ed the soldiers of Dareios as they got
provisions, and did that which they had determined: and the cavalry of
the Scythians always routed that of the enemy, but the Persian horsemen
as they fled fell back upon the men on foot, and these would come up to
their assistance; and meanwhile the Scythians when they had driven in
the cavalry turned back, fearing the men on foot. Also by night the
Scythians used to make similar attacks:

129, and the thing which, strange to say, most helped the Persians and
hindered the Scythians in their attacks upon the camp of Dareios, I will
mention, namely the voice of the asses and the appearance of the mules;
for Scythia produces neither ass nor mule, as I have declared before,
nor is there at all in the Scythian country either ass or mule on
account of the cold. The asses accordingly by riotously braying used to
throw into confusion the cavalry of the Scythians; and often, as they
were in the middle of riding against the Persians, when the horses heard
the voice of the asses they turned back in confusion and were possessed
with wonder, pricking up their ears, because they had never heard such a
voice nor seen the form of the creature before.

130. So far then the Persians had the advantage for a small part of the
war. 118 But the Scythians, whenever they saw that the Persians were
disquieted, then in order that they might remain a longer time in
Scythia and in remaining might suffer by being in want of everything,
would leave some of their own cattle behind with the herdsmen, while
they themselves rode out of the way to another place, and the Persians
would come upon the cattle and take them, and having taken them they
were elated at what they had done.

131. As this happened often, at length Dareios began to be in straits;
and the kings of the Scythians perceiving this sent a herald bearing
as gifts to Dareios a bird and a mouse and a frog and five arrows. The
Persians accordingly asked the bearer of the gifts as to the meaning
of the gifts which were offered; but he said that nothing more had been
commanded to him but to give them and get away as speedily as possible;
and he bade the Persians find out for themselves, if they had wisdom,
that which the gifts were meant to express.

132. Having heard this the Persians took counsel with one another; and
the opinion of Dareios was that the Scythians were giving to him both
themselves and also earth and water, making his conjecture by th