the Hellenes could get nothing from this district, but supported
themselves on the flocks and herds they had taken from the Taochians.
After this the Hellenes reached the river Harpasus, which was four
hundred feet broad. Hence they marched through the Scythenians four
stages--twenty parasangs--through a long level country to more
villages, among which they halted three days, and got in supplies.

[1] These are the Armeno-Chalybes, so called by Pliny in
contradistinction to another mountain tribe in Pontus so named,
who were famous for their forging, and from whom steel received
its Greek name {khalups}. With these latter we shall make
acquaintance later on.

[2] I.e. with a single point or spike only, the Hellenic spear having
a spike at the butt end also.

Passing on from thence in four stages of twenty parasangs, they 19
reached a large and prosperous well-populated city, which went by the
name of Gymnias[3], from which the governor of the country sent them a
guide to lead them through a district hostile to his own. This guide
told them that within five days he would lead them to a place from
which they would see the sea, "and," he added, "if I fail of my word,
you are free to take my life." Accordingly he put himself at their
head; but he no sooner set foot in the country hostile to himself than
he fell to encouraging them to burn and harry the land; indeed his
exhortations were so earnest, it was plain that it was for this he had
come, and not out of the good-will he bore the Hellenes.

[3] Gymnias is supposed (by Grote, "Hist. of Greece," vol. ix. p. 161)
to be the same as that which is now called Gumisch-Kana--perhaps