Histories

The dead are buried by the nomads in Greek fashion, except by the Nasamones. They bury their dead sitting, being careful to make the dying man sit when he releases his spirit, and not die lying supine. Their dwellings are constructed of asphodel stalks[*](Asphodel is a long-stalked plant. The name has acquired picturesque associations; but Homer's “asphodel meadow” is in the unhappy realm of the dead, and is intended clearly to indicate a place of rank weeds.) twined about reeds; they can be carried here and there. Such are the Libyan customs.

West of the Triton river and next to the Aseans begins the country of Libyans who cultivate the soil and possess houses; they are called Maxyes; they wear their hair long on the right side of their heads and shave the left, and they paint their bodies with vermilion.

These claim descent from the men who came from +Troy [26.2833,39.9167] (Perseus) Troy. Their country, and the rest of the western part of Libya [17,25] (nation), AfricaLibya, is much fuller of wild beasts and more wooded than the country of the nomads.