118 MELPOMENE.

them, and by this artifice gave the appearance
probability to what he had before asserted.

XCVI. To this story of the subterraneous apa
merit, I do not give much credit, though I pretend i
to dispute it; I am, however, very certain that 2—-.
molxis must have lived many years before Pythago- 1
ras: whether, therefore, he was a man, or the deity of
the Getae, enough has been said concerning hint.
These Getae, using the ceremonies I have described,
after submitting themselves to the Persians under
Darius, followed his army.

XCVII. Darius, when he arrived at the Ister, pass­
ed the river with his army; he then commanded the
Ionians to break down the bridge, and to follow him
-with all the men of their fleet. When they were
about to comply with his orders, Coes, son of Erxan-
der, and leader of the Mytilenians, after requesting
permission of the king to deliver his sentiments, ad­
dressed him as follows:

" As you are going, Sir, to attack a country, which,
if report may be believed, is without cities, and en­
tirely uncultivated, suffer the bridge to continue as it
is, under the care of those who constructed it:—By
means of this, our return will be secured, whether we
find the Scythians, and succeed against them accord­
ing to our wishes, or whether they elude our endea­
vours to discover them. I am not at all apprehensive
that the Scythians will overcome us; but I think that
if we do not meet them, we shall suffer from our
ignorance of the country. It may be said, perhaps,
that I speak from selfish considerations, and that I
am desirous of being left behind; but my real motive
is a regard for your interest, whom at all events I am
determined to follow."

With this counsel Darius was greatly delighted,
: and thus replied :—" My Lesbian friend, when I shall
return safe and fortunate from this expedition, I beg
that I may see you, and I will not fail amply to re­
ward you, for your excellent advice."

XCVIII. After this speech, the king took a cord,
upon which he tied sixty knots, then sending for the
Ionian chiefs, he thus addressed them:— ♦