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τοὺς νομάδας: of the whole nation (cf. iv. 11. 1), not the particular section (iv. 19). This programme of a joint attack on the Persian is even more magnificent than the scheme of Aristagoras (v. 49-54). But it is even less likely to have been conceived by a Scyth than by the astute Milesian. The whole story seems like a spiteful bit of gossip invented to explain the term ἐπισκυθίζειν. For Scythian raids on upper Asia cf. i. 104. 2; iv. 11. 1; 12. 3; and Append. XII.


ἀκρητοποσίην. The Greeks diluted their wine with water, and to drink undiluted wine was dangerous and barbaric. Athen. 36 b ἐὰν δ᾽ ἴσος ἴσῳ προσφέρῃ, μανίαν ποιεῖ: Ἐὰν δ᾽ ἄκρατον, παράλυσιν τῶν σωμάτων: Plato, Laws 637 E Σκύθαι δὲ καὶ Θρᾷκες ἀκράτῳ παντάπασι χρώμενοι, κτλ.

Ἐπισκύθισον, ‘pour in Scythian style,’ i. e. unmixed wine. (We may compare the use of ἀποσκυθίζειν for scalping, described in iv. 64. 2.) The verb may have had the origin here attributed to it (cf. Athenaeus x. 7, 427 b), but Anacreon (fl. 540 B. C.) is quoted (Athen. l. c.) for a similar phrase and practice: Σκυθικὴν πόσιν παῤ οἴνῳ μελετῶμεν.

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