Geography of Byzacium and Cities of Libya — Polybius, The Histories Book 12 (12.1.1–12.1.5), Greek & English

§12.1.1

Πολύβιος Βυζακίδα χώραν εἶναί φησι περὶ τὰς Σύρτεις ἐν δωδεκάτῳ· "σταδίων μὲν οὖσα τὴν περίμετρον¹ δισχιλίων, τῷ δὲ σχήματι περιφερής." Ἱππών, Λιβύης πόλις.

Polybius says in his twelfth book that the district of Byzacis is near the Syrtes: “being two thousand stades in circumference, and round in shape.” Hippon, a city of Libya.

§12.1.2

Πολύβιος δωδεκάτῳ. Σίγγα, πόλις, Λιβύης, ὡς Πολύβιος δωδεκάτῳ.

Polybius, twelfth book. Singa, a city of Libya, as Polybius in his twelfth book.

§12.1.3

Τάβρακα, πόλις Λιβύης.

Tabraca, a city of Libya.

§12.1.4

Πολύβιος δωδεκάτῳ. χαλκεῖα, πόλις Λιβύης·

Polybius, twelfth book. Chalceia, a city of Libya.

§12.1.5

ὁ πολυΐστωρ ἐν Λιβυκῶν τρίτῳ, ὡς Δημοσθένης· ᾧ μεμφόμενος² Πολύβιος ἐν τῷ δωδεκάτῳ ὧδε γράφει· "ἀγνοεῖ δὲ μεγάλως³ καὶ περὶ τῶν Χαλκείων· οὐδὲ γὰρ πόλις ἐστίν, ἀλλὰ χαλκουργεῖα."

The polyhistor in the third book of Libyan History, as Demosthenes [says]; whom Polybius, censuring in the twelfth book, writes thus: “And he is greatly ignorant also about Chalceia; for it is not a city, but copper-works.”

Syntax notes3 items

12.1.1τὴν περίμετρον
An accusative of respect (or specification), modifying the participle οὖσα to express "being (two thousand stades) in circumference."
12.1.5ᾧ μεμφόμενος
The dative relative pronoun ᾧ is governed by the verb of blaming, μέμφομαι, which can take a dative object. The antecedent refers contextually to Demosthenes (or the person who held the aforementioned view).
12.1.5ἀγνοεῖ δὲ μεγάλως
The subject of the third-person singular verb ἀγνοεῖ in the quotation is not explicitly stated, but it refers to the person Polybius is censuring (Demosthenes, or another historian/geographer he is refuting).

Translated by Gemini 3.5 Flash (published 2026-05-25) · Revision history (1, latest 2026-10-09)

2026-10-09 Collated with the printed edition — source 1

urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0543.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:12.1.1-12.1.5