The Satrae, as far as we know, have never yet been subject to any man; they alone of the Thracians have continued living in freedom to this day; they dwell on high mountains covered with forests of all kinds and snow, and they are excellent warriors.

It is they who possess the place of divination sacred to Dionysus. This place is in their highest mountains; the Bessi, a clan of the Satrae, are the prophets of the shrine; there is a priestess who utters the oracle, as at Delphi [22.5167,38.4917] (Perseus) Delphi; it is no more complicated here than there.Hdt. appears to mean that the method of divination is the “usual” one, as at Delphi [22.5167,38.4917] (Perseus) Delphi; perhaps there were exaggerated accounts of the mysterious rites of the Bessi.