P & J

Somehow or other, it never IS the wine, in these cases. -- The Pickwick Papers

Wednesday, January 25, 2006

More Herodotus

The end of book III is the gift that keeps on giving. First I was wrong the part with the people copulating in the open is in book III and not book I. Here is is;

All the Indian tribes ... copulate in the open like cattle; there skins are all of the same colour, much like the Ethiopias'. Their semen is not white like other peoples', but black like there own skins; the same is to be found in the Ethiopians.
Book III 101.

The editor of the volume I have says that Aristotle corrects Herodotus on this point in Hist. Anim. III 22.

If you enjoyed that one, then I got more for you.

It is clear that it is the northern part of Europe which are the richest in gold, but how it is procured I cannot say exactly. The story goes that the one-eyes Arimaspians steal it from the griffins who gaurd it; personally, however, I refuse to believe in one-eyed men who in other respects are like the rest of men.
Book III 116.

And my favorite:

Another tribe ... known as the Pardaei. ... Among their coustoms, it is said that when a man falls sick, his closest companions kill him, because, as they put it, their meat would be spoilt if he were allowed to wast away with disease. The invalid, in these circumstances, protests that there is nothing the matter with him - but to no purpose. His friends refuse to acccept his protestations, kill him and hold a banquet. ... If anyone is lucky enough to live to an advanced age, he is offered in sacrifice before a banquet - this, however, rearely happens, because most of them will have had some deisease or other before they get old, and will consequently have been killed by their friends.
Book III 99.

1 Comments:

Blogger elsoopermexican said...

I AM NOT A GAY COWBOY RANCH-OWNER. I NEITHER OWN A RANCH WITH GAY COWBOYS ON IT, NOR AM I A RANCH-OWNER WHO OWNS GAY COWBOYS. I JUST WANT TO MAKE THAT CLEAR TO YOU.

yes, i know this has absolutely nothing to do with your post.

2:27 AM PST  

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