the history-第85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！


od　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　the　whole　of　the　other　continent；　had　thrown　a　bridge　over　the　strait　of　the　Bosphorus；　and　crossed　into　the　continent　of　Europe；　where　he　had　reduced　the　Thracians；　and　was　now　making　a　bridge　over　the　Ister；　his　aim　being　to　bring　under　his　sway　all　Europe　also。　〃Stand　ye　not　aloof　then　from　this　contest；〃　they　went　on　to　say；　〃look　not　on　tamely　while　we　are　perishing…　but　make　common　cause　with　us；　and　together　let　us　meet　the　enemy。　If　ye　refuse；　we　must　yield　to　the　pressure；　and　either　quit　our　country；　or　make　terms　with　the　invaders。　For　what　else　is　left　for　us　to　do；　if　your　aid　be　withheld　from　us？　The　blow；　be　sure；　will　not　light　on　you　more　gently　upon　this　account。　The　Persian　comes　against　you　no　less　than　against　us：　and　will　not　be　content；　after　we　are　conquered；　to　leave　you　in　peace。　We　can　bring　strong　proof　of　what　we　here　advance。　Had　the　Persian　leader　indeed　come　to　avenge　the　wrongs　which　he　suffered　at　our　hands　when　we　enslaved　his　people；　and　to　war　on　us　only；　he　would　have　been　bound　to　march　straight　upon　Scythia；　without　molesting　any　nation　by　the　way。　Then　it　would　have　been　plain　to　all　that　Scythia　alone　was　aimed　at。　But　now；　what　has　his　conduct　been？　From　the　moment　of　his　entrance　into　Europe；　he　has　subjugated　without　exception　every　nation　that　lay　in　his　path。　All　the　tribes　of　the　Thracians　have　been　brought　under　his　sway；　and　among　them　even　our　next　neighbours；　the　Getae。〃　　　　　The　assembled　princes　of　the　nations；　after　hearing　all　that　the　Scythians　had　to　say；　deliberated。　At　the　end　opinion　was　divided…　the　kings　of　the　Geloni；　Budini；　and　Sauromatae　were　of　accord；　and　pledged　themselves　to　give　assistance　to　the　Scythians；　but　the　Agathyrsian　and　Neurian　princes；　together　with　the　sovereigns　of　the　Androphagi；　the　Melanchaeni；　and　the　Tauri；　replied　to　their　request　as　follows：…　〃If　you　had　not　been　the　first　to　wrong　the　Persians；　and　begin　the　war；　we　should　have　thought　the　request　you　make　just；…　we　should　then　have　complied　with　your　wishes；　and　joined　our　arms　with　yours。　Now；　however；　the　case　stands　thus…　you；　independently　of　us；　invaded　the　land　of　the　Persians；　and　so　long　as　God　gave　you　the　power；　lorded　it　over　them：　raised　up　now　by　the　same　God；　they　are　come　to　do　to　you　the　like。　We；　on　our　part；　did　no　wrong　to　these　men　in　the　former　war；　and　will　not　be　the　first　to　commit　wrong　now。　If　they　invade　our　land；　and　begin　aggressions　upon　us；　we　will　not　suffer　them；　but；　till　we　see　this　come　to　pass；　we　will　remain　at　home。　For　we　believe　that　the　Persians　are　not　come　to　attack　us；　but　to　punish　those　who　are　guilty　of　first　injuring　them。〃　　　　　When　this　reply　reached　the　Scythians；　they　resolved；　as　the　neighbouring　nations　refused　their　alliance；　that　they　would　not　openly　venture　on　any　pitched　battle　with　the　enemy；　but　would　retire　before　them；　driving　off　their　herds；　choking　up　all　the　wells　and　springs　as　they　retreated；　and　leaving　the　whole　country　bare　of　forage。　They　divided　themselves　into　three　bands；　one　of　which；　namely；　that　commanded　by　Scopasis；　it　was　agreed　should　be　joined　by　the　Sauromatae；　and　if　the　Persians　advanced　in　the　direction　of　the　Tanais；　should　retreat　along　the　shores　of　the　Palus　Maeotis　and　make　for　that　river；　while　if　the　Persians　retired；　they　should　at　once　pursue　and　harass　them。　The　two　other　divisions；　the　principal　one　under　the　command　of　Idanthyrsus；　and　the　third；　of　which　Taxacis　was　king；　were　to　unite　in　one；　and；　joined　by　the　detachments　of　the　Geloni　and　Budini；　were；　like　the　others；　to　keep　at　the　distance　of　a　day's　march　from　the　Persians；　falling　back　as　they　advanced；　and　doing　the　same　as　the　others。　And　first；　they　were　to　take　the　direction　of　the　nations　which　had　refused　to　join　the　alliance；　and　were　to　draw　the　war　upon　them：　that　so；　if　they　would　not　of　their　own　free　will　engage　in　the　contest；　they　might　by　these　means　be　forced　into　it。　Afterwards；　it　was　agreed　that　they　should　retire　into　their　own　land；　and；　should　it　on　deliberation　appear　to　them　expedient；　join　battle　with　the　enemy。　　　　　When　these　measures　had　been　determined　on；　the　Scythians　went　out　to　meet　the　army　of　Darius；　sending　on　in　front　as　scouts　the　fleetest　of　their　horsemen。　Their　waggons　wherein　their　women　and　their　children　lived；　and　all　their　cattle；　except　such　a　number　as　was　wanted　for　food；　which　they　kept　with　them；　were　made　to　precede　them　in　their　retreat；　and　departed；　with　orders　to　keep　marching；　without　change　of　course；　to　the　north。　　　　　The　scouts　of　the　Scythians　found　the　Persian　host　advanced　three　days'　march　from　the　Ister；　and　immediately　took　the　lead　of　them　at　the　distance　of　a　day's　march；　encamping　from　time　to　time；　and　destroying　all　that　grow　on　the　ground。　The　Persians　no　sooner　caught　sight　of　the　Scythian　horse　than　they　pursued　upon　their　track；　while　the　enemy　retired　before　them。　The　pursuit　of　the　Persians　was　directed　towards　the　single　division　of　the　Scythian　army；　and　thus　their　line　of　march　was　eastward　toward　the　Tanais。　The　Scyths　crossed　the　river　and　the　Pers