第 58 节
作者:
孤独半圆 更新:2021-02-21 16:05 字数:9322
gnesians of Asia; the Aeolians; the Carians; the Lycians; the Milyans; and the Pamphylians; paid their tribute in a single sum; which was fixed at four hundred talents of silver。 These formed together the first satrapy。 The Mysians; Lydians; Lasonians; Cabalians; and Hygennians paid the sum of five hundred talents。 This was the second satrapy。 The Hellespontians; of the right coast as one enters the straits; the Phrygians; the Asiatic Thracians; the Paphlagonians; the Mariandynians' and the Syrians paid a tribute of three hundred and sixty talents。 This was the third satrapy。 The Cilicians gave three hundred and sixty white horses; one for each day in the year; and five hundred talents of silver。 Of this sum one hundred and forty talents went to pay the cavalry which guarded the country; while the remaining three hundred and sixty were received by Darius。 This was the fourth satrapy。 The country reaching from the city of Posideium (built by Amphilochus; son of Amphiaraus; on the confines of Syria and Cilicia) to the borders of Egypt; excluding therefrom a district which belonged to Arabia and was free from tax; paid a tribute of three hundred and fifty talents。 All Phoenicia; Palestine Syria; and Cyprus; were herein contained。 This was the fifth satrapy。 From Egypt; and the neighbouring parts of Libya; together with the towns of Cyrene and Barca; which belonged to the Egyptian satrapy; the tribute which came in was seven hundred talents。 These seven hundred talents did not include the profits of the fisheries of Lake Moeris; nor the corn furnished to the troops at Memphis。 Corn was supplied to 120;000 Persians; who dwelt at Memphis in the quarter called the White Castle; and to a number of auxiliaries。 This was the sixth satrapy。 The Sattagydians; the Gandarians; the Dadicae; and the Aparytae; who were all reckoned together; paid a tribute of a hundred and seventy talents。 This was the seventh satrapy。 Susa; and the other parts of Cissia; paid three hundred talents。 This was the eighth satrapy。 From Babylonia; and the rest of Assyria; were drawn a thousand talents of silver; and five hundred boy…eunuchs。 This was the ninth satrapy。 Agbatana; and the other parts of Media; together with the Paricanians and Orthocorybantes; paid in all four hundred and fifty talents。 This was the tenth satrapy。 The Caspians; Pausicae; Pantimathi; and Daritae; were joined in one government; and paid the sum of two hundred talents。 This was the eleventh satrapy。 From the Bactrian tribes as far as the Aegli the tribute received was three hundred and sixty talents。 This was the twelfth satrapy。 From Pactyica; Armenia; and the countries reaching thence to the Euxine; the sum drawn was four hundred talents。 This was the thirteenth satrapy。 The Sagartians; Sarangians; Thamanaeans; Utians; and Mycians; together with the inhabitants of the islands in the Erythraean sea; where the king sends those whom he banishes; furnished altogether a tribute of six hundred talents。 This was the fourteenth satrapy。 The Sacans and Caspians gave two hundred and fifty talents。 This was the fifteenth satrapy。 The Parthians; Chorasmians; Sogdians; and Arians; gave three hundred。 This was the sixteenth satrapy。 The Paricanians and Ethiopians of Asia furnished a tribute of four hundred talents。 This was the seventeenth satrapy。 The Matienians; Saspeires; and Alarodians were rated to pay two hundred talents。 This was the eighteenth satrapy。 The Moschi; Tibareni; Macrones; Mosynoeci; and Mares had to pay three hundred talents。 This was the nineteenth satrapy。 The Indians; who are more numerous than any other nation with which we are acquainted; paid a tribute exceeding that of every other people; to wit; three hundred and sixty talents of gold…dust。 This was the twentieth satrapy。 If the Babylonian money here spoken of be reduced to the Euboic scale; it will make nine thousand five hundred and forty such talents; and if the gold be reckoned at thirteen times the worth of silver; the Indian gold…dust will come to four thousand six hundred and eighty talents。 Add these two amounts together and the whole revenue which came in to Darius year by year will be found to be in Euboic money fourteen thousand five hundred and sixty talents; not to mention parts of a talent。 Such was the revenue which Darius derived from Asia and a small part of Libya。 Later in his reign the sum was increased by the tribute of the islands; and of the nations of Europe as far as Thessaly。 