§5.30.1ἐσθῆσι δὲ χρῶνται καταπληκτικαῖς, χιτῶσι μὲν βαπτοῖς χρώμασι παντοδαποῖς διηνθισμένοις καὶ ἀναξυρίσιν, ἃς ἐκεῖνοι βράκας προσαγορεύουσιν· ἐπιπορποῦνται δὲ σάγους ῥαβδωτοὺς ἐν μὲν τοῖς χειμῶσι δασεῖς, κατὰ δὲ τὸ θέρος ψιλούς, πλινθίοις πυκνοῖς καὶ πολυανθέσι διειλημμένους. §5.30.2ὅπλοις δὲ χρῶνται θυρεοῖς μὲν ἀνδρομήκεσι, πεποικιλμένοις ἰδιοτρόπως· τινὲς δὲ καὶ ζῴων χαλκῶν ἐξοχὰς ἔχουσιν, οὐ πρὸς κόσμον, ἀλλὰ πρὸς ἀσφάλειαν εὖ δεδημιουργημένας.
\nThey wear striking clothing, namely tunics dyed in all kinds of colors and embroidered with floral patterns, and trousers, which they call bracae; and they fasten with brooches striped cloaks, which are thick in winter and thin in summer, divided into dense, multi-colored checkered patterns.\n\nAs weapons, they use shields as tall as a man, decorated in a unique manner; and some also have bronze projections of animals, crafted not for ornament but for safety.
κράνη δὲ χαλκᾶ περιτίθενται μεγάλας ἐξοχὰς ἐξ ἑαυτῶν ἔχοντα καὶ παμμεγέθη φαντασίαν ἐπιφέροντα τοῖς χρωμένοις, ὧν τοῖς μὲν πρόσκειται συμφυῆ κέρατα, τοῖς δὲ ὀρνέων ἢ τετραπόδων ζῴων ἐκτετυπωμέναι προτομαί. §5.30.3σάλπιγγας δʼ ἔχουσιν ἰδιοφυεῖς καὶ βαρβαρικάς· ἐμφυσῶσι γὰρ ταύταις καὶ προβάλλουσιν ἦχον τραχὺν καὶ πολεμικῆς ταραχῆς οἰκεῖον.
They place on their heads bronze helmets that have large projections growing out of themselves and give a colossal appearance to those who use them, on some of which are attached horns in one piece with them, and on others the molded busts of birds or four-legged animals.\n\nThey have trumpets of a peculiar nature and barbarian kind; for they blow into these and produce a harsh sound, well suited to the tumult of war.
θώρακας δʼ ἔχουσιν οἱ μὲν σιδηροῦς ἁλυσιδωτούς, οἱ δὲ τοῖς ὑπὸ τῆς φύσεως δεδομένοις ἀρκοῦνται, γυμνοὶ μαχόμενοι.
And some of them have iron chain-mail breastplates, while others are content with what nature has given them, fighting naked.
ἀντὶ δὲ τοῦ ξίφους σπάθας ἔχουσι μακρὰς σιδηραῖς ἢ χαλκαῖς ἁλύσεσιν ἐξηρτημένας, παρὰ τὴν δεξιὰν λαγόνα παρατεταμένας.
Instead of a sword, they have long swords suspended from iron or bronze chains, stretched along their right thigh.
τινὲς δὲ τοὺς χιτῶνας ἐπιχρύσοις ἢ καταργύροις ζωστῆρσι συνέζωνται. §5.30.4προβάλλονται δὲ λόγχας, ἃς ἐκεῖνοι λαγκίας καλοῦσι, πηχυαῖα τῷ μήκει τοῦ σιδήρου καὶ ἔτι μείζω τὰ ἐπιθήματα ἐχούσας, πλάτει δὲ βραχὺ λείποντα διπαλαίστων· τὰ μὲν γὰρ ξίφη τῶν παρʼ ἑτέροις σαυνίων εἰσὶν οὐκ ἐλάττω, τὰ δὲ σαυνία τὰς ἀκμὰς ἔχει τῶν ξιφῶν μείζους.
And some gird their tunics with belts overlaid with gold or silver.\n\nThey thrust forward spears, which they call lanciae, having iron heads a cubit in length and even larger, and in width falling slightly short of two palms; for their blades are no smaller than the javelins of other peoples, and their javelins have tips larger than those of swords.
τούτων δὲ τὰ μὲν ἐπʼ εὐθείας κεχάλκευται, τὰ δʼ ἑλικοειδῆ διʼ ὅλων ἀνάκλασιν ἔχει πρὸς τὸ καὶ κατὰ τὴν πληγὴν μὴ μόνον τέμνειν, ἀλλὰ καὶ θραύειν τὰς σάρκας καὶ κατὰ τὴν ἀνακομιδὴν τοῦ δόρατος σπαράττειν τὸ τραῦμα.
Of these, some are forged straight, while others have a spiral twist throughout their length, so that in a blow they not only cut but also crush the flesh, and upon the withdrawal of the spear, they tear the wound.