"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.