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As Scythia, however, is utterly barren of firewood, a plan has had
to be contrived for boiling the flesh, which is the following. After
flaying the beasts, they take out all the bones, and (if they possess
such gear) put the flesh into boilers made in the country, which are
very like the cauldrons of the Lesbians, except that they are of a
much larger size; then placing the bones of the animals beneath the
cauldron, they set them alight, and so boil the meat. If they do not
happen to possess a cauldron, they make the animal's paunch hold the
flesh, and pouring in at the same time a little water, lay the bones
under and light them. The bones burn beautifully; and the paunch
easily contains all the flesh when it is stript from the bones, so that
by this plan your ox is made to boil himself, and other victims also to
do the like. When the meat is all cooked, the sacrificer offers a
portion of the flesh and of the entrails, by casting it on the ground
before him. They sacrifice all sorts of cattle, but most commonly horses.
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