34 On the Stcai/amvara of the Ancient Hindus. [No. 1. 



being able, from classic sources, to identify tbeir persons or times. 

 We give it in the historian's words. 



81 Zariadres was the younger brother of Ilystaspes, and both were 

 fair, and the people say of them that they were born of Venus and 

 Adonis. Hystaspes ruled over Media and the region below it, and 

 Zariadres over the country above the Caspian gates as far as the 

 Tanais, Now Omartes, the king of the Marathi, a tribe beyond the 

 Tanais, had a daughter named Odatis ; and of her runs a legend 

 that she once saw Zariadres in a dream and fell in love with him, 

 and the same thing likewise happened with him towards her. For 

 some time they continued thus, loving each other from the image 

 in the dream. Now Odatis was the fairest of all the woineu 

 in Asia, and Zariadres too was fair; but on his asking her in mar- 

 riage of her father, Omartes would not consent, as lie had no male 

 child, and he wished to marry her to some one of his own people. 

 And not long after, Omartes summoned all the nobles of his king- 

 dom and all his friends and relations, and made a marriage feast, but 

 told no one who it was that should marry his daughter. At length 

 when the feast was at its height, he called Odatis into the bauquet- 

 Jiall, and said to her in the hearing of all the guests, • Oh my daugh- 

 ter Odatis, we are now making thy marriage feast ; look round 

 therefore on the guests and view them all, and take a golden cup 

 and fill it, and give it to him whom thou choosest as thy husband ; 

 for his wife shalt thou be.' And she then, looking round upon all, 

 walked sadly away, longing to see Zariadres ; for she had previously 

 sent a message to him, how that her marriage was about to be so- 

 lemnised. Now he chauced at the time to be encamped by the 

 Tanais, and immediately on hearing it, he left the army secretly and 

 crossed with only his charioteer ; and mounting his chariot by night, 

 came riding through the city, having driven more than 800 stadia. 

 As he drew near the festal place where they were holding the mar- 

 riage, he left his attendant with the chariot hard by, and marched 

 boldly in, having put on a Scythian dress. On his entering the hall, 

 he beheld Odatis standing before the sideboard, and weeping bit- 

 terly as she slowly filled the cup ; and standing close by her, he 

 said iu a low voice, ' O Odatis, 1 am come as thou badest, I thy 

 Zariadres.' And she, turning round, beheld the stranger, fair to the 



