Key to Easy Latin Stories for beginners/Part IV/IV

by George L. Bennett

Layout 2

IV.— THE FIRST INVASION OF EUROPE.

Darius invades Scythia.

144.—Darius, king of the Persians, waged war on the Scythians. Therefore he crossed the river Danube with a bridge, and gave the bridge to the Ionian Greeks to guard. Then he set out against the Scythians with all his forces. The Scythians, however, were unwilling to fight. So when the time was being prolonged, and no end was appearing, Darius having sent a horseman to the king of the Scythians, inquired why he always fled? He also said, ‘that he ought either to fight or to come to a conference, bringing earth and water.’

The message and gifts of the Scythian king.

145.—To this the king of the Scythians replied as follows: ‘That they were unwilling to fight, since they had neither towns nor cultivated fields which they ought to defend. However, instead of the earth and water which he had demanded, he would send other gifts. Accordingly let him go and be hanged.’ So that was the answer the herald brought back to Darius. At length the Scythians sent a herald, who was carrying gifts—a bird, and a mouse, and a frog and five arrows. The Persians asked the bearer of these gifts what was the inteYition of the senders. The herald replied: ‘That no other order had been given him, except to go away as soon as possible after presenting these things. The Persians themselves, however, if they were wise, could find out what those gifts meant.’

Interpretations of the meaning of the gifts.

146.—Darius indeed thought ‘that the Scythians were surrendering themselves and earth and water; because the mouse lived in the earth, the frog in the waters, while a bird was like a horse; that, lastly, they were surrendering their arrows, as it were their courage.’ But Gobrias, one of the seven men who had crushed the Magi, thought that the gifts had this meaning : ‘Unless the Persians, having become birds, were to fly away, or having turned into mice, were to go under the ground, or like frogs were to leap into the marshes, they would be slain by the arrows.‘

The Scythian tactics.

147.—But the Scythians, having heard the name of slavery, did not restrain their anger. They sent messengers to the Danube, whom they ordered to come to a conference with the Ionians, who were guarding the bridge. Moreover, they determined to make an unexpected attack on the Persians when they were taking their food. Their cavalry indeed always put the cavalry of the Persians to flight: then the Scythians used to retire, fearing the infantry. The Scythians used to make like attacks by night.

The allies of the Persians.

148.—A very odd thing was then useful to the Persians, but unfavourable to the Scythians—namely, the braying of asses. For the land of Scythia produces neither ass nor mule. So the braying of the asses and the look of the mules used to terrify the Scythian cavalry. Moreover, it is well known that, when they were making an attack on the Persians, the horses, hearing the braying of the asses and seeing the mules, often betook themselves to flight.

The Scythians tamper with the Ionian Greeks.

149.—Meanwhile (lit while these things are being done) the messengers of the Scythians reached the Danube, and said to the guards of the bridge as follows: ‘That they were come to promise thom liberty, if they were willing to leave the bridge. Let them cut the bridge, and go home. Thus the Persians would be destroyed, but liberty would be given to the lonians.’ When the lonians had promised to do this, the Scythians went away: for they thought that the Ionians would keep their promises.

The retreat of the Persians.

150.—Meanwhile Darius determined to set out for the bridge with his army: for he saw that the Scythians were invincible. But since the greater part of the Persian army was infantry, but the Scythian army consisted of cavalry, the Scythians reached the bridge much sooner than the Persians. So they spoke as follows to the lonians who were in the ships: ‘Now indeed cut the bridge, and go away quickly, having recovered your liberty. Our army is in pursuit of the flying Persians.’

Deliberations of the Ionians.

151.—Therefore the Ionians took counsel about these things. And this indeed was the opinion of Miltiades the Athenian: ‘Let them obey the Scythians, and free Ionia.’ On the other hand, Histiaeus of Miletus advised them to remain. The opinion of the latter prevailed. So the part of the bridge which faced the Scythian bank having been cut to the length of a javelin’s cast, that they might seem to be doing something, and lest the Scythians might attempt to offer violence, Histiaeus addressed the Scythians thus: ‘Men of Scythia, we shall do what you desire. The bridge is cut. Now you can slay the Persians.’ Then the deceived Scythians returned to attack the Persians.

Darius and his army escape.

152.—Meanwhile the Persian army arrived; but when they had seen the bridge cut they greatly feared that they were being deserted by the lonians. There was then with Darius an Egyptian, endued with the loudest voice of all men. Darius ordered him to stand on the bridge, and call Histiaeus of Miletus. When he did this, Histiaeus at once joined the bridge, all the ships having been got ready to bring the army across. Thus the Persians escaped from the hands of the Scythians.