SCYTHIANS. 



ninibcr of dialefts, from which motl probably have fprung 

 the Mufcovitifh, Sclavonic, Polifh, Danifh, Swedifli, Saxon, 

 and many others ; between which one can but barely dif- 

 cover affinity enough to evince their origin from the fame 

 mother. A great number of words and phrafcs that are 

 found not only in thofe northern languages, but alfo in the 

 JLatin, Greek, Arabic, and Perfic, fhcvv them to have 

 been fo many dialefts of the old Celtic. If thofe few relics 

 of the Scythian, which we have left in the names of their 

 kings, tribes, and diilrifts, do not fo plainly appear to be 

 of the fame extraftion, we muft remember they have pail 

 through fo many different hands, and have fo often changed 

 their drefs, efpecially among the Greeks, that they may 

 be eafily fuppofed to have quite loft their ancient form. 

 We may add, that feme of them are perfeftly Greek, or 

 tranflated from the Scythian into that language. Of this 

 kind IS the name of the Ooenes, a Scythian tribe, fo called 

 in Herodotus, from their hving upon the eggs of wild- 

 fowl, and derived from the Greek »«. The Nomades were 

 fo called from to/j.r., pajlure. Of the fame extraftion were 

 the Hyppodes, Androphagi, and fome others. 



Their chief manufaftures feem to have confifted moftly in 

 building waggons for their families and baggage, which being 

 covered witli the Ikins of beafts, fhews that they muft have 

 had fome notion of tanning and dreffing leather. We may 

 likewife reafonably fuppofe, that they fabricated their own 

 weapons, which were fcimitars, javelins, axes, but efpecially 

 bows and arrows, at which they are faid to be fo expert, 

 that their very children were trained to fhoot at a mark, 

 even as they rode on horieback ; infomuch that it became 

 a common proverb, " that the Scythians were as dextrous 

 at their bows as the Greeks were at their lyre." Hence 

 Cyaxares, king of Media, is reported to have fent his fon 

 to be brought up under them, to learn the ufe of the bow. 

 They were fo expert in horfemanfhip, as to have acquired 

 the epithet of W-irolo^'fixt by Herodotus and Lucian. Their 

 women are affirmed to have been fo well trained to riding 

 and (liooting, that they did not fall ffiort of the men in 

 thofe exercifes. The ancients obferve, that they had nei- 

 ther mules nor ades ; and the reafon they give is, that the 

 country was too cold for thofe creatures. Experience has 

 fince fticwn the contrary, at leaft with refpeft to the latter; 

 but the true reafon feems to be, that the horfes, which they 

 bred in great numbers, could anfwer all the purpofes of 

 the other two fpecies, and at the fame time be more fwift 

 and expeditious. 



As for agriculture, it doth not appear that they had any. 

 Herodotus indeed tells us of one province, whofe inhabit- 

 ants called themfelves Olbiopolitans, and the Greeks Bo- 

 ryfthenians, as they lived on the north fide of that river ; 

 and thefe he likewife called iuifbandmen, becaufe they 

 fowed grain, not for food, but for fale. But the reft 

 of the Scythians wholly neglefted it, chufing rather to 

 roam where they found the bcft palture for their cattle, 

 and contenting themfelves with the fpontancous produfts of 

 the earth, with<nit being at the trouble of manuring it. 

 And this is in all likelihood the caufe why we read of fo 

 many deferts, forefts, and large uninhabited trafts of land 

 between tribe and tribe, in the writings of ancient hiftorians 

 and geographers. How they difpofed of the wool of their 

 ildcks we know not, but, by their clothing themfelves 

 with the n<ins of wild or tame beafts, we may conclude 

 they did not manufafture it into cloth ; and as thofe Ikins 

 were of their own dreffing, they wanted ftill lefs the help 

 of foreign manufaftures. Smiths they muft have had, for 

 making their arms, waggons, and other neceflary tools. 

 As to their arrows, darts, and javelins, if their heads were 

 Vol. XXXII. 



made of copper, they were probably caft in moulds. They 

 ufed ftandards of a particular make, which, when blown 

 open by the wind, exhibited the figures of ferpents and 

 dragons of feveral (hapes, and thefe were commonly borne 

 by men on horfeback. 



Their chief riches and food confifting in their numerous 

 herds, they entrufted the care of them to ftiepherds, who 

 were a lower rank of Scythians, below the martial men, 

 though they too had Haves and captives in their fervice. 

 They ufed to move from pafture to pafture, with the per- 

 fons and families which were unfit to go to the wars. Thefe 

 chiefly lived upon honey, cheefe, and milk, more efpecially 

 that of their msres, from which creature, if Herodotus 

 was rightly informed, they had a ftrange way of forcing 

 plenty of it, by blowing wind into the privities ; but their 

 chief and choiceft food was the venifon they killed. What 

 provifions the warhke Scythians made, when they were ab- 

 fent from their flocks, we cannot guefs ; it is probable 

 when they came into an enemy's country, they feized upon 

 all the cattle they could meet with ; and when that failed, 

 they had recourfe to a compofition they carried about them, 

 of which we fhall fpcak prefently. 



From an inftance or two recorded of their kings, we 

 conclude, they allowed of polygamy, and were not over- 

 itrift in their marriages. Plato feems even to intimate that 

 they had their women in common, though, if any fuch cuf- 

 tom prevailed among them, it muft have been only among 

 the more favage fort, for the royal and free men had wives ; 

 and fome of their kings we read of, who took them from 

 other nations, and of one of them who married his own 

 father's widow ; but whether the fame liberty was allowed 

 to private men we cannot affirm. The reafon the Scy- 

 thians gave for abhorring the Bacchanalian feafts of the 

 Greeks, namely, that it was abfurd to fuppofe, that a god 

 fhould drive men to all the violent tranfports of madnefs, 

 feems to fhew that drunkennefs was not common among 

 them. And indeed we do not find that they were much 

 addifted to feafting. Plutarch, in his Banquet of the 

 Seven Wife Men, fays, " that they neither had vines, nor 

 players on inftruments, nor public games." One wine-fcaft 

 they kept however once a-year in every diftrift, for thofe 

 who had fignahzed themfelves by killing one or more of 

 their enemies. Another we read of, which was ufed at 

 funerals. Some others they might have upon other occa- 

 fions not worth enquiring after ; but in general, tiiey were 

 remarkably abftemious, except in their adeftions for their 

 favourite women. Thcv talked little, but concifely and 

 nervoufly, efpecially about their warlike affairs. They 

 commonly travelled on horfeback, or in their domcilic vehi- 

 cles. When they had any rivers to crofs, they Laid their 

 horfe's (addle and weapons upon a (kin filled with cork, 

 and fo well fewn, that nut :■ drop of water could get into 

 it ; they then laid themfelves down on it, and taking hold 

 of tlieir horfe by the tail, made him fwim to tiio other fide. 

 They carried with them a certain compofition, in fmall 

 pieces like pills, one of which, upon occafion, would yet 

 aftbrd fufficicnt nouri(hmcnt for feveral dayi. Pliny adds, 

 that thc-y ufed the like expedient with tlieir liorfcs, by mean* 

 of what he calls the Scythian weed, upon the llrenglh of 

 which they could travel ten or twelve days without eating 

 or drinking. 



Wiien any perfoa died, his ncareft relations canftd his 

 embalmed body to be carried in a chariot from houfc to 

 houle among his friends and acquaintance, who received 

 and fealled them in their turns, fetting part of the ban- 

 quet before the deceafed. This ceremony wat continued 

 forty days, after which tlic pcrfon was buried, and his at- 

 Q tcudaiitt 



