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nations；　who　were　assembled　to　deliberate；　made　it　known　to　them　that　the　Persian；　after　subduing　the　whole　of　the　other　continent；　had　thrown　a　bridge　over　the　strait　of　the　Bosphorus；　and　crossed　into　the　continent　of　Europe；　where　he　had　reduced　the　Thracians；　and　was　now　making　a　bridge　over　the　Ister；　his　aim　being　to　bring　under　his　sway　all　Europe　also。　〃Stand　ye　not　aloof　then　from　this　contest；〃　they　went　on　to　say；　〃look　not　on　tamely　while　we　are　perishing…　but　make　common　cause　with　us；　and　together　let　us　meet　the　enemy。　If　ye　refuse；　we　must　yield　to　the　pressure；　and　either　quit　our　country；　or　make　terms　with　the　invaders。　For　what　else　is　left　for　us　to　do；　if　your　aid　be　withheld　from　us？　The　blow；　be　sure；　will　not　light　on　you　more　gently　upon　this　account。　The　Persian　comes　against　you　no　less　than　against　us：　and　will　not　be　content；　after　we　are　conquered；　to　leave　you　in　peace。　We　can　bring　strong　proof　of　what　we　here　advance。　Had　the　Persian　leader　indeed　come　to　avenge　the　wrongs　which　he　suffered　at　our　hands　when　we　enslaved　his　people；　and　to　war　on　us　only；　he　would　have　been　bound　to　march　straight　upon　Scythia；　without　molesting　any　nation　by　the　way。　Then　it　would　have　been　plain　to　all　that　Scythia　alone　was　aimed　at。　But　now；　what　has　his　conduct　been？　From　the　moment　of　his　entrance　into　Europe；　he　has　subjugated　without　exception　every　nation　that　lay　in　his　path。　All　the　tribes　of　the　Thracians　have　been　brought　under　his　sway；　and　among　them　even　our　next　neighbours；　the　Getae。〃　　　　　The　assembled　princes　of　the　nations；　after　hearing　all　that　the　Scythians　had　to　say；　deliberated。　At　the　end　opinion　was　divided…　the　kings　of　the　Geloni；　Budini；　and　Sauromatae　were　of　accord；　and　pledged　themselves　to　give　assistance　to　the　Scythians；　but　the　Agathyrsian　and　Neurian　princes；　together　with　the　sovereigns　of　the　Androphagi；　the　Melanchaeni；　and　the　Tauri；　replied　to　their　request　as　follows：…　〃If　you　had　not　been　the　first　to　wrong　the　Persians；　and　begin　the　war；　we　should　have　thought　the　request　you　make　just；…　we　should　then　have　complied　with　your　wishes；　and　joined　our　arms　with　yours。　Now；　however；　the　case　stands　thus…　you；　independently　of　us；　invaded　the　land　of　the　Persians；　and　so　long　as　God　gave　you　the　power；　lorded　it　over　them：　raised　up　now　by　the　same　God；　they　are　come　to　do　to　you　the　like。　We；　on　our　part；　did　no　wrong　to　these　men　in　the　former　war；　and　will　not　be　the　first　to　commit　wrong　now。　If　they　invade　our　land；　and　begin　aggressions　upon　us；　we　will　not　suffer　them；　but；　till　we　see　this　come　to　pass；　we　will　remain　at　home。　For　we　believe　that　the　Persians　are　not　come　to　attack　us；　but　to　punish　those　who　are　guilty　of　first　injuring　them。〃　　　　　When　this　reply　reached　the　Scythians；　they　resolved；　as　the　neighbouring　nations　refused　their　alliance；　that　they　would　not　openly　venture　on　any　pitched　battle　with　the　enemy；　but　would　retire　before　them；　driving　off　their　herds；　choking　up　all　the　wells　and　springs　as　they　retreated；　and　leaving　the　whole　country　bare　of　forage。　They　divided　themselves　into　three　bands；　one　of　which；　namely；　that　commanded　by　Scopasis；　it　was　agreed　should　be　joined　by　the　Sauromatae；　and　if　the　Persians　advanced　in　the　direction　of　the　Tanais；　should　retreat　along　the　shores　of　the　Palus　Maeotis　and　make　for　that　river；　while　if　the　Persians　retired；　they　should　at　once　pursue　and　harass　them。　The　two　other　divisions；　the　principal　one　under　the　command　of　Idanthyrsus；　and　the　third；　of　which　Taxacis　was　king；　were　to　unite　in　one；　and；　joined　by　the　detachments　of　the　Geloni　and　Budini；　were；　like　the　others；　to　keep　at　the　distance　of　a　day's　march　from　the　Persians；　falling　back　as　they　advanced；　and　doing　the　same　as　the　others。　And　first；　they　were　to　take　the　direction　of　the　nations　which　had　refused　to　join　the　alliance；　and　were　to　draw　the　war　upon　them：　that　so；　if　they　would　not　of　their　own　free　will　engage　in　the　contest；　they　might　by　these　means　be　forced　into　it。　Afterwards；　it　was　agreed　that　they　should　retire　into　their　own　land；　and；　should　it　on　deliberation　appear　to　them　expedient；　join　battle　with　the　enemy。　　　　　When　these　measures　had　been　determined　on；　the　Scythians　went　out　to　meet　the　army　of　Darius；　sending　on　in　front　as　scouts　the　fleetest　of　their　horsemen。　Their　waggons　wherein　their　women　and　their　children　lived；　and　all　their　cattle；　except　such　a　number　as　was　wanted　for　food；　which　they　kept　with　them；　were　made　to　precede　them　in　their　retreat；　and　departed；　with　orders　to　keep　marching；　without　change　of　course；　to　the　north。　　　　　