mentioned period, let your whole army advance, and surround the walls. At the Belidian and Cissian gates be careful that Persians are stationed. I think that the Babylonians, after witnessing my exploits in the field, will entrust me with the keys of those gates. Doubt not but the Persians, with my aid, will then accomplish the rest."

CLVI. After giving these injunctions, he proceeded towards the gates: and, to be consistent in the character which he assumed, he frequently stopped to look behind him. The centinels on the watch-towers, observing this, ran down to the gate, which opening a little, they inquired who he was, and what he wanted? When he told them his name was Zopyrus, and that he had deserted from the Persians, they conducted him before their magistrates. He then began a miserable tale of the injuries he had suffered from Darius, for no other reason but that he had advised him to withdraw his army, seeing no likelihood of his taking the city. "And now," says he, "ye men of Babylon, I come a friend to you, but a fatal enemy to Darius and his army. I am well acquainted with all his designs, and his treatment of me shall not be unrevenged."

CLVII. When the Babylonians beheld a Persian of such high rank deprived of his ears and his nose, covered with wounds and blood, they entertained no doubts of his sincerity, or of the friendliness of his intentions towards them. They were prepared to accede to all that he desired; and on his requesting a military command, they gave it him without hesitation. He then proceeded to the execution of what he had concerted with Darius. the tenth day, at the head of some Babylonian troops, he made a sally from the town, and encountering the Persians, who had been station

On

4 The character which he assumed.]-Many circumstances in the history of Zopyrus resemble those of Sinon in the Æneid.

Qui se ignotum venientibus ultro
Hoc ipsum ut strueret, Trojamque aperiret Achivis,
Obtulerat, fidens animi, atque in utrumque paratus
Seu versare dolos, seu certæ occumbere morti.-

Both tell a miserable tale of injuries received from their countrymen, and both affect an extraordinary zeal to distinguish themselves in the service of their natural enemies. Sinon says of himself

Cui neque apud Danaos usquam locus, et super ipsi
Dardanidæ infensi pœnas cum sanguine poscunt.
Again he says,

Fas mihi Graiorum sacrata resolvere jura,
Fas odisse viros, atque omnia ferre sub auras

Si qua tegunt: teneor patriæ nec legibus ullis.--T.

ed for this purpose by Darius, he put every one of them to death. The Babylonians, observing that his actions corresponded with his professions, were full of exultation, and were ready to yield him the most implicit obedience. A second time at the head of a chosen detachment of the besieged, he advanced from the town at the time appointed, and slew the two thousand soldiers of Darius. The joy of the citizens at this second exploit was so extreme that the name of Zopyrus resounded with praise from every tongue. The third time also, after the number of the days agreed upon had passed, he led forth his troops, attacked and slaughtered the four thousand. Zopyrus, after this, was every thing with the Babylonians, so that they made him the commander of their army, and guardian of their walls.

CLVIII. At the time appointed, Darius advanced with all his forces to the walls. The perfidy of Zopyrus then became apparent; for as soon as the Babylonians mounted the wall to repel the Persian assault, he immediately opened to his countrymen what are called the Belidian and Cissian gates. Those Babylonians who saw this transaction fled for refuge to the temple of Jupiter Belus; they who saw it not, continued in their posts, till the circumstance of their being betrayed became notorious to all.

CLIX. Thus was Babylon a second time taken. As soon as Darius became master of the place, he levelled the walls, and took away the gates, neither of which thing Cyrus had done before. Three thousand of the most distinguished nobility he ordered to be crucified : the rest were suffered to continue where they were. He took care also to provide them with women, for the Babylonians, as we have before remarked, to prevent a famine, had strangled their wives. Darius ordered the neighbouring nations to send females to Babylon, each being obliged to furnish a stipulated

5 Master of the place.]-Plutarch informs us, in his Apophthegms, that Xerxes being incensed against the Babylonians for revolting, after having conquered them a second time, forbade their carrying arms, and commanded them to employ their time in singing, music, and all kinds of dissipation, &c.

