When Cyrus had achieved the conquest of the Babylonians, he conceived
the desire of bringing the Massagetae under his dominion. Now the
Massagetae are said to be a great and warlike nation, dwelling eastward,
toward the rising of the sun, beyond the river Araxes, and opposite
the Issedonians. By many they are regarded as a Scythian race.
As for the Araxes, it is, according to some accounts, larger, according
to others smaller than the Ister (Danube). It has islands in it, many
of which are said to be equal in size to Lesbos. The men who inhabit
them feed during the summer on roots of all kinds, which they dig
out of the ground, while they store up the fruits, which they gather
from the trees at the fitting season, to serve them as food in the
winter-time. Besides the trees whose fruit they gather for this purpose,
they have also a tree which bears the strangest produce. When they
are met together in companies they throw some of it upon the fire
round which they are sitting, and presently, by the mere smell of
the fumes which it gives out in burning, they grow drunk, as the Greeks
do with wine. More of the fruit is then thrown on the fire, and, their
drunkenness increasing, they often jump up and begin to dance and
sing. Such is the account which I have heard of this people.
The river Araxes, like the Gyndes, which Cyrus dispersed into three
hundred and sixty channels, has its source in the country of the Matienians.
It has forty mouths, whereof all, except one, end in bogs and swamps.
These bogs and swamps are said to be inhabited by a race of men who
feed on raw fish, and clothe themselves with the skins of seals. The
other mouth of the river flows with a clear course into the Caspian
Sea.
The Caspian is a sea by itself, having no connection with any other.
The sea frequented by the Greeks, that beyond the Pillars of Hercules,
which is called the Atlantic, and also the Erythraean, are all one
and the same sea. But the Caspian is a distinct sea, lying by itself,
in length fifteen days' voyage with a row-boat, in breadth, at the
broadest part, eight days' voyage. Along its western shore runs the
chain of the Caucasus, the most extensive and loftiest of all mountain-ranges.
Many and various are the tribes by which it is inhabited, most of
whom live entirely on the wild fruits of the forest. In these forests
certain trees are said to grow, from the leaves of which, pounded
and mixed with water, the inhabitants make a dye, wherewith they paint
upon their clothes the figures of animals; and the figures so impressed
never wash out, but last as though they had been inwoven in the cloth
from the first, and wear as long as the garment.
On the west then, as I have said, the Caspian Sea is bounded by the
range of Caucasus. On the cast it is followed by a vast plain, stretching
out interminably before the eye, the greater portion of which is possessed
by those Massagetae, against whom Cyrus was now so anxious to make
an expedition. Many strong motives weighed with him and urged him
on- his birth especially, which seemed something more than human,
and his good fortune in all his former wars, wherein he had always
found that against what country soever he turned his arms, it was
impossible for that people to escape.
At this time the Massagetae were ruled by a queen, named Tomyris,
who at the death of her husband, the late king, had mounted the throne.
To her Cyrus sent ambassadors, with instructions to court her on his
part, pretending that he wished to take her to wife. Tomyris, however,
aware that it was her kingdom, and not herself, that he courted, forbade
the men to approach. Cyrus, therefore, finding that he did not advance
his designs by this deceit, marched towards the Araxes, and openly
displaying his hostile intentions; set to work to construct a bridge
on which his army might cross the river, and began building towers
upon the boats which were to be used in the passage.
While the Persian leader was occupied in these labours, Tomyris sent
a herald to him, who said, "King of the Medes, cease to press this
enterprise, for thou canst not know if what thou art doing will be
of real advantage to thee. Be content to rule in peace thy own kingdom,
and bear to see us reign over the countries that are ours to govern.
As, however, I know thou wilt not choose to hearken to this counsel,
since there is nothing thou less desirest than peace and quietness,
come now, if thou art so mightily desirous of meeting the Massagetae
in arms, leave thy useless toil of bridge-making; let us retire three
days' march from the river bank, and do thou come across with thy
soldiers; or, if thou likest better to give us battle on thy side
the stream, retire thyself an equal distance." Cyrus, on this offer,
called together the chiefs of the Persians, and laid the matter before
them, requesting them to advise him what he should do. All the votes
were in favour of his letting Tomyris cross the stream, and giving
battle on Persian ground.
