Selected Passages from the 1666 English Translation
Aelian's Various History is a Greek miscellany from the Roman imperial period, preserving brief anecdotes, customs, sayings, and historical notices from many older source streams.
For the Scythian shelf, these selected notices gather Aelian's explicit Scythian, Sauromatian, Anacharsis, and Persian-frontier material: the old commonplace about unmixed Scythian wine, Sauromatian food, Anacharsis' travel to Greece, Darius' mercy toward conspirators sent to the borders of Scythia, the naked Scythian answer about cold, and Oenycinus the Scythian at the Persian court.
This is an archival English dossier, not a New Tianmu translation. It uses the Text Creation Partnership's CC0 keyboarded text of the 1666 English edition and belongs as a compact source family beside Lucian, Herodotus, Pausanias, and the Anacharsis testimonia already in the wider Scythian archive.
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Book 2, Chapter 41. Of some who were lovers of Drink, and great Drinkers
Lovers of Drink were Dionysius in Sicily, and Nisaeus a Tyrant also, Apollocrates son of Dionysius the Tyrant, Hipparinus kinsman of Dionysius, Timolaus a Theban, Charidemus an Orithean, Arcadion, Erasixenus, Alcetas a Macedonian, and Diotimus an Athenian. This last was called a Tunnel, because putting a Tunnel into his mouth, he could drink wine poured into it without taking breath. They relate of Cleomenes the Lacedemonian, that he was not onely a great Drinker, but that he also used the ill custome of the Scythians to drink Wine unallai'd. They say also that Io of Chios, the Poet, was an immoderate drinker of Wine. Likewise Alexander the Macedonian, in honour of Calanus the Brahman, an Indian Sophist, that burned himself, instituting Games of Musick, Horse-racing and Wrastling; to gratifie the Indians, he added another part proper to that Country, which was Drinking. To him that should be Victor he appointed a Talent for his reward, to the next thirty Minae, to the third ten. Promachus got the Victory. Moreover Dionysius, at the Feast which they call Choae, proposed a golden Crown as a reward to him that drank most. Xenocrates the Chalcedonian was Victor, and taking the Crown when he went away after Supper, put it upon a Statue of Mercury which stood at the door, according to his custome: for he used to lay there Garlands of Flowers, Myrrhe, Ivy, and Laurel, and leave them. Also Anacharsis, as it is said, drank much at Periander 's house. He brought this custome from his own Country, for it is proper for the Scythians to drink pure Wine. Lacydes and Timon, Philosophers, are said to have drank much. Likewise Mycerinus an Aegyptian, a Prophecy being brought him from Buta, foretelling that he should live but a little while, to delude the Oracle by doubling the time, turning nights into daies, watched and drank continually. To these adde Amasis the Aegyptian, of whom Herodotus attests enough. And Nicoteles a Corinthian must not be severed from these. And they say also that Scopas the son of Creon and Antiochus the King were much addicted to Wine: for which reason he put the whole Government of his Kingdome into the hands of Aristaeus and Themisto, Cyprians, whilest he, given over to Drunkenness, bare onely the Title of King. Likewise Antiochus Epiphanes, delivered as pledge to the Romans, used to drink Wine immoderately. As also his name-sake Antiochus, who waging Warre with the Medians against Arsaces, was a slave to Drunkenness. Amongst these may be reckoned Antiochus the great. Immoderate drinking cast Agro King of the Illyrians into a Pleurisie, and kill'd him. Likewise Gentius another King of the Illyrians was a great Drinker. What shall we say of Orophernes King of Cappadocia, who was also a great Drinker? And if we must mention Women, (in whom to love drink is a great vice, to drink much a greater) Clio, as they say, contended in drinking, not with Women onely, but with Men; for she was a great Drinker, and had the better of every one, carrying in my opinion a shameful victory.
Book 3, Chapter 39. What things some of old did eat
The Arcadians fed on Acorns, the Argives on Pears, the Athenians on Figs, the Tyrinthians on wild Figs, the Indians on Canes, the Carmans on Dates, the Maeotians and Sauromatians on Millet, the Persians on Turpentine and Cardamum.
Book 5, Chapter 7. Of Anacharsis
The Scythians wander up and down their own Country; but Anacharsis, being a wise man, extended his travells farther: for he came into Greece, and Solon admired him.
Book 6, Chapter 14. Of a Conspiracy against Darius
I am told an extraordinary meek act of Darius Son of Hystaspes. Aribazus the Hyrcanian, with many other persons, not inconsiderable, in Persia, conspired against him. The Plot was laid at a Hunting: which Darius understanding, was not daunted, but commanded them to betake themselves to their Weapons and Horses, and to fix their Arms. And looking sternly upon them, 'Why then doe you not that, said he, which you designed?' But they seeing the undaunted look of the man, gave over the attempt. And so great fear seized them, that they threw away their Spears, leaped from their Horses, adored Darius, and delivered themselves up to doe with them as he pleased.
He separated them from one another, and sent some to the confines of India, others to the borders of Scythia; and they continued ever afterwards faithful to him, being mindful of this favour.
Book 7, Chapter 6. The answer of a Scythian concerning Cold
On a time there falling a great Snow, the King of the Scythians asked one whom he saw walk naked, whether he were not frozen. He again asked the King whether his Forehead were not frozen. To which he answering, No; the other replied, 'Neither am I, for I am Forehead all over.'
Book 8, Chapter 17. Of Oenycinus Monarch of the Zanclaeans
Oenycinus a Scythian, Monarch of the Zanclaeans, came up into Asia to King Darius, and was esteemed by him more just then all the persons that had come up out of Greece to him: For having obtained leave of the King, he went into Sicily, and came back again from thence to the King. This Democedes the Crotonian did not; and therefore Darius much reproached him, calling him a Deceiver, and a most wicked man. But the Scythian lived very happily in Persia till he was old, and died there.
Colophon
This archival dossier was prepared from the Oxford Text Archive / Text Creation Partnership HTML text of Claudius Aelianus, Varia historia, translated into English as Claudius Aelianus, His Various History and printed in 1666. The local source capture is Tulku/Tools/scythian/sources/expansion_bench_2026-05-11/aelian_various_history_tcp_large28.html, with the selected extract saved as Tulku/Tools/scythian/sources/expansion_bench_2026-05-11/aelian_various_history_scythian_notices_large28.txt.
The TCP footer states that the Phase I text is available for reuse under Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal. This page presents selected public-domain archival English notices only. It is not a Greek Good Works Translation and makes no firstness, completeness, or identity-equivalence claim.
Prepared and formatted by the New Tianmu Anglican Church, 2026.
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