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especially　those　of　the　intestines；　are　full　of　humors；　for　the
belly　cannot　possibly　be　dry　in　such　a　country；　with　such　a
constitution　and　in　such　a　climate；　but　owing　to　their　fat；　and　the
absence　of　hairs　from　their　bodies；　their　shapes　resemble　one　another；
the　males　being　all　alike；　and　so　also　with　the　women；　for　the　seasons
being　of　a　uniform　temperature；　no　corruption　or　deterioration　takes
place　in　the　concretion　of　the　semen；　unless　from　some　violent
cause；　or　from　disease。
　　20。　I　Will　give　you　a　strong　proof　of　the　humidity　（laxity？）　of
their　constitutions。　You　will　find　the　greater　part　of　the
Scythians；　and　all　the　Nomades；　with　marks　of　the　cautery　on　their
shoulders；　arms；　wrists；　breasts；　hip…joints；　and　loins；　and　that
for　no　other　reason　but　the　humidity　and　flabbiness　of　their
constitution；　for　they　can　neither　strain　with　their　bows；　nor
launch　the　javelin　from　their　shoulder　owing　to　their　humidity　and
atony：　but　when　they　are　burnt；　much　of　the　humidity　in　their　joints
is　dried　up；　and　they　become　better　braced；　better　fed；　and　their
joints　get　into　a　more　suitable　condition。　They　are　flabby　and　squat
at　first；　because；　as　in　Egypt；　they　are　not　swathed　（？）；　and　then
they　pay　no　attention　to　horsemanship；　so　that　they　may　be　adepts　at
it；　and　because　of　their　sedentary　mode　of　life；　for　the　males；　when
they　cannot　be　carried　about　on　horseback；　sit　the　most　of　their
time　in　the　wagon；　and　rarely　practise　walking；　because　of　their
frequent　migrations　and　shiftings　of　situation；　and　as　to　the　women；
it　is　amazing　how　flabby　and　sluggish　they　are。　The　Scythian　race
are　tawny　from　the　cold；　and　not　from　the　intense　heat　of　the　sun；　for
the　whiteness　of　the　skin　is　parched　by　the　cold；　and　becomes　tawny。
　　21。　It　is　impossible　that　persons　of　such　a　constitution　could　be
prolific；　for；　with　the　man；　the　sexual　desires　are　not　strong；
owing　to　the　laxity　of　his　constitution；　the　softness　and　coldness
of　his　belly；　from　all　which　causes　it　is　little　likely　that　a　man
should　be　given　to　venery；　and　besides；　from　being　jaded　by　exercise
on　horseback；　the　men　become　weak　in　their　desires。　On　the　part　of　the
men　these　are　the　causes；　but　on　that　of　the　women；　they　are
embonpoint　and　humidity；　for　the　womb　cannot　take　in　the　semen；　nor　is
the　menstrual　discharge　such　as　it　should　be；　but　scanty　and　at　too
long　intervals；　and　the　mouth　of　the　womb　is　shut　up　by　fat　and　does
not　admit　the　semen；　and；　moreover；　they　themselves　are　indolent　and
fat；　and　their　bellies　cold　and　soft。　From　these　causes　the　Scythian
race　is　not　prolific。　Their　female　servants　furnish　a　strong　proof
of　this；　for　they　no　sooner　have　connection　with　a　man　than　they　prove
with　child；　owing　to　their　active　course　of　life　and　the　slenderness
of　body。
　　22。　And；　in　addition　to　these；　there　are　many　eunuchs　among　the
Scythians；　who　perform　female　work；　and　speak　like　women。　Such　persons
are　called　effeminates。　The　inhabitants　of　the　country　attribute　the
cause　of　their　impotence　to　a　god；　and　venerate　and　worship　such
persons；　every　one　dreading　that　the　like　might　befall　himself；　but　to
me　it　appears　that　such　affections　are　just　as　much　divine　as　all
others　are；　and　that　no　one　disease　is　either　more　divine　or　more
human　than　another；　but　that　all　are　alike　divine；　for　that　each　has
its　own　nature；　and　that　no　one　arises　without　a　natural　cause。　But
I　will　explain　how　I　think　that　the　affection　takes　its　rise。　From
continued　exercise　on　horseback　they　are　seized　with　chronic
defluxions　in　their　joints　owing　to　their　legs　always　hanging　down
below　their　horses；　they　afterwards　become　lame　and　stiff　at　the
hip…joint；　such　of　them；　at　least；　as　are　severely　attacked　with　it。
They　treat　themselves　in　this　way：　when　the　disease　is　commencing；
they　open　the　vein　behind　either　ear；　and　when　the　blood　flows；　sleep；
from　feebleness；　seizes　them；　and　afterwards　they　awaken；　some　in　good
health　and　others　not。　To　me　it　appears　that　the　semen　is　altered　by
this　treatment；　for　there　are　veins　behind　the　ears　which；　if　cut；
