Herodotus - The Histories.pdf

The Histories–Book One V 205
gift however great will prevail with her. Such of
the women as are tall and beautiful are soon
released, but others who are ugly have to stay a
long time before they can fulfil the law. Some
have waited three or four years in the precinct.
A custom very much like this is found also in
certain parts of the island of Cyprus.
Such are the customs of the Babylonians generally.
There are likewise three tribes among them
who eat nothing but fish. These are caught and
dried in the sun, after which they are brayed in a
mortar, and strained through a linen sieve. Some
prefer to make cakes of this material, while others
bake it into a kind of bread.
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.