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。