|
When, therefore, Scylas, after leaving Borysthenes, was about
returning home, the Scythians broke out into revolt. They put at
their head Octamasadas, grandson (on the mother's side) of Teres.
Then Scylas, when he learned the danger with which he was
threatened, and the reason of the disturbance, made his escape to
Thrace. Octamasadas, discovering whither he had fled, marched after
him, and had reached the Ister, when he was met by the forces of the
Thracians. The two armies were about to engage, but before they
joined battle, Sitalces sent a message to Octamasadas to this effect
- "Why should there be trial of arms betwixt thee and me? Thou art
my own sister's son, and thou hast in thy keeping my brother.
Surrender him into my hands, and I will give thy Scylas back to
thee. So neither thou nor I will risk our armies." Sitalces sent
this message to Octamasadas, by a herald, and Octamasadas, with
whom a brother of Sitalces had formerly taken refuge, accepted the
terms. He surrendered his own uncle to Sitalces, and obtained in
exchange his brother Scylas. Sitalces took his brother with him and
withdrew; but Octamasadas beheaded Scylas upon the spot. Thus
rigidly do the Scythians maintain their own customs, and thus severely
do they punish such as adopt foreign usages.
|
|