the history-第60章

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ountry　has　no　marvels　except　its　rivers；　which　are　larger　and　more　numerous　than　those　of　any　other　land。　These；　and　the　vastness　of　the　great　plain；　are　worthy　of　note；　and　one　thing　besides；　which　I　am　about　to　mention。　They　show　a　footmark　of　Hercules；　impressed　on　a　rock；　in　shape　like　the　print　of　a　man's　foot；　but　two　cubits　in　length。　It　is　in　the　neighbourhood　of　the　Tyras。　Having　described　this；　I　return　to　the　subject　on　which　I　originally　proposed　to　discourse。　　　　　The　preparations　of　Darius　against　the　Scythians　had　begun；　messengers　had　been　despatched　on　all　sides　with　the　king's　commands；　some　being　required　to　furnish　troops；　others　to　supply　ships；　others　again　to　bridge　the　Thracian　Bosphorus；　when　Artabanus；　son　of　Hystaspes　and　brother　of　Darius；　entreated　the　king　to　desist　from　his　expedition；　urging　on　him　the　great　difficulty　of　attacking　Scythia。　Good；　however；　as　the　advice　of　Artabanus　was；　it　failed　to　persuade　Darius。　He　therefore　ceased　his　reasonings；　and　Darius；　when　his　preparations　were　complete；　led　his　army　forth　from　Susa。　　　　　It　was　then　that　a　certain　Persian；　by　name　Oeobazus；　the　father　of　three　sons；　all　of　whom　were　to　accompany　the　army；　came　and　prayed　the　king　that　he　would　allow　one　of　his　sons　to　remain　with　him。　Darius　made　answer；　as　if　he　regarded　him　in　the　light　of　a　friend　who　had　urged　a　moderate　request；　〃that　he　would　allow　them　all　to　remain。〃　Oeobazus　was　overjoyed；　expecting　that　all　his　children　would　be　excused　from　serving；　the　king；　however；　bade　his　attendants　take　the　three　sons　of　Oeobazus　and　forthwith　put　them　to　death。　Thus　they　were　all　left　behind；　but　not　till　they　had　been　deprived　of　life。　　　　　When　Darius；　on　his　march　from　Susa；　reached　the　territory　of　Chalcedon　on　the　shores　of　the　Bosphorus；　where　the　bridge　had　been　made；　he　took　ship　and　sailed　thence　to　the　Cyanean　islands；　which；　according　to　the　Greeks；　once　floated。　He　took　his　seat　also　in　the　temple　and　surveyed　the　Pontus；　which　is　indeed　well　worthy　of　consideration。　There　is　not　in　the　world　any　other　sea　so　wonderful：　it　extends　in　length　eleven　thousand　one　hundred　furlongs；　and　its　breadth；　at　the　widest　part；　is　three　thousand　three　hundred。　The　mouth　is　but　four　furlongs　wide；　and　this　strait；　called　the　Bosphorus；　and　across　which　the　bridge　of　Darius　had　been　thrown；　is　a　hundred　and　twenty　furlongs　in　length；　reaching　from　the　Euxine　to　the　Propontis。　The　Propontis　is　five　hundred　furlongs　across；　and　fourteen　hundred　long。　Its　waters　flow　into　the　Hellespont；　the　length　of　which　is　four　hundred　furlongs；　and　the　width　no　more　than　seven。　The　Hellespont　opens　into　the　wide　sea　called　the　Egean。　　　　　The　mode　in　which　these　distances　have　been　measured　is　the　following。　In　a　long　day　a　vessel　generally　accomplishes　about　seventy　thousand　fathoms；　in　the　night　sixty　thousand。　Now　from　the　mouth　of　the　Pontus　to　the　river　Phasis；　which　is　the　extreme　length　of　this　sea；　is　a　voyage　of　nine　days　and　eight　nights；　which　makes　the　distance　one　million　one　hundred　and　ten　thousand　fathoms；　or　eleven　thousand　one　hundred　furlongs。　Again；　from　Sindica；　to　Themiscyra　on　the　river　Thermodon；　where　the　Pontus　is　wider　than　at　any　other　place；　is　a　sail　of　three　days　and　two　nights；　which　makes　three　hundred　and　thirty　thousand　fathoms；　or　three　thousand　three　hundred　furlongs。　Such　is　the　plan　on　which　I　have　measured　the　Pontus；　the　Bosphorus；　and　the　Hellespont；　and　such　is　the　account　which　I　have　to　give　of　them。　The　Pontus　has　also　a　lake　belonging　to　it；　not　very　much　inferior　to　itself　in　size。　The　waters　of　this　lake　run　into　the　Pontus：　it　is　called　the　Maeotis；　and　also　the　Mother　of　the　Pontus。　　　　　