Re: Cymerians?

Here are a few source references

HERODOTUS HISTORIES

BOOK 4

[Chapter 11]
esti de kai allos logos*echôn hôde, tôi malista legomenôi
autos
proskeimai, Skuthas tous nomadas oikeontas en têi Asiêi,
polemôi
piesthentas hupo Massageteôn, oichesthai diabantas potamon
Araxên epi
gên tên Kimmeriên (tên gar nun nemontai Skuthai, hautê
legetai to
palaion einai Kimmeriôn), [2] tous de Kimmerious epiontôn
Skutheôn
bouleuesthai hôs stratou epiontos megalou, kai dê tas gnômas
spheôn
kechôrismenas, entonous men amphoteras, ameinô de tên tôn
basileôn:
tên men gar dê tou dêmou pherein gnômên hôs
apallassesthai prêgma eiê
mêde pro spodou menontas kinduneuein, tên de tôn basileôn
diamachesthai peri tês chôrês toisi epiousi. [3] oukôn
dê ethelein
peithesthai oute toisi basileusi ton dêmon oute tôi dêmôi
tous
basileas: tous men dê apallassesthai bouleuesthai amachêti
tên chôrên
paradontas toisi epiousi: toisi de basileusi doxai en têi
heôutôn
keisthai apothanontas mêde sumpheugein tôi dêmôi,
logisamenous hosa
te agatha peponthasi kai hosa pheugontas ek tês patridos kaka
epidoxa
katalambanein. [4] hôs de doxai sphi tauta, diastantas kai
arithmon
isous genomenous machesthai pros allêlous. kai tous men
apothanontas
pantas hup' heôutôn thapsai* ton dêmon tôn Kimmeriôn
para potamon
Turên (kai spheôn eti dêlos esti ho taphos), thapsantas de
houtô tên
exodon ek tês chôrês poieesthai: Skuthas de epelthontas
labein tên
chôrên erêmên.

Traditional Rendering
There is yet another story, to which account I myself especially
incline. It is to this effect. The nomadic Scythians inhabiting Asia,
when hard pressed in war by the Massagetae, fled across the Araxes
river to the Cimmerian country (for the country which the Scythians
now inhabit is said to have belonged to the Cimmerians before), [2]
and the Cimmerians, at the advance of the Scythians, deliberated as
men threatened by a great force should. Opinions were divided; both
were strongly held, but that of the princes was the more honorable;
for the people believed that their part was to withdraw and that
there was no need to risk their lives for the dust of the earth; but
the princes were for fighting to defend their country against the
attackers. [3] Neither side could persuade the other, neither the
people the princes nor the princes the people; the one party planned
to depart without fighting and leave the country to their enemies,
but the princes were determined to lie dead in their own country and
not to flee with the people, for they considered how happy their
situation had been and what ills were likely to come upon them if
they fled from their native land. [4] Having made up their minds, the
princes separated into two equal bands and fought with each other
until they were all killed by each other's hands; then the Cimmerian
people buried them by the Tyras river, where their tombs are still to
be seen, and having buried them left the land; and the Scythians came
and took possession of the country left empty.

Scythia still retains traces of the Cimmerians; there are Cimmerian
castles, and a Cimmerian ferry, also a tract called Cimmeria, and a
Cimmerian Bosphorus. It appears likewise that the Cimmerians, when
they fled into Asia to escape the Scyths, made a settlement in the
peninsula where the Greek city of Sinope was afterwards built. The
Scyths, it is plain, pursued them, and missing their road, poured
into Media. For the Cimmerians kept the line which led along the sea-
shore, but the Scyths in their pursuit held the Caucasus upon their
right, thus proceeding inland, and falling upon Media. This account
is one which is common both to Greeks and barbarians.

