the history-第58章

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esh。　　　　　As　Scythia；　however；　is　utterly　barren　of　firewood；　a　plan　has　had　to　be　contrived　for　boiling　the　flesh；　which　is　the　following。　After　flaying　the　beasts；　they　take　out　all　the　bones；　and　（if　they　possess　such　gear）　put　the　flesh　into　boilers　made　in　the　country；　which　are　very　like　the　cauldrons　of　the　Lesbians；　except　that　they　are　of　a　much　larger　size；　then　placing　the　bones　of　the　animals　beneath　the　cauldron；　they　set　them　alight；　and　so　boil　the　meat。　If　they　do　not　happen　to　possess　a　cauldron；　they　make　the　animal's　paunch　hold　the　flesh；　and　pouring　in　at　the　same　time　a　little　water；　lay　the　bones　under　and　light　them。　The　bones　burn　beautifully；　and　the　paunch　easily　contains　all　the　flesh　when　it　is　stript　from　the　bones；　so　that　by　this　plan　your　ox　is　made　to　boil　himself；　and　other　victims　also　to　do　the　like。　When　the　meat　is　all　cooked；　the　sacrificer　offers　a　portion　of　the　flesh　and　of　the　entrails；　by　casting　it　on　the　ground　before　him。　They　sacrifice　all　sorts　of　cattle；　but　most　commonly　horses。　　　　　Such　are　the　victims　offered　to　the　other　gods；　and　such　is　the　mode　in　which　they　are　sacrificed；　but　the　rites　paid　to　Mars　are　different。　In　every　district；　at　the　seat　of　government；　there　stands　a　temple　of　this　god；　whereof　the　following　is　a　description。　It　is　a　pile　of　brushwood；　made　of　a　vast　quantity　of　fagots；　in　length　and　breadth　three　furlongs；　in　height　somewhat　less；　having　a　square　platform　upon　the　top；　three　sides　of　which　are　precipitous；　while　the　fourth　slopes　so　that　men　may　walk　up　it。　Each　year　a　hundred　and　fifty　waggon…loads　of　brushwood　are　added　to　the　pile；　which　sinks　continually　by　reason　of　the　rains。　An　antique　iron　sword　is　planted　on　the　top　of　every　such　mound；　and　serves　as　the　image　of　Mars：　yearly　sacrifices　of　cattle　and　of　horses　are　made　to　it；　and　more　victims　are　offered　thus　than　to　all　the　rest　of　their　gods。　When　prisoners　are　taken　in　war；　out　of　every　hundred　men　they　sacrifice　one；　not　however　with　the　same　rites　as　the　cattle；　but　with　different。　Libations　of　wine　are　first　poured　upon　their　heads；　after　which　they　are　slaughtered　over　a　vessel；　the　vessel　is　then　carried　up　to　the　top　of　the　pile；　and　the　blood　poured　upon　the　scymitar。　While　this　takes　place　at　the　top　of　the　mound；　below；　by　the　side　of　the　temple；　the　right　hands　and　arms　of　the　slaughtered　prisoners　are　cut　off；　and　tossed　on　high　into　the　air。　Then　the　other　victims　are　slain；　and　those　who　have　offered　the　sacrifice　depart；　leaving　the　hands　and　arms　where　they　may　chance　to　have　fallen；　and　the　bodies　also；　separate。　　　　　Such　are　the　observances　of　the　Scythians　with　respect　to　sacrifice。　They　never　use　swine　for　the　purpose；　nor　indeed　is　it　their　wont　to　breed　them　in　any　part　of　their　country。　　　　　In　what　concerns　war；　their　customs　are　the　following。　The　Scythian　soldier　drinks　the　blood　of　the　first　man　he　overthrows　in　battle。　Whatever　number　he　slays；　he　cuts　off　all　their　heads；　and　carries　them　to　the　king；　since　he　is　thus　entitled　to　a　share　of　the　booty；　whereto　he　forfeits　all　claim　if　he　does　not　produce　a　head。　In　order　to　strip　the　skull　of　its　covering；　he　makes　a　cut　round　the　head　above　the　ears；　and；　laying　hold　of　the　scalp；　shakes　the　skull　out；　then　with　the　rib　of　an　ox　he　scrapes　the　scalp　clean　of　flesh；　and　softening　it　by　rubbing　between　the　hands；　uses　it　thenceforth　as　a　napkin。　The　Scyth　is　proud　of　these　scalps；　and　hangs　them　from　his　bridle…rein；　the　greater　the　number　of　such　napkins　that　a　man　can　show；　the　more　highly　is　he　esteemed　among　them。　Many　make　themselves　cloaks；　like　the　capotes　of　our　peasants；　by　sewing　a　quantity　of　these　scalps　together。　