§3.33.1ὁπλισμὸν δʼ ἔχουσι τῶν Τρωγλοδυτῶν οἱ μὲν ὀνομαζόμενοι Μεγάβαροι κυκλοτερεῖς ὠμοβοΐνας ἀσπίδας καὶ ῥόπαλον τύλους ἔχον περισιδήρους, οἱ δὲ ἄλλοι τόξα καὶ λόγχας.
As for the weaponry of the Troglodytes, those who are called Megabari carry round shields of raw ox-hide and a club having iron-shod studs, while the others have bows and spears.
§3.33.2ταφαὶ δὲ παντελῶς ἐξηλλαγμέναι ἐπιχωριάζουσι· τοῖς γὰρ τῶν παλιούρων λύγοις δήσαντες τῶν τετελευτηκότων τὰ σώματα προσάπτουσι τὸν αὐχένα τοῖς σκέλεσι, θέντες δὲ τὸν νεκρὸν ἐπί τινος ἀναστήματος βάλλουσι λίθοις χειροπληθέσι γελῶντες, μέχρι ἂν ὅτου τοῖς λίθοις περιχώσαντες ἀποκρύψωσι τὰ σώματα· τὸ δὲ τελευταῖον αἰγὸς κέρας ἐπιθέντες ἀπολύονται, §3.33.3συμπάθειαν οὐδεμίαν λαμβάνοντες.
But burials of a completely different sort are customary among them; for binding the bodies of the deceased with twigs of Christ's thorn, they tie the neck to the legs, and placing the corpse upon a certain eminence, they throw stones as large as can be held in the hand, laughing, until they cover and hide the body with the stones; and finally, placing a goat's horn upon it, they depart, showing no sympathy.
πολεμοῦσι δὲ πρὸς ἀλλήλους οὐχ ὁμοίως τοῖς Ἕλλησιν ὑπὲρ γῆς ἤ τινων ἄλλων ἐγκλημάτων, ἀλλʼ ὑπὲρ τῆς ἐπιγινομένης ἀεὶ νομῆς.
They fight with one another, not as the Greeks do over land or other complaints, but over the pasture that constantly springs up.
ἐν δὲ ταῖς φιλονεικίαις τὸ μὲν πρῶτον ἀλλήλους τοῖς λίθοις βάλλουσι, μέχρι ἄν τινες τρωθῶσι, καὶ τὸ λοιπὸν ἐπὶ τὸν τῶν τόξων ἀγῶνα καταντῶσι.
And in their disputes, at first they throw stones at one another until some are wounded, and for the rest they resort to the contest of bows.
πολλοὶ δὲ ἐν ἀκαρεῖ χρόνῳ τελευτῶσιν, ὡς ἂν εὐστόχως μὲν βαλλόντων διὰ τὴν ἐν τούτοις ἄθλησιν, τὸν δὲ σκοπὸν ἐχόντων γυμνὸν τῶν σκεπαστηρίων ὅπλων.
And many die in a moment of time, since they shoot accurately because of their training in these things, and have their target naked of protective armor.
§3.33.4διαλύουσι δὲ τὴν μάχην τῶν γυναικῶν αἱ πρεσβύτεραι, προαλλόμεναι μὲν εἰς τὸ μέσον, ἐντροπῆς δὲ τυγχάνουσαι· νόμιμον γάρ ἐστιν αὐτοῖς ταύτας κατὰ μηδένα τῶν τρόπων τύπτειν, ὅθεν ἅμα τῷ φανῆναι παύονται τοῦ τοξεύειν.
But the older of the women break up the battle, rushing forward into the midst and meeting with respect; for it is a custom among them to strike these women in no manner, and so as soon as they appear they cease from shooting.
§3.33.5οἱ δὲ διὰ τὸ γῆρας οὐ δυνάμενοι ταῖς ποίμναις ἀκολουθεῖν βοὸς οὐρᾷ τὸν αὐχένα περισφίγξαντες ἑαυτῶν ἀπολύονται τοῦ ζῆν προθύμως·
And those who by reason of old age are no longer able to follow the flocks, binding their necks with the tail of an ox, eagerly release themselves from life.
τοῦ δὲ τὸν θάνατον ἀναβαλλομένου τὴν ἐξουσίαν ὁ βουλόμενος ἔχει τὸν δεσμὸν ὡς ἐπʼ εὐνοίᾳ περιθεῖναι καὶ μετὰ νουθετήσεως στερῆσαι τοῦ ζῆν.
And if anyone postpones his death, whoever wishes has the authority to put the noose on him as if in goodwill, and after admonishing him, to deprive him of life.
§3.33.6ὁμοίως δὲ νόμιμον αὐτοῖς ἐστι τοὺς πηρωθέντας ἢ νόσοις δυσιάτοις συνεχομένους ἐξάγειν ἐκ τοῦ ζῆν· μέγιστον γὰρ τῶν κακῶν ἡγοῦνται τὸ φιλοψυχεῖν τὸν μηδὲν ἄξιον τοῦ ζῆν πράττειν δυνάμενον.
In like manner it is a custom for them to remove from life those who are maimed or afflicted with incurable diseases; for they consider it the greatest of evils for a man to cling to life when he is able to do nothing worthy of living.
διὸ καὶ πάντας ἰδεῖν ἔστι τοὺς Τρωγλοδύτας ἀρτίους μὲν τοῖς σώμασιν, ἰσχύοντας δʼ ἔτι ταῖς ἡλικίαις, ὡς ἂν μηδενὸς ὑπερβάλλοντος τὰ ἑξήκοντα ἔτη.
Therefore, one can see all the Troglodytes sound in body and still strong in age, since no one exceeds sixty years.
§3.33.7καὶ περὶ μὲν τῶν Τρωγλοδυτῶν ἱκανῶς εἰρήκαμεν· εἰ δέ τις τῶν ἀναγινωσκόντεν διὰ τὸν ξενισμὸν καὶ τὸ παράδοξον τῶν ἀναγεγραμμένων βίων ἀπιστήσει ταῖς ἱστορίαις, θεὶς πρὸ τῆς διανοίας παρʼ ἄλληλα τόν τε περὶ τὴν Σκυθίαν ἀέρα καὶ τὸν περὶ τὴν Τρωγλοδυτικήν, καὶ τὰς ἑκατέρων διαφορὰς ἰδών, οὐκ ἀπιστήσει τοῖς ἱστορημένοις.
Now, concerning the Troglodytes, we have said enough; and if any of the readers, by reason of the strangeness and paradoxical nature of the lives described, should disbelieve the accounts, if he places before his mind side by side the climate of Scythia and that of the Troglodyte country, and sees the differences between them, he will not disbelieve what has been recorded.