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d　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　only　follow　my　common　mode　of　life　in　peaceful　years。　Now　I　will　tell　thee　why　I　do　not　at　once　join　battle　with　thee。　We　Scythians　have　neither　towns　nor　cultivated　lands；　which　might　induce　us；　through　fear　of　their　being　taken　or　ravaged；　to　be　in　any　hurry　to　fight　with　you。　If；　however；　you　must　needs　come　to　blows　with　us　speedily；　look　you　now；　there　are　our　fathers'　tombs…　seek　them　out；　and　attempt　to　meddle　with　them…　then　ye　shall　see　whether　or　no　we　will　fight　with　you。　Till　ye　do　this；　be　sure　we　shall　not　join　battle；　unless　it　pleases　us。　This　is　my　answer　to　the　challenge　to　fight。　As　for　lords；　I　acknowledge　only　Jove　my　ancestor；　and　Vesta；　the　Scythian　queen。　Earth　and　water；　the　tribute　thou　askedst；　I　do　not　send；　but　thou　shalt　soon　receive　more　suitable　gifts。　Last　of　all；　in　return　for　thy　calling　thyself　my　lord；　I　say　to　thee；　'Go　weep。'〃　（This　is　what　men　mean　by　the　Scythian　mode　of　speech。）　So　the　herald　departed；　bearing　this　message　to　Darius。　　　　　When　the　Scythian　kings　heard　the　name　of　slavery　they　were　filled　with　rage；　and　despatched　the　division　under　Scopasis　to　which　the　Sauromatae　were　joined；　with　orders　that　they　should　seek　a　conference　with　the　Ionians；　who　had　been　left　at　the　Ister　to　guard　the　bridge。　Meanwhile　the　Scythians　who　remained　behind　resolved　no　longer　to　lead　the　Persians　hither　and　thither　about　their　country；　but　to　fall　upon　them　whenever　they　should　be　at　their　meals。　So　they　waited　till　such　times；　and　then　did　as　they　had　determined。　In　these　combats　the　Scythian　horse　always　put　to　flight　the　horse　of　the　enemy；　these　last；　however；　when　routed；　fell　back　upon　their　foot；　who　never　failed　to　afford　them　support；　while　the　Scythians；　on　their　side；　as　soon　as　they　had　driven　the　horse　in；　retired　again；　for　fear　of　the　foot。　By　night　too　the　Scythians　made　many　similar　attacks。　　　　　There　was　one　very　strange　thing　which　greatly　advantaged　the　Persians；　and　was　of　equal　disservice　to　the　Scyths；　in　these　assaults　on　the　Persian　camp。　This　was　the　braying　of　the　asses　and　the　appearance　of　the　mules。　For；　as　I　observed　before；　the　land　of　the　Scythians　produces　neither　ass　nor　mule；　and　contains　no　single　specimen　of　either　animal；　by　reason　of　the　cold。　So；　when　the　asses　brayed；　they　frightened　the　Scythian　cavalry；　and　often；　in　the　middle　of　a　charge；　the　horses；　hearing　the　noise　made　by　the　asses；　would　take　fright　and　wheel　round；　pricking　up　their　ears；　and　showing　astonishment。　This　was　owing　to　their　having　never　heard　the　noise；　or　seen　the　form；　of　the　animal　before：　and　it　was　not　without　some　little　influence　on　the　progress　of　the　war。　　　　　The　Scythians；　when　they　perceived　signs　that　the　Persians　were　becoming　alarmed；　took　steps　to　induce　them　not　to　quit　Scythia；　in　the　hope；　if　they　stayed；　of　inflicting　on　them　the　greater　injury；　when　their　supplies　should　altogether　fail。　To　effect　this；　they　would　leave　some　of　their　cattle　exposed　with　the　herdsmen；　while　they　themselves　moved　away　to　a　distance：　the　Persians　would　make　a　foray；　and　take　the　beasts；　whereupon　they　would　be　highly　elated。　　　　　This　they　did　several　times；　until　at　last　Darius　was　at　his　wits'　end；　hereon　the　Scythian　princes；　understanding　how　matters　stood；　despatched　a　herald　to　the　Persian　camp　with　presents　for　the　king：　these　were；　a　bird；　a　mouse；　a　frog；　and　five　arrows。　The　Persians　asked　the　bearer　to　tell　them　what　these　gifts　might　mean；　but　he　made　answer　that　he　had　no　orders　except　to　deliver　them；　and　return　again　with　all　speed。　If　the　Persians　were　wise；　he　added；　they　would　find　out　the　meaning　for　themselves。　So　when　they　heard　this；　they　held　a　council　to　consider　the　matter。　　　　　Darius　gave　it　as　his　opinion　that　the　Scyths　intended　a　surrender　of　themselves　and　their　country；　both　land　and　water；　into　his　hands。　This　he　conceived　to　be　the　meaning　of　the　gifts；　because　the　mouse　is　an　inhabitant　of　the　earth；　and　eats　the　same　food　as　man；　while　the　frog　passes　his　life　in　the　water；　the　bird　bears　a　great　resemblance　to　the　horse；　and　the　arrows　migh