Descendants of the Scythians - Страница 54

“Tell us what the gods have bidden you.”

The old soothsayer leaned on his staff and addressed both Skolot and all the Scythians at the same time, though it was evident that it was the gathering of hundreds of the Scythians that he intended his story for. The soothsayer’s withered fingers were clasping the staff firmly, and his raucous voice sounded especially harsh and insistent; he made no attempt to conceal his ill feelings:

“The sage Ormad recited the tale of how the courageous Skolots gained a victory over the mighty Persian army and how the haughty King Darius had to flee from our lands. I know this story well as it has been passed down to us through the ages for our edification. I wish to reiterate that the Skolots won only thanks to the aid and with the blessing of the gods. It was the gods who spoke to the wise chieftain Idanthyrsus and advised him as to how to achieve victory over King Darius. But what was the fate of Anacharsis, a kinsman of Idanthyrsus? Do you know his story, o Skolots? What happened to the man who forsook and rejected his gods? I remind you, descendants of the Darius-defeating Skolots, of the miserable plight of Anacharsis so that everyone of you will remember what awaits a man who forsakes the gods!”

“This sounds like flagrant religious propaganda to me,” Artem remarked rather mockingly as he heard the translation.

“Anacharsis was a wise man,” Dorbatay continued, “but he was not content to be the wisest of the Scythians. Anacharsis went to foreign countries where he thought he would acquire the wisdom of the foreign peoples, thus becoming the wisest of men. He travelled through many countries, staying in each of them for some time before he resolved to return home. But he was a different man by then: he had renounced the Skolot gods, having been converted to another faith. When he returned to the abode of the Skolots, he performed rites to a foreign goddess. Can there be a more grievous offense to our gods? Anacharsis converted many other Skolots to the worship of the foreign goddess. He would retire to the forest, taking other Skolots with him, and there they would perform the rites, playing timbrels, putting on Greek dress and doing obesiance to foreign images. So, what did the wise chieftain Saulius do when he had learnt about this outrage? He went to the forest with his warriors, saw the apostates thus employed, and shot them with his arrows, killing them all! Saulius did so because he had been inspired by the gods who gave him their blessing. Thus Saulius dealt with the offenders of our faith! Saulius was a courageous warrior and wise Skolot chieftain, beloved by the gods!”

Dorbatay’s voice sounded triumphant now, and his last words he openly spat out at Skolot.

“Saulius was a sage and knew what was proper and good for the Skolots. He knew that the happiness and wealth of the Skolots were in the hands of the gods who must never be insulted or forsaken and that their laws must be abided by. Do the Skolot people follow these precepts today? Does our wise chieftain Skolot remember them? He must because there is no other way…”

“But what was it that our gods reminded you of, o Dor- batay?” Skolot asked in annoyance; he felt that the treacherous soothsayer’s attack was aimed at him personally.

“Presently, the wise Skolot will hear about it, too,” Dorbatay replied quietly. “Once, the Skolot people lived through a period of hardships. The rivers ran dry and there was no more fish to be caught in them. An exceedingly hot summer killed the leaves on the trees and the grass in the fields, and the animals disappeared, so there was no game to hunt… Yes, the Skolots were once afflicted with such harsh times! Entire herds of horses perished from disease. And no prayers relieved the Skolots from this calamity because the gods had abandoned them, turning a deaf ear to all their supplications. Yes, the Skolots fell upon such hard times… Hot dry winds were blowing night and day, scorching the earth and bringing great misery to the Skolot people. Only the chieftain Scylas and his henchmen lived a carefree life, ignoring the great misfortune that had befallen the Skolot people who were dying in great numbers. Scylas was born of an Istrian woman who was not of our land. She taught him the Greek language and Greek customs, and on account of his education, Scylas did not respect the sacred customs of the Skolots and was much inclined to the Greek mode of life, their gods, and their profligacy. But the Skolot warriors and Skolot hunters and Skolot soothsayers were ignorant of all this, and thus were punished by the gods for their ignorance!”

