MELPOMENE. Ill

wf Greece, to which he had been accustomed from Ms
childhood. As often therefore as he conducted the
Scythian forces to the city of the Borysthenites, who
-affirm that they are descended from the Milesians, he
left his army before the town, and entering into the
place, secured the gates. He then threw aside his
Scythian dress, and assumed the habit of Greece. In
this, without guards or attendants, it was his custom
to parade through the public square, having the cau­
tion to place guards at the gates, that no one of his
co-untrymen might discover him. He not only thus
showed his partiality to the customs of Greece, but
he also sacrificed to the gods in the Grecian manner.
After continuing in the city for the space of a month,
and sometimes for more, he would resume Mb Scy­
thian dress, and depart. This he frequently repeated,
having built a palace in this town, and married an
inhabitant of the place.

LXXIX. It seemed however ordained that his end
should be unfortunate, which accordingly happened.
It was his desire to be initiated into the mysteries of
Bacchus; and he was already about to take some of
the sacred utensils in his hands, when the following
prodigy appeared to him. I have before mentioned
the palace which he had in the city of the Borysthe­
nites ; it was a very large and magnificent structure,
and the front of it was decorated with sphinxes and
griffins of white marble: the lightning of heaven de­
scended upon it, and it was totally consumed. Scyles
nevertheless persevered in what he had undertaken.
The Scythians reproach the Greeks on account of
their Bacchanalian festivals, and assert it to be con­
trary to reason, to suppose that any deity should
prompt men to acts of madness. When the initiation
of Scyles was completed, one of the Borysthenites
discovered to the Scythians what he had done. " You
Scythians," says he, " censure us on account of our
Bacchanalian rites, when we yield to the impulse of
the deity. This same deity has taken possession of
your sovereign, he is now obedient in his service, and
under the influence of his power. If you disbelieve
my words, you have only to follow me, and have ocu­