STRABO GEOGRAPHY

BOOK 7

[Chapter 1]
[2] euthus toinun ta peran tou Rhênou meta tous Keltous pros
tên heô
keklimena Germanoi nemontai, mikron exallattontes tou Keltikou phulou
tôi te pleonasmôi tês agriotêtos kai tou megethous kai
tês
xanthotêtos, talla de paraplêsioi kai morphais kai êthesi
kai biois
ontes, hoious eirêkamen tous Keltous. dio dê kai moi dokousi
Rhômaioi
touto autois thesthai tounoma hôs an gnêsious Galatas phrazein
boulomenoi: gnêsioi gar hoi Germanoi kata tên Rhômaiôn
dialekton. [3]
esti de ta men prôta merê tês chôras tautês ta pros
tôi Rhênôi mechri
tôn ekbolôn apo tês pêgês arxamenois: schedon de ti
kai tout' esti to
hesperion tês chôras platos, hê potamia pasa. tautês de
ta men eis
tên Keltikên metêgagon Rhômaioi, ta d' ephthê
metastanta eis tên en
bathei chôran, kathaper Marsoi: loipoi d' eisin oligoi kai tôn
Sougambrôn meros. meta de tous parapotamious talla estin ethnê
ta
metaxu tou Rhênou kai tou Albios potamou, hos parallêlos pôs
ekeinôi
rhei pros ton ôkeanon, ouk elattô chôran diexiôn êper
ekeinos

Rending
[2] Therefore, directly over the Rhenou, in the mists of the Keltous,
moving ahead [with the] rising daybreak the Germanoi [are] bestowed.
[They] are very little different [from] the Keltikou nations [except
for] greater savageness, stature, and blonder hair. I may say, that
apart from this [they] nearly resemble the appearance, traditions,
and every day manners exhibited [by] the Keltous. Wherefore, [I]
believe [the] Romans named this place thus, as haply being Galatas,
[they] wished to indicate the race of the Germanoi with the Roman
language. [3] While on the one hand the part of this region that is
closest the Rhenoi, the entire river from first flow to [final]
discharge of water, is approximately equal to the whole breath of
this region. Here on the other hand the Romans [have] removed the
Keltiken, some moving before hand into the depths of the region, as
did [the] Marsi, with the but few remaining in the Sugambron
territory. Yet there are other nations, within the river valleys that
side-by-side run parallel to the ocean, between the Rhenou and Albios
rivers, these passing through no less a continental region.

[2] Now the parts beyond the Rhenus, immediately after the country of
the Celti, slope towards the east and are occupied by the Germans,
who, though they vary slightly from the Celtic stock in that they are
wilder, taller, and have yellower hair, are in all other respects
similar, for in build, habits, and modes of life they are such as I
have said the Celti are. And I also think that it was for this reason
that the Romans assigned to them the name "Germani," as
though they
wished to indicate thereby that they were "genuine" Galatae,
for in
the language of the Romans "germani" means "genuine."
[3] The first
parts of this country are those that are next to the Rhenus,
beginning at its source and extending a far as its outlet; and this
stretch of river-land taken as a whole is approximately the breadth
of the country on its western side. Some of the tribes of this river-
land were transferred by the Romans to Celtica, whereas the others
anticipated the Romans by migrating deep into the country, for
instance, the Marsi; and only a few people, including a part of the
Sugambri, are left. After the people who live along the river come
the other tribes that live between the Rhenus and the River Albis,
and traverses no less territory than the former

