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this on the one hand because of the abundance of the fruits growing in it, and on the other hand also because it is full of cattle and beasts of burden. And it is a custom for the Turks to concede the Golden Mountain 7.8.13 to the more powerful Khagan. The nations of the Turks 7.8.13 boast in two very great things; for they say that from of old and from the beginning they have never seen an epidemic of plague, and that earthquakes are rare in that country. but that Bakath, which was once long ago founded by the Unnugurs, collapsed in earthquakes, while Sogdiana has experienced both plagues and earthquakes 7.8.14. Therefore the Turks honour fire exceedingly, they revere air and water, they sing hymns to the earth; but they worship only and name as god the one 7.8.15 who made heaven and earth. To him they sacrifice horses and oxen and sheep, having priests, who seem to them to set forth the prediction of future events 7.8.16. At that very time the Tarniach and the Kotzageroi (and these also are from the Ouar and Chounni) flee from the Turks and, coming to Europe, join the Avars around their 7.8.17 Khagan. And it is said that the Zabender also are from the race of the Ouar and Chounni. And the auxiliary force which came to the Avars was reckoned at ten thousand. 7..1 Therefore the Khagan of the Turks, having ended the civil war, successfully conducted his affairs, and he also makes treaties with the Taugast, so that by procuring a profound calm from all sides he might make his rule free from sedition 7..2. And the ruler of Taugast is named Taisan, which signifies son of god in the Greek tongue. And the rule of Taugast is not subject to sedition; for birth provides for them the appointment of the ruler. And for this nation their religion is idols, and their laws are just, 7..3 and their life is full of moderation. And they have a custom that imitates law, that men never adorn themselves with gold ornament, although they are masters of a great abundance of both silver and gold on account of their great and profitable commerce. 7..4 A river marks the boundary of this Taugast. So then long ago the river flowed between two very great nations, opposed to each other; 7..5 and the clothing of the one was black, and of the other scarlet. Therefore in our times, when Maurice held the sceptre of the Romans, the nation of the black-robed crossed the river and joined battle with those clothed in red garments, then, having conquered, became master of