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«[Queen Tomyris] then, when she heard that which had come to pass with the army and also fhe things concerning her son, sent a herald to Cyrus and said: “Cyrus, insatiable of blood, do not celebrate too much what has come to pass, namle because with that fruit of the vine . . . you overcame my son and not by valor in fight. . . . Restore to me my son and depart from this land without penalty . . . . If you shall not do so, I swear to you by the Sun, who is lord of the Massagetai, that surely I will give you your fill of blood, blood-thirsty though you are.” These words were reported to him, but Cyrus disregarded them. [… After the death of Tomyris’s son and then a pitched battle between the Massagetai and the Persians on the plain over the river Aras …] The greater part of the Persian army was destroyed upon the spot, and Cyrus himself died there, after he had reigned twenty-nine years. Then Tomyris filled a skin with human blood and had search made among the Persian dead for the corpse of Cyrus. When she found it, she let his head down into the skin and doing outrage to the corpse she said this over it: “Though I yet live and have overcome you in fight, nevertheless you have destroyed me by taking my son with craft. I nevertheless according to my threat will give you your fill of blood.” There are many tales told about the end of Cyrus, but this one is to my mind the most worthy of belief.» Herodatus, Histories, Book I §§ 212-213 #SicSemper