- Source
- Strabo. Strabonis Geographica, Vols. 1-3. Meineke, August, editor. Leipzig: Teubner. 1877.
- Translation
- AI-generated (gemini-3.5-flash) — machine translation; may contain errors
- Languages
- 日本語 · English · 简体中文 · 한국어
- CTS URN
- urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0099.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:6.4.1
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-10-25
Strabo summarizes the natural and geographical advantages of Italy—its climate, defensive boundaries, and abundant resources—which facilitated the rise of Roman power.
τοσαύτη μὲν δὴ καὶ τοιαύτη τις ἡ Ἰταλία. πολλὰ δʼ εἰρηκότων,1 τὰ μέγιστα νῦν ἐπισημανούμεθα, ὑφʼ ὧν εἰς τοσοῦτον ὕψος ἐξήρθησαν Ῥωμαῖοι. ἓν μὲν ὅτι νήσου δίκην ἀσφαλῶς φρουρεῖται τοῖς πελάγεσι κύκλῳ πλὴν ὀλίγων μερῶν, ἃ καὶ αὐτὰ τετείχισται τοῖς ὄρεσι δυσβάτοις οὖσι. δεύτερον δὲ τὸ ἀλίμενον κατὰ τὸ πλεῖστον καὶ τὸ τοὺς ὄντας λιμένας μεγάλους εἶναι καὶ θαυμαστούς, ὧν τὸ μὲν πρὸς τὰς ἔξωθεν ἐπιχειρήσεις χρήσιμον, τὸ δὲ πρὸς τὰς ἀντεπιχειρήσεις καὶ τὴν τῶν ἐμποριῶν ἀφθονίαν συνεργόν. τρίτον δὲ τὸ πολλαῖς ὑποπεπτωκέναι διαφοραῖς ἀέρων τε καὶ κράσεων, παρʼ ἃς καὶ ζῷα καὶ φυτὰ καὶ πάνθʼ ἁπλῶς τὰ πρὸς τὸν βίον χρήσιμα πλείστην ἐξάλλαξιν ἔχει πρός τε τὸ βέλτιον καὶ τὸ χεῖρον. ἐκτέταται δὲ τὸ μῆκος αὐτῆς ἐπὶ μεσημβρίαν ἀπὸ τῶν ἄρκτων τὸ πλέον, προσθήκη δʼ ἐστὶν ἡ Σικελία τῷ μήκει τοσαύτη οὖσα καὶ τοσούτῳ καθάπερ μέρος. εὐκρασία δʼ ἀέρων καὶ δυσκρασία κρίνεται παρὰ τὰ ψύχη καὶ τὰ θάλπη καὶ τὰ μεταξὺ τούτων, ὥστʼ ἐκ τούτων ἀνάγκη τὴν νῦν Ἰταλίαν ἐν μέσῳ τῶν ὑπερβολῶν ἀμφοτέρων κειμένην τοσαύτην τῷ μήκει πλεῖστον τῆς εὐκράτου μετέχειν καὶ κατὰ πλείστας ἰδέας. τοῦτο δὲ καὶ ἄλλως συμβέβηκεν αὐτῇ· τῶν γὰρ Ἀπεννίνων ὀρῶν διʼ ὅλου τοῦ μήκους διατεταμένων, ἐφʼ ἑκάτερον δὲ τὸ πλευρὸν πεδία καὶ γεωλοφίας καλλικάρπους ἀπολειπόντων, οὐδὲν μέρος αὐτῆς ἐστιν ὃ μὴ καὶ τῶν ὀρείων ἀγαθῶν καὶ τῶν πεδινῶν ἀπολαῦον τυγχάνει. καὶ προστίθει2 τὸ μέγεθος καὶ πλῆθος ποταμῶν τε καὶ λιμνῶν, πρὸς δὲ τούτοις θερμῶν τε καὶ ψυχρῶν ὑδάτων ἀναβολὰς πολλαχοῦ πρὸς ὑγίειαν φύσει παρεσκευασμένας, καὶ μὴν καὶ μετάλλων εὐπορίας παντοδαπῶν. ὕλης δὲ καὶ τροφῆς ἀνθρώποις τε καὶ βοσκήμασιν οὐδʼ ἀξίως ἐστὶν εἰπεῖν τὴν ἀφθονίαν ὅσην παρέχεται καὶ τὴν χρηστοκαρπίαν. ἐν μέσῳ δὲ καὶ τῶν ἐθνῶν τῶν μεγίστων οὖσα καὶ τῆς Ἑλλάδος καὶ τῶν ἀρίστων τῆς Λιβύης μερῶν τῷ μὲν κρατιστεύειν ἐν ἀρετῇ τε καὶ μεγέθει τὰ περιεστῶτα αὐτὴν πρὸς ἡγεμονίαν εὐφυῶς ἔχει, τῷ δʼ ἐγγὺς εἶναι τὸ μετὰ ῥᾳστώνης ὑπουργεῖσθαι3 πεπόρισται.
Such, then, is Italy in its size and character. Although we have already said much, we must now point out the most important factors by which the Romans were raised to such a height of power. First, that like an island, it is securely guarded by the seas all around, except for a few parts, and even these parts are fortified by mountains that are difficult to pass. Second, that it is for the most part without harbors, and yet the harbors that do exist are large and wonderful; of these, the former is useful against attacks from without, while the latter is helpful for counter-attacks and for an abundance of commerce. Third, that it is subject to many variations of atmosphere and temperature, in accordance with which both animals and plants, and in short everything useful for life, undergo the greatest variations both for the better and for the worse. Its length extends for the most part from north to south, and Sicily is added to its length, being of such a size and at such a distance as to be like a part of it. Now, the good and bad temperament of the atmosphere is judged by the cold, the heat, and what lies between them; so that from this it is necessary that the present Italy, lying in the middle of both extremes and being of such length, should share most of all in the temperate climate, and in the greatest variety of ways. This has also happened to her in another way: for since the Apennine Mountains extend through its entire length, and leave on either side fertile plains and hills, there is no part of her that does not happen to enjoy both the blessings of the mountains and those of the plains. And add to this the size and multitude of both rivers and lakes, and besides these, the gushings of hot and cold waters in many places, naturally prepared for health, and indeed also the abundance of all kinds of minerals. As for the abundance of timber and food for both men and beasts which she provides, and the excellence of her fruits, it is not possible even to speak of them worthily. Moreover, being in the midst of the greatest nations, and of Greece, and of the best parts of Libya, she is naturally well suited for hegemony by her superiority in virtue and size over the regions surrounding her, and by her proximity she has acquired the means of being served with ease.
- 6.4.1πολλὰ δʼ εἰρηκότων
Genitive absolute construction where the subject, the first-person plural pronoun ἡμῶν, is omitted. In context, it refers to the author's own activity of having written much in the preceding chapters.
- 6.4.1προστίθει
Second-person singular present active imperative of the verb προστίθημι, direct address to the reader ("add..."). Although morphologically it could be parsed as a third-person singular imperfect active indicative, it is more naturally understood as an imperative exhorting the reader.
- 6.4.1ὑπουργεῖσθαι
Present infinitive of the verb ὑπουργέω, used here in a passive (or middle) sense, meaning "to be served" or "to receive service". It corresponds to the preceding dative phrase "by being near" (τῷ δʼ ἐγγὺς εἶναι), explaining the geopolitical advantage of Rome (Italy) in easily obtaining services and supplies from surrounding regions.