Toxaris; Or, Friendship (40-42)

Now Amizokes was taken prisoner, and as they were leading him off he called upon his friend by name, cruelly bound as he was, and reminded him of the cup of blood. When Dandamis heard him he did not hesitate an instant, but swam across to the enemy with all of us looking on. The Sauromatians, lifting their darts, set on him as if to kill him, but he shouted the word "Ziris!" When a man says this word the enemy do not kill him, but receive him as a messenger about exchange of prisoners. So he was led to the commander, and of him he demanded his friend. The commander

"All that I possessed," said Dandamis, "has been pillaged by you. But if, stripped as I am, I can in any way pay the price, I am at your service. Command what you will. If you like, take me in his stead, and use me as you see fit." "There is no need," said the Sauromatian, "to keep the whole of you, particularly as you came saying 'Ziris!' but lay down a part of what you have, and you may take your friend." Dandamis asked what he wanted, and the other demanded his eyes. He instantly presented them to be cut out, and when this had been done, and the Sauromatians were in possession of the ransom, he received Amizokes and went away leaning on him, and together they swam across and returned to us saved.

This event put heart into all the Scythians, and they no longer considered themselves worsted by the Sauromatians, seeing that the enemy had not carried off our greatest good, but that our noble disposition was left to us and our constancy in friendship. And the same thing frightened the Sauromatians extremely, for they calculated what sort of men we would be to fight with when we were prepared if we showed such endurance when we were surprised. So when night came they left most of the

What could you tell to match this, Mnesippos, if I should let you count up ten more in addition to your five, and not on oath, either, so that you might add plenty of inventions? And yet I gave you the bare facts. If you had told a story like this I know very well how much cleverness you would have mixed in your tale, what prayers Dandamis offered, and the manner of blinding him, and what he said and how he went off again, and how the Scythians received him with blessings, and the other devices you are wont to employ on your audience.