- Source
- Polybius. Vols. 1-4. Büttner-Wobst, Theodor, editor. Leipzig: Teubner, 1893.
- 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:tlg0543.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:5.44.1-5.44.11
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-11-09
Details the geographical and topographical characteristics of Media, along with its abundant resources and neighboring tribes on all sides.
δυναστείας. τά τε γὰρ ἱπποφόρβια πάντα τὰ βασιλικὰ Μήδοις ἐγκεχείρισται, σίτου τε καὶ θρεμμάτων πλῆθος ἀναρίθμητον παρʼ αὐτοῖς ἐστι.
...because of the greatness of his power. For all the royal studs are entrusted to the Medes, and there is an innumerable quantity of corn and cattle among them.
περί γε μὴν τῆς ὀχυρότητος καὶ τοῦ μεγέθους τῆς χώρας οὐδʼ ἂν εἰπεῖν δύναιτʼ ἀξίως οὐδείς.
Indeed, no one could speak adequately of the strength and size of the country.
ἡ γὰρ Μηδία κεῖται μὲν περὶ μέσην τὴν Ἀσίαν, διαφέρει δὲ καὶ κατὰ τὸ μέγεθος καὶ κατὰ τὴν εἰς ὕψος ἀνάτασιν πάντων τῶν κατὰ τὴν Ἀσίαν τόπων, ὡς πρὸς μέρος θεωρουμένη.1
For Media lies about the middle of Asia, and surpasses all the regions of Asia both in size and in its elevation into heights, when considered as a part.
καὶ μὴν ἐπίκειται τοῖς ἀλκιμωτάτοις καὶ μεγίστοις ἔθνεσι. πρόκειται γὰρ αὐτῆς παρὰ μὲν τὴν ἕω καὶ τὰ πρὸς ἀνατολὰς μέρη τὰ κατὰ τὴν ἔρημον πεδία τὴν μεταξὺ κειμένην τῆς Περσίδος καὶ τῆς Παρθυαίας·
Moreover, it borders on the most warlike and greatest nations. For in front of it, on the east and the eastern parts, lie the plains of the desert situated between Persis and Parthia.
ἐπίκειται δὲ καὶ κρατεῖ τῶν καλουμένων Κασπίων πυλῶν, συνάπτει δὲ τοῖς Ταπύρων ὄρεσιν, ἃ δὴ τῆς Ὑρκανίας θαλάττης οὐ πολὺ διέστηκε.
And it also overlooks and commands the so-called Caspian Gates, and adjoins the mountains of the Tapyri, which indeed are not far distant from the Hyrcanian Sea.
τοῖς δὲ πρὸς μεσημβρίαν κλίμασι καθήκει πρός τε τὴν Μεσοποταμίαν καὶ τὴν Ἀπολλωνιᾶτιν χώραν, παράκειται δὲ τῇ Περσίδι, προβεβλημένη τὸ Ζάγρον ὄρος, ὃ τὴν μὲν ἀνάβασιν ἔχει πρὸς ἑκατὸν στάδια, διαφορὰς δὲ καὶ συγκλείσεις πλείους ἔχον ἐν αὑτῷ διέζευκται κοιλάσι,2 κατὰ δέ τινας τόπους αὐλῶσιν, οὓς κατοικοῦσι Κοσσαῖοι καὶ Κορβρῆναι καὶ Κάρχοι καὶ πλείω γένη βαρβάρων ἕτερα, διαφέρειν δοκοῦντα πρὸς τὰς πολεμικὰς χρείας.
In its southern parts, it extends down to Mesopotamia and the territory of Apolloniatis, and lies adjacent to Persis, having the Zagros mountain range thrown up before it as a shield, which has an ascent of about a hundred stades, and, having many defiles and narrow passes within itself, is divided by valleys, and in some parts by glens, which are inhabited by the Cossaei, Corbrenae, Carchi, and many other barbarian tribes, who are reputed to excel in warlike activities.
τοῖς δὲ πρὸς τὰς δύσεις μέρεσι κειμένοις συνάπτει τοῖς Σατραπείοις καλουμένοις· τούτοις δὲ συμβαίνει μὴ πολὺ διεστάναι τῶν ἐθνῶν τῶν ἐπὶ τὸν Εὔξεινον καθηκόντων πόντον.
On the sides lying towards the west, it borders on the so-called Satrapies; and these happen to be not far distant from the nations that extend to the Euxine Sea.
τὰ δʼ ἐπὶ τὰς ἄρκτους αὐτῆς τετραμμένα μέρη περιέχεται μὲν Ἐλυμαίοις καὶ τοῖς Ἀνιαράκαις, ἔτι δὲ Καδουσίοις καὶ Ματιανοῖς, ὑπέρκειται δὲ τῶν συναπτόντων πρὸς τὴν Μαιῶτιν τοῦ Πόντου μερῶν.3
Its parts turned towards the north are bounded by the Elymaei and the Aniaracae, and also by the Cadusii and Matiani, and lie above those parts of the Pontus which border on the Maeotis.
αὐτὴ δʼ ἡ Μηδία διέζευκται πλείοσιν ὄρεσιν ἀπὸ τῆς ἠοῦς ἕως πρὸς τὰς δύσεις, ὧν μεταξὺ κεῖται πεδία πληθύοντα πόλεσι καὶ κώμαις.
Media itself is intersected from east to west by several mountain ranges, between which lie plains full of cities and villages.
- 5.44.3ὡς πρὸς μέρος θεωρουμένη
Meaning "when considered as a part" (i.e., as a portion in comparison with the whole). The conjunction ὡς with the participle expresses a conditional or restrictive limitation.
- 5.44.7ὃ τὴν μὲν ἀνάβασιν ἔχει πρὸς ἑκατὸν στάδια, διαφορὰς δὲ καὶ συγκλείσεις πλείους ἔχον ἐν αὑτῷ διέζευκται κοιλάσι
The subject of the relative clause is the pronoun ὃ (referring to Mount Zagros). Accompanied by the participial phrase διαφορὰς δὲ καὶ συγκλείσεις πλείους ἔχον ἐν αὑτῷ ("having many defiles and narrow passes within itself"), the main verb is διέζευκται ("is divided"), which is modified by the dative of means/cause κοιλάσι ("by valleys").
- 5.44.10ὑπέρκειται δὲ τῶν συναπτόντων πρὸς τὴν Μαιῶτιν τοῦ Πόντου μερῶν
The verb ὑπέρκειμαι ("to lie above") governs the genitive case (τῶν συναπτόντων ... μερῶν) to indicate relative position. The participle συναπτόντων ("bordering") takes the prepositional phrase πρὸς τὴν Μαιῶτιν, meaning "[the parts] bordering on the Maeotis."