the entire dominion 7..6. This Taugast the barbarians say was founded by Alexander the Macedonian, when he subjugated both the Bactrians and Sogdiana, having slaughtered twelve 7..7 myriads of barbarians. In this city the women of the ruler have their carriages made of gold, each drawn by a single ox sumptuously adorned with gold and precious stone; and there are also for the oxen bridles inlaid with gold 7..8. Therefore the one who had taken up the rule of Taugast passed the whole night with seven hundred women. And the women of the most distinguished men of Taugast use silver carriages. And there is a story that another city was built by Alexander a short distance away; 7.. the barbarians call this Choubdan. and that the dead ruler is mourned perpetually by the women, who shave their heads and put on black clothing; and it is a law for them never to leave the tomb. And Choubdan is divided by two great rivers, and their banks are, so to speak, covered over with cypresses 7..10. And the nation has many elephants. And they mingle with the Indians in their commerce; and they say that these Indians who are turned towards the north 7..11 are also white. and the worms, from which the Seric threads are made, are very numerous among such a nation, possessing various and diverse colours, and the craftsmanship concerning such animals

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τοῦτο μὲν διὰ τὴν δαψίλειαν τῶν ἐν αὐτῷ φυομένων καρπῶν, τοῦτο δὲ καὶ διὰ τὸ θρεμμάτων καὶ νωτοφόρων ζώων εἶναι κατάκομον. νόμος δὲ Τούρκοις τῷ ἐπικρατεστέρῳ Χαγάνῳ 7.8.13 τοῦ Χρυσοῦ ὄρους παραχωρεῖν. δυσὶ δὲ μεγίστοις τισὶ τὰ 7.8.13 Τούρκων ἔθνη μεγαλαυχεῖ· φασὶ γὰρ ἄνωθεν αὐτοὺς καὶ ἐξ ἀρχῆς μηδέποτε λοιμῶν ἐπιδημίαν θεάσασθαι, τῶν τε σεισμῶν σπάνιν εἶναι κατ' ἐκείνην τὴν χώραν. τὴν δὲ Βακὰθ ὑπὸ τῶν Οὐννουγούρων πάλαι ποτὲ πολισθεῖσαν καταπεσεῖν τοῖς σεισμοῖς, τὴν δὲ Σουγδαηνὴν καὶ λοιμῶν καὶ σεισμῶν 7.8.14 ἔμπειρον πεφυκέναι. τιμῶσι τοιγαροῦν οἱ Τοῦρκοι λίαν ἐκτόπως τὸ πῦρ, ἀέρα δὲ καὶ ὕδωρ γεραίρουσιν, ὑμνοῦσι τὴν γῆν· προσκυνοῦσι δὲ μόνως καὶ θεὸν ὀνομάζουσι τὸν 7.8.15 πεποιηκότα τὸν οὐρανὸν καὶ τὴν γῆν. τούτῳ θύουσιν ἵππους καὶ βόας καὶ πρόβατα, ἱερεῖς κεκτημένοι, οἳ καὶ τὴν τῶν 7.8.16 μελλόντων αὐτοῖς δοκοῦσιν ἐκτίθεσθαι προαγόρευσιν. κατ' αὐτὸν τὸν χρόνον οἱ Ταρνιὰχ καὶ οἱ Κοτζαγηροὶ (καὶ οὗτοι δὲ ἐκ τῶν Οὐὰρ καὶ Χουννὶ) ἀπὸ τῶν Τούρκων ἀποδιδράσκουσι καὶ πρὸς τὴν Εὐρώπην γενόμενοι τοῖς περὶ τὸν 7.8.17 Χαγάνον τῶν ᾿Αβάρων συνάπτονται. λέγεται δὲ καὶ τοὺς Ζαβενδὲρ ἐκ τοῦ γένους πεφυκέναι τῶν Οὐὰρ καὶ Χουννί. ἡ δὲ γεγονυῖα ἐπίθετος δύναμις τοῖς ᾿Αβάροις εἰς δέκα χιλιάδας ἠκρίβωτο. 