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Histories

§7.216.1

The Course and Geography of the Anopaea Path

The geographical route of the Anopaea path is described in detail, explaining its layout from its starting point at the river Asopus to its end at Alpenus and the seats of the Cercopes.

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§7.216.1

ἔχει δὲ ὧδε1 ἡ ἀτραπὸς αὕτη· ἄρχεται μὲν ἀπὸ τοῦ Ἀσωποῦ ποταμοῦ τοῦ διὰ τῆς διασφάγος ῥέοντος, οὔνομα δὲ τῷ ὄρεϊ τούτῳ καὶ τῇ ἀτραπῷ τὠυτὸ κεῖται, Ἀνόπαια· τείνει δὲ ἡ Ἀνόπαια αὕτη κατὰ ῥάχιν τοῦ ὄρεος, λήγει δὲ κατά τε Ἀλπηνὸν πόλιν, πρώτην ἐοῦσαν τῶν Λοκρίδων πρὸς τῶν Μηλιέων,2 καὶ κατὰ Μελαμπύγου τε καλεόμενον λίθον καὶ κατὰ Κερκώπων ἕδρας, τῇ καὶ τὸ στεινότατον ἐστί.3

​This path is as follows: it begins from the river Asopus which flows through the ravine, and the same name, Anopaea, is given to this mountain and to the path. This Anopaea extends along the ridge of the mountain, and it ends at the town of Alpenus—which is the first town of the Locrians on the side of the Malians—and at the stone called that of Melampygos and at the seats of the Cercopes, where indeed is the narrowest part.

Syntax notes3 items
  1. 7.216.1ἔχει δὲ ὧδε

    The verb ἔχω combined with an adverb (here ὧδε) forms an idiomatic expression meaning "to be in a certain state," translating here as "the path is as follows."

  2. 7.216.1πρὸς τῶν Μηλιέων

    The preposition πρός with the genitive case indicates a geographical viewpoint, meaning "from the side of" or "on the side of." Here, it means "the first (town) of the Locrians when coming from the direction of the Malians."

  3. 7.216.1τῇ καὶ τὸ στεινότατον ἐστί

    The relative adverb τῇ (originally a feminine dative agreeing with an omitted noun like ὁδῷ) means "where" or "at which place." τὸ στεινότατον is a neuter superlative adjective used substantively, referring to "the narrowest part" of the pass.

Translated by Gemini 3.5 Flash (published 2026-05-25)urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0016.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:7.216.1