"Rhodopis died not, O Herodotus," said Nicarete, "but is yet
living, and as fair as ever she was; and he who is now my lover,
even this Phanes of Phocaea, hath lately beheld her."
Then she seemed to me to be jesting, like that scribe who told me
of Krophi and Mophi; for Rhodopis lived in the days of King Amasis
and of Sappho the minstrel, and was beloved by Charaxus, the
brother of Sappho, wherefore Sappho reviled him in a song. How
then could Rhodopis, who flourished more than a hundred years
before my time, be living yet?
While I was considering these things they led me into the booth of
one that sold wine; and when Nicarete had set garlands of roses on
our heads, Phanes began and told me what I now tell thee but
whether speaking truly or falsely I know not. He said that being
on a voyage to Punt (for so the Egyptians call that part of
Arabia), he was driven by a north wind for many days, and at last
landed in the mouth of a certain river where were many sea-fowl and
water-birds. And thereby is a rock, no common one, but fashioned
into the likeness of the head of an Ethiopian. There he said that
the people of that country found him, namely the Amagardoi, and
carried him to their village. They have this peculiar to
themselves, and unlike all other peoples whom we know, that the
woman asks the man in marriage. They then, when they have kissed
each other, are man and wife wedded.
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