7..1 ὁ μὲν οὖν τῶν Τούρκων Χαγάνος τὸν ἐμφύλιον καταλυσάμενος πόλεμον εὐδαιμόνως ἐχειραγώγει τὰ πράγματα, ποιεῖται δὲ καὶ συνθήκας πρὸς τοὺς Ταυγάστ, ὅπως βαθεῖαν πάντοθεν τὴν γαλήνην ἐμπορευόμενος ἀστα7..2 σίαστον τὴν ἀρχὴν καταστήσηται. ὁ δὲ τῆς Ταυγὰστ κλιματάρχης Ταϊσὰν ὀνομάζεται, ὅπερ υἱὸς θεοῦ ταῖς ῾Ελληνικαῖς φωναῖς ἐνσημαίνεται. ἡ δὲ ἀρχὴ τῆς Ταυγὰστ οὐ στασιάζεται· γένος γὰρ αὐτοῖς τὴν χειροτονίαν τοῦ ἡγεμόνος παρέχεται. τούτῳ δὲ τῷ ἔθνει θρησκεία ἀγάλματα, νόμοι δὲ δίκαιοι, 7..3 καὶ σωφροσύνης ἔμπλεος ὁ βίος αὐτοῖς. ἔθος δὲ τούτοις νόμον μιμούμενον, μηδέποτε κόσμῳ χρυσῷ καλλωπίζεσθαι ἄρρενας, καίτοι ἀφθονίας πολλῆς ἀργύρου τε καὶ χρυσοῦ κύριοι καθεστῶτες διὰ τὰς μεγάλας καὶ ἐπωφελεῖς ἐμπορίας. 7..4 ταύτην τὴν Ταυγὰστ ποταμὸς διορίζει. πάλαι τοίνυν ποτὲ δύο μεγίστοις ἔθνεσιν ὁ ποταμὸς ἐμεσίτευεν ἀντιθέτοις ἀλλήλοις· 7..5 ἐσθὴς δὲ τῷ μὲν ἑνὶ μέλαινα, τῷ δὲ ἑτέρῳ κοκκόβαφος. ἐν τοῖς χρόνοις τοίνυν τοῖς καθ' ἡμᾶς, Μαυρικίου τὰ ῾Ρωμαίων σκῆπτρα ἐπέχοντος, καὶ τὸ ἔθνος τῶν μελαινοφόρων τοῖς τὴν ἐρυθρὰν περιβεβλημένοις ἐσθῆτα διαπεραιωσάμενον τὸν ποταμὸν συνίστησι πόλεμον, εἶτα νενικηκὸς τῆς ὅλης 7..6 ἡγεμονίας γίνεται κύριον. ταύτην δὴ τὴν Ταυγὰστ οἱ βάρβαροι λέγουσι κτίσαι τὸν Μακεδόνα ᾿Αλέξανδρον, ὁπηνίκα τούς τε Βακτριανοὺς καὶ τὴν Σογδοανὴν ἐδουλώσατο δέκα 7..7 καὶ δύο καταφλέξας μυριάδας βαρβάρων. ἐν ταύτῃ τῇ πόλει τὰ τοῦ βασιλεύοντος γύναια ἐκ χρυσοῦ πεποιημένας ἔχουσι τὰς ἁρμαμάξας, ἑλκομένην ἑκάστην ὑπὸ βοϊδίου ἑνὸς κεκοσμημένου πολυτελῶς ἐκ χρυσοῦ καὶ λίθου μεγατιμίου· εἰσὶ 7..8 δὲ καὶ χαλινοὶ τοῖς βουσὶ χρυσοκόλλητοι. ὁ μὲν οὖν τὴν ἡγεμονίαν τῆς Ταυγὰστ ἀνειληφὼς ἑπτακοσίαις γυναιξὶ κατεπαννυχίζετο. τὰ δὲ γύναια τῶν περιφανεστέρων τῆς Ταυγὰστ ἀργυραῖς κέχρηνται ταῖς ἁρμαμάξαις. λόγος δὲ καὶ ἑτέραν τὸν ᾿Αλέξανδρον δείμασθαι πόλιν ἀπὸ σημείων ὀλίγων· 7.. Χουβδὰν ὀνομάζουσι ταύτην οἱ βάρβαροι. τεθνηκότα δὲ τὸν ἡγεμόνα ὑπὸ τῶν γυναίων πενθεῖσθαι διὰ παντὸς ξυρομένων μὲν τὰς κεφαλὰς καὶ μέλαιναν περιβαλλομένων ἐσθῆτα· καὶ νόμος αὐταῖς μηδέποτε τὸν τάφον ἀπολιπεῖν. ἡ δὲ Χουβδὰν δύο μεγάλοις διείληπται ποταμοῖς, αἱ δὲ τούτων ὄχθαι ταῖς 7..10 κυπαρίττοις ὡς ἔπος εἰπεῖν κατανεύονται. ἐλέφαντες δὲ τῷ ἔθνει πολλοί. τοῖς δὲ ᾿Ινδοῖς κατὰ τὰς ἐμπορίας συναναμίγνυνται· τούτους δέ φασι τοὺς περὶ τὰ βόρεια τετραμ7..11 μένους ᾿Ινδοὺς καὶ λευκοὺς πεφυκέναι. οἱ δὲ σκώληκες, ἐξ ὧν τὰ Σηρώων καθέστηκε νήματα, πάνυ παρὰ τῷ τοιούτῳ ἔθνει πολλοὶ ἐναλλὰξ καὶ ποικίλην τὴν χροιὰν κεκτημένοι, τήν τε περὶ τὰ τοιαῦτα ζῶα φιλοτεχνίαν