o go against them.

5. Now the Scythians say that their nation is the youngest of all
nations, and that this came to pass as follows:--The first man who ever
existed in this region, which then was desert, was one named Targitaos:
and of this Targitaos they say, though I do not believe it for my part,
however they say the parents were Zeus and the daughter of the river
Borysthenes. Targitaos, they report, was produced from some such origin
as this, and of him were begotten three sons, Lipoxais and Arpoxais
and the youngest Colaxais. In the reign of these 9 there came down from
heaven certain things wrought of gold, a plough, a yoke, a battle-axe,
10 and a cup, and fell in the Scythian land: and first the eldest saw
and came near them, desiring to take them, but the gold blazed with fire
when he approached it: then when he had gone away from it, the second
approached, and again it did the same thing. These then the gold
repelled by blazing with fire; but when the third and youngest came up
to it, the flame was quenched, and he carried them to his own house.
The elder brothers then, acknowledging the significance of this thing,
delivered the whole of the kingly power to the youngest.

6. From Lixopais, they say, are descended those Scythians who are called
the race of the Auchatai; from the middle brother Arpoxais those who are
called Catiaroi and Traspians, and from the youngest of them the "Royal"
tribe, 11 who are called Paralatai: and the whole together are called,
they say, Scolotoi, after the name of their king; 12 but the Hellenes
gave them the name of Scythians.

7. Thus the Scythians say they were produced; and from the time of their
origin, that is to say from the first king Targitaos, to the passing
over of Dareios against them, they say that there is a period of a
thousand years and no more. Now this sacred gold is guarded by the
kings with the utmost care, and they visit it every year with solemn
sacrifices of propitiation: moreover if any one goes to sleep while
watching in the open air over this gold during the festival, the
Scythians say that he does not live out the year; and there is given him
for this so much land as he shall ride round himself on his horse in one
day. Now as the land was large, Colaxais, they say, established three
kingdoms for his sons; and of these he made one larger than the rest,
and in this the gold is kept. But as to the upper parts which lie on the
North side of those who dwell