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Herodotus · Histories §1.104.1-1.104.2

The Scythian Invasion Route and Defeat of the Medes

Passage 104 of 1577 · Greek

Summary

Explains the geographical route from Lake Maeotis to Media, and describes how the Scythians bypassed the Caucasus to invade Media, defeating the Medes and overrunning Asia.

§1.104.1ἔστι δὲ ἀπὸ τῆς λίμνης τῆς Μαιήτιδος ἐπὶ Φᾶσιν ποταμὸν καὶ ἐς Κόλχους τριήκοντα ἡμερέων εὐζώνῳ ὁδός, ἐκ δὲ τῆς Κολχίδος οὐ πολλὸν ὑπερβῆναι ἐς τὴν Μηδικήν, ἀλλʼ ἓν τὸ διὰ μέσου ἔθνος αὐτῶν ἐστι, Σάσπειρες, τοῦτο δὲ παραμειβομένοισι εἶναι ἐν τῇ Μηδικῇ.
From the Lake Maeotis to the river Phasis and to Colchis, it is a journey of thirty days for an active man; and from Colchis it is not a great distance to pass over into Media, but there is only one nation in between them, the Saspeires, and for those who pass through this, they are in Media.
§1.104.2οὐ μέντοι οἵ γε Σκύθαι ταύτῃ ἐσέβαλον, ἀλλὰ τὴν κατύπερθε ὁδὸν πολλῷ μακροτέρην ἐκτραπόμενοι, ἐν δεξιῇ ἔχοντες τὸ Καυκάσιον ὄρος.
However, the Scythians did not invade by this route, but turned aside into the upper road, which is much longer, keeping the Caucasus mountains on their right.
ἐνθαῦτα οἱ μὲν Μῆδοι συμβαλόντες τοῖσι Σκύθῃσι καὶ ἑσσωθέντες τῇ μάχῃ τῆς ἀρχῆς κατελύθησαν.
There, the Medes engaged in battle with the Scythians, and being defeated in the fight, they were deprived of their sovereignty.
οἱ δὲ Σκύθαι τὴν Ἀσίην πᾶσαν ἐπέσχον.
Meanwhile, the Scythians overran the whole of Asia.

Notes

  1. §1.104.1εὐζώνῳ — Substantive use of the adjective εὔζωνος ('light-burdened', 'active'). It functions here as a dative of reference, meaning 'for an active traveler'.
  2. §1.104.1παραμειβομένοισι εἶναι — The dative participle παραμειβομένοισι is a dative of reference, conveying a conditional force ('for those who pass through' / 'if they pass through'). The infinitive εἶναι functions as a consecutive infinitive, expressing the state logically resulting from the passage.
  3. §1.104.2τῆς ἀρχῆς — Genitive of separation. It is governed by the passive verb κατελύθησαν ('were deposed', 'were put down'), meaning 'were deprived of their rule (sovereignty)'.

Cite this passage

Herodotus, Histories §1.104.1-1.104.2. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0016.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:1.104.1-1.104.2

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