Humanitext Reader

Herodotus · Histories §2.34.1-2.34.2

Geographical Symmetry between the Nile and the Ister

Passage 250 of 1577 · Greek

Summary

Herodotus explains why the Nile's sources are unknown compared to the well-known Ister, and argues for a geographical symmetry between the two rivers by comparing the positions of Egypt, Cilicia, Sinope, and the mouth of the Ister.

§2.34.1ὁ μὲν δὴ Ἴστρος, ῥέει γὰρ διʼ οἰκεομένης, πρὸς πολλῶν γινώσκεται, περὶ δὲ τῶν τοῦ Νείλου πηγέων οὐδεὶς ἔχει λέγειν· ἀοίκητός τε γὰρ καὶ ἔρημος ἐστὶ ἡ Λιβύη διʼ ἧς ῥέει.
The Ister, indeed, since it flows through inhabited land, is known by many; but concerning the sources of the Nile, no one is able to speak, for that part of Libya through which it flows is uninhabited and desert.
περὶ δὲ τοῦ ῥεύματος αὐτοῦ, ἐπʼ ὅσον μακρότατον ἱστορεῦντα ἦν ἐξικέσθαι, εἴρηται· ἐκδιδοῖ δὲ ἐς Αἴγυπτον.
But concerning its course, as far as it was possible to reach by inquiring to the furthest extent, has been told; and it empties into Egypt.
ἡ δὲ Αἴγυπτος τῆς ὀρεινῆς Κιλικίης μάλιστά κῃ ἀντίη κέεται· §2.34.2ἐνθεῦτεν δὲ ἐς Σινώπην τὴν ἐν τῷ Εὐξείνῳ πόντῳ πέντε ἡμερέων ἰθέα ὁδὸς εὐζώνῳ ἀνδρί·
Now Egypt lies pretty much opposite to mountainous Cilicia; and from there to Sinope on the Euxine Sea is a straight journey of five days for an active traveler.
ἡ δὲ Σινώπη τῷ Ἴστρῳ ἐκδιδόντι ἐς θάλασσαν ἀντίον κέεται.
And Sinope lies opposite to where the Ister empties into the sea.
οὕτω τὸν Νεῖλον δοκέω διὰ πάσης τῆς Λιβύης διεξιόντα ἐξισοῦσθαι τῷ Ἴστρῳ.
Thus I think that the Nile, passing through the whole of Libya, is equal in course to the Ister.

Notes

  1. §2.34.1οὐδεὶς ἔχει λέγειν — The verb ἔχει followed by an infinitive (λέγειν in this case) expresses capability, meaning "is able to" or "can" (synonymous with δύναται).
  2. §2.34.1ἐπʼ ὅσον μακρότατον ἱστορεῦντα ἦν ἐξικέσθαι — The accusative participle ἱστορεῦντα ("one who inquires") serves as the subject of the infinitive ἐξικέσθαι, which depends on the impersonal ἦν ("it was possible"). Literally: "as far as it was possible for one inquiring to reach the furthest."
  3. §2.34.2τῷ Ἴστρῳ ἐκδιδόντι — Dependent on the adjective ἀντίον ("opposite"), which governs the dative case. The present participle ἐκδιδόντι agrees with τῷ Ἴστρῳ, referring to "the Ister as it empties (its mouth) into the sea."

Cite this passage

Herodotus, Histories §2.34.1-2.34.2. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0016.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:2.34.1-2.34.2

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