The Great King stores away the tribute which he receives after this fashion… he melts it down; and; while it is in a liquid state; runs it into earthen vessels; which are afterwards removed; leaving the metal in a solid mass。 When money is wanted; he coins as much of this bullion as the occasion requires。 Such then were the governments; and such the amounts of tribute at which they were assessed respectively。 Persia alone has not been reckoned among the tributaries… and for this reason; because the country of the Persians is altogether exempt from tax。 The following peoples paid no settled tribute; but brought gifts to the king: first; the Ethiopians bordering upon Egypt; who were reduced by Cambyses when he made war on the long…lived Ethiopians; and who dwell about the sacred city of Nysa; and have festivals in honour of Bacchus。 The grain on which they and their next neighbours feed is the same as that used by the Calantian Indians。 Their dwelling…houses are under ground。 Every third year these two nations brought… and they still bring to my day… two choenices of virgin gold; two hundred logs of ebony; five Ethiopian boys; and twenty elephant tusks。 The Colchians; and the neighbouring tribes who dwell between them and the Caucasus… for so far the Persian rule reaches; while north of the Caucasus no one fears them any longer… undertook to furnish a gift; which in my day was still brought every fifth year; consisting of a hundred boys; and the same number of maidens。 The Arabs brought every year a thousand talents of frankincense。 Such were the gifts which the king received over and above the tribute…money。 The way in which the Indians get the plentiful supply of gold which enables them to furnish year by year so vast an amount of gold…dust to the kind is the following:… eastward of India lies a tract which is entirely sand。 Indeed of all the inhabitants of Asia; concerning whom anything certain is known; the Indians dwell the nearest to the east; and the rising of the sun。 Beyond them the whole country is desert on account of the sand。 The tribes of Indians are numerous; and do not all speak the same language… some are wandering tribes; others not。 They who dwell in the marshes along the river live on raw fish; which they take in boats made of reeds; each formed out of a single joint。 These Indians wear a dress of sedge; which they cut in the river and bruise; afterwards they weave it into mats; and wear it as we wear a breast…plate。 Eastward of these Indians are another tribe; called Padaeans; who are wanderers; and live on raw flesh。 This tribe is said to have the following customs:… If one of their number be ill; man or woman; they take the sick person; and if he be a man; the men of his acquaintance proceed to put him to death; because; they say; his flesh would be spoilt for them if he pined and wasted away with sickness。 The man protests he is not ill in the least; but his friends will not accept his denial… in spite of all he can say; they kill him; and feast themselves on his body。 So also if a woman be sick; the women; who are her friends; take her and do with her exactly the same as the men。 If one of them reaches to old age; about which there is seldom any question; as commonly before that time they have had some disease or other; and so have been put to death… but if a man; notwithstanding; comes to be old; then they offer him in sacrifice to their gods; and afterwards eat his flesh。 There is another set of Indians whose customs are very different。 They refuse to put any live animal to death; they sow no corn; and have no dwelling…houses。 Vegetables are their only food。 There is a plant which grows wild in their country; bearing seed; about the size of millet…seed; in a calyx: their wont is to gather this seed and having boiled it; calyx and all; to use it for food。 If one of them is attacked with sickness; he goes forth into the wilderness; and lies down to die; no one has the least concern either for the sick or for the dead。 All the tribes which I have mentioned live together like the brute beasts: they have also all the same tint of skin; which approaches that of the Ethiopians。 Their country is a long way from Persia towards the south: nor had king Darius ever any authority over them。 Besides these; there are Indians of another tribe; who border on the city of Caspatyrus; and the country of Pactyica; these people dwell northward of all the rest of the Indians; and follow nearly the same mode of life as the Bactrians。 They are more warlike than any of the other tribes; and from them the men are sent forth who go to procure the gold。 For it is in this part of India that the sandy desert lies。 Here; in this desert;