The　scouts　of　the　Scythians　found　the　Persian　host　advanced　three　days'　march　from　the　Ister；　and　immediately　took　the　lead　of　them　at　the　distance　of　a　day's　march；　encamping　from　time　to　time；　and　destroying　all　that　grow　on　the　ground。　The　Persians　no　sooner　caught　sight　of　the　Scythian　horse　than　they　pursued　upon　their　track；　while　the　enemy　retired　before　them。　The　pursuit　of　the　Persians　was　directed　towards　the　single　division　of　the　Scythian　army；　and　thus　their　line　of　march　was　eastward　toward　the　Tanais。　The　Scyths　crossed　the　river　and　the　Persians　after　them；　still　in　pursuit。　in　this　way　they　passed　through　the　country　of　the　Sauromatae；　and　entered　that　of　the　Budini。　　　　　As　long　as　the　march　of　the　Persian　army　lay　through　the　countries　of　the　Scythians　and　Sauromatae；　there　was　nothing　which　they　could　damage；　the　land　being　waste　and　barren；　but　on　entering　the　territories　of　the　Budini；　they　came　upon　the　wooden　fortress　above　mentioned；　which　was　deserted　by　its　inhabitants　and　left　quite　empty　of　everything。　This　place　they　burnt　to　the　ground；　and　having　so　done；　again　pressed　forward　on　the　track　of　the　retreating　Scythians；　till；　having　passed　through　the　entire　country　of　the　Budini；　they　reached　the　desert；　which　has　no　inhabitants；　and　extends　a　distance　of　seven　days'　journey　above　the　Budinian　territory。　Beyond　this　desert　dwell　the　Thyssagetae；　out　of　whose　land　four　great　streams　flow。　These　rivers　all　traverse　the　country　of　the　Maeotians；　and　fall　into　the　Palus　Maeotis。　Their　names　are　the　Lycus；　the　Oarus；　the　Tanais；　and　the　Syrgis。　　　　　When　Darius　reached　the　desert；　he　paused　from　his　pursuit；　and　halted　his　army　upon　the　Oarus。　Here　he　built　eight　large　forts；　at　an　equal　distance　from　one　another；　sixty　furlongs　apart　or　thereabouts；　the　ruins　of　which　were　still　remaining　in　my　day。　During　the　time　that　he　was　so　occupied；　the　Scythians　whom　he　had　been　following　made　a　circuit　by　the　higher　regions；　and　re…entered　Scythia。　On　their　complete　disappearance；　Darius；　seeing　nothing　more　of　them；　left　his　forts　half　finished；　and　returned　towards　the　west。　He　imagined　that　the　Scythians　whom　he　had　seen　were　the　entire　nation；　and　that　they　had　fled　in　that　direction。　　　　　He　now　quickened　his　march；　and　entering　Scythia；　fell　in　with　the　two　combined　divisions　of　the　Scythian　army；　and　instantly　gave　them　chase。　They　kept　to　their　plan　of　retreating　before　him　at　the　distance　of　a　day's　march；　and；　he　still　following　them　hotly；　they　led　him；　as　had　been　previously　settled；　into　the　territories　of　the　nations　that　had　refused　to　become　their　allies；　and　first　of　all　into　the　country　of　the　Melanchaeni。　Great　disturbance　was　caused　among　this　people　by　the　invasion　of　the　Scyths　first；　and　then　of　the　Persians。　So；　having　harassed　them　after　this　sort；　the　Scythians　led　the　way　into　the　land　of　the　Androphagi；　with　the　same　result　as　before；　and　thence　passed　onwards　into　Neuris；　where　their　coming　likewise　spread　dismay　among　the　inhabitants。　Still　retreating　they　approached　the　Agathyrsi；　but　this　people；　which　had　witnessed　the　flight　and　terror　of　their　neighbours；　did　not　wait　for　the　Scyths　to　invade　them；　but　sent　a　herald　to　forbid　them　to　cross　their　borders；　and　to　forewarn　them；　that；　if　they　made　the　attempt；　it　would　be　resisted　by　force　of　arms。　The　Agathyrsi　then　proceeded　to　the　frontier；　to　defend　their　country　against　the　invaders。　As　for　the　other　nations；　the　Melanchaeni；　the　Androphagi；　and　the　Neuri；　instead　of　defending　themselves；　when　the　Scyths　and　Persians　overran　their　lands；　they　forgot　their　threats　and　fled　away　in　confusion　to　the　deserts　lying　towards　the　north。　The　Scythians；　when　the　Agathyrsi　forbade　them　to　enter　their　country；　refrained；　and　led　the　Persians　back　from　the　Neurian　district　into　their　own　land。　　　　　This　had　gone　on　so　long；　and　seemed　so　interminable；　that　Darius　at　last　sent　a　horseman　to　Idanthyrsus；　the　Scythian　king；　with　the　following　message：…　〃Thou　strange　man；　why　dost　thou　keep　on　flying　before　me；　when　there　are　two　things　thou　mightest　do　so　easily？　If　thou　deemest　thyself　able　to　resist　my　arms；　cease　thy　wanderings　and　come；　let　us　engage　in　battle。　Or　if　thou　art　conscious　that　my　strength　is　greater　than　thine…　even　so　thou　shouldest　cease　to　run　away…　thou　hast　but　to　bring　thy　lord　earth　and　water；　and　to　come　at　once　to　a　conference。〃　　　　　To　this　message　Idanthyrsus；　the　Scythian　king；　replied：…　〃This　is　my　way；　Persian。　I　never　fear　men　or　fly　from　them。　I　have　not　done　so　in　times　past；　nor　do　I　now　fly　from　thee。　There　is　nothing　new　or　strange　in　what　I　do；　I　onl