[Chapter 2]
peri de Kimbrôn ta men ouk eu legetai, ta d' echei pithanotêtas
ou
metrias. oute gar tên toiautên aitian tou planêtas genesthai
kai
lêistrikous apodexait' an tis, hoti cherronêson oikountes
megalêi
plêmmuridi exelatheien ek tôn topôn: kai gar nun echousi
tên chôran
hên eichon proteron, kai epempsan tôi Sebastôi dôron ton
hierôtaton
par' autois lebêta, aitoumenoi philian kai amnêstian tôn
hupêrgmenôn,
tuchontes de hôn êxioun apêran: geloion de tôi
phusikôi kai aiôniôi
pathei dis hekastês hêmeras sumbainonti prosorgisthentas
apelthein ek
tou topou. eoike de plasmati to sumbênai pote huperballousan
plêmmurida: epitaseis: epitaseis men gar kai aneseis dechetai,
tetagmenas de kai periodizousas, ho ôkeanos en tois toioutois
pathesin. ouk eu d' oude ho phêsas hopla airesthai pros tas
plêmmuridas tous Kimbrous, oud' hoti aphobian hoi Keltoi askountes
katakluzesthai tas oikias hupomenousin, eit' anoikodomousi, kai hoti
pleiôn autois sumbainei phthoros ex hudatos ê polemou, hoper
Ephoros
phêsin. hê gar taxis hê tôn plêmmuridôn kai to
tên epikluzomenên
chôran einai gnôrimon ouk emelle toiautas tas atopias parexein.
dis
gar hekastês hêmeras toutou sumbainontos to mêd' hapax
aisthanesthai
phusikên ousan tên palirroian kai ablabê, kai ou monois
toutois
sumbainousan alla tois parôkeanitais pasi, pôs ouk apithanon;
oude
Kleitarchos eu: phêsi gar tous hippeas idontas tên ephodon tou
pelagous aphippasasthai kai pheugontas engus genesthai tou
perikatalêphthênai. oute de tosoutôi tachei tên epibasin
hormômenên
historoumen, alla lelêthotôs prosiousan tên thalattan: oute
to kath'
hêmeran ginomenon kai pasin enaulon êdê on tois
plêsiazein mellousi
prin ê theasasthai, tosouton emelle parexesthai phobon hôste
pheugein, hôs an ei ex adokêtou prosepese.

Rendering
[1] On one hand [some information] about the Kimbron, is not well
validated, while other [reports] are more convincing, although not
without limits. Unacceptable is the explanation [that] some attribute
the origin of their wandering and piratical nature. That when
residing on the peninsula, they were driven out by a great random
wave from the sea and yet still hold this territory as it was in
earlier times. As a gift they sent to Sebastoi [whom] is the same
self [Augustus], a divine caldron, asking that if deemed worthwhile a
new start, amnesty, and friendship [with bygone transgressions]
removed in natural laugher to last for a lifetime. It was [agreed]
that [if] perchance [one was] provoked by aggression the other would
in haste be likewise obligated [to respond]. They departed this place
in [the] image of harmony at a time not to overshoot the tide that
was extended in slack and ready to recede, as periodically arranged,
into the ocean in the manner that [it normally] happens. It is not
[correct] to say the sea tides were the tool that [caused] the
Kimbrous to rise up [and] move, nor that anyone as fearless as the
Keltoi fashion homes that are dashed by deluge the remains, [only] to
be rebuilt, nor those that [claim] this phenomenon results in more
death from water than battle, as Ephoros says. The order of the sea
tides and extent of tidal flows are well known and not held as
extraordinary. [That] this phenomenon occurs not once, but twice is
seen as the natural and harmless [daily] reflux of water, and not an
isolated event that likewise happens everywhere, in a way by not
means unlikely. Nor [is] Kleitarchos right, [in] declaring that
[when] horsemen seeing the sea's advance rode away in full flight
[only] to be nearly consumed by the water. Critically, it could not
to be so high and swift in approach, as otherwise [its] approach
would be imperceptible. Nor would the calm of the receding [tide] be
a pleasure to be near in thought or view, as being so large one is
held in readiness to flee in flight, if thus so undecided that it may
unexpectedly strike.

