Herodotus · Histories §4.173.1

Destruction of the Psylli and Nasamonian Occupation

Passage 737 of 1577 · Greek

Summary

It is narrated how the Psylli perished after being buried in the sand by the south wind, and how the neighboring Nasamones came to possess their land.

§4.173.1Νασαμῶσι δὲ προσόμουροι εἰσὶ Ψύλλοι.

\nThe Psylli border on the Nasamones.

οὗτοι ἐξαπολώλασι τρόπῳ τοιῷδε· ὁ νότος σφι πνέων ἄνεμος τὰ ἔλυτρα τῶν ὑδάτων ἐξηύηνε, ἡ δὲ χώρη σφι ἅπασα ἐντὸς ἐοῦσα τῆς Σύρτιος ἦν ἄνυδρος.

These people perished in the following manner: the south wind, blowing, dried up their water reservoirs, and their entire land, being within the Syrtis, was without water.

οἳ δὲ βουλευσάμενοι κοινῷ λόγῳ ἐστρατεύοντο ἐπὶ τὸν νότον (λέγω δὲ ταῦτα τὰ λέγουσι Λίβυες), καὶ ἐπείτε ἐγίνοντο ἐν τῇ ψάμμῳ, πνεύσας ὁ νότος κατέχωσε σφέας.

So they, having consulted together by common consent, marched against the south wind (I only repeat what the Libyans say), and when they came to the sand, the south wind blew and buried them.

ἐξαπολομένων δὲ τούτων ἔχουσι τὴν χώρην οἱ Νασαμῶνες.

Since they have perished, the Nasamones possess their land.

Notes

4.173.1σφι — The pronoun σφι is the third-person dative plural (shortened from σφίσι), functioning here as a dative of possession (or dative of disadvantage) modifying 'their (reservoirs)' and 'their (land).'
4.173.1τὰ λέγουσι — The relative pronoun τά is the Ionic form corresponding to the Attic ἅ (neuter plural accusative). Its antecedent is the preceding demonstrative ταῦτα, serving as the direct object of the verb λέγουσι.

Cite this passage

Herodotus, Histories §4.173.1. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0016.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:4.173.1

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