17。InEuropethereisaScythianrace，calledSauromatae，whichinhabitstheconfinesofthePalusMaeotis，andisdifferentfromallotherraces。Theirwomenmountonhorseback，usethebow，andthrowthejavelinfromtheirhorses，andfightwiththeirenemiesaslongastheyarevirgins；andtheydonotlayasidetheirvirginityuntiltheykillthreeoftheirenemies，norhaveanyconnectionwithmenuntiltheyperformthesacrificesaccordingtolaw。Whoevertakestoherselfahusband，givesupridingonhorsebackunlessthenecessityofageneralexpeditionobligesher。Theyhavenorightbreast；forwhilestillofatenderagetheirmothersheatstronglyacopperinstrumentconstructedforthisverypurpose，andapplyittotherightbreast，whichisburntup，anditsdevelopmentbeingarrested，allthestrengthandfullnessaredeterminedtotherightshoulderandarm。
18。AstheotherScythianshaveapeculiarityofshape，anddonotresembleanyother，thesameobservationappliestotheEgyptians，onlythatthelatterareoppressedbyheatandtheformerbycold。
WhatiscalledtheScythiandesertisaprairie，richinmeadows，high-lying，andwellwatered；fortheriverswhichcarryoffthewaterfromtheplainsarelarge。TherelivethoseScythianswhicharecalledNomades，becausetheyhavenohouses，butliveinwagons。Thesmallestofthesewagonshavefourwheels，butsomehavesix；theyarecoveredinwithfelt，andtheyareconstructedinthemannerofhouses，somehavingbutasingleapartment，andsomethree；theyareproofagainstrain，snow，andwinds。Thewagonsaredrawnbyyokesofoxen，someoftwoandothersofthree，andallwithouthorns，fortheyhavenohorns，owingtothecold。Inthesewagonsthewomenlive，butthemenarecarriedaboutonhorses，andthesheep，oxen，andhorsesaccompanythem；andtheyremainonanyspotaslongasthereisprovenderfortheircattle，andwhenthatfailstheymigratetosomeotherplace。Theyeatboiledmeat，anddrinkthemilkofmares，andalsoeathippace，whichischeesepreparedfromthemilkofthemare。Suchistheirmodeoflifeandtheircustoms。
19。Inrespectoftheseasonsandfigureofbody，theScythianrace，liketheEgyptian，haveauniformityofresemblance，differentfromallothernations；theyarebynomeansprolific，andthewildbeastswhichareindigenoustherearesmallinsizeandfewinnumber，forthecountryliesundertheNorthernBears，andtheRhiphaeanmountains，whencethenorthwindblows；thesuncomesveryneartothemonlywheninthesummersolstice，andwarmsthembutforashortperiod，andnotstrongly；andthewindsblowingfromthehotregionsoftheearthdonotreachthem，orbutseldom，andwithlittleforce；butthewindsfromthenorthalwaysblow，congealed，astheyare，bythesnow，ice，andmuchwater，fortheseneverleavethemountains，whicharetherebyrendereduninhabitable。Athickfogcoverstheplainsduringtheday，andamidstittheylive，sothatwintermaybesaidtobealwayspresentwiththem；or，iftheyhavesummer，itisonlyforafewdays，andtheheatisnotverystrong。
Theirplainsarehigh-lyingandnaked，notcrownedwithmountains，butextendingupwardsundertheNorthernBears。Thewildbeaststherearenotlarge，butsuchascanbeshelteredunderground；forthecoldofwinterandthebarrennessofthecountrypreventtheirgrowth，andbecausetheyhavenocovertnorshelter。Thechangesoftheseasons，too，arenotgreatnorviolent，for，infact，theychangegradually；andthereforetheirfiguresresembleoneanother，astheyallequallyusethesamefood，andthesameclothingsummerandwinter，respiringahumidanddenseatmosphere，anddrinkingwaterfromsnowandice；neitherdotheymakeanylaboriousexertions，forneitherbodynormindiscapableofenduringfatiguewhenthechangesoftheseasonsarenotgreat。Forthesereasonstheirshapesaregrossandfleshy，withill-markedjoints，ofahumidtemperament，anddeficientintone:theinternalcavities，andespeciallythoseoftheintestines，arefullofhumors；forthebellycannotpossiblybedryinsuchacountry，withsuchaconstitutionandinsuchaclimate；butowingtotheirfat，andtheabsenceofhairsfromtheirbodies，theirshapesresembleoneanother，themalesbeingallalike，andsoalsowiththewomen；fortheseasonsbeingofauniformtemperature，nocorruptionordeteriorationtakesplaceintheconcretionofthesemen，unlessfromsomeviolentcause，orfromdisease。