But Croesus the Lydian, who was present at the meeting of the chiefs,
disapproved of this advice; he therefore rose, and thus delivered
his sentiments in opposition to it: "Oh! my king! I promised thee
long since, that, as Jove had given me into thy hands, I would, to
the best of my power, avert impending danger from thy house. Alas!
my own sufferings, by their very bitterness, have taught me to be
keen-sighted of dangers. If thou deemest thyself an immortal, and
thine army an army of immortals, my counsel will doubtless be thrown
away upon thee. But if thou feelest thyself to be a man, and a ruler
of men, lay this first to heart, that there is a wheel on which the
affairs of men revolve, and that its movement forbids the same man
to be always fortunate. Now concerning the matter in hand, my judgment
runs counter to the judgment of thy other counsellors. For if thou
agreest to give the enemy entrance into thy country, consider what
risk is run! Lose the battle, and therewith thy whole kingdom is lost.
For assuredly, the Massagetae, if they win the fight, will not return
to their homes, but will push forward against the states of thy empire.
Or if thou gainest the battle, why, then thou gainest far less than
if thou wert across the stream, where thou mightest follow up thy
victory. For against thy loss, if they defeat thee on thine own ground,
must be set theirs in like case. Rout their army on the other side
of the river, and thou mayest push at once into the heart of their
country. Moreover, were it not disgrace intolerable for Cyrus the
son of Cambyses to retire before and yield ground to a woman? My counsel,
therefore, is that we cross the stream, and pushing forward as far
as they shall fall back, then seek to get the better of them by stratagem.
I am told they are unacquainted with the good things on which the
Persians live, and have never tasted the great delights of life. Let
us then prepare a feast for them in our camp; let sheep be slaughtered
without stint, and the winecups be filled full of noble liquor, and
let all manner of dishes be prepared: then leaving behind us our worst
troops, let us fall back towards the river. Unless I very much mistake,
when they see the good fare set out, they will forget all else and
fall to. Then it will remain for us to do our parts manfully."
Cyrus, when the two plans were thus placed in contrast before him,
changed his mind, and preferring the advice which Croesus had given,
returned for answer to Tomyris that she should retire, and that he
would cross the stream. She therefore retired, as she had engaged;
and Cyrus, giving Croesus into the care of his son Cambyses (whom
he had appointed to succeed him on the throne), with strict charge
to pay him all respect and treat him well, if the expedition failed
of success; and sending them both back to Persia, crossed the river
with his army.
The first night after the passage, as he slept in the enemy's country,
a vision appeared to him. He seemed to see in his sleep the eldest
of the sons of Hystaspes, with wings upon his shoulders, shadowing
with the one wing Asia, and Europe with the other. Now Hystaspes,
the son of Arsames, was of the race of the Achaemenidae, and his eldest
son, Darius, was at that time scarce twenty years old; wherefore,
not being of age to go to the wars, he had remained behind in Persia.
When Cyrus woke from his sleep, and turned the vision over in his
mind, it seemed to him no light matter. He therefore sent for Hystaspes,
and taking him aside said, "Hystaspes, thy son is discovered to be
plotting against me and my crown. I will tell thee how I know it so
certainly. The gods watch over my safety, and warn me beforehand of
every danger. Now last night, as I lay in my bed, I saw in a vision
the eldest of thy sons with wings upon his shoulders, shadowing with
the one wing Asia, and Europe with the other. From this it is certain,
beyond all possible doubt, that he is engaged in some plot against
me. Return thou then at once to Persia, and be sure, when I come back
from conquering the Massagetae, to have thy son ready to produce before
me, that I may examine him."
Thus Cyrus spoke, in the belief that he was plotted against by Darius;
but he missed the true meaning of the dream, which was sent by God
to forewarn him, that he was to die then and there, and that his kingdom
was to fall at last to Darius.
Hystaspes made answer to Cyrus in these words:- "Heaven forbid, sire,
that there should be a Persian living who would plot against thee!
If such an one there be, may a speedy death overtake him! Thou foundest
the Persians a race of slaves, thou hast made them free men: thou
foundest them subject to others, thou hast made them lords of all.
If a vision has announced that my son is practising against thee,
lo, I resign him into thy hands to deal with as thou wilt." Hystaspes,
when he had thus answered, recrossed the Araxes and hastened back
to Persia, to keep a watch on his son Darius.