The Babylonians did not revolt under Xerxes. Plutarch assigns to him a fact, which regards Darius; however this may be, after the reduction of Babylon, the Persian monarchs fixed their residence in three great cities; the winter they passed at Babylon, the summer at Media, doubtless at Ecbatane and the greater part of the spring at Susa.-Larcher.

tained, they place it in deep wooden vessels, and the slaves are directed to keep it in continual agitation. Of this, that which remains at the top' is most esteemed, what subsides is of inferior value. This it is which induces the Scythians to deprive all their captives of sight, for they do not cultivate the ground, but lead a pastoral life.'

III. From the union of these slaves with the Scythian women, a numerous progeny was born, who, when informed of their origin, readily advanced to oppose those who were returning from Media. Their first exertion was to intersect the country by a large and deep trench, which extended from the mountains of Tauris 3 to the Palus Mootis. They then encamped opposite to the Scythians, who were endeavouring to effect their passage. Various engagements ensued, in which the Scythians obtained no advantage. My countrymen," at length one of them exclaimed, "what are we doing? In this contest with our slaves, every action diminishes our number, and by killing those who oppose us, the value of victory decreases: let us throw aside our darts and our

1 Remains at the top.]-Is it not surprising, asks M. Larcher in this place, that neither the Greeks nor the Latins had any term in their language to express cream?

Butter also was unknown to the Greeks and Romans till a late period. Pliny speaks of it as a common article of food among barbarous nations, and used by them as an unction. The very name of butter (Bourugov) which signifies cheese, or coagulum of cows' milk, implies an imperfect notion of the thing. It is clear that Herodotus here describes the making of butter, though he knew no nanie for the product. Pliny remarks, that the barbarous nations were as peculiar in neglecting cheese, as in making butter. Spuma lactis, which that author uses in describing what butter is, seems a very proper phrase for cream. Butter is often mentioned in Scripture; see Harmer's curious accounts of the modes of making it in the East, vol. i. and iii.-T.

2 Lead a pastoral life.]-The influence of food or climate, which in a more improved state of society is suspended or subdued by so many moral causes, most powerfully contributes to form and to maintain the national character of barbarians. In every age, the immense plains of Scythia or Tartary have been inhabited by vagrant tribes of hunters and shepherds, whose indolence refuses to cultivate the earth, and whose restless spirit disdains the confinement of a sedentary life.

Gibbon.

3 Mountains of Tauris.]-This peninsula is sometimes called the Taurica Chersonesus, sometimes simply Taurus, and here, by Herodotus, the mountains of Tauris. It signifies, as I undertand, in the Chaldaic and Syriac languages, the Peninsula of Oxen. From these beasts, of which the inhabitants were celebrated feeders, Eustathius, Not. in Dion. v. 306, tells us, that mount Taurus received its name.

which we use for our horses.

us with arms, they think themselves our equals in birth and importance; but as soon as they shall perceive the whip in our hands, they will be impressed with the sense of their servile condition, and resist no longer."

IV. The Scythians approved the advice; their opponents forgot their former exertions, and fled: so did the Scythians obtain the sovereignty of Asia; and thus, after having been expelled by the Medes, they returned to their country. From the above motives Darius, eager for revenge, prepared to lead an army against them.

V. The Scythians affirm of their country that it was of all others the last formed and in this manner :-When this region was in its original and desert state, the first inhabitant was named Targitaus, a son, as they say (but which to me seems incredible) of Jupiter, by a daughter of the Borysthenes. This Targitaus had three sons, Lipoxais, Arpoxais, and lastly Colaxais. Whilst they possessed the country, there fell from heaven into the Scythian district a plough, a yoke, an ax, and a goblet, all of gold. The eldest of the brothers was the first who saw them; who running to take them, was burnt by the gold. On his retiring, the second brother approached, and was burnt also. When these two had been repelled by the burning gold, last of all the youngest brother advanced; upon him the gold had no effect, and he carried it to his house. The two elder

brothers, observing what had happened, resigned all authority to the youngest.

VI. From Lipoxais those Scythians were descended who are termed the Auchatæ ; from Arpoxais, the second brother, those who are called the Catiari and the Traspies; from the youngest, who was king, came the Paralatæ. Generally speaking, these people are named Scoloti, from a surname of their king, but the Greeks call them Scythians.

