These, then, were the exploits of
Lonchates, done in fulfilling his promise to Arsakomas by bringing the head of Leukanor.
Makentes, on his part, arrived among the Machlyëans, having heard on the road what had
happened at the Bosporus. Thus he was the
first to announce to them the murder of the king,
and he added:
"The state, Adyrmachos, summons you to the
throne because you are his son-in-law. So do
you ride first and seize the empire, appearing on
the scene while matters are in disorder. Let the
young lady follow after you with chariots, for you
will the more easily conciliate the Bosporian mob
if they see the daughter of Leukanor. I am an
Alanian and related to the girl on the mother's
side, for it was from our family that Leukanor
chose his wife, Masteira. And now I am come
to you from Masteira's brothers in Alania, who
bid you ride to the Bosporos as quickly as you
may, and not permit the empire to pass into the
hands of Eubiotos, a bastard brother of Leukanor, who has always been a friend of the Scythians and detested by the Alanians."
This speech Makentes delivered, wearing the
dress of the Alanians and speaking their language, for on these points the Scythians and


 


Alanians agree with this one exception, that the
Alanians do not wear their hair very long, as the
Scythians do. But in this respect, too, Makentes
had likened himself to an Alanian by cutting his
hair as much short of the Scythian length as an
Alanian's would probably be. So by these means
he got credence as a relative of Masteira and
Mazaia.
 
"And now, Adyrmachos," said he, "I am ready
to ride with you to the Bosporos if you like, or,
if need be, to stay behind and escort the young
lady."
"That is what I should prefer," said Adyrmachos, "to have you escort Mazaia. For if
you go with us to the Bosporos we should only
be one horseman the more, but if you should
escort my wife for me you would be worth a multitude."
This was done, and Adyrmachos rode off, having handed over his maid-wife Mazaia to Makentes. He, on his part, escorted her in her
chariot during the day, but when night fell he
set her upon a horse-for he had provided that
one horseman beside himself should accompany
them-and, leaping on his own, he no longer rode
by the Maiotis, but turned off inland, keeping
the Mitraian mountains on his right. He let the
the girl rest now and then, and on the third day
crossed the Machlyëan border into Scythia. His


 



horse, when he stopped galloping, stood still for
a moment, and then fell dead.
 
Makentes handed over Mazaia to Arsakomas,
saying, "Receive the fulfilment of my promise
also." He was stunned by the unexpected vision,
and strove to express his thanks, but Makentes
said, "Stop trying to make me out a different
person from yourself. To thank me for what I
have done is much as if my left-hand should acknowledge its obligation to my right because it
had been tended when it was wounded, and tenderly cared for when it was tired. So it would
be an absurdity in us, too, if we who have joined
our fortunes this long time, and as nearly as possible made ourselves into one man, should still
think it a great thing if a part of us does something for the good of the whole body. For it is
for his own good that he does it, seeing he is part
of the benefitted whole." Thus did Makentes
meet Arsakomas's thanks. 
Adyrmachos, when he heard of the fraud, did
not continue his journey to the Bosporos, for
Eubiotos was already installed in office, having
been summoned from Sauromatia, where he was
sojourning. He returned home, collected a great
army, and marched through the hill-country upon
Scythia. Soon after, Eubiotos, too, made an attack, leading a rabble of Greeks and picked
troops from Alania and Sauromatia, forty thousand

 

strong. He and Adyrmachos joined forces,
thus forming an army of ninety thousand men, of
whom a third were mounted archers. But wefor I, too, had a share in their rising, and contributed a hundred found horsemen on the occasion
of the ox-hide-assembled to the number of nearly thirty thousand, counting the horsemen, and
awaited the onset. Arsakomas was in command.
When we saw them coming we advanced to
meet them, sending the cavalry against them first.
When the battle had been fiercely waged a long
time our side began to give in. Our phalanx was
gradually broken into, and finally the whole Scythian army was cut in two, and one part retired,
not distinctly worsted, however; indeed, their
flight looked like an orderly retreat, and even the
Alanians did not dare to pursue them far. But
the Machlyeans and Alanians surrounded the other half, which was the smaller, and cut them down
in every direction with a generous discharge of
arrows and darts, so that the surrounded were
almost exhausted, and most of them were already
throwing down their arms. As it happened, both
Lonchates and Makentes were in this division,
and they had both been wounded already through
their hardihood-Lonchates in the thigh with the
butt-end of a lance, and Makentes in the head
with an axe, and in the shoulder with the shaft
of a pike.


 



When Arsakomas, who was with us in the other division, perceived this, he felt that it would
be a shocking thing if he were to go off and leave
his friends behind, so he clapped spurs to his
horse, and, raising a shout, rode through the enemy, waving his sword on high, so that the Machlyëans could not withstand the rush of his
courage, but fell apart and gave way to him to
pass through. When he had recovered his friends
and heartened up the others, he darted upon
Adyrmachos, and, striking him in the neck with
his sword, cleft him to the belt. At his fall the
whole force of the Machyleans fell into disorder,
and then the Alanians and the Greeks followed
suit, so that we began to have the advantage,
and we should have gone on killing for a long
time if night had not robbed us of the business.
On the following day suppliants came from
the enemy asking for peace, the Bosporians promising to pay double their tribute, the Machlyëans
saying that they would give hostages, and the
Alanians agreeing to subdue for us as indemnity
for that invasion, the Sindianoi, who had been at
feud with us for a long time. On these terms we
made a treaty, as had been agreed upon much
earlier by Arsakomas and Lonchates, and peace
was made under the direction of these men.
Such deeds, Mnesippos, the Scythians dare do
for friends.