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[1]
After this, since Alyattes would not give up the Scythians to Cyaxares at his demand, there was war between the Lydians and the Medes for five years; each won many victories over the other, and once they fought a battle by night.
After this, since Alyattes would not give up the Scythians to Cyaxares at his demand, there was war between the Lydians and the Medes for five years; each won many victories over the other, and once they fought a battle by night.
[2] They were still warring with equal success, when it happened, at an encounter which occurred in the sixth year, that during the battle the day was suddenly turned to night.
Thales of
Miletus [27.3,37.5] (Perseus)
Miletus
had foretold this loss of daylight to the
Ionians, fixing it within the year in which the change did indeed happen.
1
[3] So when the
Lydians and
Medes saw the day turned to night, they stopped fighting, and both were the more eager to make peace. Those who reconciled them were
Syennesis the
Cilician and
Labynetus the
Babylonian;
[4] they brought it about that there should be a sworn agreement and a compact of marriage between them: they judged that
Alyattes should give his daughter
Aryenis to
Astyages, son of
Cyaxares; for without strong constraint agreements will not keep their force.
[5] These nations make sworn compacts as do the
Greeks; and besides, when they cut the skin of their arms, they lick each other's blood.
Histories. Herodotus. ed. A.D. Godley. Cambridge. 1920-1925.
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