Histories

In olden times all the people working together set the piles which support the platform there, but they later developed another method of setting them. The men bring the piles from a mountain called Orbelus,[*](Between the Strymon and the Nestus.) and every man plants three for each of the three women that he weds.

Each man has both a hut on the platform and a trap-door in the platform leading down into the lake. They make a cord fast to the feet of their little children out of fear that they will fall into the water.

They give fish as fodder to their horses and beasts of burden, and there is such an abundance of fish that a man can open his trap-door, let down an empty basket by a line into the lake, and draw it up after a short time full of fish. There are two kinds of these, some called “paprakes,” some “tilones.”

So those of the Paeonians who had been captured were taken into Asia (continent)Asia. Then Megabazus, having made the Paeonians captive, sent as messengers into Macedonia (region (general)), EuropeMacedonia [*](i.e. the country as extended by Alexander I east of the +Vardar [22.833,40.583] (river), Europe Axius to the Strymon.) the seven Persians who (after himself) were the most honorable in his army. These were sent to Amyntas to demand earth and water for Darius the king.

Now there is a very straight way from the Prasiad lake to Macedonia (region (general)), EuropeMacedonia. First there is near the lake that mine from which Alexander later drew a daily revenue of a talent of silver, and when a person has passed the mine, he need only cross the mountain called Dysorum [*](Apparently not far from the lower Strymon.) to be in Macedonia (region (general)), EuropeMacedonia.