Traditional Rendering
[1] As for the Cimbri, some things that are told about them are
incorrect and others are extremely improbable. For instance, one
could not accept such a reason for their having become a wandering
and piratical folk as this--that while they were dwelling on a
Peninsula they were driven out of their habitations by a great flood-
tide; for in fact they still hold the country which they held in
earlier times; and they sent as a present to Augustus the most sacred
kettle in their country, with a plea for his friendship and for an
amnesty of their earlier offences, and when their petition was
granted they set sail for home; and it is ridiculous to suppose that
they departed from their homes because they were incensed on account
of a phenomenon that is natural and eternal, occurring twice every
day. And the assertion that an excessive flood-tide once occurred
looks like a fabrication, for when the ocean is affected in this way
it is subject to increases and diminutions, but these are regulated
and periodical. And the man who said that the Cimbri took up arms
against the flood-tides was not right, either; nor yet the statement
that the Celti, as a training in the virtue of fearlessness, meekly
abide the destruction of their homes by the tides and then rebuild
them, and that they suffer a greater loss of life as the result of
water than of war, as Ephorus says. Indeed, the regularity of the
flood-tides and the fact that the part of the country subject to
inundations was known should have precluded such absurdities; for
since this phenomenon occurs twice every day, it is of course
improbable that the Cimbri did not so much as once perceive that the
reflux was natural and harmless, and that it occurred, not in their
country alone, but in every country that was on the ocean. Neither is
Cleitarchus right; for he says that the horsemen, on seeing the onset
of the sea, rode away, and though in full flight came very near being
cut off by the water. Now we know, in the first place, that the
invasion of the tide does not rush on with such speed as that, but
that the sea advances imperceptibly; and, secondly, that what takes
place daily and is audible to all who are about to draw near it, even
before they behold it, would not have been likely to prompt in them
such terror that they would take to flight, as if it had occurred
unexpectedly.

[2] tauta te dê dikaiôs epitimai tois sungrapheusi
Poseidônios kai ou
kakôs eikazei, dioti lêistrikoi ontes kai planêtes hoi
Kimbroi kai
mechri tôn peri tên Maiôtin poiêsainto strateian, ap'
ekeinôn de kai
ho Kimmerios klêtheiê Bosporos, hoion Kimbrikos, Kimmerious
tous
Kimbrous onomasantôn tôn Hellênôn. phêsi de kai Boious
ton Herkunion
drumon oikein proteron, tous de Kimbrous hormêsantas epi ton topon
touton, apokrousthentas hupo tôn Boiôn epi ton Istron kai tous
Skordiskous Galatas katabênai, eit' epi Teuristas kai Tauriskous,
kai
toutous Galatas, eit' epi Helouêttious, poluchrusous men andras
eirênaious de: horôntas de ton ek tôn lêistêriôn
plouton
huperballonta tou par' heautois tous Helouêttious eparthênai,
malista
d' autôn Tigurinous te kai Tôugenous, hôste kai
sunexormêsai. pantes
mentoi kateluthêsan hupo tôn Rhômaiôn autoi te hoi
Kimbroi kai hoi
sunaramenoi toutois, hoi men huperbalontes tas Alpeis eis tên
Italian
hoi d' exô tôn Alpeôn.

Rendering
[2] Because of the observed well order and precise [nature of this]
value is given to the writings of Poseidonius portrayed correctly,
that as piratical and migrant the Kimbroi even from as far as the
vicinity of Maiotin they made an expedition to move away from the
place called the Kimmerios Bosporos, since [the] Kimbrikos, [are]
called Kimmerious by the Greeks. The Boious of the Herkunion say when
[they] inhabited oak groves, the Kimbrous moved on this place, to be
beaten off by the Boion, [only to] come down on to the Istron and
Skordikous Galatas, to be with the Teuristas and Tauriskous, these
also being Galatas. [When they] came on [to the] Helouêttious,
peaceful men rich in gold, they viewed a ban of robbers alongside
such amassed wealth, that the Helouêttious rose up, particularly
the
Tiuyrinous and Tougenous, to follow on. All these were put down by
the Romans, both the Kimbroi and those who had followed them, some in
one instance over the Alpeis in Italy, [and] others before the Alpeon.

