hting the Egyptian corslet: moreover they adopt all
kinds of luxuries when they hear of them, and in particular they have
learnt from the Hellenes to have commerce with boys. They marry each
one several lawful wives, and they get also a much larger number of
concubines.

136. It is established as a sign of manly excellence next after
excellence in fight, to be able to show many sons; and to those who have
most the king sends gifts every year: for they consider number to be a
source of strength. And they educate their children, beginning at five
years old and going on till twenty, in three things only, in riding, in
shooting, and in speaking the truth: but before the boy is five years
old he does not come into the presence of his father, but lives with the
women; and it is so done for this reason, that if the child should die
while he is being bred up, he may not be the cause of any grief to his
father.

137. I commend this custom of theirs, and also the one which is next
to be mentioned, namely that neither the king himself shall put any to
death for one cause alone, nor any of the other Persians for one cause
alone shall do hurt that is irremediable to any of his own servants; but
if after reckoning he finds that the wrongs done are more in number and
greater than the services rendered, 143 then only he gives vent to
his anger. Moreover they say that no one ever killed his own father or
mother, but whatever deeds have been done which seemed to be of this
nature, if examined must necessarily, they say, be found to be due
either to changelings or to children of adulterous birth; for, say they,
it is not reasonable to suppose that the true parent would be killed by
his own son.

138. Whatever things it is not lawful for them to do, these it is not
lawful for them even to speak of: and the most disgraceful thing in
their estimation is to tell an lie, and next to this to owe money, this
last for many other reasons, but especially because it is necessary,
they say, for him who owes money, also sometimes to tell lies: and
whosoever of the men of the city has leprosy or whiteness of skin, he
does not come into a city nor mingle with the other Persians; and they
say that he has these diseases because he has offended in some way
against the Sun: but a stranger who is taken by these diseases, in many
regions 144 they drive out of the country altogether, and also white
doves, alleging against them the same cause. And into a riv