Darius；　after　he　had　finished　his　survey；　sailed　back　to　the　bridge；　which　had　been　constructed　for　him　by　Mandrocles　a　Samian。　He　likewise　surveyed　the　Bosphorus；　and　erected　upon　its　shores　two　pillars　of　white　marble；　whereupon　he　inscribed　the　names　of　all　the　nations　which　formed　his　army…　on　the　one　pillar　in　Greek；　on　the　other　in　Assyrian　characters。　Now　his　army　was　drawn　from　all　the　nations　under　his　sway；　and　the　whole　amount；　without　reckoning　the　naval　forces；　was　seven　hundred　thousand　men；　including　cavalry。　The　fleet　consisted　of　six　hundred　ships。　Some　time　afterwards　the　Byzantines　removed　these　pillars　to　their　own　city；　and　used　them　for　an　altar　which　they　erected　to　Orthosian　Diana。　One　block　remained　behind：　it　lay　near　the　temple　of　Bacchus　at　Byzantium；　and　was　covered　with　Assyrian　writing。　The　spot　where　Darius　bridged　the　Bosphorus　was；　I　think；　but　I　speak　only　from　conjecture；　half…way　between　the　city　of　Byzantium　and　the　temple　at　the　mouth　of　the　strait。　　　　　Darius　was　so　pleased　with　the　bridge　thrown　across　the　strait　by　the　Samain　Mandrocles；　that　he　not　only　bestowed　upon　him　all　the　customary　presents；　but　gave　him　ten　of　every　kind。　Mandrocles；　by　the　way　of　offering　first…fruits　from　these　presents；　caused　a　picture　to　be　painted　which　showed　the　whole　of　the　bridge；　with　King　Darius　sitting　in　a　seat　of　honour；　and　his　army　engaged　in　the　passage。　This　painting　he　dedicated　in　the　temple　of　Juno　at　Samos；　attaching　to　it　the　inscription　following：…

　　　　The　fish…fraught　Bosphorus　bridged；　to　Juno's　fane　　　　　　　Did　Mandrocles　this　proud　memorial　bring；　　　　　When　for　himself　a　crown　he'd　skill　to　gain；　　　　　　　For　Samos　praise；　contenting　the　Great　King。

Such　was　the　memorial　of　his　work　which　was　left　by　the　architect　of　the　bridge。　　　　　Darius；　after　rewarding　Mandrocles；　passed　into　Europe；　while　he　ordered　the　Ionians　to　enter　the　Pontus；　and　sail　to　the　mouth　of　the　Ister。　There　he　bade　them　throw　a　bridge　across　the　stream　and　await　his　coming。　The　Ionians；　Aeolians；　and　Hellespontians　were　the　nations　which　furnished　the　chief　strength　of　his　navy。　So　the　fleet；　threading　the　Cyanean　Isles；　proceeded　straight　to　the　Ister；　and；　mounting　the　river　to　the　point　where　its　channels　separate；　a　distance　of　two　days'　voyage　from　the　sea；　yoked　the　neck　of　the　stream。　Meantime　Darius；　who　had　crossed　the　Bosphorus　by　the　bridge　over　it；　marched　through　Thrace；　and　happening　upon　the　sources　of　the　Tearus；　pitched　his　camp　and　made　a　stay　of　three　days。　　　　　Now　the　Tearus　is　said　by　those　who　dwell　near　it；　to　be　the　most　healthful　of　all　streams；　and　to　cure；　among　other　diseases；　the　scab　either　in　man　or　beast。　Its　sources；　which　are　eight　and　thirty　in　number；　all　flowing　from　the　same　rock；　are　in　part　cold；　in　part　hot。　They　lie　at　an　equal　distance　from　the　town　of　Heraeum　near　Perinthus；　and　Apollonia　on　the　Euxine；　a　two　days'　journey　from　each。　This　river；　the　Tearus；　is　a　tributary　of　the　Contadesdus；　which　runs　into　the　Agrianes；　and　that　into　the　Hebrus。　The　Hebrus　empties　itself　into　the　sea　near　the　city　of　Aenus。　　　　　Here　then；　on　the　banks　of　the　Tearus；　Darius　stopped　and　pitched　his　camp。　The　river　charmed　him　so；　that　he　caused　a　pillar　to　be　erected　in　this　place　also；　with　an　inscription　to　the　following　effect：　〃The　fountains　of　the　Tearus　afford　the　best　and　most　beautiful　water　of　all　rivers：　they　were　visited；　on　his　march　into　Scythia；　by　the　best　and　most　beautiful　of　men；　Darius；　son　of　Hystaspes；　king　of　the　Persians；　and　of　the　whole　continent。〃　Such　was　the　inscription　which　he　set　up　at　this　place。　　　　　Marching　thence；　he　came　to　a　second　river；　called　the　Artiscus；　which　flows　through　the　country　of　the　Odrysians。　Here　he　fixed　upon　a　certain　spot；　where　every　one　of　his　soldiers　should　throw　a　stone　as　he　passed　by。　