Traditional Rendering
[2] Poseidonius is right in censuring the historians for these
assertions, and his conjecture is not a bad one, that the Cimbri,
being a piratical and wandering folk, made an expedition even as far
as the region of Lake Maeotis, and that also the "Cimmerian"
Bosporus
was named after them, being equivalent to "Cimbrian," the
Greeks
naming the Cimbri "Cimmerii." And he goes off to say that in
earlier
times the Boii dwelt in the Hercynian Forest, and that the Cimbri
made a sally against this place, but on being repulsed by the Boii,
went down to the Ister and the country of the Scordiscan Galatae,
then to the country of the Teuristae and Taurisci (these, too,
Galatae), and then to the country of the Helvetii--men rich in gold
but peaceable; however, when the Helvetii saw that the wealth which
the Cimbri had got from their robberies surpassed that of their own
country, they, and particularly their tribes of Tigyreni and of
Toygeni, were so excited that they sallied forth with the Cimbri.
All, however, were subdued by the Romans, both the Cimbri themselves
and those who had joined their expeditions, in part after they had
crossed the Alps into Italy and in part while still on the other side
of the Alps.

PLUTARCH ROMAN LIVES

CAIUS MARIUS

[Chapter 14]
When Jugurtha's arrest had just occurred, reports of the Teutones and
Cimbri advance began. Initially, these accounts [seemed to] exceed
all reason, as to the number and strength of the approaching army.
However, the final analysis proved [these] were much inferior to the
facts. This is as their numbers included three hundred thousand
fighting men and a far greater number of women and children. They
claimed to be seeking new land to support this great multitude,
inhabit cities in the same manner the Celti before them had driven
out the Tyrrhenians, and possess the best parts of Italy. As they had
no commerce with southern nations and traveled a far extent, no man
knew who these people were, or from where they came. It was as a
sudden storm had burst over Gaul and Italy. Yet in their gray eyes
and large stature it was evident they were people that had dwelt
along the northern sea, whom the Germani otherwise say [the word]
cimbri means plunderers.

[Chapter 15]
There are those that say once the territory of the Celti, in its vast
size and extent, reached from the frozen regions and furthest sea
eastward to Lake Maeotis. That in that portion of Scythia near
Pontus, nations mingle together not to suddenly stream forth, but
rather advanced yearly in the summer season by armed force, and in
the course of time traveled the entire continent. Although each group
has a separate title, the whole can be called by the common name of
Celto-Scythians.

Others claim the Cimmerii, anciently known to the Greeks, were only a
small part of this nation, driven out because of some quarrel with
the Scythians. That one part passed from Lake Maeotis into Asia,
under the leadership of one Lygdamis. Meanwhile, the largest and more
warlike multitude continued to a most remote region to dwell along
the outer ocean. It is said that they live in a dark country where
sunlight rarely penetrates the close and densely packed trees; these
extending inland as far as the Hercynian forest. Here their earthly
position, based on celestial [observation] of the parallels near
declination, [indicates] that their uppermost settlement is but a
short distance from [the] top of the pole. From this the lengths of
day and night is almost equal, and their year is divided into one or
the other. This was the place where Homer's Odysseus called up the
dead, and to this region came the ancient Cimmerii, who later by
chance and circumstance came to Italy as [the] Cimbri. However, this
is legend rather than history.

[Chapter 16]
Their numbers, most writers agree, were not less, but rather greater
than was reported. They were of invincible strength and fierceness in
battle, and hushed into [the] fray with the violence of a devouring
flame, that none could withstand, and all that were assaulted became
their prey. Several great Roman commanders with their entire armies,
for the defense of Transalpine Gaul were shamefully overthrown and by
[this] feeble resistance, they were given the inspiration of progress
towards Rome. Having vanquishing all comers, with abundant plunder
they resolved to settle nowhere until they had razed the city and
wasted all Italy. This news alarmed Romans everywhere who sent for
Marius to lead the campaign. They nominated him consul for the second
time, though the law did not permit anyone that was absent, or that
had not waited a set time after their first consulship. Still the
people rejected all opposition, as they decided this was not the
first time the law had been broken for the common good. Nor where
current events any less urgent than when contrary to [the] law,
Scipio was made consul, not for fear of their own city's destruction,
but the desire to ruin the Carthaginians.