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| Ambassadors from Different Barbarous Nations receive Presents from the Emperor.
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Chapter VII.—Ambassadors from Different Barbarous Nations
receive Presents from the Emperor.
Indeed,
ambassadors were continually arriving from all nations, bringing for
his acceptance their most precious gifts. So that I myself have
sometimes stood near the entrance of the imperial palace, and observed
a noticeable array of barbarians in attendance, differing from each
other in costume and decorations, and equally unlike in the fashion of
their hair and beard. Their aspect truculent and terrible, their bodily
stature prodigious: some of a red complexion, others white as snow,
others again of an intermediate color. For in the number of those I
have referred to might be seen specimens of the Blemmyan tribes, of the
Indians, and the Ethiopians,3313
| 3313 [Αἰφίοπας,
τοὶ διχθὰ
δεδαίαται,
žσχατοι
ἀνδρῶν,
Οἱ
μὲν
δυσομένου
ὑπερίονος, οἱ
δ᾽
ἀνιόντος.
—Odyss. 1.
23, 24.—Bag.] | “that
widely-divided race, remotest of mankind.” All these in due
succession, like some painted pageant, presented to the emperor those
gifts which their own nation held in most esteem; some offering crowns
of gold, others diadems set with precious stones; some bringing
fair-haired boys, others barbaric vestments embroidered with gold and
flowers: some appeared with horses, others with shields and long
spears, with arrows and bows, thereby offering their services and
alliance for the emperor’s acceptance. These presents he
separately received and carefully laid aside, acknowledging them in so
munificent a manner as at once to enrich those who bore them. He also
honored the noblest among them with Roman offices of dignity; so that
many of them thenceforward preferred to continue their residence among
us, and felt no desire to revisit their native land.E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
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