The Known Course of the Nile and the Desert Beyond — Herodotus, Histories Book 2 (2.31.1), Greek & English

§2.31.1

μέχρι μέν νυν τεσσέρων μηνῶν πλόου καὶ ὁδοῦ γινώσκεται ὁ Νεῖλος πάρεξ τοῦ ἐν Αἰγύπτῳ ῥεύματος· τοσοῦτοι γὰρ συμβαλλομένῳ¹ μῆνες εὑρίσκονται ἀναισιμούμενοι² ἐξ Ἐλεφαντίνης πορευομένῳ ἐς τοὺς αὐτομόλους τούτους. ῥέει δὲ ἀπὸ ἑσπέρης τε καὶ ἡλίου δυσμέων. τὸ δὲ ἀπὸ τοῦδε οὐδεὶς ἔχει³ σαφέως φράσαι· ἔρημος γὰρ ἐστὶ ἡ χώρη αὕτη ὑπὸ καύματος.

Excluding its course in Egypt, the Nile is known for a distance of four months of travel by boat and on foot; for that is the number of months which are found to be spent by one who travels from Elephantine to these deserters, if he reckons them up. And it flows from the west and the setting of the sun. But beyond this point, no one is able to speak with certainty; for this country is desert because of the heat.

Syntax notes3 items

2.31.1συμβαλλομένῳ
A present participle in the dative case, meaning "to one who calculates" or "if one reckons it up." It functions as a dative of relation or reference, indicating the person from whose point of view the calculation is made, and stands in parallel with the subsequent dative πορευομένῳ ("to one who travels").
2.31.1εὑρίσκονται ἀναισιμούμενοι
The verb εὑρίσκονται ("they are found") is accompanied by the present passive participle ἀναισιμούμενοι ("being spent"), forming a construction where verbs of finding or perceiving take a supplementary participle. It means "are found to be spent" or "are shown to be consumed."
2.31.1ἔχει
The verb ἔχω followed by the infinitive φράσαι ("to declare") is used in the sense of "to be able to" (equivalent to "can"), rather than its primary meaning of "to have."

Translated by Gemini 3.5 Flash (published 2026-05-25)urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0016.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:2.31.1