230. _Scythians blind their Slaves._--Can any of your correspondents
explain to me the reason why, according to Herodotus, the Scythians used
to blind their slaves? The passage is in chapter ii. book iv. I believe
the reasoning to be hopelessly unreasonable, and have always been told
that it is so, though I have met with many who have read the chapter
again and again without even noticing the difficulty. The question is
this:--What are we to supply in thought in order to connect the practice
of blinding the slaves with the process of milking the mares, and
stirring the milk to separate the cream or butter from it? Is it thus?
The Scythians only feed cattle, and have no other use for slaves than to
stir the milk, which they can do when blinded, at the same time that
they are unable to escape, having been deprived of sight, and so their
masters have not the trouble of watching them. This does not satisfy me;
nor will it, I think, satisfy any one else.