Ion-a-tarabostes, we are your people. Yet we are divided.

The Marisus flows through our country into the Great Donaris, the river of the Argonauts. The language of the Daci is the same as that of the Getai. Among the Hellenes, however,we are better known because the migrations we make are continuous, and because we are intermingled with the Thraikes and Mysoi (Mysians). And also the tribe of the Triballoi, likewise our brothers, have admitted migrations into this country, because the neighbouring peoples force them to emigrate into the country of those who are weaker; that is, the Skythai, Bastarnai and Sauromatai on the far side of the river often raid our settlements. They will be tamed--by the wolf we swear. The king of Epeiros plots from the Haimos to humiliate our ancestors. He is dangerous from the length of his sarissa spears. The gorges shall not fall and nor shall we. Skythia borders our land as far as the source of the river Ister and the expanse of the Morsian Swamp. Their lands stretch as far as the eye can see. Their warriors fight valiantly on horseback, fleeing like the wind when threatened. They should be struck with Gebeleizis's thunder while they fight their cousins, the Sauromatai. Where the sun sets lie the Boioi and Tauriskoi. Should these new tribes look for war and raid our sanctuaries they will die from the scythed blades of Heros. We and our wild Skythian kin allowed the Hellens to build towns like Olbia and Chersonesos so we could profit from their trade. They know to fear us, even as they call us "barbaroi". We can learn from these arrogant "polis dwellers" but can they learn from us?

Their world ends at the mouth of the Donaris and from there, their end will come, shall their strategos defy us. We are immortal, as Zalmoxis promised. He is our prophet and your master. Should your men fall ill our healers will heal them for you. Should you lack wealth, the mountains will flow with gold from our mines. They are the key to your independence. Protect them as the "civilized men" try to steal them.

Fight them in the Desert of the Getai. There Dareios the son of Hystaspes was crushed by a handful of Thraikes and Skythai. He turned back. Later on, Lysimachos, a Thraikian lapdog of Megas Alexandros, in his expedition against our late King Dromichaites, was captured alive; but he again came off safely, because he found the "barbaroi" kind-hearted. Now Makedonia uses our brothers for thieir armies. As I said before, Herodotos was right. Triballoi from the south and Tylis are pathetic raiders and opportunistic dogs. We harvest our wheat; they steal it from wealthier lands. We protect our children; they sell them as slaves. We're free in our lands; they're puppets to the successor of Alexandros. Their tarabostes foolishly fight each other rather than uniting for all komatai. Kogaionon, our holiest of sanctuaries has received so many messengers that the godly gates are sealed. We must be worthy of our gods before we ask for their help. Choosing a new high priest and impaling some rebels should please them. Be that as it may, our people once attained very great power, so that we could actually send forth an expedition of two hundred thousand men. Now we find ourselves reduced to as few as forty thousand, spread through twenty or so tribes.

To rule us you must unite the tribes of the Karpathoi. Treat your pilleati as equals or they'll stab you with the cold knife of traitors. Give them false dreams of glory and plunder so you may gain them as subjects. Should you manage to unite all davas under your dracones, the world will tremble under your might. You may need to burn the wines. They flow with poison for the manliest virtues.