MELPOMENE. 117

is to be despatched as a messenger to Zamolxis, to
make known to him their several wants. The cere­
mony they observe on this occasion is this:—Three
amongst them are appointed to hold in their hands
three javelins, whilst others seize by the feet and hands
the person who is appointed to appear before Za-
molxjs; they throw him up, so as to make him fall
upon the javelins. If he dies in consequence, they
imagine that the deity is propitious to them; if not,
they accuse the victim of being a wicked man. Hav­
ing disgraced him, they proceed to the election of
another, giving him, whilst yet alive, their commands.
This same people, whenever it thunders or lightens,
throw their weapons into the air, as if menacing their
god; and they seriously believe that there is no other
deity.

XCV. This Zamolxis, as I have been informed by
those Greeks who inhabit the Hellespont and the
Euxine, was himself a man, and formerly lived at
Samoa, in the service of Pythagoras, son of Mnesar-
chus; having obtained his liberty, with considerable
wealth, he returned to his country. Here he found the
Thracians distinguished equally by their profligacy
and their ignorance; whilst he himself had been ac­
customed to the Ionian mode of life, and to manners
more polished than those of Thrace; he had also been
connected with Pythagoras, one of the most celebrat­
ed philosophers of Greece. He was therefore induced
to build a large mansion, to which he invited the most
eminent of his fellow-citizens: he took the opportu­
nity of the festive hour to assure them, that neither
himself, his guests, nor any of their descendants,
should ever die, but should be removed to a place,
where they were to remain in the perpetual enjoy­
ment of every blessing. After saying this, and con­
ducting himself accordingly, he constructed a subter­
ranean edifice: when it was completed, he withdrew
himself from the sight of his countrymen, and resided
for three years beneath the earth.—During this period,
the Thracians regretted his loss, and lamented him
at dead. In the fourth year he again appeared among