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Περσικόν. Human sacrifice is certainly not Zoroastrian, nor does it seem to have been common in Persia, though there are the instances of Cambyses (iii. 35. 5), Parysatis (Ctes. Pers. 55, p. 77), and another of Amestris (Ctes. Pers. 41, p. 74). For human sacrifice among the tribes north of Thrace cf. iv. 62, 73, 93.

πυνθάνομαι. This note is clearly a later addition. It is usually dated very late, since Ctesias (Pers. 43, p. 75) puts the death of Amestris in extreme old age shortly before that of Artaxerxes (425 B.C.). This, however, proves nothing. Amestris (cf. ix. 112), as daughter of Otanes and chief wife of Xerxes, was probably born some years before 500 B.C.; hence she would be for an Eastern woman old any time after 440 B.C. The story may have come from Zopyrus (J. H. S. xxvii. 37 f.).

τῷ ... θεῷ: cf. ii. 122. 1. Ahriman, the opponent of Ormuzd, resembles Hades as being author of death, and dwelling in hell beneath with his legions.

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