The Twitter Herodotus

1.211 Cyrus set Croesus’ trap, using human bait. They killed or took prisoner 1/3 of the enemy army. Tomyris’ son Spargapises was captured.

1.212 Tomyris derided Cyrus for his victory won by stealth. She warned him to surrender her son and withdraw or else.

1.213 Cyrus ignored her. Spargapises asked his captors to unchain him. When he was free of his bonds, he killed himself.

1.214 Cyrus died in the next battle fought against the Massagetae. Tomyris beheaded his corpse and put his head in a blood-filled wineskin.

1.215 As for customs, the Massagetae live much like the Scythians. They use gold & bronze for their weapons, as they have no iron or silver.

1.216 The Massagetae share their women. When they get old, their relatives kill and eat them (in a stew). The Massagetae also drink milk.