Others　flay　the　right　arms　of　their　dead　enemies；　and　make　of　the　skin；　which　stripped　off　with　the　nails　hanging　to　it；　a　covering　for　their　quivers。　Now　the　skin　of　a　man　is　thick　and　glossy；　and　would　in　whiteness　surpass　almost　all　other　hides。　Some　even　flay　the　entire　body　of　their　enemy；　and　stretching　it　upon　a　frame　carry　it　about　with　them　wherever　they　ride。　Such　are　the　Scythian　customs　with　respect　to　scalps　and　skins。　　　　　The　skulls　of　their　enemies；　not　indeed　of　all；　but　of　those　whom　they　most　detest；　they　treat　as　follows。　Having　sawn　off　the　portion　below　the　eyebrows；　and　cleaned　out　the　inside；　they　cover　the　outside　with　leather。　When　a　man　is　poor；　this　is　all　that　he　does；　but　if　he　is　rich；　he　also　lines　the　inside　with　gold：　in　either　case　the　skull　is　used　as　a　drinking…cup。　They　do　the　same　with　the　skulls　of　their　own　kith　and　kin　if　they　have　been　at　feud　with　them；　and　have　vanquished　them　in　the　presence　of　the　king。　When　strangers　whom　they　deem　of　any　account　come　to　visit　them；　these　skulls　are　handed　round；　and　the　host　tells　how　that　these　were　his　relations　who　made　war　upon　him；　and　how　that　he　got　the　better　of　them；　all　this　being　looked　upon　as　proof　of　bravery。　　　　　Once　a　year　the　governor　of　each　district；　at　a　set　place　in　his　own　province；　mingles　a　bowl　of　wine；　of　which　all　Scythians　have　a　right　to　drink　by　whom　foes　have　been　slain；　while　they　who　have　slain　no　enemy　are　not　allowed　to　taste　of　the　bowl；　but　sit　aloof　in　disgrace。　No　greater　shame　than　this　can　happen　to　them。　Such　as　have　slain　a　very　large　number　of　foes；　have　two　cups　instead　of　one；　and　drink　from　both。　　　　　Scythia　has　an　abundance　of　soothsayers；　who　foretell　the　future　by　means　of　a　number　of　willow　wands。　A　large　bundle　of　these　wands　is　brought　and　laid　on　the　ground。　The　soothsayer　unties　the　bundle；　and　places　each　wand　by　itself；　at　the　same　time　uttering　his　prophecy：　then；　while　he　is　still　speaking；　he　gathers　the　rods　together　again；　and　makes　them　up　once　more　into　a　bundle。　This　mode　of　divination　is　of　home　growth　in　Scythia。　The　Enarees；　or　woman…like　men；　have　another　method；　which　they　say　Venus　taught　them。　It　is　done　with　the　inner　bark　of　the　linden…tree。　They　take　a　piece　of　this　bark；　and；　splitting　it　into　three　strips；　keep　twining　the　strips　about　their　fingers；　and　untwining　them；　while　they　prophesy。　　　　　Whenever　the　Scythian　king　falls　sick；　he　sends　for　the　three　soothsayers　of　most　renown　at　the　time；　who　come　and　make　trial　of　their　art　in　the　mode　above　described。　Generally　they　say　that　the　king　is　ill　because　such　or　such　a　person；　mentioning　his　name；　has　sworn　falsely　by　the　royal　hearth。　This　is　the　usual　oath　among　the　Scythians；　when　they　wish　to　swear　with　very　great　solemnity。　Then　the　man　accused　of　having　foresworn　himself　is　arrested　and　brought　before　the　king。　The　soothsayers　tell　him　that　by　their　art　it　is　clear　he　has　sworn　a　false　oath　by　the　royal　hearth；　and　so　caused　the　illness　of　the　king…　he　denies　the　charge；　protests　that　he　has　sworn　no　false　oath；　and　loudly　complains　of　the　wrong　done　to　him。　Upon　this　the　king　sends　for　six　new　soothsayers；　who　try　the　matter　by　soothsaying。　If　they　too　find　the　man　guilty　of　the　offence；　straightway　he　is　beheaded　by　those　who　first　accused　him；　and　his　goods　are　parted　among　them：　if；　on　the　contrary；　they　acquit　him；　other　soothsayers；　and　again　others；　are　sent　for；　to　try　the　case。　Should　the　greater　number　decide　in　favour　of　the　man's　innocence；　then　they　who　first　accused　him　forfeit　their　lives。　　　　　The　mode　of　their　execution　is　the　following：　a　waggon　is　loaded　with　brushwood；　and　oxen　are　harnessed　to　it；　the　soothsayers；　with　their　feet　tied　together；　their　hands　bound　behind　their　backs；　and　their　mouths　gagged；　are　thrust　into　the　midst　of　the　brushwood；　finally　the　wood　is　set　alight；　and　the　oxen；　being　startled；　are　made　to　rush　off　with　the　waggon。　