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16
ERANALMAGOR
continuedwiththereignofDariusI,anddwelledonhistwoScythiancampaigns(the
firstleadbyAriaramnes).Book13wouldthenhavebeendevotedtoXerxes’ruleand
theGreco-PersianWar(F13.24-32).AfterXerxes’assassinationandupheavalincourt,
ArtaxerxesIassumedpower,andhisreignapparentlybeganinBook14.Thispartofthe
PersicaismarkedbytheintricaterelationsofthecourtierandsatrapMegabyzuswiththe
kingandcourt,andtherevoltofInarostheLybian.Italsocontainsoneofthreedominant
womenofthePersica,namelyAmestris,thewidowofXerxesandtheking’smother
(F14.34,39,42-46).HerdeathaswellasthatofArtaxerxesIcomeattheendofBook
17.ThenextbookisdevotedtoDariusIIOchus,theviolentwayhegainedpowerand
thesuppressionofinternalrevolts(Arsites,Artyphios,Pisuthnes,theeunuchArtoxares
andtheking’sson-in-lawTerituchmes).Italsointroducesthelastpowerfulwomanof
thework,Parysatis(firstmentionedatF15.48).Thelastbooks,from19andonward,
relatethereignofArtaxerxesII;Photius’epitomeherecanbecomparedwithPlutarch’s
adaptationinthebiographyArtaxerxes.52ThecontentsofBooks19and20areCyrusthe
Younger’srebellion,itsaftermathandcourtintrigueswhichsawParysatis’systematic
effortstoremovethemenresponsibleforCyrus’deathanddesecrationofhisbody.Book
21hadtheimprisonedClearchusasitsfocus;thegeneralwasexecuted,presumablyat
therequestofQueenStateira.Thisbook(orprobablyBook22)containedtheassassina-
tionofthelatter.ThelastbookreportedCtesias’lastdiplomaticmission,thoughPhotius’
summaryisgarbledandprobablyindicateshiswearinessofthelengthyaccount.
Inthesamecodex(72),Photiusalsoabridgesanotherlostworkofthephysician,
amonographonIndiacalledIndica.53InthiscompositionCtesiasapparentlyincluded
ethnographic,geographical,botanicalandzoologicaldescriptionsofIndia(F45-52),
orproperlyspeakingonlyoftheIndusvalleyanditsnorth-westerngeographicalpart.
Placedwithinthegenreofmarvelorparadoxicaldescriptions,itwasnotoriousforits
colorfultallstories,54especiallyaboutdog-headedpeople(ΚUVoKέφOXoi:F45.37)or
unicorns(F45.45,cf.F45q),ormiraculoussprings(e.g.F45.6,20,31,49).55Thepeople
describedaresaidtobeveryjust(F45.16,20,30;cf.23,37,43).Yet,thesefantasies
werenotcompletelyfigmentsofGreekorCtesias’ownimagination,astheportrayalsat
timescorrespondwithlocalpicturesortraditions.56Somecreaturesdescribedmightbe
real,liketheelephant(F45.7,15)ortheparrot(F45.8).57Ctesiasapparentlyincluded
morefactualethnographicmaterialthantheextanttextreveals,butitseemsthatthiswas
oflessinteresttoPhotiusoranyotherexcerptor.58
52
OnwhichseeAlmagor,forthcoming(b).
53
OrXόγoiºVδiKo.(F46a).
54
Ofimmenselytallcreatures(F45.7-8)orincrediblepeople,liketheEnotokoitai,whohaveearsbig
enoughtocovertheirarmsasfarastheelbowandtheirentireback(F45.50).
55
OnthecharacteroftheIndica,seeStevenson1997:7-8;Lenfant2004:CXXXVII-CLVI;andNichols
2011:18-21.ForrealanimalsthatcanbeCtesias’“wildhornedasses”seeShepard1930:26-33.
56
Forinstance,thelong-earedpeoplearefoundintheMahābhārata(2.28.44;6.47.13):the
Karnaprāvaranameaning“thepeoplewhocoverthemselveswiththeirears.”SeeKirtley(1963).
57
SeeBigwood1993aand1993b.SeeKarttunen1997:635n.2.
58
Cf.F45.16,30;Nichols2011:105-106.