Meanwhile Cyrus, having advanced a day's march from the river, did
as Croesus had advised him, and, leaving the worthless portion of
his army in the camp, drew off with his good troops towards the river.
Soon afterwards, a detachment of the Massagetae, one-third of their
entire army, led by Spargapises, son of the queen Tomyris, coming
up, fell upon the body which had been left behind by Cyrus, and on
their resistance put them to the sword. Then, seeing the banquet prepared,
they sat down and began to feast. When they had eaten and drunk their
fill, and were now sunk in sleep, the Persians under Cyrus arrived,
slaughtered a great multitude, and made even a larger number prisoners.
Among these last was Spargapises himself.
When Tomyris heard what had befallen her son and her army, she sent
a herald to Cyrus, who thus addressed the conqueror:- "Thou bloodthirsty
Cyrus, pride not thyself on this poor success: it was the grape-juice-
which, when ye drink it, makes you so mad, and as ye swallow it down
brings up to your lips such bold and wicked words- it was this poison
wherewith thou didst ensnare my child, and so overcamest him, not
in fair open fight. Now hearken what I advise, and be sure I advise
thee for thy good. Restore my son to me and get thee from the land
unharmed, triumphant over a third part of the host of the Massagetae.
Refuse, and I swear by the sun, the sovereign lord of the Massagetae,
bloodthirsty as thou art, I will give thee thy fill of blood."
To the words of this message Cyrus paid no manner of regard. As for
Spargapises, the son of the queen, when the wine went off, 'and he
saw the extent of his calamity, he made request to Cyrus to release
him from his bonds; then, when his prayer was granted, and the fetters
were taken from his limbs, as soon as his hands were free, he destroyed
himself.
Tomyris, when she found that Cyrus paid no heed to her advice, collected
all the forces of her kingdom, and gave him battle. Of all the combats
in which the barbarians have engaged among themselves, I reckon this
to have been the fiercest. The following, as I understand, was the
manner of it:- First, the two armies stood apart and shot their arrows
at each other; then, when their quivers were empty, they closed and
fought hand-to-hand with lances and daggers; and thus they continued
fighting for a length of time, neither choosing to give ground. At
length the Massagetae prevailed. The greater part of the army of the
Persians was destroyed and Cyrus himself fell, after reigning nine
and twenty years. Search was made among the slain by order of the
queen for the body of Cyrus, and when it was found she took a skin,
and, filling it full of human blood, she dipped the head of Cyrus
in the gore, saying, as she thus insulted the corse, "I live and have
conquered thee in fight, and yet by thee am I ruined, for thou tookest
my son with guile; but thus I make good my threat, and give thee thy
fill of blood." Of the many different accounts which are given of
the death of Cyrus, this which I have followed appears to me most
worthy of credit.
In their dress and mode of living the Massagetae resemble the Scythians.
They fight both on horseback and on foot, neither method is strange
to them: they use bows and lances, but their favourite weapon is the
battle-axe. Their arms are all either of gold or brass. For their
spear-points, and arrow-heads, and for their battle-axes, they make
use of brass; for head-gear, belts, and girdles, of gold. So too with
the caparison of their horses, they give them breastplates of brass,
but employ gold about the reins, the bit, and the cheek-plates. They
use neither iron nor silver, having none in their country; but they
have brass and gold in abundance.
The following are some of their customs;- Each man has but one wife,
yet all the wives are held in common; for this is a custom of the
Massagetae and not of the Scythians, as the Greeks wrongly say. Human
life does not come to its natural close with this people; but when
a man grows very old, all his kinsfolk collect together and offer
him up in sacrifice; offering at the same time some cattle also. After
the sacrifice they boil the flesh and feast on it; and those who thus
end their days are reckoned the happiest. If a man dies of disease
they do not eat him, but bury him in the ground, bewailing his ill-fortune
that he did not come to be sacrificed. They sow no grain, but live
on their herds, and on fish, of which there is great plenty in the
Araxes. Milk is what they chiefly drink. The only god they worship
is the sun, and to him they offer the horse in sacrifice; under the
notion of giving to the swiftest of the gods the swiftest of all mortal
creatures.