MELPOMENE. 113

that which is to be seen in the ontrance of Pontus,
consecrated there by Pausanias, the son of Cleombro-
ttts. For the benefit of those who may not have seen
it, I shall.here describe it. This vessel, which is in
Scythia, is of the thickness of six digits, and capable
of containing six hundred amphoras. The natives
say that it was made of the points of arrows, for that
Ariantas, one of their kings, being desirous to ascer­
tain the number of the Scythians, commanded each
of* his subjects, on pain of death, to bring him the point
of an arrow: by these means, so prodigious a quantity
were collected, that this vessel was composed from
them. It was left by the prince as a monument of the
fact, and by him consecrated at Exampaeus. This is
what I have heard of the populousness of Scythia.

LXXXII. This country has nothing remarkable
except its rivers, which are equally large and numer­
ous. If besides these and its vast and extensive
plains, it possesses any thing worthy of admiration, it
is an impression which they show of the foot of Her­
cules. This is upon a rock, two cubits in size, but
resembling the footstep of a man; it is near the river
Tyras.

LXXXIII. I shall now return to the subject from
Which I originally digressed. Darius, preparing to
make an expedition against Scythia, despatched emis­
saries different ways, commanding some of his de­
pendants to raise a supply of infantry, others to pre­
pare a fleet, and others to throw a bridge over the
Thracian Bosphorus. Artabanus, son of Hystaspes,
and brother of Darius, endeavoured to dissuade the
prince from his purpose, urging with great wisdom
the indigence of Scythia; nor would he desist till he
found all his arguments ineffectual. Darius, having
completed his preparations, advanced from Susa with
his army.

LXXXIV. Upon this occasion a Persian, whose
name was CEbazus, and who had three sons in the
army, asked permission of the king to detain one of
them. The king replied, as to a friend, that the pe­
tition was very modest, " and that he would leave him
all the three." CEbazus was greatly delighted, and

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