Geography of the Strait and the Course of the Current — Polybius, The Histories Book 4 (4.43.1–4.43.10), Greek & English

§4.43.1

τοῦ δὴ στόματος τοῦ τὸν Πόντον καὶ τὴν Προποντίδα συνάπτοντος ὄντος ἑκατὸν εἴκοσι σταδίων τὸ μῆκος, καθάπερ ἀρτίως εἶπον, καὶ τοῦ μὲν Ἱεροῦ τὸ πρὸς τὸν Πόντον πέρας ὁρίζοντος,¹ τοῦ δὲ κατὰ Βυζάντιον διαστήματος τὸ πρὸς τὴν Προποντίδα, μεταξὺ τούτων ἐστὶν Ἑρμαῖον, τῆς Εὐρώπης ἐπὶ προοχῆς τινος ἀκρωτηριαζούσης ἐν τῷ στόματι κείμενον, ὃ τῆς μὲν Ἀσίας ἀπέχει περὶ πέντε στάδια, κατὰ τὸν στενώτατον δὲ τόπον ὑπάρχει τοῦ παντὸς στόματος· ᾗ καὶ Δαρεῖον ζεῦξαί φασι τὸν πόρον, καθʼ ὃν χρόνον ἐποιεῖτο τὴν ἐπὶ Σκύθας διάβασιν.

Since the strait connecting the Pontus and the Propontis is a hundred and twenty stades in length, as I have just said, and while the Hieron marks its limit towards the Pontus, and the space by Byzantium its limit towards the Propontis, between these lies the Hermaeum, situated on a protruding promontory of Europe in the strait, which is about five stades distant from Asia and lies at the narrowest point of the whole strait; here too, they say, Darius bridged the passage at the time when he made his expedition against the Scythians.

§4.43.3

κατὰ μὲν δὴ τὸν ἄλλον τόπον ἀπὸ τοῦ Πόντου παραπλήσιός ἐστιν ἡ φορὰ τοῦ ῥεύματος διὰ τὴν ὁμοιότητα τῶν παρʼ ἑκάτερον τὸ μέρος τῷ στόματι παρηκόντων τόπων·

Now, in other places, the flow of the current from the Pontus is fairly uniform, because of the similarity of the terrain extending along the strait on either side;

§4.43.4

ἐπὰν δʼ εἰς τὸ τῆς Εὐρώπης Ἑρμαῖον, ᾗ στενώτατον ἔφαμεν εἶναι, φερόμενος ἐκ τοῦ Πόντου καὶ συγκλειόμενος ὁ ῥοῦς βίᾳ προσπέσῃ,² τότε δὴ τραπεὶς ὥσπερ ἀπὸ πληγῆς ἐμπίπτει τοῖς ἀντιπέρας τῆς Ἀσίας τόποις.

but when the current, borne from the Pontus and compressed by force, strikes violently against the Hermaeum of Europe, where we said it is narrowest, then indeed, deflected as if by a blow, it dashes against the opposite shores of Asia.

§4.43.5

ἐκεῖθεν δὲ πάλιν, οἷον ἐξ ὑποστροφῆς, τὴν ἀνταπόδοσιν ποιεῖται πρὸς τὰ περὶ τὰς Ἑστίας ἄκρα καλούμενα τῆς Εὐρώπης.

From there again, as if rebounding, it makes its return towards the parts around the promontories of Europe called Hestiae.

§4.43.6

ὅθεν αὖθις ὁρμήσας προσπίπτει πρὸς τὴν Βοῦν καλουμένην, ὅς ἐστι τῆς Ἀσίας τόπος, ἐφʼ ὃν ἐπιστῆναί φασι πρῶτον οἱ μῦθοι τὴν Ἰὼ περαιωθεῖσαν.

Starting thence once more, it strikes against the place called Bous, which is a spot in Asia where, according to the myths, Io first set foot after crossing over.

§4.43.7

πλὴν ὅ γε ῥοῦς τὸ τελευταῖον ὁρμήσας ἀπὸ τῆς Βοὸς ἐπʼ αὐτὸ φέρεται τὸ Βυζάντιον, περισχισθεὶς δὲ περὶ τὴν πόλιν βραχὺ μὲν εἰς τὸν κόλπον αὑτοῦ διορίζει τὸν καλούμενον Κέρας, τὸ δὲ πλεῖον πάλιν ἀπονεύει.

Finally, rushing from Bous, the current is borne towards Byzantium itself, and dividing around the city, it directs a small portion of itself into the gulf called the Horn, but the greater part of it swerves away again.

§4.43.8

διευτονεῖν μὲν οὖν οὐκέτι δύναται πρὸς τὴν ἀντιπέρας χώραν, ἐφʼ ἧς ἐστι Καλχηδών·

So then it can no longer run straight across to the opposite coast, where Chalcedon lies;

§4.43.9

πλεονάκις γὰρ τὴν ἀνταπόδοσιν πεποιημένος, καὶ τοῦ πόρου πλάτος ἔχοντος, ἤδη περὶ τοῦτον τὸν τόπον ἐκλυόμενος ὁ ῥοῦς οὐκέτι βραχείας πρὸς ὀξεῖαν γωνίαν³ ποιεῖται τὰς ἀνακλάσεις ἐπὶ τὴν περαίαν, ἀλλὰ μᾶλλον πρὸς ἀμβλεῖαν·

for having made so many rebounds, and the channel being wide, the current, already becoming weaker around this spot, no longer makes its reflections towards the opposite coast at sharp acute angles, but rather at obtuse ones;

§4.43.10

διόπερ ἀπολιπὼν τὴν τῶν Καλχηδονίων πόλιν φέρεται

and therefore, leaving the city of the Chalcedonians, it is borne on...

Syntax notes3 items

4.43.1τοῦ δὴ στόματος ... ὁρίζοντος
A series of genitive absolute constructions starting from the beginning of the sentence (τοῦ στόματος ... ὄντος, τοῦ μὲν Ἱεροῦ ... ὁρίζοντος, τοῦ δὲ ... διαστήματος ...). In the final clause 'τοῦ δὲ κατὰ Βυζάντιον διαστήματος τὸ πρὸς τὴν Προποντίδα', the participle 'ὁρίζοντος' is omitted and must be supplied from the preceding clause.
4.43.4ἐπὰν δʼ ... ὁ ῥοῦς ... προσπέσῃ
A general conditional structure. The subject 'ὁ ῥοῦς' is modified by the preceding participles 'φερόμενος' (borne) and 'συγκλειόμενος' (compressed), which are embedded within the clause introduced by 'ἐπάν' (with subjunctive 'προσπέσῃ'). The main clause is 'τότε δὴ ... ἐμπίπτει'.
4.43.9βραχείας πρὸς ὀξεῖαν γωνίαν
Interpretation of 'βραχείας'. It functions either adverbially to modify 'ὀξεῖαν γωνίαν' or as a dual epithet meaning a 'sharp and acute angle'. In contrast with 'πρὸς ἀμβλεῖαν' (at an obtuse angle), it geometrically describes that the current no longer reflects at a sharp, acute angle towards the opposite shore.

Translated by Gemini 3.5 Flash (published 2026-05-25) · Revision history (1, latest 2026-09-21)

2026-09-21 AI review — note 1

urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0543.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:4.43.1-4.43.10