them, perceiving them by smell, as the Persians say. Moreover, this creature so excels all others in swiftness that unless, while the ants are collecting together, the Indians meanwhile took to flight, not one of them would be likely to escape unhurt. So the Indians get the greater part of the gold in this way, as the Persians indeed relate; other gold, which is dug out from mines, is less common.
VII.LIBYA.
A curious kind of oxen.
125.In Libya there live men who are called the Garamantes. In their land there are oxen which are said to graze while walking backwards. Now they do this because they have horns with a forward curve, on which account they graze walking backwards; for they cannot graze while walking forward, since their horns strike against the ground before they can advance. They differ in nothing from other oxen except in this very respect, and in the thickness and hardness of their hides.
The cave-dwellers.
126.The same Garamantes pursue the Ethiopian Troglodytae in four-horse chariots. Now they are called Troglodytae because they live in caves; for a cave is called. ‘troglus.’ For these Troglodytae are the swiftest of foot of all men of whom we have ever heard. Now the Troglodytae live on snakes, and lizards, and reptiles of that kind; but they use a language like to no other, but shriek like owls.
VIII.THE SPARTAN KINGS.
127.These honours and privileges are assigned to Spartan kings: the two priesthoods of Lacedaemonian Jupiter and of the heavenly Jupiter; also the power of waging war, which power no one can interfere with without being condemned to death. When they go forth to war the kings go first and return last; in the army they are guarded by a hundred chosen men. They use as many victims in their expeditions as they choose, and receive both the skins and backs of all slain cattle.’
