Toxaris vel amicitia

Lucian of Samosata

Selections from Lucian. Smith, Emily James, translators. New York; Harper Brothers, 1892.

But I will inform you on my own account of a great expedition that is coming against you under Arsakomas, son of Mariantes, who was recently an envoy to your court. I believe your rejection of him as a suitor for your daughter is the cause of his enmity. He has been sitting on the ox-hide this week past and has collected a considerable force." "I had heard myself," rejoined Leukanor, "that a force was being gathered by some one's ox-hide, but I did not know that it was collected against us, or that Arsakomas was at the head of it." "It is against you, however, that it is being prepared," said Lonchates. But Arsakomas is an enemy of mine, and he takes it ill that I am honored before him by the elders and am thought the better man in all respects. And if you should promise me your other daughter, Barketis-since I am no unworthy match in other respects-I will come before long and bring you his head. "I promise," said the king, growing extremely frightened, for he knew the reason Arsakomas had for being angry about the marriage, and he always trembled at the Scythians anyhow.

p.225

"Swear, then," said Lonchates, "in very truth to keep your agreement and not to repudiate it." At this point, and just as the king had lifted his hand to heaven, intending to swear, Lonchates said, "Not here, for some of the by-standers might suspect the matter of our oath. But let us go into the temple of Ares here and shut the doors and take our oaths so that nobody can hear them. For if Arsakomas should get wind of this I am afraid he would offer me up ås a sacrifice before battle, since he is already surrounded by no small force." "Very well," said the king. Then, turning to his attendants," Remove to a distance, and let no one be found in the temple unless I call him." When they had entered and the body-guard had withdrawn, Lonchates drew his sword, grasped the king's mouth with his other hand to prevent his crying out, and smote him in the breast. Then he cut off his head and went out with it under his cloak, pretending to speak with the king as he went, and saying that he would be back directly, as if Leukanor had sent him on some errand. When he had thus made his way to the place where he had left his horse tied, he mounted and spurred off to Scythia. There was no pursuit, for it was a long time before the Bosporians

p.226

found out what had happened, and when they did find it out they fell to quarrelling about the succession.

These, then, were the exploits of Lonchates, done in fulfilling his promise to Arsakomas by bringing the head of Leukanor. Makentes, on his part, arrived among the Machlyëans, having heard on the road what had happened at the Bosporus. Thus he was the first to announce to them the murder of the king, and he added: "The state, Adyrmachos, summons you to the throne because you are his son-in-law. So do you ride first and seize the empire, appearing on the scene while matters are in disorder. Let the young lady follow after you with chariots, for you will the more easily conciliate the Bosporian mob if they see the daughter of Leukanor. I am an Alanian and related to the girl on the mother's side, for it was from our family that Leukanor chose his wife, Masteira. And now I am come to you from Masteira's brothers in Alania, who bid you ride to the Bosporos as quickly as you may, and not permit the empire to pass into the hands of Eubiotos, a bastard brother of Leukanor, who has always been a friend of the Scythians and detested by the Alanians." This speech Makentes delivered, wearing the dress of the Alanians and speaking their language, for on these points the Scythians and

p.227

Alanians agree with this one exception, that the Alanians do not wear their hair very long, as the Scythians do. But in this respect, too, Makentes had likened himself to an Alanian by cutting his hair as much short of the Scythian length as an Alanian's would probably be. So by these means he got credence as a relative of Masteira and Mazaia.

"And now, Adyrmachos," said he, "I am ready to ride with you to the Bosporos if you like, or, if need be, to stay behind and escort the young lady." "That is what I should prefer," said Adyrmachos, "to have you escort Mazaia. For if you go with us to the Bosporos we should only be one horseman the more, but if you should escort my wife for me you would be worth a multitude." This was done, and Adyrmachos rode off, having handed over his maid-wife Mazaia to Makentes. He, on his part, escorted her in her chariot during the day, but when night fell he set her upon a horse-for he had provided that one horseman beside himself should accompany them-and, leaping on his own, he no longer rode by the Maiotis, but turned off inland, keeping the Mitraian mountains on his right. He let the the girl rest now and then, and on the third day crossed the Machlyëan border into Scythia. His

p.228

horse, when he stopped galloping, stood still for a moment, and then fell dead.

Makentes handed over Mazaia to Arsakomas, saying, "Receive the fulfilment of my promise also." He was stunned by the unexpected vision, and strove to express his thanks, but Makentes said, "Stop trying to make me out a different person from yourself. To thank me for what I have done is much as if my left-hand should acknowledge its obligation to my right because it had been tended when it was wounded, and tenderly cared for when it was tired. So it would be an absurdity in us, too, if we who have joined our fortunes this long time, and as nearly as possible made ourselves into one man, should still think it a great thing if a part of us does something for the good of the whole body. For it is for his own good that he does it, seeing he is part of the benefitted whole." Thus did Makentes meet Arsakomas's thanks.