Histories

Very strange to say, what aided the Persians and thwarted the Scythians in their attacks on Darius' army was the braying of the asses and the appearance of the mules.

For, as I have before indicated, Scythia (region (general)), AsiaScythia produces no asses or mules; and there is not in most of Scythia (region (general)), AsiaScythia an ass or a mule, because of the cold. Therefore the asses frightened the Scythian horses when they brayed loudly;

and often, when they were in the act of charging the Persians, the horses would shy in fear if they heard the asses bray or would stand still with ears erect, never having heard a noise like it or seen a like creature.