Greece -- History -- To 146 B.C.; History, Ancient
12. After the desires of both had been fulfilled, they betook themselves
to that which they had chosen: and at this same time it chanced that
Dareios saw a certain thing which made him desire to command Megabazos
to conquer the Paionians and remove them forcibly from Europe into Asia:
and the thing was this:--There were certain Paionians named Pigres and
Mantyas, who when Dareios had crossed over into Asia, came to Sardis,
because they desired themselves to have rule over the Paionians, and
with them they brought their sister, who was tall and comely. Then
having watched for a time when Dareios took his seat publicly in the
suburb of the Lydian city, they dressed up their sister in the best way
they could, and sent her to fetch water, having a water-jar upon her
head and leading a horse after her by a bridle round her arm, and at the
same time spinning flax. Now when the woman passed out of the city by
him, Dareios paid attention to the matter, for that which was done by
the woman was not of Persian nor yet of Lydian fashion, nor indeed
after the manner of any people of Asia. He sent therefore some of his
spearmen, bidding them watch what the woman would do with the horse.
They accordingly followed after her; and she having arrived at the river
watered the horse, and having watered him and filled her jar with the
water, she passed along by the same way, bearing the water upon her
head, leading the horse after her by a bridle round her arm, and at the
same time turning the spindle.
13. Then Dareios, marvelling both at that which he heard from those who
went to observe and also at that which he saw himself, bade them bring
her into his presence: and when she was brought, her brothers also came,
who had been watching these things at no great distance off. So then
when Dareios asked of what country she was, the young men said that they
were Paionians and that she was their sister; and he replied: "Who then
are these Paionians, and where upon the earth do they dwell?" and he
asked them also what they desired, that they had come to Sardis. They
declared to him that they had come to give themselves up to him, and
that Paionia was a country situated upon the river Strymon, and that
the Strymon was not far from the Hellespont, and finally that they were
colonists from the Teucrians of Troy. All these things severally they
told him; and he asked whether all the women of that land were as
industrious as their sister; and they very readily replied to this also,
saying that it was so, for it was with a view to that very thing that
they had been doing this.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account