20。IWillgiveyouastrongproofofthehumidity（laxity？）oftheirconstitutions。YouwillfindthegreaterpartoftheScythians，andalltheNomades，withmarksofthecauteryontheirshoulders，arms，wrists，breasts，hip-joints，andloins，andthatfornootherreasonbutthehumidityandflabbinessoftheirconstitution，fortheycanneitherstrainwiththeirbows，norlaunchthejavelinfromtheirshoulderowingtotheirhumidityandatony:butwhentheyareburnt，muchofthehumidityintheirjointsisdriedup，andtheybecomebetterbraced，betterfed，andtheirjointsgetintoamoresuitablecondition。Theyareflabbyandsquatatfirst，because，asinEgypt，theyarenotswathed（？）；andthentheypaynoattentiontohorsemanship，sothattheymaybeadeptsatit；andbecauseoftheirsedentarymodeoflife；forthemales，whentheycannotbecarriedaboutonhorseback，sitthemostoftheirtimeinthewagon，andrarelypractisewalking，becauseoftheirfrequentmigrationsandshiftingsofsituation；andastothewomen，itisamazinghowflabbyandsluggishtheyare。TheScythianracearetawnyfromthecold，andnotfromtheintenseheatofthesun，forthewhitenessoftheskinisparchedbythecold，andbecomestawny。
21。Itisimpossiblethatpersonsofsuchaconstitutioncouldbeprolific，for，withtheman，thesexualdesiresarenotstrong，owingtothelaxityofhisconstitution，thesoftnessandcoldnessofhisbelly，fromallwhichcausesitislittlelikelythatamanshouldbegiventovenery；andbesides，frombeingjadedbyexerciseonhorseback，themenbecomeweakintheirdesires。Onthepartofthementhesearethecauses；butonthatofthewomen，theyareembonpointandhumidity；forthewombcannottakeinthesemen，noristhemenstrualdischargesuchasitshouldbe，butscantyandattoolongintervals；andthemouthofthewombisshutupbyfatanddoesnotadmitthesemen；and，moreover，theythemselvesareindolentandfat，andtheirbelliescoldandsoft。FromthesecausestheScythianraceisnotprolific。Theirfemaleservantsfurnishastrongproofofthis；fortheynosoonerhaveconnectionwithamanthantheyprovewithchild，owingtotheiractivecourseoflifeandtheslendernessofbody。
22。And，inadditiontothese，therearemanyeunuchsamongtheScythians，whoperformfemalework，andspeaklikewomen。Suchpersonsarecalledeffeminates。Theinhabitantsofthecountryattributethecauseoftheirimpotencetoagod，andvenerateandworshipsuchpersons，everyonedreadingthatthelikemightbefallhimself；buttomeitappearsthatsuchaffectionsarejustasmuchdivineasallothersare，andthatnoonediseaseiseithermoredivineormorehumanthananother，butthatallarealikedivine，forthateachhasitsownnature，andthatnooneariseswithoutanaturalcause。ButIwillexplainhowIthinkthattheaffectiontakesitsrise。Fromcontinuedexerciseonhorsebacktheyareseizedwithchronicdefluxionsintheirjointsowingtotheirlegsalwayshangingdownbelowtheirhorses；theyafterwardsbecomelameandstiffatthehip-joint，suchofthem，atleast，asareseverelyattackedwithit。
Theytreatthemselvesinthisway:whenthediseaseiscommencing，theyopentheveinbehindeitherear，andwhenthebloodflows，sleep，fromfeebleness，seizesthem，andafterwardstheyawaken，someingoodhealthandothersnot。Tomeitappearsthatthesemenisalteredbythistreatment，forthereareveinsbehindtheearswhich，ifcut，induceimpotence；now，theseveinswouldappeartometobecut。