His excuse seems rather unbelievable.

Although it is anticipating somewhat, I consider that point of view which inclines, with Weininger, to describe this attitude as philautic, or, with other writers, as autoerotic, egocentric, subjective, or egoistic, to be both misleading in principle and definitely depreciatory.

gold t'amalgam with some six of mercury

This fancy Herodotus regards with incredulity, but his mention of it is none the less valuable, for the were-wolf is a figure which constantly appears in modern folk-lore.