Histories

Herodotus

Herodotus. Godley, Alfred Denis, translator. Cambridge, MA; London: Harvard University Press; William Heinemann, Ltd., 1920-1925 (printing).

Coming to King Xerxes from there, he related in his narrative that, when he was farthest distant, he sailed by a country of little men, who wore palm-leaf clothing; these, whenever he and his men put in to land with their ship, left their towns and fled to the hills; he and his men did no harm when they landed, and took nothing from the people except cattle.

As to his not sailing completely around Libya [17,25] (nation), AfricaLibya, the reason (he said) was that the ship could move no farther, but was stopped. But Xerxes did not believe that Sataspes spoke the truth, and, as the task appointed was unfulfilled, he impaled him, punishing him on the charge first brought against him.

This Sataspes had a eunuch, who as soon as he heard of his master's death escaped to +Nisos Samos [26.8,37.75] (island), Samos, Aegean Islands, Greece, Europe Samos, with a great hoard of wealth, of which a man of +Nisos Samos [26.8,37.75] (island), Samos, Aegean Islands, Greece, Europe Samos got possession. I know the man's name but deliberately omit it.

But as to Asia (continent)Asia, most of it was discovered by Darius. There is a river, +Indus [67.75,24.416] (river), Asia Indus, second of all rivers in the production of crocodiles. Darius, desiring to know where this +Indus [67.75,24.416] (river), Asia Indus empties into the sea, sent ships manned by Scylax, a man of Caryanda, and others whose word he trusted;