Dorbatay’s voice rang out deeper and more ominously:

“But Scylas schemed treacherously to abolish the Skolot customs altogether and impose Greek ways on our people. He associated with Greek merchants and secretly went with them to the Greek town of Borysthenes, where he assumed Greek dress, caroused, and performed rites to the Greek gods. All these things Scylas did, keeping them a secret from his people. Then, casting away his shame altogether, he resolved to seek initiation into the Bacchic mysteries. To secure the initiation, he had a mansion built for himself in Borysthenes, again keeping this secret from the Skolots. But the Skolot gods showed forebearance and warned Scylas, giving him a chance to repent and change his ways. They hurled a bolt of lightning at his great mansion, setting it on fire. And the fire was so great that night turned into day, and Scylas himself barely escaped being burned alive in it. But the Skolots remained ignorant of these events, because they came to pass in a foreign, Greek town, and Scylas’s henchmen never disclosed his escapades! But even the gods’ admonitions did not make Scylas heed their commands. He was initiated into the Bacchic mysteries, may the very name of Bacchus be cursed! And the Skolots remained ignorant of what had caused the gods’ wrath, enduring all the misery and afflictions sent down on them by the wrathful deities… And so it continued until the outrage came out in a conversation between the Skolot soothsayers and Greek merchants who had come on a trading mission to the Skolot lands. This is how it came to pass. The Skolots reproached the Greeks for their Bacchic ceremonies:

“’How can you Greeks worship such a god, an embiber of wine, a carouser and profligate whose very name is offensive to mention? What kind of god is he? You believe that your Bacchus takes possession of you, is incarnate you when you are inebriated. We Skolots reject such gods! Our gods are stern but dignified!’

“The Greek merchants replied thus:

“’How can you, Skolots,’ they said mockingly, ‘laugh at our marvelous god Bacchus and us? We don’t want to argue with you over the merits of our Greek gods, but we’re surprised to hear you say that the Skolots reject such gods when we know that your most important men perform rites to our Bacchus?’

“But the Skolots did not believe the merchants, so the merchants said:

“’If you don’t believe us, we can prove it by telling you the name of one of them. He is called Scylas. He celebrates the rites to Bacchus and believes that Bacchus takes possession of him when he drinks intoxicating beverages at the rites.’

“But the Skolots were incredulous, because they held their chieftain in high regard. So, the merchants said derisively:

’“If you still persist in your disbelief, then follow us. We will show you your chieftain Scylas, wearing Greek dress, performing the rites to Bacchus, making libations, and drinking in his honor!’

“Then the Skolot elders followed the Greek merchants and saw with their own eyes their chieftain Scylas in Greek robes joining the Greeks in the Bacchanal and. getting drunk in honor of Bacchus, may his very name he cursed!

“The Skolot eiders were exceedingly wrathful. They immediately returned home and told the people everything they had seen. And as they spoke, their wrath grew:

’“Our chieftain Scylas has betrayed the Skolot gods and the Skolot customs. He wants us to worship the wicked Greek gods. He wants the Greeks, those impious foreigners, to be our masters. The Greeks come to our lands, make fun of our customs and sacred laws, and Scylas obliges them and places them in the most honored seats beside himself! The foreign tricksters twist us around their little fingers, and Scylas does nothing to prevent it but smiles at their conniving! We should depose of him as he is a traitor!’

“The entire Skolot people expressed their agreement with the elders suggestion, because one who is inclined to foreign customs and ways cannot be chieftain of the Skolots! The gods are sure to punish both such a chieftain and all the people along wilh him! It’s the primary duty of a chieftain to guard and maintain the sacred Skolot customs and not betray them! And if, when he goes astray and allows himself to be influenced by foreigners, then woe to ail the Skolots! Thunderbolts and huge rocks will be hurled down upon the Skolot heads from the heavens as a horrible punishment! That’s what the gods have revealed to me!”

* * *

Dorbatay came abruptly to an ominous halt. Dead silence reigned over the gathering; all the Scythians seemed to hold their breath as there was hardly anyone who did not understand the thinly veiled meaning of the old soothsayer’s message!

“I’m somewhat surprised Dorbatay has made such an open threat against Skolot,” Dmitro Borisovich said, fixing his stare at the soothsayer. “He didn’t even take the trouble to dress it as a hint. What he said concerns us and Skolot directly…”

Ivan Semenovich kept silent, though he was aware that his friends were eager to hear his assessment of the situation. But what could he really say when it was all too clear that the old soothsayer was once again trying to frighten if not Skolot himself then those Scythians who were credulous enough to be intimidated at the very mention of the wrath of the gods!