It　often　happens　that　the　oxen　and　the　soothsayers　are　both　consumed　together；　but　sometimes　the　pole　of　the　waggon　is　burnt　through；　and　the　oxen　escape　with　a　scorching。　Diviners…　lying　diviners；　they　call　them…　are　burnt　in　the　way　described；　for　other　causes　besides　the　one　here　spoken　of。　When　the　king　puts　one　of　them　to　death；　he　takes　care　not　to　let　any　of　his　sons　survive：　all　the　male　offspring　are　slain　with　the　father；　only　the　females　being　allowed　to　live。　　　　　Oaths　among　the　Scyths　are　accompanied　with　the　following　ceremonies：　a　large　earthern　bowl　is　filled　with　wine；　and　the　parties　to　the　oath；　wounding　themselves　slightly　with　a　knife　or　an　awl；　drop　some　of　their　blood　into　the　wine；　then　they　plunge　into　the　mixture　a　scymitar；　some　arrows；　a　battle…axe；　and　a　javelin；　all　the　while　repeating　prayers；　lastly　the　two　contracting　parties　drink　each　a　draught　from　the　bowl；　as　do　also　the　chief　men　among　their　followers。　　　　　The　tombs　of　their　kings　are　in　the　land　of　the　Gerrhi；　who　dwell　at　the　point　where　the　Borysthenes　is　first　navigable。　Here；　when　the　king　dies；　they　dig　a　grave；　which　is　square　in　shape；　and　of　great　size。　When　it　is　ready；　they　take　the　king's　corpse；　and；　having　opened　the　belly；　and　cleaned　out　the　inside；　fill　the　cavity　with　a　preparation　of　chopped　cypress；　frankincense；　parsley…seed；　and　anise…seed；　after　which　they　sew　up　the　opening；　enclose　the　body　in　wax；　and；　placing　it　on　a　waggon；　carry　it　about　through　all　the　different　tribes。　On　this　procession　each　tribe；　when　it　receives　the　corpse；　imitates　the　example　which　is　first　set　by　the　Royal　Scythians；　every　man　chops　off　a　piece　of　his　ear；　crops　his　hair　close；　and　makes　a　cut　all　round　his　arm；　lacerates　his　forehead　and　his　nose；　and　thrusts　an　arrow　through　his　left　hand。　Then　they　who　have　the　care　of　the　corpse　carry　it　with　them　to　another　of　the　tribes　which　are　under　the　Scythian　rule；　followed　by　those　whom　they　first　visited。　On　completing　the　circuit　of　all　the　tribes　under　their　sway；　they　find　themselves　in　the　country　of　the　Gerrhi；　who　are　the　most　remote　of　all；　and　so　they　come　to　the　tombs　of　the　kings。　There　the　body　of　the　dead　king　is　laid　in　the　grave　prepared　for　it；　stretched　upon　a　mattress；　spears　are　fixed　in　the　ground　on　either　side　of　the　corpse；　and　beams　stretched　across　above　it　to　form　a　roof；　which　is　covered　with　a　thatching　of　osier　twigs。　In　the　open　space　around　the　body　of　the　king　they　bury　one　of　his　concubines；　first　killing　her　by　strangling；　and　also　his　cup…bearer；　his　cook；　his　groom；　his　lacquey；　his　messenger；　some　of　his　horses；　firstlings　of　all　his　other　possessions；　and　some　golden　cups；　for　they　use　neither　silver　nor　brass。　After　this　they　set　to　work；　and　raise　a　vast　mound　above　the　grave；　all　of　them　vying　with　each　other　and　seeking　to　make　it　as　tall　as　possible。　　　　　When　a　year　is　gone　by；　further　ceremonies　take　place。　Fifty　of　the　best　of　the　late　king's　attendants　are　taken；　all　native　Scythians…　for；　as　bought　slaves　are　unknown　in　the　country；　the　Scythian　kings　choose　any　of　their　subjects　that　they　like；　to　wait　on　them…　fifty　of　these　are　taken　and　strangled；　with　fifty　of　the　most　beautiful　horses。　When　they　are　dead；　their　bowels　are　taken　out；　and　the　cavity　cleaned；　filled　full　of　chaff；　and　straightway　sewn　up　again。　This　done；　a　number　of　posts　are　driven　into　the　ground；　in　sets　of　two　pairs　each；　and　on　every　pair　half　the　felly　of　a　wheel　is　placed　archwise；　then　strong　stakes　are　run　lengthways　through　the　bodies　of　the　horses　from　tail　to　neck；　and　they　are　mounted　up　upon　the　fellies；　so　that　the　felly　in　front　supports　the　shoulders　of　the　h