herodotus

drink. In this place there is set a bronze bowl, in size at least sixtimes as large as the mixing-bowl at the entrance of the Pontus, whichPausanias the son of Cleombrotos dedicated: and for him who has neverseen that, I will make the matter clear by saying that the bowl inScythia holds easily six hundred amphors,[82] and the thickness ofthis Scythian bowl is six fingers. This then the natives of the placetold me had been made of arrow-heads: for their king, they said, whosename was Ariantas, wishing to know how many the Scythians were,ordered all the Scythians to bring one arrow-head, each from his ownarrow, and whosoever should not bring one, he threatened with death.So a great multitude of arrow-heads was brought, and he resolved tomake of them a memorial and to leave it behind him: from these then,they said, he made this bronze bowl and dedicated it in this placeExampaios. 82. This is what I heard about the number of the Scythians.Now this land has no marvellous things except that it has rivers whichare by far larger and more numerous than those of any other land. Onething however shall be mentioned which it has to show, and which isworthy of wonder even besides the rivers and the greatness of theplain, that is to say, they point out a footprint of Heracles in therock by the bank of the river Tyras, which in shape is like the markof a man's foot but in size is two cubits long. This then is such as Ihave said; and I will go back now to the history which I was about totell at first.*****83. While Dareios was preparing to go against the Scythians and wassending messengers to appoint to some the furnishing of a land-army,to others that of ships, and to others the bridging over of theThracian Bosphorus, Artabanos, the son of Hystaspes and brother ofDareios, urged him by no means to make the march against theScythians, telling him how difficult the Scythians were to deal with.Since however he did not persuade him, though he gave him goodcounsel, he ceased to urge; and Dareios, when all his preparations hadbeen made, began to march his army forth from Susa. 84. Then one ofthe Persians, Oiobazos, made request to Dareios that as he had threesons and all were serving in the expedition, one might be left behindfor him: and Dareios said that as he was a friend and made areasonable request, he would leave behind all the sons. So Oiobazoswas greatly rejoiced, supposing that his sons had been freed fromservice, but Dareios commanded those who had the charge of such thingsto put to death all the sons of Oiobazos. 85. These then were left,having been slain upon the spot where they were: and Dareios meanwhileset forth from Susa and arrived at the place on the Bosphorus wherethe bridge of ships had been made, in the territory of Chalcedon; andthere he embarked in a ship and sailed to the so-called Kyanean rocks,