[35,23] τούτους ἀνάγκη ὁμολογεῖν ὑμῶν εὐδαιμονεστέρους, τῶν δὲ ἄλλων ὑμᾶς, πλὴν ἑνὸς ἀνθρώπων ἔτι γένους, τῶν πολυχρυσοτάτων. τὸ δὲ χρυσίον λαμβάνουσι παρὰ μυρμήκων. οὗτοι δέ εἰσιν ἀλωπέκων μείζονες, τἄλλα δὲ ὅμοιοι τοῖς παρ´ ἡμῖν. ὀρύττουσι δὲ κατὰ γῆς, ὥσπερ οἱ λοιποὶ μύρμηκες. ὁ δὲ χοῦς αὐτοῖς ἐστι χρυσίον καθαρώτατον πάντων χρυσίων καὶ στιλπνότατον. εἰσὶν οὖν πλησίον ἐφεξῆς, ὥσπερ κολωνοὶ τοῦ ψήγματος, καὶ τὸ πεδίον ἅπαν ἀστράπτει. χαλεπὸν οὖν ἰδεῖν ἐστι πρὸς τὸν ἥλιον, καὶ πολλοὶ τῶν ἐπιχειρούντων ἰδεῖν τὰς ὄψεις διεφθάρησαν.

[35,23] It must be admitted that the people of India are more fortunate than you are, but that you are more fortunate than all others—with the exception of just one more race of mortals, namely, those most rich in gold. And their gold is obtained from ants. These ants are larger than foxes, though in other respects similar to the ants we have. And they burrow in the earth, just as do all other ants. And that which is thrown out by their burrowing is gold, the purest of all gold and the most resplendent. Now there are close to one another a series of what might be called hills of gold dust, and the whole plain is agleam. Therefore it is difficult to look thereon in the sunlight, and many of those who have made the attempt have lost their sight.

[35,24] οἱ δὲ προσοικοῦντες ἄνθρωποι τὴν μεταξὺ χώραν διελθόντες ἔρημον οὖσαν οὐ πολλὴν ἐφ´ ἁρμάτων, ὑποζεύξαντες ἵππους ταχίστους, ἀφικνοῦνται τῆς μεσημβρίας, ἡνίκα δεδύκασι κατὰ γῆς· ἔπειτα φεύγουσι τὸν χοῦν ἁρπάσαντες. οἱ δὲ αἰσθανόμενοι διώκουσι καὶ μάχονται καταλαβόντες, ἕως ἂν ἀποθάνωσιν ἢ ἀποκτείνωσιν· ἀλκιμώτατοι γάρ εἰσι θηρίων ἁπάντων. ὥστε οὗτοί γε ἐπίστανται τὸ χρυσίον ὁπόσου ἐστὶν ἄξιον, καὶ οὐδὲ προΐενται πρότερον ἢ ἀποθανεῖν.

[35,24] But the people who live near that land, having traversed the intervening territory (desert land of no great extent) in chariots drawn by horses of greatest speed, arrive at midday, at which time the ants have gone underground; and then these men seize the gold that has been cast forth and flee. And the ants, becoming aware of what has happened, give chase, and, having overtaken their quarry, fight until they either meet their death or kill the foe—for they are the most valiant of all creatures. And so these at any rate know what their gold is worth, and they even die sooner than give it up.