induce　impotence；　now；　these　veins　would　appear　to　me　to　be　cut。
Such　persons　afterwards；　when　they　go　in　to　women　and　cannot　have
connection　with　them；　at　first　do　not　think　much　about　it；　but
remain　quiet；　but　when；　after　making　the　attempt　two；　three；　or　more
times；　they　succeed　no　better；　fancying　they　have　committed　some
offence　against　the　god　whom　they　blame　for　the　affection；　they　put　on
female　attire；　reproach　themselves　for　effeminacy；　play　the　part　of
women；　and　perform　the　same　work　as　women　do。　This　the　rich　among
the　Scythians　endure；　not　the　basest；　but　the　most　noble　and　powerful；
owing　to　their　riding　on　horseback；　for　the　poor　are　less　affected；　as
they　do　not　ride　on　horses。　And　yet；　if　this　disease　had　been　more
divine　than　the　others；　it　ought　not　to　have　befallen　the　most　noble
and　the　richest　of　the　Scythians　alone；　but　all　alike；　or　rather　those
who　have　little；　as　not　being　able　to　pay　honors　to　the　gods；　if；
indeed；　they　delight　in　being　thus　rewarded　by　men；　and　grant　favors
in　return；　for　it　is　likely　that　the　rich　sacrifice　more　to　the
gods；　and　dedicate　more　votive　offerings；　inasmuch　as　they　have
wealth；　and　worship　the　gods；　whereas　the　poor；　from　want；　do　less
in　this　way；　and；　moreover；　upbraid　the　gods　for　not　giving　them
wealth；　so　that　those　who　have　few　possessions　were　more　likely　to
bear　the　punishments　of　these　offences　than　the　rich。　But；　as　I
formerly　said；　these　affections　are　divine　just　as　much　as　others；　for
each　springs　from　a　natural　cause；　and　this　disease　arises　among　the
Scythians　from　such　a　cause　as　I　have　stated。　But　it　attacks　other　men
in　like　manner；　for　whenever　men　ride　much　and　very　frequently　on
horseback；　then　many　are　affected　with　rheums　in　the　joints；　sciatica；
and　gout；　and　they　are　inept　at　venery。　But　these　complaints　befall
the　Scythians；　and　they　are　the　most　impotent　of　men　for　the　aforesaid
causes；　and　because　they　always　wear　breeches；　and　spend　the　most　of
their　time　on　horseback；　so　as　not　to　touch　their　privy　parts　with　the
hands；　and　from　the　cold　and　fatigue　they　forget　the　sexual　desire；
and　do　not　make　the　attempt　until　after　they　have　lost　their　virility。
Thus　it　is　with　the　race　of　the　Scythians。
　　23。　The　other　races　in　Europe　differ　from　one　another；　both　as　to
stature　and　shape；　owing　to　the　changes　of　the　seasons；　which　are　very
great　and　frequent；　and　because　the　heat　is　strong；　the　winters
severe；　and　there　are　frequent　rains；　and　again　protracted　droughts；
and　winds；　from　which　many　and　diversified　changes　are　induced。
These　changes　are　likely　to　have　an　effect　upon　generation　in　the
coagulation　of　the　semen；　as　this　process　cannot　be　the　same　in　summer
as　in　winter；　nor　in　rainy　as　in　dry　weather；　wherefore；　I　think；　that
the　figures　of　Europeans　differ　more　than　those　of　Asiatics；　and
they　differ　very　much　from　one　another　as　to　stature　in　the　same　city；
for　vitiations　of　the　semen　occur　in　its　coagulation　more　frequently
during　frequent　changes　of　the　seasons；　than　where　they　are　alike
and　equable。　And　the　same　may　be　said　of　their　dispositions；　for　the
wild；　and　unsociable；　and　the　passionate　occur　in　such　a　constitution；
for　frequent　excitement　of　the　mind　induces　wildness；　and　extinguishes
sociableness　and　mildness　of　disposition；　and　therefore　I　think　the
inhabitants　of　Europe　more　courageous　than　those　of　Asia；　for　a
climate　which　is　always　the　same　induces　indolence；　but　a　changeable
climate；　laborious　exertions　both　of　body　and　mind；　and　from　rest
and　indolence　cowardice　is　engendered；　and　from　laborious　exertions
and　pains；　courage。　On　this　account　the　inhabitants　of　Europe　are　than
the　Asiatics；　and　also　owing　to　their　institutions；　because　they　are
not　governed　by　kings　like　the　latter；　for　where　men　are　governed　by
kings　there　they　must　be　very　cowardly；　as　I　have　stated　before；　for
their　souls　are　enslaved；　and　they　will　not　willingly；　or　readily
undergo　dangers　in　order　to　promote　the　power　of　another；　but　those
that　are　free　undertake　dangers　on　their　own　account；　and　not　for
the　sake　of　others；　they　court　hazard　and　go　ou