mote than others from the immediate danger,
but it threatens us all equally in the end."

The embassadors delivered their message, and some of the tribes
acceded to the Scythian proposals. Others, however, refused. The
quarrel, they said, was a quarrel between Darius and the Scythians
alone, and they were not inclined to bring upon themselves the
hostility of so powerful a sovereign by interfering. The Scythians
were very indignant at this refusal; but there was no remedy, and they
accordingly began to prepare to defend themselves as well as they
could, with the help of those nations that had expressed a willingness
to join them.

The habits of the Scythians were nomadic and wandering, and their
country was one vast region of verdant and beautiful, and yet, in a
great measure, of uncultivated and trackless wilds. They had few towns
and villages, and those few were of little value. They adopted,
therefore, the mode of warfare which, in such a country and for such a
people, is always the wisest to be pursued. They retreated slowly
before Darius's advancing army, carrying off or destroying all such
property as might aid the king in respect to his supplies. They
organized and equipped a body of swift horsemen, who were ordered to
hover around Darius's camp, and bring intelligence to the Scythian
generals of every movement. These horsemen, too, were to harass the
flanks and the rear of the army, and to capture or destroy every man
whom they should find straying away from the camp. By this means they
kept the invading army continually on the alert, allowing them no
peace and no repose, while yet they thwarted and counteracted all the
plans and efforts which the enemy made to bring on a general battle.

As the Persians advanced in pursuit of the enemy, the Scythians
retreated, and in this retreat they directed their course toward the
countries occupied by those nations that had refused to join in the
alliance. By this artful management they transferred the calamity and
the burden of the war to the territories of their neighbors. Darius
soon found that he was making no progress toward gaining his end. At
length he concluded to try the effect of a direct and open challenge.

He accordingly sent embassadors to the Scythian chief, whose name was
Indathyrsus, with a message somewhat as follows:

"Foolish man! how long will you continue to act in this absurd and
preposterous manner? It is incumbent on you to make a decision in