MELPOMENE. 131

appeared in arms upon their borders. But the Me-
lanchlsni, the Androphagi, and the Neuri, although
they had suffered equally from the Persians and the
Scythians, neither made any exertions, nor remem­
bered what they had before menaced, but fled in alarm
to the deserts of the north. The Scythians, turning
aside from the Agathyrsi, who had refused to assist
them, retreated from the country of the Neuri, to­
wards Scythia, whither they were pursued by the
Persians.

CXXVI. As they continued to persevere in the
same conduct, Darius was induced to send a messen­
ger to Indathyrsus, the Scythian prince. "Most
wretched man," said the ambassador, " why do you
thus continue to fly, having the choice of one of these
alternatives ?—if you think yourself able to contend
with me, stop and let us engage: if you feel a con­
scious inferiority, bring to me, as to your superior,
earth and water. Let us come to a conference."

CXXVII. The Scythian monarch made this reply :
" It is not my disposition, O Persian, to fly from any
man through fear; neither do I now fly from you.
My present conduct differs not at all from that which
I pursue in a state of peace. Why I do not contend
with you in the open field, I will explain: we have no
inhabited towns nor cultivated lands of which we can
fear your invasion or your plunder, and have there­
fore no occasion to engage with you precipitately:
but we have the sepulchres of our fathers, these you
may discover; and if you endeavour to injure them,
you shall soon know how far we are able or willing
to resist you; till then we will not meet you in battle.
Remember farther, that I acknowledge no master or
superior, but Jupiter, who was my ancestor, and His-
tia, the Scythian queen. Instead of the presents
which you require, of earth and water, I will send you
such as you belter deserve: and in return for your
calling yourself my master, I only bid you weep."
Such was the answer of the Scythian, which the am­
bassador related to Darius.

CXXVIII. The very idea of servitude exasperated
the Scythian princes; they accordingly despatched