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Histories

§4.27.1

The One-Eyed Arimaspi and the Gold-Guarding Griffins

Explains how the legends of one-eyed men and gold-guarding griffins in the regions north of the Issedones were transmitted from the Issedones to the Scythians, and then to the Greeks, along with the Scythian etymology of the name "Arimaspi."

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§4.27.1

γινώσκονται μὲν δὴ καὶ οὗτοι, τὸ δὲ ἀπὸ τούτων τὸ κατύπερθε1 Ἰσσηδόνες εἰσὶ οἱ λέγοντες2 μουνοφθάλμους ἀνθρώπους καὶ χρυσοφύλακας γρῦπας εἶναι· παρὰ δὲ τούτων Σκύθαι παραλαβόντες λέγουσι, παρὰ δὲ Σκυθέων ἡμεῖς οἱ ἄλλοι νενομίκαμεν3 καὶ ὀνομάζομεν αὐτοὺς σκυθιστὶ Ἀριμασπούς· ἄριμα γὰρ ἓν καλέουσι Σκύθαι, σποῦ δὲ ὀφθαλμόν.

​Indeed, these people also are known, but as for the region above them, it is the Issedones who say that there are one-eyed men and gold-guarding griffins; and having received this account from them, the Scythians tell it, and from the Scythians we, the rest, have accepted the belief and call them, in Scythian, Arimaspians; for the Scythians call one “arima”, and eye “spou”.

Syntax notes3 items
  1. 4.27.1τὸ δὲ ἀπὸ τούτων τὸ κατύπερθε

    This phrase, substantivized by neuter articles, functions as an accusative of respect or a topic-setting absolute phrase at the beginning of the clause.

  2. 4.27.1Ἰσσηδόνες εἰσὶ οἱ λέγοντες

    A cleft-like emphatic construction where the substantivized participle "οἱ λέγοντες" (those who say) acts as the subject, and "Ἰσσηδόνες" is the predicate: "it is the Issedones who say..."

  3. 4.27.1νενομίκαμεν

    The perfect tense of νομίζω (to hold as custom/belief), denoting a present state resulting from a past acceptance: "we have accepted and now hold as established belief."

Translated by Gemini 3.5 Flash (published 2026-05-25) · Revision history (1, latest 2026-09-21)
  • 2026-09-21 AI review — translation 1
urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0016.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:4.27.1