Histories

But at this time there was as yet no ready supply of water; and so Cambyses, hearing what was said by the stranger from Bodrum [27.466,37.5] (inhabited place), Mugla Ili, Ege kiyilari, Turkey, Asia Halicarnassus, sent messengers to the Arabian and asked and obtained safe conduct, giving to him and receiving from him pledges.

There are no men who respect pledges more than the Arabians. This is how they give them: a man stands between the two pledging parties, and with a sharp stone cuts the palms of their hands, near the thumb; then he takes a piece of wool from the cloak of each and smears with their blood seven stones that lie between them, meanwhile calling on Dionysus and the Heavenly Aphrodite;

after this is done, the one who has given his pledge commends the stranger (or his countryman if the other be one) to his friends, and his friends hold themselves bound to honor the pledge.

They believe in no other gods except Dionysus and the Heavenly Aphrodite; and they say that they wear their hair as Dionysus does his, cutting it round the head and shaving the temples. They call Dionysus, Orotalt; and Aphrodite, Alilat.[*](According to Movers, Orotalt is “the fire of God,” ôrath êl, and Alilat the feminine of hêlêl, “morning star”; but a simpler interpretation is Alilat = the goddess.)

When, then, the Arabian had made the pledge to the messengers who had come from Cambyses, he devised the following expedient: he filled camel-skins with water and loaded all his camels with these; then he drove them into the waterless land and there awaited Cambyses' army.

This is the most credible of the stories told; but I must relate the less credible tale also, since they tell it. There is a great river in Arabian Peninsula [45,25] (region (general)), AsiaArabia called Corys, emptying into the sea called Red.

From this river (it is said) the king of the Arabians brought water by an aqueduct made of sewn oxhides and other hides and extensive enough to reach to the dry country; and he had great tanks dug in that country to try to receive and keep the water.

It is a twelve days' journey from the river to that desert. By three aqueducts (they say) he brought the water to three different places.

Psammenitus, son of Amasis, was encamped by the mouth of the Nahr an- Nil [31.1,30.166] (river), AfricaNile called Pelusian, awaiting Cambyses.

For when Cambyses marched against Egypt [30,27] (nation), Africa Egypt, he found Amasis no longer alive; he had died after reigning forty-four years, during which he had suffered no great misfortune; and being dead he was embalmed and laid in the burial-place built for him in the temple.

While his son Psammenitus was king of Egypt [30,27] (nation), Africa Egypt, the people saw an extraordinary thing, namely, rain at Thebes [32.666,25.683] (deserted settlement), Qina, Upper Egypt, Egypt, AfricaThebes of Egypt [30,27] (nation), Africa Egypt, where, as the Thebans themselves say, there had never been rain before, nor since to my lifetime; for indeed there is no rain at all in the upper parts of Egypt [30,27] (nation), Africa Egypt; but at that time a drizzle of rain fell at Thebes [32.666,25.683] (deserted settlement), Qina, Upper Egypt, Egypt, AfricaThebes .[*](In modern times there is sometimes a little rain at Thebes [32.666,25.683] (deserted settlement), Qina, Upper Egypt, Egypt, AfricaThebes ( +Luxor [32.65,25.683] (inhabited place), Qina, Upper Egypt, Egypt, Africa Luxor); very little and very seldom.)