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Herodotus · Histories §2.12.1-2.12.3

Observation of Shells and Soil Proving Egypt's Alluvial Origin

Passage 228 of 1577 · Greek

Summary

Based on his own observations, such as shells on mountains, salt crusts, and distinct soil characteristics, the author supports the theory that Egypt was formed by alluvial deposits carried by the river.

§2.12.1τὰ περὶ Αἴγυπτον ὦν καὶ τοῖσι λέγουσι αὐτὰ πείθομαι καὶ αὐτὸς οὕτω κάρτα δοκέω εἶναι, ἰδών τε τὴν Αἴγυπτον προκειμένην τῆς ἐχομένης γῆς κογχύλιά τε φαινόμενα ἐπὶ τοῖσι ὄρεσι καὶ ἅλμην ἐπανθέουσαν, ὥστε καὶ τὰς πυραμίδας δηλέεσθαι, καὶ ψάμμον μοῦνον Αἰγύπτου ὄρος τοῦτο τὸ ὑπὲρ Μέμφιος ἔχον, §2.12.2πρὸς δὲ τῇ χώρῃ οὔτε τῇ Ἀραβίῃ προσούρῳ ἐούσῃ τὴν Αἴγυπτον προσεικέλην οὔτε τῇ Λιβύῃ, οὐ μὲν οὐδὲ τῇ Συρίῃ (τῆς γὰρ Ἀραβίης τὰ παρὰ θάλασσαν Σύροι νέμονται), ἀλλὰ μελάγγαιόν τε καὶ καταρρηγνυμένην, ὥστε ἐοῦσαν ἰλύν τε καὶ πρόχυσιν ἐξ Αἰθιοπίης κατενηνειγμένην ὑπὸ τοῦ ποταμοῦ.
Therefore, concerning the matters of Egypt, I both believe those who say them and myself very much think it to be so, because I saw that Egypt projects beyond the adjacent land, and that shells appear on the mountains and salt crusts over so as even to damage the pyramids, and that this mountain above Memphis is the only one in Egypt that has sand, and furthermore, because I saw that its soil is like neither the adjacent Arabia nor Libya, nor indeed Syria (for Syrians inhabit the coastal parts of Arabia), but is black-soiled and crumbly, as being silt and alluvial deposit carried down from Ethiopia by the river.
§2.12.3τὴν δὲ Λιβύην ἴδμεν ἐρυθροτέρην τε γῆν καὶ ὑποψαμμοτέρην, τὴν δὲ Ἀραβίην τε καὶ Συρίην ἀργιλωδεστέρην τε καὶ ὑπόπετρον ἐοῦσαν.
On the other hand, we know that Libya is a redder and more sandy land, and that Arabia and Syria are more clayey and somewhat stony.

Notes

  1. 2.12.1ἰδών — The aorist participle ἰδών indicates the ground or reason for the previous statement. This participle governs a series of accusative-and-participle (or adjective) constructions extending from 2.12.1 ("that Egypt projects" προκειμένην, "shells appear" φαινόμενα, "salt crusts over" ἐπανθέουσαν, "the mountain has" ἔχον) through 2.12.2 ("that Egypt is not similar" προσεικέλην, "but is black-soiled and crumbly" μελάγγαιόν τε καὶ καταρρηγνυμένην).
  2. 2.12.2ὥστε ἐοῦσαν — The conjunction ὥστε is followed by the participle ἐοῦσαν (feminine accusative singular of εἰμί). In Herodotus, the combination of ὥστε with a participle is a characteristic usage denoting a subjective reason, comparison, or characterization ("as being", "inasmuch as it is"), explaining that the nature of Egypt's soil is alluvial deposit from Ethiopia.
  3. 2.12.3ἴδμεν — First-person plural present indicative of οἶδα (to know). This is the Ionic and poetic form corresponding to the Attic ἴσμεν.

Cite this passage

Herodotus, Histories §2.12.1-2.12.3. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0016.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:2.12.1-2.12.3

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