Herodotus - The Histories.pdf

118 V Herodotus
have taken vast pains, I have never been able to
get an assurance from an eye-witness that there is
any sea on the further side of Europe.
Nevertheless, tin and amber do certainly come to
us from the ends of the earth.
The northern parts of Europe are very much richer
in gold than any other region: but how it is procured
I have no certain knowledge. The story runs
that the one-eyed Arimaspi purloin it from the
griffins; but here too I am incredulous, and cannot
persuade myself that there is a race of men
born with one eye, who in all else resemble the
rest of mankind. Nevertheless it seems to be true
that the extreme regions of the earth, which surround
and shut up within themselves all other
countries, produce the things which are the rarest,
and which men reckon the most beautiful.
There is a plain in Asia which is shut in on all
sides by a mountain-range, and in this mountainrange
are five openings. The plain lies on the confines
of the Chorasmians, Hyrcanians, Parthians,
Sarangians, and Thamanaeans, and belonged for-