§4.11.1ἔστι δὲ καὶ ἄλλος λόγος ἔχων ὧδε, τῷ μάλιστα λεγομένῳ αὐτός πρόσκειμαι, Σκύθας τοὺς νομάδας οἰκέοντας ἐν τῇ Ἀσίῃ, πολέμῳ πιεσθέντας ὑπὸ Μασσαγετέων, οἴχεσθαι διαβάντας ποταμὸν Ἀράξην ἐπὶ γῆν τὴν Κιμμερίην (τὴν γὰρ νῦν νέμονται Σκύθαι, αὕτη λέγεται τὸ παλαιὸν εἶναι Κιμμερίων),
There is also another story, to which I myself most strongly incline, which runs as follows: the nomadic Scythians, who dwelt in Asia, being hard pressed in war by the Massagetae, crossed the river Araxes and departed into the Cimmerian land (for the land which the Scythians now inhabit is said to have belonged to the Cimmerians in ancient times).
§4.11.2τοὺς δὲ Κιμμερίους ἐπιόντων Σκυθέων βουλεύεσθαι ὡς στρατοῦ ἐπιόντος μεγάλου, καὶ δὴ τὰς γνώμας σφέων κεχωρισμένας, ἐντόνους μὲν ἀμφοτέρας, ἀμείνω δὲ τὴν τῶν βασιλέων·
Upon the invasion of the Scythians, the Cimmerians took counsel, seeing that a great army was coming against them; and indeed their opinions were divided, both being strongly held, but that of the kings was the better.
τὴν μὲν γὰρ δὴ τοῦ δήμου φέρειν γνώμην ὡς ἀπαλλάσσεσθαι πρῆγμα εἴη μηδὲ πρὸ σποδοῦ μένοντας κινδυνεύειν, τὴν δὲ τῶν βασιλέων διαμάχεσθαι περὶ τῆς χώρης τοῖσι ἐπιοῦσι.
For the opinion of the commons was that they should depart, and that it was not necessary to remain and run risks before the dust (of the enemy's approach); but that of the kings was to fight to the last for their land against the invaders.
§4.11.3οὔκων δὴ ἐθέλειν πείθεσθαι οὔτε τοῖσι βασιλεῦσι τὸν δῆμον οὔτε τῷ δήμῳ τοὺς βασιλέας· τοὺς μὲν δὴ ἀπαλλάσσεσθαι βουλεύεσθαι ἀμαχητὶ τὴν χωρῆν παραδόντας τοῖσι ἐπιοῦσι· τοῖσι δὲ βασιλεῦσι δόξαι ἐν τῇ ἑωυτῶν κεῖσθαι ἀποθανόντας μηδὲ συμφεύγειν τῷ δήμῳ, λογισαμένους ὅσα τε ἀγαθὰ πεπόνθασι καὶ ὅσα φεύγοντας ἐκ τῆς πατρίδος κακὰ ἐπίδοξα καταλαμβάνειν.
Accordingly, neither would the commons yield to the kings, nor the kings to the commons; the former resolved to depart without a fight and deliver up the land to the invaders, but the kings determined to die and lie in their own soil rather than flee with the commons, considering how many good things they had enjoyed, and how many evils were likely to overtake those who flee from their native country.
§4.11.4ὡς δὲ δόξαι σφι ταῦτα, διαστάντας καὶ ἀριθμὸν ἴσους γενομένους μάχεσθαι πρὸς ἀλλήλους. καὶ τοὺς μὲν ἀποθανόντας πάντας ὑπʼ ἑωυτῶν θάψαι τὸν δῆμον τῶν Κιμμερίων παρὰ ποταμὸν Τύρην (καί σφεων ἔτι δῆλος ἐστὶ ὁ τάφος), θάψαντας δὲ οὕτω τὴν ἔξοδον ἐκ τῆς χώρης ποιέεσθαι·
Having thus resolved, they divided themselves into two equal parties and fought with one another; and all those who died by each other's hands were buried by the Cimmerian commons by the river Tyras (where their tomb is still to be seen).
Σκύθας δὲ ἐπελθόντας λαβεῖν τὴν χώρην ἐρήμην.
Having so buried them, they made their departure from the land; and the Scythians, when they invaded, took possession of an empty country.