5

VII. This is the account which the Scythians give of their origin; and they add, that from their first king Targitaus, to the invasion of their country by Darius, is a period of a thousand years, and no more. The sacred gold is preserved by their kings with the great

4 Last formed.]-Justin informs us, that the Scythians pretended to be more ancient than the Egyptians.-T. 5 Paralatæ.]-This passage will be involved in much perplexity, unless for Tous Baσianas be read To Bacinos -T.

est care; it is every year carried with great solemnity to every part of the kingdom, and upon this occasion there are sacrifices, with much pomp, at which the prince presides. They have a tradition, that if the person in whose custody this gold remains sleeps in the open air during the time of their annual festival, he dies before the end of the year, as much land is therefore given him as he can pass over on horseback in the course of a day." As this region is extensive, king Colaxais divided the country into three parts, which he gave to three sons, making that portion the largest in which the gold was deposited. As to the district which lies farther to the north, and beyond the extreme inhabitants of the country, they say that it neither can be passed, nor yet discerned with the eye, on account of the feathers which are continually falling: with these both the earth and the air are so filled, as effectually to obstruct the view.

VIII. Such is the manner in which the Scythians describe themselves and the country beyond them. The Greeks who inhabit Pontus speak of both as follows: Hercules, when he was driving away the heifers of Geryon,' came

6 As much land is therefore given him.]-This is, beyond doubt, a very perplexed and difficult passage; and all that the different annotators have done has been to intimate their conjectures. I have followed that which to my judgment seemed the happiest.

7 On horseback in the course of a day.]-Larcher adduces, from Pliny, Ovid, and Seneca, the three following passages, to prove that anciently this was the mode of rewarding merit:

Dona amplissima imperatorum et fortium civium
quantum quis uno die plurimum circumaravisset.-Pliny.
This from Ovid is more pertinent :-
At Proceres

Ruris honorati tantum tibi Cipe dedere
Quantum depresso subjectis bobus aratro
Complecti posses ad finem solis ab ortu.-

See also Seneca :

to this region, now inhabited by the Scythians, but which then was a desert. This Geryon lived beyond Pontus, in an island which the Greeks call Erythia, near Gades, which is situate in the ocean, and beyond the columns of Hercules. The ocean, they say, commencing at the east, flows round all the earth;"" this, however, they affirm without proving it. Hercules coming from thence, arrived at this country, now called Scythia, where, finding himself over.. taken by a severe storm, and being exceedingly cold, he wrapped himself up in his lion's skin, and went to sleep. They add, that his mares, which he had detached from his chariot to feed, by some divine interposition disappeared during his sleep.

IX. As soon as he awoke, he wandered over all the country in search of his mares, till at length he came to the district which is called Hylæa: there in a cave he discovered a female of most unnatural appearance, resembling a woman as far as the thighs, but whose lower parts were like a serpent."1 Hercules beheld her with astonishment, but he was not deterred from asking her whether she had seen his mares?

Palæphatus says, he lived at Tricarenia; and that, being called the Tricarenian Geryon, he was afterwards said to have had three heads.-T.

10. Flows round all the earth.]-Upon this passage the following remark occurs in Stillingfleet's Origin. Sacr.

book i. c. 4.

"It cannot be denied but a great deal of useful history may be fetched out of Herodotus; yet who can excuse his ignorance, when he not only denies there is an ocean compassing the land, but condemns the geographers for asserting it?" Herodotus, however, neither denies the fact, nor condemns the geographers.

11 Like a serpent.]-M. Pelloutier calls this monster a Syren, but Homer represents the Syrens as very lovely

women.

Diodorus Siculus speaks also of this monster, describing it like Herodotus. He makes her the mistress of Jupiter, by whom she had Scythes, who gave his name to the nation.-Larcher.

This in a great measure corresponds with Virgil's description of Scylla :

Prima hominis facies, et pulchro pectore virgo
Pube tenus: postrema immani corpore pistrix
Delphinum caudas utero commissa luporum.
See also Spenser's description of the mermaids :
They were fair ladies till they fondly strived
With th' Heliconian maids for maistery,
Of whom the overcomen were deprived
Of their proud beauty, and th' one moiety
Transformed to fish, for their bold surquedry;
But the upper half their hue retained still,
And their sweet skill in wonted melody,
Which ever after they abused to ill,

To allure weak travellers, whom gotten they did kill.
See also his description of Echidna:

Yet did her face and former parts profess
A fair young maiden full of comely glee;
But all her hinder parts did plain express,
A monstrous dragon, full of fearful ugliness.