When　his　orders　were　obeyed；　Darius　continued　his　march；　leaving　behind　him　great　hills　formed　of　the　stones　cast　by　his　troops。　　　　　Before　arriving　at　the　Ister；　the　first　people　whom　he　subdued　were　the　Getae；　who　believe　in　their　immortality。　The　Thracians　of　Salmydessus；　and　those　who　dwelt　above　the　cities　of　Apollonia　and　Mesembria…　the　Scyrmiadae　and　Nipsaeans；　as　they　are　called…　gave　themselves　up　to　Darius　without　a　struggle；　but　the　Getae　obstinately　defending　themselves；　were　forthwith　enslaved；　notwithstanding　that　they　are　the　noblest　as　well　as　the　most　just　of　all　the　Thracian　tribes。　　　　　The　belief　of　the　Getae　in　respect　of　immortality　is　the　following。　They　think　that　they　do　not　really　die；　but　that　when　they　depart　this　life　they　go　to　Zalmoxis；　who　is　called　also　Gebeleizis　by　some　among　them。　To　this　god　every　five　years　they　send　a　messenger；　who　is　chosen　by　lot　out　of　the　whole　nation；　and　charged　to　bear　him　their　several　requests。　Their　mode　of　sending　him　is　this。　A　number　of　them　stand　in　order；　each　holding　in　his　hand　three　darts；　others　take　the　man　who　is　to　be　sent　to　Zalmoxis；　and　swinging　him　by　his　hands　and　feet；　toss　him　into　the　air　so　that　he　falls　upon　the　points　of　the　weapons。　If　he　is　pierced　and　dies；　they　think　that　the　god　is　propitious　to　them；　but　if　not；　they　lay　the　fault　on　the　messenger；　who　（they　say）　is　a　wicked　man：　and　so　they　choose　another　to　send　away。　The　messages　are　given　while　the　man　is　still　alive。　This　same　people；　when　it　lightens　and　thunders；　aim　their　arrows　at　the　sky；　uttering　threats　against　the　god；　and　they　do　not　believe　that　there　is　any　god　but　their　own。　　　　　I　am　told　by　the　Greeks　who　dwell　on　the　shores　of　the　Hellespont　and　the　Pontus；　that　this　Zalmoxis　was　in　reality　a　man；　that　he　lived　at　Samos；　and　while　there　was　the　slave　of　Pythagoras　son　of　Mnesarchus。　After　obtaining　his　freedom　he　grew　rich；　and　leaving　Samos；　returned　to　his　own　country。　The　Thracians　at　that　time　lived　in　a　wretched　way；　and　were　a　poor　ignorant　race；　Zalmoxis；　therefore；　who　by　his　commerce　with　the　Greeks；　and　especially　with　one　who　was　by　no　means　their　most　contemptible　philosopher；　Pythagoras　to　wit；　was　acquainted　with　the　Ionic　mode　of　life　and　with　manners　more　refined　than　those　current　among　his　countrymen；　had　a　chamber　built；　in　which　from　time　to　time　he　received　and　feasted　all　the　principal　Thracians；　using　the　occasion　to　teach　them　that　neither　he；　nor　they；　his　boon　companions；　nor　any　of　their　posterity　would　ever　perish；　but　that　they　would　all　go　to　a　place　where　they　would　live　for　aye　in　the　enjoyment　of　every　conceivable　good。　While　he　was　acting　in　this　way；　and　holding　this　kind　of　discourse；　he　was　constructing　an　apartment　underground；　into　which；　when　it　was　completed；　he　withdrew；　vanishing　suddenly　from　the　eyes　of　the　Thracians；　who　greatly　regretted　his　loss；　and　mourned　over　him　as　one　dead。　He　meanwhile　abode　in　his　secret　chamber　three　full　years；　after　which　he　came　forth　from　his　concealment；　and　showed　himself　once　more　to　his　countrymen；　who　were　thus　brought　to　believe　in　the　truth　of　what　he　had　taught　them。　Such　is　the　account　of　the　Greeks。　　　　　I　for　my　part　neither　put　entire　faith　in　this　story　of　Zalmoxis　and　his　underground　chamber；　nor　do　I　altogether　discredit　it：　but　I　believe　Zalmoxis　to　have　lived　long　before　the　time　of　Pythagoras。　Whether　there　was　ever　really　a　man　of　the　name；　or　whether　Zalmoxis　is　nothing　but　a　native　god　of　the　Getae；　I　now　bid　him　farewell。　As　for　the　Getae　themselves；　the　people　who　observe　the　practices　described　above；　they　were　now　reduced　by　the　Persians；　and　accompanied　the　army　of　Darius。　　　　　When　Darius；　with　his　land　forces；　reached　the　Ister；　he　made　his　troops　cross　the　st