　seats　and　led　away　into　Asia。　　　　　They　on　the　other　hand　who　dwelt　about　Mount　Pangaeum　and　in　the　country　of　the　Doberes；　the　Agrianians；　and　the　Odomantians；　and　they　likewise　who　inhabited　Lake　Prasias；　were　not　conquered　by　Megabazus。　He　sought　indeed　to　subdue　the　dwellers　upon　the　lake；　but　could　not　effect　his　purpose。　Their　manner　of　living　is　the　following。　Platforms　supported　upon　tall　piles　stand　in　the　middle　of　the　lake；　which　are　approached　from　the　land　by　a　single　narrow　bridge。　At　the　first　the　piles　which　bear　up　the　platforms　were　fixed　in　their　places　by　the　whole　body　of　the　citizens；　but　since　that　time　the　custom　which　has　prevailed　about　fixing　them　is　this：…　they　are　brought　from　a　hill　called　Orbelus；　and　every　man　drives　in　three　for　each　wife　that　he　marries。　Now　the　men　have　all　many　wives　apiece；　and　this　is　the　way　in　which　they　live。　Each　has　his　own　hut；　wherein　he　dwells；　upon　one　of　the　platforms；　and　each　has　also　a　trapdoor　giving　access　to　the　lake　beneath；　and　their　wont　is　to　tie　their　baby　children　by　the　foot　with　a　string；　to　save　them　from　rolling　into　the　water。　They　feed　their　horses　and　their　other　beasts　upon　fish；　which　abound　in　the　lake　to　such　a　degree　that　a　man　has　only　to　open　his　trap…door　and　to　let　down　a　basket　by　a　rope　into　the　water；　and　then　to　wait　a　very　short　time；　when　he　draws　it　up　quite　full　of　them。　The　fish　are　of　two　kinds；　which　they　call　the　paprax　and　the　tilon。　　　　　The　Paeonians　therefore…　at　least　such　of　them　as　had　been　conquered…　were　led　away　into　Asia。　As　for　Megabazus；　he　no　sooner　brought　the　Paeonians　under；　than　he　sent　into　Macedonia　an　embassy　of　Persians；　choosing　for　the　purpose　the　seven　men　of　most　note　in　all　the　army　after　himself。　These　persons　were　to　go　to　Amyntas；　and　require　him　to　give　earth　and　water　to　King　Darius。　Now　there　is　a　very　short　cut　from　the　Lake　Prasias　across　to　Macedonia。　Quite　close　to　the　lake　is　the　mine　which　yielded　afterwards　a　talent　of　silver　a　day　to　Alexander；　and　from　this　mine　you　have　only　to　cross　the　mountain　called　Dysorum　to　find　yourself　in　the　Macedonian　territory。　　　　　So　the　Persians　sent　upon　this　errand；　when　they　reached　the　court；　and　were　brought　into　the　presence　of　Amyntas；　required　him　to　give　earth　and　water　to　King　Darius。　And　Amyntas　not　only　gave　them　what　they　asked；　but　also　invited　them　to　come　and　feast　with　him；　after　which　he　made　ready　the　board　with　great　magnificence；　and　entertained　the　Persians　in　right　friendly　fashion。　Now　when　the　meal　was　over；　and　they　were　all　set　to　the　drinking；　the　Persians　said…　　　　　〃Dear　Macedonian；　we　Persians　have　a　custom　when　we　make　a　great　feast　to　bring　with　us　to　the　board　our　wives　and　concubines；　and　make　them　sit　beside　us。　Now　then；　as　thou　hast　received　us　so　kindly；　and　feasted　us　so　handsomely；　and　givest　moreover　earth　and　water　to　King　Darius；　do　also　after　our　custom　in　this　matter。〃　　　　　Then　Amyntas　answered…　〃O；　Persians！　we　have　no　such　custom　as　this；　but　with　us　men　and　women　are　kept　apart。　Nevertheless；　since　you；　who　are　our　lords；　wish　it；　this　also　shall　be　granted　to　you。〃　　　　　When　Amyntas　had　thus　spoken；　he　bade　some　go　and　fetch　the　women。　And　the　women　came　at　his　call　and　took　their　seats　in　a　row　over　against　the　Persians。　Then；　when　the　Persians　saw　that　the　women　were　fair　and　comely；　they　spoke　again　to　Amyntas　and　said；　that　〃what　had　been　done　was　not　wise；　for　it　had　been　better　for　the　women　not　to　have　come　at　all；　than　to　come　in　this　way；　and　not　sit　by　their　sides；　but　remain　over　against　them；　the　torment　of　their　eyes。〃　So　Amyntas　was　forced　to　bid　the　women　sit　side　by　side　with　the　Persians。　The　women　did　as　he　ordered；　and　then　the　Persians；　who　had　drunk　more　than　they　ought；　began　to　put　their　hands　on　them；　and　one　even　tried　to　give　the　woman　next　him　a　kiss。　　　　　King　Amyntas　saw；　but　he　kept　silence；　although　sorely　grieved；　for　he　greatly　feared　the　power　of　the　Persians。　Alexander；　however；　Amyntas'　son；　who　was　likewise　there　and　witnessed　the　whole；　being　a　young　man　and　unacquainted　with　suffering；　could　not　any　longer　restrain　himself。　He　therefore；　full　of　wrath；　spake　thus　to　Amyntas：…　〃Dear　father；　thou　art　old　and　shouldst　spare　thyself。　Rise　up　from　table　and　go　take　thy　rest；　do　not　stay　out　the　drinking。　I　will　remain　with　the　guests　and　give　them　all　that　i